FTCE General Knowledge English Language Skills (ELS)
Subtest Exam
Question 1. Which sentence correctly demonstrates subject-verb agreement?
A) The list of items are on the table.
B) The team of players is ready for the game.
C) Neither the teacher nor the students was prepared.
D) Both the dog and the cat has been fed.
Answer: B
Explanation: "The team of players" is a singular collective noun, so the correct verb is "is." The other
options contain incorrect agreements.
Question 2. Identify the correctly used pronoun in this sentence:
A) Everyone should bring their book.
B) Everyone should bring his or her book.
C) Everyone should bring his book.
D) Everyone should bring their books.
Answer: B
Explanation: "Everyone" is singular and requires a singular pronoun; "his or her" correctly agrees with
singular antecedent.
Question 3. Which sentence maintains consistent verb tense?
A) She walks to school and bought lunch.
B) She walks to school and buys lunch.
C) She walked to school and buys lunch.
D) She walking to school and bought lunch.
Answer: B
Explanation: Both actions are in the present tense, maintaining consistency.
Question 4. Which sentence contains a dangling modifier?
A) Running quickly, the finish line was in sight.
B) Running quickly, she reached the finish line.
, FTCE General Knowledge English Language Skills (ELS)
Subtest Exam
C) She was running quickly to reach the finish line.
D) Running quickly, he crossed the finish line.
Answer: A
Explanation: The modifier "Running quickly" incorrectly appears to modify "the finish line," which is
illogical. Corrected to B or C.
Question 5. Which example correctly uses a semicolon?
A) I have a big test tomorrow; I can't go out tonight.
B) I have a big test tomorrow, I can't go out tonight.
C) I have a big test tomorrow; and I can't go out tonight.
D) I have a big test tomorrow. I can't go out tonight.
Answer: A
Explanation: Semicolons correctly join two related independent clauses; B is a comma splice, C is
incorrect punctuation, D is correct but not the best option here.
Question 6. Which sentence uses a colon appropriately?
A) He has three favorite hobbies: reading, writing, and painting.
B) She needs: eggs, milk, and bread.
C) The meeting was scheduled at: 3 p.m.
D) My favorite movies are: The Godfather and Inception.
Answer: A
Explanation: The colon is correctly used to introduce a list after an independent clause.
Question 7. Choose the correctly used apostrophe:
A) The cats' toy was lost.
B) The cat's toy was lost.
C) The cats toy was lost.
D) The cats toy was lost.
Answer: B
, FTCE General Knowledge English Language Skills (ELS)
Subtest Exam
Explanation: The toy belongs to one cat; thus, the possessive form is "cat's." A indicates plural
possession, which is incorrect here.
Question 8. Which sentence correctly uses quotation marks?
A) She said, "Let's go to the park".
B) She said, "Let's go to the park."
C) She said, Let's go to the park."
D) She said, Let's go to the park".
Answer: B
Explanation: The punctuation mark (period) goes inside the quotation marks, and the sentence is
correctly formatted.
Question 9. Which sentence correctly capitalizes a proper noun?
A) I visited the grand canyon last summer.
B) I visited the Grand Canyon last summer.
C) I visited the grand canyon last Summer.
D) I visited the Grand canyon last summer.
Answer: B
Explanation: "Grand Canyon" is a proper noun and must be capitalized.
Question 10. Which word is spelled correctly?
A) Accomodate
B) Accommodate
C) Acomodate
D) Accomadate
Answer: B
Explanation: "Accommodate" is correctly spelled with two 'c's and two 'm's.
Question 11. Choose the sentence with correct pronoun case:
, FTCE General Knowledge English Language Skills (ELS)
Subtest Exam
A) The gift was for she.
B) The gift was for her.
C) The gift was for she and I.
D) The gift was for her and I.
Answer: B
Explanation: "Her" is the correct objective case here.
Question 12. Which sentence contains a misplaced modifier?
A) She almost drove her kids to school every day.
B) She drove her kids to school almost every day.
C) Almost every day, she drove her kids to school.
D) She drove her kids to school, almost every day.
Answer: A
Explanation: "Almost" modifies "drove," implying she nearly drove, which is incorrect. The correct
placement is in options B or C.
Question 13. Which sentence is a run-on that needs correction?
A) I love reading, and I enjoy writing.
B) I love reading; I enjoy writing.
C) I love reading I enjoy writing.
D) I love reading, I enjoy writing.
Answer: C
Explanation: C is a fused sentence; it needs proper punctuation or a coordinating conjunction.
Question 14. Which sentence demonstrates parallel structure?
A) She likes hiking, swimming, and to bike.
B) She likes hiking, swimming, and biking.
C) She likes hiking, swimming, and to bike.
