Subject Verb Agreement
Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers
Meaning and Tone
POV
Random
100

Choose the correct verb:
The basket of apples (is / are) on the counter.

Is

100

Which of the following sentences has a dangling modifier?

 A. By having a friend carefully review your essay, grammatical errors will be kept to a minimum.


 B. By having a friend carefully review your essay, you will keep grammatical errors to a minimum.


 C. Having a friend carefully review your essay will keep grammatical errors to a minimum.


 D. When you have a friend carefully review your essay, grammatical errors will be kept to a minimum.


A. By having a friend carefully review your essay, grammatical errors will be kept to a minimum.

100

What is Tone?

The author’s attitude or feelings toward a subject or audience. 

100

Is this statement objective or subjective?
The cafeteria pizza is disgusting.

Subjective 

100

Identify the sentence type:
The students studied quietly. 

A. Simple

B. Compound

C. Compound-Complex

D. Complex

A. Simple
200

Mom and Dad, but not my brother, always buy travel-size items to pack when they travel. 

How should the verb buy be written in the sentence above?

 A. was buying
 B. buys
 C. has bought
 D. It is correct.


D. It is correct.

200

Which of the following is a dangling modifier in the sentence below?

Excited about the trip, her luggage was already packed two weeks before the departure date.

 A. two weeks
 B. Excited about the trip
 C. before the departure date
 D. already


B. Excited about the trip

200

How can you figure out the "tone" of a article? 

Through the authors word choice.

200

Which sentence is objective?

A. The novel is boring and way too long.
B. The actor gave the worst performance of the year.
C. The article was published in 2021 and contains five sections.
D. Basketball is the most exciting sport to watch.


C. The article was published in 2021 and contains five sections.

200

Identify the sentence type:
The students studied quietly because the test was difficult. 

A. Simple

B. Compound-Complex

C. Complex

C. Complex 

300

Choose the verb or verb phrase that correctly completes the sentence.

Schools in Austin, Texas, are governed by the Austin Independent School District (AISD). There _______ an AISD board of trustees that votes regularly on a variety of issues.

A. is

B. are being

C. have been

D. are

A. Is

300

Filled with an assortment of cakes, Josephine drooled as she peered into the glass display case because she hadn't had dessert in months.


What is the misplaced modifier in this sentence?

 A. Filled with an assortment of cakes
 B. Josephine drooled as she peered
 C. into the glass display case
 D. because she hadn't had dessert


 A. Filled with an assortment of cakes
300

Uncle Roger,
     I just had to e-mail you right away to tell you the incredible news! After 2 years of night classes, I finally took the tests for my pilot’s license—and I passed! The written test was last week, and the flight test was this past Monday. They were challenging, but I’d studied so hard, I could have passed those tests blindfolded! I have to tell you, though, I could never have accomplished this without your help. You believed in me even when I thought my dream would be impossible to reach. My friends thought I was joking about becoming a pilot, but you always took me seriously. Because of that, I took myself seriously. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to thank you enough.

Your loving niece,
Rachel

In the last half of the letter above, what is the tone expressed toward Uncle Roger?

 A. hesitation
 B. obligation
 C. anger
 D. gratitude


D. gratitude

300

Which sentence is the MOST objective?

A. The coach made a terrible decision that cost the team the game.
B. The team lost the game because of poor effort and bad strategy.
C. The team scored 3 points in the final quarter and lost by 2.
D. The coach clearly doesn’t understand how to lead the team.

C. The team scored 3 points in the final quarter and lost by 2.

300

Which answer correctly identifies the sentence type?

Because the storm knocked out the power, the family lit candles, and they played card games until midnight.

A. Simple
B. Complex
C. Compound
D. Compound-complex

D. Compound-Complex 

400

 (1) Justin want so much to leave from school early. (2) He remember that the package he ordered from Gasface Gag Company was being shipped. (3) For the last week, he wait on pins and needles for his X-ray glasses. (4) Every time he walked to his mailbox, however, nothing was there for him.
(5) Today, the sun's rays move across his desk. (6) He watches them crawl against the wall and up to the clock. (7) That's when Justin noticed the time. (8) Suddenly, the bell ring out. (9) "Finally, it is time to go," he thought to himself.


How should the verb move be written in sentence 5?

 A. moving
 B. was moved
 C. has moving
 D. It is correct.


 

D. It is correct.

400

The band and I had a sold-out performance last night. There was not a single seat left in the auditorium after playing the first song. Screaming in excitement, the fans amazed us with their energy. We didn't want the night to end because of them.

Which modifier is dangling in the paragraph above?

