CSLB General Building (B) — All Questions
← Back to practice20 questions
Choose the correct sentence.
- a.The nurse and the doctor were both present.✓
- b.The nurse and the doctor was both present.
- c.The nurse and the doctor is both present.
- d.The nurse and the doctor be both present.
A compound subject joined by 'and' is plural and takes a plural verb. 'The nurse and the doctor' requires 'were,' not 'was.'
Select the sentence with correct subject-verb agreement.
- a.Each of the students have a locker.
- b.Each of the students has a locker.✓
- c.Each of the students have lockers.
- d.Each of the student have a locker.
The subject 'each' is singular, even when followed by a plural prepositional phrase. It therefore takes the singular verb 'has.'
Which sentence uses the apostrophe correctly?
- a.The patients chart is on the desk.
- b.The patients' chart's are ready.
- c.The patient's chart is on the desk.✓
- d.The patients chart's is ready.
A singular possessive is formed by adding an apostrophe plus s. 'The patient's chart' correctly shows that the chart belongs to one patient.
Choose the sentence with correct comma usage.
- a.Before the exam we reviewed our notes carefully.
- b.Before the exam, we reviewed our notes carefully.✓
- c.Before, the exam we reviewed our notes carefully.
- d.Before the exam we reviewed, our notes carefully.
An introductory phrase should be followed by a comma to separate it from the main clause. The comma correctly follows 'Before the exam.'
Which word correctly completes the sentence: 'The medication had a strong effect on ___ recovery.'
- a.they
- b.their✓
- c.there
- d.they're
The possessive pronoun 'their' shows ownership of the recovery. 'There' refers to place and 'they're' means 'they are,' so neither fits.
Choose the correct verb tense: 'Yesterday, the nurse ___ the patient's blood pressure.'
- a.checks
- b.checking
- c.checked✓
- d.will check
The word 'yesterday' signals a completed past action, which calls for the simple past tense. 'Checked' is the correct past-tense form.
Which sentence is free of errors?
- a.Me and him studied together.
- b.Him and me studied together.
- c.He and I studied together.✓
- d.I and him studied together.
Subjects of a sentence require subject pronouns. 'He and I' are both subject pronouns and are correct, while 'me' and 'him' are object forms.
Select the correctly punctuated sentence.
- a.We need the following supplies: gloves, masks, and gowns.✓
- b.We need the following supplies; gloves, masks, and gowns.
- c.We need the following supplies gloves, masks, and gowns.
- d.We need the following supplies: gloves masks and gowns.
A colon introduces a list after a complete sentence, and commas separate the items. The first option uses both correctly.
Choose the word that completes the sentence: 'She performed ___ than her classmate on the test.'
- a.good
- b.more good
- c.better✓
- d.best
When comparing two people, use the comparative form. 'Better' is the correct comparative of 'good,' while 'best' is used for three or more.
Which sentence uses 'its' and 'it's' correctly?
- a.Its raining, so bring it's umbrella.
- b.It's raining, so bring its umbrella.✓
- c.Its raining, so bring its umbrella.
- d.It's raining, so bring it's umbrella.
'It's' is a contraction of 'it is,' and 'its' is the possessive pronoun. The sentence correctly uses 'It's raining' and 'its umbrella.'
Identify the correctly written sentence.
- a.Neither the doctor nor the nurses is available.
- b.Neither the doctor nor the nurses are available.✓
- c.Neither the doctor nor the nurses be available.
- d.Neither the doctor nor the nurses am available.
In 'neither/nor' constructions, the verb agrees with the nearer subject. Because 'nurses' is plural, the verb should be 'are.'
Choose the sentence with correct capitalization.
- a.we visited the pacific ocean in july.
- b.We visited the Pacific Ocean in july.
- c.We visited the pacific ocean in July.
- d.We visited the Pacific Ocean in July.✓
Proper nouns and the names of months are capitalized. 'Pacific Ocean' and 'July' both require capital letters.
Which sentence avoids a double negative?
- a.I didn't see nothing.
- b.I didn't see anything.✓
- c.I never saw nothing.
- d.I don't want no help.
Standard English uses only one negative to express a negative idea. 'I didn't see anything' is correct, while the others combine two negatives.
Select the sentence with the correct pronoun.
- a.The gift was given to my sister and I.
- b.The gift was given to my sister and me.✓
- c.The gift was given to my sister and myself.
- d.The gift was given to I and my sister.
After a preposition like 'to,' use the object pronoun 'me.' 'To my sister and me' is correct because both are objects of the preposition.
Choose the correctly spelled word to complete: 'The patient needs to ___ the form before surgery.'
- a.recieve
- b.receive✓
- c.receeve
- d.receve
The word follows the spelling rule 'i before e except after c.' Because it follows a c, the correct spelling is 'receive.'
Which sentence is a complete sentence, not a fragment?
- a.Running quickly down the long hallway.
- b.Because the alarm sounded loudly.
- c.The nurse answered the call.✓
- d.After the shift ended late.
A complete sentence needs a subject and a verb and expresses a full thought. 'The nurse answered the call' has both, while the others are fragments.
Choose the correct homophone: 'Please place the chart over ___.'
- a.their
- b.there✓
- c.they're
- d.theyre
'There' refers to a place or location, which fits this sentence. 'Their' is possessive and 'they're' means 'they are.'
Select the sentence that corrects the run-on: 'The test was hard I still passed.'
- a.The test was hard, I still passed.
- b.The test was hard I still passed.
- c.The test was hard; I still passed.✓
- d.The test was hard I, still passed.
Two independent clauses can be joined by a semicolon. 'The test was hard; I still passed' correctly fixes the run-on, while a comma alone would create a comma splice.
Which sentence uses an adverb correctly?
- a.The nurse spoke quiet to the patient.
- b.The nurse spoke quietly to the patient.✓
- c.The nurse spoke quietness to the patient.
- d.The nurse spoke quiet and calm words loud.
An adverb modifies a verb and often ends in -ly. 'Quietly' correctly describes how the nurse spoke, while 'quiet' is an adjective.
Choose the sentence with correct parallel structure.
- a.She likes reading, to write, and jogging.
- b.She likes to read, writing, and to jog.
- c.She likes reading, writing, and jogging.✓
- d.She likes read, write, and to jog.
Parallel structure requires items in a list to share the same grammatical form. All three items appear as -ing gerunds: reading, writing, and jogging.