cahsee prep language arts hw -...

CAHSEE Language Arts PrepCONTENTS

1. Sentence Correction Part 12. Sentence Correction Part 2

3. Basic Grammar4. Intermediate Grammar

5. Advanced Grammar6. Comma Practice7. Author’s Purpose

1. Sentence Correction Practice Questions PART 1

Read the following sentences and select the option that corrects the underlined sections. If the sentences sections are correct as written, choose option A.

1. If the books have been cataloged last week, why haven't they been placed on the shelf?

A. have been cataloged B. would have been cataloged C. was cataloged D. were cataloged E. had been cataloged

2. Jessica Mitford wrote The American Way of Death, a best-selling book that led eventually to an official investigation of the funeral industry.

A. that led eventually B. that had led eventually C. that eventually led D. which eventually led E. who eventually led

3. Sabotage came from the French saboter, which means "to clatter with wooden shoes (sabots)."

A. which means "to B. which means, "to C. that means "to

Sofia Ramirez

Sofia Ramirez

Sofia Ramirez

Sofia Ramirez

Sofia Ramirez

Sofia Ramirez

Sofia Ramirez

Sofia Ramirez

DUE WED/THURS 2/25 & 2/26

Sofia Ramirez

Sofia Ramirez

DUE FRIDAY 2/27

Sofia Ramirez

Sofia Ramirez

DUE MON/TUES 3/2 & 3/3

Sofia Ramirez

D. that means-"to E. that means, "to

4. When studying an assignment, it is wise to read it over quickly at first, than see the major points, and finally outline the material.

A. first, than B. first: then C. first-then D. first, then E. first-than

5. To judge the Tidy City contest, we picked an uninterested party.

A. picked an uninterested party. B. picked an interested party! C. picked a disinterested party. D. are in the process of picking an uninterested party. E. picked an disinterested party.

6. Linda decides they had better scram before the killers find them.

A. had better scram B. had better leave C. should hurry and scram D. could hurry and leave E. had better get out

7. I really dug the character of Brutus.

A. dug B. thought about C. thought of D. admired E. gazed at

8. Once upon a point a time, a small person named Little Red Riding Hood initiated plans for the preparation, delivery and transportation of foodstuffs to her Grandmother.

A. and transportation of foodstuffs to her Grandmother. B. and transportation of food stuffs to her Grandmother. C. and transportation of food supplies to her Grandmother. D. and transportation of foodstuffs to her grandmother. E. and, transportation of food supplies to her grand mother.

9. The setting of a story effects the story's plot.

A. effects the story's plot. B. effects the stories plot. C. affect the story's plot. D. affects the story's plot. E. affects the story's plots.

10. Arctic trees are scrubbiest than trees in milder climates.

A. scrubbiest than trees B. scrubbier then trees C. scrubbiest than are trees D. scrubbier than are trees E. scrubbier than trees

11. Quebec rises in a magnificent way above the St. Lawrence River.

A. rises in a magnificent way above B. rises in a magnificent way, way above C. rises magnificently above D. rises magnificently way above E. is raised in a magnificent way above

12. Someone gives the school gerbils every year.

A. Someone gives the school gerbils B. Some one gives the school gerbils C. Some one gives the School gerbils D. There is a person that gives the school gerbils E. An individual gave gerbils

13. During colonial days, a school room looked rather empty.

A. colonial days, a school room looked B. colonial days, a schoolroom looked C. colonial days; a schoolroom looked D. colonial days; a school room looked E. colonial days-a schoolroom looked

14. The helium-filled balloon rose in the air.

A. rose in the air. B. was rising in the air. C. was in the air. D. rose into the air. E. would rise in the air.

15. If I had the address, I would have delivered the package myself.

A. had the address, B. had the address; C. had the address- D. had had the address; E. had had the address,

16. Do you know that these gloves have lay on the bureau all week?

A. have lay on B. have laid on C. would lie on D. had laid on E. have lain on

17. If I would have known about the team tryouts, I would have signed up for them.

A. had known B. would have known C. could of known D. had been told E. could have been told

18. If he would have revised his first draft, he would have received a better grade.

A. would have revised B. had revised C. could of revised D. had of revised E. would revise

19. Valarie claims that cats made the best pets.

A. made the best pets. B. could be the best pets. C. are the best pets. D. make of the best pets. E. make the best pets.

20. By next month, Ms. Jones will be Mayor of Tallahassee for two years.

A. will be Mayor of Tallahassee B. will have been Mayor of Tallahassee C. will be mayor of Tallahassee

D. will have been mayor of Tallahassee E. could have been mayor of Tallahassee

Answers and Explanations

1. D: "Last week" dictates simple past tense "were." Present perfect "have been" (A) refers to the status now of something already accomplished in the past-e.g. "have been cataloged since last week." Subjunctive present perfect "would have been" (B) is never used in a conditional "If" clause/phrase, only as its complement ("If…, then they would…"). Singular "was" (C) disagrees with plural "books." Past perfect "had been" (E) would require "why hadn't they been…/weren't they…?" to agree.

2. C: With an indirect object, the transitive verb and preposition should be a unit, i.e. "led to" here, like "take from," "give to," etc., uninterrupted by the modifying adverb "eventually." "Who" (E) only applies to people, not inanimate objects like books.

3. A: No punctuation should be placed between "means" and "to" here. Hence a comma [(B), (E)] or dash (D) is incorrect. A nonrestrictive relative clause introduces additional information, requiring a comma and "which"-not "that" [(C), (D), and (E)]. "That" is used without a comma and only with a restrictive relative clause, i.e. one that is necessary to understand the meaning of the noun it modifies.

4. D: "Then" is an adverb indicating time or sequence here. "Than" [(A), (E)] is a conjunction indicating comparison, e.g. "He is taller than I am" or "We would rather go now than later." When listing three sequential steps as in this sentence, the comma after the first and second steps is correct punctuation; a colon (B) or hyphen [(C), (E)] is incorrect.

5. C: The correct word choice therefore, for this sentence meaning is "disinterested," meaning not personally involved or invested and (presumably) impartial. "Uninterested" means literally not interested, i.e. oblivious or not caring. In this context, they would not pick an "interested" party to judge a contest, and the exclamation mark (B) is inappropriate punctuation. "An" (E) is incorrect preceding a consonant.

6. B: "Scram" is a slang word meaning "leave," a more acceptable choice when writing (excepting intentional slang like Mark Twain used in dialogue, narrative, etc.). "Could" (D) means they can leave, whereas "had better" and "should" means they ought to leave. "Get out" (E), similarly to "scram," is less acceptable than "leave."

7. D: "Admired" is an acceptable word in writing for the desired meaning, whereas "dug" (A) is slang. "Thought about (B), "thought of" (C), and "gazed at" (E) do not convey the same meaning at all.

8. D: When used as a noun rather than a name (proper noun), "grandmother" is not capitalized. Used either way, it is still one word, not two (E); the same is true of "foodstuffs" (B).

9. D: To affect means to influence. This meaning, and hence this spelling, apply here. To effect [(A), (B)] means to cause, initiate, create, implement, or accomplish. "Stories" (B) is plural, not possessive. "Affect" (C) goes with a plural, not singular, subject. "Plots" (E) is plural, not singular.

10. E: When comparing two things, the comparative "-er" is used rather than the superlative "-est," which is only used when comparing more than two things. The adverb "than" is used with the comparative, not the conjunction "then" (B), which indicates time sequence (e.g. "and then…"), cause and effect (e.g. "If…,then…"). Adding "are" (D) is unnecessary.

11. C: The adverb "magnificently" modifies the verb "rises" and reads more appropriately and concisely than the phrase "in a magnificent way." "Way above" [(B), (C)] is slangy and does not express the intended meaning. If it did, "far above" would be more correct. Passive-voice "is raised" (E) connotes a different meaning (i.e. is set higher) than active-voice "rises" (i.e. appears) in this sentence.

12. A: "Someone" is one word, not two [(B), (C)]. "There is a person that" (D) differs semantically and grammatically, meaning someone exists who gives the school gerbils rather than someone gives the school gerbils; also, "who" is preferable over "that" when referring to people. The meaning is changed by past tense "gave" (E); i.e. an individual/someone gave the school gerbils every year but no longer does, vs. someone still gives the school gerbils every year.

