PRAXIS Core Academic Skills: Writing Usage and Mechanics 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which sentence uses the apostrophe correctly?
- The dog wagged it's tail happily.
- The dog wagged its tail happily. (Correct answer)
- The dog wagged its' tail happily.
- The dog wagged its's tail happily.
Correct answer: The dog wagged its tail happily.
"Its" is the possessive form; "it's" means "it is."
Question 2: Identify the sentence with correct subject-verb agreement.
- Neither the teacher nor the students was ready.
- Neither the teacher nor the students were ready. (Correct answer)
- Neither the teacher nor the students is ready.
- Neither the teacher nor the students has been ready.
Correct answer: Neither the teacher nor the students were ready.
With "neither...nor," the verb agrees with the nearer subject, "students."
Question 3: Which sentence correctly uses a semicolon?
- I have a big test tomorrow; so I can't go out tonight.
- I have a big test tomorrow; I can't go out tonight. (Correct answer)
- I have a big test tomorrow; and I will study.
- I have a big test; tomorrow night.
Correct answer: I have a big test tomorrow; I can't go out tonight.
A semicolon joins two independent clauses without a conjunction.
Question 4: Choose the sentence with no error in pronoun case.
- Between you and I, the answer is clear.
- Between you and me, the answer is clear. (Correct answer)
- Between we and them, the answer is clear.
- Between I and you, the answer is clear.
Correct answer: Between you and me, the answer is clear.
After a preposition like "between," use the objective pronoun "me."
Question 5: Which word correctly completes the sentence: "The committee will announce ___ decision soon"?
- their (Correct answer)
- they're
- there
- thier
Correct answer: their
"Their" is the possessive pronoun showing ownership of the decision.
Question 6: Identify the sentence that is correctly punctuated.
- After the rain stopped we went outside.
- After the rain stopped, we went outside. (Correct answer)
- After, the rain stopped we went outside.
- After the rain, stopped we went outside.
Correct answer: After the rain stopped, we went outside.
An introductory dependent clause is followed by a comma.
Question 7: Which sentence uses the correct verb tense consistently?
- She walked to the store and buys some milk.
- She walks to the store and bought some milk.
- She walked to the store and bought some milk. (Correct answer)
- She walk to the store and buys some milk.
Correct answer: She walked to the store and bought some milk.
Both verbs are in the past tense, maintaining consistency.
PRAXIS Core Academic Skills: Writing Usage and Mechanics 2
Which sentence uses the apostrophe correctly?