(a) Rewrite any FIVE sentences with corrected punctuation, without splitting a sentence or adding or changing any word (cordless vacuum, Dr. Seuss and "nerd", Edgar Allan Poe's death, "Play it again, Sam", poorly named animals, the Haskell Opera House, carnivorous plants, Harvey the driver). (b) Fill in the blanks with appropriate prepositions (ONLY FIVE).

Q. 5(a) — Corrected punctuation

Only five are required; all eight are given.

1. The cordless vacuum, one of the least interesting of the household appliances, got its start as a moon drill. (Commas round the appositive.)

2. Dr. Seuss books are famous for their delightful rhymes and nonsense words; If I Ran a Zoo, however, likely gave us the real word "nerd." (Semicolon between two independent clauses joined by "however"; the book title in italics; the word discussed in quotation marks.)

3. There are many theories about Edgar Allan Poe's mysterious death, including rabies, alcoholism, and a truly strange possibility: he may have been a victim of a voter fraud scheme. (Colon before the explanation.)

4. The film critic said, "One of the most misquoted lines in movie history is 'Play it again, Sam.'" (Single quotation marks for a quotation inside a quotation.)

5. Poorly named animals include the flying fox, which is really a bat; the electric eel, which is really a knifefish; and the honey badger, which is the only member of its genus and species! (No colon after "include", since the list completes the verb; semicolons separate list items that already contain commas.)

6. The Haskell Opera House sits right on the US-Canadian border, with the stage in Quebec and many of the seats in Vermont. (Hyphen in the compound adjective; comma before the trailing "with" phrase.)

7. Most carnivorous plants attract and digest insects and other invertebrates, but some large pitcher plants have been known to digest frogs, rodents, and other vertebrates. (Comma before "but" joining two independent clauses.)

8. Harvey is a good driver; moreover, he is a very friendly one. (Semicolon before a conjunctive adverb joining two clauses, comma after it.)

Q. 5(b) — Prepositions

1. His research is characterized by a deep understanding of genetic mutations.

2. The solution is contingent on (or upon) various factors.

3. The experiment is predicated on the assumption of uniform conditions.

4. The project is commensurate with the skills of the research team.

5. The methodology is impervious to external influences.

6. The discussion oscillated between two main points.

7. His proposal hinges on securing adequate funding.

8. The model is contingent on accurate data inputs.

Tip

The rule "without splitting a sentence or adding/changing any word" means a full stop in the middle is not allowed; use a semicolon instead. Learn collocations such as "commensurate with" and "impervious to" as single units.