List of Questions & Answers

Your Correct
Question
Answer Answer
1. Which sentence is written correctly?
a) The field name was "Employee".
b) The field name was "Employee." B b
c) Don't Know

Commas and periods always go inside quotation marks.

2. Which sentence is written correctly?

a) We will meet with all Associates and their Managers on
Monday to discuss the Year-End Report and Company Budget.
b) We will meet with all associates and their managers on Monday
to discuss the Year-End Report and Company Budget.
C c
c) We will meet with all associates and their managers on Monday
to discuss the year-end report and company budget.
d) Don't Know

Do not capitalize the names of positions within the company unless they precede the
person's name ("President Jacobs") or follow the name in the address or closing of a
letter. Do not capitalize words that are not names of one specific thing, as in
"Washington" or "2004 Berringer Year-End Report."

3. Which sentence is written correctly?

a) Their software turned out to be the best; by far.
b) Their software turned out to be the best; I recommend it.
c) Both are correct. b b
d) Don't Know

Use a semicolon only when there is a complete sentence before the semicolon and a
complete sentence after it.

b B

4. Which sentence is written correctly?

 a) Give us the following data; employee addresses, employment
history, and current salaries.
b) Give us the following data: employee addresses, employment
history, and current salaries.
c) Give us the following data, employee addresses, employment
history, and current salaries.
d) Don't Know

Use colons when you have finished the sentence and are adding information after the
colon that explains a word or idea in the sentence. Do not use a semicolon for a colon.

5. Which sentence is written correctly?

a) Come to the meeting with your notes about the upcoming
convention, the marketing plans for next year and the Tooldie
journal ad.
b) Come to the meeting with your notes about the upcoming
convention, the marketing plans for next year, and the Tooldie
journal ad. b b
c) Come to the meeting with, your notes about the upcoming
convention, the marketing plans for next year and the Tooldie
journal ad.
d) Don't Know

While the practice was to leave out the comma before "and" in a series, business
writers now put it in because it makes the list clearer.

6. Which sentence(s) is/are correct? (Check more than one box if

two or more are correct.)
a) The company has four real issues that include: increasing
market share, locating a source for more labor, decreasing operating
expenses, and locating a suitable CEO.
b) The company has four real issues that include increasing market
share, locating a source for more labor, decreasing operating
expenses, and locating a suitable CEO.
c) The company has four real issues: increasing market share, none c
locating a source for more labor, decreasing operating expenses, and
locating a suitable CEO.
d) The company has four real issues, increasing market share,
locating a source for more labor, decreasing operating expenses, and
locating a suitable CEO.
e) Don't Know
Use a colon only when the sentence is complete and you are adding information.
Don't use "include" because the reader wonders what you're not including and why.

7. Which of the following is correct?

a) The jury is at odds over the verdict.
b) The jury are at odds over the verdict.
none b
c) Don't Know

A collective noun is a single word that stands for a group of people, like "family,"
"committee," or "jury." Use the plural verb for a collective noun when the members
act as individuals, as in "Our family live in different parts of the country." Use a
singular verb when the group acts as a unit, as in "Our family is named 'Johnson.'"

8. Which sentence(s) is/are correct? Mark all that are correct.

a) Every manager in a business today is held responsible for his or
her employees' activities.
b) Every manager in a business today is held responsible for their
employees' activities.
none a
c) Every manager in a business today is held responsible for his
employees' activities.
d) Don't Know

Do not use plurals such as "they" and "their" to stand for one person. That is
acceptable in spoken English, but not in written English. Do not use the masculine
pronouns to stand for both males and females; it is sexist.

9. Mark the following sentence(s) that is/are correct.

a) Layton Enterprises is able to provide complete tool services, and
provides the services in a timely fashion.
b) Layton Enterprises is able to provide complete tool services,
and the company provides the services in a timely fashion.
c) Layton Enterprises is able to provide complete tool services and
c bc
provides the services in a timely fashion.
d) Layton Enterprises is able to provide complete tool services and
it provides the services in a timely fashion.
e) Don't Know

Put a comma before "and" when the "and" joins two complete sentences. Do not put
a comma if the clause after the "and" has no subject.
10. Which of the following sentences is correct?
a) He asked, "Where is the loading dock?"
b) This product would sell better if it weren't named 'Flysoup.'
c) Both are correct. none a
d) Don't Know

Use single quotation marks only when you are quoting within a quotation. Otherwise,
always use double quotation marks.

