which of the following sentences correctly uses a semicolon

ATI TEAS 7

Practice English TEAS TEST

1. Which of the following sentences correctly uses a semicolon?

A. I have a big test tomorrow; I can't go out tonight.
B. I have a big test tomorrow; I can't go out tonight.
C. I have a big test tomorrow; and I can't go out tonight.
D. I have a big test tomorrow; but I can't go out tonight.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct use of a semicolon is to join two closely related independent clauses. Choice A is the only option that correctly uses a semicolon to connect two independent clauses: 'I have a big test tomorrow' and 'I can't go out tonight.' Choice B incorrectly uses a comma instead of a semicolon. Choice C adds an unnecessary 'and' after the semicolon, which disrupts the correct punctuation usage. Choice D introduces a contradictory conjunction 'but' after the semicolon, which is not necessary for the given context. Therefore, the correct answer is A.

2. Which preposition best completes the sentence: 'She borrowed money from her friend.'?

A. of
B. from
C. on
D. for

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct preposition to use in this sentence is 'from' as it indicates the source of the borrowed money. 'Of' (Choice A) is incorrect as it does not convey the idea of obtaining something from a specific person. 'On' (Choice C) is also incorrect as it does not relate to borrowing money from someone. 'For' (Choice D) is incorrect as it implies a different purpose than borrowing money from her friend. Therefore, the most appropriate preposition in this context is 'from', making the sentence grammatically correct and conveying the intended meaning.

3. Which word in the following sentence is a slang term?

A. Digs
B. Classical
C. Totally
D. Jarring

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is 'A: Digs.' In this context, 'digs' is a slang term that means 'likes' or 'enjoys.' The other choices are not slang terms. 'Classical' is a music genre, 'totally' is an adverb emphasizing 'jarring,' and 'jarring' describes something that is shocking or unsettling.

4. Choose the sentence with the correct pronoun usage.

A. “This mystery concerns my friend Watson and me.”
B. “This mystery concerns me and my friend Watson.”
C. “This mystery concerns my friend Watson and I.”
D. “This mystery concerns I and my friend Watson.”

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct pronoun usage is 'me' when it is the object of a verb or preposition. In this sentence, 'me' is the object of the verb 'concerns,' so it should be used instead of 'I.' Additionally, the correct order for objects in a sentence is 'my friend Watson and me.' Choice B is incorrect because 'me' should come before 'my friend Watson' to maintain the correct order. Choice C is incorrect as 'I' is incorrectly used instead of 'me.' Choice D is incorrect because 'I' is used incorrectly as the object pronoun, and the order is reversed.

5. What kind of error does the following sentence contain? Forgetting that he was supposed to meet his girlfriend for dinner, Anita was mad when Fred showed up late.

A. Parallelism
B. Run-on sentence
C. Misplaced modifier
D. Subject-verb agreement

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C, misplaced modifier. In this sentence, the modifier 'Forgetting that he was supposed to meet his girlfriend for dinner' is placed incorrectly, suggesting that Anita forgot, when it was actually Fred who forgot. The modifier should be positioned closer to 'Fred' to clarify the intended meaning. Choices A, B, and D are incorrect. Parallelism is not an issue in this sentence, it is not a run-on sentence as it is grammatically correct, and there is no subject-verb agreement error present.