Oxford Indie Book Fair Quiz Answers

Which sentence correctly uses the Oxford Comma?

    • A She loved reading Austen Dickens and Tolstoy.
    • B She loved reading Austen, Dickens, and Tolstoy.
    • C She loved reading Austen, Dickens and, Tolstoy.
    • D She loved, reading Austen, Dickens and Tolstoy.

    B. Explanation: Commas separate items in a list, and the Oxford comma (before “and”) is often used for clarity, especially in long or tricky lists. Btw, the Oxford comma is also known as a serial comma or Harvard comma.

    Which sentence is grammatically correct?

    • A The reader complemented the librarian on her book recommendations.
    • B The reader complimented the librarian on her book recommendations.
    • C The reader complimented the librarian on  her book recommendation’s.
    • D The reader complemented the librarian on  her book recommendation’s.

    B Explanation: Complimented = praised (just what you do when a librarian hands you your next favorite read). Complemented = completed or enhanced something. * Watch for possessives! “Recommendations” here is simply plural, not possessive — no apostrophe needed.

    Spot the typo in this sentence:  After reviewing the menu for the book party, the manager gave there approval immediately.

    • A approval
    • B reviewing
    • C there
    • D immediately

    C Explanation: “There” should be “their” (possessive pronoun for approval).

    What’s wrong with this sentence?  “The author thanked their editor, proofreader, and publicist they said they couldn’t have done it alone.”

    • A Author should be capitalized
    • B Incorrect punctuation
    • C Spelling error
    • D It’s a run-on sentence

    D Explanation: Two full sentences are put together without proper punctuation. It should be split or joined with a semicolon.

    Which sentence uses correct UK spelling?

    • A She reached for her favourite novel and settled into a cosy chair.
    • B She reached for her favorite novel and settled into a cozy chair.
    • C She reached for her favourite novel and settled into a cozy chair.
    • D She reached for her favorite novel and settled into a cosy chair.

    A  Explanation: UK spelling uses: Favourite (with a “u”) Cosy (with an “s,” not a “z”) So the correct sentence is: “She reached for her favourite novel and settled into a cosy chair.”

    Pick the sentence that needs fixing.

    • A The books on the shelf are alphabetized by author.
    • B I found a first edition of Pride and Prejudice!
    • C She spent hours browsing through the classics.
    • D There are less books on the shelf than usual.

    D Explanation: “Fewer” is used for countable things (like books), while “less” is for uncountable things (like water or time). So: fewer books, not less books.

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