Question 1

Select the letter of the correct noun for the blank in each sentence.
-One of the __________ on the living room wall is crooked.
A) picture
B) pictures
C) both A and B

Accepted Answer

The sentence refers to multiple items on the wall, indicating that the plural form "pictures" is needed.

Question 2

Select the letter of the sentence that is punctuated correctly.
-_____
A) Dolores has not gone to work; because she has been busy studying.
B) Dolores has not gone to work because, she has been busy studying.
C) Dolores has not gone to work because she has been busy studying.

Accepted Answer

This sentence has the correct use of a comma before the coordinating conjunction "because" to separate the two clauses. The other options either use a semicolon in the wrong place (A) or use a comma incorrectly to separate the clauses (B).

Question 3

Select the letter of the sentence that is punctuated correctly.
-_____
A) My brother went to a technical high school and studied to be an electrician, however, he ended up becoming a restaurant manager.
B) My brother went to a technical high school and studied to be an electrician; however, he ended up becoming a restaurant manager.
C) My brother went to a technical high school and studied to be an electrician, however; he ended up becoming a restaurant manager.

Accepted Answer

The semicolon correctly separates the two independent clauses in the sentence. The use of a comma before "however" is also correct as it sets off the conjunctive adverb that joins the two independent clauses. Option A has a comma splice, and option C has an unnecessary semicolon.

Question 4

Has the -ing modifier been placed correctly in the following sentences? Select the letter of the correct answer. -Scratching at my basement door, I found a scrawny lost pup. A) correct B) incorrect

Accepted Answer

The modifier "Scratching at my basement door" incorrectly suggests that "I" was doing the scratching, rather than the pup. The sentence should be rephrased for clarity.

Question 5

Select the letter of the sentence that uses the semicolon correctly.
-_____
A) It started raining; just as I left work. I ended up walking home in the rain.
B) It started raining just as I left work; I ended up walking home in the rain.
C) It started raining just as I left work, I ended up walking home; in the rain.

Accepted Answer

Option A has a comma splice, while Option C has an incorrect use of semicolon before the preposition "in". Option B is correct because it uses a semicolon to connect two independent clauses without a coordinating conjunction, in addition, the semicolon separates two clauses that could stand alone as sentences.

Question 6

Has the -ing modifier been placed correctly in the following sentences? Select the letter of the correct answer. -Falling gently on the roof, I fell asleep listening to the rain. A) correct B) incorrect

Accepted Answer

The modifier "Falling gently on the roof" incorrectly modifies "I" instead of "the rain." It should be rephrased to clarify that the rain is falling gently on the roof.

Question 7

Select the letter of the sentence that is punctuated correctly.
-_____
A) There never seem to be enough hours in a day I always manage to get everything done.
B) There never seem to be enough hours in a day, yet I always manage to get everything done.
C) There never seems to be enough hours in a day, I always manage to get everything done.

Accepted Answer

This option uses a comma to separate the two clauses in the sentence. It also correctly uses the conjunction "yet" to show the contrast between the two ideas. Option A is missing necessary punctuation and Option C is missing the conjunction.

Question 8

Select the letter of the coordinating conjunction that best expresses the relationship between the two ideas.
-He is majoring in botany, _____ he loves identifying wild flowers in the woods.
A) for
B) but
C) or

Accepted Answer

The coordinating conjunction "for" indicates a reason or explanation for the first idea being connected to the second idea. The sentence means that he loves identifying wild flowers in the woods because he is majoring in botany.

Question 9

Select the letter of the sentence with the correct relative pronoun and the correct punctuation.
-_____
A) We tried on silk jackets that were made in China.
B) We tried on silk jackets, that were made in China.
C) We tried on silk jackets who were made in China.

Accepted Answer

The correct relative pronoun to use in this sentence is "that" rather than "who" because we are describing an inanimate object (silk jackets) rather than a person. The sentence is also correctly punctuated with no comma needed before "that were made in China."

