AP Style Editing (US English) MCQs
AP Style Editing (US English) MCQs
Our team has conducted extensive research to compile a set of AP Style Editing (US English) MCQs. We encourage you to test your AP Style Editing (US English) knowledge by answering these 70+ multiple-choice questions provided below.
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A. He told jokes for half an hour before finally homing in on the point of his lecture.
B. The mayor really hit the nail on the head with his idea - it's the idyllic solution.
C. The court's decision impelled the disgraced politician to hand over all his correspondence.
D. Please ask the secretary to disperse some money from petty cash for the luncheon.
A. Twenty top hats, 12 of which are covered in sequins, have been donated to the theater.
B. Rhonda, who desperately needs a new car, has started skiing to work.
C. Please compile a list of all the animals that are currently housed in the shelter.
D. Robert is one of those people that can't be depended upon to keep his word.
Choose the editing option that best corrects the underlined part of the following sentence.
If all goes according to plan, three years from now Agatha will win the election, help pass the bills closest to her heart and learn how to juggle a hectic career and family.
A.
wins the election, helps pass the bills closest to her heart and learns how to juggle
B.
has won the election and helped pass the bills closest to her heart, and had already learned how to juggle
C.
will win the election and help pass the bills closest to her heart, and she will learn how to juggle
D.
will have won the election, helped pass the bills closest to her heart and learned how to juggle
Read the following sentence and identify the type of verb or tense error it contains.
If we decided to move venues, our production process would not be likely to suffer much as long as a system of checks keeps production tasks on schedule.
A.
Subject-verb agreement error
B.
Modal verb error
C.
Incorrect use of past participles
D.
Unnecessary verb tense shift
A. Ann thinks her sister's peach pies are better than the bakery.
B. Did I ever tell you that you complain more than anyone I know?
C. We specialize in producing Belgian chocolates that contain 50% less fat.
D. The symptoms of typhoid quite often resemble those of fever.
Read the following passage and select the line that contains an error in verb tense consistency.
Carefully read the following options that together form a passage and select the option that contains an error in verb tense consistency.
A.
Her photo has been on that piano for more than 20 years. I don't have the courage
B.
to remove it because it had always been there — has always belonged there. And who
C.
knows? Perhaps it will still be there 20 years from now after I am long gone.
D.
No error
Identify the type of error contained in the following sentence.
Because I have an extreme allergy to nuts, I only ate the cake and not the pecan pie.
A.
Dangling modifier
B.
Diction or wrong word choice
C.
Misplaced modifier
D.
Comparison
Choose the editing option that best corrects the underlined part of the following sentence.
The board of directors said that the company could move forward with the new plan without first seeking the approving of the foreign investors.
A.
without first seeking the assent of the foreign investors
B.
without first seeking approval from the foreign investors
C.
without first seeking the approbation of the foreign investors
D.
whether or not they received the approving from the foreign investors
The following sentence is devoid of punctuation. Which of the given editing options turns it into a coherent, plausible sentence?
At last I met Dr. Sneeth the evil scientist who had caused such trouble for the city
A.
At last I met the evil scientist Dr. Sneeth, who had caused such trouble for the city.
B.
At last I met Dr. Sneeth, the evil scientist who had caused such trouble for the city.
C.
At last I met Dr. Sneeth, the evil scientist, who had caused such trouble for the city.
D.
I met Dr. Sneeth — at last! — the evil scientist who had caused such trouble for the city.
E.
All of the above are acceptable; the final choice would depend on the author's intention.
Read the following passage and select the option that illustrates the best course of action for an editor to take.
1)Knowing she had no right for privacy as long
2)as she stayed in the convent, Marta hid her forbidden
3)diary in the secret compartment she'd discovered
4)besides the confessional in the chapel.
A.
Edit lines (1) and (4) for preposition usage.
B.
Edit lines (2) and (3) for pronoun usage.
C.
Edit line (3) for verb tense.
D.
This passage does not need editing.
A.
The time should be formatted as
B.
The verb
C.
The correlative pronoun
D.
There should be a comma after
Read the following sentence and identify the style error it contains.
The flu shots were given to over a hundred people by the nursing staff in just six hours.
A.
The word
B.
The sentence is in passive voice and should be recast into active voice.
C.
The figure
D.
The phrase
Choose the series of verb forms that best completes the following passage.
