NPOST Grammar and Punctuation 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which sentence uses the apostrophe correctly?
- The officer's report was filed. (Correct answer)
- The officers' report was filed by one officer.
- The officer's are on patrol.
- Its' a clear case.
Correct answer: The officer's report was filed.
An apostrophe before the 's' shows singular possession for one officer.
Question 2: Choose the correctly punctuated sentence.
- Stop, drop and roll.
- Stop drop, and roll.
- Stop, drop, and roll. (Correct answer)
- Stop drop and roll,
Correct answer: Stop, drop, and roll.
Items in a series are separated by commas, including before 'and'.
Question 3: Which word correctly completes: 'The suspect ran ___ the alley'?
- threw
- through (Correct answer)
- thru
- thorough
Correct answer: through
'Through' means moving in one side and out the other.
Question 4: Identify the sentence with correct subject-verb agreement.
- The group of cadets are ready.
- The group of cadets is ready. (Correct answer)
- The group of cadets were ready yesterday and is gone.
- The cadets is ready.
Correct answer: The group of cadets is ready.
'Group' is a singular collective noun taking a singular verb.
Question 5: Which sentence correctly uses a semicolon?
- The shift ended; the officers went home. (Correct answer)
- The shift ended; and the officers went home.
- The shift ended, the officers went home.
- The shift; ended the officers went home.
Correct answer: The shift ended; the officers went home.
A semicolon joins two related independent clauses without a conjunction.
Question 6: Choose the correct word: 'The evidence had a clear ___ on the verdict.'
- affect
- effect (Correct answer)
- affects
- efect
Correct answer: effect
'Effect' is a noun meaning a result or influence.
Question 7: Which sentence is free of a comma splice?
- He read the rights, the suspect stayed silent.
- He read the rights; the suspect stayed silent. (Correct answer)
- He read the rights the suspect stayed silent.
- He read, the rights the suspect stayed silent.
Correct answer: He read the rights; the suspect stayed silent.
A semicolon correctly joins two independent clauses, avoiding a comma splice.
NPOST Grammar and Punctuation 2
Which sentence uses the apostrophe correctly?