Nursing Elites

1. What part of speech is the word 'silently' in the sentence 'The masked villain silently laughed while watching the hero struggle to escape'?

• A. Preposition
• B. Adverb
• C. Verb
• D. Adjective

Correct answer: B

Rationale: 'Silently' is an adverb in this sentence as it describes how the villain laughed. Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. In this case, 'silently' is modifying the verb 'laughed,' indicating the manner in which the action was performed. Choices A, C, and D are incorrect. 'Silently' is not a preposition (A) as it doesn't show a relationship between nouns or pronouns. It is not a verb (C) because it doesn't express an action or state of being. Additionally, it is not an adjective (D) since it does not describe a noun or pronoun.

2. It's really time for me to leave, and yet there are still so many things I'd like to do; next year I think I'll spend an extra week. Which of the following punctuation marks is used incorrectly in the sentence above?

• A. The comma after the word 'think'
• B. The semicolon after the word 'do'
• C. The period at the end of the sentence
• D. The comma after 'and yet'

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The comma after 'think' is unnecessary and incorrect. It should be removed to correct the sentence. The semicolon after 'do' is correct as it separates two independent clauses. The period at the end of the sentence is necessary to indicate the end of the sentence. The comma after 'and yet' is correctly used to separate two independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction.

3. Which of these examples shows incorrect use of subject-verb agreement?

• A. Neither of the cars is parked on the street.
• B. Both of my kids are going to camp this summer.
• C. Any of your friends are welcome to join us on the trip in November.
• D. Each of the clothing options is appropriate for the job interview.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The sentence 'Neither of the cars is parked on the street' is incorrect in terms of subject-verb agreement. The subject 'Neither' is singular, so the verb should also be singular, which should be 'is' instead of 'are.' The correct sentence should be 'Neither of the cars is parked on the street.' Choices B, C, and D demonstrate correct subject-verb agreement. In choice B, 'Both' is plural and agrees with the plural verb 'are.' In choice C, 'Any' is singular and agrees with the singular verb 'are.' In choice D, 'Each' is singular and agrees with the singular verb 'is.'

4. Which sentence uses parallel structure correctly?

• A. I enjoy reading, watching movies, and spending time with friends.
• B. Reading, watching movies, and spending time with friends are all activities I enjoy.
• C. I like to read, watch movies, and spend time with friends.
• D. Reading, movies, and friends are all things I enjoy.

Correct answer: B

Rationale: Parallel structure means using the same grammatical form for elements in a list. Option (B) uses parallel gerunds ('reading,' 'watching,' 'spending'), making it the correct choice. The other options have inconsistencies in the form of the listed activities, making them grammatically incorrect. Option (A) starts with 'I enjoy' but then switches to '-ing' verbs. Option (C) changes from 'like' to '-ing' verbs, breaking parallelism. Option (D) lists 'reading' correctly but then switches to singular nouns ('movies,' 'friends'), which is not parallel.

5. Which sentence uses the colon correctly?

• A. I brought snacks: chips, salsa, and guacamole.
• B. The winner is Sarah!
• C. He loves all things chocolate: cake, ice cream, and candy bars.
• D. Please bring the following items: pen, paper, and stapler.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: Colons are used to introduce a list or explanation that follows an independent clause. In this case, option A correctly uses a colon to introduce a list of snacks after an independent clause. Choice B lacks an independent clause before the colon, making it incorrect. Choice C is incorrect as it should have an independent clause before the colon. Choice D incorrectly uses a colon as a comma would be more appropriate to introduce the list of items.

Similar Questions