Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar Set 3
Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar Set 3 is a further practice set for the accuracy strand of 13+ Common Entrance English, focusing on punctuating relative clauses, using colons and semicolons correctly, and applying spelling rules for prefixes, suffixes and commonly confused homophones.
Before you start
Make sure you're comfortable with these topics first:
Method
- Learn to spot a relative clause (introduced by who, which, that, whose or where) and decide whether it is defining (essential to identify what or who is meant) or non-defining (extra, removable information).
- Punctuate a non-defining relative clause with a comma before and after it, but use no commas at all around a defining relative clause, since removing it would change the meaning of the sentence.
- Learn the job of the colon: it introduces a list, an explanation or an example, and the words before it must form a complete sentence on their own.
- Learn the job of the semicolon: it joins two closely related independent clauses that could each stand alone as a full sentence, or separates items in a complex list.
- Revise common prefixes and suffixes that change spelling, such as in-/im-/il-/ir- for negation, and doubling a final consonant before adding -ing or -ed in short words like stop, stopping.
- When checking a passage, read once for meaning, then a second time hunting specifically for punctuation around clauses, and a third time checking the spelling of any word you are unsure of.
Worked example
Punctuate this sentence correctly, adding a comma or commas where needed to mark off the extra information: My cousin who lives on a farm in Wales is coming to stay for half term.
- Identify the relative clause: 'who lives on a farm in Wales' gives extra detail about the cousin, since the sentence already names exactly one cousin.
- Check whether removing the clause changes the core meaning: 'My cousin is coming to stay for half term' still makes complete sense, so the clause is non-defining.
- Because it is non-defining, mark it off with a comma before 'who' and a comma after 'Wales'.
- Read the sentence back to confirm both commas are needed and no other punctuation has been disturbed. Final answer: My cousin, who lives on a farm in Wales, is coming to stay for half term.
Practice questions
Type your answer and press Check to be marked straight away, or reveal the answer and mark yourself.
Q1Choose the correct word to complete the sentence: Regular ___ at the piano will improve your technique. (practice / practise)Show answer
Answer: practice (the noun form; practise, with an s, is the verb).
Q2Add a colon to this sentence in the correct place: The expedition needed three things warm clothing enough food and a reliable map.Show answer
Answer: The expedition needed three things: warm clothing, enough food and a reliable map.
Q3Is the relative clause in this sentence defining or non-defining, and should it have commas: 'The teacher who marked our essays gave detailed feedback' (assume there are several teachers)?Show answer
Answer: Defining - it identifies which teacher out of several, so no commas are needed.
Q4Correct the spelling error caused by a missing doubled consonant: 'I am hopping to finish my homework before dinner' (meaning expecting, not jumping).Show answer
Answer: hoping (one p) - 'hopping' with two p's means jumping, which is not the intended meaning.
Q5Add the correct negative prefix to make this word mean 'not legal': legal.Show answer
Answer: illegal (il- is used before words starting with l).
Q6Which punctuation mark correctly joins these two related sentences into one: 'The rain finally stopped ___ the match could go ahead after all.'Show answer
Answer: A semicolon (The rain finally stopped; the match could go ahead after all), since both halves are complete sentences closely linked in meaning.
Exam-style questions
Written in the style of a 13+ Common Entrance exam paper, with a full mark scheme.
Punctuate this sentence correctly, adding a semicolon and any other punctuation needed: The library was silent everyone was concentrating on the exam.
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Punctuate this sentence, adding commas to mark off the non-essential relative clause: The old oak tree which had stood in the churchyard for two hundred years was finally cut down after the storm.
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Correct the FOUR spelling and grammar errors in this passage, rewriting it correctly: the librarian said the noise was effecting other students so she asked us to be quiet the childrens books were on the bottom shelf
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Free printable worksheet
Want more practice on paper? Download the spelling, punctuation and grammar set 3 worksheet pack - 12 pages of exam-style questions with a full mark scheme. One email opens every download in this browser for 14 days - no account, no card. Print it for personal and classroom use.
This topic is chapter 33 of 13+ English Workbook, the whole course as one free printable PDF.
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