Parts of Speech
Identify the part of speech of the are the underlined words:
My cat jumped onto the table, under the lamp, and beside the vase before running through the door.
prepositions
(all four prepositions here tell place/location and are written in parallel structure).
Identify the part of sentence of the underlined words:
Despite her nerves, Madison spoke eloquently during her interview.
Subject
(the subject of a sentence is the noun/pronoun that performs or receives the verb)
Identify the independent clause:
During the big game, Tristian scored a touchdown for the Milton Eagles.
Tristian scored a touchdown for the Milton Eagles. - independent clause
(this clause includes a subject + a verb, and does not begin with a subordinating conjunction or relative pronoun, so it can stand on its own as a complete sentence and is independent)
Where should a comma go in the following sentence to make it grammatical correct?
Before we leave let's make sure we have everything.
Before we leave, let's make sure we have everything.
A comma is always need after a dependent clause (Before we leave) if that clause begins the sentence and precedes the sentence's main subject.
Which word is used incorrectly in the following sentence?
I could not wait to see they're project presentation on Monday -- I hear it's a really well done book trailer.
they're
(they're is a contraction for they are -- this should be replaced with the possessive pronoun their)
Identify the part of speech of the underlined word:
Ms. Schaefer, my English teacher, is teaching grammar today in-class.
adjective
(a word that is normally a noun can function as an adjective if it is describing a noun in the sentence, such as teacher)
Identify the part of sentence of the underlined words:
During the class period, Will wrote his project journal entries.
Direct Object
(a direct object is a noun that comes after an action verb and answers the question "what?" or "whom?")
List 5 words that can start a dependent clause/incomplete sentence.
Any subordinating conjunctions (while, during, because, after, as, if, etc.) or relative pronouns (who, whom, whose, that, which, etc.) will suffice.
Add apostrophes to the following sentence to make it grammatical correct:
The birds nests are high in the trees; its amazing to watch them build.
The birds' nests are high in the trees; it's amazing to watch them build.
(birds' is a plural possessive, so the apostrophe goes after the plural -s; it's is the contraction it-is, so an apostrophe is needed).
In some places, we speak or write informally, but at other times or in other places, we speak or write more formally. The more formal word choices are called standard or conventional.
Choose a word or phrase that completes the statement using conventional language.
When Ben stole his lunch, Logan
a. flipped out
b. turned red with rage
c. yelled in outrage
d. blew his top
c. yelled in outrage
(Yelled in outrage is the phrase that completes the statement using conventional language. The other answer choices can be understood only figuratively, not literally, and are informal idioms.)
How many linking verbs are there in the following sentence? (Remember that linking verbs link subjects to either adjectives or nouns).
The cake looks delicious and smells wonderful, but it is still too hot to eat.
Three
(looks, smells, is)
Which word in this sentence is the predicate nominative and which word is the predicate adjective?
People in parking lots repeatedly hit Ms. Schaefer's old car because it was a grey Mini Cooper that was too small for many to see.
Mini Cooper - predicate nominative
small - predicate adjective
(both predicate nominatives and adjectives are subject complements that are linked to a subject by a linking verb)
Identify the sentence type:
He was tired from staying up late the night before, so he went to bed early.
Compound Sentence
(this sentence contains two independent clauses joined by the coordinating conjunction "so", and a compound sentence contains two or more independent clauses).
Insert hyphens where needed to make this sentence grammatically correct:
The athlete with the number thirty two on her jersey decided to resign with the team for another season.
The athlete with the number thirty-two on her jersey decided to re-sign with the team for another season.
(numbers 21-99, when written out, require hyphens; re-sign needs a hyphen to keep it from being confused with the word resign, which means to quit)
Correct the following sentence to maintain a formal tone.
I considered various research methods for the study. about how those patients got over their illness.
Possible Answer:
Various research methods were considered for the study about how the patients recovered from their illness.
