ALCPT Sentence and Clause Structure 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Choose the sentence that correctly uses a relative clause to combine these two ideas: 'The officer wrote the report. The report was submitted yesterday.'
- The officer wrote the report, which was submitted yesterday. (Correct answer)
- The officer wrote the report, that was submitted yesterday.
- The officer who wrote the report it was submitted yesterday.
- The officer, which wrote the report, submitted it yesterday.
Correct answer: The officer wrote the report, which was submitted yesterday.
'Which' is used to introduce a non-restrictive relative clause referring to a thing ('the report'). 'That' is typically used in restrictive clauses; 'which' is preferred after a comma.
When combining clauses about a thing using a non-restrictive relative clause (set off by a comma), 'which' is the correct relative pronoun. 'That' is used in restrictive clauses without commas. 'Who' refers to people, not things.
Question 2: Which sentence contains a correctly structured noun clause as the subject?
- What the recruits learned during training was invaluable. (Correct answer)
- What learned the recruits during training was invaluable.
- The recruits what learned during training was invaluable.
- Was invaluable what the recruits learned during training.
Correct answer: What the recruits learned during training was invaluable.
A noun clause used as a subject begins with a relative word ('what') followed by a subject ('the recruits') and a verb ('learned'). The entire clause acts as the subject of 'was.'
In 'What the recruits learned during training was invaluable,' the noun clause 'what the recruits learned during training' is the subject of the main verb 'was.' The clause has correct internal word order: relative pronoun + subject + verb.
Question 3: Identify the sentence that correctly uses a subordinate clause to show contrast.
- Although the exam was difficult, all candidates passed. (Correct answer)
- Although all candidates passed the exam was difficult.
- The exam was difficult, although all candidates they passed.
- All candidates passed, although was difficult the exam.
Correct answer: Although the exam was difficult, all candidates passed.
A subordinate contrast clause with 'although' must be followed by a complete independent clause. Correct: 'Although [subordinate clause], [main clause].' with a comma separating them.
Option A correctly uses 'although' to introduce a subordinate clause ('the exam was difficult'), which is separated from the main clause ('all candidates passed') by a comma. The other options either omit the comma or scramble the word order.
Question 4: Which sentence correctly combines an independent and dependent clause using 'because'?
- The base was on alert because intelligence had detected unusual activity. (Correct answer)
- Because the base was on alert intelligence had detected unusual activity.
- The base because was on alert intelligence detected unusual activity.
- Intelligence detected unusual activity because the base was on alert it.
Correct answer: The base was on alert because intelligence had detected unusual activity.
When 'because' introduces a dependent clause that follows the main clause, no comma is needed. The structure is: [main clause] because [reason clause].
In 'The base was on alert because intelligence had detected unusual activity,' 'because' correctly joins the main clause to its reason. When the 'because' clause comes after the main clause, no comma is required. The other options misplace clauses or add unnecessary words.
Question 5: Choose the sentence that correctly uses 'who' or 'whom' in a dependent clause.
- The instructor whom the students respected most retired last year. (Correct answer)
- The instructor who the students respected most retired last year.
- The instructor which the students respected most retired last year.
- The instructor that the students respected him most retired last year.
Correct answer: The instructor whom the students respected most retired last year.
'Whom' is correct because it functions as the object of the verb 'respected' (the students respected whom). Use 'whom' when the pronoun is an object.
In the relative clause 'whom the students respected most,' 'whom' is the object of 'respected.' When the relative pronoun is an object, 'whom' (not 'who') is grammatically correct. 'Which' refers to things, and 'that' cannot be used with a redundant pronoun ('him').
Question 6: Which sentence contains a correctly structured adjective clause?
- The manual that was issued last month contains the updated procedures. (Correct answer)
- The manual which was issued it last month contains the updated procedures.
- The manual, that was issued last month, contains the updated procedures.
- The manual was issued last month contains the updated procedures.
Correct answer: The manual that was issued last month contains the updated procedures.
'That' introduces a restrictive adjective clause (no commas). The clause 'that was issued last month' correctly modifies 'the manual' without extra pronouns or incorrect comma usage.
Option A uses 'that' correctly in a restrictive adjective clause with no commas, directly modifying 'the manual.' Option B adds a redundant 'it.' Option C incorrectly uses 'that' with commas (commas require 'which'). Option D omits the relative pronoun entirely, creating a run-on.
ALCPT Sentence and Clause Structure 2
Choose the sentence that correctly uses a relative clause to combine these two ideas: 'The officer wrote the report.
The report was submitted yesterday.'