Unit 2: Semicolons and Colons Pretest ENG
IIB
PART I
DIRECTIONS:
Most of the following sentences use a comma or no punctuation mark at all where there should be a
semicolon or colon. On the line following each problem, write the word preceding each error, then add
the needed mark. If the sentence is correct, write C. Do NOT write “I don’t know,” or “IDK,” on your
paper. These are not acceptable answers.
EXAMPLE
1.
1. In the morning I scrubbed the floor, washed the car, and did the laundry, in the
afternoon I read a mystery novel.
1. laundry;____________________________________________________________
Leon finished his model of the Apollo 7, now he is working on a model of the Eagle.
______________________________________________________________________________
2. My sister has records by the following jazz artists, Sarah Vaughan, Buddy Rich, Oscar Peterson,
and Ella Fitzgerald.
______________________________________________________________________________
3. Heating a home can be very expensive, however, people can cut these costs by installing
insulation and storm windows.
______________________________________________________________________________
4. The most abundant minerals in the human body are calcium, phosphorus, and iron.
______________________________________________________________________________
5. Nearsightedness is called myopia, farsightedness is called hyperopia.
______________________________________________________________________________
6. I wrote to my senator on Thursday, September 30, 2012, and on September 27, just a week later, I
received a reply.
______________________________________________________________________________
7. For the opinion survey, Billie will call the Grays, the Mitchells, and the Millers, and Jesse will
call the Chuns, the Van Horns, and the Schmidts.
______________________________________________________________________________
8. I keep the following quotation from a letter written by Martin Luther King, Jr., on the wall over
my desk at home, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
______________________________________________________________________________
9. Ms. Larussa leaves for work at 7 30 every morning and returns promptly at 5 35 every evening.
______________________________________________________________________________
10. For your report on photographers, you may write about Margaret Bourke-White, Dorothea
Lange, Alfred Stieglitz, or Edward Weston.
______________________________________________________________________________
11. The manual alphabet originated in France in the eighteenth century, it was first taught in the
United States by Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet.
II B – KMH- RCSHS
1 ENG
Taken from Warriner’s English and Composition, Third Course, Diagnostic Test, pp. 622-624
and Posttest, pp. 635-637.
Unit 2: Semicolons and Colons Pretest ENG
IIB
______________________________________________________________________________
12. When you deliver a speech you should always have good eye contact, use visual aids, and move
around, otherwise, you will have put your audience to sleep.
______________________________________________________________________________
13. We met many people on the plane to Hawaii, two from Albany, New York, one from San Diego,
California, three from Austin, Texas, and five from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
______________________________________________________________________________
14. Dr. Martha Loomis cited Proverbs 29 11 and 29 22 as warnings against letting anger get the
best of you.
______________________________________________________________________________
15. Cora Mae hurt her ankle when she slid into second base, nevertheless, she bandaged it and
finished the game.
______________________________________________________________________________
16. In class today we discussed the contributions of Gutenberg, the inventor of movable type,
Galileo, the inventor of the first complete astronomical telescope, and Newton, the discoverer of
the laws of gravity.
______________________________________________________________________________
17. On her trip to Europe, Stephanie toured Italy, Spain, France, and Belgium.
______________________________________________________________________________
18. Arnie was really surprised to see Jill, Margie, and me, we had managed to keep his birthday
party a secret.
______________________________________________________________________________
19. We can always go to the museum, the exhibit this month features Alaskan Eskimo art.
______________________________________________________________________________
20. Channel 27 is going to broadcast some classic movies next week, The African Queen, Gone with
the Wind, Mrs. Minnever, and Casablanca.
______________________________________________________________________________
2
ENG II B – KMH- RCSHS
Taken from Warriner’s English and Composition, Third Course, Diagnostic Test, pp. 622-624
and Posttest, pp. 635-637.
Unit 2: Semicolons and Colons Pretest ENG
IIB
PART TWO
DIRECTIONS
Choose the best answer.
21. I didn’t go to the game last night instead I took care of my baby brother.
a. game;
b. b. game:
c. c. night;
d. d. night:
e. No change needed. Correct as is.
22. The band members will perform at the civic center on Tuesday, January 15, at the Kiwanis Club
on Saturday, January 19, and at the Oak Nursing Home on Friday, January 25.
a. January 15; January 19;
b. January 15: January 19:
c. on:
d. perform:
e. No change needed. Correct as is.
23. For the lesson on figures of speech, we had to find examples of simile, metaphor, personification
and hyperbole.
a. speech:
b. speech;
c. of:
d. of;
e. No change needed. Correct as is.
24. My cousin, who is extremely shy, never asks to join an activity consequently, he stays at home a
great deal.
a. shy;
b. Shy:
c. activity;
d. activity:
e. No change needed. Correct as is.
3
ENG II B – KMH- RCSHS
Taken from Warriner’s English and Composition, Third Course, Diagnostic Test, pp. 622-624
and Posttest, pp. 635-637.
