GSP Instructions & Sample Questions
At least part of the GSP will be familiar to you: the instructions. Here they are. These are word-for-word the same instructions that will appear on your test. Many students are so eager to get on to the test that they never read the instructions, and thus they lose points.
So here they are. Read them slowly, several times, and be sure you understand. If you have any questions, ask a journalism faculty member.
This test contains 75 sentences. A passing grade is 70 percent (or 52 correct answers). Read each sentence carefully. The secret to scoring well on the GSP Test is to take your time and go over each sentence slowly and deliberately.
Each sentence is divided into segments: A, B and C. If you see an error in grammar, spelling, punctuation or usage, mark the appropriate segment on the answer sheet. Use answers A, B and C only.
In sentences with subject-verb disagreement, you should assume that the subject is correct and the verb is the error.
In sentences with pronoun-antecedent disagreement, you should assume that the pronoun is correct and the antecedent is in error.
In sentences with words, phrases or punctuation in the wrong position, you indicate the segment of the sentence containing the misplaced mark, word or phrase, not the segment where the item should be.
For example:
"Oh, my,"/my mother’s sister/said!
A. "Oh, my,"
B. my mother’s sister
C. said!
In this sentence, the exclamation point should follow the word "my," not the word "said." The answer sheet should be marked "C"- the segment of the sentence where the error is located now.
Another example:
Running in the early morning cold,/my nose felt/almost frozen.
A. Running in the early morning cold,
B. my nose felt
C. almost frozen.
In this sentence, "Running in the early morning cold," is a dangling participial phrase that does not modify the subject (nose). It does not belong in the sentence. Therefore, mark the segment of the phrase itself (A).
No sentence contains more than one error.
NOTE: This is not a test of Associated Press style. All errors involve either grammar, spelling or punctuation. No AP style errors are included. However, the sentences are written using AP style. For instance, AP style dictates that for items in a series, the comma before the conjunction is left out.
Example:
The boy ate hot dogs, chips and ice cream.
In this sentence, AP style says to leave out the comma before "and." We have followed that style on the GSP Test. Therefore, do NOT mark the absence of commas before conjunctions as wrong; it is correct to leave them out.
There are no capitalization errors on the test. It will not be necessary to capitalize or lowercase any item on the test. No names or other proper nouns have been misspelled on the test.
Finally, this is not a test of your writing ability. Your job is to find grammar, spelling and punctuation errors, not to rewrite sentences. You need not explain (or know) why errors are wrong. You may find sentences that you would like to reword. But remember, you are looking only for errors, not for less-than-perfect writing style.
The time limit for this test is one hour. Good luck!
GSP Sample Questions
Here are some helpful hints about how to pass the Grammar, Spelling and Punctuation test. To do well on the test, you need to remember the purpose of the test.
The GSP is designed to determine if you can identify common errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation or usage within the context of a sentence.
You are looking for errors. Each sentence has one. On your Scantron sheet, mark A for an error in the beginning segment, B for a mistake in the middle of the sentence and C for an error in the last part of the sentence.
The GSP is not an editing test. Try to resist your inclination to change words or rearrange words in a sentence. If you begin to do that, you probably will overlook the mistake.
In sentences with words, phrases or punctuation in the wrong position, indicate the segment of the sentence containing the misplaced mark, word or phrase, not the segment where the item should be.
For example:
1. “Good grief, We shouldn’t have to park / so far away from our classes,” / the student said!
A. “Good grief, We shouldn’t have to park
B. so far away from our classes,”
C. the student said!
In this sentence the exclamation point should follow the word “grief” not the word “said.” The correct answer is A – the segment of the sentence where the error occurs.
In sentences with subject-verb disagreement, you should assume that the subject is correct and the verb is the error.
For example:
2. Students promoting purple as the new color / for M&M’s is working with several student groups / to encourage members to vote.
A. Students promoting purple as the new color
B. for M&M’s is working with several student groups
C. to encourage members to vote.
The correct answer is B because that’s where the error occurs. The subject “students” is plural, so the sentence needs a plural verb “are” instead of “is.”
In sentences with subject-antecedent disagreement, you should assume that the subject is correct and the antecedent is in error.
For example:
3. A student who wants to vote for purple / in the nationwide contest may cast / their vote in three ways.
A. A student who wants to vote for purple
B. in the nationwide contest may cast
C. their vote in three ways.
C is the correct answer because the subject “student” is singular and needs either the pronoun “his” or “her” instead of “their.”
Another example involving the use of a pronoun:
4. Johnny Jones and myself have been / friends since we played soccer / together in the first grade.
A. Johnny Jones and myself have been
B. friends since we played soccer
C. together in the first grade.
The correct answer here is A because the correct pronoun is “I” instead of myself.
Another example using a pronoun:
5. She made a promise to herself, / but Drew said, “Me and Dennis / aren’t giving up desserts.”
A. She made a promise to herself
B. but Drew said, “Me and Dennis
C. aren’t giving up desserts.”
The correct answer is B because instead of “Me” the sentence should read “Dennis and I / aren’t giving up desserts.
NOTE: This is not a test of Associated Press style. All errors involve grammar, spelling, punctuation or usage. However, the sentences are written in AP style. For instance, AP style dictates that for items in a series, the comma before the conjunction is left out.
Example:
The boy ate pizza, pretzels and pie with pistachio ice cream.
That sentence is correct because AP style says to leave out the comma before the final item – “and pie with pistachio ice cream” – in the series. Therefore, do NOT mark the absence of commas before conjunctions as wrong. It is correct to leave out the serial comma, which is the final comma in a series of items.
Review punctuation rules for the test. Know the rules regarding the placement of periods, commas, apostrophes and other marks of punctuation.
An example of related usage:
6. The accountant said its time / to get all the tax information / together for review.
A. The accountant said its time
B. to get all the tax information
C. together for review.
Mark A because the contraction “it’s” meaning “it is” should be used instead of the possessive “its.”
7. After gathering all there tax information together, / the students said they’re going to take it to the accountant / with the purple office over there.
A. After gathering all there tax information together
B. the students said they’re going to take it to the accountant
C. with the purple office over there.
The error occurs in the first segment of the sentence, so the correct answer is A. The word “there” refers to a place or point in time, so the correct word should be “their,” which is plural possessive pronoun.
How did you score on these sample questions?
More help is available at the TCU Writing Center located in 245 Rickel.
