PSSA Conventions Part 1

PSSA Conventions
Part 1

By Scott M Mcgowan

Multiple Choice

The International Space Station a large satellite in outer space, orbits Earth at speeds of about 17,500 miles per hour.

Which revision should be made to the sentence?

• Add a comma after Station.

• Add a dash before orbits.

• Add a comma after speeds.

• Add parentheses around miles per hour.

Multiple Choice

(1) Ms. Baker my high school chemistry teacher, inspired my love of science. (2) She taught me about the periodic table and atomic structure. (3) Students performed numerous experiments in her class. (4) She is the reason that I majored in chemistry at college.

Where should a comma be added?

• After Baker in sentence 1

• After table in sentence 2

• After experiment in sentence 3

• After reason in sentence 4

Multiple Choice

(1) My family and I took a trip to Washington, D.C. last week. (2) We visited the Lincoln Memorial and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial the first day of our trip. (3) Later on, we also explored the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial, the Korean War Veteran Memorial, and the Albert Einstein Memorial. (4) Lastly, we toured the Smithsonian Institution a vast collection of museums and and galleries.

Which revision should be made to the paragraph?

• Remove the comma after Washington in sentence 1

• Add a comma before and in sentence 2

• Remove the comma after on in sentence 3

• Add a comma after Institution in sentence 4

Multiple Choice

The coast of Africa one of the world's largest continents, is a prosperous trading region. 

Which revision should be made to the sentence?

• Add a dash after Africa

• Add a comma after Africa

• Remove the comma after continents

• Add a comma after prosperous

Multiple Choice

(1) African elephants are the largest animals on the Earth. (2) The dung beetle is actually the strongest animal compared to its weight. (3) It can pull over 1000 times its body weight (4) The fastest animal, the peregrine falcon can travel more than 100 miles per hour at certain times.

Which revision should be made to the paragraph?

• Add a comma after elephants in sentence 1

• Add a comma after animal in sentence 2

• Change the word its to it’s

• Add a comma after falcon

Multiple Choice

(1) As the head of postal services, Benjamin Franklin established a profitable mail delivery system in colonial America. (2) The adventurous Franklin traveled some 1,600 miles between postal offices to mark all possible direct routes. (3) He had riders transport mail day and night for faster more productive delivery. (4) He also created a simpler and more standard rating system so postmasters could consistently calculate the price of postage.

Where should a comma be added?

• after profitable in sentence 1.

• after possible in sentence 2.

• after faster in sentence 3.

• after simpler in sentence 4.

Multiple Choice

(1) Heathrow Airport in London is one of the world’s busiest most crowded international airports. (2) Traveling through the airport can be hectic and confusing. (3) Workers do their best to assist the many global travelers. (4) These helpful and friendly employees help to direct people from all over the world. 

Where should a comma be added?

• after busiest in sentence 1.

• after hectic in sentence 2.

• after many in sentence 3.

• after helpful in sentence 4.

Multiple Choice

(1) The captain docked the boat upon the shore.  (2) He walked to the boathouse and unlocked the door. (3) Deflated rubber rafts were piled up in the boathouse.  (4) Oars were scattered across the damp dark building.

Where should a comma be added?

• after boat in sentence 1.

• after boathouse in sentence 2.

•  after deflated in sentence 3.

• after damp in sentence 4.

Multiple Choice

(1) The cracked bathroom mirror reflected his face.  (2) His face looked tired and wrinkled. (3) He thought back to his younger days.  (4) He remembered being a lively energetic teen.

Where should a comma be added?

• after cracked in sentence 1.

• after tired in sentence 2.

• after back in sentence 3.

• after lively in sentence 4.