13. B: "Schoolroom" is one word, not two [(A), (D)]. A semicolon separates independent clauses or phrases containing internal commas, but is incorrect between a phrase and a clause [(C), (D)]. A comma, not a dash (E), is used between the introductory prepositional phrase and the independent clause it modifies.

14. D: The correct preposition with verbs expressing movement or placement is "into," not "in" [(A), (B), (C), (E)], a common error. We place something into a container, not in it; things move into the air, not in it. "In" denotes something is already there rather than moving/being moved there.

15. E: Since this entire conditional-subjunctive sentence construction is in the past, the correct conditional form is past perfect "If I had had" rather than present perfect "if I had" [(A), (B), (C)] with the present perfect subjunctive "I would have." The correct punctuation between conditional "if" and subjunctive "would" parts is always a comma, never a semicolon [(B), (D)] or a dash (C).

16. E: The present perfect intransitive "to lie" is "have lain," not "have lay" (A), "have laid" (B), or "had laid" (D), which latter two are only transitive, e.g. "She has laid the gloves on the bureau every day" or "I saw a pair of gloves she had laid on the bureau." The conditional "would lie" (C) is only grammatical with a conditional, e.g. "…would lie on the bureau all week unless you moved them," also conveying a different meaning.

17. A: Conditional-subjunctive ("If…then") constructions set in the past use past perfect ("If I had known") for the conditional, and present perfect ("I would have signed up") for the subjunctive, because "If" comes earlier and "then" later. Adding the subjunctive "would"/"could" to the conditional as well (B) is incorrect. Substituting the preposition "of" for the auxiliary verb "have" (C) is always incorrect. "Had been/could have been told" [(C), (D)] differs in meaning from "had known."

18. B: With conditional-subjunctive constructions, never add the subjunctive auxiliary verb (would/could/would have/could have) to the conditional (If) half [(A), (C), (E)]; it is only used in the subjunctive half. It is never correct to substitute the preposition "of" for the auxiliary verb "have" [(C), (D)].

19. E: To agree with the present-tense predicate "claims," the dependent clause must also be present-tense "make," not "made" (A). "Could be" (B) and "are" (C) alter the sentence meaning. "Make of" (D) is not a valid construction in this sentence structure, makes no sense, and means nothing.

20. D: "By next month" used together with "for two years" indicates something that will be completed in the future, so future perfect "will have been" is the correct tense. "Will be" [(A), (C)] means she will be mayor for two years beginning in the future. Moreover, "Mayor" [(A), (B)] is incorrectly capitalized: it is not used as a title/name here (like "Mayor Jones"). "Could have been" (E) changes the meaning.

by Enoch MorrisonLast Updated: 12/13/2012

http://www.testprepreview.com/author/enoch-morrison.htm


2. Sentence Correction Practice Questions PART 2

Read the following sentences and select the choice that best replaces the underlined section. If the underlined section is correct as is, choose option A.

1. Hours of driving laid ahead of us.

A. laid B. have lain C. lay D. has lay E. lie

2. By the time we get to the picnic area, the rain will stop.

A. will stop B. shall stop C. will has stopped D. shall have stopped E. will have stopped

3. If Judy would not have missed the deadline, the yearbook delivery would have been on time.

A. would not have missed B. should have not missed C. wouldn't have missed D. had not missed E. would have not missed

4. We spent Sunday afternoon wandering aimless in the park.

A. wandering aimless B. wandering aimlessly C. wandering without purpose D. wandering in an aimless manner E. wandering almost aimlessly

5. Only after I went home did I remember my dental appointment.

A. went home B. had went home C. got home D. gone home E. should go home

6. The book lay open at page 77.

A. lay open B. laid open C. lied open D. lain open E. was laid open

7. By this time next year, Johanna will begin classes at the University of Colorado.

A. will begin classes B. will have begun classes C. has began classes D. should begin classes E. should have begun classes

8. After comparing my air conditioner with the one on sale, I decided that mine was the most efficient.

A. was the most efficient. B. should be the most efficient. C. was the more efficient. D. was by far the most efficient E. should be considered the most efficient.

9. I would have liked to have gone swimming yesterday.

A. to have gone swimming B. to go swimming C. to had gone swimming D. to go to swim E. to of gone swimming

10. I wish I read the chapter before I tried to answer the questions.

A. read the chapter B. would read the chapter C. should of read the chapter D. could have read the chapter E. had read the chapter

11. Nathanael West said that he'd never have written his satirical novel if he had not visited Hollywood.

A. have written his B. would have written his

C. could of written his D. could have written his E. should of written his

12. The smell from the paper mill laid over the town like a blanket.

A. laid B. has lain C. will lie D. lay E. has laid

13. When I was halfway down the stairs, I suddenly knew what I had wanted to have said.

A. to have said B. too say C. to have been said D. to had say E. to say

14. I would be more careful if I had been you.

A. had been B. would have been C. was D. were E. could have been

15. They read where the governor has appointed a special committee to improve the school calendar.

A. where B. how C. were D. of where E. wear

16. In study hall I sit besides Paul Smith, who is captain of the swim team and one of the best swimmers in the state.

A. sit besides B. sat beside C. have set beside D. sit beside E. have sit beside

17. This classic has been read with enjoyment for nearly 200 years.

A. has been read B. will have been read C. shall have been read D. is being read E. was read

18. Many 19th-century biographers rely on their imaginations, not on real facts.

A. rely on their imaginations, B. relied on their imaginations, C. have relied on their imaginations D. could have relied on their imaginations, E. could rely on their imaginations:

19. The private lives of politicians, generals, and other notables fascinates the reading public.

A. fascinates the reading B. have fascinated the reading C. will fascinate the reading D. fascinate the reading E. has fascinate the reading

20. The small man chose a seat near the door and carefully sat down.

A. sat B. will sit C. could of sat D. have sit down E. set down

21. Last summer I worked in the chemical laboratory at the Brass Company; most of the work came into the lab for testing marked with the words top priority.

A. words top priority. B. words-top priority. C. words: Top priority. D. words, "Top Priority." E. words "top priority."


1. C: The past tense of "to lie" is "lay." "Laid" (A) is the past tense of transitive "to lay," e.g. "He laid the books on the table." Present perfect "have lain" (B) makes no sense in this sentence. "Has lay" (D) is a nonexistent construction: present perfect is "has lain;" moreover, "has" is singular whereas the subject "hours" is plural. "Lie" (E) changes the meaning to present tense.

2. E: Future perfect "will have stopped" is correct with "By the time…" Simple future "Will stop" (A) would agree with "When we get to the picnic area," but "by the time" indicates something already completed (=perfect), which in this case is predicted (=future). "Shall" [(B), (D)] is an auxiliary verb similar to "will." Future perfect is "will have;" there is no such construction as "will has" (C).

3. D: In conditional-subjunctive ("If…then…") constructions like this, the conditional is "If Judy had not missed the deadline…" The auxiliary "would" is never used in the conditional, but only in the subjunctive portion ("…the yearbook delivery would have been on time").

4. B: The verb "wandering" is modified by the adverb "aimlessly." "Aimless" is an adjective and would only modify a noun. "Without purpose" (C) unnecessarily substitutes a two-word synonym. "In an aimless manner" (D) is awkward verbiage paraphrasing "aimlessly." Adding "almost" (E) changes the meaning.

5. C: "Got home" means arrived home and indicates the process of going home was completed. "Went home" (A) connotes a process rather than its completion: we might remember the appointment during a process, e.g. "Only while I was going home/on my way home" but cannot do something "after" an ongoing event. There is no such construction as "had went" (B); "had gone" is correct. "Gone" without "had" (D) is incorrect. "Should" (E) is a modal auxiliary verb with "go" meaning "I ought to go home," completely incorrect with "Only after…"

6. A: "Lay" is past tense of intransitive "lie", meaning rested/was situated. "Laid" (B) is only transitive, e.g. "I laid the book open." "Lied" (C) is only past tense of "lie," meaning deceive/prevaricate/fib. The book could have "lied" by containing false information, but not "lied open." Past perfect "lain" (D) would only be correct with an auxiliary verb, e.g. "The book has lain open all day." Passive voice "was laid" (E) changes the meaning.

