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 verb tense best fits the blank: 'By next month, she _____ the project for a year.'

A. will have been working on
B. will work on
C. has been working on
D. had worked on

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is 'A: will have been working on.' In this sentence, the future perfect continuous tense is needed to convey that the action of working on the project will continue up to a specific future point (next month). Choices B, C, and D are incorrect. Choice B ('will work on') indicates a future action without emphasizing the duration of the action. Choice C ('has been working on') is in the present perfect continuous tense, which does not convey the future duration of the action. Choice D ('had worked on') is in the past perfect tense, which is not suitable for indicating an action continuing up to a future point.

3. Which of the following sentences correctly uses subject-verb agreement?

A. The lead scientist writes the reports; however, all scientists in the group do the research.
B. The lead scientist is the one who writes the reports; however, she is the only one of the scientists who does the research.
C. The lead scientist writes the reports; however, she is the only one of the scientists who does the research.
D. The lead scientist is the one who writes the reports; however, every scientist in the group does the research.

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B because it maintains subject-verb agreement. In this sentence, 'she is' agrees with 'the lead scientist,' and 'does' agrees with 'she.' Choices A, C, and D have subject-verb agreement errors. In choice A, 'write' should be 'writes' to match the singular subject 'The lead scientist,' and 'does' should be 'do' to match the plural 'scientists in the group.' Choice C also has the same subject-verb agreement error as A. In choice D, 'do the research' should be 'does the research' to match the singular 'every scientist in the group.'

4. He also took part in the community police supervision project. He played an instrumental role in the BPP breakfast program for impoverished African American children. Which revision best combines these sentences for clarity and flow?

A. NO CHANGE
B. He also took part in the community police supervision project but played an instrumental role
C. He also took part in the community police supervision project, he played an instrumental role
D. He also took part in the community police supervision project and played an instrumental role

Correct answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is 'D' because the phrase 'and played an instrumental role' provides a smoother transition between the two ideas. In this context, using 'and' helps to connect the two activities more effectively. Choice 'B' introduces a contrasting conjunction 'but,' which is not suitable in this context where the actions are related. Choice 'C' incorrectly separates the two actions into distinct sentences, affecting the flow and coherence of the paragraph. Therefore, 'D' is the best choice for combining the sentences for clarity and flow.

5. Which of the following sentences best represents style and clarity of expression?

A. Without adequate preparation, the test was likely to be a failure for Zara.
B. The test was likely to be a failure for Zara without adequate preparation.
C. Without adequate preparation, Zara expected to fail the test.
D. Zara expected to fail the test without adequate preparation.

Correct answer: C

Rationale: Choice C, 'Without adequate preparation, Zara expected to fail the test,' is the best option as it maintains clarity and conciseness. The subject 'Zara' is directly linked to the action 'expected to fail the test' with the cause 'Without adequate preparation' clearly stated at the beginning. This structure enhances the flow of the sentence and makes it easier to understand. Choices A, B, and D are less clear as they place the cause and effect in less optimal positions, resulting in a less effective and concise expression of the idea.