11. Which of the following sentence(s) is/are correct?

a) I would like to see us increase production - without decreasing
quality - until we match demand.
b) I would like to see us increase production -- without decreasing
quality -- until we match demand.
c) I would like to see us increase production, without decreasing
d cd
quality, until we match demand.
d) I would like to see us increase production--without decreasing
quality--until we match demand.
e) Don't Know

Do not use a hyphen (short line -) for a dash. The dash is a line about twice the length
of a hyphen. In Word, if you type two hyphens in a row, the "autocorrect" function
will change them to a dash. You may also insert a dash in Word by clicking on
"Insert," "Symbol," and "Special Characters." If your word processor will not
permit you to type the longer line, use two hyphens in a row to stand for a dash.
Normally, avoid dashes because most business writers don't use them correctly. If you
use a dash, do not put blank spaces before and after the dash.

12. Which sentence(s) is/are correct?

a) Printing will have to move its label to the top of the box.
b) Printing will have to move it's label to the top of the box.
c) The softwares manuals weren't included with the product. a a
d) Don't Know

Use apostrophes to show possession. However, do not use an apostrophe with

possessive pronouns such as "its" and "his." "It's" is a contraction for "it is."

13. Check the sentence(s) that is/are correct. none ac

a) The shipment included 13 fewer cartons than we had ordered
and was four days late.
b) The shipment included 13 fewer cartons than we had ordered
and was 4 days late.
c) The shipment included thirteen fewer cartons than we had
ordered and was four days late.
d) Don't Know

Spell out numbers from one through nine unless they are used in calculations, graphs,
or explanations containing other numbers that are not spelled out. You may spell out
numbers from ten through ninety-nine or use numerals. Use numerals for numbers
larger than ninety-nine. Do not start a sentence with a numeral.

14. Check the sentence(s) that is/are correct.

a) After two months, we chose the shrink wrap method over using
cardboard boxes.
b) After two months, we chose the shrink-wrap method over using
cardboard boxes.
c) The problem was that the long, fat end of the attachment didn't
match the short, narrow hole.
d bc
d) The problem was that the long fat end of the attachment didn't
match the short narrow hole.
e) The problem was that the long-fat end of the attachment didn't
match the short-narrow hole.
f) Don't Know

Put a hyphen between two words that combine to modify a third word, unless the first
word ends in "ly." If the two words modify the third word, but don't work in
combination, and could appear in any order, put a comma between the words, not a
hyphen. For example, you could have either a "long, fat end" or a "fat, long end."
However, you have to have "shrink-wrap method," not "wrap, shrink method."

15. Mark any of the following that is/are acceptable in business

writing today.
a) We try to keep the software with the boxes they came in.
b) The trucker decided to cautiously move the boxes to the other
side to redistribute the load. b abc
c) The text matched the document for which we were searching.
d) Don't Know

Business writers are now putting prepositions at the ends of sentences and splitting
infinitives. However, many would still say that (a) and (b) are incorrect. To avoid a
problem, you might simply change them to satisfy the critics, but you wouldn't be
wrong if you wrote them as they are.
16. Mark the following sentence(s) that is/are correct.
a) We can not allocate resources to this project and you can not
require us to do so.
b) We cannot allocate resources to this project and you cannot
require us to do so.
none c
c) We cannot allocate resources to this project and you shouldn't
ask us to do so.
d) Don't Know

You must spell "cannot" without the space. Don't use "cannot" or "can" instead of
"should." The person can ask you to allocate the resources, but shouldn't.

17. Mark the sentences that is/are correct.

a) I feel badly about missing the meeting.
b) You performed very good in the presentation.
c) I did not do well on the examination because I was up all night
studying for it.
b cd
d) I also performed badly because I was drinking martinis while I
was studying.
e) Don't Know

"Feel" is a linking verb. That means what follows it modifies the subject of the
sentence, not the verb. An "ly" word that modifies is an adverb; it modifies the verb.
As a result, if you write "I feel badly," the "badly" refers to the verb, "feel." It means
your sense of touch is bad. You want to describe something about the subject, "I," so
don't put the "ly" on "bad."

