Question 1

When writers want to show strong emotion or feeling in their writing, they should end their sentences with:
A) periods.
B) exclamation points.
C) semicolons.
D) colons.

Accepted Answer

Exclamation points are used to show strong emotion or feeling in writing, making them the appropriate punctuation mark for sentences intended to convey such intensity.

Question 2

A writer should avoid using a comma to:
A) separate a compound predicate.
B) separate a dependent clause that precedes a main clause.
C) set off interrupting elements.
D) separate consecutive adjectives that separately modify a noun.

Accepted Answer

A compound predicate shares the same subject and should not be separated by a comma, unlike the other options which are correct uses of commas.

Question 3

Tracy is working on her final English essay for school. She has a reputation for expressing herself well but makes careless punctuation errors, especially with regard to comma placement. To ensure that her comma placement is accurate this time, she should use a comma to separate:
A) the parts of one measurement.
B) two unrelated numbers that end up adjacent to each other in a sentence.
C) a dependent clause that provides essential information, from a main clause.
D) the last adjective in a series of consecutive adjectives, from the noun.

Accepted Answer

Commas are used to separate two numbers that appear next to each other in a sentence to avoid confusion, ensuring clarity in the text.

Question 4

Which of the following is a comma pitfall?
A) Using commas to separate thousands, hundred thousands, millions, and so on, in numbers with more than four digits
B) Using commas to set off introductory words, phrases, and clauses
C) Using commas to set off parenthetical elements within sentences
D) Using commas to separate a subject from its predicate

Accepted Answer

Using commas to separate a subject from its predicate is incorrect because it disrupts the basic structure of a sentence, making it confusing and grammatically incorrect. Commas should not interfere with the direct relationship between a subject and its verb.

Question 5

Which of the following examples is incorrect with regard to capitalizing after colons?
A) The final step is the most important: Evaluate the actual performance against set standards.
B) The changes in law will affect two industries: Automobile and consumer electronics.
C) The huge financial loss has been due to the negligence of two employees: Mark and Jane.
D) The company identified the most important feature: quality.

Accepted Answer

In option B, "Automobile and consumer electronics" should not have "Automobile" capitalized because it follows a colon and is not the start of a complete sentence.

Question 6

A_____ is used (1) in place of a coordinating conjunction to join independent clauses, (2) before an introductory word that begins the second clause in a sentence, and (3) before explanatory or enumerating words.
A) semicolon
B) colon
C) comma
D) dash

Accepted Answer

A semicolon is used to join independent clauses without a coordinating conjunction, before introductory words in the second clause, and before explanatory or enumerating words.

Question 7

Which of the following sentences does NOT illustrate the correct use of dashes?
A) Our new neighbors-have you met them?-will join us for dinner.
B) Rebecca Mathews-The CEO of True Trust Inc.-has won the entrepreneur of the year award.
C) Marketing managers-Vivian, John, and Fred are among them-have decided to adopt social media marketing.
D) This television has several features not usually found in competitors' products-an LED screen, a USB drive, and a camera.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following sentences does NOT...

Question 8

Which of the following is True of punctuation marks at the end of quotations in a sentence?
A) Commas are always inside the closing quotation mark.
B) Semicolons are inside or outside the closing quotation mark depending on the context of a sentence.
C) Periods are outside the closing quotation mark irrespective of the context of a sentence.
D) Exclamation points are never placed inside the closing quotation mark.

Accepted Answer

Commas are typically placed inside the closing quotation mark in both American and British English, following conventional punctuation rules.

Question 9

Which of the following statements does NOT illustrate the correct use of parentheses?
A) As clearly stated in the report, we have increased our production capacity. (Please refer to the attached document.)
B) Rachel Toms (She's the customer relationship manager) is the person whom you should complain to.
C) I want to see the final draft of the report (is it on this floppy disk?) and ask Sam to quickly proofread it.
D) When they met last month (at a common friend's wedding), they exchanged their cell phone numbers.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following statements does NOT...

Question 10

Which of the following statements illustrates the incorrect use of the apostrophe?
A) In March 09', the company had the largest market share.
B) They couldn't meet the market demands due to production problems.
C) The company aims to provide services that are better than the competitors' services.
D) They'll increase the selling price only when the demand increases.

Accepted Answer

The apostrophe in "09'" is incorrectly used because it should be placed before the numbers to indicate the omission of the first two digits of the year (e.g., '09 for 2009), not after the numbers.

Question 11

Which of the following book titles has not been capitalized correctly?
A) What Employees Strive For
B) Tales of the Twentieth Century
C) The Path of the Gods
D) The Revolution of the Internet: a look back

Accepted Answer

Titles of books should follow title case, where major words are capitalized. In choice D, "a look back" should be capitalized as "A Look Back" to adhere to title case rules.

