Nokea
What punctuation is needed in the following sentence to make it correct? The days seem long, but the nights seem even longer.
- A. Period
- B. Comma
- C. Colon
- D. Apostrophe
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The sentence needs a comma before the conjunction 'but' to correctly join the two independent clauses 'The days seem long' and 'the nights seem even longer.' This comma helps to create a clear separation between the contrasting ideas in the sentence. Choice A (Period) is incorrect because a period would create two separate sentences rather than connecting them. Choice C (Colon) is incorrect as colons are used to introduce lists, explanations, or quotations. Choice D (Apostrophe) is incorrect as it is not needed in this sentence.
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Select the word that makes the following sentence grammatically correct. Mary Ann gave ______ credit for studying so hard and passing the test.
- A. oneself
- B. itself
- C. herself
- D. themselves
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is 'C: herself.' In this sentence, 'herself' is the reflexive pronoun that correctly refers back to Mary Ann. It shows that Mary Ann is giving credit to herself for studying hard and passing the test. The use of 'oneself' (choice A) would be incorrect here as it is too general and does not specify Mary Ann. Choices B and D ('itself' and 'themselves') are also incorrect because they do not match the singular subject 'Mary Ann.' Therefore, 'herself' is the only option that fits both grammatically and contextually in this sentence.
Which word or phrase fits best in the following sentence? Cathy asked many questions the first time she ___________ at the hospital.
- A. volunteered
- B. volunteering
- C. was volunteered
- D. volunteer
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct word to use in this sentence is 'volunteered' as it indicates an action that Cathy did in the past. The sentence suggests that Cathy was engaging in volunteering at the hospital for the first time, so the past tense form 'volunteered' is the most appropriate choice. Choice B ('volunteering') is incorrect because it is the present participle form and does not fit the past tense context of the sentence. Choice C ('was volunteered') is passive voice and implies that someone else made Cathy volunteer, which is not the intended meaning. Choice D ('volunteer') is incorrect as it is the base form of the verb and does not match the past tense requirement of the sentence.
Select the phrase that will make the following sentence grammatically correct. Before I had finished supper, James ___________.
- A. is texting me on my cell phone
- B. had texted me on my cell phone
- C. texts me on my cell phone
- D. texting me on my cell phone
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The sentence starts with 'Before I had finished supper,' indicating that the action of James texting you on your cell phone had occurred before the completion of another past action (finishing supper). The past perfect tense 'had texted' is used to express an action that happened before another action in the past, making the sentence grammatically correct. Choice A is incorrect because it uses the present continuous tense, which is not suitable for indicating an action that occurred before finishing supper. Choice C is incorrect as it uses the simple present tense, which does not convey the sequence of events correctly. Choice D is incorrect as it presents the present continuous tense, which is not appropriate for the context of the sentence.
Which word is used incorrectly in the following sentence? That is the doctor whose diploma is hung on the partition.
- A. That
- B. whose
- C. hung
- D. partition
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The word 'whose' in the sentence should be 'whose.' 'Whose' is the correct possessive form used to indicate that the diploma belongs to the doctor. 'Who's' is a contraction for 'who is' or 'who has,' which does not make sense in this context. The other words in the sentence - 'That,' 'hung,' and 'partition' are all used correctly in the sentence.
Which word is used incorrectly in the following sentence? The professor was once an intern in this hospital back in the 1980s.
- A. professor
- B. once
- C. intern
- D. hospital
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: In the given sentence, the word 'once' is used incorrectly. The original sentence implies that the professor was an intern in the hospital at a specific time in the past, not just once. The word 'formerly' would imply that the professor used to be an intern but is no longer. Therefore, 'once' is the incorrect word choice in this context. The other options ('professor,' 'intern,' 'hospital') are all used correctly in the sentence.