CBSE Class 8 English Punctuation Worksheet

Using Commas Class 8 English

In dates, use commas after the day of the month and the year. Do not use a comma if only the month and the year are given.

Shama arrived in this country on July 6, 1989, with her family.

She became a citizen in January 1996.

Use commas before and after the name of a state or country when it is used with the name of a city. Do not use a comma after the state if the state name is followed by a zip code.

She used to live in Chicago, Illinois, but now she lives in Detroit, Michigan.

His address is 296 S. Pacific Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15211.

Use a comma or a pair of commas to set off an abbreviated title (except Jr. and Sr.) or a degree following a person’s name.

Lou Szupinski, Ph.D., wrote the book about fossils.
 

Exercise 1 Add commas where needed. Write C if the sentence is correct.

.........................  Send your questions on health to Dr. Chris Boyd, M.D.

......................... 1. His address is 1402 Michigan Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois 60606.

......................... 2. We had a huge blizzard on February 18,1989.

......................... 3. Our largest blizzard before that was in January 1953.

......................... 4. Pat Hoyt, D.V.M., is the veterinarian.

......................... 5. The Pittsburgh Press is at 34 Boulevard of the Allies, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15230.

......................... 6. On graduation day my sister will be Alma Lopez, B.A.

.........................  7. We crossed the bridge into Brooklyn,New York.

......................... 8. The lawyer talking to the judge is Marion Ling, J.D.

......................... 9. Francisco was born in Guanajuato, Mexico.

......................... 10. The Sistine Chapel is in Vatican City,Italy.

......................... 11. Portland, Maine,is the home of the Portland Sea Dogs.

......................... 12. Abraham Lincoln was born in February 1809.

......................... 13. New Bedford, Massachusetts, was famous for whaling.

......................... 14. El Morro castle is in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

......................... 15. On March 23, 1904, her grandfather was born in Moscow, Russia.

......................... 16. The sweater was made in Belfast,Ireland.

......................... 17. The Titanic struck an iceberg on April 14, 1912.

......................... 18. The priest who said mass was Terry O’Brien, S.J.

......................... 19. The president delivered his speech in Washington,D.C.

......................... 20. Paul Revere made his famous ride in April 1775.

......................... 21. Write to the Weather Channel at 2840 Mt. Wilkinson Parkway, Atlanta,Georgia 30339.

......................... 22. On December 8, 1941,the United States entered World War II.

......................... 23. Chuck was born on January 26, 1984.

......................... 24. October 13, 1994,was an important day in her life.

......................... 25. The Prado, a famous art museum, is in Madrid,Spain.

......................... 26. My parents were married on June 12, 1980.

......................... 27. Did you read about that big earthquake in Mexico City,Mexico?

......................... . August 14,1989, was the last time the circus came to our town.

......................... 29. The Library of Congress is in Washington, D.C.

......................... 30. The Harvard University Library is in Cambridge,Massachusetts.

......................... 31. Write to the National Baseball Hall of Fame at Post Office Box 590, Cooperstown, NY 13326.

......................... 32. She lived in Los Gatos, California,before she moved here.

......................... 33. We ate at El Churrasco, a fine restaurant in Cordoba, Spain.

......................... 34. The cave paintings in Lascaux, France, date to the last Ice Age.

......................... 35. The Basketball Association is at 645 Fifth Avenue, New York,New York.

......................... 36. Palm Springs, California, was once called Agua Caliente.

......................... 37. Davy Crockett fought at the Alamo in San Antonio,Texas.

......................... 38. The Valley of the Tombs of the Kings is near Luxor, Egypt.

Use a comma or a pair of commas to set off a direct quotation.

Brer Rabbit said, “I am the smartest animal on this earth.”

“There’s not a creature in this woods,” he went on, “who can outsmart me.”

Exercise 1 Add commas where needed to the sentences below.

“My favorite story,” said LaToya, “is called ‘The Moon in the Mill Pond.’”

1. “One night Brer Rabbit and Brer Terrapin were talking by the fire,” LaToya said.

2. “A terrapin is like a turtle,” she explained.

