Which sentence is punctuated correctly?
Correct: C — "Where are you going?" asked Mum.. A direct question keeps its question mark inside the speech marks, and the sentence ends after "Mum".
Punctuation: Commas, Apostrophes and Colons
Where commas really go, when the apostrophe moves after the s, and how to use a colon to introduce a list.
Punctuation questions are marked strictly — the right words in the wrong places still lose the mark. These four rules cover the overwhelming majority of 11+ punctuation items.
Practising: Fronted adverbials · Possessive apostrophes · Colons for lists · Speech punctuation
English · Question 1 of 4
Score: 0 / 4
Which sentence is punctuated correctly?
Correct: B — Before we left, we checked the windows.. A fronted adverbial ("Before we left") is followed by a comma.
Which phrase shows that several girls own coats?
Correct: B — the girls' coats. For a plural noun that already ends in s, the apostrophe goes after the s: the girls’ coats.
Which sentence uses a colon correctly?
Correct: B — We packed three things: a tent, a torch and a map.. A colon introduces a list, and it must come after a complete clause ("We packed three things"), not in the middle of one.
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Read each explanation again for the questions you missed — the explanations are the part that makes the practice stick.
Tip for parents: let your child attempt every question before you step in. The explanation appears straight after they answer — read it together, then use Start again a day or two later to check it has stuck.
More English practice
Spelling: The Common Traps
The mangled spellings that cost 11+ marks — accommodate, definitely, separate and necessary — with memory tricks for each.
Word Classes and Grammar
Spot the adverb, conjunction, preposition and possessive pronoun inside real sentences — a fast, high-frequency 11+ question type.
Cloze: Choosing the Right Word
Fill-the-gap sentences where only one word fits both the meaning and the grammar — the skill behind "choose the best word" questions.