GED Flash RLA Grammar and Language (59 Questions)

Q 1.
Select the best revision for the following sentence:
Becky has been working extra hours and kind of hopes that she will be considered for a promotion at
work this year.
A. Becky has been working extra hours and sort of hopes that she will be considered for a
promotion at work this year.
B. Becky has been working extra hours and kind a hopes that she will be considered for a
C. Becky has been working extra hours and sort a hopes that she will be considered for a
D. Becky has been working extra hours and hopes that she will be considered for a promotion
at work this year.
Answer: The correct answer is D.
Explanation:
Informal English is the conversational language used when writing to or speaking with friends. While
informal English is acceptable when corresponding with friends, formal English must be used when
writing or speaking in academic or professional environments. Word choice is extremely important
in formal English, and non-standard or informal usage must be avoided.
Choice D is the correct answer: Becky has been working extra hours and hopes that she will be
considered for a promotion at work this year.
The phrases kind a, kind of, sort a, and sort of are incorrect and should never be used. Instead, use
the adverbs slightly or somewhat, or just remove the incorrect phrase from the sentence, as seen in
the answer above.
/. Q 2: Select the words that correctly complete the following sentence:
The reason to use _____ instead of _____ in formal writing can be explained in a _____ sentences.
A. belongings; stuff; couple of

B. stuff; belongings; couple
C. belongings; stuff; couple
D. stuff; belongings; couple of
Answer: The correct answer is A.
Explanation:
Choice A is the correct answer: The reason to use belongings instead of stuff in formal writing can
be explained in a couple of sentences.
The term stuff is vague and informal. Instead, use terms such as belonging or possessions.
In formal speaking or writing do not drop the of in the phrase couple of.
/. Q 3: Which words correctly complete the following sentence:
Julie has been working out and running every day; therefore, all of her clothes are __________.
A. too loose
B. two lose
C. too lose
D. to loose
Explanation:
to: toward, in the direction of

too: also, very
two: the number after one
lose: to misplace, to be defeated
loose: the opposite of tight
Therefore, choice A is the correct answer: Julie has been working out and running every day;
therefore, all of her clothes are too (very) loose (the opposite of tight).
/. Q 4: Select the best revision for the following sentence:
Regardless of how they feel about each other, Amy and Zander need to collaborate together to get
the project completed by the due date.
A. Regardless of how they feel about each other, Amy and Zander need to collaborate to get the
project completed by the due date.
B. Irregardless of how they feel about each other, Amy and Zander need to collaborate together
to get the project completed by the due date.
C. Regardless of how they feel about each other, Amy and Zander need to collaborate together
to get the project completed by the due date.
D. Irregardless of how they feel about each other, Amy and Zander need to collaborate to get
the project completed by the due date.
Explanation:
Choice A is the correct answer: Regardless of how they feel about each other, Amy and Zander need
to collaborate to get the project completed by the due date.
Irregardless is not a proper word and should never be used. Instead, use the word regardless.
Collaborate means “to work together.” Therefore, never use the redundant phrase collaborate
together. Instead, just use collaborate.
Q 5: Choose the words that correctly complete the following sentences:
Aerospace _____make about $65,000.00 per year. Computer _____ annual salaries, however, range
from $75,000.00 to $100,000.00 per year.
A. engineers; engineers’
B. engineers; engineers
C. engineers’; engineers’
D. engineer’s; engineers
Explanation:
A possessive noun shows who or what owns an item or has an item.
Singular nouns are made possessive by adding an apostrophe and an -s (‘s) at the end of the word.
Example: the dog’s ball
Singular compound nouns are made possessive by adding an apostrophe and an -s (‘s) at the end of
the last word of the compound noun.
Example: mother-in-law’s hat
Plural nouns are made possessive by adding an apostrophe after the final s of the word (s’).
Example: the twins’ parents
Plural nouns that do not end in -s are made possessive by adding an apostrophe and an -s (‘s) at the
end of the word.
Example: the children’s playground
Choice A is the correct answer: Aerospace engineers make about $65,000.00 per year. Computer
engineers’ annual salaries, however, range from $75,000.00 to $100,000.00 per year.
In the first sentence, engineers is a plural noun but does not show possession. Therefore, engineers
without an apostrophe is correct.
In the second sentence, the engineers are in possession of the salaries. Engineers is a plural noun
that is made possessive by adding an apostrophe after the final s of the word. Therefore, engineers’
is correct.
Q 6: Select the most effective revision for the following sentence:
Most likely due to the ten-page research paper on the Civil War being due today, there are several
students absent from Mr. Jacob’s English class.
A. Most likely due to the ten-page research paper on the Civil War being due today, it was
several students absent from Mr. Jacob’s English class.
B. Most likely due to the ten-page research paper on the Civil War being due today, there were
several students absent from Mr. Jacob’s English class.
C. Most likely due to the ten-page research paper on the Civil War being due today, several
students are absent from Mr. Jacob’s English class.
D. Most likely due to the ten-page research paper on the Civil War being due today, it is several
students absent from Mr. Jacob’s English class.
Answer: The correct answer is C.
Explanation:
Effective writing has a clear, logical flow of ideas which allows the reader to thoroughly understand
the written material. Unnecessary wordiness disrupts the flow of a sentence and can often lead to
confusion. To make a sentence more effective, simplify the structure of the sentence when doing so
does not change the intended meaning of the sentence. A sentence can often be simplified by
avoiding the overuse of there is, there are, there were, it is, it was, etc.
Choice C is the correct answer: “Most likely due to the ten-page research paper on the Civil War
being due today, several students are absent from Mr. Jacob’s English class.”
The words there are have been removed from the original sentence to make it more concise and
effective, while still maintaining the intended meaning of the sentence.
Q 7. Select the underlined word of phrase that contains an error.
In a recent poll, voters were evenly divided on Russia's relationship with the United States. Forty-five
percent of the polled voters consider Russia to be a true ally, while fifty-five percent believe Russia to
be more of a frenemy. No error
A. Voters
B. Ally
C. Frenemy
D. No error
Explanation:
Choice C contains the error: In a recent poll, voters were evenly divided on Russia's relationship with
the United States. Forty-five percent of the polled voters consider Russia to be a true ally, while fifty-
five percent believe Russia to be more of a frenemy.
Frenemy is a slang word that means “a person or group that is friendly toward another because the
relationship brings benefits, but harbors feelings of resentment or rivalry.”
Slang is a type of language consisting of words and phrases that are regarded as very informal.
Slang words and phrases should be avoided in formal writing. Some examples of common slang
words and phrases include the following: emo, photo bomb, yolo, hater, for real, hyped, etc.
A possible revision to the sentence could be: In a recent poll, voters were evenly divided on Russia's
relationship with the United States. Forty-five percent of the polled voters consider Russia to be a
true ally, while fifty-five percent believe Russia to be more of an ally only when it benefits Russia.
Q 8. Choose the words that correctly complete the following sentence:
At _____ end-of-year award ceremony, Manchester High School recognized three graduating _____
perfect attendance.
A. it’s; seniors’
B. it’s; senior’s
C. its; seniors’
D. its; senior’s
Explanation:
end of the word.
Exception to the rule:
-Its, without an apostrophe, indicates possession.