3. She went on,“They heard a sound in the woods behind them.”

4. “Brer Rabbit,” she said,“knew that Brer Fox and Brer Bear were sneaking up on them.”

5. She explained,“Those two wanted to catch Brer Rabbit and Brer Terrapin and eat them for dinner.”

6. “Brer Rabbit,” she said, “winked at Brer Terrapin and started fussing with the fire.”

7. She continued,“He started talking about how hot the fire had to be to cook up their feast.”

8. “Just then,” she said,“Brer Fox and Brer Bear walked out of the woods.”

9. “Brer Rabbit welcomed them to the feast,” she said.

10. LaToya went on,“Brer Fox and Brer Bear asked what the feast was.”

11. “Brer Rabbit,” she explained,“said that the feast was at the mill pond.”

12. “He told them,” she said,“that the pond held a fine mess of fish.”

13. “Brer Rabbit said that all they had to do was reach out their paws and grab the fish from the water,” LaToya went on.

14. “Well,” LaToya continued,“they all walked down to the mill pond.”

15. “When they got there,” she said,“Brer Rabbit saw that the full moon was shining on the water. He got an idea.”

16. “Brer Rabbit acted as if he had just seen something awful,” LaToya said.

17. “He told Brer Fox and Brer Bear that the moon had fallen into the mill pond,” she went on.

18. “He was going to have to get the moon out of the mill pond because it was scaring the fish away,” she said.

19. “Brer Rabbit ran to get a net to scoop the moon out of the mill pond,” LaToya continued.

20. She said,“While he was gone, Brer Terrapin told Brer Fox that there was a pot of gold in the mill pond, right where the moon was.”

21. “Finally, Brer Rabbit got back with the net,” she said.

22. “Brer Fox and Brer Bear grabbed it from him,” she said excitedly.

23. “They jumped into the mill pond and dragged the net around,” she said.

24. LaToya said,“Brer Rabbit kept telling them to go out further.”

25. “Finally,” she said,“they fell into a big hole and got tangled in the net.”

26. “Brer Rabbit and Brer Terrapin laughed and laughed,” LaToya said.

27. “They were happy that they outsmarted Brer Fox and Brer Bear,” she explained.

28. “And they were especially happy that they hadn’t been eaten,” she ended.

29. “Do you think,” asked Ben,“that there really was gold in the mill pond?”

30. “No,” answered LaToya. “That was just a trick.”

31. “It was a smart trick,” laughed Ben.

32. “Sometimes small animals have to be extra smart,” pointed out Jerome.

33. “Otherwise,” he said,“they’d get caught by the bigger ones.”

34. “Brer Rabbit was clever,” said Sal, “and so was Brer Terrapin.”

35. “I wonder what other adventures they had,” said Ben.

36. Sal said,“Here’s one about how Brer Terrapin beats Brer Rabbit in a race.”

PUNCTUATION, ABBREVIATIONS, AND NUMBERS

1. Use a period at the end of a declarative sentence and at the end of a polite command.
Mrs. Miranda plays tennis every Tuesday.
Write your name in the space provided.

2. Use a question mark at the end of an interrogative sentence.
When will the new books arrive?

3. Use an exclamation point to show strong feeling and indicate a forceful command.
Oh, no!               It was a terrific concert!              Don’t go outside without your gloves on!

4. Use a comma in the following situations:

a. To separate three or more words, phrases, or clauses in a series
A tent, sleeping bag, and sturdy shoes are essential wilderness camping equipment.

b. To set off two or more prepositional phrases
After the sound of the bell, we realized it was a false alarm.

c. After an introductory participle and an introductory participial phrase
Marveling at the sight, we waited to see another shooting star.

d. After conjunctive adverbs
Snow is falling; however, it is turning to sleet.

e. To set off an appositive if it is not essential to the meaning of the sentence
Mr. Yoshino, the head of the department, resigned yesterday.

f. To set off words or phrases of direct address
Micha, have you called your brother yet?
It’s good to see you, Mrs. Han.

g. Between the main clauses of compound sentences
Whiskers liked to watch the goldfish, and she sometimes dipped her paw in the bowl.

