RLA Sentence Structure and Punctuation 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which sentence uses 'who' and 'whom' correctly?
- Who did you give the book to?
- Whom called you last night?
- To whom should I address the letter? (Correct answer)
- Whom is coming to the party?
Correct answer: To whom should I address the letter?
'Whom' is used as the object of a preposition, so 'To whom' is correct.
Question 2: Which sentence avoids a double negative?
- I don't have no time.
- She can't do nothing right.
- He barely said anything. (Correct answer)
- They haven't got no money.
Correct answer: He barely said anything.
'Barely' combined with 'anything' is a standard construction that avoids a double negative.
Question 3: Which sentence uses an ellipsis correctly?
- She paused... and then spoke. (Correct answer)
- She paused …and then spoke.
- She paused ...and then spoke.
- She paused….and then spoke.
Correct answer: She paused... and then spoke.
An ellipsis of three dots with spaces on each side indicates a pause or omission.
Question 4: Which sentence correctly uses a restrictive clause without commas?
- Students, who study daily, tend to score higher.
- Students who study daily tend to score higher. (Correct answer)
- Students, who study daily tend to score higher.
- Students who, study daily, tend to score higher.
Correct answer: Students who study daily tend to score higher.
A restrictive clause is essential to the meaning and is not set off by commas.
Question 5: Which sentence correctly uses 'its' versus 'it's'?
- The cat licked it's paws.
- It's paws were muddy.
- The dog wagged its tail. (Correct answer)
- Its going to rain today.
Correct answer: The dog wagged its tail.
'Its' is the possessive pronoun; 'it's' is the contraction of 'it is.'
Question 6: Which option shows correct subject-verb agreement with a collective noun?
- The jury were divided on the verdict.
- The jury was divided on the verdict. (Correct answer)
- The jury are divided on the verdict.
- The jury have divided on the verdict.
Correct answer: The jury was divided on the verdict.
In American English, collective nouns like 'jury' take singular verbs when acting as a unit.
Question 7: Which sentence correctly uses an exclamation point?
- What a wonderful! surprise.
- She yelled, 'Stop!' (Correct answer)
- She yelled, 'Stop'!
- She yelled 'Stop!'
Correct answer: She yelled, 'Stop!'
When an exclamation is quoted, the exclamation point goes inside the quotation marks.
RLA Sentence Structure and Punctuation 5
Which sentence uses 'who' and 'whom' correctly?