Keyboard Symbols and Punctuation Marks

What are these symbols?
Click the answer button to see the answer.

Look at the keys across the top of the computer keyboard.

1. ~ This is called a ___.
   Answertilde

2. ` This is called a ___.
   Answergrave or grave accent

3. ! This is called an ___.
   Answerexclamation mark

4. @ This symbol means ___.
   Answerat

5. # This symbol means ___.
   Answernumber

6. $ This is called a ___.
   Answerdollar sign

7. % This symbol means ___.
   Answerper cent

8. ^ This symbol is called a ___.
   Answercaret or circumflex

9. & This symbol is called an ___ and means ___.
   Answerampersand - and

10. * This symbol is called an ___.
    Answerasterisk

11. ( ) These two marks are called ___.
    Answerparentheses

12. - This is called a ___.
    Answerhyphen

13. + This symbol is called a ___.
    Answerplus sign

14. = This symbol is called an ___.
    Answerequal sign

Look around the computer keyboard.

1. { } These marks are called ___.
   Answerbraces

2. [ ] These marks are called ___.
   Answerbrackets

3. : This is called a ___.
   Answercolon

4. ; This is called a ___.
   Answersemicolon

5. " " These marks are called ___.
   Answerquotation marks or quotes

6. " " In British English, these marks are called ___.
   Answerinverted commas

7. ' This is called an ___.
   Answerapostrophe

8. , This is called a ___.
   Answercomma

9. . This is called a ___.
   Answerperiod

10. . In British English, this is called a ___.
    Answerfull stop

11. ... Three periods together are called an ___.
    Answerellipsis

12. ? This is called a ___.
    Answerquestion mark

13. / This is called a ___.
    Answerforward slash or virgule

14. \ This is called a ___.
    Answerback slash

15. < > These marks are called ___.
    Answerangle brackets

(C) 1999 Nevitt Reagan

One Word... 2 Meanings

Click the answer button to see the answer.

1. I'm taking a Japanese ___ at the moment.
   I'm going to have fish for my main ___.
   Answercourse

2. He wrote her a ___ before he left.
   She found the top ___ difficult to sing.
   Answernote

3. It's hot so let's sit in the ___.
   That ___ of red doesn't suit her.
   Answershade

4. She packed a ___ for the ocean voyage.
   We sat on a fallen tree ___ to rest.
   Answertrunk

5. He gave her a beautiful diamond ___ for her birthday.
   ___ me later. I'll be home in an hour.
   Answerring

6. The ___ look bright tonight.
   Lots of movie ___ live in Hollywood.
   Answerstars

7. He sat on the river ___ to fish.
   I must go to the ___ to get some cash.
   Answerbank

8. The new ___ of the department is a woman.
   He's got a smart ___ on his shoulders.
   Answerhead

9. We always eat there so let's go somewhere else for a ___.
   Can you ___ this money into coins?
   Answerchange

10. He ___ the ball with one hand.
    The house ___ fire when the cigarette fell from the ashtray.
    Answercaught

(C) 1998 by Letitia Bradley

Assorted Grammar Quiz

Make a choice by clicking on the radio button, then compare it with the correct answer hidden under the answer button.

1. I want ___ , please.
   a dozen eggs
   a dozen of eggs
   Answera dozen eggs
2. He was really strange. He didn't talk to ___ in his class.
   nobody
   anybody
   Answeranybody
3. Please give him ___ chance.
   the other
   another
   Answeranother
4. Being considerate means thinking about ___ not only about yourself.
   others
   the others
   Answerothers
5. Please turn off the lights. I have to develop this film and it's ___ here.
   bright enough
   too bright
   Answertoo bright
6. You shouldn't take ___ luggage. You'll stay there for only two days.
   too much
   too many
   Answertoo much
7. ___ he studies, ___ he seems to know.
   The more/ the less
   The most / the least
   AnswerThe more/ the less
8. I have been studying ___ I can to learn English.
   so hard as
   as hard as
   Answeras hard as
9. They finally decided to buy a ___ car.
   four-doors
   four-door
   Answerfour-door
10. ___ cheats on the test will be caught sooner or later.
    Whatever
    Whoever
    AnswerWhoever
11. He said he had done it, ___ was not true.
    which
    what
    Answerwhich
12. ___ did you give it?
    To whom
    To who
    AnswerTo whom
13. I wasn't there and ___.
    neither was Mary
    Mary was neither
    Answerneither was Mary
14. I haven't finished the homework and my brother hasn't ___.
    neither
    either
    Answereither
15. ___ ? He's tall and thin.
    What's he like?
    How is he?
    AnswerWhat's he like?
16. ___ it regularly takes a lot of will power.
    Doing
    Do
    AnswerDoing
17. No news ___ good news.
    are
    is
    Answeris
18. Students won't be able to take notes if the teacher ___ fast.
    speaks
    will speak
    Answerspeaks
19. She's looking forward to ___ her husband's parents.
    meet
    meeting
    Answermeeting
20. I used to ___ a lot when I was in college.
    smoke
    smoking
    Answersmoke
21. He told me ___ there.
    not to go
    to not go
    Answernot to go
22. She ___ for the doctor for two hours.
    has been waiting
    has being waiting
    Answerhas been waiting
23. Seldom ___ such an intelligent man.
    I have talked to
    have I talked to
    Answerhave I talked to
24. A small number of visitors ___ to come to the meeting.
    is expected
    are expected
    Answerare expected
25. The boss insists ___ here on time.
    that you are
    that you be
    Answerthat you be
26. You ___ the truth then.
    should have told
    should to have told
    Answershould have told
27. You ___ kill animals; it's cruel and unlawful.
    don't have to
    mustn't
    Answermustn't
28. Look how wet the ground is. It ___ last night.
    must have rained
    should have rained
    Answermust have rained
29. John wishes he ___ taller so he could play basketball.
    were
    had been
    Answerwere
30. She doesn't remember ___.
    who the author of this book is
    who is the author of this book
    Answerwho the author of this book is

(C) 1997 Vera Mello

Word Groups

Which word doesn't fit the group?