h. After an introductory adverb clause and to set off a nonessential adjective clause
Whenever we get careless, we always make mistakes.
Spelling errors, which are common, can now be corrected by computer.

i. To separate parts of an address or a date
1601 Burma Drive, Waterbury, Connecticut
She was born on February 2, 1985, and she now lives in Bangor, Maine.

j. After the salutation and close of a friendly letter and after the close of a business letter
Dear Dad,               Cordially,              Yours,

5. Use a semicolon in the following situations:
a. To join main clauses not joined by a coordinating conjunction
The house looks dark; perhaps we should have called first.

b. To separate two main clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction when such
clauses already contain several commas
After a week of rain, the farmers around Ames, Iowa, waited hopefully; but the
rain, unfortunately, had come too late.

c. To separate main clauses joined by a conjunctive adverb or by for example or that is
Jen was determined to win the race; nonetheless, she knew that it took more than determination to succeed.

6. Use a colon to introduce a list of items that ends a sentence.
Bring the following tools: hammer, speed square, and drill.

7. Use a colon to separate the hour and the minute in time measurements and after business letter salutations.
12:42 A.M. Dear Sir: Dear Ms. O’Connor:

8. Use quotation marks to enclose a direct quotation. When a quotation is interrupted, use two sets of quotation marks. Use single quotation marks for a quotation within a quotation.
“Are you sure,” asked my mother, “that you had your keys when you left home?”
“Chief Seattle’s speech begins, ‘My words are like the stars that never change,’”
stated the history teacher.

9. Always place commas and periods inside closing quotation marks. Place colons and semicolons outside closing quotation marks. Place question marks and exclamation points inside closing quotation marks only when those marks are part of the quotation.
“Giraffes,” said Ms. Wharton, “spend long hours each day foraging.”
You must read “The Story of an Hour”; it is a wonderful short story.
He called out, “Is anyone home?”
Are you sure she said, “Go home without me”?

10. Use quotation marks to indicate titles of short stories, poems, essays, songs, and magazine or newspaper articles.
“The Thrill of the Grass” (short story)
“My Country ’Tis of Thee” (song)

11. Italicize (underline) titles of books, plays, films, television series, paintings and sculptures, and names of newspapers and magazines.
Up from Slavery (book)
Free Willy (film)
The Spirit of ’76 (painting)
Chicago Tribune (newspaper)
Weekend Woodworker (magazine)

12. Add an apostrophe and -s to form the possessive of singular indefinite pronouns, singular nouns, and plural nouns not ending in -s. Add only an apostrophe to plural nouns ending in -s to make them possessive.
everyone’s best friend
the rabbit’s ears
the children’s toys
the farmers’ fields

13. Use an apostrophe in place of omitted letters or numerals. Use an apostrophe and -s to form the plural of letters, numerals, and symbols.
is + not = isn’t
will + not = won’t
1776 is ’76
Cross your t ’s and dot your i ’s.

14. Use a hyphen to divide words at the end of a line.
esti-mate              mone-tary              experi-mentation

15. Use a hyphen in a compound adjective that precedes a noun. Use a hyphen in compound numbers and fractions used as adjectives.
a blue-green parrot
a salt-and-pepper beard
twenty-nine
one-third cup of flour

16. Use a hyphen after any prefix joined to a proper noun or a proper adjective. Use a hyphen after the prefixes all-, ex-, and self- joined to a noun or adjective, the prefix anti- joined to a word beginning with i-, and the prefix vice- except in the case of vice president.
all-knowing                       ex-spouse               self-confidence
anti-inflammatory              vice-principal

17. Use dashes to signal a break or change in thought.
I received a letter from Aunt Carla—you have never met her—saying she is coming to visit.

18. Use parentheses to set off supplemental material. Punctuate within the parentheses only if the punctuation is part of the parenthetical expression.
Place one gallon (3.8 liters) of water in a plastic container.

