Question 1

Instructions: The following sentences form a paragraph. Select the correct words and punctuation for each blank. Years later, the library suffered a tragic fate: In 1851, two-thirds of the Jefferson
____ destroyed in another fire.
A) collection was
B) collection, was

Accepted Answer

The correct sentence structure requires a colon after "fate" and then a complete sentence following. The subject of the sentence is "collection" so it should not have a comma before "was". The correct format is "two-thirds of the Jefferson collection was destroyed in another fire."

Question 2

Instructions: The following sentences form a paragraph. Select the correct words and punctuation for each blank. Our nation's Library of Congress has a
____ history.
A) long rich
B) long, rich

Accepted Answer

The two adjectives describing the history of the Library of Congress are both independent, so they should be separated by a comma. Therefore, "long, rich" is the correct choice.

Question 3

Instructions: Select the letter of the sentence that is correctly punctuated with commas. Which sentence is correctly punctuated?
A) Aanya put, lettuce onions walnuts olives and cheese, in the salad.
B) Aanya put lettuce, onions, walnuts, olives, and cheese in the salad.
C) Aanya put lettuce, onions, walnuts, olives, and cheese, in the salad.

Accepted Answer

The sentence lists multiple ingredients in a series, which should be separated with commas. The comma before the conjunction "and" is known as the Oxford comma which is optional. Both options with or without the Oxford comma are acceptable, but consistency should be maintained throughout the text.

Question 4

Instructions: Select the letter of the sentence that is correctly punctuated with commas. Which sentence is correctly punctuated?
A) Tomorrow morning, I plan to get up at 7 a.m., start my homework at 9 a.m., and be finished by noon.
B) Tomorrow morning I plan to get up at 7 a.m. start my homework at 9 a.m. and be finished by noon.
C) Tomorrow morning, I plan to get up at 7 a.m. start my homework at 9 a.m., and be finished by noon.

Accepted Answer

This sentence correctly uses commas to separate the different actions planned for the morning. Commas are used before and after the time markers "tomorrow morning" and "by noon," and to separate the different activities planned.

Question 5

Instructions: Select the letter of the sentence that is correctly punctuated with commas. Which sentence is correctly punctuated?
A) The coach, a cigar-chewing bully, pushed his team to first place.
B) The coach, a cigar-chewing bully pushed his team, to first place.
C) The coach a cigar-chewing bully, pushed his team to first place.

Accepted Answer

The sentence correctly uses commas to set off the appositive "a cigar-chewing bully" from the rest of the sentence.

Question 6

Instructions: Select the letter of the sentence that is correctly punctuated with commas. Which sentence is correctly punctuated?
A) My sister Lucia owns the largest hardware store in town.
B) My sister, Lucia owns the largest hardware store in town.
C) My sister Lucia, owns the largest hardware store, in town.

Accepted Answer

Sentence A is correctly punctuated because it correctly identifies "Lucia" as an appositive without unnecessary commas. The other options incorrectly use commas either by placing them where they are not needed or by omitting necessary commas.

Question 7

Instructions: The following sentences form a paragraph. Select the correct words and punctuation for each blank. The Library of Congress'
____ access to more than 31 million online files containing digitized photographs, manuscripts, maps, sound recordings, and other materials.
A) website provides
B) website, provides

Accepted Answer

The sentence needs a subject-verb agreement, which is formed by "website" and "provides". There is no need for a comma separating the subject and verb.

Question 8

Instructions: The following sentences form a paragraph. Select the correct words and punctuation for each blank. Congress realized the importance of preserving national
____ built a fireproof room made of iron in the Capitol Building.
A) books and
B) books, and

Accepted Answer

The sentence is expressing one single idea - the importance of preserving national books - which is why it does not need to be separated into two independent clauses with a comma. Therefore, the best option is A.

Question 9

Instructions: The following sentences form a paragraph. Select the correct words and punctuation for each blank. In 1870, a new copyright law
____ the Library of Congress receive two copies of each book published in the United States.
A) stipulated, that
B) stipulated that

Accepted Answer

The conjunction "that" is used to introduce a clause in this sentence, so it does not require a comma after "law." Therefore, only the option without a comma (B) is correct.

