Exercise On Language Use and Mechanics
Exercise On Language Use and Mechanics
Exercise On Language Use and Mechanics
1. Which is the correct form when introducing a quotation after the preposition "that"?
a. Bertram Wyatt-Brown argues that, "southern mothers played the dominant role in infant care."
b. Bertram Wyatt-Brown argues that "southern mothers played the dominant role in infant care."
2. Which is the correct placement of the period with quotation marks?
a. The author contends that the protesters demonstrated for social "respectability".
b. The author contends that the protesters demonstrated for social "respectability."
3. Which is the correct placement of the comma?
a. Roosevelt said that Americans had "nothing to fear but fear itself", while he himself harbored fears about the
future.
b. Roosevelt said that Americans had "nothing to fear but fear itself," while he himself harbored fears about the
future.
4. Which is the correct singular possessive form?
a. Professor Davis' class will meet in the lecture hall.
b. Professor Davises class will meet in the lecture hall.
c. Professor Davis's class will meet in the lecture hall.
5. Which is the correct possessive pronoun?
a. The local chapter of the Phi Alpha Theta International Honor Society was forced to cancel it's meeting for lack
of honorees.
b. The local chapter of the Phi Alpha Theta International Honor Society was forced to cancel its meeting for lack of
honorees.
6. To hyphenate or not to hyphenate, that is the question.
a. She owned a two-story house.
b. She owned a two story house.
c. Either of the above
7. Which is the correct pronoun case?
a. The NAACP learned that their efforts succeeded.
b. The NAACP learned that its efforts succeeded.
8. Which is the correct noun and verb agreement?
a. The group of students, loaded down with books and pencils, were mostly female.
b. The group of students, loaded down with books and pencils, was mostly female.
9. Which is correct?.
a. Defeated in their pursuit of the cat, the exhausted dogs were laying on the ground.
b. Defeated in their pursuit of the cat, the exhausted dogs were lying on the ground.
10. Choose the correct comma usage with the coordinating conjunction.
a. The man with the long nose and oblong head was short, and the woman with the short nose and square head
was tall.
b. The man with the long nose and oblong head was short and the woman with the short nose and square head
was tall.
11. Which is the correct comma usage in the series?
a. Grab your coat, gloves, and books.
b. Grab your coat, gloves and books.
12. Which is the correct form?
a. They were moving toward a solution..
b. He was moving towards a solution.
C. Both are correct.
13. Which is the correct punctuation with the parenthetical phrase?
a. The Florida Legislative Investigative Committee, popularly known as the Johns Committee was notorious for
accusing Miami Jews and supporters of desegregation of being communist subversives.
b. The Florida Legislative Investigative Committee, popularly known as the Johns Committee, was notorious for
accusing Miami Jews and supporters of desegregation of being communist subversives.
c. The Florida Legislative Investigative Committee popularly known as the Johns Committee was notorious for
accusing Miami Jews and supporters of desegregation of being communist subversives.
14. Which sentence has the properly placed subject?
a. While skiing down the slope, her nose turned cold.
b. The mother of five children, all of whom play sports, her mini van is constantly on the go.
c. Sleek and retro, the new Ford Mustang drew many looks.
15. To capitalize or not to capitalize, that is the question. Which is correct?
a. The Federal Government collects taxes.
b. The federal government collects taxes.
16. To capitalize or not to capitalize, that is the question. Which is correct?
a. The American South will rise again.
b. Had the American south ever languished?
c. either of the above