19. Abbreviate a person’s title and professional or academic degrees.
Ms. K. Soga, Ph.D.
Dr. Quentin

20. Use the abbreviations A.M. and P.M. and B.C. and A.D.
9:45 A.M. 1000 B.C. A.D. 1455

21. Abbreviate numerical measurements in scientific writing but not in ordinary prose.
The newborn snakes measured 3.4 in. long.
Pour 45 ml warm water into the beaker.

22. Spell out cardinal and ordinal numbers that can be written in one or two words or that appear at the beginning of a sentence.
Two hundred twenty runners crossed the finish line.
Observers counted forty-nine sandhill cranes.

23. Express all related numbers in a sentence as numerals if any one should be expressed as a numeral.
There were 127 volunteers, but only 9 showed up because of the bad weather.

24. Spell out ordinal numbers.
Nina won third place in the spelling bee.

25. Use words for decades, for amounts of money that can be written in one or two words, and for the approximate time of day or when A.M. or P.M. is not used.
the ninties              ten dollars              sixty cents               half past five

26. Use numerals for dates; for decimals; for house, apartment, and room numbers; for street or avenue numbers; for telephone numbers; for page numbers; for percentages; for sums of money including both dollars and cents; and to emphasize the exact time of day or when A.M. or P.M. is used.
June 5, 1971      Apartment 4G                    $207.89
0.0045                1520 14th Street                8:20 A.M.

Punctuation and Capitalization

High-Speed Diver

This bird can dive after prey at speeds up to 175 miles per hour. What is the name of this bird?
To answer the question, match each word with its abbreviation. Write the letter of each answer in the space above its number at the bottom of the page. You will need to divide the letters into words.

1. Boulevard
E. Bld.
A. Blvd.
Answer. A

2. August
I. Aug.
U. Augt.
Answer. I

3. Tuesday
L. Ts.
R. Tues.
Answer. R

4. President
E. Pre.
R. Pres.
Answer. R

5. November
R. Nor.
N. Nov.
Answer. N

6. Doctor
L. Dr.
S. D.
Answer. L

7. Drive
O. Dr.
M. De.
Answer. O

8. Street
G. St.
D. S.
Answer. G

9. Governor
F. Gov.
C. Gr.
Answer. F

10. April
R. Ap.
C. Apr.
Answer. C

11. Junior
S. J.
P. Jr.
Answer. P

12. Captain
E. Capt.
A. Cap.
Answer. E

Inventor of the Popsicle

In 1905, this eleven-year-old boy was mixing powdered soda and water to make soda pop. He accidentally left the mixture outside overnight, and it froze. The next morning he discovered what would come to be called popsicles. What was this boy’s name?
To answer the question, write the full word that makes up each abbreviation.In the parentheses after each term, a letter is called for. Find this letter in your answer, then write it in the space above its number at the bottom of the page. The fi rst one is done for you. You will need to divide the letters into words.

1. Pl. Place (fi rst letter)
Answer. P (place)

2. Ave. _______________ (sixth letter)
Answer. E (avenue)

3. Capt. _______________ (seventh letter)
Answer. N (captain)

4. Wed. _______________ (fi fth letter)
Answer. E (Wednesday)

5. Nov. _______________ (eighth letter)
Answer. R (November)

6. Sat. _______________ (fi fth letter)
Answer. R (Saturday)

7. Gov. _______________ (sixth letter)
Answer. N (governor)

8. Sept. _______________ (third letter)
Answer. P (September)

9. Pkwy. _______________ (fourth letter)
Answer. K (parkway)

10. Oct. _______________ (fourth letter)
Answer. O (October)

11. Feb. _______________ (fi rst letter)
Answer. F (February)

12. Blvd. _______________ (seventh letter)
Answer. A (boulevard)

13. Thur. _______________ (fi fth letter)
Answer. S (Thursday)

Long-Distance Flyers

These birds have the longest migration of any birds, over twenty thousand miles each year. What is the name of these birds?
To answer the question, read each sentence below. If the end punctuation is correct, write the letter for “correct” in the space above the sentence number at the bottom of the page. If the end punctuation is incorrect, write the letter for “incorrect.” You will need to divide the letters into words.

