which example uses correct punctuation

ATI TEAS 7

ATI TEAS English and Language Usage

1. Which example uses correct punctuation?

A. "I really can't make it," he answered, "you should probably go without me."
B. "I really can't make it," he answered. "you should probably go without me."
C. "I really can't make it," he answered. "You should probably go without me."
D. "I really can't make it," he answered, "you should probably go without me."

Correct answer: A

Rationale: Choice A uses proper dialogue punctuation. The comma appears inside the closing quotation mark after 'make it,' and 'you' remains lowercase because it continues the same sentence. In Choice B, there is a period instead of a comma after 'answered,' breaking the sentence incorrectly. Choice C incorrectly places the comma outside the quotation mark after 'make it.' Choice D, similar to Choice B, uses a period instead of a comma after 'answered,' leading to incorrect punctuation.

2. Which of the following is a correctly punctuated compound sentence?

A. The moonlight glowed white on the roof next door, and the sky was a gentle summer blue.
B. The raspberries we just picked from the garden are ripe and sweet.
C. She spent all afternoon studying for the biology test, but she neglected to work on her psychology paper.
D. The man often drew sketches in his room, but he never liked to show his art to anyone.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: Choice A is the correct answer as it presents a correctly punctuated compound sentence. It consists of two independent clauses separated by a comma and the coordinating conjunction 'and.' This punctuation accurately connects the two related ideas. Choice B is incorrect because it lacks a comma before the coordinating conjunction 'and,' making it a run-on sentence. Choice C is incorrect due to the use of a semicolon before the coordinating conjunction 'but,' which is unnecessary in this context. Choice D is incorrect as it lacks a comma before the coordinating conjunction 'but,' resulting in a comma splice error.

3. Robert needed to find at least four sources for his final project, so he searched several library databases for reliable academic research. Which words function as nouns in the preceding sentence?

A. Robert, sources, project, databases, research
B. Robert, sources, final, project, databases, academic, research
C. Robert, sources, project, he, library, databases, research
D. Sources, project, databases, research

Correct answer: A

Rationale: In the sentence provided, the words that function as nouns are 'Robert,' 'sources,' 'project,' 'databases,' and 'research.' These words are all objects or concepts that can be referenced or identified in a sentence as nouns. Choice B includes adjectives ('final,' 'academic') which describe other nouns rather than being nouns themselves. Choice C includes a pronoun ('he') which is not a noun. Choice D lacks the noun 'Robert' which is a subject in the sentence.

4. When Sofia went in for her yearly check-up, her doctor suggested that they do a blood test to get an update on her hypokalemia, since its decreasing levels were worrisome in the past.

A. Better
B. Above
C. Too much
D. Not enough

Correct answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is 'Not enough.' The prefix 'hypo-' means 'under' or 'not enough,' as seen in the word 'hypokalemia,' which refers to low levels of potassium. 'Better' (choice A), 'Above' (choice B), and 'Too much' (choice C) are all incorrect because they do not convey the meaning of insufficient or low levels associated with hypokalemia.

5. What type of error occurs in the sentence 'Everyone knew who the culprit was, except for me'?

A. Subject-verb agreement
B. Misplaced modifier
C. Dangling participle
D. Pronoun-antecedent agreement

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The error in the sentence is a misplaced modifier. The phrase 'except for me' should ideally modify 'me,' but it is incorrectly placed after 'knew,' leading to confusion about who the exception applies to. 'Subject-verb agreement' is incorrect as there is no disagreement between the subject and the verb. 'Dangling participle' is incorrect as there are no dangling participles in the sentence. 'Pronoun-antecedent agreement' is incorrect as the pronoun 'me' correctly refers to the antecedent 'I'; the issue lies with the placement of the modifier.