Pronouns
Subject/Verb Agreement
Fragment, Sentence or Run-On?
Homophones
Common Errors
100
Several of the girls (was, were) hoping to win Homecoming Queen.
What is WERE (several is plural)
100
Select the correct verb: To wake up, Bennie and Bernie (counts, count) sheep backwards.
What is count. (Subject is Bennie and Bernie.)
100
Like when hawks squawk.
What is a fragment?
100
(It's, Its) going to be an exciting night when The Hunger Games movie finally comes out on DVD.
What is It's? (It's = it is; its = possessive)
100
The two little pigs ran to (there, their) big brothers house, which was located up (there, their).
What is their big brothers house; up there. Their = possessive; there = location; they're = they are.
200
Joe went to the movies with my brother and (me, I).
What is ME? (Joe went to the movies with me.)
200
Every day for lunch, either Livingston or Lucretia (order, orders) buffalo wings and bison toes to go.
What is ORDERS. (The verb is paired with the noun after 'or', which would be Lucretia - singular.)
200
Tish, who fries large catfish in her satellite dish.
What is a fragment?
200
In his (past, passed) life, Barney believes he was a sloth.
What is past? (Past = gone in time; passed = past tense of pass, to move by)
200
In my (grandmother's, grandmothers) yard, some ticks grow to be the size of small rodents.
What is grandmother's yard.
300
Carla and (I, me) went to the mall to shop for school clothes.
What is I? (I went to the mall ...)
300
Neither Johnny nor his teachers (was, were) hoping for him to fail gym class.
What is WERE? (Neither/nor means we look at the second subject, TEACHERS, which is plural)
300
Brutus missed his bus, he had to ride a drooling mule to school.
What is a run-on. FIXES: Brutus missed his bus; he had to ride a drooling mule to school. Brutus missed his bus, so he had to ride a drooling mule to school.
300
(Whether, Weather) you like it or not, the Penguins will face the Rangers in the first round of the playoffs.
What is Whether? (Whether = conjuntion; Weather = atmospheric conditions)
300
Quotations or italics for a movie title, such as A Few Good Men?
What is Italics. (General rule: if it's a major work, it's in italics; if it can be contained in something else, it's in quotes. Magazine articles, poems, short stories - all in quotes.)
400
To prepare for the holiday season, each of the elves (is, are) undergoing stress therapy.
What is IS (singular subject EACH)
400
The pride of lions (is running, are running) across the plains.
What is IS RUNNING? (PRIDE is singular)
400
Fleas and ticks on steroids jump as high as all buildings, and some even weigh up to twelve pounds.
What is a complete sentence?
400
Finding a roach in the rice did not (affect, effect) Alfred's appetite.
What is affect. Affect (v) - to influence Effect (n) - consequence or result; (v) to accomplish
400
Where would parenthesis be placed in this sentence? The young girl who was only 8 years old lived with her grandmother in a mansion on the hill.
What is "The young girl (who was only 8 years old) lived with her grandmother in a mansion on the hill." Parenthesis set of information that isn't as important.
500
The car was barreling toward (us, we). Dom barely had time to move Chrissy and (I, me) out of the way.
What is US and ME. (Us is the object of the sentence; time to move ME out of the way)
500
Because Buffy and Buttercup (wear, wears) too much make-up, (her, their) eyelids are always stuck shut.
What is wear and their (plural subject).
500
Aunt Tallulah talks to her tulips, she also puts party hats on her petunias.
What is a run-on?
500
If we go over (there/their/they're), then we'll have to play with (there / their / they're) little brother, (to/too/two).
What is If we go over THERE, then we'll have to play with THEIR little brother, TOO.
500
Where could a dash (or dashes) be added in this sentence? Of course I'll sign the contract as long as it's in my favor.
What is "Of course I'll sign the contract - as long as it's in my favor." The dash (or em dash) sets of important information that they author wants to stress.