which of the following is a correctly punctuated simple sentence

ATI TEAS 7

Practice English TEAS TEST

1. Which of the following is a correctly punctuated simple sentence?

A. Leah and Jerry spent the last few hours in the garden smelling the roses and tulips.
B. Leah stopped to smell the roses in the garden, but her allergies made her eyes water.
C. Because it was now spring, Leah could stop to smell the roses.
D. As Leah jogged in the park, she noticed the smell of roses.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The sentence in option A is a correctly punctuated simple sentence with a compound predicate ('spent... smelling'). It consists of a subject 'Leah and Jerry' and a compound predicate 'spent... smelling,' making it a complete sentence. Option B contains a comma splice, joining two independent clauses incorrectly with just a comma. Option C is a complex sentence with a dependent clause ('Because it was now spring') and an independent clause, not a simple sentence. Option D is a complex sentence with a dependent clause ('As Leah jogged in the park') and an independent clause, not a simple sentence. Therefore, option A is the only choice that represents a correctly punctuated simple sentence.

2. What is the most likely context of the following conversation: 'Yup, you too... hey wait, what are you up to tonight, anyways?'

A. A boss is asking an employee about their schedule to see if they can work late.
B. A speaker is practicing a speech for a debate about working overtime.
C. A friend is asking another friend about their plans for the evening.
D. An investigator is discussing research on acceptable work schedules.

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The informal tone and casual language, such as 'hey wait' and 'what are you up to tonight, anyways?' suggest that the speaker is a friend inquiring about the plans of another friend. This type of conversation is typical among peers and not in a professional setting, ruling out choices A and D. Choice B is incorrect because there is no indication of a debate or formal speech practice in the conversation.

3. Which of the following sentences shows the correct use of quotation marks?

A. "Grady asked Abe, 'Did you know that an earthquake and a tsunami hit Messina, Italy, in 1908?'"
B. Grady asked Abe, 'Did you know that an earthquake and a tsunami hit Messina, Italy, in 1908?'
C. Grady asked Abe, "Did you know that an earthquake and a tsunami hit Messina, Italy, in 1908?"
D. Grady asked Abe, "Did you know that an earthquake and a tsunami hit Messina, Italy, in 1908?"

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The correct use of quotation marks is in option C. In this option, the entire quoted sentence is enclosed within double quotation marks. This is the standard convention for punctuating direct speech in English. Option A has an incorrect placement of single and double quotation marks. Option B lacks opening double quotation marks for the spoken sentence. Option D incorrectly places the closing quotation mark outside the question mark, which is not the standard punctuation rule for quoted sentences.

4. Which of the following verb forms correctly completes the sentence? His charismatic personality, organizational abilities, sheer determination, and rhetorical skills enable him to quickly rise through the chapter's ranks.

A. NO CHANGE
B. are enabling him to quickly rise
C. enabled him to quickly rise
D. will enable him to quickly rise

Correct answer: C

Rationale: Option C, 'enabled him to quickly rise,' is the correct choice. The sentence is referring to a past action, so the verb should be in the past tense. 'Enabled' is the correct past tense form of 'enable' in this context. Choice A ('NO CHANGE') is incorrect because it does not match the past tense required by the sentence. Option B ('are enabling him to quickly rise') is incorrect as it uses the present continuous tense, which is not suitable for the past action described. Choice D ('will enable him to quickly rise') is incorrect as it implies a future action, which is not consistent with the context of the sentence.

5. Which of the following versions of the sentence is written correctly?

A. Because she wanted to reduce unnecessary waste, Cicily decided to have the television repaired instead of buying a new one.
B. Cicily decided to have the television repaired because she wanted to reduce unnecessary waste instead of buying a new one.
C. Cicily decided to have the television repaired because she wanted to reduce unnecessary waste, instead of buying a new one.
D. Because Cicily decided to have the television repaired instead of buying a new one, she wanted to reduce unnecessary waste.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: Option A is the correct version of the sentence. It is written in a clear and grammatically correct way. The conjunction 'because' is correctly placed to show the reason for Cicily's decision, and the structure of the sentence flows logically. Choices B, C, and D have issues with sentence structure, placement of conjunctions, or unnecessary commas, making them grammatically incorrect. Choice B places 'because' in an awkward position, disrupting the flow of the sentence. Choice C introduces a comma after 'wanted to reduce unnecessary waste' unnecessarily, causing a punctuation error. Choice D shifts the focus of the sentence by placing 'she wanted to reduce unnecessary waste' at the end, making the sentence less coherent and grammatically incorrect.