7. B: Future perfect tense predicts something that will be completed, signaled by the phrase, "By this time next year." Simple future tense "will begin" (A) would go with "Next year" or "At this time next year." There is no such construction as "has began" (C). Even corrected, present perfect "has begun" disagrees with the future "next year." "Should begin" (D) and "Should have begun" (E) change the meaning.

8. C: The comparative ("-er/more") compares two things. The superlative ("-est/most") is only used when comparing more than two things.

9. A: This sentence is correct as written. "Yesterday" is in the past and "would" is subjunctive, dictating the infinitive form of the present perfect, "to have done," here. The infinitive "to go" [(B), (D)] does not agree with "would have liked" and "yesterday." There is no such construction as "to had gone" (C) or "to of gone" (E).

10. E: When expressing regret about the past ("before"), use past perfect "I wish I had read." Simple past (A) expresses a regret/wish for the present/future, e.g. "I wish I read English," meaning I don't read English. "I wish I would" (B) means present-now or generally, e.g., "I wish I would read the chapter before I try." "Should" is incorrect with "I wish," "should of" (C) nonexistent. "Could have" (D) changes the meaning, also requiring "before I had tried."

11. A: This is correct as written. (B) has the opposite meaning (he would have written vs. he would never have written). There is no such construction as "could of" (C). "Could have" (D) changes the meaning. There is no such construction as "should of" (E).

12. D: The past tense of intransitive verb "to lie," meaning to rest or be situated, is "lay." "Laid"/"has laid" [(A)/(E)] is past tense/present perfect tense only for the transitive verb, e.g. "The paper mill laid/has laid a smell over the town." There is no contextual reason to use present perfect "has lain" (B) or future "will lie" (C) in this sentence.

13. E: With the predicate "had wanted" already in the past perfect tense, the correct modifying prepositional phrase is "to say." "What I had wanted to have said" (A) or "what I had wanted to have been said" (C) is redundant. Additionally, passive voice (C) implies I would have wanted someone else to say it. The preposition "to" meaning "for the purpose of" is used with infinitives. The spelling "too" (B) means "also." "To had say" (D) has no meaning.

14. D: "If I were* you," a common conventional expression, is grammatically correct in using the conditional. The past perfect "had been" (A) is incorrect. "Would" (B) or "could" (E) is only used in the subjunctive (not conditional) half of conditional-subjunctive constructions ("I would be more careful"). *The conditional always uses "were" regardless of number, never "was" (C).

15. B: "They read how" or "They read that" are correct. "Where" (A) is a common incorrect usage. An adverb is not used as a conjunction. Adding the preposition "of" before it (D) does not correct the error but only compounds it. "Were" (C), past tense of the verb "to be," does not apply here. "Wear" (E) is a verb meaning to dress in (we wear clothes) or erode/deteriorate (weather wears away rock/machine parts wear out eventually).

16. D: "Beside" means next to or alongside of. "Besides" (A) means anyway, moreover, or except (+ object, e.g. "everybody except Paul") and is incorrect here. Past tense "sat" (B) disagrees with present tense "is captain." "Have" [(C), (E)] indicates present perfect, also disagreeing. Moreover, even if the tenses agreed, the present perfect of "to sit" is "have sat," NOT "have set" (C) or "have sit" (E).

17. A: This is correct as written, in present perfect tense. Future perfect [(B), (C)] is incorrect because it means this classic has not yet been read for nearly 200 years but will be in the future, whereas it has already been read for that long. Present progressive/continuous (D) is incompatible with "for nearly 200 years." ("Is being read" can only be "now"/"currently"/"presently," etc.) "Was read" (E) alters the meaning, indicating it is no longer read now.

18. B: 19th-century biographers are all deceased now and cannot "rely" (A) in the present tense; they relied in the past. Present perfect "have relied" (C) also implies they are still living. Additionally, this choice's omission of the necessary comma would create a run-on sentence. Subjunctive "could have relied" (D) changes the meaning completely. So does (E), which also incorrectly punctuates with a colon instead of a comma.

19. D: The subject "lives" is plural, taking the verb "fascinate." The singular "fascinates" (A) is incorrect, creating subject-verb disagreement. Past perfect "have fascinated" (B) wrongly implies they no longer do so. Future "will fascinate" (C) incorrectly means they do not do so now. There is no such construction as (E): in present perfect (which here should be "have," NOT "has"), the verb form must be "fascinated."

20. A: This is correct as written, in simple past tense. "Will sit" (B) is future, disagreeing with "chose." There is no such construction as "could of" (C). Even corrected, "could have" has no meaning here: "The…man…carefully could have sat down" makes no sense. There is no such construction as "have sit" (D). "Set" (E) is NOT the past tense of "to sit" but a different, transitive verb, e.g. "He set down his package on the table."

21. D: From the sentence context, the phrase "marked with the words" indicates that the words referenced should be enclosed in quotation marks to set them off within the sentence. Labels (as in this example), titles, names, inscriptions, people's utterances, etc.-anything quoted-needs quotation marks. Quotations within sentences are introduced by a comma. No punctuation (A), a dash (B), a colon (C), and quotation marks but no comma (E) are all incorrect.




3. Basic Grammar Practice Questions

Search for grammatical errors in the underlined sections of the following sentences and select the option that best corrects them. If there is no error, choose option A.

1. Everyone in the bank-including the manager and the tellers, ran to the door when the fire alarm rang.

A. tellers, ran B. tellers: ran C. tellers, had run D. tellers-ran E. tellers' ran"

2. To no ones surprise, Joe didn't have his homework ready.

A. no ones surprise B. noones surprise C. no-ones surprise D. no ones' surprise E. no one's surprise

3. If he would have read "The White Birds," he might have liked William Butler Yeats' poetry.

A. would have read B. could have read C. would of read D. could of read E. had read

4. After the hurricane, uprooted trees were laying all over the ground.

A. were laying B. lying C. were lying D. were laid E. was laid

5. Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882), the great transcendentalist philosopher, wrote in his essay "Self-Reliance" of the need for an individual to develop his capacities.

A. essay "Self-Reliance" B. essay, "Self-Reliance"

C. essay: Self-Reliance D. essay, Self-Reliance E. essay; "Self-Reliance"

6. The recently built children's amusement park has been called "a boon to the community" by its supporters and "an eyesore" by its harshest critics.

A. and "an eyesore" by its harshest B. and, "an eyesore," by its harshest C. and, an eyesore; by its harshest D. and-an eyesore-by its' harshest E. and-"an eyesore"-by its' harshest

7. I always have trouble remembering the meaning of these two common verbs, affect (to change" or "to influence") and effect ("to cause" or "to accomplish)."

A. "to accomplish)." B. "to accomplish"). C. "to accomplish). D. To accomplish. E. "to accomplish.")

8. My class just finished reading-"The Fall of the House of Usher", a short story by Edgar Allan Poe.

A. reading-"The Fall of the House of Usher", B. reading, The Fall of the House of Usher, C. reading "The Fall of the House of Usher," D. reading, "The Fall of the house of Usher," E. reading: The Fall of the House of Usher-

9. After it was repaired it ran perfect again.

A. ran perfect B. ran perfectly C. could run perfect D. could of run perfect E. would run perfectly

10. "Are there two E's in beetle," asked Margo?

A. there two E's in beetle," asked Margo? B. their two E's in beetle?" asked Margo. C. their two E's in beetle," asked Margo. D. there two E's in beetle?" asked Margo. E. there two E's in beetle, asked Margo?

11. The circus audience received a well-deserved round of applause for the perfectly timed acrobatic stunt.

A. audience received a well-deserved B. audience gave a well deserved C. audience did receive a well deserved D. audience gave a well-deserved E. audience did get a well-deserved

12. Looking directly at me, Mother said, "These are your options: the choice is yours."

A. Mother said, "These are your options: the choice is B. Mother said-these are your options, the choice is C. Mother had said, These are your options; the choice is D. Mother had said, "These are your options; the choice is E. Mother said, "These are your options; the choice is

13. Porcupine is from Latin porcus, "pig," and spina, "spine."

A. porcus, "pig," and spina, "spine." B. Porcus-pig and spina, "spine." C. Porcus-pig, and Spina, "spine." D. Porcus-Pig-,Spina-spine. E. Porcus, "pig," and spina "spine".

