NYSTCE ATAS Writing and Grammar Conventions 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which option is an example of a sentence fragment?
- The children lined up quietly.
- Although the bell rang. (Correct answer)
- She handed out the worksheets.
- The assistant helped the student.
Correct answer: Although the bell rang.
'Although the bell rang' is a dependent clause and cannot stand alone as a complete sentence.
Question 2: Which sentence uses 'its' and 'it's' correctly?
- The school lost it's funding.
- Its time to clean up.
- The dog wagged it's tail.
- It's important to follow the rules. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: It's important to follow the rules.
'It's' is a contraction of 'it is,' which is what the sentence requires.
Question 3: Which sentence is a run-on sentence?
- The students finished early, so they read quietly.
- Maria studied hard, and she passed.
- The test was hard it took two hours. (Correct answer)
- After lunch, the class went outside.
Correct answer: The test was hard it took two hours.
Two independent clauses are joined without punctuation or a conjunction, making it a run-on sentence.
Question 4: A teaching assistant edits a student's paper and finds: 'There going to the library tomorrow.' What should be corrected?
- Change 'There' to 'Their'
- Change 'There' to 'They're' (Correct answer)
- Change 'going' to 'gone'
- Add a comma after 'library'
Correct answer: Change 'There' to 'They're'
'They're' is the contraction of 'they are,' which is the meaning needed in this sentence.
Question 5: Which sentence uses 'fewer' and 'less' correctly?
- There are less students in the class today.
- She has fewer patience than her colleague.
- He made fewer mistakes on the second try. (Correct answer)
- We have less pencils than we need.
Correct answer: He made fewer mistakes on the second try.
'Fewer' is used with countable nouns like 'mistakes,' while 'less' applies to uncountable nouns.
Question 6: Which sentence demonstrates correct parallel structure?
- The assistant likes grading papers, to help students, and organizing files.
- She enjoyed reading, writing, and to draw.
- The job requires patience, dedication, and being flexible.
- Good teaching involves planning lessons, managing behavior, and assessing progress. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Good teaching involves planning lessons, managing behavior, and assessing progress.
All three items use the gerund (-ing) form, maintaining consistent parallel structure.
Question 7: Which punctuation mark correctly completes this sentence? 'The assignment is due Friday _____ no extensions will be granted.'
- and
- ; (Correct answer)
- ,
- because
Correct answer: ;
A semicolon correctly joins two independent clauses without a coordinating conjunction.
NYSTCE ATAS Writing and Grammar Conventions 4
Which option is an example of a sentence fragment?