Name _

gpg. }

Punctuation: Colons and SemicolonsDecide whether the underlined word in each sentence should be followed by a colon, a semicolon, or acomma. Choose your answer below.

I. I am reading about the trickster it is a characterin traditional Native American literature.@ colon ® semicolon @ comma

II. One of my favorite trickster tales "How CoyoteStole Fire," is a Native American tale.@ colon ® semicolon @ comma

2. The trickster also appears in stories from othercultures such as the following Norse, Chinese,and African cultures.@ colon ® semicolon @ comma

12. Speaking of fire, Greek mythology includesa character named Prometheus and someconsider him a trickster.@ colon ® semicolon @ comma

3. In Native American stories, the trickster maybe a coyote or it may be a raven.@ colon ® semicolon @ comma

13. Prometheus might be considered a tricksterbut he sure ended up being punished for histrickery!@ colon ® semicolon @ comma

•.•• Those are the two most popular forms for thetrickster there are many others.@ colon ® semicolon @ comma

I.... Prometheus tricked Zeus and Zeus gavePrometheus a torturous punishment.@ colon ® semicolon @ comma

5. In many African cultures the trickster took theform of a spider called Anansi.@ colon ® semicolon @ comma

15. Zeus did the following to Prometheus hung himfrom a mountain, had his eagle poke at Prometheus'skin, and let the frost freeze him each night.@ colon ® semicolon @ comma6. Early American slaves had their own version

of the trickster this trickster was called BrerRabbit.@ colon ® semicolon @ comma

16. After a day of torture, Prometheus' skin healedovernight in the morning the torture started again.@ colon ® semicolon @ comma

7. These trickster characters had many qualities incommon but a fe~ stood out from the others.@ colon ® semicolon @ comma

17. Most other tricksters but not all, fared betterthan Prometheus did.@ colon ® semicolon @ comma

8. A trickster often had the following qualitiesclever, instinctive, strong, enduring, and, ofcourse, tricky.@ colon ® semicolon @ comma

18. Coyote was particularly successful he rarely losta battle of wits or strength.@ colon ® semicolon @ comma

9. In some folktales, the trickster was even thecreator of the following Earth, people, animals,weather, and other natural phenomena.@ colon ® semicolon @ comma

19. In Asian cultures, the trickster is often a monkey,a fox or even a wasp.@ colon ® semicolon @ comma

10. It is interesting to study trickster tales yousee many similarities around the world.@ colon ® semicolon @ comma

20. Some people sum up the character of the tricksteras the following creator, destroyer, and survivor.@ colon ® semi~olon @ comma

Sfrafegies for Wrifers Grade 8 Testsfor Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics

Name _

Punctuation: CommasWhich of the two underlined words should be followed by a comma? Ifboth words should have commas,choose both. Ifit is correct, choose correct. Choose your answer below.

I. Louis Leakey was an archaeologist ananthropologist and a paleontologist.@ archeologist @ both

® Diamond ® correct

2. He, his wife and his son dedicated themselvesto scientific studies.@his @both

® wife ® correct

3. They are a dedicated motivated family.@ dedicated @ both

® motivated ® correct

If. Even today, members of the Leakey familyhunt collect, and preserve history.@ family @ both

® hunt ® correct

5. Louis Leakey inspired Jane Goodall, DianFossey, and Birute Galdikas.@ Leakey @ both

® Dian ® correct

6. Leakey's devoted passionate personality earnedthe attention of the three scientists.@ devoted @ both

® passionate ® correct

7. These women studied chimpanzees gorillasand orangutans ..@ chimpanzees @ both

® gorrillas ® correct

8. They went to live with the primates in TanzaniaDemocratic Republic of the Congo and Borneo.@ Democratic Republic of the Congo @ both

® Tanzania ® correct

9. Goodall studied the lives personalities, andhabits of Tanzania's chimpanzees.@ lives @ both

® habits ® correct

10. Many people admire Goodall's kind sincerepersonality.@kind

®sincere

@both

® correct

Strategies for Writers Grade 8

II. In Democratic Republic of the Congo, Fosseylearned about the gorilla's lives and the dangersthat faced them.@ dangers @ both

® lives ® correct

12. Fossey surprised people with her strong protectiveinstincts toward the gorillas.@ strong @ both

® protective ® correct

13. Birute Galdikas has studied, befriended andprotected the orangutans in Borneo.@ Galdikas @ both

® befriended ® correct

Ilf. Some people have called Goodall, Fossey andGaldikas "Leakey's Angels."@ called @ both

® Fossey ® correct

15. These scientists have been the subjects of articlesbooks and movies.@ articles @ both

® books ® correct

16. Have you ever seen the wonderful interestingfilm Gorillas in the Mist?@ wonderful @ both

® interesting ® correct

17. It is about Fossey's life, work and death.@work @both

® death ® correct

18. Fossey was the victim of a mysterious terriblemurder in her cabin in Africa.@ mysterious @ both

® terrible ® correct

19. Goodall spends her golden years touring,lecturing, and inspiring others.@ years @ both

® inspiring ® correct

20. Birute Galdikas continues to live work andprotect orangutans in Borneo.@live @both

® work ® correct

Tests for Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics

Name --------------------------------------------------------Punctuation: More Uses for Commas

Which underlined word should be followedby a comma? Choose your answerbelow.

