CLEP Practice: Standards of English Conventions

Which of the following sentences uses correct punctuation?

• Carole is not currently working; her focus is on her children at the moment.

• Carole is not currently working and her focus is on her children at the moment.

• Carole is not currently working, her focus is on her children at the moment.

• Carole is not currently working, her focus is on her children at the moment.

Answer explanation

Choice A is correctly punctuated because it uses a semicolon to join two independent clauses that are related in meaning. Each of these clauses could function as an independent sentence. Choice B is incorrect because the conjunction is not preceded by a comma. A comma and conjunction should be used together to join independent clauses. Choice C is also incorrect because a comma should only be used to join independent sentences when it also includes a coordinating conjunction such as "and" or "so." Choice D does not use punctuation to join the independent clauses, so it is considered fused (same as a run-on) sentence.

Which of these examples shows incorrect usage of subject-verb agreement?

• Neither of the cars are parked on the street.

• Both of my kids are going to camp this summer.

• Any of your friends are welcome to join us on the trip in November.

• Each of the clothing options is appropriate for the job interview.

Answer explanation

Choice A uses incorrect subject verb agreement because the indefinite pronoun "neither' is singular and must use the singular verb form "is." The pronoun "both" is plural and uses the plural verb form of "are." The pronoun "any" can be either singular or plural. In this example, it is used as a plural, so the plural verb form "are" is used. The pronoun "each" is singular and uses the singular form verb form "is."

Which of the following passages best displays clarity, fluency, and parallelism?

• Ernest Hemingway is probably the most noteworthy of expatriate authors. Hemingway's concise writing style, void of emotion and stream of consciousness, had a lasting impact, one which resonates to this very day. In Hemingway's novels, much like in American cinema, the hero acts without thinking, is living in the moment, and is repressing physical and emotional pain.

• Ernest Hemingway is probably the most noteworthy of expatriate authors since his concise writing style is void of emotion and stream of consciousness and has had a lasting impact on Americans which has resonated to this very day, and Hemingway's novels are much like in American cinema. The hero acts. He doesn't think. He lives in the moment. He represses physical and emotional pain.

• Ernest Hemingway is probably the most noteworthy of authors. His concise writing style, void of emotion and consciousness, had a lasting impact, one which resonates to this very day. In Hemingway's novels, much like in American cinema, the hero acts without thinking, lives in the moment, and represses physical and emotional pain.

• Ernest Hemingway is probably the most noteworthy of expatriate authors. His concise writing style, void of emotion and stream of consciousness, had a lasting impact, one which resonates to this very day. In Hemingway's novels, much like in American cinema, the hero acts without thinking, lives in the moment, and represses physical and emotional pain.

Answer explanation

This passage displays clarity and parallelism (words that are used in a similar fashion to help provide rhythm). Choice A lacks parallelism. When the author states, "the hero acts without thinking, is living in the moment, and is repressing physical and emotional pain," the words acts, is living, and is repressing are in different tenses, and, consequently, jarring to one's ears. Choice B runs on endlessly in the first half. It demands some type of pause and strains the readers' eyes. The second half of the passage is choppy. For Choice C, leaving out expatriate is, first, vague, and second, alters the meaning. The correct version claims that Hemingway was the most notable of the expatriate authors while the second version claims he's the most notable of any author ever, a very bold claim indeed. Also, leaving out stream in "stream of consciousness" no longer references the non-sequential manner in which most people think. Instead, this version sounds like all the characters in the novel are in a coma!

What is the noun phrase in the following sentence?

Charlotte's new German shepherd puppy is energetic.

• Puppy

• Charlotte

• German shepherd puppy

• Charlotte's new German shepherd puppy

Answer explanation

A noun phrase consists of the noun and all its modifiers. In this case, the subject of the sentence is the noun puppy, but it is preceded by several modifiers - adjectives that give more information about what kind of puppy, which are also part of the noun phrase. Thus, A is incorrect. Charlotte is the owner of the puppy and a modifier of the puppy, so B is false. C is incorrect because it contains some, but not all, of the modifiers pertaining to the puppy. D is correct because it contains all of them.

The following sentence contains what kind of error?

Forgetting that he was supposed to meet his girlfriend for dinner, Anita was mad when Fred showed up late.

• Parallelism

• Run-on sentence

• Misplaced modifier

• Subject-verb agreement

Answer explanation

In this sentence, the modifier is the phrase "Forgetting that he was supposed to meet his girlfriend for dinner." This phrase offers information about Fred's actions, but the noun that immediately follows it is Anita, creating some confusion about the "do-er" of the phrase. A more appropriate sentence arrangement would be "Forgetting that he was supposed to meet his girlfriend for dinner, Fred made Anita mad when he showed up late." A is incorrect as parallelism refers to the consistent use of sentence structure and verb tense, and this sentence is appropriately consistent. B is incorrect as a run-on sentence does not contain appropriate punctuation for the number of independent clauses presented, which is not true of the description. D is incorrect because the subject-verb agreement refers to the appropriate conjugation of a verb relative to the subject, and all verbs have been properly conjugated.