A doctor at the Metropolitan Clinic in Chicago claims that if women ________ and ________, their children _________ less likely to develop lung diseases.
A.
gave up smoking / ate a healthy diet / would be
B.
give up smoking / ate a healthy diet / will be
C.
give up smoking / eat a healthy diet / are
Read the following passage and identify the line that contains an error in agreement or parallel structure:
That boat has cost us a fortune so far: more than $25,000 to repair the hull after the hurricane; $10,000 upgrading the interior; and $5,000 to keep it docked for the summer. What do you say we get rid of it and buy a beach cottage?
A.
That boat has cost us a fortune so far: more than $25,000 to repair the hull
B.
after the hurricane; $10,000 upgrading the interior; and $5,000 to keep it docked
C.
for the summer. What do you say we get rid of it and buy a beach cottage?
D.
No error
Which of the following sentences requires editing to correct an error in parallel structure?
A.
We applauded him not only for admitting his serious offenses and helping the police, but also for expressing his sincere regret for the pain he had caused.
B.
The merger led to restructuring the internal systems, redefining the roles of each department and realigning the company's goals with those of its parent company.
C.
According to a recent survey, the average French woman speaks two languages, marries and divorces twice in her lifetime and drinks 17 gallons of wine a year.
D.
Which of the following sentences requires editing to correct grammar or usage errors?
A.
I have hundreds of books. Would you please bring me the book that is on the table?
B.
Harry's only dog, Snookie, left one bright morning and never came back.
C.
Our new lawn ornament, which arrived this morning, is just as tacky as the garden gnomes.
D.
He took his daughter Sarah to school and his daughter Margie to work.
E.
All of the sentences are correct.
Read the following passage and select the option that illustrates the best course of action for an editor to take.
I was shocked to learn of our congressman's arrest. Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't he run on a platform of family values
A.
Place the question mark in the second sentence outside the quotation marks.
B.
Put the apostrophe in
C.
Delete the comma in the second sentence.
D.
This passage is correct; the editor should take no action.
Which of the following sentences does NOT require editing to correct the unnecessary use of passive voice?
A.
The Nobel Peace Prize was received joyously by the president.
B.
His supporters were so pleased, they began a party in the square that raged all night.
C.
The spectacle was watched by the town's entire population.
D.
When dawn broke, handcuffs were put on several revelers by the police.
Which of the following sentences does NOT require editing to correct a modifier usage error?
A.
Claire accidentally dropped the crate on Chad's foot with her barbells in it.
B.
Swinging wildly through the trees, the spectators were delighted by the monkeys.
C.
Petra wanted only one raspberry parfait, but Pedro insisted on giving her three.
D.
I heard that my coworkers planned to throw a birthday party for me while I was standing outside the door.
Read the following sentence and select the option that illustrates the best course of action for an editor to take.
A recent study by a team of sociologists at Johns Hopkins University confirmed that the average female moviegoer expects to see at least three romantic scenes per film, and that they are seldom disappointed.
A.
Change all verbs to the present tense.
B.
Edit the name of the university for missing apostrophes.
C.
Edit
D.
This sentence is correct; the editor should take no action.
Which of the following sentences does NOT require editing to correct errors in punctuation?
A.
Oliver, Doris's younger brother, asked me,
B.
Oliver, Doris' younger brother, asked me,
C.
Oliver, Doris's younger brother, asked me,
D.
Oliver, Doris' younger brother, asked me,
Read the following sentence and choose the option that shows the part of the sentence that should be edited to eliminate redundancy.
Participants were informed that the rally scheduled for 9 a.m. in the morning had been canceled.
A.
Participants were informed
B.
that the rally scheduled
C.
for 9 a.m. in the morning
D.
had been canceled
E.
No correction required
Read the following sentence and choose the option that shows the part of the sentence that should be edited to eliminate redundancy.
Reps. Smith and Brown urged fellow legislators to address the need for money for school funding.
A.
Reps. Smith and Brown urged
B.
fellow legislators to address
C.
the need for money for school funding.
D.
No correction required
Which of the following sentences does NOT require editing to correct errors in word choice, word usage or spelling?
A.
Lie the gun on the table and take three steps back.
B.
The reason the witness was late is because his lawyer gave him the wrong room number.
C.
Angela was pleased to discover that profit-sharing was part of her compensation package.
D.
Union troops ravished Atlanta, leaving nothing but burning embers in their wake.
Choose the series of verb forms that best completes the following passage.