Question 10

Select the letter of the sentence with the correct relative pronoun and the correct punctuation.
-_____
A) Never eat oranges, that are green.
B) Never eat oranges who are green.
Has the -ing modifier been placed correctly in the following sentences? Select the letter of the correct answer.
C) Never eat oranges that are green.

Accepted Answer

The correct relative pronoun for referring to things like "oranges" is "that," and there should be no comma before "that" in this restrictive clause.

Question 11

Select the letter of the sentence that is punctuated correctly.
-_____
A) I wanted tuna fish for lunch, however the cafeteria didn't have any today.
B) I wanted tuna fish for lunch, however; the cafeteria didn't have any today.
C) I wanted tuna fish for lunch; however, the cafeteria didn't have any today.

Accepted Answer

This sentence uses a semicolon to separate two independent clauses and a comma to separate the contrasting conjunction "however" from the rest of the sentence.

Question 12

Select the letter of the sentence that is punctuated correctly.
-_____
A) One answer to the housing shortage is rent subsidies for tenants, another is low mortgage rates for landlords.
B) One answer to the housing shortage is rent subsidies for tenants, and another is low mortgage rates for landlords.
C) One answer to the housing shortage is rent subsidies for tenants another is low mortgage rates for landlords.

Accepted Answer

The correct sentence uses a comma before the conjunction "and" to separate the two answers to the housing shortage. Option A also uses a comma correctly but is missing the conjunction "and." Option C does not use any punctuation to separate the two answers.

Question 13

Select the letter of the sentence with the correct relative pronoun and the correct punctuation.
-_____
A) Senator Hererra , which is campaigning for reelection, stopped in my city.
B) Senator Hererra, who is campaigning for reelection, stopped in my city.
C) Senator Hererras who is campaigning for reelection stopped in my city.

Accepted Answer

B is the correct choice because "who" is the correct relative pronoun to refer to Senator Hererra, and it is set off by commas to indicate that it is providing additional information. A and C are incorrect because "which" and "who" are both possible relative pronouns, but they are used inappropriately in those sentences. A has a comma before "which," which suggests that it is referring to the entire previous clause instead of just Senator Hererra. C has no commas or other punctuation to indicate that the phrase "who is campaigning for reelection" is providing additional information about Senator Hererra.

Question 14

Select the letter of the sentence that is punctuated correctly.
-_____
A) Unemployment is high in many fields, but there are jobs available in telecommunications.
B) Unemployment is high in many fields there are jobs available in telecommunications.
C) Unemployment is high in many fields, there are jobs available in telecommunications.

Accepted Answer

This sentence contains a comma splice, which occurs when two independent clauses are connected by only a comma. Choice A correctly uses a comma before the coordinating conjunction "but" to connect the two independent clauses.

Question 15

Has the -ing modifier been placed correctly in the following sentences? Select the letter of the correct answer. -Jotting down her ideas and chuckling to herself, Julia planned her essay. A) correct B) incorrect

Accepted Answer

The sentence does not require a relative pronoun. The phrase "Jotting down her ideas and chuckling to herself" is a participial phrase and does not introduce a new clause. Therefore, the sentence is correctly punctuated with a comma separating the participial phrase from the main clause.

Question 16

Select the letter of the sentence that is punctuated correctly.
-_____
A) Whenever he takes a long trip, Ed takes his own pillow.
B) Whenever he takes a long trip. Ed takes his own pillow.
C) Ed takes his own pillow. Whenever he takes a long trip.

Accepted Answer

This sentence is punctuated correctly with a comma separating the dependent clause "Whenever he takes a long trip" from the independent clause "Ed takes his own pillow." Option B has a period after "long trip" which makes it a sentence fragment. Option C has the independent clause before the dependent clause which creates a less smooth sentence structure.

Question 17

Select the letter of the sentence that is punctuated correctly.
-_____
A) I really should get home on time today, nevertheless; I'll stay and help you finish painting.
B) I really should get home on time today; nevertheless, I'll stay and help you finish painting.
C) I really should get home on time today, nevertheless, I'll stay and help you finish painting.

