New Jersey Civil Service Exam Written Expression and Grammar 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which sentence correctly uses a semicolon?
- The officer filed the report; and then left.
- He submitted the form; however, it was incomplete. (Correct answer)
- Please review; the attached document.
- The deadline passed; but no one noticed.
Correct answer: He submitted the form; however, it was incomplete.
A semicolon before a conjunctive adverb like 'however' correctly joins two independent clauses.
Question 2: Which sentence demonstrates correct comma usage with a nonrestrictive clause?
- The officer who was first on scene wrote the report.
- My supervisor, who has 20 years of experience, reviewed the file. (Correct answer)
- The form that was missing was found.
- Officers who are late will be reprimanded.
Correct answer: My supervisor, who has 20 years of experience, reviewed the file.
Nonrestrictive clauses, which add extra (not essential) information, are set off by commas.
Question 3: Choose the word that best fills the blank: 'The new policy will _____ all previous guidelines.'
- supersede (Correct answer)
- supercede
- superceed
- superseed
Correct answer: supersede
'Supersede' is the correct spelling; there is no word 'supercede,' despite the common misspelling.
Question 4: Which sentence is grammatically correct?
- Between you and I, the project is behind schedule.
- Between you and me, the project is behind schedule. (Correct answer)
- Between you and myself, the project is behind schedule.
- Between you and mine, the project is behind schedule.
Correct answer: Between you and me, the project is behind schedule.
Prepositions like 'between' require object pronouns; 'me' is the object form, not 'I' or 'myself.'
Question 5: Identify the sentence that uses 'its' and 'it's' correctly.
- Its important to file the report on time.
- The department lost it's funding.
- The agency updated its procedures last quarter. (Correct answer)
- Its' always the supervisor's responsibility.
Correct answer: The agency updated its procedures last quarter.
'Its' (no apostrophe) is the possessive pronoun; 'it's' is the contraction of 'it is.'
Question 6: Which transition word best shows contrast in this sentence: 'The application was complete; _____, it was submitted past the deadline.'
- therefore
- furthermore
- however (Correct answer)
- consequently
Correct answer: however
'However' introduces a contrasting idea, which fits the relationship between a complete application and a late submission.
Question 7: Select the correctly punctuated sentence with a parenthetical expression.
- The report however was not accurate.
- The report, however, was not accurate. (Correct answer)
- The report however, was not accurate.
- The report, however was not accurate.
Correct answer: The report, however, was not accurate.
Parenthetical expressions (like 'however' used as an interrupter) must be set off by commas on both sides.
New Jersey Civil Service Exam Written Expression and Grammar 4
Which sentence correctly uses a semicolon?