Punctuation - PYQs and MCQs

Q1466. Which sentence uses a hyphen correctly?

She bought a well: known brand. She bought a well known brand. She bought a well-known brand. She bought a well, known brand.

Year: 2025

✅ Correct Answer: She bought a well-known brand.

🧠 Solution:

Compound adjectives before a noun are hyphenated: 'well-known brand.'

Q1465. Which sentence is punctuated correctly with a dash?

I need three things:—patience, time, and courage. I need three things— patience time and courage. I need three things—patience, time, and courage. I need three things, —patience, time, and courage.

Year: 2025

✅ Correct Answer: I need three things—patience, time, and courage.

🧠 Solution:

The dash directly introduces emphasis: 'I need three things—patience, time, and courage.'

Q1464. Choose the sentence with the correct placement of the question mark.

She asked, “Did you enjoy the trip”? She asked, “Did you enjoy the trip.”? She asked “Did you enjoy the trip”? She asked, “Did you enjoy the trip?”

Year: 2025

✅ Correct Answer: She asked, “Did you enjoy the trip?”

🧠 Solution:

The question mark goes inside quotation marks when it belongs to the quoted sentence.

Q1463. Which punctuation correctly completes the sentence: 'The speaker concluded with the words ___'?

!! ... — --

Year: 2025

✅ Correct Answer: ...

🧠 Solution:

An ellipsis ( … ) shows trailing or unfinished speech: 'The speaker concluded with the words …'

Q1462. Which sentence demonstrates correct punctuation with an abbreviation?

He lives in Washington; D.C. He lives in Washington, D.C. He lives in Washington D.C. He lives in Washington D.C

Year: 2025

✅ Correct Answer: He lives in Washington, D.C.

🧠 Solution:

Abbreviations like D.C. take periods and commas in formal writing: 'Washington, D.C.'

Q1461. Which of the following sentences correctly uses a colon?

There are two options stay: or leave. There are: two options stay or leave. There are two options: stay or leave. There are two options, stay or leave.

Year: 2025

✅ Correct Answer: There are two options: stay or leave.

🧠 Solution:

A colon introduces a list or explanation: 'There are two options: stay or leave.'

Q1460. Choose the correct punctuation for the following sentence: 'Have you read the article The Future of AI?'

Have you read the article ‘The Future of AI’? Have you read the article: The Future of AI? Have you read the article “The Future of AI”? Have you read the article, The Future of AI?

Year: 2025

✅ Correct Answer: Have you read the article “The Future of AI”?

🧠 Solution:

Titles of articles are enclosed in quotation marks: '“The Future of AI.”'

Q1459. Which sentence uses quotation marks correctly?

“I will go tomorrow”, she said. ‘I will go tomorrow’, she said. “I will go tomorrow,” she said. “I will go tomorrow”, she said.

Year: 2025

✅ Correct Answer: “I will go tomorrow,” she said.

🧠 Solution:

In American English, the comma is placed inside the quotation marks: '“I will go tomorrow,” she said.'

Q1458. Identify the correct punctuation in the sentence: 'He said however he would not join us.'

He said, however, he would not join us. He said however he would not join us. He said, however he would not join us. He said however, he would not join us.

Year: 2025

✅ Correct Answer: He said, however, he would not join us.

🧠 Solution:

The interrupter 'however' should be set off by commas: 'He said, however, he would not join us.'

Q1457. Which sentence correctly places commas in a non-restrictive clause?

My brother, who lives in Delhi is a doctor. My brother who lives in Delhi is a doctor. My brother who, lives in Delhi, is a doctor. My brother, who lives in Delhi, is a doctor.

Year: 2025

✅ Correct Answer: My brother, who lives in Delhi, is a doctor.

🧠 Solution:

Non-restrictive clauses are set off by commas: 'My brother, who lives in Delhi, is a doctor.'

Q1456. Which sentence correctly uses the Oxford comma?

We bought apples, oranges and bananas. We bought apples, oranges, and bananas. We bought, apples, oranges and bananas. We bought apples oranges, and bananas.

Year: 2025

✅ Correct Answer: We bought apples, oranges, and bananas.

🧠 Solution:

The Oxford comma appears before the final 'and' in a list: 'apples, oranges, and bananas.'

Q1455. Which punctuation is correct in the following: 'The question is how did you manage that?'

The question is, how did you manage that? The question is: how did you manage that? The question is—how did you manage that? All of the above

Year: 2025

✅ Correct Answer: All of the above

🧠 Solution:

All listed punctuations (comma, colon, dash) are acceptable depending on emphasis.

Q1454. Select the correctly punctuated sentence.

We met on Monday, January 1, 2025, in London. We met on Monday January, 1, 2025 in London. We met on, Monday January 1 2025 in London. We met on Monday, January, 1 2025 in London.

Year: 2025

✅ Correct Answer: We met on Monday, January 1, 2025, in London.

🧠 Solution:

Commas are placed after the day and year: 'We met on Monday, January 1, 2025, in London.'

Q1453. Which of the following is punctuated correctly?

He enjoys swimming, and, cycling. He enjoys swimming; and cycling. He enjoys; swimming and cycling. He enjoys swimming and cycling.

Year: 2025

✅ Correct Answer: He enjoys swimming and cycling.

🧠 Solution:

No extra punctuation is needed: 'He enjoys swimming and cycling.'

Q1452. Choose the sentence with correct punctuation for dialogue.

“I’ll be there soon.”, she said. “I’ll be there soon” she said. “I’ll be there soon,” she said. “I’ll be there soon.” she said.

Year: 2025

✅ Correct Answer: “I’ll be there soon,” she said.

🧠 Solution:

In dialogue, the comma is placed inside quotation marks before the tag: '“I’ll be there soon,” she said.'