Example: The dog is eating its food. The food belongs to the dog.
-It’s, with an apostrophe, is a contraction for it is or it has.
Example: It’s going to rain. It is going to rain.
Choice C is the correct answer: At its end-of-year award ceremony, Manchester High School
recognized three graduating seniors’ perfect attendance.
In the dependent clause, “At _____end-of-year award ceremony,” the word its is needed to show
possession of the ceremony.
In the independent clause, “Manchester High School recognized three graduating _____ perfect
attendance,” the plural possessive word seniors’ is needed.
Q 9. Which of the following sentences contains an error in subject-verb agreement?
A. Tsunamis are extremely large ocean waves caused by underwater earthquakes or volcanic
eruptions.
B. Where the ocean water is deep, tsunamis have been known to travel for thousands of miles
at speeds of up to five hundred miles per hour.
C. Before a tsunami reaches the ocean shore, water may recede and be pulled back hundreds
of meters.
D. The Japanese word tsunami mean “harbor wave.”
Explanation:
The subject and verb in a sentence must agree in number. Singular subjects require singular verbs.
Singular verbs usually end in -s. Plural subjects require plural verbs. Plural verbs usually do not end
in -s.
Choice D is the sentence that contains an error in subject-verb agreement: The Japanese word
tsunami mean “harbor wave.”
The verb mean is incorrect. The subject of the sentence is tsunami, which is singular, so the verb
must also be singular. The correct form of the verb is means.
The sentence should read: The Japanese word tsunami means “harbor wave.”
Q 10. Select the sentence that contains an unclear pronoun reference.
A. Benjamin recently bought a house that was built in the 1800s, so he spends his free time
reading books about home improvement.
B. Patty’s dog recently passed away, leaving her feeling very sad and lonely.
C. Tina let out a sigh of relief after she dropped the vase on the floor, and it did not break.
D. Gary and Sandra grew tired of waiting for the builder to repair the cracked baseboard, so they
decided to just fix it themselves.
Explanation:
A pronoun is a word that replaces a noun. The noun that a pronoun refers back to and replaces is
called its antecedent. All pronouns must have a clear, unmistakable noun/antecedent that they refer
back to. An unclear pronoun reference occurs when a pronoun could refer to more than one possible
antecedent. For example: “When Sam met the new boss, he smiled.” There is no clear indication as
to who the pronoun he refers back to. Was it Sam or the boss who smiled?
Choice C contains an unclear pronoun reference: Tina let out a sigh of relief after she dropped the
vase on the floor, and it did not break.
There is no clear indication as to what the pronoun it refers back to. Was it the unbroken vase or the
unbroken floor that Tina was relieved about?
The sentence should read: “Tina let out a sigh of relief after she realized the vase did not break when
she dropped it on the floor.” It is now clear that the pronoun it refers back to the noun vase.
Q 11. Which of the following sentences contains an error in subject-verb agreement?
A. The ocean is a majestic and mysterious place.

B. The sport of scuba diving lets people explores the beauty that lies beneath the surface of the
ocean.
C. While under the water, scuba divers observe and swim with many different types of marine
life.
D. While some people are afraid of sharks, scuba divers often consider it a special treat to see
one of these graceful animals in their natural environment.
Answer: The correct answer is B.
Explanation:
in -s.
Choice B is the sentence that contains an error in subject-verb agreement: The sport of scuba diving
lets people explores the beauty that lies beneath the surface of the ocean.
The verb explores is incorrect. The subject of the sentence is people, which is plural, so the verb
must also be plural. The correct form of the verb is explore.
The sentence should read: The sport of scuba diving lets people explore the beauty that lies beneath
the surface of the ocean.
Q 12. Select the underlined word or phrase that contains an error in usage.
A. Even
B. nearly all
C. Only
D. No error
Explanation:
A modifier is a word or phrase that modifies, or describes, another word or phrase. Modifiers should
be placed as close as possible to the word or phrase they modify. A limiting modifier limits, or
restricts, the meaning of another word in the sentence. Limiting modifiers should always be placed
directly before the word or phrase they are supposed to limit. The misplacement of limiting
modifiers creates illogical word order and can cause a sentence to take on an entirely different
meaning.
The most common limiting modifiers are: almost, even, exactly, hardly, just, merely, nearly, simply, and
only.
For example: “Lauren only sings country songs.” The modifier, only, limits the word sings. According
to this sentence Lauren only sings (not hums, whistles, listens to, etc.) country songs.
The sentence should read: Lauren sings only country songs. In this sentence, the modifier, only,
limits the phrase country songs. This sentence now suggest that Lauren only sings country songs
(not rock and roll, rap, heavy metal, etc.) songs.
Choice A contains a limiting modifier error: The local Internet provider is even having issues with its
server.
The phrase even having issues with its server implies that the company is having other issues as well;
however, that is not the intended meaning of the sentence. The modifier, even, should limit the
phrase local Internet provider.
The sentence should read: Even the local Internet provider is having issues with its server.
Q 13. Select the underlined word, if any, that contains an error in pronoun usage.
A. It
B. Him
C. His
D. He
Explanation:
Choice D contains an unclear pronoun reference: When Sam caught Shadow with a mouthful of dirt,
he ran out the back door.
There is no clear indication as to what the pronoun he refers back to. Was it Sam or Shadow who ran
out the door?
The sentence should read: When Sam caught Shadow with a mouthful of dirt, Sam ran out the back
door.
It is now clear that the pronoun he refers back to the noun Sam.
Q 14. Replace the underlined phrase with the correct revision.
The mission of the Boys and Girls Club of America is to enable all young people to reach their full
potential as productive, caring, and responsible-minded citizens.
A. productive, extremely caring, and responsible citizens.

B. productive, caring, and responsible citizens.
C. productive and constructive, caring, and responsible citizens.
D. The sentence is correct as it is. No revision is necessary.
Explanation:
Parallel structure means using the same pattern of words to show that two or more words or
phrases have coordination, or equal importance, in a sentence. Items, clauses, and phrases in a
sentence must be parallel in structure to be grammatically correct.
For example: “John is honest, sincere, and will always be there when someone needs him.” In this
sentence, the phrase will always be there when someone needs him does not have the same structure
as the other two adjectives in the sentence. Therefore, the sentence does not contain parallel
structure.
The sentence should read: “John is honest, sincere, and reliable.” Now the sentence contains parallel
structure because the three adjectives used to describe John all have the same grammatical
pattern.
Choice B is the correct answer: The mission of the Boys and Girls Club of America is to enable all
young people to reach their full potential as productive, caring, and responsible citizens.
Coordinating conjunctions are used to connect words, phrases, and short sentences. Two or more
clauses or phrases connected with a coordinating conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) must be
parallel in structure.
Productive, caring, and responsible are connected with the coordinating conjunction and. All three of
these words in the correct sentence are one-word adjectives used to describe citizens. Therefore,
this sentence has correct parallel structure.
Q 15. Select the sentence that is written in the least effective manner.
A. Arriving home from work, Miles was shocked to see a six-foot snake on his front porch.
B. While Holland was at work, the dog chewed a hole in her new leather couch.
C. Jackson refused to eat the pizza because it was covered in sausage.
D. Jessica did poorly, due to her migraine, on her history exam.
Explanation:
the written material. Word order is essential in effective writing. The wrong word order can change
the intended meaning of a sentence or lead to awkward and confusing sentences. To avoid
confusion, avoid interrupting sentences with dependent clauses if the interruption will lead to
confusion. Instead, place dependent clauses either at the beginning or at the ending of the sentence.
Choice D is the least effective sentence: “Jessica did poorly, due to her migraine, on her history
exam.” By placing the dependent clause, due to her migraine, in the middle of the sentence, the flow
of the sentence is interrupted and causes the sentence to be awkward.
The other answer choices all have a clear, logical flow of ideas because the dependent clauses are
placed either at the beginning or at the ending of the sentences.
The sentence should read: Due to her migraine, Jessica did poorly on her history exam.
/. Destiny’s Child
Destiny's Child is an American singing group based out of Houston, Texas and they're one of the
biggest-selling girl groups of all time. 60 million records worldwide. The original lineup consisted of
Beyoncé Knowles, Kelendria "Kelly" Rowland, LeToya Luckett and LaTavia Roberson. The quartet
was signed to Columbia Records in the late 1990s and they released their self-titled debut in
February 1998 performance was fair. It peaked at 67 and 14 on the United States album and R&B
charts, respectively. It also took about 17 months for it to be certified platinum a lengthy duration at
that time.
1999's The Writing's on the Wall had a better outcome, it produced three top ten singles, sold 11
million copies worldwide, and snagged a whopping six Grammy nominations with two wins for the
hit "Say My Name." Unfortunately, it also marked changes in the lineup. Luckett and Roberson's
issues with management resulted in their exit from the group. They were replaced by Michelle
Williams and Farrah Franklin. Franklin would leave a few months after starting.
Going forth as a trio. Destiny's Child continued their commercial breakthrough with the 2001 album
Survivor and it was a departure from their previous work, being significantly more pop influenced.
Their self-titled debut was flavored with vintage R&B and splashes of hip-hop, while The Writing's on
the Wall was harder-hitting contemporary R&B. Survivor generated four top ten hits. Certified four-
times platinum in the United States. The title song was awarded with the Grammy for Best R&B
Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.
After a hiatus to develop and emit solo records. Destiny's Child reconvened for the sensual, mature,
and core R&B Destiny Fulfilled. It sold three-million units and had two top ten singles. Five Grammy
nominations, including Best Contemporary R&B Album. During the promotional concert tour for the
album in 2005, the group announced that they would disband. Each member has gone on to have an
accomplished career.
Syncopated rhythms, layered harmonies and speedy singing gave Destiny's Child sound distinction
in a sea of lady ensembles. Their insistent messages of female empowerment inspired a generation
of young women. Their model is often imitated. Yet to be duplicated.
Question 16: Which is NOT a sentence fragment?

