which of the following uses commas in a series correctly

ATI TEAS 7

English and Language Usage TEAS

1. Which of the following uses commas in a series correctly?

A. Jericka went to the store for milk, bread, and eggs.
B. For breakfast, Jason wanted to make French toast, bacon, and eggs.
C. Aj had a lot to do the next day, including homework, hockey practice, and chores.
D. Paz's mom, dad, and sister would come to watch his game.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: Option A is the correct answer as it uses commas to separate items in a series ('milk, bread, and eggs'). In option B, the comma after 'bacon' is unnecessary. Option C correctly uses commas to separate the items in the series ('homework, hockey practice, and chores'). Option D incorrectly omits commas between 'mom' and 'dad,' and 'dad' and 'sister,' making it incorrect for a series of three or more items.

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 punctuation marks is used incorrectly in the sentence? "Otto, somewhat abruptly, got up out of his chair, and just like that, headed into the next room."

A. The comma after "somewhat"
B. The comma after "Otto"
C. The semicolon after "that"
D. The comma after "chair"

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The semicolon after "that" is used incorrectly; a comma should be used instead. Semicolons are typically used to join two independent clauses without a conjunction. In this sentence, the phrase "just like that" is not an independent clause, so a comma is more appropriate for separating it from the rest of the sentence. Choices A, B, and D all use commas correctly within the sentence.

4. Which sentence uses comma splices incorrectly?

A. The baker kneaded the dough, flour dusted her apron, and the oven warmed up.
B. The mountains, shrouded in mist, seemed to disappear into the clouds.
C. He arrived late, having forgotten his keys, and the meeting had already started.
D. The movie, despite its flaws, was surprisingly enjoyable.

Correct answer: C

Rationale: Option (C) incorrectly combines two independent clauses with only a comma, resulting in a comma splice. A comma should not be used to connect independent clauses; instead, a semicolon, conjunction, or period is needed to properly separate the ideas in the sentence. Choices (A), (B), and (D) do not contain comma splices and present their ideas in a grammatically correct manner.

5. Julia Robinson, an avid photographer in her spare time, was able to capture stunning shots of the local wildlife on her last business trip to Australia. Which of the following is an adjective in the preceding sentence?

A. Time
B. Capture
C. Avid
D. Photographer

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is 'C: Avid.' In the sentence, 'avid' describes Julia Robinson as someone who is enthusiastic and passionate about photography in her spare time. Adjectives are words that modify or describe nouns, and in this case, 'avid' modifies the noun 'photographer.' Choice A, 'Time,' is a noun and does not describe or modify any other word in the sentence. Choice B, 'Capture,' is a verb indicating an action taken by Julia Robinson. Choice D, 'Photographer,' is a noun identifying the role or occupation of Julia Robinson, not describing her in this context.