(first person pronouns like "I" are considered informal; "got over" is an informal idiomatic expression that needs to be re-phrased for formality)
Identify the correct pronoun to complete this sentence:
Each of the students needs to complete ____________ homework tonight.
his or her
(the indefinite pronoun each is the sentence's subject and is singular, so a singular pronoun is needed to refer back to it)
What kind of phrases are underlined in the following sentence (2 answers)?
Mrs. Hollingsworth, a 10th-grade ELA teacher and the yearbook advisor, taught us ELA last year in room 2303.
appositive phrase, prepositional phrase
(this appositive phrase provides additional information about the subject/noun Mrs. Hollingsworth, and the prepositional phrase tells the location of her teaching)
Identify the sentence type:
Although it was raining, we decided to go for a walk, and we enjoyed the fresh air.
Compound-Complex
Although it was raining - dependent clause
we decided to go for a walk, and we enjoyed the fresh air. - two independent clauses
(a compound-complex sentence contains at least two independent clauses and one or more dependent clauses)
Insert dashes where needed to make this sentence grammatically correct:
The cake freshly baked and still warm was a hit at the party.
The cake—freshly baked and still warm—was a hit at the party.
(dashes, like commas, can be used to set off a non-essential clause that adds extra information to a sentence)
Choose the correct words to complete the sentence below.
The new policy led/lead to significant changes that affected/effected all our employees.
The new policy led/lead to significant changes that affected/effected all our employees.
(led is the past tense of the verb "to lead." Lead is the present tense of the verb "to lead." It would be used if the action is happening now or regularly)
(affect = a verb, effect = a noun)
Identify the correct verbs to complete the sentence:
Atlanta, along with other cities in the Southeast, is/are hosting the tournament, but either the children or the parents has/have to attend a meeting beforehand to be able to go.
Atlanta, along with other cities in the Southeast, is hosting the tournament, but either the children or the parents have to attend a meeting beforehand to be able to go.
(when commas set off a parenthetical element in a sentence, what lies between the commas has no effect on the verb)
(with an either/or construction, the verb must agree with the subject closest to the verb)
How could the phrases in this sentence be changed to reflect parallel structure (and, thus, be grammatically correct)?
Liam won the lottery, quit his job, and immediately he decided to buy his mom a new house.
Liam won the lottery, quit his job, and immediately decided to buy his mom a new house.
(eliminate the pronoun "he" since it breaks up the action verb-direct object structure following "won")
Consider that you wrote the following within your essay. How could you edit the following sentences to vary your syntax?
Jordan told Nick about Gatsby's request. Gatsby wanted Nick to invite Daisy over for tea. Nick was perplexed by this request. He complied anyway.
Multiple answers; these simple sentences should be combined into various different types of sentences to promote flow and less choppiness.
Example: Jordan told Nick about Gatsby' requesting that Nick to invite Daisy over for tea. Nick was perplexed by this request, but he complied anyway.
Add punctuation and/or coordinating conjunctions to fix all of the comma splices (incorrect uses of commas) and run-on sentence(s).
A Christmas frost had come at midsummer a white December storm had whirled over June, ice glazed the ripe apples drifts crushed the blowing roses.
Possible answer:
A Christmas frost had come at midsummer; a white December storm had whirled over June; ice glazed the ripe apples, and drifts crushed the blowing roses. (from Jane Eyre)
(these three independent clauses need to be connected by either a semicolon(s), dash(es), and/or comma(s) + coordinating conjunctions to become one compound sentence; a comma + and is needed after apples for this items in a series)
The sentence below contains two errors in word usage. Correct it:
John was surprised when it did not take him long to learn the cords for the difficult John Mayer song, and his friend complimented his playing with an accompanying bass line.
John was surprised when it did not take him long to learn the chords for the difficult John Mayer song on the guitar, and his friend complemented his playing with an accompanying bass line.
(The word "cords" (which means basically "ropes") should be replaced with the word "chords" (which means "harmonious musical tones"))
(The word "complement" means "to add something to something else", and the word "compliment" means "a comment of praise directed toward someone")