14. Seeing the dolphins, some sharks, a killer whale, and a Moray eel made the visit to the marine park worthwhile.

A. a killer whale, and a Moray eel made the visit B. a killer whale, and a moray eel made the visit C. a killer whale and a moray eel makes the visit D. a killer whale and a Moray eel makes the visit E. a killer whale and a moray eel made the visit

15. Still, the fact that a planet exists outside our solar system encourages hope that other solar systems exist, and in them, perhaps, a planet that supports life.

A. that a planet exists outside our solar system encourages hope that other solar systems exist, and B. that a Planet exists out side our solar system encourages hope that other solar systems exist and C. could be that a planet exists outside our solar system encourages hope that other solar systems exist, and D. that a planet exist outside our solar systems encourage hope that other solar systems exist, and

E. that a planet does exists out side our solar system encourages hope that other solar systems exist, and

16. Mail-order shopping can be convenient and timesaving with appropriate precautions, it is safe as well.

A. can be convenient and timesaving B. can be convenient and timesaving; C. should be convenient and time saving; D. could be convenient and time saving; E. can be convenient and time-saving;

17. Among the many fields of science, no matter what turns you on, there are several fields of study.

A. science, no matter what turns you on, B. Science, no matter what turns you on, C. Science, no matter which you chose, D. Science, no matter which of these you chose- E. science, no matter which you choose,

18. The fact that boxing is known to cause head injuries and brain damage should lead us to inform the public and push for a ban on boxing.

A. should lead us to inform B. could lead us to inform C. should of led us to inform D. will lead us to inform E. should have led us to inform,

19. The first part of the test was on chemistry, the second on mathematics, and the third on english.

A. on mathematics, and the third on english. B. on mathematics; and the third on English. C. on Mathematics; and the third on English. D. on mathematics, and the third on English. E. on mathematics: and the third on English.

20. The Diary of Anne Frank showed a young girl's courage during two years of hiding.

A. showed a young girl's courage B. shows a young girl's courage C. did show a young girls courage D. has shown a young girl's courage E. showed a young girls courage

21. In August my parents will be married for twenty-five years.

A. will be married for twenty-five years. B. shall have been married for twenty-five years. C. will have been married for twenty-five years. D. will be married for twenty five years. E. will have married for twenty-five years.


1. D: The modifying phrase inserted between subject and predicate should be set off on both sides by dashes, not just one. Non-matching punctuation marks, like a dash before it but a comma after it [sentence, (A), (C)], or a dash before but a colon after it (B), are incorrect and asymmetrical. An apostrophe (E) indicates possession and is incorrect in a non-possessive plural noun. There is no reason for the incorrect, extraneous close-quotation mark after the verb (E) either.

2. E: "No one's is a possessive pronoun and needs the apostrophe." Omitting it [sentence, (A), (B), and (C)] is incorrect. "No one" is spelled as two words, not one (B) or one hyphenated word (C). An apostrophe after the s (D) denotes a possessive plural, not a possessive singular.

3. E: The past unreal conditional should consist of "if" plus the past perfect of "to read" (auxiliary verb "had" with "read"). Adding "would" or "could" to the past perfect [sentence, (A), (B), (C), and (D)] is incorrect. In the "If…then" past unreal conditional construction, "would have" is only used in the second ("then" understood) clause, never in the first "If" clause. Also, "of" [(C), (D) is a preposition, an incorrect substitute for the auxiliary verb "have."

4. C: The correct past progressive tense of the verb "to lie" is "were lying." "Were laying" (A) is acting on an object, e.g. "Workers were laying uprooted trees on the side of the road." Without the auxiliary verb "were," "lying" (B) is incomplete and does not form a predicate for the subject "trees." "Were laid" (D) means somebody/something laid them there, not that the trees themselves were lying there. "Was laid" is singular, not plural as "trees" are.

5. A: A comma (B), colon (C), or semicolon (E) is incorrect and unnecessary between the noun and its proper name.

6. A: No punctuation other than the quotation marks is required or correct after "and" and around "an eyesore." Commas [(B), (C)], semicolons (C), or dashes [(D), (E)] are incorrect. Omitting quotation marks (D) is incorrect since the sentence is quoting people; and the first phrase has them, so the second also should. The apostrophes [(D), (E)] are incorrect: the irregular possessive pronoun "its" does not have an apostrophe.

7. B: The end quotation mark should come after the word but inside the end parenthesis. Putting it after the period, outside the end parenthesis (A) is incorrect.

Omitting the end quotation mark (C) is incorrect. Omitting parentheses and capitalizing the infinitive verb example (D) are both incorrect. Omitting the open parenthesis (E) is incorrect. Both quotation marks and parentheses always come in pairs.

8. C: There should not be any punctuation between the verb and its object, even if the object is a title in quotation marks as it is here. Therefore, a dash (A), comma [(B, (D)], colon (E), or any combination of two [(A), (E)] is incorrect. Additionally, omitting quotation marks around the title [(B), (E) is incorrect.

9. B: The verb is modified by the adverb "perfectly," not "perfect" [(A), (C), (D)], an adjective for modifying a noun. "After it was repaired" indicates past tense, so for agreement, the verb should also be the past tense "ran." "Could run" (C) and "would run" (E) are not past tense but unreal subjunctive mood. There is no such construction as "could of" (D), which incorrectly substitutes the preposition "of" for the auxiliary verb "have," part of the past perfect tense.

10. D: The question mark comes after the question, inside the quotation marks. A line of dialogue or a quotation normally has a comma [(A), (C), (E)], but inside the end quotation mark when it is a statement. When it is a question it has a question mark, which should NOT go at the end of the sentence [(A), (E)] containing the question, when that sentence is a statement. Also, the adverb "there" is misspelled as the possessive plural third-person pronoun "their" in (B) and (C).

11. D: From the context, we assume the circus acrobats performed the stunt and received the applause that the audience gave. For the audience to receive applause makes no sense in this context [sentence, (A), (C), (E)]. Omitting the hyphen in "well-deserved" [(B), (C)] is also incorrect.

12. E: A comma, not a hyphen (B) introduces dialogue/quotations. A semicolon, not a comma (B) separates two independent clauses. A colon (A) is incorrect, because the first clause does not introduce the second clause and is not explained by it. (C) omits quotation marks. Past perfect (D) is not incorrect in itself, but past tense in the original sentence was not incorrect and required no change.

13. A: A comma after each italicized Latin word and after each English translation, inside the quotation marks surrounding the latter, is correct. Separating any of these terms with dashes is incorrect [(B), (C), (D), and (E)]. A dash followed by a comma is always incorrect, as is separating a pair with a hyphen (D). Both pairs should be separated by commas; (E) omits the comma from the second pair.

14. B: Each item in a series of three or more is separated with a comma. Omitting the last comma before "and" [(C), (D), (E)] is incorrect. The term "moray eel" is not a proper name but a common name for many types of eels and thus is not capitalized [(A), (D)] (unless it begins a sentence). Present verb tense [(C), (D)] is not incorrect, but these choices also include the identified punctuation [(C), (D)] and capitalization (D) errors.

15. A: "A planet" is not a name, hence not capitalized; a comma should separate the independent clause from the following phrase (B); "outside" is one word [(B), (E)]. Adding "could be" (C) changes the meaning and is also ungrammatical, creating two unconnected predicates "…the fact could be…encourages…" requiring ", which" before "encourages" or changing "encourages" to ", encouraging…" "Fact" and "planet" are both singular nouns; "exist" and "encourage" (D) belong with plural nouns. The words "…does exists…" should be "…does exist" (E).

16. E: A semicolon separates independent clauses. Omitting punctuation (A), including that semicolon and the hyphen from "time-saving" [(A), (B)], is incorrect. Spelling "time-saving" as two separate words [(C), (D)] is also incorrect. Substituting "should" (C) or "could" (D) for "can" alters the meaning.

17. E: The word "science" is not capitalized [(B), (C), (D). The phrase "what turns you on" is slangy and not preferred. (If it ended the sentence, it would also be incorrect for ending a sentence with a preposition.) "Which you choose" is preferable. "Chose" [(C), (D)] is past tense, disagreeing with the present-tense predicate "are." "Of these" (D) is redundant. The interrupting modifier "no matter…" is enclosed by commas on each side, not a comma and dash (D).

