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Ignition Learning — Activity Sheet

Questions, exclamations & quotation marks

English · Year 7

Name: ______________________Date: ____________

Beyond full stops and commas, other punctuation marks do specific jobs. A question mark ends a direct question ("Where are you?"). An exclamation mark shows strong feeling or emphasis ("Watch out!"). Quotation marks show the exact words someone said or wrote ("She said, 'I'm on my way.'"). Overusing exclamation marks weakens their impact — save them for moments that truly need them.

Example

'"Are you coming?" Maya asked. "Yes!" Jack shouted back.' — the question mark ends the direct question, the exclamation mark shows Jack's excitement, and the quotation marks show the exact words each person said.

Key terms

Question mark:
Ends a direct question.
Exclamation mark:
Shows strong feeling or emphasis.
Quotation marks:
Show the exact words someone said or wrote.

Questions

  1. 1. A question mark is used to end a:

    • Statement
    • Direct question
    • List
    • Quotation only
  2. 2. An exclamation mark shows:

    • A question
    • Strong feeling or emphasis
    • Possession
    • A list
  3. 3. Quotation marks show:

    • The exact words someone said or wrote
    • A question
    • Possession
    • A full stop
  4. 4. Which sentence needs a question mark?

    • Where is the dog
    • The dog ran fast
    • Watch out
    • She said hello
  5. 5. Which sentence needs an exclamation mark?

    • What time is it
    • Please pass the salt
    • Watch out for the car
    • The sky is blue
  6. 6. Direct speech is usually placed inside:

    • Commas
    • Quotation marks
    • Brackets
    • Full stops
  7. 7. "Are you ready" is missing a:

    • Full stop
    • Question mark
    • Comma
    • Capital letter
  8. 8. Overusing exclamation marks can make writing:

    • More powerful every time
    • Lose its impact
    • Impossible to read
    • Grammatically incorrect
  9. 9. In '"I'm on my way," she said.', the quotation marks show:

    • Her exact spoken words
    • A question
    • Possession
    • A list
  10. 10. Which sentence correctly uses a question mark?

    • She asked if he was coming.
    • "Are you coming?" she asked.
    • She asked if he was coming?
    • "Are you coming." she asked
  11. 11. An exclamation mark is most appropriate for:

    • A calm statement of fact
    • A moment of strong emotion or urgency
    • A list of items
    • A formal report
  12. 12. In reported speech ("She said she was coming"), quotation marks are:

    • Required
    • Not required
    • Always exclamation marks
    • Always question marks
  13. 13. Which sentence is punctuated correctly?

    • "Watch out." he yelled
    • "Watch out!" he yelled.
    • Watch out! he yelled
    • "watch out" he yelled
  14. 14. A question mark replaces which punctuation mark at the end of a sentence?

    • A comma
    • A full stop
    • An apostrophe
    • A colon
  15. 15. Which sentence best shows correct placement of punctuation with quotation marks?

    • "That's amazing!" she exclaimed.
    • "That's amazing"! she exclaimed.
    • That's amazing! she exclaimed"
    • "That's amazing" she! exclaimed.
  16. 16. A writer uses exclamation marks after nearly every sentence in a formal report. This is generally considered:

    • Effective and professional
    • Overused and likely to weaken the writing's credibility
    • Required by all formal writing
    • Grammatically necessary
  17. 17. Which sentence correctly punctuates a question within quoted speech?

    • She asked, "Are you coming?"
    • She asked, "Are you coming."?
    • She asked "Are you coming"?
    • She asked, Are you coming?
  18. 18. A rhetorical question (one not expecting an answer) still ends with:

    • An exclamation mark
    • A question mark
    • No punctuation
    • A comma
  19. 19. In formal academic writing, exclamation marks are generally:

    • Used constantly
    • Used sparingly or avoided
    • Required every sentence
    • Replaced by question marks
  20. 20. Quotation marks around a word (like calling something "clever") without it being a direct quote can signal:

    • A direct question
    • Sarcasm or a special/unusual use of the word
    • A full stop is missing
    • A list

Answer key (parent copy)

  1. 1. Direct question
  2. 2. Strong feeling or emphasis
  3. 3. The exact words someone said or wrote
  4. 4. Where is the dog
  5. 5. Watch out for the car
  6. 6. Quotation marks
  7. 7. Question mark
  8. 8. Lose its impact
  9. 9. Her exact spoken words
  10. 10. "Are you coming?" she asked.
  11. 11. A moment of strong emotion or urgency
  12. 12. Not required
  13. 13. "Watch out!" he yelled.
  14. 14. A full stop
  15. 15. "That's amazing!" she exclaimed.
  16. 16. Overused and likely to weaken the writing's credibility
  17. 17. She asked, "Are you coming?"
  18. 18. A question mark
  19. 19. Used sparingly or avoided
  20. 20. Sarcasm or a special/unusual use of the word