Although the humble comma is one of the most common punctuation marks, many people struggle with using it correctly.
Remember to always use a comma after introductory words or phrases (i.e., dependent clauses) in complex sentences. Let’s look at a few simple examples:
After lunch, I went shopping.
To make a cake, you first need flour and eggs.
Tomorrow, I’m going home.
Hint See how each introductory word or phrase clarifies or adds something to the sentence? That’s a big hint that you need a comma after it.
You also need a comma when you change the subject in the middle of a sentence. Let’s first look at an example that does not need a comma:
Tom is a great guy who wishes to become an astronaut one day.
Even though the sentence contains two verbs (is, wishes), you do not need a comma because the subject is ‘Tom’ throughout the sentence. Now, let’s see where a comma comes into play in a similar compound sentence:
Tom is a great guy, and I wish he becomes an astronaut one day.
In this example, you need a comma because the subject changes from ‘Tom’ to ‘I’.
Hint Examine a sentence closely before deciding that it needs a comma. The second subject must perform a separate action for the comma to apply.
You also need commas when you make a list. Let’s examine a simple example:
I went to the store to buy eggs, milk, cream, and oranges.
The comma after ‘cream’ is an Oxford comma because the list has three or more items. It always precedes the word ‘and’.
Capitalization
You likely know how to capitalize a lot of things in your writing, even if those things don’t come at the beginning of a sentence. These are known as proper nouns, nouns that refer to specific things. They include, but are not limited to:
People’s names
Place names
Day/Month names
Holidays
Book titles
Although you’re likely experienced with capitalization, there are a few examples where the HiSET may try to trip you up. They include official titles. Let’s look at and break down a complex example:
Example: The president of the United States has many powers. In 2011, President Barack Obama signed many important laws, such as the American Taxpayer Relief Act.
‘The’ and ‘In’ are capitalized because they are the sentences’ first words. ‘United States’ and ‘Barack Obama’ are capitalized because they refer to a specific place and person, respectively. ‘American Taxpayer Relief Act’ is a law and thus a proper noun, as well.
But what about ‘president’ in the first sentence and ‘President’ in the second sentence? With official titles, you capitalize them only if they immediately precede the person they’re describing. Here are a few other examples to help you understand.
I met Mayor Jenkins the other day. I think he’s the best mayor this town has ever had.
I don’t know what Director Simmons is thinking. The other directors don’t agree with his decisions.
Hint If the title doesn’t precede the person’s name, don’t capitalize it.
Possessives vs. Contractions
The HiSET Language Arts: Writing test requires you to know the difference between possessives and contractions. Although they both use apostrophes, they’re very different things.
A possessive shows ownership.
Jess’s car broke down yesterday.
My teacher’s desk is cluttered with tests.
If the possessive applies to more than one subject, put the apostrophe after the second subject.
My mom and dad’s home is over 100 years old.
Although ‘mom’ lacks an apostrophe, ‘mom and dad’ creates a single subject, meaning only one apostrophe is needed.
A contraction combines two words by using an apostrophe.
I am = I’m
They are = They’re
How is = How’s
He will = He’ll
Should not = Shouldn’t
Hint The main thing to keep in mind when it comes to possessives and contractions is that the HiSET assesses your ability to not only use them correctly but also tell them apart. Figuring out whether the underlined portion of the text is using a possessive or contraction requires reading the entire sentence (and maybe the sentence before and after).
Homophones/Homonyms/Heteronyms
Homophones are words that have the same pronunciation but:
Have different spellings
Have different meanings
Here are five homophone pairs (and one trio) you 100% need to know for test day success:
Affect: A verb.
“I affected the experiment by adding the chemical.”
Effect: A noun.
“An effect of the experiment was a scientific breakthrough.”
Board: A piece of wood.
“I bought 10 boards at the hardware store.”
Bored: Feeling uninterested.
“This class made me feel so bored!”
Led: A verb.
“I led Mary to school.”
Lead: An element.
“Consuming lead can hurt your health.
Principal: The head of a school.
“My principal is a nice guy.”
Principle: A rule or moral.
“The principle of the story is to play nice with others.”
There: Shows location.
“There is the ball.”
Their: Shows possession.
“Their cat is orange.”
They’re: A contraction of “They are.”
“They’re going to be late to school if they don’t hurry up.”
Homonyms are words that have the same spelling but:
Have different meanings
Can have a different pronunciation
If it has a different pronunciation, it is called a heteronym.
