Grammar and Writing Ability Flashcards
7 cards from real Texas Civil Service Exam practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Grammar and Writing Ability flashcards as text
Which sentence uses commas correctly?
Answer: The report was long, detailed, and confusing.
Serial commas correctly separate three or more items in a list.
Which word correctly completes the sentence: 'The officer _____ the suspect's alibi before making an arrest.'
Answer: verified
'Verified' is the correct past tense of 'verify'; the -fy ending changes to -fied.
Which sentence contains a dangling modifier?
Answer: Running to the scene, the evidence was collected quickly.
In the first sentence, 'Running to the scene' incorrectly modifies 'evidence' rather than a person.
Select the correctly punctuated sentence.
Answer: The lieutenant asked whether the forms had been submitted.
Indirect questions do not require a comma or colon before the subordinate clause.
Which version of the sentence is most concise without losing meaning?
Answer: Because it was raining, the parade was cancelled.
'Because' is more concise than 'due to the fact that' and conveys the same causal relationship.
Which sentence uses the apostrophe correctly?
Answer: The departments' budgets were reviewed annually.
'Departments'' (apostrophe after the s) shows possession for a plural noun.
Choose the sentence that correctly uses 'fewer' vs. 'less.'
Answer: There were fewer officers available during the holiday weekend.
'Fewer' is used with countable nouns like 'officers,' while 'less' is used with uncountable quantities.