English and Language Usage TEAS

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The word 'part' functions as an adjective in sentence D ("Ronaldo is part Irish on his mother's side of the family") because it describes Ronaldo's Irish heritage. In this context, 'part' is used to indicate a portion or share of his ancestry, serving as an adjective modifying 'Irish.' In sentences A, B, and C, 'part' is used as a noun referring to a role, a separation, and a contribution, respectively. Therefore, only in sentence D does 'part' function as an adjective.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C: Tense disagreement. The sentence presents a mismatch in tenses between "is a gifted pianist" (present tense) and "struggling with the piece" (present continuous tense). This inconsistency in verb tenses creates a lack of agreement and clarity in the sentence. The correct form should be either "She is a gifted pianist, but she struggled with the piece" or "She was a gifted pianist, and she is struggling with the piece" to maintain tense consistency. Incorrect choices: A: Inappropriate transition word choice - The sentence structure is not affected by the transition word "although." B: Poor diction - The issue is not with the choice of words but with verb tense agreement. D: Incomplete sentence - The sentence is complete in structure; the issue lies in the tense disagreement.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B because it uses the appropriate placement of the comma inside the closing quotation mark. In American English punctuation rules, commas and periods should always go inside the closing quotation mark. Choice A incorrectly places the period outside the closing quotation mark. Choice C incorrectly starts the sentence with a period, and choice D incorrectly uses single quotation marks instead of double quotation marks. Therefore, B is the correct choice as it follows the standard punctuation rules for quotations in American English.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C because it consists of two independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction ("and then"). This structure meets the criteria for a compound sentence, where two independent clauses are connected to create a complete thought. The other choices do not meet this criteria. A is a simple sentence with a compound predicate, B is a complex sentence with a dependent clause, and D is a complex sentence with a compound predicate.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Very large. In the context of the sentence, "prodigious" is used to describe the Mayan pyramid, implying that it is exceptionally large or impressive. The word "prodigious" often means extraordinary in size or extent, which aligns with the description of the pyramid as being distant and imposing. Choices B, C, and D are incorrect because they do not capture the intended meaning of "prodigious" in this context. "Famous" (B), "Very old" (C), and "Fancy" (D) do not convey the sense of immense size or grandeur associated with the Mayan pyramid.