A. "Certified four-times platinum in the United States."
B. "After a hiatus to develop and emit solo records."
C. "Yet to be duplicated."
D. "Their model is often imitated."
Explanation:
Answer choice D is the correct answer. It has a subject, verb, and expresses a complete thought,
making it a complete sentence. The other answer choices lack these characteristics.
Q 17. Select the choice that does NOT contain an error.
A. Robert’s parents are always complaining that he is a picky eater. For the last month, Robert
would eat only pizza.
B. Robert’s parents are always complaining that he is a picky eater. For the last month, Robert
would only eat pizza.
C. Robert’s parents are always complaining that he is a picky eater. For the last month, only
Robert would eat pizza.
D. All of the sentences contain an error.
Explanation:
meaning.
only.
to this sentence, Lauren only sings (not hums, whistles, listens to, etc.) country songs.
Choice A is the correct answer: Robert’s parents are always complaining that he is a picky eater. For
the last month, Robert would eat only pizza.
The modifier, only, comes directly before the word pizza. Therefore, the sentence clearly means that
Robert would eat only pizza (not any other type of food) for the last month.
/. High School Musical Trilogy
Disney's High School Musical (HSM) franchise consists of three musical films and they're in the
comedy-drama genre and are chiefly targeted towards children and early-teens. Stars Zac Efron as
Troy, Vanessa Hudgens as Gabriella, Ashley Tisdale as Sharpay, Lucas Grabeel as Ryan, Corbin Bleu
as Chad and Monique Coleman as Taylor. Themes include teamwork, integrity, avoiding stereotypes,
exploring possibilities and staying true to yourself. The first two installments were Disney Channel
Original Movies (DCOM). HSM was the first DCOM project to be BBC-broadcasted and have a
theatrical sequel (HSM 3: Senior Year). Earned several awards. Including an Emmy. The soundtracks
sold 9.8 million copies domestically
HSM premiered in 2006. At a resort, East High Wildcats basketball captain Troy and shy bookworm
Gabriella are randomly selected for a karaoke contest. They're surprised to have wowed the crowd
through their embarrassment. Gabriella later enrolls at EHS. The pair entertains auditioning for a
musical, which challenges EHS' social hierarchy. Though Troy and Gabriella's endeavor inspires
peers to admit their own "taboo" interests, the "intellectuals" and "jocks" conspire to break them up.
Drama-club stars Sharpay and Ryan Evans work to concurrently schedule the scholastic-decathlon
and the basketball game Troy and Gabriella can't compete in call-backs. Troy and Gabriella's friends
see the hurt they've caused and they band together to trump the Evans' plan and reunite the duo for
a successful audition. The students learn a lesson in loyalty. That they don't have to put themselves
in a box.
In HSM 2, the Wildcats seek employment school's out for summer. College preparation wears on
Troy's mind. Hoping she'll regain drama department control by getting close to Troy, Sharpay
ensures he's hired at her parent's resort. However, he gets his squad hired too. Sharpay tells the
manager to promote Troy, and make the others so miserable, they'll quit. Indebted to Sharpay and
lured by her university connections, Troy agrees to perform with her in the resort talent-competition.
He gets swept up in his pursuits and begins to flake out on the gang and angering them. Ryan feels
dismissed by Sharpay and befriends the others and helps them develop a number for the contest.
Sharpay counters by having all staff work the event. Disenchanted, Gabriella dumps Troy and quits.
Troy demotes himself. Refuses to sing with Sharpay unless his friends are allowed in. Ryan
maneuvers Sharpay out, Gabriella returns, and the staff wins.
Senior Year surrounds commencement. Troy feels suffocated by expectations to choose basketball
or music. Gabriella fears distance at Stanford will end their romance. Chad and Taylor are dismissive
of their friend's concerns. Resolute about parting ways themselves. Sharpay wants center-stage in
the final musical to impress Julliard recruits and she schemes to guarantee Gabriella accepts early
enrollment and vacates the lead role. To avoid multiple goodbyes, Gabriella decides not to return for
prom or graduation. A grand gesture by Troy convinces her otherwise. Further, he picks a university
near Stanford both an arts and sports program. Ryan's admitted to Julliard, and Sharpay oversees
EHS' drama department while attending a local college.
Question 19: Which is a fused sentence?
A. "In HSM 2, the Wildcats seek employment school's out for summer."
B. "Ryan maneuvers Sharpay out, Gabriella returns, and the staff wins."
C. "They're surprised to have wowed the crowd through their embarrassment."
D. "HSM was the first DCOM project to be BBC-broadcasted and have a theatrical sequel (HSM
3: Senior Year)."
Explanation:
"In HSM 2, the Wildcats seek employment" is an independent clause from "school's out for summer."
In order for the clauses to be joined together, punctuation and/or wording is needed. For example,
"In HSM 2, the Wildcats seek employment, as school's out for summer."
Brianna Sewell was just named the new CEO of the world’s largest software storage company.
Knowing that her life was about to change, she made a promise to herself that neither the money nor
the increase in power over people at her job would alter the way she treated people.
A. neither the increase in money nor the power

B. neither the money nor the power
C. neither the large amount of money she was about to receive nor the power increase
Explanation:
phrases are of equal importance in a sentence. Items, clauses, and phrases in a sentence must be
parallel in structure to be grammatically correct.
structure. The sentence should read: “John is honest, sincere, and reliable.” Now the sentence
contains parallel structure because the three adjectives used to describe John all have the same
grammatical pattern.
Choice B is the correct answer: Brianna Sewell was just named the new CEO of the world’s largest
software storage company. Knowing that her life was about to change, she made a promise to
herself that neither the money nor the power would alter the way she treated people.
Use parallel structure when joining words or phrases with correlative conjunctions. Some common
correlative conjunctions are: either/or, neither/nor, not only/but also, and both/and.
The two words joined by the correlative conjunction neither/nor are money and power. In this
sentence, money and power are both one-word nouns detailing the two things that Brianna will not
allow to change her. Therefore, this sentence has correct parallel structure.
Tina and Sue spend most Saturdays on the lake skiing, going for a swim, and fishing.
A. trying to ski, swimming, and fishing

B. trying to ski, going for a swim, and fishing
C. skiing, swimming, and fishing
Explanation:
phrases have coordination, or equal importance, in a sentence. Items, clauses, and phrases in a
sentence must be parallel in structure to be grammatically correct.
structure.
The sentence should read: “John is honest, sincere, and reliable.” Now the sentence contains parallel
structure because the three adjectives used to describe John all have the same grammatical
pattern.
Choice C is the correct answer: “Tina and Sue spend most Saturdays on the lake skiing, swimming,
and fishing.”
Coordinating conjunctions are used to connect words, phrases, and short sentences. Two or more
clauses or phrases connected with a coordinating conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) must be
parallel in structure.
Skiing, swimming, and fishing are connected with the coordinating conjunction and. All three of these
words that describe how Tina and Sue spend their Saturdays are gerunds. That is, the three words all
end in -ing. Therefore, this sentence has correct parallel structure.
Q 22. Choose the sentence with the correct word usage.
A. Matt is going on vacation to Hawaii next week and couldn’t care less if rain is in the whether
forecast for his hometown.
B. Matt is going on vacation to Hawaii next week and could care less if rain is in the weather
C. Matt is going on vacation to Hawaii next week and could care less if rain is in the whether
D. Matt is going on vacation to Hawaii next week and couldn’t care less if rain is in the weather
Explanation:
could care less: nonstandard expression

couldn’t care less: not concerned
weather: relating to the atmosphere
whether: conjunction used to introduce another possibility
Therefore, choice D is the correct answer: Matt is going on vacation to Hawaii next week and
couldn’t care less (not concerned) if rain is in the weather (relating to the atmosphere) forecast for
his hometown.
Q 23. Select the words that correctly complete the following sentences:
Janet _____ drink only sweet tea and soft drinks, which both contain high amounts of sugar.
Unfortunately, she now has type 2 diabetes and is only _____drink unsweetened tea or water.
A. use to; suppose to

