COMMUNICATION SKILLS Tests in communication skills are of two types identifying errors and correct usage.

. Both types test the examinees knowledge of grammar, diction, style, spelling, and punctuation. Some items that have appeared in various aptitude tests are as follows: 1. Case Of Pronouns For you and I, finishing the project is easy. Pronouns are in the nominative case (I, he, she, we, they, who) when used as subject or predicate nominatives. They are in the objective case (me, him, her, us, them, whom) when used as direct objects, indirect objects, and objects of the preposition. In the sentence above, I should be me since it is an object of the preposition for. 2. Subject-Verb Agreement Either the President or the cabinet members is to be accountable for the fiasco. A verb agrees with its subject in person and in number. If the subject of the sentence is singular, the verb must also be singular. If the subject is plural, the verb must also be plural. If the subject is in the first person, the verb must also be in the first person. If the subject is in the second or third person, the verb must agree. When the words or, nor, either-or, neither-nor, not-only-butalso join the parts of a compound subject, the verb should be singular if the parts are singular; but it should be plural if both parts of the subject are plural. Otherwise, if the parts connected differ in number, the verb agrees with the nearer subject part. In the example above, is should be are since it should agree with cabinet members, the nearer subject part. Fifty million pesos were lost. Nouns plural in form but singular in meaning require a singular verb. A plural noun which shows weight (kilos), extent (kilometers), or quantity (pesos) is singular and takes a singular verb. In the sentence above, were should be was since fifty million pesos expresses quantity, and therefore, is singular in meaning. Vic, together with his brothers, were here yesterday. Words joined in the subject of a sentence by such expressions as with, together with, as well as, accompanied by, not, and including are considered parenthetical, therefore, they do not affect the number of the verb. In the sentence above, were should be was since the subject, Vic, is singular.

There is three old men living in that house. Sentences that begin with there and here have the subject after the verb. In the sentence above, is should be are since the subject, three old men, is plural. 3. Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement Every one of the boys on the committee must do their job well. A pronoun usually refers to a noun or another pronoun which precedes it in the sentence. The word to which the pronoun refers is called its antecedent. The antecedent of a pronoun is the word which goes before the pronoun. It is the word to which the pronoun refers. A pronoun must agree with its antecedent in number. In the preceding example their should be his since the antecedent is one which is singular. 4. Tense or Form of a Verb The teachers had left the room when the principal arrive. In this sentence the correct form of the verb is arrived, not arrive. This is because the action occurred at a definite time in the past after the teachers had left the room. He did not brought his books in the class yesterday. Did is always followed by the present tense (basic or infinitive form) of the verb. In the example above, brought should be bring. 5. Subjunctive Mood If I was you, I would not participate in the contest. The subjunctive mood is used to express something that is contrary to fact. So, was should be were in the sentence above. 6. Comparison I want to find out which between Catherine and Elvin is best. When comparing two things, use the comparative form of the adjective, not the superlative. So in the above sentence, best should be better. 7. Redundant Modifier

This test is more easier than the one I took last year. The comparative form of easy is easier. Adding more to easier is redundant. The correct sentence is: This test is easier than the one I took last year. I cant hardly wait for the result of the test. Hardly is an adverb which means not quite, scarcely, or barely. By itself, its connotation is negative. Adding not to it is redundant. The correct sentence is: I can hardly wait for the result of the test. 8. Dangling Modifier Going for a dunk, the ball slipped out of his hands. A participial phrase at the beginning of a sentence should describe the subject of the sentence. In the example above, it does not make sense that the ball should go for a dunk. The phrase is left dangling with nothing to modify. The sentence should be rewritten in this manner: When he went for a dunk, the ball slipped out of his hands. 9. Diction For five years now, medical researchers have been trying to fund a cure for cancer. Questions on diction test your care for words. Some questions ask you to spot a word that is misused. Others ask you to identify a word that is wrongly used in a sentence and to replace it with the correct word. In the sentence above, find instead of fund should be used in the sentence. 10. Parallel Structure The coach discussed dribbling, passing and how to shoot the ball. Words or phrases connected by and or or should be similar in form. In the example above, shooting instead of how to shoot the ball should be used to make it parallel with dribbling and passing.

11. Spelling Maria is deleriously fond of writing letters to pen pals abroad. Some questions test your ability to spot misspelled words. In the sentence above, the correct spelling is deliriously, not deleriously. 12. Capitalization The song tomorrow was taken from the Broadway musical Annie. Remember, all proper nouns, including titles of songs, movies and books, should be capitalized. In the example above, Tomorrow should be capitalized since it is the title of a song. 13. Punctuation The children exclaimed, Wow, how wonderful are the fireworks. An excalamtory sentence should be punctuated with an exclamation point. A period is used for a declarative sentence. The sentence above should be punctuated, thus: The children exclaimed, Wow, how wonderful are the fireworks!