Misused and Abused
Word Crimes
The Write Stuff
What's the Word
Commas are Hard
100

The form of this commonly confused word means "also"

Ex: "I like to go there, ___."

What is Too?

100

What change needs to be made to the sentence below?

"The smell of freshly cut grass reminds me of my twelve-year-old self, playing Soccer on Saturday mornings."

What is: Change "Soccer" to "soccer"

100

How many sections on the test require you to write?

What is One?

100

The literary term that is a comparison using like or as.

What is a simile?

100

Where do the commas belong in this sentence?

"We went to the store and bought bread eggs and cheese."

What is: After "bread" and after "eggs"


"We went to the store and bought bread, eggs, and cheese."

200

This term is the possessive form of "it"

What is Its?

200

What change should be made to the sentence below?

"The brain is wired in such a way that the sense of smell is processed near the centers’ of emotion and memory."

What is: Change "centers'" to "centers"

(Take away the apostrophe)

200

The type of English II essay prompt

What is Persuasive?

200

The literary term for giving a non-human thing human qualities.

What is personification?

200

Where do the commas belong in the sentence below:

"Maria the girl in the red shirt is very nice."

What is: After "Maria" and after "shirt"


Ex: "Maria, the girl in the red shirt, is very nice."

300

This term refers to the location of a person, place, or thing.

Ex: My glasses are over _____.

What is There?

300

What change should be made to the sentence below:

"According to a report from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations: there are 1,900 edible insect species on Earth."

What is: Change the colon to a comma.

300

The highest score you can receive from one judge.

What is a 4?

300

The literary term for the author's attitude

What is the Tone?

300

Where do the commas belong in the sentence below?

"I don’t want you getting into trouble Sheila."

What is: After "trouble"

Ex: "I don't want you getting into trouble, Sheila."

400

This term is a contraction.

Ex: "I don't know if ______ going tonight, but if you are, can you pick me up?"

What is You're?

400

What change should be made to the sentence below:

"My uncle, whose very adventurous, brought some roasted grasshoppers from Mexico for me to try, and I liked them—they have a nice, salty crunch."

What is: Change "whose" to "who's"

400

The total number of points the essay is worth toward your score

What is 16?

400

The literary term for giving hints at what's to come in the story.

What is Foreshadowing?

400

Where do the commas belong in the sentence below?

"Except for the first and last scene the movie was boring."

What is: After "scene"

Ex: Except for the first and last scene, the movie was boring.

500

The "action" form of this commonly confused word.

Ex: "Her words began to _____ me, as they were very hurtful."

What is Affect?

500

What change should be made to the sentence below:

"Doing so is not impossible, though, because most food preferances are simply a state of mind."

What is: Change "preferances" to "preferences"

500

Name the three elements of a successful thesis statement for persuasive essays.

What are: Counterargument, Opinion on Subject, and 2 Reasons.

Ex: Although (counterargument), (subject) is (opinion) because (reason 1) and (reason 2).

500
The literary term for the lesson or larger meaning of the story.

What is the Theme?

500

Where do the commas belong in the sentence below?

"The athletic intelligent boy won many scholarships."

What is: After "athletic"

Ex: The athletic, intelligent boy won many scholarships.

M
e
n
u