B. used to; suppose to
C. use to; supposed to
D. used to; supposed to
Explanation:
Choice D is the correct answer: Janet used to drink only sweet tea and soft drinks, which both
contain high amounts of sugar. Unfortunately, she now has type 2 diabetes and is only supposed to
drink unsweetened tea or water.
In conversation, the hard “d” sound in supposed to and used to is often not pronounced. In spelling,
however, the “d” must not be dropped. Suppose to and use to are not correct. Always write supposed
to and used to.
Q 24. Select the transition word or phrase that best completes the following sentence:
Hurricane Stella, a Category 4 hurricane, is expected to make landfall on Wednesday; _____, the
governor has issued a mandatory evacuation for the area.
A. Therefore
B. in the same manner
C. Indeed
D. on the other hand
Explanation:
Transition words and phrases are used to signal connections between ideas. They help to create a
clear, logical flow of ideas which allows the reader to thoroughly understand the written material.
Some of the common transition words and their purpose are listed in the chart below:
also, and, nor, or, besides, furthermore, in
Transition words used to indicate addition addition, next, first, further, moreover,
additionally, last, lastly
after, before, next, during, later, finally,

Transition words used to indicate time
meanwhile, then, immediately
Transition words used to indicate a also, in the same manner, similarly, likewise, in
comparison similar fashion
but, however, on the other hand, nevertheless,

Transition words used to indicate contrast even though, although, on the contrary, yet,
otherwise
indeed, with this in mind, for this reason, in fact,

Transition words used to emphasize a point
truly, to emphasize
Transition words used to indicate a cause-and- if, so, therefore, consequently, thus, as a result,
effect relationship for this reason, since, for, accordingly
Transition words used to summarize or in other words, in short, in summary, in

conclude conclusion, to sum up, that is, therefore
for example, for instance, to illustrate, in fact,

Transition words use to give examples
specifically
The sentence “Hurricane Stella, a Category 4 hurricane, is expected to make landfall on Wednesday;
therefore, the governor has issued a mandatory evacuation for the area.” uses the correct transition
word.
(Note the need for a semicolon and a comma when a transition word or phrase is used to connect
two independent clauses.)
Q 25. Select the sentence that is the best example of formal English.
A. Bailey was not happy with her boss’ decision to fire her due to her being late to work alot.
B. Bailey wasn’t happy with her boss’ decision to fire her due to her always being late to work.
C. Bailey was not happy with her boss’ decision to fire her due to her always being late to work.
D. Bailey was dissatisfied with her employer’s decision to terminate her employment due to
excessive tardiness.
Explanation:
Choice D is the correct answer: Bailey was dissatisfied with her employer’s decision to terminate her
employment due to excessive tardiness.
Choice A: Bailey was not happy with her boss’ decision to fire her due to her being late to work alot.
Alot is not a word. Instead use a lot.
Choice B: Bailey wasn’t happy with her boss’ decision to fire her due to her always being late to work.
Contractions should be avoided in formal writing. Use was not instead of wasn’t.
Choice C: Bailey was not happy with her boss’ decision to fire her due to her always being late to
work. Although this sentence is technically correct, the choice of words (not happy, boss, fire, always,
late) are not as formal as the words used in choice D (dissatisfied, employer, terminate, excessive,
tardiness).
Q 26. Select the underlined word or phrase that contains an error in subject-verb agreement.
A. Began
B. Were
C. Had
D. Was
Explanation:
in -s.
Choice D is the sentence that contains an error in subject-verb agreement: To support their military
needs, the nation’s factories was soon back in full production mode.
The verb was is incorrect. The subject of the sentence is factories, which is plural, so the verb must
also be plural. The correct form of the verb is were.
The sentence should read: To support their military needs, the nation’s factories were soon back in
full production mode.
Q 27. Select the sentence that does NOT contain an error.
A. The store sells an assortment of phones for active people with waterproof cases.
B. The man ran through the neighborhood chasing the dog in his robe.
C. The singer was approached after the concert by an unknown fan.
D. The waiter delivered the plate full of cheese fries to the customers in the corner booth.
Explanation:
be placed as close as possible to the word or phrase they modify. A misplaced modifier is a modifier
that appears to describe an incorrect word or phrase because it is located too far from the word or
phrase that it is supposed to describe. A dangling modifier is a modifier that appears to describe an
incorrect word or phrase because the word or phrase that it should describe is missing from the
sentence.
Choice D is the correct answer: The waiter delivered the plate full of cheese fries to the customers in
the corner booth.
The modifier, full of cheese fries, comes directly after the word it is supposed to modify, plate.
Therefore, it is clear that it is the plate that is full of cheese fries.
Choices A, B, and C all contain misplaced modifiers:
A. “The store sells an assortment of phones for active people with waterproof cases.” It
appears that the people have waterproof cases.
B. “The man ran through the neighborhood chasing the dog in his robe.” It appears that the dog
is wearing the robe.
C. “The singer was approached after the concert by an unknown fan.” It appears that the
concert was by an unknown fan.
Q 28. Select the sentence that contains non-standard or informal usage.
A. Regardless of the situation, motorists should always treat police officers with respect.
B. After work, Brent is going to try to repair the broken lawnmower.
C. The security guard is constantly telling children to get off of the life-sized wolf statue that is
located at the entrance to the museum.
D. After seeing the tree that had fallen through her neighbor’s roof, Betsy knew that the damage
to her house could have been much worse.
Explanation:
Choice C is the sentence that contains an error: The security guard is constantly telling children to
get off of the life-sized wolf statue that is located at the entrance to the museum.
The prepositional phrase off of is not considered to be proper usage. Instead replace off of with off,
from, or on.
For example: Calvin told his dog to get off (not off of) the couch.
Andrew got the information for his research paper from (not off of) the internet.
The movie is based on (not off of) the novel by Mark Twain.
The sentence should read: The security guard is constantly telling children to get off the life-sized
wolf statue that is located at the entrance to the museum.
A. Is
B. Include
C. Run
D. be seen
Explanation:
in -s.
Choice B is the sentence that contains an error in subject-verb agreement: The terrain of China
include mountains, plateaus, deserts, and forests.
The verb include is incorrect. The subject of the sentence is terrain, which is singular, so the verb
must also be singular. The correct form of the verb is includes.
The sentence should read: The terrain of China includes mountains, plateaus, deserts, and forests.
/. Alicia Keys
singer, songwriter, musician and producer Alicia Keys was born Alicia Augello Cook on January 25,
1981 in the "hell's kitchen" neighborhood of Manhattan, New York. She was primarily raised by her
mother, Teresa Augello, after her parent's separation in 1983. Keys developed her penchant for the
arts taking dance, music and classical piano classes as a child. From ages 12 to 16, she attended
the revered professional performing arts school, where she graduated as valedictorian. in an ironic
twist, she was accepted to columbia university at the same time she was offered a recording
contract with columbia records. She eventually chose to focus on the latter.
Prolonged business dissension led to the dissolution of Keys' relationship with Columbia. Not long
after, renowned executive clive davis took her under his wing, and her debut album songs in A Minor
was released in June 2001 to rave reviews. Critics were impressed with the Maturity and
Musicianship in her work, and her ability to seamlessly blend her classical, jazz, hip-hop and soul
influences. Keys has listed Prince, Stevie Wonder and Nina Simone among her inspirations.
songs in a minor has sold 12 million copies worldwide and 6 million in the united states. It spawned
two top ten hits, "fallin'" and "a woman's worth." garnering five Grammy awards, including song of
the year for "Fallin'" and best new artist, Keys became only the second female artist to win that many
trophies in one night. The following record, The diary of Alicia Keys, also sold millions domestically
and internationally. four more Grammys would be added to Keys' shelf, counting best R&B album.
The gold-certified single "If Ain't Got You" was awarded Best Female R&B Vocal Performance.
2007's As I Am came on the heels of a self-imposed sabbatical, where Keys expressed enduring
overwhelming exhaustion and the loss of her Grandmother. It arguably was a slight musical pivot,
being a bit friendlier to pop radio. Both the album and it's lead single, "No One," went three-times
platinum. "no one" also won two Grammys. Though reception for 2009's The Element of Freedom
was generally positive, several critics complained of banality and monotony. Nonetheless, its smash
hit, "Empire State of Mind" won two Grammys. 2014's Girl on Fire won the Best R&B Album Grammy.
Her latest record, Here, is arguably the first one to reflect her socially-conscious public platform, as
it's politically thematic. Critics have called it her best and most vital release since Minor. since 2016,
the songwriters Hall of Fame winner has been lending her expertise on the NBC Talent Competition,
the Voice.
Question 30: Why should the sentence "'no one' also won two Grammys" be revised to “'No One'
also won two Grammys"?
A. "No One" is a song title and a proper noun.