1. Many species of birds migrate long distances.
I. Correct
E. Incorrect
Answer. I

2. Some species fl y thousands of miles each year.
E. Correct
A. Incorrect
Answer. E

3. Do you know of any of these species!
N. Correct
S. Incorrect
Answer. S

4. Please look up the migration routes for birds?
B. Correct
A. Incorrect
Answer. A

5. Where is the best place to fi nd that information.
E. Correct
N. Incorrect
Answer. N

6. I wonder which bird has the longest migration route?
A. Correct
C. Incorrect
Answer. C

7. Not all birds migrate.
R. Correct
A. Incorrect
Answer. R

8. Migrations usually coincide with the seasons.
T. Correct
M. Incorrect
Answer. T

Low-Lying Land

With about 40 percent of its land below sea level, this country is the lowest country in the world. What is it?
To answer the question, identify the correct capitalization for each item below. Write the letter of each answer in the space above its number at the bottom of the page.

1. mr. harris, the mayor
Z. Mr. Harris, the Mayor
H. Mr. Harris, the mayor
Answer. H

2. dr. shannon a. willis
L. Dr. Shannon a. Willis
R. Dr. Shannon A. Willis
Answer. R

3. 5 river road
S. 5 River Road
Y. 5 River road
Answer. S

4. aunt barbara
W. aunt Barbara
T. Aunt Barbara
Answer. T

5. call of the wild (novel)
A. Call of the Wild
U. Call Of The Wild
Answer. A

6. washington monument
D. Washington Monument
E. Washington monument
Answer. D

7. captain williams
H. captain Williams
L. Captain Williams
Answer. L

8. columbia river
R. Columbia river
E. Columbia River
Answer. E

9. “studying for tests” (article)
N. “Studying for Tests”
G. “Studying for tests”
Answer. N

Heading West!

Because it served as a starting point for wagon trains heading west, St. Louis gained a special nickname. What was this name?

To answer the question, determine which letter in each of the following is incorrect. This letter may be a letter that needs to be capitalized, or it may be a letter that is capitalized but should not be. Find this letter among the answers that follow. Write its corresponding letter (in the parentheses) in the space above the item number at the bottom of the page. If all of the letters are correct, write the letter for correct. Not all answers will be used. You will need to divide the letters into words.

1. Paul A. Simmons, jr.
Answer. H

2. Sara’s Sister
Answer. O

3. Rio Grande river
Answer. Y

4. Museum of natural History
Answer. S

5. the United Nations
Answer. W

6. pastor Martin
Answer. A

7. North America, a Continent
Answer. E

8. ms. Francis Smith
Answer. G

9. Great Salt lake
Answer. T

Answers
N (S) G (N) J (H) P (A) S (O) C (E)
L (T) R (Y) M (G) A (R) Correct (W)

Country with Many Islands

With over 81,000 islands, this country is thought to possess more islands than any other country in the world. What is it?
To answer the question, read each sentence below. If all of the capital letters are correct, write the letter for “correct” in the space above the sentence number at the bottom of the page. If at least one letter that should be capitalized is not capitalized, or if a letter that should not be capitalized is, write the letter for “incorrect.”

1. Many nations throughout the World are made up partly of islands.
H. Correct
N. Incorrect
Answer. N

2. Located in the Pacifi c Ocean, the country of Indonesia consists of nearly fourteen thousand islands.
A. Correct
L. Incorrect
Answer. A

3. Indonesia stretches some thirty-two hundred miles across the Sea.
U. Correct
L. Incorrect
Answer. L

4. Numerous other island nations are located throughout the Pacifi c.
N. Correct
E. Incorrect
Answer. N

5. The atlantic Ocean is home to island nations, too.
I. Correct
D. Incorrect
Answer. D

6. The United Kingdom is an island nation off the Coast of France.
A. Correct
I. Incorrect
Answer. I

7. Although some island nations are made up of thousands of islands, the nation with the most islands is a part of Europe.
F. Correct
H. Incorrect
Answer. F

L. M. Montgomery

L. M. Montgomery was the author of Anne of Green Gables. What do the initials L. M. stand for? To answer the question, read each sentence below. If all of the capital letters are correct, write the letter for “correct” in the space above the sentence number at the bottom of the page. If at least one letter that should be capitalized is not capitalized, or if a letter that should not be capitalized is, write the letter for “incorrect.” The fi rst letter is provided. You will need to divide the letters into words.