I. "~are ~ going to the basketball gametonight?" asked Patrick.

@Joe ® you @ game2. ~ and Patrick are neighbors and they often

share rides to school.

@Joe ® Patrick @neighbors3. "YesI'm going to work at the concession stand,"

~ replied.

@Yes ®work @Joe•.•.•"I'm going to the game, too and I wondered

whether you need a ride," said Patrick.

@ going ® too @ wondered5. "Hey that's a great idea!"exclaimedJoe.

@ Hey ® great @ exclaimed

6. Patrick said, "Maybe my mom could take usand your mom can pick us up."

@ Patrick ® mom @ us

7. "Well it will be my dad who will pick us up,"explainedJoe.

@ Well ® dad .@ explained

8. "My mom is going to a ceramics class tonight"she said.

@ mom ® ceramics @ tonight

9. "Okay my mom and I will pick you up at fiveo'clock,"said Patrick.

@Okay ®mom @said10. "I guess I'll see you then Patrick," said Joe.

@ guess ® then @ said

Decide whether the underlined comma is used for an introductory word, a compound sentence,direct address,or items in a series.Choose your answer below.

II. "Anthony j do you like to play card games?"askedMark.@ intro. word® compound sent.

@ direct address@series

12. "Yes , I love card games, especiallybridge,"Anth~ny replied.@ intro. word .® compound sent.

@ direct address@series

13. "Hey.2..that's my favorite game, too!"Mark said.@ intro. word @ direct address® compound sent. @ series

I..... The boys decided to playa game .2..and Markshuffled the deck of cards.@ intro. word® compound sent.

@ direct address@series

15. "Mark.2..where did you learn how to shuffle likethat?" asked Anthony.@ intro. word® compound sent.

Sfrafegies for Wrifers Grade 8

@ direct address@series

16. Mark replied, "My dad taught me how j but Ipracticed a lot."@ intra. word® compound sent.

@ direct address@series

17. Anthony said, "Sometimes my dad, my sister .2..andI play rummy."@ intra. word® compound sent.

@ direct address@series

18. "Wow.2..I'd love to learn how to play rummy," saidMark.@ intra. word® compound sent.

@ direct address@series

19. Anthony smiled and said, "I can teach you, Mark."@ intro. word @ direct addr~s® compound sent. @ series

20. Mark said, "First let's play bridge .2..and then youcan teach me how to play rummy."@ intra. word @ direct address® compound sent. - @ series

Tests for Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics

Name _

Punctuation: Direct and Indirect QpotationsDecide whether each sentence uses a direct quotation, an indirect quotation, both, or neither.Choose your answer below.

I. Anya asked, "Have you ever heard of Odysseusfrom Greek mythology?"@ direct @ both

® indirect @ neither

2. Marcus said that he knew the book titled TheOdyssey was about him.@ direct @ both

® indirect @ neither

3. Then Anya explained that The Odyssey wasn'texactly a book.@ direct @ both

® indirect @ neither

•.•• "I saw it in the library, and it looks like a book!"said Marcus.

@direct

®indirect

@both

@neither

5. "You're goofY!"said Anya, and she explainedthat the work was an epic poem.@ direct @ both

® indirect @ neither

6. "Well, what's an epic poem?" he asked.@ direct @ both

® indirect @ neither

7. Anya grabbed her literature book and pointedto a page.@ direct @ both

® indirect @ neither

8. "This will explain better," she said.@ direct @ both

® indirect @ neither

9. Marcus read aloud,"An epic poem is a long poemthat tells the story of a hero."@ direct @ both

® indirect @ neither

10. Marcus continued reading the book and thenlooked up at Anya.@direct

®indirect

@both

@neither

Strategies for Writers Grade 8

II. Marcus said her name, and then he asked,"Do you know what else this says?"@ direct @ both

® indirect @ neither

12. "Yes," Anya replied. "I read the entire entry aboutepic poems."@ direct @ both

® indirect @ neither

13. "Then you should have no problem answeringthis question," he teased.@ direct @ both

® indirect @ neither

I•.•.Anya, who was very competitive, folded herarms across her chest.@ direct @ both

® indirect @ neither

15. Then she said, "Bring on the question!"@ direct @ both

® indirect @ neither

16. Marcus asked her which epic poem is consideredthe best by literature experts.@ direct @ both

® indirect @ neither

17. Anya grimaced because she didn't know theanswer for sure.@ direct @ both

® indirect @ neither

18. "The Iliad, " she said. "It's the big brother of theThe Odyssey."@ direct @ both

® indirect @ neither

19. "You're wrong!" exclaimed Marcus, and Anyaasked him for the correct answer.@ direct @ both

® indirect @ neither

20. Marcus smiled and said, "The correct answer isThe Epic Poem ifMarcus!"@direct

® indirect

@both

@neither

Tests for Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics