which sentence demonstrates correct use of the apostrophe

ATI TEAS 7

ATI TEAS English Practice Test

1. Which sentence demonstrates correct use of the apostrophe?

A. The dog wagged its tail.
B. It's a wonderful day.
C. The dog's tail wagged.
D. It's a big house.

Correct answer: C

Rationale: Choice C, 'The dog's tail wagged,' is the correct use of the apostrophe to show possession. In this sentence, the apostrophe is used correctly to indicate that the tail belongs to the dog. Choice A is incorrect as 'it's' is a contraction of 'it is' or 'it has,' not possessive. Choice B is also incorrect as 'Its' should be 'It's' to mean 'It is' or 'It has.' Choice D is incorrect as 'Its'' is grammatically incorrect; the correct form would be 'It's' if it were a contraction or 'Its' if it indicated possession without an apostrophe.

2. Which of the following sentences contains a homophone error?

A. Their decision to stay home was vindicated when they heard about what happened.
B. Jane was given a prescription for oral paste to put on her mouth ulcers.
C. The team from Cincinnati led the league in scoring last year.
D. What effect will this new legislation have on hospital policy?

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B because 'aural' and 'oral' are homophones, but they have different meanings. 'Aural' refers to hearing, while 'oral' refers to the mouth or spoken words. In the context of treating mouth ulcers, the correct term should be 'oral paste.' Choices A, C, and D do not contain homophone errors. In choice A, 'heard' is correctly used in the context of listening. Choice C is grammatically correct and does not involve homophones. Choice D correctly uses 'effect' and does not involve homophones.

3. Which of the following sentences uses a comma correctly?

A. Let's eat Grandma!
B. Let's eat, Grandma!
C. Lets eat, Grandma!
D. Lets, eat Grandma!

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: 'Let's eat, Grandma!' The comma is correctly used to separate the direct address 'Grandma' from the rest of the sentence. In choice A, there should be a comma after 'eat' to separate the direct address. Choice C is missing an apostrophe in 'Lets,' and there should be a comma after 'eat' to separate the direct address. Choice D incorrectly places a comma after 'Lets,' and there should be a comma after 'eat' to separate the direct address.

4. In which of the following situations is a citation needed?

A. A professor teaches a concept from a book she wrote.
B. A speaker recites an original poem.
C. A student quotes song lyrics to support his point.
D. A writer states a well-known and accepted fact.

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C. A citation is necessary when using someone else's work, such as song lyrics, to support an argument in academic writing. In options A, B, and D, there is no need for a citation. Option A involves the professor teaching her own work, so no external citation is required. Option B refers to an original work by the speaker, which does not require citation. Option D mentions a well-known and accepted fact, which generally does not need a citation in academic writing.

5. Usually I take a walk every day after breakfast, ____________ it was raining today.

A. While
B. Because
C. But
D. When

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is 'But.' In this sentence, the conjunction 'but' is used to show a contrast between the usual routine of taking a walk after breakfast and the fact that it was raining today. 'While' suggests a concurrent action, 'Because' implies causation, and 'When' introduces a time relationship, none of which are suitable in this context.