Commas and dashes around extra words

Grade 9 Reading Worksheet - Challenge Me

Circle the best answer.

1. Read this first

   Version A

   The engineers who inspected the dam after the storm reported cracks in the spillway.
   Version B: The engineers, who inspected the dam after the storm, reported cracks in the spillway.

2. 1.

   Ari edits a firm’s report. The firm has eleven engineers, and four of them inspected the dam. Which statement picks the right version and says why?

   • Neither version, because a who-clause must be set off with commas in a formal report.
   • B, because the commas make the who-clause pick out the four who inspected; A would say all eleven did.
   • A, because the who-clause limits the class to the four who inspected; B would say all eleven did.
   • Either version, because the commas only add a pause before and after the who-clause.

3. Version A

   The company will not hire engineers who lack a license.
   Version B: The company will not hire engineers, who lack a license.

4. 2.

   Bo edits a company policy. The writer means that the company refuses to hire engineers who have no license. Which statement picks the right version and says why?

   • Either version, because the comma just shows a pause before the clause about the license.
   • B, because the commas limit the engineers to the unlicensed; A would say that engineers in general lack a license.
   • A, because the clause limits the engineers to the unlicensed; B says engineers in general lack a license.
   • Neither version, because a clause about a license should be set off in dashes.
5. 3.

   The mayor made one promise: the bridge would reopen. Version B: The mayor made one promise; the bridge would reopen. Esme edits a press release. The writer wants the second part to say what the promise was. Which statement picks the right version and says why?

   • B, because the semicolon introduces what the promise was; A joins two statements without saying the bridge was the promise.
   • Either version, because a colon and a semicolon are interchangeable before a second clause.
   • A, because the colon introduces what the promise was; B joins two statements without saying the bridge was the promise.
   • Version B, because the words after the semicolon are not a full clause.
6. 4.

   The treasurer (who had embezzled the funds) resigned. Version B: The treasurer—who had embezzled the funds—resigned. Jun edits a school paper. The writer wants the reader to focus on the embezzling. Which statement picks the right version and says why?

   • B, because the dashes stress the embezzling as the point; A tucks it into a quiet aside.
   • A, because the parentheses stress the embezzling as the point; B tucks it into a quiet aside.
   • Either version, because dashes and parentheses give the clause the same weight.
   • Version B, because dashes cannot hold a clause that has its own verb.

7. Paragraph

   The council delayed the vote; however, residents kept filling the hall. Their message was clear: the old bridge had to go.

8. 5.

   Luz explains the punctuation of a paragraph from a council story. Which reason for the colon after “clear” is true?

   • The second sentence is short, and a short follow-up statement takes a colon, not a comma.
   • The words before the colon form a full clause, and what follows explains the message.
   • A colon marks the longest pause a reader can take, which suits a message in a story.
   • Any clause that follows the word “clear” must begin with a colon.
9. 6.

   The proposal—which three committees had rejected, twice—finally passed. Milo explains the punctuation of a sentence from a town report. Which reason for the dashes is true?

   • A part that begins with “which” is set off with dashes by rule.
   • The extra part is long enough that a pair of commas could not hold it, so dashes are used.
   • A dash makes a longer pause than a comma, and the reader should rest here.
   • The extra part holds a comma of its own and needs stress, so dashes mark it more clearly.
10. 7.

    The pool closed early because the filter failed. Noah explains the punctuation of a sentence from a facilities report. Which reason for the lack of a comma before “because” is true?

    • The because-clause is short, and a short clause needs no comma before it.
    • The because-clause completes the main clause with its reason, so no comma separates them.
    • A reader does not pause before “because”, so no comma is needed in a sentence this short.
    • A clause that begins with “because” takes no comma, by rule, wherever it stands.

11. Draft

    The club will elect a president, vote on the budget, and—after a short break, adopt the new bylaws. The turnout was high, however, the vote was close.

12. 8.

    Pia revises two sentences from a club newsletter. Which revision fixes both slips without adding a new one?

    • The club will elect a president, vote on the budget, and, after a short break, adopt the new bylaws. The turnout was high, however, the vote was close.
    • The club will elect a president, vote on the budget, and—after a short break, adopt the new bylaws. The turnout was high; however, the vote was close.
    • The club will elect a president, vote on the budget, and, after a short break, adopt the new bylaws. The turnout was high; however the vote was close.
    • The club will elect a president, vote on the budget, and, after a short break, adopt the new bylaws. The turnout was high; however, the vote was close.

13. Draft

    Residents wanted lower taxes, safer streets, and—though few said so openly, a new library. Several attended the hearing, they spoke for nearly an hour.

14. 9.

    Ren revises two sentences from a town bulletin. Which revision fixes both slips without adding a new one?

    • Residents wanted lower taxes, safer streets, and—though few said so openly—a new library. Several attended the hearing, they spoke for nearly an hour.
    • Residents wanted lower taxes, safer streets, and—though few said so openly, a new library. Several attended the hearing; they spoke for nearly an hour.
    • Residents wanted lower taxes, safer streets, and—though few said so openly—, a new library. Several attended the hearing; they spoke for nearly an hour.
    • Residents wanted lower taxes, safer streets, and—though few said so openly—a new library. Several attended the hearing; they spoke for nearly an hour.

15. Draft

    The report recommends hiring two inspectors, expanding the lab, and, in the meantime to freeze fees. Costs rose sharply; so, the board delayed the vote.

16. 10.

    Tala revises two sentences from a district report. Which revision fixes both slips without adding a new one?

    • The report recommends hiring two inspectors, expanding the lab, and, in the meantime, freezing fees. Costs rose sharply, so the board delayed the vote.
    • The report recommends hiring two inspectors, expanding the lab, and, in the meantime, freezing fees. Costs rose sharply, so, the board delayed the vote.
    • The report recommends hiring two inspectors, expanding the lab, and, in the meantime, freezing fees. Costs rose sharply; so, the board delayed the vote.
    • The report recommends hiring two inspectors, expanding the lab, and, in the meantime to freeze fees. Costs rose sharply, so the board delayed the vote.