1. Recently some of the students of ms. Larsen’s class were discussing books.
R. Correct
U. Incorrect
Answer. U

2. “My favorite book of all time,” said Tina, “Is Charlotte’s Web.”
A. Correct
C. Incorrect
Answer. C

3. “Mine is A Wizard of Earthsea,” said Albert. “It’s a great book.”
A. Correct
E. Incorrect
Answer. A

4. “Was the author of that book Ursula k. LeGuin?” asked Robin.
K. Correct
D. Incorrect
Answer. D

5. “Yes,” said Albert. “I enjoy her stories, especially the parts with magic.”
U. Correct
A. Incorrect
Answer. U

6. “Me, too,” said Charles, “but my favorite story is Lord Of The Rings.”
A. Correct
Y. Incorrect
Answer. Y

7. “All of you are mentioning great books,” said Cheryl. “As for me, I love Anne of Green Gables.”
M. Correct
P. Incorrect
Answer. M

Icy City

This Russian city is the largest city north of the Arctic Circle. What is its name?

To answer the question, read each sentence below. Find the incorrect letter. This letter may be a letter that needs to be capitalized, or it may be a letter that is capitalized but should not be. Write the letter in the space above its sentence number at the bottom of the page.

1. Winters in the Area north of the Arctic Circle are cold and long.
Answer. A (area)

2. A surprising number of plants and animals live in this cold Region of the world.
Answer. R (region)

3. More than four hundred Species of fl owering plants bloom during the Arctic’s short summers.
Answer. S (species)

4. Numerous mammals and birds live in the Arctic, but few live near the north Pole.
Answer. N (North)

5. Except for Alaska, no state in the united States extends north of the Arctic Circle.
Answer. U (United)

6. Robert Peary and his assistant matthew A. Henson led an expedition to the North Pole in 1909.
Answer. M (Matthew)

7. One of the Keys to Peary’s successful expedition was his great determination.
Answer. K (keys)

Spinning Straw into Gold

In one of the fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm, this dwarf could spin straw into gold. Who was he?
To answer the question, decide which of the following pairs is written with correct capitalization. Write the letter of each answer in the space above its number at the bottom of the page.

1. E. Mediterranean Sea                   S. the Roman empire
2. K. Grand Canyon                         U. Jefferson ave.
3. R. Great plains                            U. Museum of Natural History
4. I. Gulf Of Mexico                         L. Western Hemisphere
5. Z. Ocean currents                       N. Rocky Mountains
6. M. nations of Europe                   A. new Hampshire
7. J. fl uffy, our pet cat                    S. Orlando, Florida
8. E. monday, Oct. 12th                  I. J. K. Rowling
9. P. Joe’s Tire Service                    M. Mountains of the world
10. R. Dr. Steven Harrison              S. Washington, dc
11. M. san Francisco                       T. Mount Rushmore
Answer.
 1. E 2. K 3. U 4. L 5. N 6. M 7. S 8. I 9. P 10. R 11. T

Punctuate the following sentences:

1. i will meet kunal my best friend

2. several citizens according to reporters have mysteriously disappeared from the capital

3. geeta was in pain she had just sprained her ankle

4. she is a well dressed and self respecting person

5. call me tomorrow i will give you my answer then

6. the teacher had thirty two children in her classroom

7. the mother said she sings beautifully doesnt she

8. mrsseema said my son in law brought me a new dress

9. idont care she said what you think about it

10. rashmi who is from agra is sitting next to you

11. dot your is and cross your ts

12. he finally answered after taking five minutes to think that he did not understand the question

13.i will meet kunal who went to school with me

14. some are born great some achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon them

15. mostindians but not all voted in the last election

16. what on earth are you doing

17. sumati answered quickly i wish you would oh never mind

18. when she got there she asked the cashier would you accept a cheque

19. reading makes a full man speaking a ready man writing an exact man

20.the teacher asked the class if penguins fly