B. No is at the beginning of the sentence.
C. Both A and B
D. The sentence does not need revising.
Explanation:
"No One" is a song title and proper noun. Also, the first letter of the word No should be capitalized
because it is at the beginning of the sentence.
Question 31: What should be done to correct the capitalization errors in "four more Grammys
would be added to Keys' shelf, counting best R&B album“?
A. Capitalize the first letters of four, best, and album.

B. Capitalize the first letter of four.
C. Capitalize the first letter of best.
D. The sentence does not need revising.
Explanation:
The first letter of four should be capitalized because it is the beginning of the sentence. The first
letters of best and album should be capitalized because they are a part of an official title of an
award, making it a proper noun.
Q 32. Choose the words that correctly complete the following sentences:
Although _____ history can be traced back to Ancient Greece, the invention of the yo-yo is often
credited to Pedro Flores. While he did not invent the yo-yo, Flores was mainly responsible for the
_____ overwhelming popularity in the United States.
A. its; toy’s
B. its; toys
C. it’s; toys’
D. it’s; toy’s
Explanation:
Note that singular names that end in -s can be made possessive either by adding an apostrophe and
an -s after the final s of the word (s’s) or by just adding an apostrophe after the final s of the word
(s’). Either way is acceptable; just be consistent.
Example: Jess’s ball and Jess’ ball
end of the word.

Choice A is the correct answer. Although its history can be traced back to Ancient Greece, the
invention of the yo-yo is often credited to Pedro Flores. While he did not invent the yo-yo, Flores was
mainly responsible for the toy’s overwhelming popularity in the United States.
In the first sentence, its is showing possession and is not a contraction for it is or it has.
In the second sentence, the toy owns the popularity and is, therefore, a possessive noun. Toy is
made possessive by adding an apostrophe and an -s at the end of the word.
Q 33. Select the sentence that is written in the most effective manner.
A. Heath caught a rainbow trout using a fishing net and held it up for everyone to take pictures.
B. Jacob’s dog was bit on its nose by a water snake sniffing around the over-grown edges of
the pond.
C. Running at five o’clock in the morning, the streets are dark and the usually heavily-traveled
road is completely devoid of cars.
D. After spending a relaxing afternoon by the lake, Ginger loaded up the car and went home to
prepare for the week ahead.
Explanation:
the written material. Word order is essential in effective writing. The wrong word order can change
the intended meaning of a sentence or lead to awkward and confusing sentences. To avoid
confusion, modifiers should be placed directly before or directly after the word or phrase they are to
modify.
Choice D is the correct answer: “After spending a relaxing afternoon by the lake, Ginger loaded up
the car and went home to prepare for the week ahead.” The modifier, after spending a relaxing
afternoon on the lake, is placed immediately before the word it modifies, Ginger. There is no
confusion as to who or what spent the afternoon relaxing by the lake.
Choice A is confusing: “Heath caught a rainbow trout using a fishing net and held it up for everyone
to take pictures.” Was it Heath or the trout using the fishing net? What was held up for everyone to
take pictures of? To be more concise and effective, the sentence could read: “Using a fishing net,
Heath caught a rainbow trout and held the fish up for everyone to take pictures.”
Choice B is confusing: “Jacob’s dog was bit on its nose by a water snake sniffing around the over-
grown edges of the pond.” Because the modifier, sniffing around the over-grown edges of the pond,
comes directly after the word snake, it appears the snake was sniffing around the pond. To be
effective, the sentence could read: Sniffing around the over-grown edges of the pond, Jacob’s dog
was bit on its nose by a water snake.
Choice C is confusing: “Running at five o’clock in the morning, the streets are dark and the usually
heavily-traveled road is completely devoid of cars.” Because the modifier is missing, it is unclear if it
is the streets that are running. To be more concise and effective, the sentence could read: “When
Lisa goes running at five o’clock in the morning, the streets are dark and the usually heavily-traveled
road is completely devoid of cars.”
Q 34. Select the underlined word or phrase that can be written in a more concise manner.
A. in terms of size
B. from foreign countries
C. In fact
D. No changes are needed
Explanation:
confusion. Redundant words and phrases repeat non-necessary information that is given elsewhere
in the sentence. Avoid the use of redundant words or phrases for more effective writing.
Choice B can be written in a more concise manner: Although the United States is rich in natural
resources, it still imports more items from foreign countries than it exports. The phrase from foreign
countries is redundant. Imports come from foreign countries; therefore, the phrase from foreign
countries can be removed without changing the meaning of the sentence.
The sentence should read: Although the United States is rich in natural resources, it still imports
more items than it exports.
Choice A is written in a concise manner. A country’s size can be based on the actual size of the
country or on the population of the country. Therefore, for clarity the sentence needs to include that
the United States is the third largest country in terms of size.
Choice C is written using the concise phrase in fact instead of the wordy phrase as a matter of fact.
Q 35. Select the word that is used incorrectly in the following sentence:
Irregardless of the poor service by the waiter, the ladies’ night out was still a huge success.
A. Irregardless
B. Poor
C. Waiter
D. huge
Explanation:
irregardless: nonstandard word

