In class: we will picking up with poetry next Monday, but having read your essays- and with so many of you taking the SATs in May and June, we are going to spend a couple of days reviewing essential grammar.
Specifically what we are cover is the following: apostrophes, parallel construction, sentence fragments, commas, semi colons, colons, possessives, tense changes and subject verb agreement.
class handouts / copy below
Apostrophe Use - Exercise 1
Change each underlined noun to the correct possessive form.
Type your answer in the text box. When you have completed the exercise, click
on the "Check My Work" button to see the correct answers.
1. The girlfriend of her brother drives a
trailer truck.
Her girlfriend drives a trailer truck.
2. We heard the voices of the children clearly in the lounge.
We heard the voices clearly in the lounge.
3. If Tom has enough time, he (visit) your sister tomorrow.
The husbands have lunch together every Monday.
4. The report, supported by the accounts of two witnesses, proves he did not commit the crime.
The report, supported by two accounts, proves he did not commit the crime.
5. The flavor of the bread was improved when he put butter on it.
The flavor was improved when he put butter on it.
6. The guess of anybody is as good as mine.
guess is as good as mine.
7. I spent all my Thanksgivings at the house belonging to my grandmother.
I spent all my Thanksgivings at my house.
8. The votes of four members changed the outcome of the election.
Four votes changed the outcome of the election.
9. The wipers on your car need to be replaced.
Your wipers need to be replaced.
10. The cat played with the toy belonging to it.
The cat played with toy.
Her girlfriend drives a trailer truck.
2. We heard the voices of the children clearly in the lounge.
We heard the voices clearly in the lounge.
3. If Tom has enough time, he (visit) your sister tomorrow.
The husbands have lunch together every Monday.
4. The report, supported by the accounts of two witnesses, proves he did not commit the crime.
The report, supported by two accounts, proves he did not commit the crime.
5. The flavor of the bread was improved when he put butter on it.
The flavor was improved when he put butter on it.
6. The guess of anybody is as good as mine.
guess is as good as mine.
7. I spent all my Thanksgivings at the house belonging to my grandmother.
I spent all my Thanksgivings at my house.
8. The votes of four members changed the outcome of the election.
Four votes changed the outcome of the election.
9. The wipers on your car need to be replaced.
Your wipers need to be replaced.
10. The cat played with the toy belonging to it.
The cat played with toy.
Comma Use
- Exercise 2
Revise the
following sentences by adding commas where they are needed. Leave alone, if
correct.
1. The
waiter ignored the rude obnoxious customer.
2. Joey ate all of his peas but he refused to eat his lima beans.
3. Edgar Allan Poe the father of the short story is buried in Baltimore.
4. Since the expansion of the Internet research has become much less tedious.
5. To maintain excellent grades in your classes is an accomplishment.
6. Handguns knives and other weapons are turning up in locker checks.
7. The golfer wearing the plaid pants desperately needs to improve his game.
8. As cucumbers grow their vines need room to expand.
2. Joey ate all of his peas but he refused to eat his lima beans.
3. Edgar Allan Poe the father of the short story is buried in Baltimore.
4. Since the expansion of the Internet research has become much less tedious.
5. To maintain excellent grades in your classes is an accomplishment.
6. Handguns knives and other weapons are turning up in locker checks.
7. The golfer wearing the plaid pants desperately needs to improve his game.
8. As cucumbers grow their vines need room to expand.
9. That movie in my opinion was too scary for children.
10. You will come to my dance recital won't you?
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Comma Use with Introductory Elements - Exercise 1
Revise the following sentences by adding commas where they
are needed. Write correct, if the
sentence is fine.
1.
When the truck hit the walls and the fences it caused a great deal of
damage.
2. Standing near the kitchen door I watched the chef cook a Porterhouse steak.
3. The home team won because the other team forfeited the game.
4. To get the full value of this vacation package people need to buy their tickets early.
2. Standing near the kitchen door I watched the chef cook a Porterhouse steak.
3. The home team won because the other team forfeited the game.
4. To get the full value of this vacation package people need to buy their tickets early.
5. In a town known as Bedlington visitors are greeted with leis at the airport.
6. Yes Harold was willing to volunteer for the job.
7. When sawing a plank for a carpentry project you should measure carefully before you cut.
8. Upon arriving at the dentist Harry immediately took out his insurance card.
9. The engine will need a complete overhaul to make that trip.
10. Crammed tightly into the ship's food locker the two tons of cod nearly sank the ship.
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Pronoun Case - Exercise 1
Directions: Choose the correct pronoun for each sentence below. Read the entire sentence before making your choice.
