Question 1: Identify and correct any punctuation errors involving dashes or brackets in the sentence: 'Sarah (who had prepared the presentation) was confident about her slides, but she hesitated when questions arose.'

Answer: No correction needed.

Question 2: In the sentence, 'The manager — known for her sharp wit — encouraged open discussion,' why are the dashes used, and are they correctly placed?

Answer: The dashes set off the additional information about the manager; yes, they are correctly placed.

Question 3: Rewrite the following sentence to correctly use brackets for the interrupted thought: 'During the meeting—despite the heavy rain outside—the team discussed the upcoming project deadlines.'

Answer: During the meeting (despite the heavy rain outside) the team discussed the upcoming project deadlines.

Question 4: Explain how the use of dashes in the phrase 'Sarah (who had prepared the presentation) was confident' affects the sentence's clarity.

Answer: The parentheses clarify that Sarah had prepared the presentation, and their use helps to add extra information without disrupting the main sentence flow.

Question 5: Identify any errors in the following sentence involving dashes or brackets and correct them: 'The report— which was due yesterday — has not been submitted.'

Answer: The spaces around the dash are incorrect. Corrected: 'The report—which was due yesterday—has not been submitted.'

Question 6: Multiple Choice: Which of the following sentences correctly uses dashes to set off an interrupted thought? a) The committee—the one that met last week—decided to postpone the event. b) The committee — the one that met last week — decided to postpone the event. c) The committee—the one that met last week—decided to postpone the event. d) The committee, the one that met last week, decided to postpone the event.

Answer:

Question 7: Create a sentence of your own that includes an interrupted thought correctly set off by dashes.

Answer:

Question 8: Analyze the use of brackets in the sentence: 'The solution (which was suggested by Mike) seemed promising.' What purpose do the brackets serve?

Answer: The brackets add extra information about Mike's suggestion, clarifying who proposed the solution without disrupting the main sentence.

Question 9: Identify and correct errors in punctuation involving brackets or dashes in the sentence: 'The student—who was late—missed the lecture.'

Answer: No correction needed.