IMO Practice Test — Punctuation & Capitalisation
8 Questions • 15 min • Olympiad level
15:00
Question 1 of 8
Punctuate correctly: 'the teacher said do your homework'
The teacher said, "Do your homework."
The teacher said do your homework.
"The teacher said do your homework."
The teacher said "do your homework".
Explanation: Comma before the quote, capital 'Do', end mark inside the quotes.
Question 2 of 8
Choose the sentence with correct apostrophe use.
The childrens' toys are broken.
The children's toys are broken.
The childrens toys are broken.
The children's' toys are broken.
Explanation: 'children' is already plural, so add 's: children's.
Question 3 of 8
Identify the error: 'My friend, who lives in Goa is visiting us.'
Add a comma after 'Goa'
Remove the first comma
who is wrong
no error
Explanation: A non-defining clause needs commas on both sides: '…, who lives in Goa, is…'.
Question 4 of 8
Which sentence uses the semicolon correctly?
It was raining; so we stayed in.
It was raining; we stayed in.
It was raining, we stayed in;
It was raining; and we stayed in.
Explanation: A semicolon joins two related independent clauses without a conjunction.
Question 5 of 8
Capitalise correctly: 'on republic day, we sang the national anthem.'
On Republic Day, we sang the National Anthem.
On republic day, we sang the national anthem.
On Republic day, we sang the National anthem.
on Republic Day, we sang the national anthem.
Explanation: Proper nouns 'Republic Day' and the title 'National Anthem' are capitalised.
Question 6 of 8
Choose the correct colon use.
You will need: a pen, a ruler and an eraser.
You will need a pen: a ruler and an eraser.
You: will need a pen, a ruler and an eraser.
You will: need a pen, a ruler and an eraser.
Explanation: The colon follows a complete clause and introduces the list.
Question 7 of 8
Rearrange and punctuate: 'said / where / are / you / she / going'
"Where are you going?" she said.
Where are you going she said?
"Where are you going" she said?
Where are you going, she said.
Explanation: Question mark inside the quotes, then 'she said'.
Question 8 of 8
Which option fixes the run-on? 'I was tired I went to bed.'
I was tired, I went to bed.
I was tired; I went to bed.
I was tired I, went to bed.
I was, tired I went to bed.
Explanation: A semicolon (or a full stop) correctly joins two independent clauses.