18. A: Substituting "could" (B) or "will" (D) for "should" changes the sentence meaning. "Should of" (C) incorrectly substitutes the preposition "of" for the auxiliary verb "have;" there is no such construction. Even the correct form "should have led" (E) is subjunctive mood, past tense, disagreeing with the present-tense sentence context ("…boxing is known…lead…"); and a comma after "inform" is incorrect.

19. D: English is capitalized because it is a proper name as well as a school subject. Uncapitalized names (A) are incorrect. However, mathematics, like chemistry, is a school subject but not a proper name and hence, not capitalized (C). Semicolons [(B), (C)] only separate independent clauses, or phrases containing internal commas, but not several phrases in a series. A semicolon (E) introduces lists or explanations but never separates phrases in a series.

20. B: Present tense is preferable when referring to an existing book rather than past tense [(A), (C), (E)] or present perfect tense (D). The author wrote it in the past, but the book still exists in the present. The possessive noun "girl's" has an apostrophe, which is incorrectly omitted in (C) and (E).

21. C: "In August" is the future, requiring the future-tense auxiliary verb "will." "Have been married" is present perfect. Adding "will" to "have been married" makes the tense future perfect. Simple future tense "will be married" [(A), (D)] with "for twenty-five years" literally means they will get married in August and will be married for 25 years thereafter. "Will have married" (E) cannot be "for 25 years": being married is a continuous process; marrying is not.




4. Intermediate Grammar Practice Questions

1. The word boycott derives from the name of Charles C. Boycott, an English land agent in Ireland that was ostracized for refusing to reduce rent.

A. that was ostracized for refusing B. who was ostracized for refusing C. which was ostracized for refusingD. that had been ostracized for refusingE. who had been ostracized for refusing

2. As a result of his method for early music education, Shinichi Suzuki has been known as oneof the world's great violin teachers.

A. has been known as one B. had been known as oneC. is seen as oneD. is being seen as oneE. has been one

3. Last night the weather forecaster announced that this is the most rainy season the area has had in the past decade.

A. this is the most rainy season theB. this has been the most rainy season theC. this was the most rainy season theD. this is noted as the most rainy season the E. this is the rainiest season the

4. Although Mandy is younger than her sister, Mandy is the tallest of the two.

A. is the tallest of the B. is the taller of theC. has been the taller of theD. is the most tall of theE. is the more taller of the

5. When Katherine Hepburn's play came to town, all the tickets had sold out far in advance.

A. had sold out farB. have sold out farC. were sold out farD. had been sold out farE. had been sold out for

6. The origins of most sports is unknown.

A. sports is unknownB. sports have been unknownC. sports are unknownD. sports has been unknownE. sports are now unknown

7. Neither of the Smith brothers expect to be drafted by a major league team this year.

A. expect to be draftedB. expects to be draftedC. has expected to be draftedD. is expecting to be draftedE. was expecting to be drafted

8. Has any of the witnesses been sworn in yet?

A. Has any of theB. Is any of theC. Will any of theD. Are any of theE. Have any of the

9. TheLusitania sunk on May 7, 1915.

A. sunkB. did sinkC. was sunkD. did sankE. sank

10. Whos in the office now?

A. Whos inB. Whose inC. Who is inD. Who's inE. Whose' in

11. There are now many kinds of dictionaries, such as a dictionary of synonyms and antonyms, a biographical dictionary, and a geographical dictionarywith pronunciations given.

A. with pronunciations givenB. that has pronunciations given

C. with pronunciations' givenD. that have pronunciations givenE. that do have pronunciations given

12. Towering 700 feet above the valley floor, Mount Rushmore National Memorial was an impressive site.

A. was an impressive siteB. is a impressive sightC. is an impressive sightD. was an impressive sightE. is an impressive site

13. San Francisco lays southwest of Sacramento.

A. lays southwestB. has laid southwestC. is lying southwestD. lain southwestE. lies southwest

14. Did they know that Labor Day always came on the first Monday in September?

A. came onB. comes onC. has come onD. had come onE. has came on

15. Eating, drinking, and to stay up late at night were among her pleasures.

A. to stay up lateB. to remain up lateC. staying up lateD. she liked staying up lateE. trying to stay up late

16. Each night when night came and the temperature fell, my parents lit the fire in the bedroom.

A. and the temperature fell,B. and that the temperature did fallC. and that the temperature fellD. and because the temperature fellE. and when the temperature fell

17. Frances promised to bring the Papago basket that she bought in Arizona.

A. bought inB. had bought inC. has bought inD. did buy inE. purchased in

18. He has lain his racquetball glove on the beach.

A. has lainB. has laidC. have lainD. have laidE. is lying

19. I would have lent you my notes if you would have asked me.

A. would have asked meB. could of asked C. could askD. had askedE. had of asked

20. Many scientists are still hoping to have found life on another planet.

A. to have foundB. to findC. two findD. to have been foundE. too have found

21. Because she had an astounding memory, Sue has never forgotten an important equation.

A. had an B. could have hadC. hasD. did haveE. has had


1. B: When referring to a person, use "who," not "that" [(A), (D)] or "which" (C). The past perfect "had been" [(D), (E)] is inappropriate in this context: simple past "was ostracized" refers to the historical event itself. Past perfect would only be used with something identified as leading up to the past event, e.g. "…who had been refusing to reduce rent for years and finally was ostracized."

2. C: Present perfect (A) implies Suzuki is not still known thusly. Past perfect (B) implies he stopped being known thusly in the past. Also, "known" is less accurate than "seen": the former suggests fact; the latter connotes perception/view/opinion, the case here. Present progressive (D) is awkward and suggests the opinion is only current and short-term. "Has been" without "seen" (E) changes the meaning from public opinion to fact-and past, not present, fact.

3. E: "Rainiest" is the superlative form of the adjective "rainy." ("Rainier" is the comparative.) Using "most"/"more" plus the original adjective instead of its superlative/comparative form when it has one is incorrect with one-syllable adjectives and usually awkward with two-syllable adjectives.

4. B: When comparing two things/people, use the comparative (-er/more), not the superlative (-est/most), only used when comparing three or more. "Has been" (C) is only correct when sentence context warrants, e.g. "…has been the taller of the two for three years." Here it is extraneous. "Most tall" (D) is doubly incorrect: once for using superlative, not comparative; and again for using "most"(/"more") instead of "-est"(/"-er") with a one-syllable adjective. "More taller" (E) is an incorrect double/redundant comparative.

5. D: Though common, using "sold out" in active voice with "tickets" as the subject is undesirable since tickets cannot literally sell themselves, so passive voice is more appropriate. Also, past perfect "had been sold out" is more correct than simple past tense "were sold out" (C) since the selling out preceded when the play came to town (past tense). "For" (E) instead of "far" in advance is the wrong preposition/word choice for the meaning and makes no sense.

6. C: Subject-verb agreement: The subject "origins" is plural, so the verb must agree with "are." The singular "is" (A) or "has been" (D) is incorrect. Present perfect "have been" (B) only applies if the context dictates it, e.g. "have been unknown until recently." Adding "now" (E) changes the meaning, implying they were previously known.

7. B: "Neither" is singular, so "expects" is correct. "Expect" (A) is plural. Present perfect "has expected" (C) is superfluous and awkward, as are present progressive "is expecting" (D) and past progressive "was expecting" (E). These would only apply if followed by (e.g.) "…until now" for (C) and (E) or "…until next year" (D).

8. E: "Any" can be singular or plural; in this context, plural is more appropriate. When asking questions with plural count nouns, use "any" as plural. For singular, "Has any one of the witnesses…?" is better. "Is" (B), "will" (C), and "are" (D) are not correct auxiliary verbs in past perfect with "been."

9. E: The past tense of "sink" is "sank." "Sunk" (A) is part of the present perfect ("has sunk"/"is sunk"/"has been sunk"- passive voice) and past perfect (had sunk"/"was sunk" (C)]/"had been sunk"- passive voice) tenses. "Did sink" (B) is awkward and unnecessary. "Did sank" (D) is incorrect: past-tense auxiliary verbs are never used together with past-tense main verbs (doubling).

10. D: An apostrophe is required in "who's," a contraction of "who is." No apostrophe (A) is incorrect. "Whose" (B) is the possessive (i.e. belonging to whom). Its irregular spelling differentiates it from the contraction "who's" (like "its" vs. "it's"). "Whose" is never spelled with a final apostrophe (E). "Who is" (C) is not incorrect, but expanding the contraction to full form avoids correctly identifying the contraction's correct spelling.