Here are a few common homonyms:
Bat: Can refer to the flying mammal or what a batter uses in baseball
Letter: Can refer to a piece of mail or a letter of the alphabet
Orange: Can refer to the fruit or color
Park: Can refer to a greenspace or putting a vehicle into park
Ring: Can refer to jewelry or a sound
Rose: Can refer to the flower or color
Heteronyms are a bit rarer than homonyms, but here are some you should know:
Although I live in Nashville, I traveled to Chicago to see a live concert.
This Polish vase I bought didn’t have a lot of polish on it.
After having lunch, I will resume writing my resume.
Hint If a HiSET question should ask about a homophone, homonym, or heteronym, read the surrounding sentences for context.
Mechanics Review Quiz
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(1) In 2019 archaeologists began excavating the Kalambo structure in Zambia, the oldest wooden structure ever discovered worldwide. Through a process called luminescence dating, the structure was determined to be 476,000 years old, so ancient that it was actually before the Homo sapien era.
According to one of the scientists report, the wooden structure “involves the intentional shaping of two trees to create a framework of two interlocking supports.” The report gives us a better understanding of what early hominid ancestors had the ability to do hundreds of thousands of years ago. These hominids could carve logs with specific tools to hold them together and produce a platform. According to historical logs found on this discovery, another log of similar age was found not far from the excavation.
Other wooden tools were discovered in this area of africa but were not nearly as old as the Kalambo structure. According to archaeologists, wooden tools were used regularly in the Stone Age, even more so than stone tools. However, it’s rare that wood is preserved for such lengths of time. Very few wooden structures have been found that are more than 100,000 years old.
Where in the underlined sentence is there an error in comma usage?
Correct
Incorrect
Question 2 of 8
2. Question
The Oldest Wooden Structure Ever Found
In 2019 archaeologists began excavating the Kalambo structure in Zambia, the oldest wooden structure ever discovered worldwide. Through a process called luminescence dating, the structure was determined to be 476,000 years old, so ancient that it was actually before the Homo sapien era.
(2) According to one of the scientists report, the wooden structure “involves the intentional shaping of two trees to create a framework of two interlocking supports.” The report gives us a better understanding of what early hominid ancestors had the ability to do hundreds of thousands of years ago. These hominids could carve logs with specific tools to hold them together and produce a platform. According to historical logs found on this discovery, another log of similar age was found not far from the excavation.
Other wooden tools were discovered in this area of africa but were not nearly as old as the Kalambo structure. According to archaeologists, wooden tools were used regularly in the Stone Age, even more so than stone tools. However, it’s rare that wood is preserved for such lengths of time. Very few wooden structures have been found that are more than 100,000 years old.
What would be the correct possession of the word Scientist?
Correct
Incorrect
Question 3 of 8
3. Question
The Oldest Wooden Structure Ever Found
In 2019 archaeologists began excavating the Kalambo structure in Zambia, the oldest wooden structure ever discovered worldwide. Through a process called luminescence dating, the structure was determined to be 476,000 years old, so ancient that it was actually before the Homo sapien era.
According to one of the scientists report, the wooden structure “involves the intentional shaping of two trees to create a framework of two interlocking supports.” The report gives us a better understanding of what early hominid ancestors had the ability to do hundreds of thousands of years ago. These hominids could carve logs with specific tools to hold them together and produce a platform. (3) According to historical logs found on this discovery, another log of similar age was found not far from the excavation.
Other wooden tools were discovered in this area of africa but were not nearly as old as the Kalambo structure. According to archaeologists, wooden tools were used regularly in the Stone Age, even more so than stone tools. However, it’s rare that wood is preserved for such lengths of time. Very few wooden structures have been found that are more than 100,000 years old.
The word log is repeated in the underlined sentence with two different meanings. This is an example of which type of device?
Correct
Incorrect
Question 4 of 8
4. Question
The Oldest Wooden Structure Ever Found
In 2019 archaeologists began excavating the Kalambo structure in Zambia, the oldest wooden structure ever discovered worldwide. Through a process called luminescence dating, the structure was determined to be 476,000 years old, so ancient that it was actually before the Homo sapien era.
According to one of the scientists report, the wooden structure “involves the intentional shaping of two trees to create a framework of two interlocking supports.” The report gives us a better understanding of what early hominid ancestors had the ability to do hundreds of thousands of years ago. These hominids could carve logs with specific tools to hold them together and produce a platform. According to historical logs found on this discovery, another log of similar age was found not far from the excavation.
