ATI TEAS: Conventions of Standard English Concepts
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Overview
This chapter covers the rules that make writing correct and easy to read: spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and complete sentences. Questions usually ask you to find an error or choose the correctly punctuated sentence.
A complete sentence, or independent clause, has a subject, a verb, and a complete thought. A fragment is missing one of these. A run-on sentence joins two independent clauses with no punctuation, and a comma splice joins them with only a comma. You can fix either with a period, a semicolon, or a comma followed by a coordinating conjunction such as and, but, or so.
Commas separate items in a list, follow an introductory phrase, and set off extra information. Apostrophes show possession or replace missing letters in contractions, but they never make a word plural. Capitalize proper nouns, the first word of a sentence, and titles used before a name.
Key concepts
Sentence fragment
A group of words punctuated as a sentence but missing a subject, a verb, or a complete thought. Example: "Because the clinic was closed."
Memory tipAsk: Could this stand alone and make sense?
Run-on and comma splice
A run-on joins two complete sentences with no punctuation. A comma splice joins them with only a comma. Both are errors.
Memory tipTwo full sentences need more than a comma.
Semicolon
Joins two closely related complete sentences without a conjunction, and separates list items that already contain commas.
Memory tipA semicolon works where a period would also work.
Comma with conjunction
Use a comma before a coordinating conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) when it joins two complete sentences.
Memory tipFANBOYS: comma + conjunction joins two sentences.
Apostrophe
Shows ownership (the nurse's chart, the nurses' station) or replaces missing letters (do not = don't). Never use it to make a simple plural.
Memory tipIt's = it is; its = belonging to it.
Capitalization
Capitalize the first word of a sentence, proper nouns (specific names of people, places, organizations, days, months), and titles directly before a name.
Memory tipSpecific name = capital; general word = lowercase.
Often tested
- Singular possessive adds 's (the patient's room); plural ending in s adds only ' (the patients' rooms).
- Seasons (spring, winter) are not capitalized unless they start a sentence.
- Commonly confused words: their/there/they're, your/you're, affect (verb)/effect (noun).
- Periods and commas go inside closing quotation marks in American English.
Easy to confuse: Fixing two complete sentences
| Method | Example |
|---|---|
| Period | The shift ended. Maria went home. |
| Semicolon | The shift ended; Maria went home. |
| Comma + conjunction | The shift ended, so Maria went home. |
| Error: comma splice | The shift ended, Maria went home. |
3 sample questions
Verified practice questions from this unit.
Question 1. Choose the word that correctly completes the sentence. "All of the ______ coats were hung by the staff room door." (The coats belong to several nurses.)
- ① nurse's
- ② nurses
- ③ nurses'
- ④ nurses's
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Answer: ③ nurses'
Key point: Plural possessive ending in s: add only '
To show that something belongs to more than one person when the plural ends in s, add only an apostrophe after the s: nurses → nurses'. For one nurse, it would be nurse's.
Wrong choices
- nurse's: This shows ownership by one nurse, but the coats belong to several nurses.
- nurses: This is the plain plural with no apostrophe, so it does not show ownership.
- nurses's: For a plural that ends in s, add only an apostrophe, not 's.
Question 2. Which sentence uses a semicolon correctly?
- ① The storm knocked out the power; we lit candles.
- ② Because the storm knocked out the power; we lit candles.
- ③ The storm; knocked out the power.
- ④ We lit candles; and flashlights.
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Answer: ① The storm knocked out the power; we lit candles.
Key point: Semicolon joins two complete, related sentences
A semicolon can join two complete sentences that are closely related, without "and" or "but." "The storm knocked out the power" and "we lit candles" can each stand alone, so a semicolon works between them.
Wrong choices
- Because the storm knocked out the power; we lit candles.: The part before the semicolon is not a complete sentence; use a comma here.
- The storm; knocked out the power.: A semicolon should not split a subject from its verb.
- We lit candles; and flashlights.: "And flashlights" is not a complete sentence.
Question 3. Which of the following is a complete sentence?
- ① After the patient rested.
- ② The patient rested after lunch.
- ③ Resting after lunch in the quiet room.
- ④ The patient who rested after lunch.
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Answer: ② The patient rested after lunch.
Key point: Complete sentence = subject + verb + complete thought
A complete sentence needs a subject, a verb, and a complete thought. "The patient (subject) rested (verb) after lunch" can stand alone. The others are fragments.
Wrong choices
- After the patient rested.: "After" makes this a dependent clause; it does not express a complete thought.
- Resting after lunch in the quiet room.: This has no subject and no main verb.
- The patient who rested after lunch.: This has a subject but no main verb telling what the patient did.
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