Question 10

Instructions: Select the letter of the sentence that is correctly punctuated with commas. Which sentence is correctly punctuated?
A) It seems impossible to get tickets for Laughing on the Inside which is one of the biggest hits in years.
B) It seems impossible to get tickets for Laughing on the Inside, which is one of the biggest hits in years.
C) It seems impossible, to get tickets for Laughing on the Inside, which is one of the biggest hits, in years.

Accepted Answer

The relative clause "which is one of the biggest hits in years" is properly set off with commas on both sides. Choice A lacks a comma before "which," while choice C has a misplaced comma after "Inside" and an unnecessary comma after "hits."

Question 11

Instructions: Select the letter of the sentence that is correctly punctuated with commas. Which sentence is correctly punctuated?
A) Samuel a dedicated maintenance man, won an award for outstanding service, to the Bugle Box Company.
B) Samuel, a dedicated maintenance man won an award, for outstanding service to the Bugle Box Company.
C) Samuel, a dedicated maintenance man, won an award for outstanding service to the Bugle Box Company.

Accepted Answer

The correct sentence needs two commas: one after "Samuel" and one after "maintenance man" to set off the nonessential phrase "a dedicated maintenance man." Choice A has a comma after "man" but not after "Samuel." Choice B has a comma after "Samuel" but not after "man." Choice C has both commas in the correct place.

Question 12

Instructions: The following sentences form a paragraph. Select the correct words and punctuation for each blank. Today the Library of Congress holds over 34.5 million books in 470
____ the largest collection of books on the planet.
A) languages and is
B) languages, and is

Accepted Answer

The answer of Instructions: The following sentences form a paragraph....

Question 13

Instructions: The following sentences form a paragraph. Select the correct words and punctuation for each blank. The original Library of Congress was conceived of in 1800 as a place to store
____ congressmen's correspondence.
A) books, papers, and
B) books papers and,

Accepted Answer

The sentence is discussing the original purpose of the Library of Congress, which was to store books, papers, and congressmen's correspondence. Therefore, option A is the correct choice as it includes all three elements separated by commas, while option B incorrectly omits a comma after "papers."

Question 14

Instructions: The following sentences form a paragraph. Select the correct words and punctuation for each blank. The library is now housed in three buildings: ____.
A) the Jefferson Building the Adams Building and, the James Madison Memorial Building
B) the Jefferson Building, the Adams Building, and the James Madison Memorial Building

Accepted Answer

The correct punctuation for listing three items in a sentence requires the use of commas between each item and "and" before the final item. Therefore, the answer is choice B, which correctly uses commas and "and" between the names of the three buildings.

Question 15

Instructions: Select the letter of the sentence that is correctly punctuated with commas. Which sentence is correctly punctuated?
A) A letter postmarked Bismarck, North Dakota came for you today.
B) A letter postmarked Bismarck, North Dakota, came for you today.
C) A letter postmarked Bismarck North Dakota, came for you today.

Accepted Answer

The sentence needs a comma to separate the city and state in the address. The comma before "came" is also necessary because the clause "postmarked Bismarck, North Dakota" is non-essential to the meaning of the sentence.

Question 16

Instructions: The following sentences form a paragraph. Select the correct words and punctuation for each blank.
____ the library was burned down by the English in the War of 1812.
A) Unfortunately,
B) Unfortunately

Accepted Answer

The word "unfortunately" indicates that what follows is a negative event, which in this case is the burning down of the library. Therefore, an adverb like "unfortunately" is needed at the beginning of the sentence to show that something bad happened. Additionally, a comma is needed after "unfortunately" to separate it from the rest of the sentence.

Question 17

Instructions: Select the letter of the sentence that is correctly punctuated with commas. Which sentence is correctly punctuated?
A) Jorge will always remember June 10, 1985 as the day he became office manager, bought a house and became a father.
B) Jorge will always remember June 10 1985, as the day, he became office manager, bought a house and became a father.
C) Jorge will always remember June 10, 1985, as the day he became office manager, bought a house, and became a father.

Accepted Answer

This sentence correctly uses commas to separate a series of items and to set off the introductory phrase "as the day." The first answer choice doesn't use any commas to separate the items, and the second answer choice uses extra commas to set off unnecessary phrases.

