English and Language Usage TEAS

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C because "It's" is the contraction for "it is" or "it has," while "its" is the possessive form. In this sentence, the contraction "It's" is correctly used to indicate that something has often been said. Choices A, B, and D all incorrectly use "Its," the possessive form, which does not fit in the context of the sentence. It is important to pay attention to the usage of contractions and possessive forms to ensure correct word usage in sentences.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C: Lacking elegance. In the context of the sentence, 'graceless' describes Janine's behavior as awkward and lacking in elegance. This is evident from the fact that she was nervous and her actions on stage were clumsy. Choices A, B, and D do not accurately capture the meaning of 'graceless' in this context. Option A, "Against fear," is not relevant to the description of Janine's behavior. Option B, "Without religion," is unrelated to the context of the sentence. Option D, "Full of caution," does not align with the idea of Janine's lack of grace and elegance.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D because the comma after the word 'delicious' is unnecessary. This comma creates a comma splice, where two independent clauses are improperly connected. Removing this comma would result in a correct sentence structure. Choice A is incorrect because the comma after 'market' is necessary to separate the introductory clause. Choice B is incorrect as the comma after 'beef' is needed to separate items in a list. Choice C is also incorrect as the comma after 'celery' is crucial for clarity in the list of items.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C: Closely packed together. In the given sentence, the context suggests that the city is not compact in terms of being closely packed together but divided into separate districts. This usage of "compact" refers to being densely or closely packed. Explanation: 1. The sentence contrasts a compact city with separate districts, implying that a compact city would not be divided into separate areas. 2. The term "compact" in this context describes a city that is not closely packed or dense. 3. Therefore, the meaning of "compact" in this sentence aligns with the definition of closely packed together. Summary: A: A small case for holding makeup - Irrelevant to the context of the sentence. B: To compress - Does not fit the context of the sentence, which is describing the layout of a city. D: Very tidy - Not related to the idea of being closely packed together as described in the sentence.

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.