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. Which of the following is a complex sentence?

A. When skywriting, a pilot flies a small aircraft in specific, particular formations, creating large letters visible from the ground.
B. The public defense attorney was able to maintain her optimism despite her dearth of courtroom wins, her lack of free time, and her growing list of clients.
C. Because the distance between stars in the galaxy is far greater than the distance between planets, interstellar travel is expected to be an even bigger challenge than interplanetary exploration.
D. Invented in France in the early nineteenth century, the stethoscope underwent a number of reiterations before the emergence of the modern form of the instrument in the 1850s.

Correct answer: C

Rationale: A complex sentence has one independent clause and at least one dependent clause connected by a subordinating conjunction or a relative pronoun. In choice C, the sentence 'Because the distance between stars in the galaxy is far greater than the distance between planets' is a dependent clause introduced by the subordinating conjunction 'Because,' while the rest of the sentence 'interstellar travel is expected to be an even bigger challenge than interplanetary exploration' forms the independent clause. This combination of an independent clause and a dependent clause makes choice C a complex sentence. Choices A, B, and D do not contain both an independent and dependent clause connected in the way that choice C does, thus they do not qualify as complex sentences.

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 of the following suffixes would change the verb 'manage' into an adjective?

A. -ed
B. -ible
C. -able
D. -er

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The correct suffix to change the verb 'manage' into an adjective is '-able.' When added to 'manage,' it forms the adjective 'manageable,' which means capable of being managed. Choice A ('-ed') is a past participle suffix, not an adjective-forming suffix. Choice B ('-ible') is used to form adjectives meaning 'capable of' but is not the correct choice in this context. Choice D ('-er') is typically used to form agent nouns rather than adjectives.

5. The friendly baker offered us chocolate cookies and vanilla cupcakes with rainbow sprinkles. Which of the following is the direct object in the sentence above?

A. offered us
B. with the rainbow sprinkles
C. The friendly baker
D. chocolate cookies and vanilla cupcakes

Correct answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D, 'chocolate cookies and vanilla cupcakes.' In this sentence, the friendly baker is the subject, 'offered' is the verb, and 'chocolate cookies and vanilla cupcakes' receive the action of the verb, making them the direct object. Choices A, B, and C do not directly receive the action of the verb 'offered,' so they are not the direct object. Choice A is the verb phrase, choice B is a prepositional phrase, and choice C is the subject of the sentence.