(4) Other wooden tools were discovered in this area of africa but were not nearly as old as the Kalambo structure. According to archaeologists, wooden tools were used regularly in the Stone Age, even more so than stone tools. However, it’s rare that wood is preserved for such lengths of time. Very few wooden structures have been found that are more than 100,000 years old.
Which of the following words should be capitalized?
Correct
Incorrect
Question 5 of 8
5. Question
Questions 5–8 are based on the following passage.
The Advantages of Working From Home
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, working from home has become a popular avenue for many employees. (5) The pandemic forced many offices to close down and communicate virtually and through apps like slack. While the virus has since subsided, many businesses continue to operate in a remote manner and more individuals have sought remote work.
Working from home has many advantages that entice people. For starters, it allows them to multi-task and take care of other priorities while working such as watching their kids or pets, doing chores during their breaks, and exercising. Additionally, youre able to work at your own pace and tackle projects at any time, freeing up your days as long as the boss is okay with it. Lastly, when you are under the weather, you don’t have to stress about going into work; you can work from home.
In the end, it’s all about comfort and what works best for you. Some people are effected too much by distractions at home while others become too bored sitting around an office all day and not moving around much; they need breaks. One thing is for certain: waking up from your own bed and relaxing in the morning and not feeling the pressure of having to fight through traffic is a really nice feeling that many people enjoy.
Which of the following words in the underlined sentence should be capitalized?
Correct
Incorrect
Question 6 of 8
6. Question
The Advantages of Working From Home
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, working from home has become a popular avenue for many employees. The pandemic forced many offices to close down and communicate virtually and through apps like slack. While the virus has since subsided, many businesses continue to operate in a remote manner and more individuals have sought remote work.
Working from home has many advantages that entice people. (6) For starters, it allows them to multi-task and take care of other priorities while working such as watching their kids or pets, doing chores during their breaks, and exercising. Additionally, youre able to work at your own pace and tackle projects at any time, freeing up your days as long as the boss is okay with it. Lastly, when you are under the weather, you don’t have to stress about going into work; you can work from home.
In the end, it’s all about comfort and what works best for you. Some people are effected too much by distractions at home while others become too bored sitting around an office all day and not moving around much; they need breaks. One thing is for certain: waking up from your own bed and relaxing in the morning and not feeling the pressure of having to fight through traffic is a really nice feeling that many people enjoy.
Where is there an error in comma usage?
Correct
Incorrect
Question 7 of 8
7. Question
The Advantages of Working From Home
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, working from home has become a popular avenue for many employees. The pandemic forced many offices to close down and communicate virtually and through apps like slack. While the virus has since subsided, many businesses continue to operate in a remote manner and more individuals have sought remote work.
Working from home has many advantages that entice people. For starters, it allows them to multi-task and take care of other priorities while working such as watching their kids or pets, doing chores during their breaks, and exercising. (7) Additionally, youre able to work at your own pace and tackle projects at any time, freeing up your days as long as the boss is okay with it. Lastly, when you are under the weather, you don’t have to stress about going into work; you can work from home.
In the end, it’s all about comfort and what works best for you. Some people are effected too much by distractions at home while others become too bored sitting around an office all day and not moving around much; they need breaks. One thing is for certain: waking up from your own bed and relaxing in the morning and not feeling the pressure of having to fight through traffic is a really nice feeling that many people enjoy.
Which of the following words in the underlined sentence should contain an apostrophe?
Correct
Incorrect
Question 8 of 8
8. Question
The Advantages of Working From Home
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, working from home has become a popular avenue for many employees. The pandemic forced many offices to close down and communicate virtually and through apps like slack. While the virus has since subsided, many businesses continue to operate in a remote manner and more individuals have sought remote work.
Working from home has many advantages that entice people. For starters, it allows them to multi-task and take care of other priorities while working such as watching their kids or pets, doing chores during their breaks, and exercising. Additionally, youre able to work at your own pace and tackle projects at any time, freeing up your days as long as the boss is okay with it. Lastly, when you are under the weather, you don’t have to stress about going into work; you can work from home.
In the end, it’s all about comfort and what works best for you. (8) Some people are effected too much by distractions at home while others become too bored sitting around an office all day and not moving around much; they need breaks. One thing is for certain: waking up from your own bed and relaxing in the morning and not feeling the pressure of having to fight through traffic is a really nice feeling that many people enjoy.
Which homophone in the underlined sentence is incorrectly spelled based on its usage?
