Spelling
Matching
Modifiers and Comparisons
Complete?
Looks Like a Verb
100
The most misspelled words in the English language.
What is its and it's? ITS is the possessive form of the pronoun IT. IT'S is a contraction of IT IS. When in doubt, see if you can split the word into IT IS. If you can, it needs the apostrophe: IT'S. If you can't, it doesn't take the apostrophe: ITS. For example, It's wonderful news that you're having a baby! What's its gender?
100
Rule: Just as nouns are singular or plural, so are verbs. Singular nouns take verbs that end in -S. Plural nouns end in -S, but their verbs don't. Mary and John is/are laughing.
What is ARE? Mary and John are laughing.
100
Rule: Modifiers are phrases that add information to a noun or a verb. They should be placed as close to the words they modify as possible. When they're misplaced, they cause confusion. Rewrite the sentence so the modifier makes sense. At the last meeting, the mayor discussed the enormous cost of building on the landfill WITH CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
What is "At the last meeting, the mayor discussed WITH CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS the enormous cost of building on the landfill. WITH CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS tells us who the mayor discussed this issue with, so it has to be attached to the word DISCUSSED.
100
Rule: If you say this by itself, does it make a statement? Because I care about you.
What is no. It's an incomplete sentence and needs to be attached to a complete sentence, such as Because I care about you, I insist you finish your exam.
100
Rule: It's a verb if it makes sense if you say I ___, You___, or He ___. It only needs to make sense with one of them, not all three. To Read
What is an infinitive? It's composed of the word TO + VERB and acts like a noun. Ex: To read is to learn.
200
Use there, their, and they're in the correct position of the sentence: ___ are many reasons ___ excited about ___ STAAR test next week.
What is THERE are many reasons THEY'RE excited about THEIR test next week. THERE tells us where. THEY'RE is short for THEY ARE. If neither one applies, use THEIR.
200
Rule: Every pronoun must match the noun that it refers to. My parents love to walk on the Hike and Bike Trail where ___ can hear the birds singing.
What is THEY? The word THEY refers to the noun PARENTS. Both are plural.
200
Rule: Place the word ONLY immediately before the word or group of words it modifies. Rewrite this sentence so it makes sense. "The written test only has two parts."
What is "The written test has ONLY two parts." ONLY modifies TWO PARTS, so it has to be attached.
200
Rule: If you say this by itself, does it make a statement? Mary who loves to ride her bike on hot summer days.
What is an incomplete sentence? It needs to be attached to a complete sentence, such as Mary, who loves to ride her bike on hot summer days, is training for a marathon next July.
200
Rule: Makes sense if you say I ___, You___, or He ___. Going
What is a gerund? It ends in -ING and acts like a noun. Ex: Reading is fun.
300
The difference between then and than.
What is THEN tells when and THAN compares two things.
300
Rule: Just as nouns are singular or plural, so are verbs. Singular nouns take verbs that end in -S. Plural nouns end in -S, but their verbs don't. Rule: If there are two nouns in the subject, and they are connected by the word OR, the verb must match the word after OR. One of the dogs or the cat need/needs to find a new home.
What is NEEDS? The cat needs to find a new home.
300
Rule: Modifiers can't begin a sentence; the write must attached modifiers to the correct word. Rewrite this sentence so it makes sense. "Using high-powered binoculars, the lost child was found."
What is "Using high powered binoculars, THE RESCUERS found the lost child"? What is "The rescuers found the lost child BECAUSE THEY USED high powered binoculars"? In each case, the writer added words to make the sentence make sense.
300
Rule: If you say this by itself, does it make a statement? On cold rainy days, I like to sleep late.
What is yes? The subject is I, the verb is LIKE, and ON COLD RAINY DAYS is an introductory phrase.
300
Rule: Makes sense if you say I ___, You___, or He ___. Eaten; Eating; Loved
What is a participle? It ends in -ED, -EN or -ING and acts like an adjective? Ex: English is the most interesting subject. Ex: The most interested student is the most fun to teach.
400
The difference between whether, weather, and wether.
What is WHETHER is similar to the word IF; WEATHER refers to wind, earth, air, temperature, and things like that; WETHER is a castrated ram and doesn't belong in our essays.
400
Rule: Whenever possible, use gender-neutral nouns and pronouns. Avoid he/she and him/her, which no one says in the real world. Never use a plural pronoun (they, them, their) to refer to a singular noun. Rewrite this sentence: A student should do their homework.
What is "STUDENTS should do THEIR homework"? What is "A STUDENT should do homework"?
400
Rule: When comparing two things, the word will end in -ER or take the word more, as in BETTER, FASTER, OR work MORE SLOWLY than another. When comparing three or more things, the word will end in -EST or take the word MOST, as in FASTEST, SHORTEST, or MOST SPECIAL. Choose the correct word for these sentences: Of my two children, the ELDER/ELDEST has finished her degree. I expect that the OLDER/OLDEST of my many nephews will finish soon.
What is OLDER and OLDEST? I only have two children, so one is the younger and the other is the elder. However I have more than two nephews, so one is the youngest, another is the oldest, and there are several in between.
400
Rule: If you say this by itself, does it make a statement? Randy Rogers ran in the rain because he thinks he is a duck.
What is yes? The subject is RANDY ROGERS, the verb is RAN, and BECAUSE HE THINKS HE IS A DUCK is an incomplete sentence attached on the end.
400
Identify the verb in this sentence: Going to the store in the darkened evening is the scariest thing to do.
What is IS?
500
The difference between affect and effect.
What is AFFECT means to influence and EFFECT is a result.
500
Rule: Collective nouns look singular but actually refer to a group. FAMILY, BAND, and TEAM are all collective nouns. Collective nouns usually take the singular verb (ends in -S) and pronoun. Choose the right word and fill in the blank. The band is/are going to perform _____ prizewinning selection at contest this week.
What is IS and ITS? BAND refers to a group, so it takes the plural verb and the plural pronoun. Either THEIR or ITS would make sense in this sentence.
500
Rule: If you compare two things using MORE or -ER, you have to say more or -er than what. So every phrase that has a MORE (or -ER) must also have a THAN. Add a THAN clause to this incomplete comparison. I like Suzy better.
What is "I like Suzy better THAN ANY OTHER STUDENT IN MY CLASSROOM"? (or whomever you like Suzy better than).
500
Rule: If you say this by itself, does it make a statement? Esmarelda Estevan eats by herself in the cafeteria. Because she is new to this school, super shy, and hasn't made any friends yet.
What is the first sentence is correct but the second is incomplete. To fix this problem, we need to attach them: Esmarelda Estevan eats by herself in the cafeteria because she is new to this school, super shy, and hasn't made any friends yet.
500
Identify the subject and verb in this sentence: To sing the highest notes when your voice is changing, either because you're a boy entering puberty or a girl with a sore throat, challenges challenges the best singers.
What is TO SING (as the subject) and CHALLENGES (as the verb)?
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