Punctuation at the end of Amy's market visit sentence is where the error hides.

Let’s talk about a tiny but mighty thing that sneaks into sentences and quietly changes everything: punctuation. If you’ve ever read a sentence and paused to decide whether the period should be a dot, a question mark, or a comma, you’ve felt punctuation’s power. Now, imagine Amy’s market visit as a little case study in how a single comma or period can flip meaning. This is a great way to see why the end-of-sentence mark matters so much in the kind of writing you’ll encounter on the PACT writing test, or any real-world communication, for that matter.

What the question is really asking

In many PACT-style items, you’ll be presented with a sentence about a straightforward activity—like Amy visiting a market—and you’ll choose which error the sentence contains. The options usually look like a mix of grammar glitches plus a punctuation pitfall. In the scenario you mentioned, the correct answer is “Punctuation mistake at the end.” That may feel a touch unspectacular, but there’s real logic behind it.

Why punctuation is the anchor of clarity

Think of punctuation as road signs for readers. Periods, question marks, and exclamation points tell us when a thought ends. Commas, semicolons, and dashes guide us through relationships between ideas. When the end punctuation is missing or wrong, readers are left to guess whether a sentence is a simple statement, a question, or something more emphatic. In a sentence about Amy’s market visit, the ending mark signals tone—whether the sentence is a mere fact, a curious observation, or a sharp exclamation about what happened.

Let me explain the other possibilities—and why they aren’t the right fit here

A. Missing a subject

• Example that would fit this error: “Went to the market.” It’s not clear who performed the action. The sentence lacks a clear subject. You might stumble over “Went” and wonder, “Was that Amy?” or “Someone else?” In real life, subject visibility matters a lot—especially when you’re summarizing events or telling a quick story.

B. Using an incorrect verb form

• Imagine “Amy go to the market” or “Amy goes to the market yesterday.” A verb form mismatch can flip the timing or the mood. For example, missing an “s” in “goes” changes the person-number agreement. On a test like this, you’d notice that the action timing doesn’t align with the subject or the timeline provided.

C. Improper conjunction usage

• Conjunctions connect ideas, contrasts, or sequences. A sentence like “Amy went to the market but she bought oranges” is fine. But if the sentence pairs two ideas that belong in separate sentences or misconnects clauses, you’ve got a conjunction issue. It’s a subtler problem, yet readable enough to trip you up if you skim too quickly.

D. Punctuation mistake at the end

• This is the one that can travel under the radar. If the sentence ends with a period when it should end with a question mark, or if there’s no ending at all (a fragment), the reader’s interpretation shifts. A misplaced comma at the end can also tilt the tone improperly—suddenly the sentence feels unfinished or oddly framed. In many PACT-style prompts, the end punctuation is the quiet culprit that changes how a sentence lands.

The teaching moment: punctuation at the end is not just decorative

Punctuation at the end does double duty. It cues the reader’s pace and signals the speaker’s intention. If Amy’s market visit sentence is a report, a period makes it a calm declaration. If it’s a puzzled reminder or a hypothetical scenario, a question mark or an exclamation point would be right. The end mark helps readers grasp whether the writer is stating a fact, asking for clarification, or expressing surprise.

A few quick tips for spotting punctuation gaps

• Read the sentence aloud at the end. Does it sound complete, or does it feel like a question that never got its mark?

• Check tone and intention. Is the sentence making a claim, asking for information, or showing emotion? The ending punctuation should reinforce that intention.

• Look for sentence boundaries. If two independent ideas sit together without a proper end, you might need a period or a semicolon plus a connector.

• Remember that punctuation does more than end a sentence—it helps separate thoughts. A missing end mark can fuse two ideas the wrong way, creating a run-on or a fragment.

A practical way to approach these items on the test

• Start with the big picture. What is the sentence trying to convey about Amy and her market visit? What tone should that convey: factual, curious, or emphatic?

• Then check the ending. If the ending doesn’t clearly signal the intended tone, you’re probably looking at a punctuation issue.

• If the ending seems fine, move to subject, verb, and connectors. Sometimes the correct answer will point to a different error, and that’s okay—recognize the pattern.

Digress a moment into the bigger picture

This kind of focus—punctuation at the end—shows up anywhere you’re writing in a hurry or under a deadline: emails, meeting notes, or a quick update to a team. It’s the same rule of thumb: the last mark sets the reader’s last impression. In real life, a misplaced period can turn “We visited the market today” into “We visited the market today?” and suddenly the delivery feels like a question of certainty rather than a simple update. It’s funny how tiny marks carry big weight, isn’t it?

What to practice beyond the single question

• Punctuation pairs that often cause trouble: end punctuation (period, question mark, exclamation point) and internal punctuation (commas in lists, after introductory phrases, or in appositives).

• Subject and verb agreement basics. A missing or mismatched subject can derail a sentence faster than you expect.

• How conjunctions knit ideas together. “And,” “but,” “or” can join simple thoughts or separate longer ones; the choice changes flow and meaning.

• Reading for meaning first, then checking mechanics. If the sentence feels right in sense, you’re likely on the right track; if the sense is off, punctuation might be the culprit.

A tiny exercise you can try today

Here’s a short sentence set that mirrors the kind of thing you’ll encounter in a test about the writing style and the mechanics:

• Amy visited the market today

• Amy visited the market, today?

• Amy visited the market today.

Which version clearly signals a complete thought and the intended tone? The third one uses a period at the end, delivering a straightforward, factual statement. The second uses a question mark, which would imply a doubt or a prompt for confirmation. The first is missing an ending mark, leaving the reader hanging. This little trio is a perfect microcosm of how a single punctuation choice shifts everything.

Where punctuation lives in real content

If you’re curious about how this translates across real-world writing, you’ll notice punctuation is in play wherever information is compressed into sentences: news briefs, briefs for coworkers, product descriptions, or school notices. Writers lean on punctuation to guide readers through quick ideas, not to trap them in a labyrinth. The skill is less about memorizing rules and more about seeing the pattern: what is this sentence’s job, and what mark best signals its job to the reader?

Putting it all together: the big takeaway

In our little Amy scenario, the puzzle isn’t about a missing subject, a wrong verb, or a fuzzy conjunction. It’s about how the sentence ends. The punctuation at the end is the quiet moderator of meaning, the thing that makes the sentence ring true or feel off. That’s why, in this set of items, the punctuation miscue at the end is the correct choice. It’s a reminder that punctuation is not a luxury; it’s a backbone of clear, confident writing.

A few more notes for growing fluency

• Don’t underestimate the power of a quick read aloud. Your ears catch rhythm and end marks that your eyes might overlook.

• When you’re unsure, test both possibilities. If changing the end mark alters the tone or meaning, that’s your clue.

• Build a tiny personal checklist: end punctuation, subject visibility, verb form, and conjunction usage. A quick scan like this can speed up your sense-making on any item.

Final thought: punctuation as a tiny, mighty compass

If you approach writing with punctuation in mind, you’ll feel more in control, whether you’re drafting a note to a colleague, a short update, or a longer, more formal piece. The end matters—literally. And in sentences about something as everyday as Amy’s market visit, that ending mark can be the difference between clarity and confusion. So next time you read a sentence and wonder about its end, remember: the punctuation is not just punctuation. It’s the last word in the sentence’s story, guiding your understanding to a clear, confident close.