11. A: This is the most economical wording of the modifying prepositional phrase. "That has" (B) is unwieldy and superfluous. The plural "pronunciations" is not possessive and thus should not have an apostrophe (C). "Have" [(D), (E)] is plural, disagreeing with the singular subject.

12. C: Present tense is more correct when describing something that currently still exists. Also, from the sentence context, "sight," i.e. something to see, is the desired meaning whereas "site" [(A), (E)] means a location. Past tense [(A), (D)] would only be correct in context, e.g. "…was an impressive sight when we visited it last year." The article "a" (B) is incorrect before a vowel ("an" is correct).

13. E: The present tense of "to lie" is "lies." "Lays" is the present tense of the transitive (taking a direct object) verb "to lay," e.g. "We lay books on this table." "Has laid" (B) should be "has lain," but present perfect makes no sense here: San Francisco's location has not moved. Present progressive "is lying" (C) is similarly misleading regarding a non-temporary location. "Lain" (D) is present perfect/past perfect, not present-and moreover lacks its auxiliary verb (has/had).

14. B: Although the predicate is past-tense ("Did they know…?"), something that is still true, like a national holiday, "always comes on" the same day in present tense. "Always came on" (A) implies it no longer does, as does "has come" (C) and "had come" (D). "Has came" (E) is never used: the present perfect (has) and past perfect (had) both take the form "come."

15. C: The series of gerunds ("-ing"-participial verbals used as nouns) require parallel structure. To agree with "eating" and "drinking," "staying up late" is correct. The infinitive "to stay/remain" [(A)/(B)] disagrees with the gerunds "eating, drinking." Adding "She liked…" (D) incorrectly places the third verbal into an independent clause with another subject and verb, contradicting the sentence structure-and redundant with "were among her pleasures." "Trying to stay up late" (E) changes the meaning.

16. A: A comma between a modifying phrase/clause and the clause it modifies is correct. Inserting "that" [(B), (C)] is incorrect: "the temperature fell," along with "night darkness came," is introduced by the adverb "when." It is not a restrictive relative clause introduced by "that." Past tense "fell" is preferred over the awkward "did fall" (B). "Because" (D) is incorrect: the clause was already introduced by "when." Past-perfect "had fallen" (E) disagrees with past-tense "darkness came" and "my parents lit…"

17. B: Past perfect is correct because Frances promised (past tense) to bring what she had bought before she promised. Present perfect "has bought" (C) disagrees with the past-tense predicate "promised." "Did buy" (D) is just an awkward or archaic version of

past tense "bought" (A); "purchased" (E) is simply a past-tense synonym for "bought"-all incorrect here. (Frances did not buy the basket at the same time that she promised to bring it.)

18. B: The correct present-perfect of transitive verb (i.e. it always takes a direct object) "to lay" is "has laid." "Has lain" (A) is intransitive, e.g. "He has lain on this bed before." "Have lain" (C) uses not only the wrong verb/tense, but also a plural auxiliary verb with a singular subject, like "have laid" (D). "Is lying" (E) should be "is laying" with the object "racquetball glove;" but even corrected, changing the tense changes the meaning here.

19. D: In conditional-subjunctive constructions, "if…" introduces the conditional clause/phrase, and the corresponding "then…" subjunctive uses "would have." Using "would have" in the conditional is incorrect. There is no such construction as "could of" (B) or "had of" (E); these incorrectly substitute the preposition "of" for the auxiliary verb "have." "Could ask" (C) is wrong in both tense and meaning.

20. B: "Hoping," like "planning"/"dreaming"/"expecting," etc., is future-oriented and in the present participle ("-ing"), requires the infinitive in modifying verbs, i.e. "hoping to find." Scientists cannot hope "to have found" [(A), (E)] something already that they are "still hoping" to find. "Two" (C) is the spelling of the number 2, and "too" (E) is the adverb meaning "also," not the preposition "to." "To have been found" errs doubly, using both present-perfect tense and passive voice incorrectly here.

21. C: With present-perfect "has never forgotten," present-tense "has an astounding memory" is correct. "Had" (A) and "did have" (D) are past-tense; and "has had" (E) is present-perfect tense, all implying Sue no longer has an astounding memory, contradicting the statement that she still "has never forgotten." "Could have had" (B) completely changes the meaning and also contradicts "has never forgotten."

5. Advanced Grammar Practice Questions

Each of the following sentences contains an error of some kind. Read each sentence and select the option that correctly identifies its error.

1. David was known for belching; and telling inappropriate jokes in public.

A. Capitalization B. Punctuation C. Spelling D. Grammar

2. Graduation from High School is considered a momentous occasion by many.


3. Nurses plays a vital role in the healthcare profession.


4. After having his tonsels removed, the child was listless for a few days.


5. The park was serine at twilight.


6. Was the patient's mind lucid during the evaluation.


7. The bachalor never married. Most people thought it was because of misogyny.


8. The intricacy of the mathematical equation, drove the student trying to solve it crazy.


9. The hybrid tomatoes is immune to most common diseases.


10. The professor was humiliated when his students reported him to the Dean for verbal abuse.


11. The con artist hoodwinked the old lady when he sold her fradulent insurance.


12. The movie star was accused of a misdemeanor, when she stole $15 worth of merchandise from the store.


13. The congregation sang a comtemporary hymn.


14. The wound were necrotic when examined.


15. The defendint exhibited a peevish appearance.


16. The band director was scheduled to play the piccolo on tuesday.


17. The renter was remiss; about the rent.


18. The old man was know for his sapient knowledge.


19. The inventor create several specious ideas to solve the problem.


20. The teacher identified the troublemakers, in her classroom.



1. B: The semicolon is incorrect punctuation here. With the coordinating conjunction "and," no punctuation is needed between the two gerunds. A comma is permissible to indicate David did not necessarily do both things simultaneously; however, semicolons are for separating two independent clauses, or separating dependent clauses/phrases containing internal commas.

2. A: "High School" is incorrect capitalization. These words are not names/proper nouns and should not be capitalized.

3. D: The singular form of the verb ("plays") disagrees with the plural noun subject ("Nurses"), representing incorrect grammar.

4. C: "Tonsels" is an incorrect spelling of the word "tonsils."

5. C: "Serine" is an incorrect spelling of the adjective "serene," meaning peaceful (indicated by sentence context), confusing it with the noun serine, meaning the amino acid.

6. B: Ending this question with a period is incorrect punctuation. It should end with a question mark.

7. C: "Bachalor" is incorrect spelling of "bachelor."

8. B: The comma is incorrect punctuation. No punctuation mark is needed here.

9. D: A singular predicate with a plural subject is incorrect subject-verb agreement, i.e. grammar.

10. A: The noun "dean" is not a name/proper noun, so the capitalization is incorrect.

11. C: "Fradulent" is incorrect spelling of the adjective "fraudulent."

12. B: The comma before the adverbial clause ("when…") is incorrect punctuation; it should not be there.

13. C: "Comtemporary" is an incorrect spelling of "contemporary."

14. D: The plural verb "were" with the singular noun subject "wound" lacks subject-verb agreement, constituting incorrect grammar.

15. C: "Defendint" is an incorrect spelling of the word "defendant."

16. A: The lower-case initial "t" in "Tuesday" is incorrect capitalization: names/proper nouns are capitalized.

17. B: The semicolon here is incorrect punctuation. The only punctuation mark this sentence needs is its final period.

18. D: The correct past-perfect form here is "was known." "Was know" is incorrect grammar.

19. D: "Create" is incorrect grammar here. The singular subject noun "inventor" requires either the singular verb form "creates" or the past-tense "created" for correct construction.

20. B: It is incorrect punctuation to place a comma between the noun and its modifying prepositional phrase. No punctuation mark should be used, except for the final period.




6. Comma Practice Questions

The following sentences either have existing or require additional commas somewhere in their structures. Choose the option that best reflects proper comma usage in each sentence.

