Grammar Study Guide for the HESI Exam

Punctuation

Punctuation basics are easy, right? A period at the end of a sentence, question mark after a question, etc. But there are some confusing points, too. Two often forgotten and misused punctuation marks are the apostrophe and the comma. Here are the proper ways to use them.

Apostrophes

An apostrophe is a punctuation mark used to show possession or to create a contraction.

The biggest mistake people make is to use an apostrophe to make a noun plural; apostrophes will never be used to make nouns plural. For example, dogs is the plural form of dog. The word dog’s is not.

Possession

One of the primary uses for apostrophes is to show possession, in other words, to indicate belonging.

When the noun is singular, possession can be shown by adding -’s to the end of the noun.

The dog’s bowl
Sara’s notebook

Possession with apostrophes becomes a bit trickier when the noun is plural.

If the plural noun ends in -s, only an apostrophe needs to be added to the end of the word.

the cats’ litter box
the students’ desks

If the plural noun does not end in -s, the -’s is added to the end of the plural, just like with a singular noun.

the children’s toys
the geese’s pond

Contractions

A contraction is when you combine two words, take out letters, and replace them with an apostrophe. You cannot just turn any word into a contraction; there are only certain words in the English language that are grammatically correct contractions. Here are a few of the most common contractions and the words they stand for:

aren’t—are not
can’t—can not
I’m—I am
there’s—there is
you’ll—you will
let’s—let us
what’s—what is

To test whether you are using a contraction correctly, say the sentence to yourself, using the full words rather than the contraction, and see if it still makes sense.

She’s going to the store – She is going to the store. It checks out!

Misuse of the Apostrophe

Remember never to use apostrophes to create plurals.

For example, you would never write I have two apple’s. Instead, you would write I have two apples.

Tricky Words Involving Apostrophes

The English language has many confusing words. The Grammar section of the HESI exam will test your knowledge of a few of them. Be sure to know the difference between words in these groups, especially concerning apostrophe use:

your/you’re

You should be able to split any contraction into the two words and have the sentence still make sense. Here is an example:

I saw you’re house

This may sound right, but if you split you’re into two words, it becomes “I saw you are house,” which is not right.

By the same token:

Your my best friend.

This is not right, either. This time, it is supposed to have the equivalent of you are in it, so “You’re my best friend” works.

its/it’s

This one is complicated by the fact that it is one of the few possessives that does not use an apostrophe before the s. So, the word its is the possessive form and it’s is always a contraction. Look at both of these correct sentences:

It’s not my birthday!
The doll can close its eyes.

there/their/they’re

The word there refers to a place, as in this sentence:

The teacher told us to go over there.

On the other hand, the word their is a possessive pronoun for more than one person:

They took all of their toys outside.

Finally, the contraction they’re takes the place of they are:

Do you know what time they’re coming?

Commas

The comma is one of the most powerful punctuation marks in the English language. It is a writer’s way of showing a pause in a sentence, and there is a multitude of ways to use them.

Items in a Series

Commas used in a series of words typically include one before the word and in academic writing:

I had apples, peaches, and pears for lunch.

This is the serial comma, also known as the Oxford comma. It is a matter of style preference, so remember to check the preferred style of the institution or school for whom you are writing, or read the test instructions, and practice consistency.

Other Comma Uses

Besides to separate items in a list, there are many other ways commas are used. Here are a few of the most common uses that may come up as you are writing and reading:

to separate two or more adjectives: I petted the fluffy, orange cat.
to introduce appositives: My mother, a lawyer, goes to work on weekends.
before a coordinating conjunction: I wanted to swim, but I didn’t have a bathing suit.
to separate the day and year within a date: May 22, 2023
to separate the city and state, or city and country, within a location: Paris, France