TSIA2 READING VOCABULARY EXAM QUESTIONS WITH COMPLETE VERIFIED
100% SOLUTIONS
Question 1
Which punctuation mark correctly completes the following sentence to show that the second part
explains or expands upon the first: "Reading books makes me happy ___ Reading in the morning
fills me with a joy that illuminates my entire day."
A) ;
B) ,
C) :
D) —
E) .
Correct Answer: C) :
Rationale: A colon is used to join two independent clauses when the second clause explains,
illustrates, or expands upon the first. In this example, the second sentence provides a
specific illustration of why reading books makes the speaker happy, making the colon the
most appropriate choice to signal that detailed explanation.
Question 2
Identify the correct punctuation for the break in this sentence: "I’d better have passed my test
___ its ninety percent of my class grade ___ or I’ll have to go to summer school."
A) , / ,
B) ; / ;
C) : / :
D) — / —
E) ( / )
Correct Answer: D) — / —
Rationale: Dashes (em-dashes) are used to indicate an abrupt break in thought or to set off
parenthetical information with more emphasis than commas or parentheses. Here, the
phrase "it's ninety percent of my class grade" is an emphatic interruption of the main
thought regarding the consequences of failing the test.
, 2
Question 3
Which of the following sentences uses commas correctly to separate a series of items?
A) She's been to New York France Toronto and Tokyo.
B) She's been to New York, France, Toronto, and Tokyo.
C) She's been to New York, France, Toronto and, Tokyo.
D) She's been to New York France, Toronto, and Tokyo.
E) She's been to, New York, France, Toronto, and Tokyo.
Correct Answer: B) She's been to New York, France, Toronto, and Tokyo.
Rationale: When listing three or more items in a series, commas are required to separate
them. The comma before the conjunction (and), known as the Oxford or serial comma, is
standard in most academic writing and helps prevent ambiguity in the list.
Question 4
Which sentence correctly uses a comma between coordinate adjectives?
A) Meg lives in an eerie, secluded house with her cats.
B) Meg lives in an, eerie secluded house with her cats.
C) Meg lives in an eerie secluded, house with her cats.
D) Meg lives in an eerie secluded house, with her cats.
E) Meg lives in, an eerie secluded house with her cats.
Correct Answer: A) Meg lives in an eerie, secluded house with her cats.
Rationale: Coordinate adjectives are two or more adjectives that modify the same noun
equally. You can check if they are coordinate if you can reverse their order ("secluded,
eerie house") or put "and" between them. If they pass this test, they require a comma to
separate them.
Question 5
Choose the correctly punctuated compound sentence:
A) The food was delicious but its too expensive.
B) The food was delicious, but its too expensive.
C) The food was delicious; but its too expensive.
, 3
D) The food was delicious but, its too expensive.
E) The food was delicious, but, its too expensive.
Correct Answer: B) The food was delicious, but its too expensive.
Rationale: A comma must be used before a coordinating conjunction (FANBOYS: for, and,
nor, but, or, yet, so) when it joins two independent clauses. "The food was delicious" and
"its too expensive" are both complete thoughts, so the comma before "but" is
grammatically necessary.
Question 6
Which sentence correctly uses commas to set off an appositive?
A) His mother a disciplinarian, didn't allow him to attend the party.
B) His mother, a disciplinarian didn't allow him to attend the party.
C) His mother, a disciplinarian, didn't allow him to attend the party.
D) His mother a disciplinarian didn't allow him to attend the party.
E) His mother, a disciplinarian; didn't allow him to attend the party.
Correct Answer: C) His mother, a disciplinarian, didn't allow him to attend the party.
Rationale: An appositive is a noun or noun phrase that renames another noun right beside
it. If the information is non-essential (meaning the sentence still makes sense without it), it
must be set off by commas on both sides.
Question 7
Which sentence uses a comma correctly after an introductory phrase?
A) An avid reader Tracy finishes three books in a week.
B) An avid reader, Tracy finishes three books in a week.
C) An avid, reader Tracy finishes three books in a week.
D) An avid reader Tracy, finishes three books in a week.
E) An avid reader Tracy finishes, three books in a week.
Correct Answer: B) An avid reader, Tracy finishes three books in a week.
Rationale: A comma is used after an introductory descriptive phrase (a participial or
, 4
appositive phrase) that sets the stage for the main part of the sentence. "An avid reader"
describes Tracy and functions as an introduction to the main clause.
Question 8
Which of the following demonstrates the correct use of a comma with a mild interjection?
A) Well were not that close anyway.
B) Well, were not that close anyway.
C) Well were not, that close anyway.
D) Well were not that, close anyway.
E) Well; were not that close anyway.
Correct Answer: B) Well, were not that close anyway.
Rationale: Words like "well," "yes," "no," and "however" that introduce a sentence as
mild interjections or markers should be followed by a comma to indicate a slight pause
before the main message.
Question 9
Which sentence shows the correct punctuation for a date and location?
A) She was born January 2nd 1985 in Alberta Canada.
B) She was born January 2nd, 1985, in Alberta, Canada.
C) She was born January 2nd, 1985 in Alberta Canada.
D) She was born January 2nd 1985, in Alberta Canada.
E) She was born, January 2nd 1985 in Alberta Canada.
Correct Answer: B) She was born January 2nd, 1985, in Alberta, Canada.
Rationale: Commas are used to separate the day from the year and the year from the rest of
the sentence. Similarly, a comma must separate the city/province from the country.
Question 10
Which sentence uses commas correctly to separate items in a list of adjectives?
A) David is an intelligent loyal and hard working employee.
B) David is an intelligent, loyal, and hard working employee.
