TSI - Texas Success Initiative Sentence Revision and Editing Questions and Answers 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which sentence is punctuated correctly?
- We visited Paris, Rome, and Barcelona on our trip. (Correct answer)
- We visited Paris Rome and Barcelona on our trip.
- We visited, Paris, Rome, and Barcelona on our trip.
- We visited Paris, Rome and, Barcelona on our trip.
Correct answer: We visited Paris, Rome, and Barcelona on our trip.
A series of three or more items requires commas after each item except the last. "Paris, Rome, and Barcelona" correctly uses the Oxford comma before "and."
Question 2: Choose the sentence with correct subject-verb agreement.
- Neither the teachers nor the principal was informed. (Correct answer)
- Neither the teachers nor the principal were informed.
- Neither the teachers nor the principal are informed.
- Neither the teachers nor the principal have been informed.
Correct answer: Neither the teachers nor the principal was informed.
With "neither…nor," the verb agrees with the subject closest to it. The closest subject is "the principal" (singular), so the correct verb is "was."
Question 3: Which option correctly uses an apostrophe?
- The dog's leash was tangled in the bushes. (Correct answer)
- The dogs leash was tangled in the bushes.
- The dog's leash were tangled in the bushes.
- The dogs' leash was tangled in the bushes — there is only one dog.
Correct answer: The dog's leash was tangled in the bushes.
For a singular possessive, add apostrophe + s. "The dog's leash" correctly shows that one dog owns the leash. "Dogs'" would indicate multiple dogs.
Question 4: Which sentence avoids a comma splice?
- The storm was severe; many roads flooded. (Correct answer)
- The storm was severe, many roads flooded.
- The storm was severe many roads flooded.
- The storm was severe, however many roads flooded.
Correct answer: The storm was severe; many roads flooded.
A comma splice joins two independent clauses with only a comma. A semicolon correctly joins them. Option B is a comma splice, C is a run-on, and D needs a comma after "however."
Question 5: Identify the error in: "Each of the students have submitted their assignment."
- Subject-verb agreement error — should be "has submitted" (Correct answer)
- Pronoun-antecedent error — should be "his assignment"
- Tense error — should be "had submitted"
- There is no error in the sentence
Correct answer: Subject-verb agreement error — should be "has submitted"
"Each" is singular and requires a singular verb. The correct form is "Each of the students has submitted their assignment."
Question 6: Which revision corrects the fragment: "Although she studied all night for the exam."
- Although she studied all night for the exam, she still felt unprepared. (Correct answer)
- Although she studied all night. For the exam.
- She studied. Although all night for the exam.
- Although, she studied all night for the exam.
Correct answer: Although she studied all night for the exam, she still felt unprepared.
The fragment begins with a subordinating conjunction ("although") and needs an independent clause to complete the thought. Adding "she still felt unprepared" creates a complete sentence.
TSI - Texas Success Initiative Sentence Revision and Editing Questions and Answers 2
Which sentence is punctuated correctly?