Q1451. Identify the correctly punctuated title.

I love reading *To Kill a Mockingbird.* I love reading 'To Kill a Mockingbird.' I love reading To Kill a Mockingbird. I love reading “To Kill a Mockingbird.”

Year: 2025

✅ Correct Answer: I love reading “To Kill a Mockingbird.”

🧠 Solution:

Book titles are italicized or placed in quotation marks; in this case, quotation marks are correct.

Q1450. Which sentence demonstrates correct punctuation for a direct address?

Lets eat, grandma! Let’s eat, grandma! Let’s eat grandma! Lets eat grandma!

Year: 2025

✅ Correct Answer: Let’s eat, grandma!

🧠 Solution:

A comma separates the person addressed: 'Let’s eat, grandma!'

Q1449. Which punctuation correctly shows omission in this sentence: 'I don’t know what’s going on … do you?'

... .. — …

Year: 2025

✅ Correct Answer: …

🧠 Solution:

An ellipsis ( … ) shows omission or a pause in dialogue.

Q1448. Choose the correctly punctuated sentence with quotation inside quotation.

He said, “Did you hear her say, ‘I’m leaving’”? He said, “Did you hear her say, ‘I’m leaving?”’ He said, “Did you hear her say, “I’m leaving”?” He said, “Did you hear her say, ‘I’m leaving’?”

Year: 2025

✅ Correct Answer: He said, “Did you hear her say, ‘I’m leaving’?”

🧠 Solution:

Single quotation marks are used inside double quotation marks: 'He said, “Did you hear her say, ‘I’m leaving’?”'

Q1447. Which punctuation is required in the sentence: 'Well I don’t know if that’s correct.'?

After 'correct' After 'know' After 'Well' After 'don’t'

Year: 2025

✅ Correct Answer: After 'Well'

🧠 Solution:

An introductory word is followed by a comma: 'Well, I don’t know if that’s correct.'

Q1446. Where is the semicolon correctly used?

I have visited Paris France; Rome Italy; and Madrid Spain. I have visited Paris, France; Rome, Italy; and Madrid, Spain. I have visited Paris; France, Rome Italy; Madrid Spain. I have visited Paris; France, Rome; Italy, and Madrid; Spain.

Year: 2025

✅ Correct Answer: I have visited Paris, France; Rome, Italy; and Madrid, Spain.

🧠 Solution:

Semicolons separate items in a complex list where commas are already used.

Q1445. Which sentence uses parentheses correctly?

She finally answered after taking five minutes (that she was tired). She finally (answered after taking five minutes) that she was tired. She finally answered (after taking five minutes) that she was tired. She finally answered after taking five minutes, (that she was tired).

Year: 2025

✅ Correct Answer: She finally answered (after taking five minutes) that she was tired.

🧠 Solution:

Parentheses enclose additional nonessential information: 'She finally answered (after taking five minutes) that she was tired.'

Q1444. Choose the correct punctuation: 'He didn’t know what to do he was confused.'

He didn’t know what to do: he was confused. He didn’t know what to do, he was confused. He didn’t know what to do he, was confused. He didn’t know what to do; he was confused.

Year: 2025

✅ Correct Answer: He didn’t know what to do; he was confused.

🧠 Solution:

A semicolon joins two closely related independent clauses: 'He didn’t know what to do; he was confused.'

Q1443. Which sentence correctly uses the dash?

My brother—he is older than me lives abroad. My brother—he is older than me, lives abroad. My brother he is older than me—lives abroad. My brother—he is older than me—lives abroad.

Year: 2025

✅ Correct Answer: My brother—he is older than me—lives abroad.

🧠 Solution:

Dashes are used to set off additional information: 'My brother—he is older than me—lives abroad.'

Q1442. Identify the correctly punctuated sentence.

He asked, “where are you going?” He asked, “Where are you going“? He asked “where are you going?” He asked, “Where are you going?”

Year: 2025

✅ Correct Answer: He asked, “Where are you going?”

🧠 Solution:

The first word inside quotation marks must be capitalized: 'He asked, “Where are you going?”'

Q1441. Choose the sentence with the correct use of apostrophes.

The childrens toys were scattered everywhere. The childrens’ toys were scattered everywhere. The children’s toys were scattered everywhere. The childrens toy’s were scattered everywhere.

Year: 2025

✅ Correct Answer: The children’s toys were scattered everywhere.

🧠 Solution:

The plural 'children' takes a possessive apostrophe + s: 'children’s toys.'

Q1440. Which of the following uses the colon correctly?

She bought apples, bananas, and: grapes. She bought: apples, bananas, and grapes. She bought the following: apples, bananas, and grapes. She: bought apples, bananas, and grapes.

Year: 2025

✅ Correct Answer: She bought the following: apples, bananas, and grapes.

🧠 Solution:

A colon introduces a list after a complete clause: 'She bought the following: apples, bananas, and grapes.'

Q1439. Where should the comma be placed in the following sentence? 'After the meeting we went to lunch.'

After, the meeting we went to lunch. After the meeting, we went to lunch. After the meeting we, went to lunch. After the, meeting we went to lunch.

Year: 2025

✅ Correct Answer: After the meeting, we went to lunch.

🧠 Solution:

A comma follows an introductory phrase: 'After the meeting, we went to lunch.'

Q1438. Which sentence is punctuated correctly?

It’s raining outside, let’s take an umbrella. Its raining outside, let’s take an umbrella. It’s raining outside; let’s take an umbrella. It’s raining outside let’s take an umbrella.

Year: 2025

✅ Correct Answer: It’s raining outside; let’s take an umbrella.

🧠 Solution:

Two independent clauses should be joined by a semicolon here: 'It’s raining outside; let’s take an umbrella.'

UPTET / English Language / Punctuation