Unit 2: Semicolons and Colons Pretest ENG
IIB
25. Lowell has traveled to rain forests in many parts of the world, Borneo, Brazil, Costa Rica, and Sri
Lanka.
a. world;
b. world:
c. forests;
d. forests:
e. No change needed. Correct as is.
26. The Constitutional Convention opened on May 25, 1787, however, the Constitution, which is the
foundation of our country, was not declared in effect until 1789.
a. however;
b. however:
c. 1787;
d. 1787:
e. No change needed. Correct as is.
27. Cape Porpoise, Maine, Nameless, Tennessee, and Liberty Bond, Washington, are among the
many little towns described by William Least Heat Moon in Blue Highways: A Journey into
America.
a. Blue Highways, A Journey into America
b. Blue Highways; A Journey into America
c. Maine; Tennessee; Washington;
d. Maine: Tennessee: Washington:
e. No change needed. Correct as is.
28. The endurance events for the one-day Ironman Triathalon, which is held annually in Hawaii and
is open to both men and women, are as follows, swimming, 2.4 miles in the ocean, bicycling, 112
miles, and running, 26.2 miles.
a. Triathalon: ocean; miles;
b. follows: ocean; miles;
c. Hawaii: swimming; bicycling; running;
d. women: swimming; bicycling; running;
e. No change needed. Correct as is.
29. For this soup, I need lentils, a hambone, an onion, and butter or margarine.
a. soup;
b. soup:
c. need;
d. need:
e. No change needed. Correct as is.
4
ENG II B – KMH- RCSHS
Taken from Warriner’s English and Composition, Third Course, Diagnostic Test, pp. 622-624
and Posttest, pp. 635-637.
Unit 2: Semicolons and Colons Pretest ENG
IIB
30. The others were upset about the flat tire, I however, was glad to get out of the car and stretch my
legs.
a. tire;
b. tire:
c. however;
d. however:
e. No change needed. Correct as is.
31. The Kentucky Derby, at Churchill Downs in Louisville, is a gala event, people come from all
over the world to see the race.
a. Derby;
b. Louisville;
c. event;
d. over;
e. No change needed. Correct as is.
32. The Tower of Babel, as described in Genesis 11 1-9, closely resembled a ziggurat, or terraced
pyramid.
a. Genesis:
b. 11:
c. 9;
d. ziggurat;
e. No change needed. Correct as is.
33. The singers, who were on a one-month tour, performed their most popular songs for the fans, and
everywhere they went, they were greeted with cheers and applause.
a. tour;
b. fans;
c. went;
d. greeted;
e. No change needed. Correct as is.
34. Mary Cassatt, an American impressionist painter, often painted her subjects from above, her
bird’s-eye perspective can be seen in The Bath and The Fitting.
a. painter:
b. subjects;
c. above;
d. perspective;
e. No change needed. Correct as is.
5
ENG II B – KMH- RCSHS
Taken from Warriner’s English and Composition, Third Course, Diagnostic Test, pp. 622-624
and Posttest, pp. 635-637.
Unit 2: Semicolons and Colons Pretest ENG
IIB
35. Tornado warnings have been issued for Lake County, Kane County, parts of Cook County,
including Chicago, and parts of Northern Indiana.
a. for:
b. Cook County; Chicago;
c. Kane County:
d. Lake County; Kane County; Chicago;
e. No change needed. Correct as is.
36. Seeing the carnival brought back memories of the county fairs she had attended as a child,
barkers hawking tickets, sweet smells, and multicolored lights blinking on rides.
a. memories:
b. fairs:
c. child:
d. smells:
e. No change needed. Correct as is.
37. The Spaniards who first settled in America built forts, mission churches, and pueblos, evidence
of their influence on American architecture can be found in the Southwest.
a. built:
b. built;
c. pueblos:
d. pueblos;
e. No change needed. Correct as is.
38. The REM (which stands for “rapid eye movement”) stage of sleep was first discovered in the
1950’s, during the REM stage, the sleeper has dreams and is quite active.
a. REM: (which
b. movement”):
c. sleep;
d. 1950’s;
e. No change needed. Correct as is.
39. My brother does not like violence on television, in the movies, or in books, nor does he play
violent games like hockey and football.
a. on television; in the movies; or in books;
b. in books;
c. violence:
d. games:
6
ENG II B – KMH- RCSHS
Taken from Warriner’s English and Composition, Third Course, Diagnostic Test, pp. 622-624
and Posttest, pp. 635-637.
Unit 2: Semicolons and Colons Pretest ENG
IIB
e. No change needed. Correct as is.
40. Erica never misses a football game on TV, last Saturday, for example, she watched football from
12 00 P.M. TO 10 00 P.M.
a. 12:00, 10:00
b. Example; 12:00, 10:00
c. Saturday; 12:00, 10:00
d. TV; 12:00, 10:00
e. No change needed. Correct as is.
7
ENG II B – KMH- RCSHS
Taken from Warriner’s English and Composition, Third Course, Diagnostic Test, pp. 622-624
and Posttest, pp. 635-637.