CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Punctuation
Which option is correctly punctuated for the sentence beginning “Please bring three items your…”?
A. Please bring three items: your identity card, a pen, and the admission slip.
B. Please bring three items; your identity card, a pen, and the admission slip.
C. Please bring three items, your identity card, a pen, and the admission slip.
D. Please bring: three items your identity card, a pen, and the admission slip.
Correct Answer: A
A colon introduces a list after an independent clause.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Punctuation
Which option is correctly punctuated for the sentence beginning “The committee had one objective…”?
A. The committee had one objective; to reduce unnecessary expenditure.
B. The committee had one objective, to reduce unnecessary expenditure.
C. The committee had one objective to: reduce unnecessary expenditure.
D. The committee had one objective: to reduce unnecessary expenditure.
Correct Answer: D
A colon may introduce an explanation or specification after a complete clause.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Punctuation
Which option is correctly punctuated for the sentence beginning “She had prepared carefully therefore…”?
A. She had prepared carefully; therefore, she felt confident.
B. She had prepared carefully, therefore, she felt confident.
C. She had prepared carefully: therefore she felt confident.
D. She had prepared carefully therefore; she felt confident.
Correct Answer: A
Use a semicolon before a conjunctive adverb that links two independent clauses.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Punctuation
Which option is correctly punctuated for the sentence beginning “The road was flooded nevertheless…”?
A. The road was flooded, nevertheless the rescue team continued.
B. The road was flooded; nevertheless, the rescue team continued.
C. The road was flooded nevertheless; the rescue team continued.
D. The road was flooded: nevertheless, the rescue team continued.
Correct Answer: B
A semicolon normally precedes a conjunctive adverb joining independent clauses, followed by a comma.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Punctuation
Which option is correctly punctuated for the sentence beginning “The evidence was incomplete the…”?
A. The evidence was incomplete, the hearing was postponed.
B. The evidence was incomplete: the hearing was postponed.
C. The evidence was incomplete the hearing was postponed.
D. The evidence was incomplete; the hearing was postponed.
Correct Answer: D
A semicolon can join two closely related independent clauses without a coordinating conjunction.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Punctuation
Which option is correctly punctuated for the sentence beginning “We cant ignore the committees…”?
A. We can,t ignore the committee's recommendation.
B. We cant ignore the committees recommendation.
C. We can't ignore the committee's recommendation.
D. We can't ignore the committees' recommendation.
Correct Answer: C
Can't is a contraction, and committee's is a singular possessive.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Punctuation
Which option is correctly punctuated for the sentence beginning “The girls hostel closes at…”?
A. The girls' hostel closes at ten o'clock.
B. The girls hostel closes at ten o'clock.
C. The girls's hostel closes at ten oclock.
D. The girl's hostel closes at ten oclock.
Correct Answer: A
The plural possessive 'girls'' and the contraction 'o'clock' both require apostrophes.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Punctuation
Which option is correctly punctuated for the sentence beginning “A days delay can affect…”?
A. A day's delay can affect the entire schedule.
B. A days delay can affect the entire schedule.
C. A days' delay can affect the entire schedule.
D. A day,s delay can affect the entire schedule.
Correct Answer: A
A singular expression of time takes apostrophe + s.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Punctuation
Which option is correctly punctuated for the sentence beginning “Two weeks notice is required…”?
A. Two week's notice is required before resignation.
B. Two weeks notice is required before resignation.
C. Two weeks's notice is required before resignation.
D. Two weeks' notice is required before resignation.
Correct Answer: D
Expressions of time can take the possessive apostrophe: two weeks' notice.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Punctuation
Which option is correctly punctuated for the sentence beginning “Ali and Ahmeds project won…”?
A. Ali and Ahmeds project won the competition.
B. Ali and Ahmeds' project won the competition.
C. Ali and Ahmed's project won the competition.
D. Ali's and Ahmed's project won the competition.
Correct Answer: C
Joint possession is shown by adding the possessive marker to the final name only.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Punctuation
Which option is correctly punctuated for the sentence beginning “The directors and the secretarys…”?
A. The directors and the secretarys offices are on different floors.
B. The directors' and secretarys' offices are on different floors.
C. The director and secretary's offices are on different floors.
D. The director's and the secretary's offices are on different floors.
Correct Answer: D
Separate possession by two people is shown by a possessive form on each noun.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Punctuation
Which option is correctly punctuated for the sentence beginning “Whose signature appears at the…”?
A. Whose' signature appears at the bottom of the form?
B. Whose signature appears at the bottom of the form?
C. Whos' signature appears at the bottom of the form?
D. Who's signature appears at the bottom of the form?
Correct Answer: B
Whose is the possessive form and takes no apostrophe.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Punctuation
Which option is correctly punctuated for the sentence beginning “Whos responsible for maintaining this…”?
A. Whos' responsible for maintaining this record?
B. Whose responsible for maintaining this record?
C. Who,s responsible for maintaining this record?
D. Who's responsible for maintaining this record?
Correct Answer: D
Who's is the contraction of 'who is'.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Punctuation
Which option is correctly punctuated for the sentence beginning “The company changed its policy…”?
A. The company changed its policy after the review.
B. The company changed its' policy after the review.
C. The company changed it,s policy after the review.
D. The company changed it's policy after the review.
Correct Answer: A
The possessive determiner 'its' has no apostrophe.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Punctuation
Which option is correctly punctuated for the sentence beginning “Its important to verify the…”?
A. It's important to verify the source before sharing a claim.
B. Its important to verify the source before sharing a claim.
C. Its' important to verify the source before sharing a claim.
D. It,s important to verify the source before sharing a claim.
Correct Answer: A
It's is the contraction of 'it is'.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Punctuation
Which option is correctly punctuated for the sentence beginning “The officers uniforms were inspected…”?
A. The officer's uniforms were inspected before the parade.
B. The officers' uniforms were inspected before the parade.
C. The officers's uniforms were inspected before the parade.
D. The officers uniforms were inspected before the parade.
Correct Answer: B
A plural noun ending in s takes a final apostrophe for possession.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Punctuation
Which option is correctly punctuated for the sentence beginning “The womens waiting room is…”?
A. The womens waiting room is on the first floor.
B. The women's waiting room is on the first floor.
C. The womens' waiting room is on the first floor.
D. The women's' waiting room is on the first floor.
Correct Answer: B
The irregular plural 'women' takes apostrophe + s for possession.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Punctuation
Which option is correctly punctuated for the sentence beginning “The childrens playground needs repairs…”?
A. The childrens's playground needs repairs.
B. The childrens playground needs repairs.
C. The children's playground needs repairs.
D. The childrens' playground needs repairs.
Correct Answer: C
An irregular plural noun not ending in s forms the possessive with apostrophe + s.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Punctuation
Which option is correctly punctuated for the sentence beginning “The students notebooks were checked…”?
A. The students's notebooks were checked by the teacher.
B. The students' notebooks were checked by the teacher.
C. The students notebooks were checked by the teacher.
D. The student's notebooks were checked by the teacher.
Correct Answer: B
A regular plural noun ending in s forms the possessive by adding only an apostrophe.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Punctuation
Which option is correctly punctuated for the sentence beginning “The students notebook was found…”?
A. The students' notebook was found in the library.
B. The student's notebook was found in the library.
C. The students notebook was found in the library.
D. The student,s notebook was found in the library.
Correct Answer: B
A singular noun forms the possessive with apostrophe + s.