1. For the Thanksgiving reunion, relatives were sitting in the dining room, on the porch, and in the carport.

A. Thanksgiving, reunion B. were, sitting C. porch and D. No error

2. Lydia seems to be a kind, considerate girl.

A. seems, to B. considerate, girl C. kind considerate D. No error

3. This fishing pole Nathan, has seen better days.

A. pole, Nathan, B. has, seen C. Nathan D. No error

4. My cousin has moved to 56 Central Street Narragansett, Rhode Island 02882.

A. has moved, B. Central Street, C. 56, Central D. No error

5. The badger, a shy animal sometimes makes friends with a coyote.

A. sometimes, makes B. friends, with C. a shy animal, D. No error

6. After the death of Blackbeard, the famous pirate, piracy disappeared from the coast of the American colonies.

A. the famous pirate B. after the death, C. coast, of D. No error

7. "Silent Night" was written by two men from the village of Oberndorf Austria.

A. men, from B. "Silent Night," C. Oberndorf, Austria D. No error

8. On November 19, 1929 Admiral Richard E. Byrd flew the Floyd Bennett to the base of the Queen Maud Mountains.

A. base, of B. the, Queen C. 1929, D. No error

9. Oh I forgot to bring the cookies.

A. Oh, B. I, forgot C. to, bring D. No error

10. "The boy in the kayak," whispered Sue "is the new football captain."

A. boy, in the B. new, football C. whispered Sue, D. No error


1. D: No error. There is a comma after the initial modifying prepositional phrase and after the first and second modifying prepositional phrases in the series of three. No comma belongs between an adjective and the noun it modifies (A), or between an auxiliary verb and verb (B). Omitting the second comma setting off the first modifying prepositional phrase (C) is wrong.

2. D: No error. A comma belongs between two consecutive adjectives modifying the same noun. A comma between verb and object (A) is incorrect. So is one between an adjective and the noun it modifies (B). Omitting a comma between two consecutive adjective (C) is incorrect.

3. A: The comma after "Nathan" is correct, but there should also be another comma before it. When an address to someone by name is inserted mid-sentence-here between subject and object-it should be set off by commas on both sides. There should not be a comma between auxiliary verb and verb (B). Having no commas to set off the inserted name (C) is incorrect.

4. B: There should be a comma between the street address and the city when stating a full address in sentence form (as well as between the city and state, as there is here). There should not be a comma between the verb and prepositional phrase (A), or between street number and street name (C).

5. C: A modifying phrase between subject and predicate should be set off by commas on both sides. Putting a comma between adverb and verb (A) or between object and preposition (B) is incorrect.

6. D: No error. The phrase modifying the subject is set off by commas both before, and after it. Removing the second comma (A) is incorrect. A comma between a noun and its modifying prepositional phrase [(B), (C)] is incorrect.

7. C: There should always be a comma between a village and country, city and state, state and country, or country and continent. There should not be a comma between the noun and modifying preposition (A), or between the subject and verb (B).

8. C: When a date is used in a modifying prepositional phrase before the subject and verb, it should have a comma after it (before subject-verb). There should not be a comma between a noun and modifying preposition (A) or between an article and the noun it modifies (B).

9. A: A comma should follow an interjection like "Oh" at the beginning of a sentence. (In some sentences, other punctuation like an exclamation point is acceptable.) A comma between subject and verb (B) is incorrect. A comma in the middle of an infinitive (C) is incorrect.

10. C: When a non-quotation clause/phrase is inserted in the middle of a quotation, it should be set off by commas on both sides. There should not be a comma between a noun and its modifying prepositional phrase (A), or between an adjective and the noun phrase it modifies (B).




7. Author's Purpose Practice Questions

BLACK HISTORY MONTH

Black History Month is unnecessary. In a place and time in which we overwhelmingly elected an African-American president, we can and should move to a post-racial approach to education. As Detroit Free Press columnist Rochelle Riley wrote in a February 1 column calling for an end to Black History Month, "I propose that, for the first time in American history, this country has reached a point where we can stop celebrating separately, stop learning separately, stop being American separately."

In addition to being unnecessary, the idea that African-American history should be focused on in a given month suggests that it belongs in that month alone. Instead, it is important to incorporate African-American history into what is taught every day as American history. It needs to be recreated as part of mainstream thought and not as an optional, often irrelevant, side note. We should focus efforts on pushing schools to diversify and broaden their curricula.

There are a number of other reasons to abolish it. First of all, it has become a shallow commercial ritual that does not even succeed in its (limited and misguided) goal of focusing for one month on a sophisticated, intelligent appraisal of the contributions and experiences of African-Americans throughout history. Second, there is a paternalistic flavor to the mandated bestowing of a month in which to study African-American history that is overcome if we instead assert the need for a comprehensive curriculum. Third, the idea of Black History Month suggests that the knowledge imparted in that month is for African-Americans only, rather than for all people.

1. The author's primary purpose in this passage is to…

a. Argue that Black History Month should not be so commercial. b. Argue that Black History Month should be abolished. c. Argue that Black History Month should be maintained. d. Suggest that African-American history should be taught in two months rather than just one. e. Argue that African-American history is not part of mainstream curriculum.

Read the passage below and answer question 2.

PARK WILDLIFE

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks support a wide diversity of animal species, reflecting the range in elevation, climate, and habitat variety there. Over 260 native vertebrate species are in the parks; numerous additional species may be present but have not been confirmed. Of the native vertebrates, five species are extirpated (or extinct), and over 150 are rare or uncommon. There have been some studies of invertebrates in the area, but there is not enough information to know how many species occur specifically in the parks. Many of the parks' caves contain invertebrates, some of which exist only in one cave and are known nowhere else in the world. In the foothills, where summers are hot and dry and winters are mild, plant life is largely chaparral on the lower slopes, with blue oak and California buckeye in the valleys and on higher slopes. A number of animals live in this area year-round; some breed here, while others winter here. Local species include the gray fox, bobcat, striped and spotted skunks, black bear, wood rat, pocket gopher, white-footed mouse, California quail, scrub jay, lesser goldfinch, wrentit, acorn woodpecker, gopher snake, California king snake, striped racer, western whiptail lizard, and the California newt.

2. What was the author's purpose in writing this passage?

a. To entertain the reader. b. To bore the reader. c. To persuade the reader. d. To inform the reader. e. To humor the reader.


CALIFORNIA GRAPES

Grapes are one of the oldest cultivated fruits. Hieroglyphics show that Egyptians were involved in grape and wine production. Also, the early Romans were known to have developed many grape varieties.

Grapes have been grown in California for more than 200 years. The tradition of viticulture (growing grapes) began in 1769 when Spanish friars established missions throughout California. Then the boom in grapes planted for eating arose in the early 1800s. William Wolfskill, founder of California's citrus industry, planted the first table grape vineyard in 1839 near Los Angeles.

By the 1850s, the United States had officially acquired California from Mexico, and 80,000 gold prospectors had moved to the region. A few of these had the foresight to realize that there was money in grapes as well as in gold.

Today, California wine, table grapes, and raisins are all important agricultural commodities, with approximately 700,000 acres planted in vineyards. About 85 percent of California's table grape production is in the southern San Joaquin Valley region, with the Coachella Valley region accounting for most of the remaining production.

3. The author most likely wrote this passage to…

a. Entertain the reader. b. Persuade the reader. c. Humor the reader. d. Inform the reader. e. Sway the reader.


VISUAL PERCEPTION

It is tempting to think that your eyes are simply mirrors that reflect whatever is in front of them. Researchers, however, have shown that your brain is constantly working to create the impression of a continuous, uninterrupted world.

For instance, in the last 10 minutes, you have blinked your eyes around 200 times. You have probably not been aware of any of these interruptions in your visual world. Something you probably have not seen in a long time without the aid of a mirror is your nose. It is always right there, down in the bottom corner of your vision, but your brain filters it out so that you are not aware of your nose unless you purposefully look at it.

Nor are you aware of the artery that runs right down the middle of your retina. It creates a large blind spot in your visual field, but you never notice the hole it leaves. To see this blind spot, try the following: Cover your left eye with your hand. With your right eye, look at the O on the left. As you move your head closer to the O, the X will disappear as it enters the blind spot caused by your optical nerve.

O X

Your brain works hard to make the world look continuous!

4. What is the main purpose of this passage?

a. To persuade the reader to pay close attention to blind spots. b. To explain the way visual perception works. c. To persuade the reader to consult an optometrist if the O and X disappear. d. To prove that vision is a passive process.