If any club member _____________ suggest that he was not against opening membership to women but only against allowing them early tee times, he ____________ shouted out of the room.
A.
had dared to / will be
B.
dares to / is being
C.
dared / would be
D.
would have dared / would have been
Read the following passage and select the option that illustrates the best course of action for an editor to take.
The news of the avalanche shocked the citizens of our little town. Fortunately, however, Sven was the only one of the skiers who were injured in the incident.
A.
Correct the spelling error in the first sentence.
B.
Delete the comma after
C.
Delete
D.
Change
Which of the following sentences requires editing to correct errors in verb tense?
A.
Had they asked you sooner, would you have joined them on the campaign trail?
B.
You never would have believed them if they had asked you to join them on their travels along the campaign trail.
C.
I don't think you could have resisted the temptation if they had asked you to join them on the campaign trail.
D.
If they had forced you to go with them on the campaign trail, do you think you would have fun?
E.
When they asked you to join them on the campaign trail, did you hesitate or accept the invitation right away?
Choose the editing option that best corrects the underlined part of the following sentence.
After an entire day of experimenting with new medications, the patient was sorry to report that her migraine was as bad today as yesterday.
A.
was as bad today just as it was yesterday
B.
was as bad today as it was yesterday
C.
was worse today than it had been yesterday
D.
is as bad today as yesterday
E.
This sentence is correct; the editor should take no action.
Read the following sentence and identify the style error it contains.
As part of the new incentive program instituted in the second quarter, each sales employee was asked to forecast his own contribution to each period
A.
The word
B.
The ordinal
C.
The passage's use of pronouns assumes maleness when both sexes may be involved.
30: Which of the following sentences contains an error in grammar or usage?
A. Had I known about the prize, I might have bought a raffle ticket.
B. Perhaps you should of thought of the consequences before picking a fight with that bully.
C. Congressional leaders and White House staff plan to discuss a compromise.
D. If I were you, I'd think twice about joining those protesters.
E. Read the following passage and select the option that illustrates the best course of action for an editor to take.
A. Edit the first sentence to correct the double negative.
B. Delete the comma after
C. Insert a comma after
D. Recast the last sentence to correct the dangling modifier.
E. c and d
F. a and d
32: Which of the following sentences requires editing to correct grammar or usage errors?
A. Who are they speaking about so glowingly?
B. The position will be given to whomever the commissioner deems worthy.
C. Whoever baked these cookies deserves a medal.
D. Who do you think will actually arrive by 6 a.m.?
33: Which of the following sentences does NOT require editing to correct grammar or usage errors?
A. By the end of the week, each of the employees had voiced their opinion on the change.
B. I knew it was Bob that let his car alarm blare all night.
C. After the accident, Justine has been unable to resume her teaching again.
D. It will require careful planning to create systems of protection against future hurricanes.
Read the following sentence and select the option that illustrates the best course of action for an editor to take.
Happiness has always and will always be an elusive element in my life.
A.
Set off the phrase
B.
Change
C.
Enclose
D.
Change
Choose the series of adjectives that best completes the following sentence.
We have no doubt that the senator's meeting of goodwill with our arch rival will be accompanied by clandestine deal for lucrative building contracts and talk of future collaborations
A.
some / secret
B.
any / secretive
C.
every / secreted
D.
each / secret
36: Which of the following sentences does NOT require editing to correct errors in word choice, word usage or spelling?
A. We racked our brains to come up with a solution to the problem.
B. For all intensive purposes the case is closed.
C. The mysterious letter inferred that my wife was having an affair with the butler.
D. The police chief kept his eye on the growing amount of protesters outside the mayor's office.
E. The room could barely acommodate the throng of happy revelers.
Read the following passage and identify the punctuation error it contains.
I asked Jamie if she had read Zinn's A People's History of the United States.
"Yes," she replied, "and I must say it's the most eye-opening history book I've read in some time."
A.
There should be a period after
B.
The apostrophe in
C.
The book title should be written in italics.
D.
The period in the second sentence should go outside the quotations marks.
Read the following passage and select the option that illustrates the best course of action for an editor to take.
1)So the guy breaks into our house, steals our stuff and
2)then slips on the ice in the driveway on his way out,
3)breaking his ankles. And guess what? He hit us with a
4)personal injury suite. Isn
5)tragedy of justice you ever heard of?
A.
Edit lines (1) and (2) for comma usage errors.
