NEX Grammar: Subject-Verb Agreement and Punctuation 2 — Questions and Answers

Question 1: Which sentence demonstrates correct subject-verb agreement?

The team of nurses are preparing for the shift change.
The team of nurses is preparing for the shift change. (Correct answer)
The team of nurses were preparing for the shift change.
The team of nurses have been preparing for the shift change.

Correct answer: The team of nurses is preparing for the shift change.

The subject 'team' is a collective noun treated as singular when acting as a unit, so it takes the singular verb 'is.'

Collective nouns (team, group, committee, family, staff) take singular verbs when the group acts as a single unit and plural verbs when individual members act independently. In 'The team of nurses is preparing,' the team acts together as a unit, requiring the singular verb 'is.' The prepositional phrase 'of nurses' is a modifier and does not change the subject. If individuals were acting separately (e.g., 'The team of nurses are wearing different colored scrubs'), the plural verb would be correct. This distinction is important in medical documentation where precise language ensures clear communication.

Question 2: Select the sentence with correct comma usage.

The patient who is in room 204 needs medication. (Correct answer)
The patient, who is in room 204, needs medication.
The patient who, is in room 204, needs medication.
The patient who is, in room 204, needs medication.

Correct answer: The patient who is in room 204 needs medication.

When the relative clause 'who is in room 204' is essential to identifying which patient is being discussed (restrictive clause), no commas are needed.

Restrictive (essential) clauses provide information necessary to identify the subject and are NOT set off by commas. Nonrestrictive (nonessential) clauses add extra information and ARE set off by commas. If there are multiple patients and we need to specify which one, 'who is in room 204' is restrictive and requires no commas (option A). If there is only one patient and the room number is additional information, commas would be appropriate (option B). In most clinical contexts, the clause identifies the specific patient, making it restrictive. Options C and D have incorrectly placed commas that break up the relative clause. Correct comma usage in medical documentation prevents ambiguity in patient identification.

Question 3: Which sentence contains a semicolon used correctly?

The patient's vitals are stable; however, we should continue monitoring. (Correct answer)
The patient's vitals are stable; and his family has been notified.
The patient's vitals; are stable and his family has been notified.
The patient's vitals are stable; stable enough to discharge.

Correct answer: The patient's vitals are stable; however, we should continue monitoring.

A semicolon correctly joins two independent clauses, especially when followed by a conjunctive adverb like 'however,' which is then followed by a comma.

Semicolons have two primary uses: joining two related independent clauses without a coordinating conjunction, and separating items in a list when the items themselves contain commas. In option A, 'The patient's vitals are stable' and 'we should continue monitoring' are both independent clauses joined by a semicolon and the conjunctive adverb 'however' (followed by a comma). Option B incorrectly uses both a semicolon and the coordinating conjunction 'and' — use one or the other. Option C places the semicolon in the middle of a clause. Option D uses a semicolon before a fragment. Proper semicolon use in nursing documentation creates clear, professional writing that links related clinical observations.

Question 4: Identify the sentence with the correct use of an apostrophe.

The nurse's stations are fully stocked.
The nurses' station is fully stocked. (Correct answer)
The nurses station is fully stocked.
The nurse's station's are fully stocked.

Correct answer: The nurses' station is fully stocked.

When a plural noun ending in 's' shows possession, the apostrophe goes after the 's.' The station belongs to multiple nurses, so 'nurses'' is correct.

Apostrophe rules for possession: singular nouns add 's (nurse's = belonging to one nurse), plural nouns ending in s add only an apostrophe (nurses' = belonging to multiple nurses), and plural nouns not ending in s add 's (children's). In option B, 'nurses' station' correctly shows that the station belongs to multiple nurses. Option A ('nurse's stations') implies one nurse owns multiple stations. Option C is missing the apostrophe entirely, which is incorrect since possession is being shown. Option D has an unnecessary apostrophe on 'station's' making it either a contraction or double possessive, neither of which is appropriate. Correct apostrophe usage is essential in medical documentation to avoid ambiguity.

Question 5: Which sentence correctly uses a colon?

The patient reported the following symptoms: headache, dizziness, and nausea. (Correct answer)
The patient: reported symptoms of headache, dizziness, and nausea.
The patient reported symptoms: such as: headache, dizziness, and nausea.
The symptoms reported: by the patient were headache, dizziness, and nausea.

Correct answer: The patient reported the following symptoms: headache, dizziness, and nausea.

A colon is correctly used after a complete independent clause to introduce a list, explanation, or elaboration. 'The patient reported the following symptoms' is a complete clause.

A colon follows a complete independent clause and introduces a list, explanation, quotation, or elaboration. The key rule is that what precedes the colon must be a grammatically complete sentence. In option A, 'The patient reported the following symptoms' is a complete sentence, making the colon correct. Option B interrupts the subject and verb with a colon. Option C uses two colons and interrupts the sentence. Option D separates the preposition 'by' from its object. In nursing documentation, colons are useful for organizing information clearly: listing medications, symptoms, or interventions. Consistent punctuation improves readability and reduces the risk of miscommunication in clinical settings.

Question 6: Which sentence has correct parallel structure?

The nurse administered medication, monitored vitals, and was documenting the results.
The nurse administered medication, monitored vitals, and documented the results. (Correct answer)
The nurse administered medication, was monitoring vitals, and documented the results.
The nurse was administering medication, monitored vitals, and to document the results.

Correct answer: The nurse administered medication, monitored vitals, and documented the results.

Parallel structure requires that items in a series use the same grammatical form. All three verbs should be in the same tense: 'administered,' 'monitored,' and 'documented' are all past tense.

Parallel structure (parallelism) means using the same grammatical form for words, phrases, or clauses that serve the same function in a sentence. In a series of actions, all verbs should be in the same tense and form. Option B correctly uses three past tense verbs: administered, monitored, documented. Option A mixes past tense with past progressive ('was documenting'). Option C mixes past tense with past progressive ('was monitoring'). Option D mixes three different forms: past progressive, past tense, and infinitive. Parallel structure is crucial in medical documentation for clarity and professional writing. Care plans, nursing notes, and shift reports that use parallel structure are easier to read and less likely to be misinterpreted.

NEX Grammar: Subject-Verb Agreement and Punctuation 2

Which sentence demonstrates correct subject-verb agreement?