which of the following sentences uses correct punctuation

ATI TEAS 7

English and Language Usage TEAS

1. Which of the following sentences uses correct punctuation?

A. Carole is not currently working; her focus is on her children at the moment.
B. Carole is not currently working, and her focus is on her children at the moment.
C. Carole is not currently working; her focus is on her children at the moment.
D. Carole is not currently working, her focus is on her children at the moment.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: Option A uses correct punctuation by correctly utilizing the semicolon to separate two closely related independent clauses. This punctuation choice effectively conveys the relationship between the two ideas presented in the sentence. Choice B is incorrect because it uses a comma without a coordinating conjunction to join two independent clauses. Choice C is incorrect as it lacks the coordinating conjunction 'and' after the comma to connect the two independent clauses. Choice D is incorrect because it lacks any punctuation or conjunction to properly separate the two independent clauses, leading to a run-on sentence.

2. Tanya told her sister to tell her boyfriend Joe to call her as soon as he got home. Which of the following is a correct revision of the ambiguous sentence above?

A. Tanya told her sister, 'Tell Joe to call me as soon as he gets home.'
B. Her sister told her boyfriend Joe to call Tanya as soon as he got home.
C. Tanya instructed her sister, 'Joe should call me when he gets home.'
D. Tanya instructed her sister, 'Tell your boyfriend Joe to call me right after he gets home.'

Correct answer: D

Rationale: Option D provides a clear and concise revision of the ambiguous sentence with a straightforward instruction. Tanya asks her sister to relay a message to Joe, instructing him to call her immediately upon arriving home. The direct speech used in Option D clarifies the relationships and actions involved in the communication. Choices A, B, and C introduce confusion by altering the relationships and instructions given in the original sentence, making them incorrect.

3. Which of the following movie titles contains a pronoun?

A. Rear Window
B. North by Northwest
C. The Trouble with Harry
D. The Man Who Knew Too Much

Correct answer: D

Rationale: The title "The Man Who Knew Too Much" contains the pronoun "who."

4. Which of the following sentences correctly uses a semicolon?

A. I have a big test tomorrow; I can't go out tonight.
B. I have a big test tomorrow; I can't go out tonight.
C. I have a big test tomorrow; and I can't go out tonight.
D. I have a big test tomorrow; but I can't go out tonight.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct use of a semicolon is to join two closely related independent clauses. Choice A is the only option that correctly uses a semicolon to connect two independent clauses: 'I have a big test tomorrow' and 'I can't go out tonight.' Choice B incorrectly uses a comma instead of a semicolon. Choice C adds an unnecessary 'and' after the semicolon, which disrupts the correct punctuation usage. Choice D introduces a contradictory conjunction 'but' after the semicolon, which is not necessary for the given context. Therefore, the correct answer is A.

5. What part of speech is the word 'disappointed' in the sentence 'I was disappointed by the outcome'?

A. Verb
B. Noun
C. Adjective
D. Adverb

Correct answer: C

Rationale: In the sentence 'I was disappointed by the outcome,' 'disappointed' is used to describe the subject 'I,' indicating its quality. This function classifies 'disappointed' as an adjective. Adjectives modify nouns or pronouns by giving more information about their attributes. Therefore, the correct answer is 'Adjective.' The other choices are incorrect because: - 'Verb' refers to an action word or a state of being, which 'disappointed' is not performing in this sentence. - 'Noun' represents a person, place, thing, or idea, and 'disappointed' does not serve this function in the given sentence. - 'Adverb' modifies verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs, but 'disappointed' is not modifying any of these in the sentence provided.