ATI TEAS Conventions of Standard English Summary

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.

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.

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.

Use commas to separate items in a series (a list of three or more). Place the commas between the items, not after the verb or after "and."

Wrong choices

• Bring a pen a notebook, and a calculator.: A comma is missing between the first two items.
• Bring, a pen, a notebook, and a calculator.: There should be no comma between the verb and its first item.
• Bring a pen, a notebook, and, a calculator.: There should be no comma after "and."

A run-on joins two complete sentences with no proper punctuation. One fix is a comma plus a joining word (and, but, or, so, yet). Other correct fixes would be a period or a semicolon.

Wrong choices

• The clinic opened early, the line was already long.: A comma alone cannot join two complete sentences; this is a comma splice.
• The clinic opened early but, the line was already long.: The comma belongs before "but," not after it.
• The clinic, opened early the line was already long.: This adds a wrong comma and still runs two sentences together.

Its (no apostrophe) shows ownership: its tail. It's is a contraction of "it is" or "it has": it's happy = it is happy. Test it: if "it is" fits, use it's.

Wrong choices

• it's, its: This switches the two words.
• its, its: The second blank needs "it is," which is spelled it's.
• it's, it's: The first blank shows ownership, which is spelled its.

Necessary has one c and two s's: ne-c-e-ss-ary. A memory tip: a shirt has one collar and two sleeves.

Wrong choices

• neccessary: This has an extra c. The word has one c and two s's.
• necesary: This is missing an s. The word has two s's.
• neccesary: This has two c's and only one s; it should be the other way around.

Capitalize the first word of a sentence, proper nouns (the full names of specific places, people, and things), and months. "Grand Canyon National Park" is a full proper name, and "July" is a month.

Wrong choices

• We visited Grand Canyon national park in July.: "National Park" is part of the proper name, so both words need capitals.
• we visited grand canyon national park in july.: The first word of a sentence, the park's name, and the month all need capitals.
• We Visited Grand Canyon National Park In July.: Ordinary words like "visited" and "in" should not be capitalized.

For a direct quote: put a comma after the speaking verb, start the quote with a capital letter, and in American English place the period inside the closing quotation mark.

Wrong choices

• The nurse said "Please take a deep breath".: A comma should come before the quote, and the period belongs inside the closing quotation mark.
• The nurse said, "please take a deep breath.": A quoted full sentence starts with a capital letter.
• The nurse said, Please take a deep breath.": The opening quotation mark is missing.

In most sentences, affect is a verb meaning "to influence," and effect is a noun meaning "a result." The rule will *affect* (influence) employees, and its *effect* (result) is not yet clear.

Wrong choices

• effect, affect: This switches the verb and the noun.
• affect, affect: The second blank needs a noun (a result), which is effect.
• effect, effect: The first blank needs a verb (to influence), which is affect.