which sentence demonstrates correct use of the apostrophe

ATI TEAS 7

ATI TEAS English Practice Test

1. Which sentence demonstrates correct use of the apostrophe?

A. The dog wagged its tail.
B. It's a wonderful day.
C. The dog's tail wagged.
D. It's a big house.

Correct answer: C

Rationale: Choice C, 'The dog's tail wagged,' is the correct use of the apostrophe to show possession. In this sentence, the apostrophe is used correctly to indicate that the tail belongs to the dog. Choice A is incorrect as 'it's' is a contraction of 'it is' or 'it has,' not possessive. Choice B is also incorrect as 'Its' should be 'It's' to mean 'It is' or 'It has.' Choice D is incorrect as 'Its'' is grammatically incorrect; the correct form would be 'It's' if it were a contraction or 'Its' if it indicated possession without an apostrophe.

2. Which sentence correctly uses the colon?

A. She had one wish: to visit Paris.
B. She had: one wish to visit Paris.
C. She had one: wish to visit Paris.
D. She had one wish: visit Paris.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: "She had one wish: to visit Paris." A colon is used after a complete sentence to introduce a list, quotation, or explanation. In choice A, the colon is appropriately used after the complete sentence 'She had one wish' to introduce the explanation 'to visit Paris.' Choices B, C, and D incorrectly place the colon in positions that do not follow a complete sentence or do not properly introduce an explanation, making them grammatically incorrect.

3. Write a research report about a national park in the United States that is experiencing threats.

A. Florida's Everglades National Park is threatened with a rising sea level as restoration efforts lag.
B. The Grand Canyon is a steep-sided canyon carved by the Colorado River in Arizona, United States.
C. Every year someone falls over the edge of Going-to-the-Sun Road at Glacier National Park.
D. My visit to Acadia National Park last summer was one of the most interesting trips I've ever taken.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: Choice A is the correct answer as it directly addresses the writing prompt by focusing on a specific threat faced by a national park in the United States, which is the rising sea level affecting Florida's Everglades National Park. This choice provides a clear thesis statement for a research report on the topic. Choices B, C, and D are incorrect. Choice B provides general information about the Grand Canyon but does not discuss any threats it is facing. Choice C is not relevant to the prompt as it talks about accidents on a specific highway within Glacier National Park rather than broader threats to the park itself. Choice D is about a personal experience at Acadia National Park and does not address any threats the park may be experiencing.

4. Which of the following examples uses correct punctuation?

A. The moderator asked the candidates, “Is each of you prepared to discuss your position on global warming?”.
B. The moderator asked the candidates, “Is each of you prepared to discuss your position on global warming?”
C. . The moderator asked the candidates, ‘Is each of you prepared to discuss your position on global warming?’
D. The moderator asked the candidates, ‘Is each of you prepared to discuss your position on global warming?’

Correct answer: B

Rationale: Option B is the correct answer because it correctly places the period inside the closing quotation mark, following the closing punctuation of the sentence. This is the standard punctuation rule for quotations in American English. Choice A is incorrect as it has an extra period outside the closing quotation mark. Choice C is incorrect as the period should come after the closing quotation mark. Choice D is incorrect as it lacks the initial space before the quotation, not adhering to proper punctuation rules.

5. Which of the following sentences is correct?

A. I asked Scott, 'How was your day?'
B. Scott said, 'It was awesome.'
C. He claimed, "My history presentation was great!"
D. I said, 'That's wonderful!'

Correct answer: C

Rationale: Choice C is the correct answer because it properly uses quotation marks to indicate a direct quote within the sentence ('My history presentation was great!'). Choices A, B, and D contain direct quotes but fail to use quotation marks, making them incorrect. In choice A, the direct question 'How was your day?' should be enclosed in quotation marks. In choice B, the direct quote 'It was awesome.' should also be enclosed in quotation marks. In choice D, the direct statement 'That's wonderful!' should be enclosed in quotation marks.