Exercise 1: Semicolons | Practice Test Online

Question 1:  Which of the following sentences use a semicolon correctly?

(A) She loves to read books; she spends hours in the library.

(B) He wanted to go for a walk but it started raining.

(C) The cat sat on the mat.

(D) I have three apples.

Correct Answer: 1A

Question 2:  In which of the following sentences is a semicolon incorrectly used?

(A) The weather was delightful; the picnic was a success.

(B) Sarah enjoys painting; she finds it relaxing.

(C) The car broke down; we had to call for help.

(D) He cooked dinner; while she set the table.

Correct Answer: 2D

Question 3:  What is the purpose of a semicolon in the following sentence: 'The concert was amazing; the performers were incredibly talented.'?

(A) To join two independent clauses without a coordinating conjunction.

(B) To separate items in a list.

(C) To join a dependent clause to an independent clause.

(D) To end a sentence.

Correct Answer: 3A

Question 4:  Which of the following is an appropriate use of a semicolon?

(A) She bought groceries at the store; vegetables fruits and bread.

(B) He went to the cinema; to watch the latest movie.

(C) The students studied hard; they all passed the exam.

(D) The dog barked loudly; running after the ball.

Correct Answer: 4C

Question 5:  When should you avoid using a semicolon?

(A) When separating two closely related independent clauses.

(B) When separating items in a list containing internal punctuation.

(C) When joining two independent clauses without a coordinating conjunction.

(D) When indicating a pause in a sentence.

Correct Answer: 5D

Question 6:  Which of the following sentences requires a semicolon for correct punctuation?

(A) She likes to swim in the morning she finds it refreshing.

(B) He enjoys hiking in the mountains it gives him a sense of freedom.

(C) The team won the championship game they celebrated all night.

(D) I need to finish my homework then we can go out.

Correct Answer: 6A

Question 7:  In the sentence, 'I have a meeting at 9 a.m.; please remind me,' what is the function of the semicolon?

(A) To join two independent clauses without a coordinating conjunction.

(B) To separate items in a list.

(C) To join a dependent clause to an independent clause.

(D) To end a sentence.

Correct Answer: 7A

Question 8:  Which of the following is NOT a correct use of a semicolon?

(A) She loves to travel; she has visited over twenty countries.

(B) He enjoys cooking; pasta pizza and salads are his specialties.

(C) The movie was exciting; we couldn't stop talking about it afterwards.

(D) They decided to go for a walk; however it started raining heavily.

Correct Answer: 8D

Question 9:  When should you use a semicolon instead of a comma?

(A) To separate items in a list.

(B) To join two independent clauses without a coordinating conjunction.

(C) To indicate a pause in a sentence.

(D) To join a dependent clause to an independent clause.

Correct Answer: 9B

Question 10:  Which of the following sentences is correctly punctuated with a semicolon?

(A) She loves ice cream; especially vanilla.

(B) He didn't like the movie; he left halfway through.

(C) The book was fascinating; she finished it in one sitting.

(D) They went for a hike; after that they had a picnic.

Correct Answer: 10C