OPPOSITIONAL DEFIANT DISORDER

On a bad day, have you ever been irritable? Have you ever used a harsh tone or even been verbally disrespectful to your parents or teachers? Everyone has a short temper from time to time, but current statistics indicate that between 16 and 20 percent of a school's population suffer from a psychological condition known as oppositional defiant disorder, or ODD.

ODD symptoms include difficulty complying with adult requests, excessive arguments with adults, temper tantrums, difficulty accepting responsibility for actions, low frustration tolerance, and behaviors intended to annoy or upset adults. Parents of children with ODD often feel as though their whole relationship is based on conflict after conflict.

Unfortunately, ODD can be caused by a number of factors. Some students affected by ODD suffer abuse, neglect, and severe or unpredictable discipline at home. Others have parents with mood disorders or have experienced family violence. Various types of therapy are helpful in treating ODD, and some drugs can treat particular symptoms. However, no single cure exists.

The best advice from professionals is directed toward parents. Therapists encourage parents to avoid situations that usually end in power struggles, to try not to feed into oppositional behavior by reacting emotionally, to praise positive behaviors, and to discourage negative behaviors with timeouts instead of harsh discipline.

5. The author's purpose in writing this passage is to…

a. Express frustration about ODD. b. Prove that parents are the cause of ODD. c. Inform the reader about this complex condition. d. Persuade the reader to keep students with ODD out of public school.


EARLY POLITICAL PARTIES

The United States has always been a pluralistic society, meaning it has embraced many points of view and many groups with different identities from its beginning. That is not to say that these groups always saw eye to eye. The first political parties developed in the United States as a result of conflicting visions of the American identity. Many politicians

believed that wealthy merchants and lawyers represented the country's true identity, but many others saw it in the farmers and workers who formed the country's economic base.

The event that brought this disagreement to the surface was the creation of the Bank of the United States in 1791. The bank set out to rid the country of the debts it had accumulated during the American Revolution. Until then, each state was responsible for its own debts. The Bank of the United States, however, wanted to assume these debts and pay them off itself. While many people considered this offer to be a good financial deal for the states, many states were uncomfortable with the arrangement because they saw it as a power play by the federal government. If a central bank had control over the finances of individual states, then the people who owned the bank would profit from the states in the future. This concern was the basis of the disagreement: Who should have more power, the individual states or the central government?

The Democratic-Republican Party developed to protest the bank, but it came to represent a vision of America with power spread among states. The Federalist Party was established in defense of the bank, but its ultimate vision was of a strong central government that could help steer the United States toward a more competitive position in the world economy. These different points of view-central government versus separate states-would not be resolved easily. These same disagreements fueled the tension that erupted into the Civil War over half a century later.

6. What is the author's purpose in writing this passage?

a. To persuade the reader to accept the Federalist Party's point of view. b. To explain the disagreements between early American political parties. c. To explain the importance of a strong central government. d. To criticize the founders of the Bank of the United States.

*Question #7 has been omitted.

Read the passage below and answer questions 8-9.

DISCUSSION OF NATIVE SPEAKER, BY CHANG-RAE LEE

Chang-Rae Lee's award-winning debut novel "Native Speaker" is about Henry Park, a Korean-American individual who struggles to find his place as an immigrant in a suburb of New York City. This novel addresses the notion that as the individuals who know us best, our family, peers, and lovers are the individuals who direct our lives and end up defining us. Henry Park is confronted with this reality in the very beginning of the novel, which opens:

The day my wife left she gave me a list of who I was.

Upon separating from his wife, Park struggles with racial and ethnic identity issues due to his loneliness. Through Park's work as an undercover operative for a private intelligence agency, the author presents the theme of espionage as a metaphor for the internal divide that Park experiences as an immigrant. This dual reality creates two worlds for Park and increases his sense of uncertainty with regard to his place in society. While he constantly feels like an outsider looking in, he also feels like he belongs to neither world.

Chang-Rae Lee is also a first-generation Korean-American immigrant. He immigrated to America at the early age of 3. Themes of identity, race, and cultural alienation pervade his works. His interests in these themes no doubt stem from his firsthand experience as a kid growing up in a Korean household while going to an American school. Lee is also author of "A Gesture Life" and "Aloft." The protagonists are similar in that they deal with labels placed on them based on race, color, and language. Consequently, all of these characters struggle to belong in America.

Lee's novels address differences within a nation's mix of race, religion, and history, and the necessity of assimilation between cultures. In his works and through his characters, Lee shows us both the difficulties and the subtleties of the immigrant experience in America. He urges us to consider the role of borders, as well as why the idea of opening up one's borders is so frightening. In an ever-changing world in which cultures are becoming increasingly intermingled, the meaning of identity must be constantly redefined, especially when the security of belonging to a place is becoming more elusive. As our world grows smaller with increasing technological advances, these themes in Lee's novels become even more pertinent.

8. Which of the following best describes the purpose of this passage?

a. To criticize b. To analyze c. To entertain d. To inform

9. Why does the author of the passage quote the first line of the novel "Native Speaker"?

a. To illustrate one of the themes in the novel. b. To show how the book is semi-autobiographical. c. It is the main idea of the novel. d. To create interest in the novel.


1. B: The entire passage makes the argument that Black History Month should be abolished, offering various reasons why this is the best course of action, as in answer

choice B. Each of the other answer choices offers a method of changing or maintaining the existing celebration of Black History Month, rather than abolishing it. Therefore, they are incorrect.

2. D: Because the author structures the passage using main idea and detail and gives many facts, the reader can determine the purpose of this passage is to inform, as in answer choice D. Even if the reader did not find this passage to be entertaining, as in answer choice A, it is unlikely that the author would take the time to write a piece with the intent to bore the readers, so option B can be easily eliminated. Nor is there any attempt within the passage to make an argument for any particular position and, thus, persuade the reader of a certain viewpoint. Therefore, option C also does not apply.

3. D: Because the author structures the passage using chronological order and gives many facts and details, the reader can quickly determine that the purpose of this passage is to inform, as in answer choice D. Even if the reader did not find this passage to be entertaining, as in answer choice A, it is unlikely that the author would take the time to write a piece with the intent to bore the readers, so B can be easily eliminated. Nor is there any attempt within the passage to make an argument for any particular position and, thus, persuade the reader of a certain viewpoint. Therefore, option C also does not apply.

4. B: The passage explains the way that visual perception works. Choice B is, therefore, the best answer. The author does not attempt to persuade the reader or prove a particular viewpoint. Therefore, options A, C, and D are incorrect.

5. C: This passage explores numerous facets of ODD and is meant to inform the reader about this psychological condition. Choice C is the best choice. Although parental frustration is noted, it is not the primary focus, making option A incorrect. Likewise, despite the fact that parental behavior as a contributor is mentioned, parents are not overtly blamed for ODD. Answer choice B is, therefore, not the correct choice. Option D does note that a relatively high percentage of students have ODD, but this passage nowhere implies that they should be kept out of school because of it, so D should also be eliminated.

6. B: This passage does not choose one point of view on the issue, so only choice B is in keeping with the passage's purpose, which is to explain the disagreements between the earliest political parties in the United States. All other answer choices would need to reflect the author's preference for a particular position in order to be valid options.

7. C: While the article does describe some treatments, as in option A, it points out that these are seldom necessary. And although it does enumerate symptoms, as with B, this is only a portion of the overall purpose of the article, which is broader than a listing of symptoms. The passage also does not delve into a lengthy comparison of perimenopause and menopause, eliminating option D. This article clearly encompasses a general description of the condition, making C the correct choice.

9. B: The passage neither criticizes (A) nor entertains (C), so these two options may be quickly removed from the list of viable choices. It does provide information, as in option D. However, the writer goes beyond straightforward presentation of facts and into analysis of the details and underlying meaning. It explores the "why." This piece was written to analyze the works by Chang-Rae Lee and the themes presented in his most famous novels. Answer choice B most clearly expresses this purpose.

9. A: The author of this passage uses the first line of the novel to provide an example of one of the themes of the novel. By showing a direct example, the writer is illustrating the theme-option A-and goes on to discuss that very point in the passage. Although the piece does express certain parallels between Lee's experience as a Korean-American and the character's, it is nowhere suggested that the novel is semi-autobiographical, rendering option B incorrect. The main idea of the novel (C) and any suggestion that the reader of the passage should also read the novel (D) are nowhere stated, so these two answer choices are also incorrect. ?


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