Question 18

Instructions: Select the letter of the sentence that is correctly punctuated with commas. Which sentence is correctly punctuated?
A) The company's latest model a combination felt-tipped pen and lead pencil sells for under $5.
B) The company's latest model, a combination felt-tipped pen and lead pencil, sells for under $5.
C) The company's latest model, a combination felt-tipped pen, and lead pencil sells, for under $5.

Accepted Answer

This sentence uses a comma to set off the appositive phrase "a combination felt-tipped pen and lead pencil" which provides additional information about the company's latest model.

Question 19

Instructions: The following sentences form a paragraph. Select the correct words and punctuation for each blank.
____ Congress restocked the library's shelves with Thomas Jefferson's enormous personal collection of books.
A) After the war
B) After the war,

Accepted Answer

The sentence is introducing a new idea that is connected to the previous one. Therefore, it requires a comma to separate the two ideas. "After the war" does not provide enough context for the sentence.

Question 20

Instructions: Select the letter of the sentence that is correctly punctuated with commas. Which sentence is correctly punctuated?
A) The waiter who works the late shift always has dark circles under his eyes.
B) The waiter, who works the late shift, always has dark circles under his eyes.
C) The waiter who works the late shift, always has dark circles under his eyes.

Accepted Answer

The sentence A is correctly punctuated because "who works the late shift" is a restrictive clause (essential to the meaning of the sentence) and does not require commas.

Quiz 37: The Comma

Instructions: The following sentences form a paragraph. Select the correct words and punctuation for each blank. Years later, the library suffered a tragic fate: In 1851, two-thirds of the Jefferson ____ destroyed in another fire.

Instructions: The following sentences form a paragraph. Select the correct words and punctuation for each blank. Our nation's Library of Congress has a ____ history.

Instructions: Select the letter of the sentence that is correctly punctuated with commas. Which sentence is correctly punctuated?

Instructions: Select the letter of the sentence that is correctly punctuated with commas. Which sentence is correctly punctuated?

Instructions: Select the letter of the sentence that is correctly punctuated with commas. Which sentence is correctly punctuated?

Instructions: Select the letter of the sentence that is correctly punctuated with commas. Which sentence is correctly punctuated?

Instructions: The following sentences form a paragraph. Select the correct words and punctuation for each blank. The Library of Congress' ____ access to more than 31 million online files containing digitized photographs, manuscripts, maps, sound recordings, and other materials.

Instructions: The following sentences form a paragraph. Select the correct words and punctuation for each blank. Congress realized the importance of preserving national ____ built a fireproof room made of iron in the Capitol Building.

Instructions: The following sentences form a paragraph. Select the correct words and punctuation for each blank. In 1870, a new copyright law ____ the Library of Congress receive two copies of each book published in the United States.

Instructions: Select the letter of the sentence that is correctly punctuated with commas. Which sentence is correctly punctuated?

Instructions: Select the letter of the sentence that is correctly punctuated with commas. Which sentence is correctly punctuated?

Instructions: The following sentences form a paragraph. Select the correct words and punctuation for each blank. Today the Library of Congress holds over 34.5 million books in 470 ____ the largest collection of books on the planet.

Instructions: The following sentences form a paragraph. Select the correct words and punctuation for each blank. The original Library of Congress was conceived of in 1800 as a place to store ____ congressmen's correspondence.

Instructions: The following sentences form a paragraph. Select the correct words and punctuation for each blank. The library is now housed in three buildings: ____.

Instructions: Select the letter of the sentence that is correctly punctuated with commas. Which sentence is correctly punctuated?

Instructions: The following sentences form a paragraph. Select the correct words and punctuation for each blank. ____ the library was burned down by the English in the War of 1812.

Instructions: Select the letter of the sentence that is correctly punctuated with commas. Which sentence is correctly punctuated?

Instructions: Select the letter of the sentence that is correctly punctuated with commas. Which sentence is correctly punctuated?

Instructions: The following sentences form a paragraph. Select the correct words and punctuation for each blank. ____ Congress restocked the library's shelves with Thomas Jefferson's enormous personal collection of books.

Instructions: Select the letter of the sentence that is correctly punctuated with commas. Which sentence is correctly punctuated?