Question 1

Instructions: Select the correct noun for each blank. Many of Jay s close ____ practice law downtown.
A) friends
B) friend

Accepted Answer

The sentence suggests that Jay has multiple close friends practicing law downtown. Therefore, the plural form "friends" is the correct choice.

Question 2

Instructions: Read each of the sentences below carefully. Then select the correct word in parentheses. On Mother s Day, Maura rented The Artist because it is ( her , hers ) mother s favorite movie.
A) her
B) hers

Accepted Answer

"Her" is the correct choice because it is used as the possessive form before "mother's favorite movie." "Hers" would be incorrect in this context.

Question 3

Instructions: Select the correct noun for each blank. During the 1984 Olympics, the ____ misinterpreted track star Carl Lewis s comments about money and success to be signs of arrogance.
A) media
B) mediums

Accepted Answer

The media refers to the various sources of communication, such as television, radio, newspapers, and the internet, that provide information to the public. In this case, it was the media's interpretation of Carl Lewis's comments that caused the controversy. Mediums, on the other hand, refer to people who claim to have the ability to communicate with the dead or supernatural beings. This concept is not relevant to the given sentence.

Question 4

Instructions: The following sentences form a passage. Select the correct noun for each blank. Most ____ remember that Robinson led the Brooklyn Dodgers to victory in the 1955 World Series.
A) fans
B) fan

Accepted Answer

The word "most" implies that the sentence is referring to a group, so the plural form of the noun is needed. Therefore, "fans" is the correct choice. The word "most" indicates that multiple individuals are being referred to, therefore the plural form "fans" is more appropriate than the singular form "fan."

Question 5

Instructions: Select the correct noun for each blank. The ____ ran a series of tests to confirm that the new chemical plant meets environmental codes.
A) inspector generals
B) inspectors general

Accepted Answer

"Inspectors general" is the correct plural form of "inspector general." This is because "inspector" is the noun, and "general" is an adjective modifying it. When making the noun plural, we add an "s" to the end of the noun, not the adjective. Therefore, the correct choice is "inspectors general."

Question 6

Instructions: The following sentences form a passage. Select the correct noun for each blank. In 1947 Robinson stepped onto the playing field in a Brooklyn Dodgers ____.
A) uniform
B) uniforms

Accepted Answer

The sentence refers to Robinson stepping onto the field in a singular uniform, not multiple uniforms. The singular noun "uniform" is the best choice because the sentence is referring to Robinson stepping onto the field in a single uniform, not multiple uniforms.

Question 7

Instructions: The following sentences form a passage. Select the correct noun for each blank. Jackie Robinson was probably the bravest ____ to play professional baseball.
A) man
B) men

Accepted Answer

The context suggests that the speaker is referring to a singular person, therefore "man" is the correct choice. The sentence refers to Jackie Robinson as a singular noun, so the correct noun to fill in the blank should be singular as well. "Man" is the correct singular noun to use.

Question 8

Instructions: The following sentences form a passage. Select the correct noun for each blank. In ten ____ with the Dodgers, he had a high batting average and helped the team win six National League pennants.
A) season
B) seasons

Accepted Answer

The sentence mentions that the player spent ten seasons with the Dodgers and helped them win six National League pennants, indicating that the noun should be plural to match the timeframe. Therefore, the correct answer is "seasons" (option B). The sentence is referring to a period of time spanning multiple years. Therefore, the plural form "seasons" is appropriate.

Question 9

Instructions: Select the correct noun for each blank. The developers are building another ____ across from ours.
A) house
B) houses

Accepted Answer

The sentence requires a singular noun to match the singular article "another," making "house" the correct choice.

Question 10

Instructions: Select the correct noun for each blank. Timber ____ are extinct in Western Europe, but they can still be found in North America, Russia, and parts of Asia.
A) wolves
B) wolfs

Accepted Answer

"Wolves" is the correct plural form of "wolf." "Wolfs" is not a valid plural form.

Question 11

Instructions: The following sentences form a passage. Select the correct noun for each blank. Several hotel ____ refused to let him stay with the team when the Dodgers went on road trips.
A) owner
B) owners

Accepted Answer

The use of "several" indicates that there were multiple hotels involved, therefore the correct noun should be plural, which is "owners". The sentence refers to multiple hotel owners, so the plural form "owners" is the correct noun to fill in the blank.

Question 12

Instructions: Select the correct noun for each blank. A few of the conference ____ have chosen to forego tonight s dinner.
A) participant
B) participants

Accepted Answer

The verb "have chosen" indicates that there are multiple people who have made the decision to forego dinner, so the noun should also be plural. Therefore, "participants" is the correct choice.

Question 13

Instructions: The following sentences form a passage. Select the correct noun for each blank. ____ who saw him on the street yelled insults at him.
A) Passers-by
B) Passer-bys

Accepted Answer

"Passers-by" is the correct noun as it refers to multiple people who are passing by. "Passer-bys" is not a valid plural form of "passer-by". The correct plural form of "passer-by" is "passers-by" with the 's' following the first noun. "Passer-bys" is not a correct plural form.

Question 14

Instructions: The following sentences form a passage. Select the correct noun for each blank. Some baseball ____ and players were furious with him; teams even threatened to picket if he played.
A) manager
B) managers

Accepted Answer

The use of plural form 'teams' suggests that there is more than one manager involved. Therefore, 'B) managers' is the correct noun to use.

