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Chapter 34 of 41

Apostrophes, Quotation Marks, Hyphens, and Dashes

Mark possession, quotations, compounds, ranges, interruptions, and emphasis.

40 minutes 10 quick checksBy Subha Prasad
Lesson 34 of 41Course navigation

Lesson content

Read, practise, then check your understanding

Apostrophes mark possession and contractions, not ordinary plurals. Quotation marks enclose direct words according to the chosen style. Hyphens join compound modifiers; en dashes often show ranges; em dashes create strong breaks.

Patterns and examples

  • the student’s book / the students’ books
  • She said, “I agree.”
  • a well-designed course / pages 10–20
  • The answer—unexpectedly—was correct.

Notice how form and meaning work together. Read examples aloud, identify the controlling word or clause, and compare them with nearby alternatives before applying the pattern in new writing.

Practice sentences

  • Correct apostrophes in three noun phrases.
  • Choose hyphen, en dash, or em dash.

After answering, explain the rule in your own words and create one original sentence using the same structure.

Knowledge check

Answer every question correctly to complete this chapter.

Which explanation correctly describes apostrophe?
Which grammar term matches this explanation: A mark indicating possession or omitted letters, not ordinary plural.
Which explanation correctly describes quotation marks?
Which grammar term matches this explanation: Marks enclosing direct quotations or certain titles/terms.
Which explanation correctly describes hyphen?
Which grammar term matches this explanation: A short joining mark inside compound words/modifiers.
Which explanation correctly describes en dash?
Which grammar term matches this explanation: A dash commonly marking ranges or relationships.
Which explanation correctly describes em dash?
Which grammar term matches this explanation: A strong break setting off interruption or emphasis.

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Apostrophes, Quotation Marks, Hyphens, and Dashes | Grammar Lesson | Subha Prasad