regardless: without thought or consideration, in spite of
Therefore, choice A is the word that is used incorrectly. The sentences should read: Regardless (in
spite of) of the poor service by the waiter, the ladies’ night out was still a huge success.
Q 36. Rewrite the sentence below to correct the unclear pronoun reference.
The salesmen rang the doorbell, but they never answered the door.
A. The salesmen rang the doorbell, but the homeowners never answered the door.
B. The salesmen rang the doorbell, but he never answered the door.
C. The salesmen rang the doorbell, but she never answered the door.
D. The salesmen rang the doorbell, but it never answered the door.
Explanation:
antecedent. For example: "When Sam met the new boss, he smiled." There is no clear indication as
The salesman rang the doorbell, but the homeowners never answered the door.
There is no clear indication in the original sentence as to who did not answer the door. The salesmen
rang the doorbell, but they never answered the door. Was it the salesmen or the homeowners who did
not answer the door? By replacing the pronoun they with the noun homeowners, it is now clear that it
was the homeowners who did not answer the door.
Q 37. Select the underlined word or phrase that can be written in a more concise manner.
A. is an example
B. within three weeks
C. the tadpole will sprout legs
D. as a matter of fact
Explanation:
confusion. To eliminate excessive wordiness, certain wordy phrases can be rewritten to be more
concise without changing the intended meaning of the sentence.
WORDY CONCISE
as a matter of fact in fact
at all times always
at the present time currently
in the neighborhood of about
for the purpose of for
Choice D is the correct answer. The wordy phrase as a matter of fact can be rewritten simply as in
fact.
To be more concise, the sentence should read: At this point the frog has, in fact, reached the adult
stage of its life cycle.
Q 38. Select the choice that contains an error.
A. The couple toured nearly fifty homes before finding one that they liked enough to make an
offer on.
B. The students at Southside Elementary performed exceptionally well this school year. Of the
one hundred students in the fifth grade, only ninety-eight of them earned A’s on their report
cards.
C. The Hardy family recently announced that they are expecting to have twins in November.
D. None of the sentences contain an error.
Explanation:
meaning.
only.
to this sentence Lauren only sings (not hums, whistles, listens to, etc.) country songs.
Choice B contains an error: The students at Southside Elementary performed exceptionally well this
school year. Of the one hundred students in the fifth grade, only ninety-eight of them earned A’s on
their report cards.
The modifier, only, comes directly before the word ninety-eight. Therefore it seems that the sentence
is saying only ninety-eight of one hundred students earned A’s on their report card.
The sentences should read: The students at Southside Elementary performed exceptionally well this
school year. Of the one hundred students in the fifth grade, ninety-eight of them earned only A’s on
their report cards.
Q 39. Select the sentence that contains correct punctuation.
A. Yesterday, was their tenth anniversary, so she took the day off.
B. Yesterday was their tenth anniversary, so she took the day off.
C. Yesterday was their tenth anniversary; so she took the day off.
D. Yesterday was their tenth anniversary . . . so she took the day off.
Explanation:
Use a comma between two independent clauses that are joined by coordinate conjunctions, such as:
and, but, for, or, nor, so, and yet.
Choice B correctly uses commas: “Yesterday was their tenth anniversary, so she took the day off.”
This answer is correct because the sentence uses the coordinating conjunction "so" to join the
independent clause “Yesterday was their tenth anniversary” with the independent clause “she took
the day off.”
Q 40. Select the correct pronoun to complete the following sentence:
The cast members are required to wear _____complete costumes, including the masks, to the dress
rehearsal tomorrow night.
A. Their
B. They
C. Them
D. him
Explanation:
called its antecedent. Pronoun case is the form a pronoun takes depending on its function in a
sentence. There are three pronoun cases: subjective, objective, and possessive.
Subjective case pronouns are used when the pronoun functions as the subject of the sentence.
Subjective case pronouns include: I, you, he, she, it, we, they, and who.
Objective case pronouns are used when the pronoun is used as an object of a verb or preposition.
Objective case pronouns include: me, you, him, her, it, us, them, and whom.
Possessive case pronouns are used when the pronoun is used to show ownership. Possessive case
pronouns include: my, mine, your, yours, his, her, hers, it, its, our, ours, their, theirs, and whose.
The cast members are required to wear their complete costumes, including the masks, to the dress
rehearsal tomorrow night.
In this sentence the possessive case is used because the pronoun their is used to show the cast
members’ ownership of the costumes.
Q 41. Which of the following sentences contains an error in agreement?
A. Starting at the train station on Main Street and ending at Wright Arena on Blue Way Road, a
parade of elephants are being led through the streets of downtown Silver City.
B. The general manager of the two stores is going on vacation for two weeks and must find a
responsible employee at each store to oversee operations while he is gone.
C. The director of the play has asked the actors to be prepared for a dress rehearsal on Friday
night.
D. The speaker of the House of Representatives, currently Paul Ryan, is second in the United
States presidential line of succession, after the vice president.
Explanation:
in -s.
Choice A is the sentence that contains an error in agreement: Starting at the train station on Main
Street and ending at Wright Arena on Blue Way Road, a parade of elephants are being led through
the streets of downtown Silver City.
The verb are is incorrect. The subject of a sentence comes before a phrase beginning with the word
of. The subject of this sentence is parade, which is singular, so the verb must also be singular. The
correct form of the verb is is.
The sentence should read: Starting at the train station on Main Street and ending at Wright Arena on
Blue Way Road, a parade of elephants is being led through the streets of downtown Silver City.
Q 42. Select the underlined word or phrase that contains an error in pronoun usage.
A. Her
B. His
C. It
D. she
Explanation:
Choice C contains an unclear pronoun reference: As Sarah was putting on her cat ears and tail, she
noticed there was small tear in it.
There is no clear indication as to what the pronoun it refers back to. Was it the cat ears or the tail
that had a tear in it?
The sentence should read: As Sarah was putting on her cat ears and tail, she noticed the tail had a
small tear in it. It is now clear that the pronoun it refers back to the noun tail.
Q 43. Select the sentence that contains an error.
A. A scuba diver’s training involves many hours in a swimming pool.

B. Christina’s sister is getting married at the end of the month in Hawaii.
C. The quarterly goal’s were outlined by the manager at the last staff meeting.
D. In Sierra’s opinion, Frankenstein is a very difficult novel to read.

Explanation:
end of the word.
Choice C is the sentence that contains an error: The quarterly goal’s were outlined by the manager at
the last staff meeting.
In this sentence, the word goals is simply a plural noun ending in -s. The noun does not have or own
anything, so it is not possessive and does not need an apostrophe.
The sentence should read: The quarterly goals were outlined by the manager at the last staff
meeting.
Q 44. Select the best revision for the following sentence:
Irregardless of Brianna’s rude behavior in the past, Zach knows that the right thing to do is to accept
her apology and let bygones be bygones.
A. Regardless of Brianna’s rude behavior in the past, Zach knows that the right thing to do is to
accept her apology and let bygones be bygones.
B. Irregardless of Brianna’s rude behavior in the past, Zach knows that the right thing to do is to
accept her apology and forgive her.
C. Regardless of Brianna’s rude behavior in the past, Zach knows that the right thing to do is to
accept her apology and forgive her.
D. Irregardless of Brianna’s rude behavior in the past, Zach knows that the right thing to do is to
accept her apology and let bygones be bygones.
Explanation:
Choice C is the correct answer: Regardless of Brianna’s rude behavior in the past, Zach knows that
the right thing to do is to accept her apology and forgive her.
Irregardless is not a proper word and should never be used. Instead, use the word regardless.
Clichés are phrases that are overused and lack original thought. Clichés should be avoided in formal
writing. Instead, rewrite clichés using original thoughts and words. Some examples of common
clichés include the following: let bygones be bygones, all is fair in love and war, read between the lines,
all’s well the ends well, tail between his legs, dead as a doornail, etc.
Q 45. Select the underlined word or phrase that is an error.
Rushing to the scene of the accident, Joan was terrified of what she may find when she arrived. Just
minutes earlier, Joan had received an urgent phone call informing her that her son, Brian, had been
involved in a car accident; however, the police officer did not provide any additional details about the
accident over the phone. The police officer only told Joan the location of the accident, 112 Saul’s
Road. Consequently, Joan dropped everything and started driving in that direction. Pulling up to the
scene of the accident, Joan immediately searched for her son. After finding Brian, she noticed that
he had simply driven off the road and hit a stop sign. A small dent and scratch were on the
passenger’s side front quarter panel; otherwise, the car remained undamaged. More importantly,
Brian was completely unharmed. Joan wrapped her arms around Brian and told him how relieved
she was that he was not injured and how much she loved him. Moreover, the police officer issued
him a citation for reckless driving.
A. However
B. Consequently
C. Otherwise
D. Moreover
Explanation:
Conjunctive adverbs are adverbs that act as transition words to link two sentences or independent
clauses in a way that provides a smooth transition from one statement to the next. They help to
create a clear, logical flow of ideas which allows the reader to thoroughly understand the written
material. Some common conjunctive adverbs are: accordingly, again, also, besides, consequently,
finally, furthermore, however, indeed, instead, meanwhile, moreover, nevertheless, otherwise, then,
therefore and thus.
Choice D contains an error: “Moreover, the police officer issued him a citation for reckless driving.”
(Note the use of a comma to separate a conjunctive adverb from the rest of the sentence.)
This sentence is happening at the same time as the previous sentence, “Joan wrapped her arms
around Brian and told him how relieved she was that he was not injured and how much she loved
him.” Therefore, a transition word that suggests a time relationship is needed to provide a smooth
transition from the previous sentence. Moreover suggests addition, not time.
A possible solution could be: “Joan wrapped her arms around Brian and told him how relieved she
was that he was not injured and how much she loved him. Meanwhile, the police officer issued him a
citation for reckless driving.”
A. She
B. They
C. Her
D. him
Explanation:
Choice D contains an error: In an instant she fell in love with him and knew she could never be happy
unless him could come home with her.
The pronoun him (as part of the phrase “unless him could come home with her”) is incorrect. The
subjective pronoun he is needed because the pronoun is functioning as the subject for the verb
phrase could come.
The sentence should read: In an instant she fell in love with him and knew she could never be happy
unless he could come home with her.
Q 47. Select the sentence that does NOT contain an error.
A. After the wreck, Ralph was able to climb out the drivers window.
B. Carters’ daughter is going to attend the University of Florida in the fall.
C. The boss’s wife is providing a catered lunch for the entire advertising division of Johnson
Consulting Firm.
D. Thomas cabin in the mountain is his favorite place to go when he needs to relax.
Explanation:
end of the word.
Choice C is the sentence that does not contain an error: The boss’s wife is providing a catered lunch
for the entire advertising division of Johnson Consulting Firm.
In this sentence, the boss is in possession of his wife. Boss is a singular noun that is made
possessive by adding an apostrophe and an -s at the end of the word. Therefore, boss’s is correct.
The other sentences contain the following errors:

