which of the following sentences demonstrates correct use of an apostrophe

ATI TEAS 7

TEAS 7 English Practice Test

1. Which of the following sentences demonstrates correct use of an apostrophe?

A. In one version of the story, there are seven fairies invited to the christening, while in another version there are twelve fairies.
B. Some historians believe that the number twelve represents the shift from a lunar year of thirteen months to a solar year of twelve months.
C. Other historians claim that the symbolism in the fairy tale is more about nature and the shifting seasons.
D. Regardless of its meaning, the fairy tale remains popular and has been immortalized in Tchaikovsky's music for the ballet.

Correct answer: C

Rationale: Choice C, 'Other historians claim that the symbolism in the fairy tale is more about nature and the shifting seasons,' demonstrates the correct use of an apostrophe. The apostrophe in 'season’s' indicates the possessive form of 'seasons,' correctly showing ownership by the shifting seasons. Choices A, B, and D do not showcase the correct use of an apostrophe. Choice A incorrectly uses 'fairy’s' instead of 'fairies,' which is the plural form of 'fairy.' Choice B uses 'historians’' which is correct for the possessive form but does not relate to the use of an apostrophe. Choice D correctly uses 'Tchaikovsky's' to indicate possession by Tchaikovsky.

2. On Parents’ Day, a public holiday in the Democratic Republic of Congo, families celebrate parents’ both living and deceased. Which of the following punctuation marks is used incorrectly?

A. the apostrophe in Parents’ Day
B. the comma following Day
C. the comma following Congo
D. the apostrophe in parents’

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The comma following 'Day' is used incorrectly. Commas are typically not used after single-word identifiers like 'Day' in a sentence unless they are part of a list. In this case, the holiday is referred to as 'Parents’ Day,' where the apostrophe is used correctly to indicate possession. The comma following 'Day' is unnecessary and should be removed for proper punctuation. Choices A and D both use apostrophes correctly to indicate possession, so they are not incorrect. The comma following 'Congo' in choice C is necessary to set off the introductory phrase 'a public holiday in the Democratic Republic of Congo.' Therefore, the correct answer is B.

3. What is the structure of the following sentence? The restaurant is unconventional because it serves both Chicago-style pizza and New York-style pizza.

A. Simple
B. Compound
C. Complex
D. Compound-complex

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The sentence is classified as complex because it contains one independent clause 'The restaurant is unconventional' and one dependent clause 'because it serves both Chicago-style pizza and New York-style pizza.' A simple sentence consists of just one independent clause, a compound sentence contains two or more independent clauses, and a compound-complex sentence has at least two independent clauses and one or more dependent clauses. In this sentence, the dependent clause 'because it serves both Chicago-style pizza and New York-style pizza' cannot stand alone as a complete sentence, making it a complex sentence structure.

4. Which of the following sentences supports the thesis statement: 'Organic gardening can be as simple or complex as you choose to make it'?

A. Organic gardening ranges from basic composting to a chemical analysis of the soil.
B. Organic gardening is easy.
C. Gardening is fun for everyone.
D. Organic foods are better for health.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: Choice A is the correct answer because it directly supports the thesis statement by illustrating the wide spectrum of complexity within organic gardening, from basic practices like composting to more advanced techniques like soil chemical analysis. This range of possibilities aligns with the idea that organic gardening can be as simple or as complex as one chooses to make it. Choices B, C, and D do not directly relate to the flexibility and complexity aspect of organic gardening as emphasized in the thesis statement. Choice B oversimplifies the process, choice C focuses on the enjoyment of gardening in general rather than the complexity of organic gardening, and choice D discusses the health benefits of organic foods, which is not directly related to the range of options within organic gardening.

5. Which of the following types of language is acceptable in a research paper?

A. Colloquialisms
B. Contractions
C. Relative pronouns
D. Second-person point of view

Correct answer: C

Rationale: Relative pronouns are acceptable in a research paper for connecting clauses. Colloquialisms (choice A) are informal expressions that are not suitable for academic writing. Contractions (choice B) are considered too casual for a research paper. The second-person point of view (choice D) should be avoided in research papers as it can make the writing less objective and scholarly.