Which of the following is a transitive verb?

a. He smiled.
b. The sun shines.
c. She ate an apple.
Answer: c. She ate an apple. Explanation: Transitive verbs take a direct object.

Which of the following sentences uses commas correctly?

a) She ate a sandwich, chips, and a cookie.
b) She ate a sandwich chips and a cookie.
c) She ate a sandwich, chips and a cookie.
Answer: a) She ate a sandwich, chips, and a cookie. Commas should be used to separate items in a
list.

Which sentence uses commas correctly to set off a non-essential clause?

a) The dog which was brown barked at the mailman.
b) The dog, which was brown, barked at the mailman.
c) The dog which, was brown, barked at the mailman.
Answer: b) The dog, which was brown, barked at the mailman. Commas should be used to set off
non-essential clauses, which provide additional information but are not necessary to the meaning of the sentence.

Which sentence uses commas correctly to separate two independent clauses?

a) She studied hard for her exam but she still failed.
b) She studied hard for her exam, but she still failed.
c) She studied hard for her exam but, she still failed.
Answer: b) She studied hard for her exam, but she still failed. Commas should be used before
conjunctions that join two independent clauses.

Which sentence uses an apostrophe correctly to show possession?

a) The cat’s meow is loud.
b) The cats meow is loud.
c) The cats’ meows is loud.
Answer: a) The cat’s meow is loud. An apostrophe should be used to show possession, with ‘s used
for singular nouns and ‘s used for plural nouns that do not end in s.

Which sentence uses an apostrophe correctly to show a contraction?

a) They’re going to the store.
b) Their going to the store.
c) There going to the store.
Answer: a) They’re going to the store. An apostrophe should be used in contractions to replace
omitted letters or words, such as in they’re (they are).

Which sentence uses apostrophes correctly to show joint possession?

a) My sister and her friend’s car is red.
b) My sister’s and her friend’s car is red.
c) My sister and her friend’s cars are red.
Answer: b) My sister’s and her friend’s car is red. Apostrophes should be used to show joint
possession when two or more people own the same thing.

Which sentence uses a colon correctly to introduce a list?

a) She bought: milk, bread, and cheese.
b) She bought milk, bread, and cheese:
c) She bought milk, bread, and cheese.
Answer: c) She bought milk, bread, and cheese. A colon should be used to introduce a list or
example.

Which sentence uses a colon correctly to introduce a quotation?

a) The teacher said the following: “I will be absent tomorrow.”
b) The teacher said the following, “I will be absent tomorrow.”
c) The teacher said the following “I will be absent tomorrow.”
Answer: a) The teacher said the following: “I will be absent tomorrow.” A colon should be used to
introduce a quotation that is a complete sentence.

Which sentence uses a colon correctly to introduce an explanation?

a) The reason is: she forgot her keys.
b) The reason is, she forgot her keys.
c) The reason is she forgot her keys.
Answer: c) The reason is she forgot her keys. A colon should be used to introduce an explanation or
clarification that is not a complete sentence.

Which sentence uses a semicolon correctly to separate two related independent clauses?

a) He likes to run; but he also likes to bike.
b) He likes to run but; he also likes to bike.
c) He likes to run, but he also likes to bike.
Answer: a) He likes to run; but he also likes to bike. A semicolon should be used to separate two
related independent clauses that are not joined by a conjunction.