Choice A – Driver should be possessive. The sentence should read: After the wreck, Ralph was able
to climb out the driver’s window.
Choice B – The possessive of Carter is Carter’s. The sentence should read: Carter’s daughter is going
to attend the University of Florida in the fall.
Choice D – Thomas should be possessive. The sentence should read: Thomas’s (or Thomas’) cabin
in the mountain is his favorite place to go when he needs to relax.
Q 48. Select the underlined word or phrase that contains non-standard or informal usage.
A. ‘til
B. Aldrin’s
C. Themselves
D. No error
Explanation:
Choice A contains an error in usage: Like most children, Buzz Aldrin could not wait ‘til he was old
enough to become an astronaut.
The word ‘til is not considered to be proper usage. Instead, replace ‘til with until.
The sentence should read: Like most children, Buzz Aldrin could not wait until he was old enough to
become an astronaut.
Q 49. Choose the words that correctly complete the following sentence:
_____ parents are hoping the documentary about the dangers of texting and driving had _____ desired
effect on Chris.
A. Chris’s; its
B. Chris’s; it’s
C. Chris’; its
D. Both A and C
Explanation:
Note that singular names that end in -s can be made possessive either by adding an apostrophe and
an -s after the final s of the word (s’s) or by just adding an apostrophe after the final s of the word
(s’). Either way is acceptable; just be consistent.
Example: Jess’s ball and Jess’ ball
end of the word.

Choice D is the correct answer. Both Choice A: “Chris’ parents are hoping the documentary about the
dangers of texting and driving had its desired effect on Chris,” and Choice C: “Chris’s parents are
hoping the documentary about the dangers of texting and driving had its desired effect on Chris” are
correct.
In this sentence, Chris is in possession of his parents. Chris is a singular noun that ends in -s and
can, therefore, be made possessive by either adding an apostrophe and an -s at the end of the word
or by just adding an apostrophe at the end of the word. Therefore, Chris’ and Chris’s are both correct.
In this sentence, its is showing possession and is not a contraction for it is or it has.
Q 50. Select the correct pronoun to complete the following sentence:
If the team wants to be successful everyone must do _____ very best.
A. His
B. Their
C. Our
D. his or her
Explanation:
called its antecedent. All pronouns must agree in number with their antecedents. For example:
“Richard enjoyed the museum, but he enjoyed the gift shop even more.” The pronoun he in the
second part of the sentence refers back to and replaces the noun Richard. Richard is the antecedent
for the pronoun he.
A singular pronoun must be used when referring to a singular noun.

Singular pronouns are: I, you, she, he, it, me, him, her, his, its, my, and your.
A plural pronoun must be used when referring to a plural noun.

Plural pronouns are: we, you, they, us, them, our, your, and their.
Singular pronouns must be used when referring back to singular indefinite pronoun antecedents.
Some common singular indefinite pronouns are: anyone, anybody, each, either, everybody, everyone,
nobody, no one, neither, somebody, and someone.
Choice D is the correct answer: If the team wants to be successful everyone must do his or her very
best.
The antecedent that the pronoun refer back to and replaces is everyone. Everyone is a singular
indefinite pronoun. Because all pronouns must agree in number with their antecedents, the singular
pronouns his and her should be used to refer to everyone. Note that the gender of the team is not
revealed; therefore, his or her must be used.
Q 51. Select the sentence that contains an error.
A. After waiting at the DMV for four hours, the desk clerk announced that the office would be
closing in five minutes and no other driving tests would be administered on that day.
B. After Billy had been waiting at the DMV for four hours, the desk clerk announced that the
office would be closing in five minutes and no other driving tests would be administered on
that day.
C. Billy, after waiting at the DMV for four hours, was told by the desk clerk that the office would
be closing in five minutes and no other driving tests would be administered on that day.
D. The desk clerk told Billy, who had been waiting at the DMV for four hours, that the office
would be closing in five minutes and no other driving tests would be administered on that
day.
Explanation:
be placed as close as possible to the word or phrase they modify. A misplaced modifier is a modifier
that appears to describe an incorrect word or phrase because it is located too far from the word or
phrase that it is supposed to describe. A dangling modifier is a modifier that appears to describe an
incorrect word or phrase because the word or phrase that it should describe is missing from the
sentence.
Choice A contains a dangling modifier error: After waiting at the DMV for four hours, the desk clerk
announced that the office would be closing in five minutes and no other driving tests would be
administered on that day.
Because the word Billy is missing from the sentence, the modifier, After waiting at the DMV for four
hours, appears to incorrectly modify desk clerk.
A. Found
B. Is
C. Allow
D. have even been known
Explanation:
in -s.
Choice C is the sentence that contains an error in subject-verb agreement: An incredible verbal
ability allow mockingbirds to mimic other bird sounds.
The verb allow is incorrect. The subject of the sentence is verbal ability, which is singular, so the verb
must also be singular. The correct form of the verb is allows.
The sentence should read: An incredible verbal ability allows mockingbirds to mimic other bird
sounds.
Q 53. Select the sentence that is parallel in structure.
A. After taking the band explorers class which allowed her to try out several different types of
instruments, Sara discovered that she enjoyed playing the flute more than playing the
trumpet.
B. Trey is always telling his brother that the key to success is to relax, focus, and be sure to
have fun.
C. When the weather is so cold and it is raining, Addie prefers to stay in bed and read a good
book.
D. A trip to the candy store is always more enjoyable than a trip to the dentist to have a root
canal.
Explanation:
phrases are of equal importance in a sentence. Items, clauses, and phrases in a sentence must be
parallel in structure to be grammatically correct.
structure. The sentence should read: “John is honest, sincere, and reliable.” Now the sentence
contains parallel structure because the three adjectives used to describe John all have the same
grammatical pattern.
Choice A is the correct answer: After taking the band explorers class which allowed her to try out
several different types of instruments, Sara discovered that she enjoyed playing the flute more than
playing the trumpet.
Parallel structure should be maintained when comparing items or phrases. Some common words
that indicate comparison are: than and as.
The two items being compared, playing the flute and playing the trumpet, are both gerund phrases
and maintain the same grammatical pattern. Therefore, this sentence has correct parallel structure.
Q 54. Choose the correct words to complete the following sentence:
Some of the pie _____ consumed; however, all of the cookies _____ devoured.
A. were; were
B. were; was
C. was; were
D. was; was
Explanation:
in -s.
Choice C is the correct answer: Some of the pie was consumed; however, all of the cookies were
devoured.
With words that indicate portions (all, a lot, majority, percent, some, etc.) the noun after the word of
determines whether the subject is singular or plural.
The first independent clause, “Some of the pie _____ consumed,” contains a singular subject, pie,
after the word of. Therefore, the clause requires a singular verb, was.
The second independent clause, “all of the cookies _____ devoured,” contains a plural subject,
cookies, after the word of. Therefore, the clause requires a plural verb, were.
Q 55. Select the sentence that contains an error in punctuation.
A. Charles accidently crashed his new truck into a fire hydrant, so he had to call the police to
report the accident and the fire department to repair the hydrant.
B. Looking Glass Falls gets its name from the water that freezes on its sides in the winter, and
then shines in the sunlight like a mirror or looking glass.
C. Abbey and her boyfriend both love watersports; consequently, they can be found most
weekends at Harris Lake.
D. According to the driver, the building jumped in front of him as he was driving down the road—
at least that is the story that he told the police officers.
Explanation:
Use a comma between two independent clauses that are joined by coordinate conjunctions, such as:
and, but, for, or, nor, so, and yet.
Choice B contains an error: Looking Glass Falls gets its name from the water that freezes on its
sides in the winter, and then shines in the sunlight like a mirror or looking glass.
“Then shines in the sunlight like a mirror or looking glass” is not an independent clause. Therefore, a
comma should not be placed before the conjunction, and.
The sentence should read: Looking Glass Falls gets its name from the water that freezes on its sides
in the winter and then shines in the sunlight like a mirror or looking glass.
Q 56. Choose the words that best complete the sentence.
As he __________ the police officer at eighty miles per hour, Billy __________ that he was going to be
pulled over and given a speeding ticket.
A. past; knew
B. passed; knew
C. passed; new
D. past; new
Explanation:
passed: proceeded, moved ahead of