Accepted Answer

The correct punctuation is to use a semicolon before "nevertheless" and a comma after it. Option B correctly uses a semicolon to connect the two independent clauses and a comma to set off the transitional word "nevertheless."

Question 18

Select the letter of the sentence that uses the semicolon correctly.
-_____
A) There isn't room in my suitcase for all my favorite shirts; jeans; and blouses, I'll have to buy another suitcase.
B) There isn't room in my suitcase; for all my favorite shirts, jeans, and blouses; I'll have to buy another suitcase.
C) There isn't room in my suitcase for all my favorite shirts, jeans, and blouses; I'll have to buy another suitcase.

Accepted Answer

The semicolon is used correctly in this sentence to separate the list of items that won't fit in the suitcase from the statement about having to buy another suitcase. A semicolon is used to separate items in a list when the items themselves contain commas. Option A is incorrect because it uses semicolons instead of commas to separate the items in the list. Option B is incorrect because it uses too many semicolons and does not effectively separate the items in the list.

Question 19

Select the letter of the sentence that is punctuated correctly.
-_____
A) When the boxes arrived; the doorman signed for them.
B) The doorman signed for the boxes when they arrived.
C) The doorman signed for the boxes, when they arrived.

Accepted Answer

This sentence is punctuated correctly with a comma separating the two independent clauses. Option A uses a semicolon incorrectly, and option C incorrectly places a comma directly after "boxes" without separating the two clauses with a comma.

Question 20

Select the letter of the sentence that uses the semicolon correctly.
-_____
A) When you get to the third floor, you should turn left; the stereo department is right there.
B) When you get to the third floor; you should turn left. The stereo department is right there.
C) When you get to the third floor, you should turn left. The stereo department; is right there.

Accepted Answer

Option A uses the semicolon correctly by separating two independent clauses that are closely related in meaning. The semicolon helps to show the relationship between the two sentences and makes the text more cohesive. Option B creates a sentence fragment, and option C uses the semicolon incorrectly by separating a subject and verb that should not be separated.

Quiz 8: Proofreading to Correct Your Personal Error Patterns

Select the letter of the correct noun for the blank in each sentence. -One of the __________ on the living room wall is crooked.

Select the letter of the sentence that is punctuated correctly. -_____

Select the letter of the sentence that is punctuated correctly. -_____

Has the -ing modifier been placed correctly in the following sentences? Select the letter of the correct answer. -Scratching at my basement door, I found a scrawny lost pup.

Select the letter of the sentence that uses the semicolon correctly. -_____

Has the -ing modifier been placed correctly in the following sentences? Select the letter of the correct answer. -Falling gently on the roof, I fell asleep listening to the rain.

Select the letter of the sentence that is punctuated correctly. -_____

Select the letter of the coordinating conjunction that best expresses the relationship between the two ideas. -He is majoring in botany, _____ he loves identifying wild flowers in the woods.

Select the letter of the sentence with the correct relative pronoun and the correct punctuation. -_____

Select the letter of the sentence with the correct relative pronoun and the correct punctuation. -_____

Select the letter of the sentence that is punctuated correctly. -_____

Select the letter of the sentence that is punctuated correctly. -_____

Select the letter of the sentence with the correct relative pronoun and the correct punctuation. -_____

Select the letter of the sentence that is punctuated correctly. -_____

Has the -ing modifier been placed correctly in the following sentences? Select the letter of the correct answer. -Jotting down her ideas and chuckling to herself, Julia planned her essay.

Select the letter of the sentence that is punctuated correctly. -_____

Select the letter of the sentence that is punctuated correctly. -_____

Select the letter of the sentence that uses the semicolon correctly. -_____

Select the letter of the sentence that is punctuated correctly. -_____

Select the letter of the sentence that uses the semicolon correctly. -_____