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GED grammar practice: punctuation

Question 6 of 36Punctuation

This draft has parts that need fixing. Go to each menu that says Select... and choose the option that is correct in formal standard English.

Notice: Water shut-off on Thursday

To: All tenants
From: The building office
Subject: Water shut-off on Thursday

The water in our building will be shut off this Thursday while plumbers replace the old pipes in the basement. The work is needed because the pipes have started to leak in several places, and two small floods have already damaged the storage room.

The plumbers must close the main valve before they can take out the old water will be off in every apartment from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Please fill a few pitchers or bottles on Wednesday night so that you have water for drinking and cooking.

If you have a medical need for running water during those hours, please call the building office by Tuesday. We will bring extra water to your door.

When the water comes back on, it may look cloudy for a few minutes. Let the cold tap run until the water is clear. If it stays cloudy, call the office right away.

We are sorry for the trouble, and we thank you for your help.

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How to approach this kind of question

When the choices differ only in punctuation, read the words on each side of the menu. Ask whether each side could stand alone as a complete sentence. Then think about what each mark does: a comma, a semicolon and a period do different jobs. Choose the punctuation that joins or separates the ideas the way the rules allow, and read the sentence again with your choice.

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