Grammar and Correct Usage Flashcards
6 cards from real Civil Service Exam practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Grammar and Correct Usage flashcards as text
The new regulations will significantly ______ the agency's daily operations, and the primary ______ will be an increase in required documentation.
Answer: affect, effect
'Affect' is a verb meaning 'to influence or impact'. 'Effect' is a noun meaning 'a result or consequence'. The regulations will influence (affect) the operations, and the result (effect) will be more documentation.
Which of the following sentences is grammatically correct?
Answer: The consultant, whom the board hired, delivered an impressive report.
Whom' is the correct objective pronoun to use here because it is the object of the verb 'hired' (the board hired whom). In the other options, 'whoever' should be used in A, 'Who' should be used in C, and 'whom' should be used in D (we can depend on whom).
The public briefing was postponed due to technical difficulties ___ the keynote speaker was delayed by traffic.
Answer: difficulties; furthermore, the
A semicolon is used to connect two closely related independent clauses. 'Furthermore' is a conjunctive adverb that logically connects the two ideas, and it is correctly preceded by a semicolon and followed by a comma.
Which of the following sentences contains a misplaced modifier?
Answer: The report was placed on the manager's desk, which was completed yesterday.
The modifier 'which was completed yesterday' is misplaced. It incorrectly suggests that the manager's desk was completed yesterday, rather than the report. The phrase should be placed closer to 'report' to be clear (e.g., 'The report, which was completed yesterday, was placed...').
A new administrative assistant's duties include managing schedules, the ordering of supplies, and to answer the main phone line.
Answer: duties include managing schedules, ordering supplies, and answering the main phone line.
This sentence requires parallel structure for the list of duties. The correct answer uses the gerund form (-ing) for all three items in the list: managing, ordering, and answering. The other options mix different grammatical forms (infinitives, nouns), breaking the parallel structure.
If the department's budget ______ larger, we would be able to upgrade all the office computers.
Answer: were
This sentence describes a hypothetical or contrary-to-fact situation, which requires the subjunctive mood. For the verb 'to be' in the subjunctive mood, 'were' is used for all subjects (I, he, she, it, we, they).