past: the time before the present; completed or finished
knew: past tense of the word ‘know,” to be aware
new: not previously in existence, just acquired
Therefore, choice B is the correct answer: As he passed (moved ahead of) the police officer at eighty
miles per hour, Billy knew (was aware) that he was going to be pulled over and given a speeding
ticket.
A. His
B. He
C. Their
D. her
Explanation:
Choice D contains an error: When she sees a bird land close to her husband, Mrs. Womble will
motion to him to be quiet while her opens her book to try to identify the bird before it flies away.
The pronoun her is incorrect. The subjective pronoun she is needed because the pronoun she is
functioning as the subject for the verb opens..
The sentence should read: When she sees a bird land close to her husband, Mrs. Womble will motion
to him to be quiet while she opens her book to try to identify the bird before it flies away.
Q 58. Read the following sentences:
Select the best two sentences to combine.
A. 2 and 3
B. 3 and 4
C. 4 and 5
D. 5 and 6
Explanation:
Effective writing has a logical flow of ideas and is cohesive. Sentences of varying lengths are
important in effective writing. Subordinating conjunctions are used to combine two short sentences
into a more complex sentence. Sentences can have more than one clause, including both
independent clauses that can stand on their own, and subordinate, or dependent, clauses that serve
to support independent clauses and cannot stand on their own. Subordinate clauses support the
main idea of the sentence and often start with a subordinate conjunction. Some common
subordinate conjunctions are: after, although, as, because, before, since, unless, until, and while. A
comma is needed after a subordinate phrase located at the beginning of a sentence.
For example: “The captain pulled up the boat’s anchor. The captain drove the boat to the dock.”
These two short, choppy sentences can be rewritten as one complex sentence using the subordinate
conjunction after. These two sentences should be combined to read: “After pulling up the boat’s
anchor, the captain drove the boat to the dock.”
Choice C is the correct answer: The Wright brothers moved to Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, in 1900. In
Kitty Hawk the brothers made the first sustained, controlled flight in a powered aircraft.
The two sentences can be combined using the subordinate conjunction after. The sentence should
read: “After moving to Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, in 1900, the Wright brothers made the first
sustained, controlled flight in a powered aircraft.”
/. Ariana Grande
American Singer and Actress Ariana Grande was born Ariana Grande Butera on June 26, 1993 in
Boca Raton, Florida, to Joan Grande and Edward Butera. Grande began her journey in entertainment
as a child theater actress and singing performer for cruise ships and local symphonies. Her first
mainstream break was a supporting role in the 2008 Broadway Musical, 13, a play about a
discombobulated adolescent. The next year, she was cast in the nickelodeon cable series, victorious.
Grande was co-lead in a spinoff, Sam & Cat, which ran just a single season. Though she occasionally
had opportunities to sing on both programs, her primary interest in music wasn't satisfied.
Grande signed a contract with label Republic Records around 2011. Her first album, yours truly, was
released in 2013 and debuted in the top ten in several countries. Selling over one-million copies, it
was certified platinum in the United States. To top off the success, Grande won new artist of the
year at the american music awards. Yours Truly featured multiple 1990's and 2000's R&B/hip-hop
samples fused with pop.
The sophomore My Everything was Grande's second-consecutive number one record in the United
States and it spawned several hit singles, in which she reached a milestone of being one of the few
female artists to have three top ten songs on the chart simultaneously. the double-platinum certified
album garnered two grammy award nominations for best pop vocal album and best pop duo/group
performance. Taking cues from electronic music, it was stylistically more dance-focused.
Dangerous Woman came two years later, meshing the sounds of Yours Truly and My Everything. The
content was decidedly more cheeky and venereal. It was also nominated for Best Pop Vocal Album,
along with Best Pop Solo Performance. It went platinum five months after release.
Vocally, grande's range can reach four Octaves with a note Soprano. She's cited Mariah Carey as her
biggest influence; her frequent use of her whistle register early on made this most apparent. She
often performs or records using what is called "mixed voice," where head voice is used to mimic the
resonance and power of the chest voice to reduce strain. Her vocal abilities are what Grande's most
consistently praised for. Though her albums have received positive reviews generally, critics tend to
intimate there's a lack of a cohesive, clear identity.
Question 59: What should be done to correct the capitalization of the following sentence: "To top
off the success, Grande won new artist of the year at the american music awards?"
A. Capitalize letters in "new artist of the year."

B. Capitalize the first letter in the word "american."
C. Capitalize the first letters in the words "music awards."
D. All of the above answer choices are correct.
Answer: he correct answer is D.
Explanation:
The first letter of each word in New Artist of the Year should be capitalized because it is the official
title of an award category. The first letter in American should be capitalized because it is the name of
a country. The first letters in each of the words Music Awards should be capitalized because it is a
part of the official title of the award (i.e., American Music Awards).

GED Flash RLA Grammar and Language (59 Questions)

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GED Flash RLA Grammar and Language (59 Questions)

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Q 1.

Select the best revision for the following sentence:

Answer: The correct answer is D.

/. Q 2: Select the words that correctly complete the following sentence:

A. belongings; stuff; couple of

Answer: The correct answer is A.

/. Q 3: Which words correctly complete the following sentence:

Answer: The correct answer is A.

to: toward, in the direction of

/. Q 4: Select the best revision for the following sentence:

Answer: The correct answer is A.

Q 5: Choose the words that correctly complete the following sentences:

Answer: The correct answer is A.

A possessive noun shows who or what owns an item or has an item.

Q 6: Select the most effective revision for the following sentence:

Answer: The correct answer is C.

Q 7. Select the underlined word of phrase that contains an error.

Answer: The correct answer is C.

Answer: The correct answer is C.

A possessive noun shows who or what owns an item or has an item.

Exception to the rule:

-Its, without an apostrophe, indicates possession.

Q 9. Which of the following sentences contains an error in subject-verb agreement?

Answer: The correct answer is D.

Q 10. Select the sentence that contains an unclear pronoun reference.

Answer: The correct answer is C.

Q 11. Which of the following sentences contains an error in subject-verb agreement?

A. The ocean is a majestic and mysterious place.

Answer: The correct answer is B.

Answer: The correct answer is A.

Answer: The correct answer is D.

Q 14. Replace the underlined phrase with the correct revision.

A. productive, extremely caring, and responsible citizens.

Answer: The correct answer is B.

Answer: The correct answer is D.

Question 16: Which is NOT a sentence fragment?

Answer: The correct answer is D.

Q 17. Select the choice that does NOT contain an error.

Answer: The correct answer is A.

/. High School Musical Trilogy

Question 19: Which is a fused sentence?

Answer: The correct answer is A.

Q 20. Replace the underlined phrase with the correct revision.

A. neither the increase in money nor the power

Answer: The correct answer is B.

Q 21. Replace the underlined phrase with the correct revision.

A. trying to ski, swimming, and fishing

Answer: The correct answer is C.

Q 22. Choose the sentence with the correct word usage.

Answer: The correct answer is D.

could care less: nonstandard expression

A. use to; suppose to

Answer: The correct answer is D.

Answer: The correct answer is A.

after, before, next, during, later, finally,

but, however, on the other hand, nevertheless,

indeed, with this in mind, for this reason, in fact,

Transition words used to summarize or in other words, in short, in summary, in

for example, for instance, to illustrate, in fact,

Answer: The correct answer is D.

Q 27. Select the sentence that does NOT contain an error.

Answer: The correct answer is D.

Choices A, B, and C all contain misplaced modifiers: