CPW Advanced Grammar and Punctuation 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which sentence correctly uses 'that' vs. 'which'?
- The style guide which we follow prohibits passive voice.
- The style guide, that we follow, prohibits passive voice.
- The style guide that we follow prohibits passive voice. (Correct answer)
- The style guide, which we follow prohibits passive voice.
Correct answer: The style guide that we follow prohibits passive voice.
Restrictive clauses (essential to meaning) use 'that' without commas; nonrestrictive clauses use 'which' with commas.
Question 2: What is the grammatical term for 'however' in: 'The draft was long; however, it was engaging'?
- Coordinating conjunction
- Subordinating conjunction
- Conjunctive adverb (Correct answer)
- Relative pronoun
Correct answer: Conjunctive adverb
Words like 'however,' 'therefore,' and 'moreover' are conjunctive adverbs that connect independent clauses.
Question 3: Which sentence correctly avoids the passive voice?
- The report was written by the senior editor.
- Mistakes were made in the original submission.
- The senior editor wrote the report. (Correct answer)
- It was determined that the deadline would be moved.
Correct answer: The senior editor wrote the report.
Active voice places the doer (senior editor) as the grammatical subject, making the sentence direct and clear.
Question 4: Which sentence uses 'lie' and 'lay' correctly?
- Please lay down for a few minutes before the meeting.
- He laid the manuscript on the desk yesterday.
- She was laying on the couch when the call came.
- The documents have been lying in the drawer since Monday. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: The documents have been lying in the drawer since Monday.
'Lying' (present participle of 'lie') is correct for resting in place; 'lay' requires a direct object.
Question 5: Which correctly punctuates a direct quotation within a sentence?
- The editor said that "revisions were necessary" before publication.
- The editor said, 'Revisions are necessary before publication.'
- The editor said, "Revisions are necessary before publication." (Correct answer)
- The editor said "Revisions are necessary before publication".
Correct answer: The editor said, "Revisions are necessary before publication."
In US style, direct quotations use double quotation marks, and the comma precedes the opening quote.
Question 6: Which sentence contains a correctly used absolute phrase?
- The deadline approaching, the writers worked through the night. (Correct answer)
- Because the deadline was approaching, the writers worked.
- The writers worked, the deadline was approaching.
- Working toward the deadline, it was a long night.
Correct answer: The deadline approaching, the writers worked through the night.
An absolute phrase ('The deadline approaching') consists of a noun plus a participle and modifies the whole sentence.
Question 7: Which sentence correctly uses 'comprise' vs. 'compose'?
- The anthology is comprised of twelve short stories.
- Twelve short stories comprise the anthology. (Correct answer)
- The anthology comprises of twelve short stories.
- Twelve short stories are comprised by the anthology.
Correct answer: Twelve short stories comprise the anthology.
The whole 'comprises' its parts; the parts 'compose' the whole — 'comprised of' is widely considered an error in formal writing.
CPW Advanced Grammar and Punctuation 5
Which sentence correctly uses 'that' vs. 'which'?