C) David is an intelligent loyal, and hard working employee.
100% SOLUTIONS
Question 1
Which punctuation mark correctly completes the following sentence to show that the second part
explains or expands upon the first: "Reading books makes me happy ___ Reading in the morning
fills me with a joy that illuminates my entire day."
A) ;
B) ,
C) :
D) —
E) .
Correct Answer: C) :
Rationale: A colon is used to join two independent clauses when the second clause explains,
illustrates, or expands upon the first. In this example, the second sentence provides a
specific illustration of why reading books makes the speaker happy, making the colon the
most appropriate choice to signal that detailed explanation.
Question 2
Identify the correct punctuation for the break in this sentence: "I’d better have passed my test
___ its ninety percent of my class grade ___ or I’ll have to go to summer school."
A) , / ,
B) ; / ;
C) : / :
D) — / —
E) ( / )
Correct Answer: D) — / —
Rationale: Dashes (em-dashes) are used to indicate an abrupt break in thought or to set off
parenthetical information with more emphasis than commas or parentheses. Here, the
phrase "it's ninety percent of my class grade" is an emphatic interruption of the main
thought regarding the consequences of failing the test.
, 2
Question 3
Which of the following sentences uses commas correctly to separate a series of items?
A) She's been to New York France Toronto and Tokyo.
B) She's been to New York, France, Toronto, and Tokyo.
C) She's been to New York, France, Toronto and, Tokyo.
D) She's been to New York France, Toronto, and Tokyo.
E) She's been to, New York, France, Toronto, and Tokyo.
Correct Answer: B) She's been to New York, France, Toronto, and Tokyo.
Rationale: When listing three or more items in a series, commas are required to separate
them. The comma before the conjunction (and), known as the Oxford or serial comma, is
standard in most academic writing and helps prevent ambiguity in the list.
Question 4
Which sentence correctly uses a comma between coordinate adjectives?
A) Meg lives in an eerie, secluded house with her cats.
B) Meg lives in an, eerie secluded house with her cats.
C) Meg lives in an eerie secluded, house with her cats.
D) Meg lives in an eerie secluded house, with her cats.
E) Meg lives in, an eerie secluded house with her cats.
Correct Answer: A) Meg lives in an eerie, secluded house with her cats.
Rationale: Coordinate adjectives are two or more adjectives that modify the same noun
equally. You can check if they are coordinate if you can reverse their order ("secluded,
eerie house") or put "and" between them. If they pass this test, they require a comma to
separate them.
Question 5
Choose the correctly punctuated compound sentence:
A) The food was delicious but its too expensive.
B) The food was delicious, but its too expensive.
C) The food was delicious; but its too expensive.
, 3
D) The food was delicious but, its too expensive.
E) The food was delicious, but, its too expensive.
Correct Answer: B) The food was delicious, but its too expensive.
Rationale: A comma must be used before a coordinating conjunction (FANBOYS: for, and,
nor, but, or, yet, so) when it joins two independent clauses. "The food was delicious" and
"its too expensive" are both complete thoughts, so the comma before "but" is
grammatically necessary.
Question 6
Which sentence correctly uses commas to set off an appositive?
A) His mother a disciplinarian, didn't allow him to attend the party.
B) His mother, a disciplinarian didn't allow him to attend the party.
C) His mother, a disciplinarian, didn't allow him to attend the party.
D) His mother a disciplinarian didn't allow him to attend the party.
E) His mother, a disciplinarian; didn't allow him to attend the party.
Correct Answer: C) His mother, a disciplinarian, didn't allow him to attend the party.
Rationale: An appositive is a noun or noun phrase that renames another noun right beside
it. If the information is non-essential (meaning the sentence still makes sense without it), it
must be set off by commas on both sides.
Question 7
Which sentence uses a comma correctly after an introductory phrase?
A) An avid reader Tracy finishes three books in a week.
B) An avid reader, Tracy finishes three books in a week.
C) An avid, reader Tracy finishes three books in a week.
D) An avid reader Tracy, finishes three books in a week.
E) An avid reader Tracy finishes, three books in a week.
Correct Answer: B) An avid reader, Tracy finishes three books in a week.
Rationale: A comma is used after an introductory descriptive phrase (a participial or
, 4
appositive phrase) that sets the stage for the main part of the sentence. "An avid reader"
describes Tracy and functions as an introduction to the main clause.
Question 8
Which of the following demonstrates the correct use of a comma with a mild interjection?
A) Well were not that close anyway.
B) Well, were not that close anyway.
C) Well were not, that close anyway.
D) Well were not that, close anyway.
E) Well; were not that close anyway.
Correct Answer: B) Well, were not that close anyway.
Rationale: Words like "well," "yes," "no," and "however" that introduce a sentence as
mild interjections or markers should be followed by a comma to indicate a slight pause
before the main message.
Question 9
Which sentence shows the correct punctuation for a date and location?
A) She was born January 2nd 1985 in Alberta Canada.
B) She was born January 2nd, 1985, in Alberta, Canada.
C) She was born January 2nd, 1985 in Alberta Canada.
D) She was born January 2nd 1985, in Alberta Canada.
E) She was born, January 2nd 1985 in Alberta Canada.
Correct Answer: B) She was born January 2nd, 1985, in Alberta, Canada.
Rationale: Commas are used to separate the day from the year and the year from the rest of
the sentence. Similarly, a comma must separate the city/province from the country.
Question 10
Which sentence uses commas correctly to separate items in a list of adjectives?
A) David is an intelligent loyal and hard working employee.
B) David is an intelligent, loyal, and hard working employee.
C) David is an intelligent loyal, and hard working employee.