Make a choice by clicking on the radio button, then compare it with the correct answer hidden under the answer button.

1. Bondage
   Foolproof
   Enormity
   Wisdom
   Answer Foolproof - adjectiveNOTE: Bondage; Wisdom; Enormity - nouns
2. Dispose
   Lighten
   Theft
   Recollect
   Answer Theft - nounNOTE: Dispose; Lighten; Recollect - verbs
3. This
   Those
   There
   Answer There - adverbNOTE: This; Those - pronouns
4. Nourish
   Fretful
   Outrageous
   Queasy
   Answer Nourish - verbNOTE: Queasy; Fretful; Outrageous - adjectives
5. Within
   Among
   Per
   Although
   Answer Although - conjunctionNOTE: Within; Among; Per - prepositions
6. A
   Him
   The
   Answer Him - pronounNOTE: A; The - articles
7. Always
   Someone
   Somewhat
   Ever
   Answer Someone - pronounNOTE: Always; Ever; Somewhat - adverbs
8. Anybody
   Me
   She
   Anywhere
   Answer Anywhere - adverb NOTE: Anybody; Me; She - pronouns
9. Or
   Because
   Nor
   Afterwards
   Answer Afterwards - adverbNOTE: Or; Because; Nor - conjunctions
10. Oh
    Ouch
    Ours
    Wow
    Answer Ours - pronounNOTE: Oh; Ouch; Wow - interjections

(C) 1997 Vera Mello

Make or Do?

Make a choice by clicking on the radio button, then compare it with the correct answer hidden under the answer button.

1. I don't know why he's not ___ progress with his English.
   doing
   making
   Answer making
2. Good students hate ___ spelling mistakes.
   doing
   making
   Answer making
3. She'll have her hair ___ before she goes to the party.
   made
   done
   Answer done
4. Don't ___ so much fuss over having to type the report again.
   do
   make
   Answer make
5. They ___ fun of her because she couldn't pronounce the word correctly.
   did
   made
   Answer made
6. Could you please ___ me a favor?
   make
   do
   Answer do
7. Those two companies don't like to ___ business with each other.
   make
   do
   Answer do
8. It won't ___ her any harm to stay up a little later.
   do
   make
   Answer do
9. They ___ a great effort to get what they wanted.
   made
   did
   Answer made
10. To ___ him justice, we must admit that his intentions were good.
    do
    make
    Answer do
11. After a few drinks, he often ___ a scene in the bar.
    does
    makes
    Answer makes
12. ___ the most of your stay in Paris visiting the famous museums.
    Make
    Do
    Answer Make

(C) 1997 by Vera Mello

Raise or Rise?

Make a choice by clicking on the radio button, then compare it with the correct answer hidden under the answer button.

HINTS! raise / raised / raised (transitive verb - The verb requires an OBJECT) rise / rose / risen (intransitive verb - No OBJECT needed)

1. If you have any questions, ___ your hand and I'll try to help you.
   raise
   rise
   Answer raise
2. The student ___ a very good question about the importance of security in the big cities.
   rose
   raised
   Answer raised
3. The sun ___ in the east.
   rises
   raises
   Answer rises
4. Our community ___ money for the victims of the plane accident.
   is rising
   is raising
   Answer is raising
5. He ___ to an important position in the company.
   rose
   raised
   Answer rose
6. She's ___ three children without her husband's financial support.
   raised
   risen
   Answer raised
7. Unemployment ___ quickly in the metropolitan areas.
   is rising
   is raising
   Answer is rising
8. They ___ chicken on their farm.
   rise
   raise
   Answer raise
9. The people decided to ___ up against the new government politics.
   rise
   raise
   Answer rise
10. Don't ___ your voice to me! I'm still your boss.
    rise
    raise
    Answer raise
11. The price of gas ___ by 5%.
    has raised
    has risen
    Answer has risen
12. As the speaker didn't show up, I ___ to the occasion and made the speech.
    raised
    rose
    Answer rose

(C) 1997 Vera Mello

Lie or Lay?

Make a choice by clicking on the radio button, then compare it with the correct answer hidden under the answer button.

1. He was ___ when he said that he didn't see anyone there.
   lying
   laying
   Answer lying
2. She ___ about her experience in order to get that job.
   lay
   lied
   laid
   Answer lied
3. You'll feel much better if you just ___ down and rest for a while.
   lie
   lay
   Answer lie
4. He ___ the books on the table.
   lied
   lay
   laid
   Answer laid
5. The hens aren't ___ any eggs this week.
   lying
   laying
   Answer laying
6. Why did they ___ so many employees off at that company last year ?
   lay
   lie
   Answer lay
7. He___ a serious charge against his employer.
   has lied
   has laid
   has lain
   Answer has laid
8. What I did ___ heavily on my conscience ever since.
   has lain
   has laid
   has lied
   Answer has lain
9. The solution ___ with you.
   lies
   lays
   Answer lies

Remember lie, lied, lied ( tell a lie)lie, lay, lainlay, laid, laid

(C) 1997 Vera Mello