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ATI TEAS: English and
Language Usage Test
Which of the following nouns represents the correct plural form of the word syllabus? A. Syllabus B. Syllaba C. Syllabi D. Syllabis {ANS} - C. The word syllabi is the correct plural form of syllabus.
- The other answer choices reflect incorrect plural forms. Specifically, syllabus does not change the form at all, and the Latin root of syllabus would require some change.
- At the same time, syllaba - while an accurate plural for some words with Latin roots
- is incorrect in this case.
- And syllabis is a double form of the plural, so it cannot be correct. Which of the following words functions as an adjective in the sentence below? The welsh kingdom of Gwynedd existed as an independent state from the early 5th century, when the Romans left Britain, until the late 13th century, when the king of England took control of Wales. A. independent B. century C. king D. control {ANS} - A. The word independent is an adjective that modifies the word state, describing what kind of state the kingdom of Gwynedd was. The words century, king, and control are all nouns in this context. Bi, re, and un are:
A. Suffixes, appearing at the beginning of base words to change their meaning B. Suffixes, appearing at the end of base words to enhance their meaning C. Prefixes, appearing at the beginning of base words to emphasize their meaning
D. temporal sequencing words {ANS} - C. Cause-effect words. Signal words give the reader hints about the purpose of a particular passage. Some signal words are concerned with
comparing/contrasting, some with cause and effect, some with temporal sequencing, some with physical location, and some with a problem and its solution. The words since, whether, and accordingly are words used when describing an outcome. Outcomes have causes. Which of the answer choices identifies the misspelled word in the sentence below? Donald considered the job offer carefully, but he ultimately decided that the low salary was not acceptible given his previous experience. A. carefully B. decided C. salary D. acceptible {ANS} - D. Acceptable is the correct spelling of the word. Which of the answer choices best combines the following four sentences into two sentences? I'm usually good about keeping track of my keys. I lost them. I spent hours looking for them. I found them in the freezer. A. I lost my keys, even though I'm usually good about keeping track of them. I found them the freezer and spend hours looking for them. B. I spend hours looking for my keys and found them in the freezer. I had lost them, even though I'm usually good about keeping track of them. C. I'm usually good about keeping track of my keys, but I lost them. After spending hours looking for them, I found them in the freezer. D. I'm usually good about keeping track of my keys, but I lost them in the freezer. I had to spend hours looking for them. {ANS} - C. Answer choice C offers the most effective combination of the sentences with the use of the conjunction but and the dependent clause starting with after. All other answer choices result in choppy or unclear combination of the four sentences. Which of the answer choices gives the best definition of the underline word in
The warning against smoking may have been tacit, but Beryl instinctively knew that her mother wanted her to avoid picking up the habit. A. complicated B. empty C wordy D. unstated {ANS} - D. If Beryl knew something instinctively, it is safe to say that her mother's warning was not stated outright. Therefore, answer choice D is the best options.
- Answer choice A makes little sense.
- Answer choice B makes sense only if Beryl suspects her mother does not care whether or not she smokes.
- Answer choice C has a meaning that tis the opposite of the one implied in the sentence. Which of the answer choices shows the correct punctuation of the city and the state in the following sentence? After living in Oak Ridge Missouri all her life, Cornelia was excited about her trip to Prague. A. After living in Oak ridge, Missouri, all her life, Cornelia was excited about her trip to Prague. B. After living in Oak Ridge, Missouri all her life, Cornelia was excited about her trip to Prague. C. After living in Oak, Ridge, Missouri all her life, Cornelia was excited about her trip to Prague. D. After living in Oak Ridge Missouri all her life, Cornelia was excited about her trip to Prague. {ANS} - A. Correct punctuation requires a comma after both city and state when both fall within the sentence, even when the city and state fall within an opening dependent clause that has a comma after it.
- All answer choices that do not have a comma after the state as well as the city are incorrect.
- Answer choice C is incorrect because it adds a comma after the Oak for no clear reason as the name of the city in full is clearly Oak Ridge. What transition should be added to the beginning of sentence 2 below?
(1) I zoned out in class, turned work in late, talked out in class, and handed in assignments after the due date. (2) Mr. Shanbourne just nodded. A. Surprisingly B. Actually C. Furthermore D. Instead {ANS} - A. The transition "surprisingly" indicates that the reaction was unexpected, or even contradictory to the circumstance for the speaker not turning his work in on time and talking-out in class.
