which example uses quotations correctly

ATI TEAS 7

TEAS Test English Questions

1. Which example uses quotations correctly?

A. "I'm not going to spoil my appetite," said Philip, as he pushed the plate of cookies away.
B. "I'm not going to spoil my appetite," said Philip, as he pushed the plate of cookies away.
C. "I'm not going to spoil my appetite," said Philip, "as he pushed the plate of cookies away."
D. "I'm not going to spoil my appetite," said Philip, as he pushed the plate of cookies away.

Correct answer: D

Rationale: Choice D is the correct answer as it uses quotation marks to properly set off the spoken words. In this sentence, the spoken words by Philip are enclosed within double quotation marks and correctly punctuated with a comma before the attribution 'said Philip.' Choices A, B, and C contain errors such as missing commas, incorrect placement of quotation marks, or incorrect punctuation within the quoted speech. For example, in Choice A, there should be a comma after 'appetite' within the quotation. In Choice B, the comma should be placed inside the quotation marks. Choice C incorrectly places the attribution 'said Philip' within the quotation of spoken words, which is not the standard practice.

2. What is the correct order for the following sentence: 'yesterday she went to the store'?

A. She went to the store yesterday.
B. To the store she went yesterday.
C. Yesterday to the store she went.
D. She yesterday went to the store.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct order for the sentence 'yesterday she went to the store' is 'She went to the store yesterday.' In English, the standard word order for a sentence is subject-verb-object-adverbial (time). Choice A is the correct answer as it follows this standard order. Choice B changes the order of the subject and object. Choice C changes the order of the adverbial and subject. Choice D changes the order of the subject and adverbial. Therefore, choices B, C, and D are incorrect.

3. Which of the following is a simple sentence?

A. Phillippa walked the dog, and Primula gave the dog a bath.
B. Phillippa walked and bathed the dog, and Primula helped.
C. Phillippa walked the dog, while Primula gave the dog a bath.
D. Phillippa and Primula walked the dog and gave the dog a bath.

Correct answer: D

Rationale: A simple sentence contains only one independent clause. Choice D, 'Phillippa and Primula walked the dog and gave the dog a bath,' is a simple sentence as it consists of a single subject (Phillippa and Primula) and predicate (walked the dog and gave the dog a bath). Choices A, B, and C contain multiple clauses or conjunctions that create compound sentences, making them more complex and not fitting the criteria of a simple sentence.

4. Which of these examples is a compound sentence?

A. Alex and Shane spent the morning coloring and later took a walk down to the park.
B. After coloring all morning, Alex and Shane spent the afternoon at the park.
C. Alex and Shane spent the morning coloring, and then they took a walk down to the park.
D. After coloring all morning and spending part of the day at the park, Alex and Shane took a nap.

Correct answer: C

Rationale: Option C is a compound sentence because it consists of two independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction ('and then'). The first independent clause is 'Alex and Shane spent the morning coloring,' and the second independent clause is 'they took a walk down to the park.' Choices A, B, and D are not compound sentences. In choice A, although there are two actions mentioned, they are not independent clauses; they are part of a single sentence. Choice B is a complex sentence with a dependent clause ('After coloring all morning') and an independent clause. Choice D is a complex sentence with a compound predicate ('After coloring all morning and spending part of the day at the park') followed by an independent clause.

5. Where should a semicolon be placed in the following sentence: 'He loves reading comics, playing video games, and spending time with friends'?

A. He loves reading comics; playing video games, and spending time with friends.
B. He loves reading comics, playing video games; and spending time with friends.
C. He loves reading comics, playing video games, and spending time with friends.
D. No semicolon needed.

Correct answer: B

Rationale: A semicolon is used to separate items in a list when the items themselves contain commas. In the sentence provided, 'playing video games' and 'spending time with friends' are the items that contain commas. Therefore, the correct placement of the semicolon is before the conjunction 'and,' as shown in option (B). Choice (A) incorrectly places the semicolon after 'comics,' disrupting the parallel structure. Choice (C) does not use a semicolon where needed. Choice (D) is incorrect as a semicolon is required in this context to maintain proper punctuation in the list.