English: Grammar and Sentence Structure Flashcards
36 cards from real TEAS practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
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Which sentence uses correct subject-verb agreement?
Answer: The team of nurses is ready for their shift.
The subject is 'team' (singular collective noun), so the singular verb 'is' is correct. The prepositional phrase 'of nurses' does not affect subject-verb agreement.
Identify the type of sentence: 'Although the patient was tired, she completed the physical therapy session.'
Answer: Complex sentence
This is a complex sentence — it contains one independent clause ('she completed the physical therapy session') and one dependent clause ('Although the patient was tired').
Which word in the following sentence is a conjunctive adverb? 'The medication was effective; however, it caused significant side effects.'
Answer: however
'However' is a conjunctive adverb that connects two independent clauses and indicates a contrast.
Which sentence contains a dangling modifier?
Answer: Running quickly, the patient was reached by the nurse.
In option B, 'Running quickly' appears to modify 'the patient' (the noun that follows), but logically the nurse was running. The modifier dangles because the intended subject (nurse) is not the subject of the main clause.
Which of the following is a correctly punctuated compound sentence?
Answer: The doctor ordered more tests; the patient waited anxiously.
A compound sentence joining two independent clauses can correctly use a semicolon. Option C uses a semicolon correctly.
What type of pronoun is used in the following sentence? 'The patient gave herself an insulin injection.'
Answer: Reflexive pronoun
'Herself' is a reflexive pronoun — it refers back to the subject ('the patient') and indicates the subject is performing the action on herself.
Which sentence is written in the passive voice?
Answer: The medication was dispensed by the pharmacist.
In passive voice, the subject receives the action. 'The medication was dispensed by the pharmacist' — 'medication' (subject) receives the action of being dispensed.
Which word correctly completes the sentence? 'The hospital policy _____ all visitors to sign in at the front desk.'
Answer: requires
'Policy' is the singular subject, requiring the singular verb 'requires' in the present tense.
Which of the following sentences contains a misplaced modifier?
Answer: The nurse gave the quickly patient an injection.
In option C, 'quickly' is placed before 'patient,' implying the patient is 'quickly,' which is illogical. The adverb should modify the verb, not the noun.
Which of the following correctly uses a colon?
Answer: She needed three supplies: gauze, tape, and gloves.
A colon after 'supplies' correctly introduces a list. The clause before the colon is complete and independent.
Which of the following is a correctly written possessive noun?
Answer: The nurse's station was busy.
'Nurse's' shows singular possession — the station belonging to one nurse — using 's.
What is the function of a subordinating conjunction?
Answer: Introduce a dependent clause and connect it to an independent clause
Subordinating conjunctions (because, although, since, if, when, while, etc.) introduce dependent clauses and connect them to independent clauses, showing a relationship.
Which of the following sentences is grammatically parallel?
Answer: The nursing student studied hard, exercised regularly, and ate healthy meals.
Option B uses consistent parallel structure: all three verbs are in simple past tense (studied, exercised, ate).
In the sentence 'The medication that the doctor prescribed is now in short supply,' what type of clause is 'that the doctor prescribed'?
Answer: Adjective (relative) clause
'That the doctor prescribed' is an adjective (relative) clause — it modifies the noun 'medication' and begins with the relative pronoun 'that.'
Which sentence correctly uses 'who' versus 'whom'?
Answer: The nurse who was on duty called the doctor.
'Who' is used as a subject pronoun. In option C, 'who was on duty' modifies 'nurse' — 'who' is the subject of 'was on duty,' so 'who' is correct.
Which of the following is a compound-complex sentence?
Answer: Although the patient was tired, she rested, and the nurse charted.
Option D has two independent clauses ('she rested' and 'the nurse charted') plus one dependent clause ('Although the patient was tired') — making it compound-complex.
Which sentence correctly uses an apostrophe in a contraction?
Answer: The nurse shouldn't administer the medication without verifying the order.
'Shouldn't' is the contraction of 'should not' — the apostrophe correctly replaces the 'o' in 'not.'
In grammar, what is an 'antecedent'?
Answer: A word that a pronoun refers back to
An antecedent is the noun (or noun phrase) that a pronoun refers back to. Clear pronoun-antecedent agreement is essential for clear writing.
Which of the following sentences correctly uses a semicolon?
Answer: The nurse was tired; however, she finished her shift.
A semicolon before a conjunctive adverb ('however') correctly joins two independent clauses. 'However' requires a semicolon before it and a comma after when connecting clauses.
Which of the following is an example of a run-on sentence?
Answer: The patient had a high fever the doctor was called immediately.
Option C is a run-on (fused sentence) — two independent clauses joined without any punctuation or conjunction.