B.
Edit line (4) for spelling error.
C.
Edit line (5) for word choice error.
D.
b and c
Read the following passage and select the option that illustrates the best course of action for an editor to take.
1)Why, Helen wondered, did I ever show my face in Troy?
2)There's been nothing but infighting, death and destruction
3)— not to mention the cost of launching those thousand
4)ships. My choice is clear: I'm moving to Cleveland.
A.
Edit lines (1) and (2) for overuse of commas.
B.
Edit line (2) for spelling.
C.
Edit line (3) for use of em dash.
D.
Edit line (4) for capitalization and use of colon.
E.
This passage is correct; the editor should take no action.
Choose the series of verb forms that best completes the following passage.
Our voyage would have been a different and much duller experience _________ for the family of dolphins that _________ the ship from Mallorca to Malta.
A.
would it not have been / followed
B.
if it wasn't / had followed
C.
had it not been / followed
D.
except / were following
41: Which of the following sentences requires editing to correct an error in modifier usage?
A. Mr. Hoffman or his assistants are ready to help you with the new editing software.
B. Every salesperson, according to the latest report, has underperformed this quarter.
C. Living on the first floor, many strange objects rain down from the eighty-two floors above.
D. The truck closely followed the car, which was towing a boat.
Read the following sentence and identify the type of grammar or usage error it contains.
The differences in the two committees had finally reached an insurmountable level; each wanted to delve in the problem more deeply, but neither wanted to cooperate among the other.
A.
Errors in pronoun usage and agreement
B.
Incorrect placement of adjectives and adverbs
C.
Incorrect use of coordinating and subordinating conjunctions
D.
Errors in preposition usage
Read the following sentence and identify the type of error it contains.
Although the critic did not like so-called chick flicks, she had to admit that "The Devil Wears Prada" was far away the best film of the genre she
A.
Illogical comparison
B.
Incorrect idiom usage
C.
Incorrect use of quotation marks
D.
Verb tense shift
Read the following passage and identify the style error it contains.
Of the two control groups, a significant number of those in Group A scored 74%, which was higher than the median score of 66% of those in group B. Both groups had similar standard deviations of 8.3% and 7.9%, respectively.
A.
All
B.
The passage contains an inconsistency in capitalization.
C.
Statistics should be placed in a table.
D.
a and b
E.
a and c
Read the following sentence and choose the option that shows the part of the sentence that should be edited to eliminate redundancy.
The board said it would postpone its decision about appointing a superintendent until later.
A. The board said
B.
it would postpone its decision
C.
about appointing a superintendent
D.
until later.
E.
No correction required
46: Which of the following sentences does NOT require editing to correct an error in subject-verb agreement?
A. He drank a fifth of whiskey after two-fifths of his vineyard was destroyed in the flood.
B. The study on drug abuse showed that the number of teenage victims are increasing every year.
C. Neither of my brothers, who are more artistic by nature, are particularly interested in sports.
D. The assistants, but not the manager, has decided not to come in over the weekend.
Read the following passage and select the option that illustrates the best course of action for an editor to take.
Outsourcing our accounting and collections tasks has really laid credence to our company. Our customers now perceive us to be bigger than we are and are certainly put hard to ignore their outstanding invoices.
A.
Edit the first sentence to correct the error in word choice.
B.
Edit the second sentence to correct the idiomatic error.
C.
Recast the second sentence for parallel structure.
D.
a and b
E.
a and c
48: Which of the following sentences contains an error in grammar or word usage?
A. The media are apparently united in their efforts to slander the candidate.
B. We were inundated with memoranda from the managing director.
C. Petra, an alumna of Harvard, engaged in some good-natured rivalry with her brothers, alumni of Yale.
D. The department chair spent three weeks sifting through the various curricula submitted by the faculty members.
Choose the series of verb forms that best completes the following passage.
If Sen. Hannibal ________ control his anger just a touch more, he ________ find that people react to him more positively.
A.
can learn to / ought to
B.
could learn to / would
C.
learned to / should
D.
can learn to / shall
Read the following sentence and identify the style error it contains.
253 students attended the rally on Nov. 23. Of those present, 56 percent belonged to the freshman class, 12 percent to the sophomore class and two percent to the junior class.
A.
The number
B.
The month
C.
The words
D.
The phrase
E.
a and c
F.
a and d
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AP Style Editing (US English) MCQs
