Punctuation: Ending Marks & Commas

English Language Arts, Grade 4

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Terminal (Ending) Punctuation Marks . ? ! There are three terminal punctuation marks. They are called terminal because they can used at the end of a sentence. These marks are listed in order of how often they are used: 1. Use a period to make a statement. This is the most common terminal punctuation mark. My favorite ride is the Ferris wheel. 2. Use a question mark to ask a question. This is the second most common terminal punctuation mark. Do you want to go see the fireworks? 3. Use an exclamation point to show excitement. This terminal punctuation mark is not used often. That’s a good thing because using too many exclamation points would make them meaningless. It’s 4 tickets for a $1! At that price, you can go on six rides ! Commas A comma is not a terminal punctuation mark. It cannot be used at the end of a sentence. A comma is used between dates and years, cities and states, and in lists of three or more items. Jill was not born in January 2011. Her date of birth is December 7, 2010. In June we moved from Newark, New Jersey, to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I made a list of the items I’d need to sleep at the cabin. It included pajamas, a sleeping bag, a flashlight, a toothbrush, and toothpaste. A comma is also used when a sentence starts with as, if, or when. The comma comes right before the part of the sentence that can stand alone (underlined in examples). As the sun climbed higher in the sky, the heat grew more intense. When Joe saw the lightning strike the ground close by, he ran for the shack. Punctuation Visit www.newpathlearning.com for Online Learning Resources. © Copyright NewPath Learning. All Rights Reserved. 92-4042
Add the appropriate terminal punctuation mark. 1. My house is on fire ____ 2. The show will start soon ____ 3. Did you ever play as a quarterback ____ 4. Hang your coat in the closet ____ 5. What time does school let out ____ 6. Please do your homework tonight ____ 7. Does Sam know where his goat is ____ 8. That looks fantastic ____ 9. Would you like to come with us to the beach ____ 10. The store will open on July 25 ____ 11. In 23 days our summer vacation starts ____ 12. Watch out ____ Amer ican His tor y Language Arts CAUTION Wet Floor STORE Grand Opening! Punctuation Visit www.newpathlearning.com for Online Learning Resources. © Copyright NewPath Learning. All Rights Reserved. 92-4042