OSSLT Using Correct Grammar 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which sentence uses the correct form of the verb?
- Neither the students nor the teacher were prepared.
- Neither the students nor the teacher was prepared. (Correct answer)
- Neither the students nor the teacher are prepared.
- Neither the students nor the teacher have been prepared.
Correct answer: Neither the students nor the teacher was prepared.
When 'neither/nor' joins subjects, the verb agrees with the subject closest to it ('teacher' is singular, so use 'was').
Question 2: Choose the sentence that correctly uses a semicolon.
- I wanted to go; but it was raining.
- The movie was long; however, it was entertaining. (Correct answer)
- She studied hard; and passed the test.
- He was tired; so he went to bed early.
Correct answer: The movie was long; however, it was entertaining.
A semicolon can join two independent clauses when followed by a conjunctive adverb like 'however'.
Question 3: Which sentence contains a dangling modifier?
- Running quickly, the dog chased the ball.
- Running quickly, the ball was chased by Maria. (Correct answer)
- Running quickly, Maria chased the ball.
- Maria, running quickly, chased the ball.
Correct answer: Running quickly, the ball was chased by Maria.
A dangling modifier occurs when the modifier ('Running quickly') does not logically refer to the subject ('ball') of the main clause.
Question 4: Select the correct use of 'who' versus 'whom'.
- Who did you speak with? (Correct answer)
- Whom called the office this morning?
- To who should I address the letter?
- Whom is responsible for this error?
Correct answer: Who did you speak with?
'Who' is used as a subject and 'whom' as an object; in 'Who did you speak with?' 'who' functions as the object of the preposition.
Question 5: Which sentence correctly uses the past perfect tense?
- She finished her homework before her mom arrived.
- She had finished her homework before her mom had arrived.
- She has finished her homework before her mom arrived.
- She had finished her homework before her mom arrived. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: She had finished her homework before her mom arrived.
The past perfect ('had finished') is used for the action completed first, while simple past ('arrived') is used for the action that followed.
Question 6: Which option corrects the run-on sentence: 'The test was difficult many students struggled'?
- The test was difficult, many students struggled.
- The test was difficult; many students struggled. (Correct answer)
- The test was difficult many, students struggled.
- The test was difficult many students; struggled.
Correct answer: The test was difficult; many students struggled.
A semicolon correctly separates two related independent clauses that are joined without a coordinating conjunction.
Question 7: Which sentence uses parallel structure correctly?
- She likes hiking, to swim, and riding bikes.
- She likes hiking, swimming, and to ride bikes.
- She likes hiking, swimming, and riding bikes. (Correct answer)
- She likes to hike, swimming, and ride bikes.
Correct answer: She likes hiking, swimming, and riding bikes.
Parallel structure requires all items in a list to use the same grammatical form (here, all gerunds: hiking, swimming, riding).
OSSLT Using Correct Grammar 2
Which sentence uses the correct form of the verb?