Knowledge of standard English conventions

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FTCE › Knowledge of standard English conventions

Questions 1 - 10
1

A personal pronoun is ________________.

a word that takes the place of a proper noun specifically associated with a person or speaker

any word that takes the place of a noun

any word that takes the place of a proper noun

None of these

Explanation

Note here that some proper nouns can be replaced with pronouns that are not associated with a person, think of towns of countries, for instance. Personal pronouns only refer to people.

2

A personal pronoun is ________________.

a word that takes the place of a proper noun specifically associated with a person or speaker

any word that takes the place of a noun

any word that takes the place of a proper noun

None of these

Explanation

Note here that some proper nouns can be replaced with pronouns that are not associated with a person, think of towns of countries, for instance. Personal pronouns only refer to people.

3

In the given sentence, to which grammatical object does “they” refer?

If only Kevin and Charles had thought to talk to the umpires, they would have avoided the whole problem.

Kevin and Charles

The umpires

The whole problem

None of these

Explanation

In order to avoid a dangling modifier, “they” must refer to the subject of the introductory clause, Kevin and Charles.

4

In the given sentence, to which grammatical object does “they” refer?

If only Kevin and Charles had thought to talk to the umpires, they would have avoided the whole problem.

Kevin and Charles

The umpires

The whole problem

None of these

Explanation

In order to avoid a dangling modifier, “they” must refer to the subject of the introductory clause, Kevin and Charles.

5

A comparative adjective form is used to describe ________________.

two, and only two, objects being directly compared to one another in terms of a quality

distinguish one item from a group of more than three items in terms of a quality

two, and only two, proper nouns

None of these

Explanation

Comparative adjectives are used when two objects are being directly compared. "The sun is brighter than the moon," is an example of a comparative adjective. Superlative adjectives are used to distinguish one item from many. "Of all the bodies in our galaxy, the sun is the brightest."

Comparative and superlative adjective forms can be used to describe any noun in terms of any quality.

6

A comparative adjective form is used to describe ________________.

two, and only two, objects being directly compared to one another in terms of a quality

distinguish one item from a group of more than three items in terms of a quality

two, and only two, proper nouns

None of these

Explanation

Comparative adjectives are used when two objects are being directly compared. "The sun is brighter than the moon," is an example of a comparative adjective. Superlative adjectives are used to distinguish one item from many. "Of all the bodies in our galaxy, the sun is the brightest."

Comparative and superlative adjective forms can be used to describe any noun in terms of any quality.

7

Capital letters should be used _______________.

for proper nouns and to begin sentences

only for proper nouns

only to begin sentences

in a non-standard spelling; all capitalization rules are idiomatic

Explanation

This is a very basic question interrogating the test-taker's knowledge of the rules of capitalization. While the rules of capitalization (not to mention spelling and punctuation) remained unstandardized for the vast majority of the history of the English language, at this point the rules are mostly set. Proper nouns (names, whether of people or things) always require capitalization, as do the words beginning any sentence.

8

Capital letters should be used _______________.

for proper nouns and to begin sentences

only for proper nouns

only to begin sentences

in a non-standard spelling; all capitalization rules are idiomatic

Explanation

This is a very basic question interrogating the test-taker's knowledge of the rules of capitalization. While the rules of capitalization (not to mention spelling and punctuation) remained unstandardized for the vast majority of the history of the English language, at this point the rules are mostly set. Proper nouns (names, whether of people or things) always require capitalization, as do the words beginning any sentence.

9

Which of the following words is misspelled?

Suface

Suffice

Sufficient

Supplicant

Explanation

"Suface" is not a word in English, this is a simple misspelling of the word "surface." All other words are correctly spelled.

10

Which of the following words is misspelled?

Suface

Suffice

Sufficient

Supplicant

Explanation

"Suface" is not a word in English, this is a simple misspelling of the word "surface." All other words are correctly spelled.

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