Question 12

Which of the following statements has been capitalized correctly?
A) The Government of the country has decided to ban the export of precious stones.
B) The Head of our Department was made to quit his job.
C) The employees at the headquarters use a Canon photocopier.
D) The company decided to set up a distribution unit in the north to improve sales in that region.

Accepted Answer

C) is correct because "Canon" is a proper noun, referring to a brand name, and is therefore capitalized correctly. The other options incorrectly capitalize common nouns or job titles.

Question 13

In which of the following statements should the word "city" NOT be capitalized?
A) She lives in New York City.
B) They want to set up operations in the City of Paris.
C) They made their travel reservations with True City Inc.
D) The most popular shopping mall is City Shine Avenue.

Accepted Answer

The answer of In which of the following statements should...

Question 14

Which of the following should a writer capitalize while writing?
A) The suffix "-elect" when joined to titles
B) A personal title of a specific person
C) A common noun that names the general class of a product
D) The term "government" when it stands alone

Accepted Answer

Personal titles of specific persons are capitalized when they precede a name, indicating respect and formality. This rule helps distinguish between general and specific references, ensuring clarity and proper acknowledgment in writing.

Question 15

Which of the following is a rule to be practiced when using abbreviations?
A) Use "Mr." before a person's name that is followed by an abbreviation of an academic degree.
B) Use "Jr." and "Sr." with a person's last name only.
C) Omit the comma before "Jr." or "Sr." when either follows a person's name.
D) Abbreviate "United States" as a noun.

Accepted Answer

The rule is to omit the comma before "Jr." or "Sr." when they follow a person's name.

Question 16

A person's address reads "156 Chalfont Drive NW." Which of the following punctuations should be used to separate the street name from the abbreviation "NW"?
A) A comma
B) An apostrophe
C) An internal period
D) A dash

Accepted Answer

A comma is used to separate the street name from the directional abbreviation in an address.

Question 17

Which of the following examples illustrates the incorrect expression of numbers?
A) The 1st few employees of the company helped create a strong organizational culture.
B) The company's production units are spread across seven countries.
C) According to the survey, 82 percent of the employees accepted the new code of conduct.
D) About one-third of the employees do not need any training.

Accepted Answer

In formal writing, it's recommended to spell out numbers that can be expressed in one or two words, especially at the beginning of a sentence. "1st" should be written as "first." Choices B, C, and D correctly follow the guidelines for expressing numbers.

Question 18

Which of the following should be expressed in numerals rather than words?
A) Indefinite numbers and amounts
B) Ordinal numbers used for ages and anniversaries
C) Numbers higher than ten
D) Numbers appearing at the beginning of a sentence

Accepted Answer

According to most style guides, numbers higher than ten should be expressed in numerals rather than words for clarity and ease of reading.

Question 19

Which of the following statements will be more effective if the numbers in it are expressed in words?
A) The company's fixed expenses totaled $15,000.
B) The club will celebrate its 125th anniversary next year.
C) The firm received 1000s of customer orders for its product.
D) The business report has 354 pages in total.

Accepted Answer

Expressing "1000s" as "thousands" can make the statement clearer and more impactful, emphasizing the large volume of customer orders.

Question 20

Declarative sentences make statements, and imperative sentences order someone to act.

Accepted Answer

Declarative sentences state facts or opinions, while imperative sentences give commands, requests, or instructions.

Quiz 7: Applying the Mechanics of Style

When writers want to show strong emotion or feeling in their writing, they should end their sentences with:

A writer should avoid using a comma to:

Tracy is working on her final English essay for school. She has a reputation for expressing herself well but makes careless punctuation errors, especially with regard to comma placement. To ensure that her comma placement is accurate this time, she should use a comma to separate:

Which of the following is a comma pitfall?

Which of the following examples is incorrect with regard to capitalizing after colons?

A_____ is used (1) in place of a coordinating conjunction to join independent clauses, (2) before an introductory word that begins the second clause in a sentence, and (3) before explanatory or enumerating words.

Which of the following sentences does NOT illustrate the correct use of dashes?

Which of the following is True of punctuation marks at the end of quotations in a sentence?

Which of the following statements does NOT illustrate the correct use of parentheses?

Which of the following statements illustrates the incorrect use of the apostrophe?

Which of the following book titles has not been capitalized correctly?

Which of the following statements has been capitalized correctly?

In which of the following statements should the word "city" NOT be capitalized?

Which of the following should a writer capitalize while writing?

Which of the following is a rule to be practiced when using abbreviations?

A person's address reads "156 Chalfont Drive NW." Which of the following punctuations should be used to separate the street name from the abbreviation "NW"?

Which of the following examples illustrates the incorrect expression of numbers?

Which of the following should be expressed in numerals rather than words?

Which of the following statements will be more effective if the numbers in it are expressed in words?

Declarative sentences make statements, and imperative sentences order someone to act.