QTS Literacy Skills

Question 1

Which of the following sentences contains a correctly used semicolon?

Accepted Answer

The pupils were excited; they had been looking forward to the trip all term.

Answer

A semicolon correctly separates two closely related independent clauses. Only the second option contains two complete clauses joined by a semicolon.

Question 2

Which sentence uses the apostrophe correctly?

Accepted Answer

The children's books were on the shelf.

Answer

'Children' is already plural, so the possessive apostrophe goes before the 's': children's. This is a common irregular plural possessive.

Question 3

Identify the subordinate clause in the following sentence: 'Although the weather was poor, the sports day continued as planned.'

Accepted Answer

Although the weather was poor

Answer

'Although the weather was poor' is a subordinate (dependent) clause — it cannot stand alone as a sentence and is introduced by the subordinating conjunction 'although'.

Question 4

Which of the following words is a modal verb?

Accepted Answer

Should

Answer

'Should' is a modal verb, used to express obligation, advice, or expectation. Modal verbs also include can, could, may, might, must, shall, will, and would.

Question 5

In the sentence 'The head teacher, who had been at the school for twenty years, announced her retirement,' what is the function of the clause between the commas?

Accepted Answer

It is a non-defining relative clause providing extra information

Answer

The clause between commas is a non-defining (non-restrictive) relative clause. It adds extra information about the head teacher but could be removed without changing the essential meaning.

QTS Practice Test

QTS Practice Test

QTS Literacy Skills