CCE Grammar, Punctuation, and Spelling Questions and Answers

Question 1

Which of the following sentences correctly uses an em dash according to The Chicago Manual of Style?

Accepted Answer

The results—although unexpected—were groundbreaking.

Answer

The results — although unexpected — were groundbreaking.

Answer

The results–although unexpected–were groundbreaking.

Answer

The results - although unexpected - were groundbreaking.

Question 2

A copyeditor is working on a manuscript that follows AP style. Which sentence is punctuated correctly according to this style guide?

Accepted Answer

The tour visited Paris, Rome and Madrid.

Answer

The tour visited Paris, Rome, and Madrid.

Answer

The tour visited: Paris, Rome, and Madrid.

Answer

The tour visited Paris; Rome; and Madrid.

Question 3

In the following sentence, which word should be used to fill in the blank? 'The new policy will _______ the entire department.'

Accepted Answer

affect

Answer

effect

Answer

affects

Answer

effects

Question 4

Which sentence correctly distinguishes between restrictive and nonrestrictive clauses using 'that' and 'which'?

Accepted Answer

The car that has a flat tire is mine, but the one parked next to it, which is blue, belongs to my neighbor.

Answer

The car, which has a flat tire, is mine, but the one parked next to it that is blue belongs to my neighbor.

Answer

The car that has a flat tire is mine, but the one parked next to it which is blue belongs to my neighbor.

Answer

The car, that has a flat tire, is mine, but the one parked next to it, which is blue, belongs to my neighbor.

Question 5

A manuscript contains the sentence: 'After a long day, she wanted to _____ down and rest.' Which is the correct word to complete the sentence?

Accepted Answer

lie

Answer

lay

Answer

laid

Answer

lain

Question 6

A copyeditor encounters the following sentence in a historical text: 'The treaty covered the period 1914-1918.' What is the correct punctuation to indicate the date range?

Accepted Answer

an en dash (1914–1918)

Answer

a hyphen (1914-1918)

Answer

an em dash (1914—1918)

Answer

a slash (1914/1918)