D) She likes hiking, swimming, and to biking.
Subtest Exam
Question 1. Which sentence correctly demonstrates subject-verb agreement?
A) The list of items are on the table.
B) The team of players is ready for the game.
C) Neither the teacher nor the students was prepared.
D) Both the dog and the cat has been fed.
Answer: B
Explanation: "The team of players" is a singular collective noun, so the correct verb is "is." The other
options contain incorrect agreements.
Question 2. Identify the correctly used pronoun in this sentence:
A) Everyone should bring their book.
B) Everyone should bring his or her book.
C) Everyone should bring his book.
D) Everyone should bring their books.
Answer: B
Explanation: "Everyone" is singular and requires a singular pronoun; "his or her" correctly agrees with
singular antecedent.
Question 3. Which sentence maintains consistent verb tense?
A) She walks to school and bought lunch.
B) She walks to school and buys lunch.
C) She walked to school and buys lunch.
D) She walking to school and bought lunch.
Answer: B
Explanation: Both actions are in the present tense, maintaining consistency.
Question 4. Which sentence contains a dangling modifier?
A) Running quickly, the finish line was in sight.
B) Running quickly, she reached the finish line.
, FTCE General Knowledge English Language Skills (ELS)
Subtest Exam
C) She was running quickly to reach the finish line.
D) Running quickly, he crossed the finish line.
Answer: A
Explanation: The modifier "Running quickly" incorrectly appears to modify "the finish line," which is
illogical. Corrected to B or C.
Question 5. Which example correctly uses a semicolon?
A) I have a big test tomorrow; I can't go out tonight.
B) I have a big test tomorrow, I can't go out tonight.
C) I have a big test tomorrow; and I can't go out tonight.
D) I have a big test tomorrow. I can't go out tonight.
Answer: A
Explanation: Semicolons correctly join two related independent clauses; B is a comma splice, C is
incorrect punctuation, D is correct but not the best option here.
Question 6. Which sentence uses a colon appropriately?
A) He has three favorite hobbies: reading, writing, and painting.
B) She needs: eggs, milk, and bread.
C) The meeting was scheduled at: 3 p.m.
D) My favorite movies are: The Godfather and Inception.
Answer: A
Explanation: The colon is correctly used to introduce a list after an independent clause.
Question 7. Choose the correctly used apostrophe:
A) The cats' toy was lost.
B) The cat's toy was lost.
C) The cats toy was lost.
D) The cats toy was lost.
Answer: B
, FTCE General Knowledge English Language Skills (ELS)
Subtest Exam
Explanation: The toy belongs to one cat; thus, the possessive form is "cat's." A indicates plural
possession, which is incorrect here.
Question 8. Which sentence correctly uses quotation marks?
A) She said, "Let's go to the park".
B) She said, "Let's go to the park."
C) She said, Let's go to the park."
D) She said, Let's go to the park".
Answer: B
Explanation: The punctuation mark (period) goes inside the quotation marks, and the sentence is
correctly formatted.
Question 9. Which sentence correctly capitalizes a proper noun?
A) I visited the grand canyon last summer.
B) I visited the Grand Canyon last summer.
C) I visited the grand canyon last Summer.
D) I visited the Grand canyon last summer.
Answer: B
Explanation: "Grand Canyon" is a proper noun and must be capitalized.
Question 10. Which word is spelled correctly?
A) Accomodate
B) Accommodate
C) Acomodate
D) Accomadate
Answer: B
Explanation: "Accommodate" is correctly spelled with two 'c's and two 'm's.
Question 11. Choose the sentence with correct pronoun case:
, FTCE General Knowledge English Language Skills (ELS)
Subtest Exam
A) The gift was for she.
B) The gift was for her.
C) The gift was for she and I.
D) The gift was for her and I.
Answer: B
Explanation: "Her" is the correct objective case here.
Question 12. Which sentence contains a misplaced modifier?
A) She almost drove her kids to school every day.
B) She drove her kids to school almost every day.
C) Almost every day, she drove her kids to school.
D) She drove her kids to school, almost every day.
Answer: A
Explanation: "Almost" modifies "drove," implying she nearly drove, which is incorrect. The correct
placement is in options B or C.
Question 13. Which sentence is a run-on that needs correction?
A) I love reading, and I enjoy writing.
B) I love reading; I enjoy writing.
C) I love reading I enjoy writing.
D) I love reading, I enjoy writing.
Answer: C
Explanation: C is a fused sentence; it needs proper punctuation or a coordinating conjunction.
Question 14. Which sentence demonstrates parallel structure?
A) She likes hiking, swimming, and to bike.
B) She likes hiking, swimming, and biking.
C) She likes hiking, swimming, and to bike.
D) She likes hiking, swimming, and to biking.