- The other answer choices do not make as much sense to coordinate these two sentences. The following words all end in the same suffix, -ism: polytheism, communism, nationalism. Considering the meaning of the three words, how does the suffix - ism apply to all of them? A. Doctrine B. Condition C Characteristic D. State of being {ANS} - A. The suffix -ism here suggests a doctrine that is followed, whether that be the doctrine of polytheism (a religious doctrine), communism (a social doctrine), or nationalism (a political doctrine). What is the most effective way to rewrite the following sentence? She is saying that outfits the students are wearing to school is being distracting and inappropriate? A. Some of the outfits students wear to school, she is saying, are distracting and not appropriate. B. The outfits are distracting and inappropriate, she says, that students wear to school. C. She says that some of the outfits that students wear to school are distracting and inappropriate. D. She says that it is distracting and inappropriate that students wear outfits to school. {ANS} - C. This version begins with a subject and verb
- Choice A is incorrect because the words are out of order and don't logically follow the previous sentence. The sentence should begin with "She says' because it is the school principal's opinion being expressed. This choice is also incorrect because it uses the words not appropriate instead of inappropriate.
- Choice B is incorrect because the clause "that students wear to schools" should come after the word outfits.
- Choice D is incorrect because the word order changes the meaning of the sentence by stating that any outfits are distracting and inappropriate. Which both following is an example of a correctly punctuated sentence? A. Beatrice is very intelligent, she just does not apply herself well enough in her class to make good grades. B. Beatrice is very intelligent: she just does not apply herself well enough in her classes to make good grades. C. Beatrice is very intelligent she just does not apply herself well enough in her classes to make good grades. D. Beatrice is very intelligent; she just does not apply herself well enough in her classes to make good grades. {ANS} - D. The semicolon correctly joins the two sentences.
- Answer choice A is incorrect, because it uses a comma splice to join two independent clauses. (To join two independent clauses, a comma needs to be accompanied by a coordinating conjunction.)
- The colon in answer choice B is incorrect because the information in the second clause does not clearly define or explain the previous clause
- Answer choice C is incorrect because it offers no punctuation to separate the two independent clauses and thus creates more confusion than clarity. What is the most effective way to combine the two sentences below? Some members of the Sons of Liberty constructed a paper obelisk. An obelisk is the same shape as the Washington Monument. A. Some members of the Sons of Liberty constructed a paper obelisk, which is the same shape as the Washington Monument. B. Some members of the Sons of Liberty constructed a paper obelisk
which is the same shape as the Washington Monument.
used as one whole to a specific name, which makes it a proper noun. If the sentence said "her uncle Archibald," then uncle would remain lower case.
- In answer choice A, the word cousin needs no capitalization, because it is used to describe Elaine but is not used as part of her name. (The only distinctions are when the word is used within a direct address or opens a sentence.)
- Similarly, mother and sister do not need to be capitalized unless they are the first word of the sentence or are used to directly address someone. What is the most likely meaning of the underlined phrase in the sentence below? The Western perceptive expects moral actions to be quid pro quo to put it another way, a Westerner assumes that if he or she does something considered "good," then he or she should and will be rewarded. A. "something for nothing." B. "good merit money." C. "to each his own." D. "this for that." {ANS} - D. Within the context of the sentence, it seems as if "quid pro quo" means something like "if I do something, then I will be rewarded with something good."
- Choice A is not a good choice because it says "if I don't do anything, I will get something good."
- Choice B is inappropriate because money is not mentioned.
- While choice C might seem like a good choice, the phrase is not put in another way to talk about what people deserve as much as it talks about what people should do or how they should behave.
- Choice D is the best choice because "something for something" implies the sort of exchange descried in the passage. Which of the following sets of words correctly fill in the blanks in the sentenced below? We cannot allow the budget cuts to the plans to improve education; the futures of children are not stake.
A. effect; your B. affect; you're
- The word South should be capitalized when it refers to a region of the United States (as indicated by the mention of Mississippi).
- The word East should be capitalized when it refers to the region of Texas.
- And the word north does not need to be capitalized when it is simply a directional indication (as in answer choice D).
