GED Reasoning Through Language Arts Writing 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which sentence is punctuated correctly?
- I need to buy milk, eggs and butter.
- I need to buy milk eggs, and butter.
- I need to buy milk, eggs, and butter. (Correct answer)
- I need to buy, milk, eggs, and butter.
Correct answer: I need to buy milk, eggs, and butter.
Option C uses the serial (Oxford) comma correctly, placing commas after each item in a list of three or more.
Question 2: Which sentence correctly uses a semicolon?
- I want to go; but I am too tired.
- I want to go; I am tired, however.
- I want to go; however, I am too tired. (Correct answer)
- I want to go; though I am tired.
Correct answer: I want to go; however, I am too tired.
When a conjunctive adverb like 'however' connects two independent clauses, use a semicolon before it and a comma after it.
Question 3: Which sentence correctly uses an apostrophe?
- The dog's toys were scattered across the floor. (Correct answer)
- The dogs toy's were scattered across the floor.
- The dogs' toy were scattered across the floor.
- The dog toys' were scattered across the floor.
Correct answer: The dog's toys were scattered across the floor.
Option A correctly uses an apostrophe after 'dog' to show that the toys belong to a single dog.
Question 4: Which sentence correctly uses a comma after an introductory element?
- After the game we celebrated at a local restaurant.
- After the game, we celebrated at a local restaurant. (Correct answer)
- After, the game we celebrated at a local restaurant.
- After the game we, celebrated at a local restaurant.
Correct answer: After the game, we celebrated at a local restaurant.
A comma is placed after an introductory prepositional phrase ('After the game') to separate it from the main clause.
Question 5: Which of the following is NOT a correct reason to use a comma?
- To separate items in a list
- To join two independent clauses with a coordinating conjunction
- To separate a subject from its verb (Correct answer)
- To set off a nonessential clause or phrase
Correct answer: To separate a subject from its verb
A comma should never separate a subject from its verb; doing so creates an error in sentence structure.
Question 6: Which sentence uses quotation marks correctly?
- She said, "I will arrive at noon".
- She said, "I will arrive at noon." (Correct answer)
- She said "I will arrive at noon."
- She said, I will arrive at noon.
Correct answer: She said, "I will arrive at noon."
In American English, periods and commas are always placed inside the closing quotation mark, and a comma follows the attribution 'She said.'
Question 7: Which title is capitalized correctly?
- The Old man and the Sea
- the Old Man and the Sea
- The Old Man and the Sea (Correct answer)
- The old man and The Sea
Correct answer: The Old Man and the Sea
In title case, the first and last words and all major words are capitalized; short prepositions and articles like 'and' and 'the' in the middle are lowercase.
GED Reasoning Through Language Arts Writing 2
Which sentence is punctuated correctly?