OSSLT Using Correct Grammar 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which sentence correctly uses 'its' versus 'it's'?
- The cat licked it's paws after dinner.
- It's fur was soft and warm.
- The company lost it's lease last month.
- It's important to check your work carefully. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: It's important to check your work carefully.
'It's' is a contraction of 'it is,' while 'its' is the possessive pronoun — 'It's important' means 'It is important.'
Question 2: Which sentence correctly uses a restrictive clause without commas?
- Students, who study regularly, tend to do well.
- Students who study regularly tend to do well. (Correct answer)
- Students who study regularly, tend to do well.
- Students, who study regularly tend to do well.
Correct answer: Students who study regularly tend to do well.
A restrictive clause (essential to meaning) is not set off with commas — it identifies which students are being discussed.
Question 3: Select the sentence with correct use of 'fewer' versus 'less'.
- There is less students in class today.
- There are fewer students in class today. (Correct answer)
- There are less students in class today.
- There is fewer students in class today.
Correct answer: There are fewer students in class today.
'Fewer' is used with countable nouns (students), while 'less' is used with uncountable quantities.
Question 4: Which sentence uses a correct transition to show contrast?
- She trained hard; therefore, she lost the race.
- She trained hard; however, she lost the race. (Correct answer)
- She trained hard; furthermore, she lost the race.
- She trained hard; likewise, she lost the race.
Correct answer: She trained hard; however, she lost the race.
'However' signals contrast between two ideas, making it the appropriate transition between training hard and losing.
Question 5: Choose the sentence that correctly uses quotation marks with punctuation.
- She said, "I'll be there soon".
- She said, "I'll be there soon." (Correct answer)
- She said "I'll be there soon."
- She said, "I'll be there soon",
Correct answer: She said, "I'll be there soon."
In North American English, periods and commas go inside quotation marks, and a comma follows the dialogue tag.
Question 6: Which sentence correctly uses the future perfect tense?
- By next year, she will finish her degree.
- By next year, she will have finished her degree. (Correct answer)
- By next year, she has finished her degree.
- By next year, she would finish her degree.
Correct answer: By next year, she will have finished her degree.
The future perfect ('will have finished') expresses an action that will be completed before a specific point in the future.
Question 7: Identify the sentence that corrects the fragment: 'Although the rain had stopped.'
- Although the rain had stopped, we decided to stay inside. (Correct answer)
- Although the rain had stopped.
- Although the rain had stopped, and we went outside.
- Although the rain had stopped; we went outside.
Correct answer: Although the rain had stopped, we decided to stay inside.
A subordinate clause like 'Although the rain had stopped' must be attached to an independent clause to form a complete sentence.
OSSLT Using Correct Grammar 5
Which sentence correctly uses 'its' versus 'it's'?