18. Mark the following sentence(s) that is/are correct.

a) Freida located the data, however it was useless.
b) We concluded, therefore, that we would have to start over.
c) However, all wasn't lost because we did have the original
records. a bc
d) All are correct.
e) Don't Know

You must not join two sentences with "however." Put a semicolon or period at the
end of the first sentence and begin the next sentence with "however" and a comma.
Make sure the two clauses are complete sentences, however.
19. Which of the following sentence(s) is/are correct?
a) The company went public on January 6, 1999, and was out of
business in July 1999.
b) The company went public in January, 1999, and was out of
business in July, 1999.
none a
c) The company went public on January 6, 1999 and was out of
business in July, 1999.
d) Don't Know

Do not put a comma between the month and year when just the two appear together.
Put a comma before and after the year when you place the year with the month and
continue the text after the year: "We hired her on January 10, 2002, and promoted
her in August 2003."

20. Which of the following sentence(s) is/are correct?

a) After a long absence he returned to the company.
b) Against the back wall, was the panel we had been searching for.
c c
c) When the project is finished, we will talk about another.
d) Don't Know

Put a comma after an introductory element to let the reader know the sentence is
starting. In this question, "he returned" is the actual sentence; "After a long
absence" is an introductory element that comes before the sentence. It needs a comma
at "absence, he."

21. Mark the sentence(s) below that is/are correct.

a) We will complete the project on time if we receive the software
upgrade we need, the patches we requested, and we have a streak of
luck.
b) The last experience we had taught us that we have to screen
vendors more carefully, evaluate performance at milestone dates,
c b
and act as soon as we sense something is wrong.
c) Whatever can be said for the process, it still takes too long,
requires too much money, and I'm not sure it will work anyway.
d) Don't Know

Every item in a list that appears in a sentence form must fit with the stem or
beginning. The stem in the last (c) is "it still . . ." When you say each item with those
words at the beginning, you have "it still takes too long," "it still requires too much
money," and "it still I'm not sure . . ." The last item in the third doesn't fit with its
stem words, "it still." To correct the problem, reword the last item so it fits: "it still . .
. may not work anyway." The same is true for the items in the first (a). Hint: The
stem is "if we receive." You'll have to rework the last item or make the stem "if we,"
put "receive" before the second item, and rework the third.

22. Which of the following sentence(s) is/are correct?

a) The most damaging result was him leaving.
b) We appreciated her finishing the task, but it wasn't necessary.
c) John's griping was not tolerable.
d) Whatever the problem was, me working at it didn't seem to none bc
help.
e) Don't Know

When you use a gerund (a verb form used as a noun that ends in "ing"), you must use
the possessive form before it.

23. Which of the following is/are correct expression(s) for money?

a) The cost was $49.00 but the company gave us a bulk discount.
b) We found about 4,000 of the staples in a box.
c) This shipment will contain 3 million rings.
c c
d) The salary increase came to only $.75 for most employees.
e) Don't Know

If the dollar amount is in whole dollars, do not put .00 at the end. For approximate
numbers, spell out the number (four thousand). For numbers with million and billion,
write the numeral for the number and the word "million" or "billion." For dollar
amounts less than $1," write the number and cents (75 cents).

24. Which would follow this beginning correctly:

To finish this project on time, we will have to

a) hire a qualified technician,
b) purchase the equipment,
c ab
c) John has to be assigned to it,
d) money.
e) Don't Know

The items in a list must have the same structure. Since the writer is using verbs (hire,
purchase), all items must begin with verbs (hire, purchase, assign, allocate).
25. Which of the following sentence(s) is/are correct?
a) Our requirements are, "Do not include resumes and the proposal
should be no more than 25 pages long."
b) We were worried that if we allowed one proposal that was
longer, others would follow.
c b
c) We appreciate the vendor's situation, but the vendor (you)
agreed to the conditions and you agreed you would deliver.
d) Don't Know

Do not shift mood from imperative ("Do not include") to indicative ("should be"). Do
not shift from indirect address ("the vendor") to direct address ("you").

26. Which of the following sentences uses "which" and "that"

correctly?
a) This is the company which recommended the software that we
can examine when you are ready.
b) This is the company that recommended the software, which we
can examine when you are ready. a b
c) This is the company that recommended the software that we can
examine when you are ready.
d) Don't Know

Use "which" preceded by a comma when the information that follows the "which"
could be taken out of the sentence; it is just extra information. Use "that" with no
comma when the information that follows "that" is critical to understanding the
word(s) that preceded it.