Subject-Verb Agreement
The box of Halloween decorations (is / are) in the attic.
is
Each ghost at the costume party wore ___ spookiest sheet.
A. its
B. their
✅ Answer: B. its
🧠 Explanation: “Each ghost” is singular, so use the singular pronoun its.
Unlike the timid ghosts who hid in the attic, the new ghost was quite audacious, floating boldly through every room.
What does audacious most likely mean?
A. shy
B. bold
C. frightened
D. sneaky
✅ Answer: B. bold
🧠 Clue: Unlike the timid ghosts (contrast clue).
During the early 1900s, children often worked long hours in factories instead of attending school. Many families relied on the money their children earned to buy food and pay rent.
What can you infer about life for working families during this time period?
A. Children preferred factory work to education.
B. Families faced financial struggles that forced children to work.
C. Schools refused to enroll children from poor families.
D. Children were not legally allowed to attend school.
✅ Answer: B. Families faced financial struggles that forced children to work.
🧠 Text Evidence: “Families relied on the money their children earned to buy food and pay rent.”
1️⃣ The jack-o’-lanterns glowed on the porch.
2️⃣ They welcomed the trick-or-treaters with friendly faces.
Which sentence combines the two correctly?
A. The jack-o’-lanterns glowed on the porch, they welcomed the trick-or-treaters with friendly faces.
B. The jack-o’-lanterns glowed on the porch, welcoming the trick-or-treaters with friendly faces.
C. The jack-o’-lanterns glowed on the porch and welcomed the trick-or-treaters with friendly faces.
D. Because the jack-o’-lanterns glowed on the porch, but they welcomed the trick-or-treaters with friendly faces.
C. The jack-o’-lanterns glowed on the porch and welcomed the trick-or-treaters with friendly faces.
The candles on the table (flickers / flicker)
flicker
The witches on their brooms soared through the sky, waving ___ wands at the moon.
A. her
B. its
C. their
✅ Answer: C. their
🧠 Explanation: “Witches” is plural, so use their.
The jack-o’-lanterns looked melancholy because the rain had washed away their cheerful grins.
What does melancholy most likely mean?
A. happy
B. gloomy
C. silly
D. messy
✅ Answer: B. gloomy
🧠 Clue: Cause-effect → because the rain had washed away their cheerful grins.
When scientists released wolves back into Yellowstone National Park, they didn’t just increase the wolf population. Over time, the deer population decreased, allowing vegetation to grow back and riverbanks to stabilize.
What can you infer about the role of wolves in the Yellowstone ecosystem?
A. Wolves destroyed vegetation.
B. Wolves were unnecessary to the ecosystem.
C. Wolves helped balance the environment.
D. Wolves ate only plants.
✅ Answer: C. Wolves helped balance the environment.
🧠 Text Evidence: “Vegetation grew back and riverbanks stabilized.”
The haunted house stood at the end of the dark road.
Many people were too scared to visit it.
A. The haunted house stood at the end of the dark road, many people were too scared to visit it.
B. The haunted house stood at the end of the dark road because many people were too scared to visit it.
C. The haunted house stood at the end of the dark road they were too scared to visit it.
D. The haunted house stood at the end of the dark road and many people too scared to visit it.
B. The haunted house stood at the end of the dark road because many people were too scared to visit it.
Neither of the students (was / were) ready for the grammar quiz
was
The skeletons and the ghosts danced wildly before collapsing in a heap, laughing at ___ clumsy moves.
A. its
B. their
C. his or her
✅ Answer: B. their
🧠 Explanation: Two plural antecedents joined by and require a plural pronoun.
Although the spell seemed benign, it caused the cauldron to bubble over with smoke and sparks.
What does benign most likely mean?
A. harmless
B. dangerous
C. strong
D. magical
✅ Answer: A. harmless
🧠 Clue: Contrast with the surprising effect (it caused bubbling).
Maria didn’t win the science fair this year, but she took notes on the judges’ feedback and asked the winner how she could improve her project.
What can you infer about Maria’s attitude toward learning?
A. She’s frustrated and unwilling to try again.
B. She’s determined to learn and improve.
C. She’s not interested in science anymore.
D. She’s planning to give up competitions.
✅ Answer: B. She’s determined to learn and improve.
🧠 Text Evidence: “She took notes on feedback and asked the winner for advice.”
The black cat darted across the street.
It disappeared into the shadows.
A. The black cat darted across the street, it disappeared into the shadows.
B. The black cat darted across the street; it disappeared into the shadows.
C. The black cat darted across the street disappearing into the shadows.
D. The black cat darted across the street and disappeared into the shadows.
B. The black cat darted across the street; it disappeared into the shadows.
D. The black cat darted across the street and disappeared into the shadows.
The stories about haunted houses (fascinates / fascinate) me every October.
fascinate
The group of trick-or-treaters compared ___ candy on the front porch.
A. its
B. their
✅ Answer: B. their
🧠 Explanation: “Group” is a collective noun, but since the kids act individually, their fits best in context.
The eerie silence was soon disrupted when a loud scream echoed through the haunted forest.
What does disrupted most likely mean?
A. continued
B. quieted
C. disturbed
D. strengthened
✅ Answer: C. disturbed
🧠 Clue: Cause/effect → a loud scream broke the silence.
Over the past decade, the number of bees has declined sharply. Some scientists blame pesticides, while others point to climate change and habitat loss. Without bees, many crops could fail, disrupting global food supplies.
What can you infer about the importance of bees?
A. Bees are important only to scientists.
B. Bees are essential to food production.
C. Bees harm the crops they pollinate.
D. Bees thrive in urban environments.
✅ Answer: B. Bees are essential to food production.
🧠 Evidence: “Without bees, many crops could fail.”
The students carved pumpkins in class.
They were learning about symmetry and design.
A. The students carved pumpkins in class, they were learning about symmetry and design.
B. The students carved pumpkins in class and they were learning about symmetry and design.
C. The students carved pumpkins in class because they were learning about symmetry and design.
D. The students carved pumpkins in class; and they were learning about symmetry and design.
C. The students carved pumpkins in class because they were learning about symmetry and design.
Each of the pumpkins (has / have) a different carved face.
has
Both the vampire and the werewolf took off ___ masks when the party ended.
A. its
B. their
✅ Answer: B. their
🧠 Explanation: “Both” = plural → use their.
The witch’s lair was chaotic, unlike the vampire’s castle, which was tidy and orderly.
What does chaotic most likely mean?
A. noisy and messy
B. dark and spooky
C. calm and quiet
D. bright and cheerful
✅ Answer: A. noisy and messy
🧠 Clue: Contrast → tidy and orderly.
When the explorer arrived at the village, he was greeted not with cheers, but with wary silence. The villagers kept their distance, whispering among themselves and watching his every move.
What can you infer about the villagers’ reaction?
A. They trusted the explorer immediately.
B. They were cautious and uncertain about him.
C. They were angry because they knew him.
D. They were joyful and welcoming.
✅ Answer: B. They were cautious and uncertain about him.
🧠 Evidence: “Wary silence,” “kept their distance,” “whispering.”
The ghost floated through the hallway.
The children screamed in fright.
A. The ghost floated through the hallway, the children screamed in fright.
B. The ghost floated through the hallway but the children screamed in fright.
C. The ghost floated through the hallway, and the children screamed in fright.
D. The ghost floated through the hallway; because the children screamed in fright.
C. The ghost floated through the hallway, and the children screamed in fright.