Punctuation accounts for roughly 4 to 8 questions in a typical GL Assessment 11+ English paper, about 16% of the total English marks, and sits within the Technical English section alongside spelling and grammar. Like spelling, these are highly winnable marks because punctuation rewards knowing a clear set of rules and applying them carefully.
GL tests punctuation with the same error-spotting format as spelling: a sentence is split into four labelled sections (A, B, C and D), with a fifth option for "No mistake". Your child reads the whole sentence and identifies which section contains a punctuation error, or chooses "No mistake" if it is all correct. There is at most one error per sentence, and the mistakes are always ones children genuinely make, such as a missing apostrophe, a misplaced comma or speech punctuation in the wrong place.
The skill here is careful proof-reading combined with knowing the rules, and that is very teachable. Once a child is secure on apostrophes, commas and speech punctuation, the great majority of GL questions become straightforward. Every question on this page uses the exact four-section format with a worked explanation, so your child learns the rule behind each answer.
GL punctuation questions concentrate on a few high-value areas; GL does not publish exact weightings, so the order below is our research estimate from analysing practice papers and tutor materials, in rough order of frequency:
Difficulty runs from Year 2 to 4 basics, such as a missing capital or full stop, up to Year 5 to 6 punctuation (colons, semicolons, hyphens and parenthetical dashes) that the National Curriculum only introduces, so even strong children can be unsure, and "No mistake" appears more often at this level.
Five questions drawn from PrepStep’s punctuation bank, spanning Foundation to Challenging. Tap “Show worked explanation” to see the full method after you’ve had a go. The correct answer is highlighted on each question so you can check immediately.
Which section contains a punctuation error?
'didnt' should be 'didn't'. The apostrophe replaces the 'o' in 'not': did + not = didn't. Without the apostrophe, 'didnt' isn't a real word. Remember: contractions always need an apostrophe where the missing letters used to be. ✓
Which section contains a punctuation error?
A comma is needed after 'said' before the speech marks: James said, "I really enjoyed..." When introducing direct speech with a reporting verb, always put a comma before the opening speech marks. ✓
Which section contains a punctuation error?
A comma is needed after 'torch' to separate items in the list: 'a torch, a compass and a waterproof jacket.' In a list, each item needs a comma after it (except the last one before 'and'). Without the comma, 'a torch a compass' runs together. ✓
Which section contains a punctuation error?
A colon (:) should be used here, not a semicolon (;). When you introduce a list with a phrase like 'two things', use a colon to announce what follows: 'There are two things I enjoy most: swimming in the sea and climbing mountains.' ✓
Which section contains a punctuation error?
A comma is needed after 'however': 'however, you also'. When 'however' is used as a conjunctive adverb (meaning 'but'), it should be followed by a comma. ✓
Common mistake 1 of 4
Putting an apostrophe in "its" to show possession.
Tip: its (the dog wagged its tail) never takes an apostrophe; it's always and only means "it is" or "it has". Children over-apply the "apostrophe equals possession" rule. Teach the one fixed test: replace it's with "it is" and see if the sentence still works.
Common mistake 2 of 4
Adding an apostrophe to an ordinary plural.
Tip: "The dogs ran" needs no apostrophe; "the dog's ran" is wrong. GL deliberately places plain plurals near possessive constructions to trigger this slip. Encourage your child to ask whether the word shows ownership before adding an apostrophe.
Common mistake 3 of 4
Joining two sentences with just a comma.
Tip: "She was tired, she went to bed" is a comma splice and a common GL error. Two complete sentences need a conjunction (so, and, but), a semicolon, or a full stop. Warn your child off the "comma wherever you pause" habit, which causes this.
Common mistake 4 of 4
Assuming every sentence contains an error.
Tip: Around 15 to 20% of GL punctuation questions are correct, with "No mistake" as the answer, often a sentence with a correctly used semicolon or possessive pronoun (theirs, whose) that looks suspicious. Teach your child that correctly placed tricky punctuation is not an error.
GL uses an error-spotting format. A sentence is split into four sections (A to D), with a fifth option for "No mistake". Your child decides which section contains a punctuation error, or chooses "No mistake" if the sentence is correctly punctuated. It is multiple choice on a separate answer sheet, with at most one error per sentence.
The biggest areas are apostrophes (possession, contractions and the its/it's trap) and commas (lists, fronted adverbials, subordinate clauses and comma splices), followed by speech punctuation. Capital letters and sentence-ending marks come up too. The hardest questions test Year 6 marks such as colons, semicolons and hyphens, which schools only introduce.
Apostrophe errors are the most heavily tested, and the its/it's confusion is the classic trap. "Its" (possessive) never takes an apostrophe, while "it's" always means "it is" or "it has". GL also frequently tests apostrophes wrongly added to plain plurals and missing from possessives, so apostrophes are the highest-value area to master.
It spans the curriculum. Easier questions test Year 2 to 4 basics that should be automatic, such as a missing capital or full stop. Harder questions test Year 5 to 6 marks (colons, semicolons, hyphens and parenthetical dashes) that the National Curriculum only introduces rather than expects mastery of, so GL uses them to stretch the strongest children.
Practise in the real GL error-spotting format, including "No mistake" questions, rather than just learning rules in isolation. Prioritise apostrophes, commas and speech punctuation, since together they make up most of the marks. Free PrepStep practice presents each question in the exact GL four-section format with a worked explanation of the rule.
PrepStep has 430 punctuation questions in GL Assessment format: five options, instant feedback, and step-by-step explanations. Free to start.
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