CCE Grammar, Punctuation, and Spelling Questions and Answers

Question 1

Which of the following sentences correctly uses an em dash according to The Chicago Manual of Style?

Accepted Answer

The results—although unexpected—were groundbreaking.

Answer

The Chicago Manual of Style stipulates that an em dash (—) should be used to set off parenthetical phrases and should not have spaces around it. The en dash (–) is used for ranges, and a hyphen (-) is for compound words.

Question 2

A copyeditor is working on a manuscript that follows AP style. Which sentence is punctuated correctly according to this style guide?

Accepted Answer

The tour visited Paris, Rome and Madrid.

Answer

The Associated Press (AP) Stylebook advises against using the serial (or Oxford) comma in a simple series. Therefore, the comma before 'and' should be omitted.

Question 3

In the following sentence, which word should be used to fill in the blank? 'The new policy will _______ the entire department.'

Accepted Answer

affect

Answer

'Affect' is a verb meaning 'to influence or produce a change in'. 'Effect' is typically a noun meaning 'a result or consequence'. In this sentence, a verb is needed to show the policy's influence.

Question 4

Which sentence correctly distinguishes between restrictive and nonrestrictive clauses using 'that' and 'which'?

Accepted Answer

The car that has a flat tire is mine, but the one parked next to it, which is blue, belongs to my neighbor.

Answer

'That' introduces a restrictive clause, which is essential to the meaning of the sentence and is not set off by commas. 'Which' introduces a nonrestrictive clause, providing additional, nonessential information, and is set off by commas. The clause 'that has a flat tire' is restrictive because it specifies which car. The clause 'which is blue' is nonrestrictive because the color is extra information about the neighbor's car.

Question 5

A manuscript contains the sentence: 'After a long day, she wanted to _____ down and rest.' Which is the correct word to complete the sentence?

Accepted Answer

lie

Answer

The verb 'lie' means to recline or rest and does not take a direct object. The verb 'lay' means to place something down and requires a direct object. In this context, the subject ('she') is performing the action of reclining herself, so 'lie' is the correct choice.

CCE - Certified Copyeditor Practice Test

CCE - Certified Copyeditor Practice Test

CCE Grammar, Punctuation, and Spelling Questions and Answers