Question 15

Instructions: Select the correct noun for each blank. For over forty years, Gloria Steinem has been a tireless crusader for women s ____.
A) right
B) rights

Accepted Answer

The sentence is referring to Gloria Steinem's advocacy for multiple rights for women, so the plural form of the noun, "rights," is needed.

Question 16

Instructions: The following sentences form a passage. Select the correct noun for each blank. He made history in so doing but also created a ____ in sports.
A) crises
B) crisis

Accepted Answer

The word "created" suggests that the blank requires a singular noun, so "crisis" (singular) is the correct choice. "Crises" (plural) would not fit grammatically. The sentence is talking about a single problem or issue created by the person's action, so "crisis" (singular) is the correct choice. "Crises" (plural) would suggest that multiple problems were created.

Question 17

Instructions: The following sentences form a passage. Select the correct noun for each blank. Fans screamed cruel slurs and booed him when he was on the field or up at bat, but a few of the sports ____who saw him play realized that he was a great hitter, fielder, and base runner.
A) writers
B) writer

Accepted Answer

The sentence is talking about "a few of the sports" who saw him play, suggesting that there were multiple individuals who recognized the player's talent. Therefore, the correct choice is the plural noun "writers" rather than the singular noun "writer." The sentence is discussing multiple individuals who recognized the player's skills, so the plural noun "writers" is the best fit. "Writer" would suggest only one person, which is not accurate to the sentence.

Question 18

Instructions: The following sentences form a passage. Select the correct noun for each blank. Many newspaper ____ written about Robinson criticized him.
A) article
B) articles

Accepted Answer

The sentence is referring to multiple newspaper pieces, so the plural form "articles" is the correct choice. The sentence mentions "many" newspaper articles, indicating that there were multiple articles written about Robinson. Therefore, the plural form "articles" is the best choice.

Question 19

Instructions: Select the correct noun for each blank. Tom and Linda treat all their ____ as unique individuals.
A) childs
B) children

Accepted Answer

The plural of "child" is "children."

Question 20

Instructions: The following sentences form a passage. Select the correct noun for each blank. With excellent hitting and fast feet, Robinson earned his place in the National Baseball Hall of Fame; he also earned his reputation as a sports ____ for being the first black baseball player in the American major leagues.
A) phenomena
B) phenomenon

Accepted Answer

"Phenomenon" is the correct singular form of the noun to match the singular verb "earned." "Phenomena" is the plural form of the noun. "Phenomenon" is the correct noun to use to refer to Robinson's status as a groundbreaking figure in baseball and in sports in general. "Phenomena" refers to multiple instances or occurrences of a phenomenon, which does not accurately reflect Robinson's situation as the first black player in the major leagues.

Quiz 1: Writing Effective Paragraphs

Instructions: Select the correct noun for each blank. Many of Jay s close ____ practice law downtown.

Instructions: Read each of the sentences below carefully. Then select the correct word in parentheses. On Mother s Day, Maura rented The Artist because it is ( her , hers ) mother s favorite movie.

Instructions: Select the correct noun for each blank. During the 1984 Olympics, the ____ misinterpreted track star Carl Lewis s comments about money and success to be signs of arrogance.

Instructions: The following sentences form a passage. Select the correct noun for each blank. Most ____ remember that Robinson led the Brooklyn Dodgers to victory in the 1955 World Series.

Instructions: Select the correct noun for each blank. The ____ ran a series of tests to confirm that the new chemical plant meets environmental codes.

Instructions: The following sentences form a passage. Select the correct noun for each blank. In 1947 Robinson stepped onto the playing field in a Brooklyn Dodgers ____.

Instructions: The following sentences form a passage. Select the correct noun for each blank. Jackie Robinson was probably the bravest ____ to play professional baseball.

Instructions: The following sentences form a passage. Select the correct noun for each blank. In ten ____ with the Dodgers, he had a high batting average and helped the team win six National League pennants.

Instructions: Select the correct noun for each blank. The developers are building another ____ across from ours.

Instructions: Select the correct noun for each blank. Timber ____ are extinct in Western Europe, but they can still be found in North America, Russia, and parts of Asia.

Instructions: The following sentences form a passage. Select the correct noun for each blank. Several hotel ____ refused to let him stay with the team when the Dodgers went on road trips.

Instructions: Select the correct noun for each blank. A few of the conference ____ have chosen to forego tonight s dinner.

Instructions: The following sentences form a passage. Select the correct noun for each blank. ____ who saw him on the street yelled insults at him.

Instructions: The following sentences form a passage. Select the correct noun for each blank. Some baseball ____ and players were furious with him; teams even threatened to picket if he played.

Instructions: Select the correct noun for each blank. For over forty years, Gloria Steinem has been a tireless crusader for women s ____.

Instructions: The following sentences form a passage. Select the correct noun for each blank. He made history in so doing but also created a ____ in sports.

Instructions: The following sentences form a passage. Select the correct noun for each blank. Fans screamed cruel slurs and booed him when he was on the field or up at bat, but a few of the sports ____who saw him play realized that he was a great hitter, fielder, and base runner.

Instructions: The following sentences form a passage. Select the correct noun for each blank. Many newspaper ____ written about Robinson criticized him.

Instructions: Select the correct noun for each blank. Tom and Linda treat all their ____ as unique individuals.