 A. with their energy
 B. Screaming in excitement
 C. in the auditorium
 D. after playing the first song


D. after playing the first song

400

  . . . .Lastly, I would like to thank you and the other interviewers for the chance to apply for such a prestigious position. If you were to choose me as your Regional Head of Sales, I would do my utmost to make you proud. Please feel free to contact me at any of the numbers I gave you should you require further information.

Sincerely,
Patricia E. Smith
Head of Sales, Washington State

This excerpt from a thank-you letter to interviewers is written in formal language. Such a tone would also be appropriate in which type of document?

 A. a letter to one's best friend
 B. e-mail messages to a coworker
 C. instructions left for a babysitter
 D. an essay on a college application


 D. an essay on a college application
400

Which answer best explains why this sentence is mostly subjective?

Although the article includes several statistics, it presents an unfair and exaggerated view of the issue.

A. Because it includes statistics
B. Because it states when the article was written
C. Because words like unfair and exaggerated express judgment
D. Because the sentence is too short to be objective

C. Because words like unfair and exaggerated express judgment

400

The Test Ahead

The clock ticks loud as pencils start to race,
A silent room where every mind must strain,
The weight of scores hangs heavy in the air,
Each question stares me down, a timed embrace,
Like climbing hills that stretch across my brain,
While pressure whispers, “Do you even care?”


1. What is the rhyme scheme of this poem?

2. Identify the figurative language in line one. 

ABCABC and Simile

500

What is the correct way to change this sentence into the active voice?

A surprise quiz was given to the class by the teacher to make sure the material was understood by the students.

A. A surprise quiz was given by the teacher to the class to make sure the students understood the material.

B. A surprise quiz, by the teacher, was given to the class to make sure the students understood the material.

C. The teacher gave the class a surprise quiz to make sure the students understood the material.

D. To make sure the students understood the material, a surprise quiz was given to the class by the teacher.

C. The teacher gave the class a surprise quiz to make sure the students understood the material.

500

Which modifier is misplaced in the sentence?

While competing in the race, a large rock that was sitting on the track caused Maura to trip and stumble a few steps.

While competing in the race

500

The rumor had spread throughout the school in a matter of minutes that morning. Erica learned of it when she ran into her friend Tom at their lockers.
“Hey, did you hear what happened? The principal went hiking this weekend, and he never came back! He didn’t call in this morning or anything!” Erica felt a lump in her throat when she reached first period English and saw the empty chair where her teacher, Mrs. Bell, usually sat. “She’s been called down to the office,” Erica’s friend Sally explained, as if reading her mind. “Evidently, there’s been some news, but nobody knows what it is. I wish they’d tell us already!” None of their classmates could sit still. Derek and Jacob kept stepping out in the hall to look for Mrs. Bell. “She’s coming!” Derek finally reported, and everyone scrambled back to their seats. “Class,” Mrs. Bell announced as soon as she arrived, “I know you’re all worried about our principal. Well, I’m happy to tell you he’s safe. He took a tumble and injured his ankle, and he did have to spend the night out in the woods, but he’s okay now. He thanks you all for your care and concern.” Erica put her head down on the desk, others started applauding, and some even laughed, as if to expel all the stress they’d been holding. As her classmates settled in and opened their books, Erica felt lighter somehow. Out the window, the blossoming rose bushes suddenly struck her as achingly beautiful, and she nearly cried for joy at the sight.

As the class waits for news in the passage above, what kind of tone is evoked by the author?

 A. boredom
 B. suspense
 C. embarrassment
 D. sadness


B. suspense

500

Which sentence is completely objective?

A. The documentary presents an important and powerful message about climate change.
B. The documentary includes interviews with five scientists and was released in 2022.
C. The documentary does a great job explaining a serious issue.
D. The documentary is one of the most informative films ever created.

B. The documentary includes interviews with five scientists and was released in 2022.

500

 I loved to look at the old photographs, especially the ones with me in them. I suppose that was bad of me, and proved I was stuck on myself or something, but I couldn't help it, the pictures with me in them were just more interesting. Every stage of my life was there, snapped by the camera and stamped on a glossy piece of paper, and it made me feel safe to see myself at three, standing with Donald in front of the house in our matching cowboy and cowgirl outfits, or standing on a chair in front of the kitchen counter, mixing a birthday cake for Mother. The pictures reminded me that I was real, that I always had been real and always would be real, and that I wasn't just some girl someone had made up.

What is the theme of this story?

 A. Most people are very self-centered.

 B. Most people do not like to see their own picture.

 C. In some way we all want self assurance.

 D. People need to look at pictures of themselves to feel good.

C. In some way we all want self assurance.