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Parenthetical Expression Quiz

You can do this quiz online or print it on paper. It covers grammar and punctuation explained on our Parenthetical Expression page.

1. A parenthetical expression is a word or words that

add details to a sentence
are essential to a sentence
a) add details to a sentence b) are essential to a sentence

2. A parenthetical expression doesn’t change a sentence’s basic

punctuation or length
structure or meaning
a) punctuation or length b) structure or meaning

3. If a parenthetical expression is cut from a sentence, the sentence

won’t make sense
will still make sense
a) won’t make sense b) will still make sense

4. "Global temperatures, as expected, are rising." The parenthetical expression is

as expected
are rising
a) as expected b) are rising

5. In Question 4 above, which shows where the parenthetic begins and ends?

a set of quotation marks
a pair of commas
a) a set of quotation marks b) a pair of commas

6. Which can separate a mid-sentence parenthetic from the rest of a sentence?

commas, round brackets or long dashes
commas, semi-colons or quotation marks
a) commas, round brackets or long dashes b) commas, semi-colons or quotation marks

7. Which sentence includes a parenthetical expression?

The traffic’s terrible, as usual.
It isn’t always this bad, is it?
a) The traffic’s terrible, as usual. b) It isn’t always this bad, is it?

8. "She likes him very much – or so it seems." Which is the parenthetical expression?

very much
or so it seems
a) very much b) or so it seems

9. Which includes a correctly-punctuated parenthetical expression?

Rock music (or rock-n-roll) began in America.
Rock music, or rock-n-roll – began in America.
a) Rock music (or rock-n-roll) began in America. b) Rock music, or rock-n-roll – began in America.

10. "Trump – as we all now know – won the election." Without the parenthetic, the sentence is

as we all now know
Trump won the election
a) as we all now know b) Trump won the election

Your score is:

Correct answers: