Problems in Punctuation
Subject-Verb Disagreements
Puzzling Prepositions
Struggles with Structure
Mixed Up Melting Pot
100
True or False? Is the following sentence punctuated correctly? If false, where should the punctuation go, and what kind of punctuation? [During the Enlightenment people began to seek to explain life experiences through scientific reasoning, subsequently the Enlightenment period was a time of scientific discovery and emotional literature.]
False. Comma after introductory phrase [During the Enlightenment,]. Semicolon between two independent clauses [reasoning; subsequently]. Comma after the transitional adverb [subsequently,].
100
True or false? Both of the following sentences are correct. [A) The baker and the chef prepare the meal. B) The baker or the chef prepares the meal.]
True. Sentence A uses the conjunction "and" which implies the subjects are performing the action together, so the plural form of the verb must be used. Sentence B uses the conjunction "or" which implies only one of the subjects is performing the action, so the singular form of the verb must be used.
100
Which sentence is correct? A) After lunch, we are going to hike on the trail. B) After lunch, we are going to hike in the trail.
Sentence A.
100
Why is the following sentence considered a fragment? [When the children go to the beach.]
It does not express a complete thought. "When the children go to the beach" is more like an introductory phrase. [When the children go to the beach, they must remember to wear sunblock or else they will burn.]
100
Achoo! You might get sick with one of these homophones. The second is how a bird gets to its nest. The third is how smoke leaves a chimney.
Flu - sick. Flew - past tense of "fly." Flue - the duct inside a chimney where smoke escapes.
200
True or false? The punctuation is being used correctly in this sentence. [The clumsy child fell down the stairs so consequently, his mother called the doctor.]
True.
200
Which option is correct? [Confused, he (does not/do not) understand what the teacher is saying.]
"Does not" is the correct answer because the subject is singular.
200
Identify the preposition(s) in this sentence: The little girl wants to sit between us during lunchtime.
Between. During.
200
[She peeks into the box, she begins to laugh, and then she pulls out the jester doll with joy on her face.] Is this sentence simple, compound, complex, a run-on, or a fragment?
Run-on. [She peeks into the box, she begins to laugh] is incorrect. You cannot stick two independent clauses together with just a comma between them.
200
Which sentence is correct? A) According to an old legend, their is treasure buried on that island. B) According to an old legend, there is treasure buried on that island. C) According to an old legend, they’re is treasure buried on that island.
Sentence B.
300
Which sentence is punctuated correctly? A) The lazy student will have to help the rest of the group or the project will not be completed in time for class, tomorrow. B) The lazy student will have to help the rest of the group; or the project will not be completed in time for class tomorrow. C) The lazy student will have to help the rest of the group, or the project will not be completed in time for class tomorrow.
C. A simple comma is used to separate two independent clauses with a conjunction in-between; this is known as a compound sentence.
300
True or false? Is this sentence written correctly? [The bakery, who is famous for its cupcakes, is changing locations.]
False. [The bakery, THAT is famous for its cupcakes, is changing locations.] A bakery cannot be a "who."
300
True or false? The following sentence is written correctly. If false, rewrite the sentence correctly. [He was prevented to come.]
False. [He was prevented from coming.] Prevent cannot be followed by the preposition "to." It should be followed by "from" and a verb -ing form.
300
[When Martin made the cookies, he baked them for too long, causing the kitchen to fill with smoke; when his mother came home, she coughed from the intense, awful smell.] Is this sentence simple, compound, complex, a run-on, or a fragment?
Complex. The sentence starts with an introductory phrase, followed by a comma, then the independent clause followed by a nonessential clause, which is preceded with a comma. A semicolon separates the two independent clauses. After the semicolon, this sections starts with an introductory phrase, followed by a comma, then ends with an independent clause.
300
Three homophones that sound the same can be tricky. One is a number, one means also, and the other is talking about direction. What are they?
Two - number. Too - also. To - direction.
400
A) Even if the sick man goes to the doctor, his cold will not be cured. B) The doctor cannot cure a cold even if the sick man goes to see him. Why does sentence A require a comma but sentence B does not?
Sentence A begins with an introductory phrase, while sentence B is just a simple sentence.
400
Fix what is incorrect in this sentence. [The sweaty farmer watches the flock flies south for the winter.]
[The sweaty farmer watches the flock fly south for the winter.] "Flock" is a collective noun and is referred to as a single unit, despite the fact that a flock of birds includes many of them, so it feels plural.
400
The following sentence is incorrect. Rewrite the sentence to fix it. I met with your friend.
[I met your friend.] Meet normally means "come face to face with somebody or something." If it is used in this way, it cannot be used with the preposition "with."
400
[You stay with me.] Is this sentence simple, compound, complex, a run-on, or a fragment?
Simple. Simple imperative (giving an order) to be specific.
400
"To rise" is an irregular verb but "to raise" is regular. "To raise" requires a direct object. A) Their neighbor (rises, raises) pigs on his farm. B) Bread dough (rises, raises) when left in a warm spot.
A - raises, B - rises.
500
True or false? Is the following embedded quote punctuated correctly? [In Anne Rice's novel, the protagonist Lestat argues that innocence is "an absence of need for illusions...a love of and respect for what is right before [one's] eyes," rather than being "an absence of experience." (234).]
False. There should not be a period within the quotation before the citation.
500
Which sentence is written correctly? A) My family but not my neighbors are going to the picnic. B) My family but not my neighbors is going to the picnic.
Sentence B. If the sentence includes both positive and negative nouns, the verb should agree with the positive noun.
500
Which sentence is written correctly? A) This is the first time I have seen a movie since a long time. B) I haven't seen a movie for a long time. C) It's been a long time from when I last seen a movie.
Sentence B. To talk about time starting from a specified time in the past and continuing until the present, we use "since." Examples are: since last year, since Friday, etc. To talk about a period of time, in particular when we are describing the duration of a period of time, we use "for." Examples are: for two hours, for two months, etc. (Also, for sentence C...NEVER write "I seen!")
500
[The alarm rings at six in the morning, she still does not rise until nine.] Transform this run-on into a compound sentence.
To make it a compound sentence, a conjunction must be used. Remember, there are only seven conjunctions (FANBOYS). Only "but" or "yet" are conjunctions that make sense.
500
Choose from the following to complete the sentences: lay, lie, lays, lies, laid, laying, lying, lain. A) A surfer ____ his board on the sand. B) The taco is ____ on the kitchen table. C) The tan lady ____ by the pool until noon. D) They ____ on the blanket to watch fireworks. E) The secretary had ____ her manager's papers all over the spotless desk. F) Many children ____ on the floor to watch TV.
To lie means to rest. To lay means to place. The past tense of "to lie" is the same as the present tense of "to lay." To lie/lay are irregular verbs. Lays, laid, and laying will have direct objects (something to be placed.) Based on all of that, the answers are: A - laid, B - lying, C - lies, D - lay, E - lain, and F - lie.
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