CPW Advanced Grammar and Punctuation 2

Question 1

Which sentence correctly uses a semicolon?

Accepted Answer

The report was thorough; however, it lacked a conclusion.

Answer

A semicolon correctly joins two independent clauses, often with a conjunctive adverb like 'however.'

Question 2

Which of the following is a dangling modifier?

Accepted Answer

Walking to the office, the rain began to fall.

Answer

A dangling modifier occurs when the implied subject of the modifier doesn't match the sentence's subject — 'the rain' cannot walk.

Question 3

In which sentence is the apostrophe used correctly?

Accepted Answer

All the manager's reports were submitted on time.

Answer

'Manager's' correctly shows singular possessive; 'it's' means 'it is,' and 'her's' is not a valid pronoun form.

Question 4

Which sentence demonstrates correct subject-verb agreement with a collective noun?

Accepted Answer

The committee has reached a unanimous decision.

Answer

In American English, collective nouns like 'committee' acting as a unit take a singular verb.

Question 5

What is the correct punctuation for a restrictive relative clause?

Accepted Answer

The book that she recommended was excellent.

Answer

Restrictive clauses (using 'that') are essential to meaning and are never set off with commas.

(CPW) Certified Professional Writer Practice Test