FSOT English Grammar and Usage 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which sentence correctly uses a colon?
- She brought: pens, paper, and folders.
- The meeting covered: budgets and staffing.
- She excelled in one area: diplomacy. (Correct answer)
- He was: tired, hungry, and frustrated.
Correct answer: She excelled in one area: diplomacy.
A colon should follow a complete independent clause and introduce a list, explanation, or quotation.
Question 2: Which sentence avoids the use of vague pronoun reference?
- The director told the analyst that he needed to revise it.
- The director told the analyst to revise the report. (Correct answer)
- They said that the policy would change.
- This shows that improvement is needed.
Correct answer: The director told the analyst to revise the report.
Clear pronoun reference names the specific actor and object, eliminating ambiguity about who does what.
Question 3: In formal writing, which correctly expresses a future condition?
- When the treaty will be signed, we will proceed.
- When the treaty is signed, we will proceed. (Correct answer)
- When the treaty would be signed, we proceed.
- When the treaty had been signed, we will proceed.
Correct answer: When the treaty is signed, we will proceed.
In conditional clauses beginning with 'when,' the present tense is used to express future meaning, not 'will.'
Question 4: Which sentence uses a transitional phrase to show contrast?
- Furthermore, the budget increased by ten percent.
- As a result, productivity declined sharply.
- Nevertheless, the team completed the project on time. (Correct answer)
- In addition, three new policies were adopted.
Correct answer: Nevertheless, the team completed the project on time.
'Nevertheless' signals contrast or concession, while 'furthermore' and 'in addition' signal addition, and 'as a result' signals consequence.
Question 5: Which word is spelled correctly?
- accomodate
- acommodate
- accommodate (Correct answer)
- acomodate
Correct answer: accommodate
'Accommodate' is spelled with double 'c' and double 'm,' a common source of error.
Question 6: Which sentence correctly uses an em dash?
- The report - which took weeks to compile - was finally approved.
- The report—which took weeks to compile—was finally approved. (Correct answer)
- The report – which took weeks to compile – was finally approved.
- The report, which took weeks — to compile, was finally approved.
Correct answer: The report—which took weeks to compile—was finally approved.
Em dashes (—) set off parenthetical information with emphasis and are used without spaces in American English.
Question 7: Which sentence demonstrates correct use of 'comprise' versus 'compose'?
- The whole is comprised of its parts.
- The parts comprise the whole.
- The committee is comprised of five members.
- Five members comprise the committee. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Five members comprise the committee.
'Comprise' means to include or contain; the whole comprises the parts, never 'is comprised of.'
FSOT English Grammar and Usage 5
Which sentence correctly uses a colon?