1. Five of ( ) took a cab to the play.
2. Are you and ( ) attending the meeting.
3. No one is more concerned about the matter than ( ) .
4. ( ) can I go out with tonight?
5. Margaret and ( ) hope to be roommates.
6. The committee told Smith and ( ) to write a new resolution.
7. Is he the one for ( ) the note is intended.
8. We discovered that it was ( ) who started the fire.
9. Everyone asked Joan and ( ) to speak at the convention.
10. A person as young as ( ) should not be given too much responsibility.
2. Are you and ( ) attending the meeting.
3. No one is more concerned about the matter than ( ) .
4. ( ) can I go out with tonight?
5. Margaret and ( ) hope to be roommates.
6. The committee told Smith and ( ) to write a new resolution.
7. Is he the one for ( ) the note is intended.
8. We discovered that it was ( ) who started the fire.
9. Everyone asked Joan and ( ) to speak at the convention.
10. A person as young as ( ) should not be given too much responsibility.
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Parallel
Sentence Structure - Exercise 2
1. It is easier to tell the truth than
lying to people you love.
2. For her birthday, Marsha received a cake, some clothes, and she got a new CD player.
3. Jim wanted to scare us by telling us a ghost story and he showed us a horror movie.
4. The witness described the suspect as tall, light-skinned, and with a beard.
5. Spending the day with you is better than if we were apart.
6. Brian disliked not only playing baseball but also to run long distances.
2. For her birthday, Marsha received a cake, some clothes, and she got a new CD player.
3. Jim wanted to scare us by telling us a ghost story and he showed us a horror movie.
4. The witness described the suspect as tall, light-skinned, and with a beard.
5. Spending the day with you is better than if we were apart.
6. Brian disliked not only playing baseball but also to run long distances.
7. The new house has a large porch, an eat-in kitchen, and the floors are carpeted.
8. This plan is creative but a risk.
9. I want neither your sympathy nor do I want your pity.
10. Managing your money well is to be prepared for the future.
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Tense
Consistency - Exercise 1
Directions: In the box below each sentence,
write the correct tense of the verb in parentheses to create tense consistency.
Note: In some cases you may need to add an auxiliary verb.
1. As
soon as she saw the smoke, Laura (run) into the house to save her dog.
2. Jenn (throw) out the food that had been sitting in the refrigerator for weeks.
3. When you get here, the valet (show) you to your room.
4. Will returned the book and (get) a receipt from the clerk.
5. By the time we arrived on the scene, the cars (tow) away.
6. Real estate prices have increased dramatically over the past year; I should (buy) that property months ago.
2. Jenn (throw) out the food that had been sitting in the refrigerator for weeks.
3. When you get here, the valet (show) you to your room.
4. Will returned the book and (get) a receipt from the clerk.
5. By the time we arrived on the scene, the cars (tow) away.
6. Real estate prices have increased dramatically over the past year; I should (buy) that property months ago.
7. The horse (race) across the finish line as we are speaking.
8. Bill saw the movie a week after he (read) the book.
9. Lulu (take) ballet for three years now.
10. By the time you finish this project, we (grow) very old.
Avoiding
Shifts- Exercise 1
Directions: Revise each sentence to correct
the faulty shift (underlined).
1. Computers have become much more
affordable in the last ten years, as their prices drop.
2. We should dress in formal attire because weddings are when formality is expected.
3. Go home after school and you should do your homework.
4. Peers should not be able to control your life; one should be able to make his or her own decisions.
5. Not every student learns in the same way because they all have different learning styles.
6. Lucy wrote her paper and finishes her algebra homework before going out with friends.
7. The Baltimore Zoo takes great measures to keep cages clean, and awards have been received by the zoo for excellent animal care.
8. Eat the banana and you should try the peanut butter ice cream.
9. My excuse for breaking up with her is because she does not have enough time for me.
10. The president speaks to the crowd and waved a hand of welcome.
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Directions: Rewrite the following sentences
to repair any of the following errors: fragments, comma splices, subject-verb
agreement, pronoun-antecedent agreement, pronoun case, faulty pronoun
reference, apostrophe misuse, comma misuse, dangling modifiers, misplaced modifiers,
or non-parallel structure.
1. Marianne hit the ball hard, nobody could catch it.
2. A collection of new songs arrive in the mail every day.
3. My friends are more likely than me to get the answer right.
4. Distracted by the lights, the oncoming car was not seen by Mel.
5. One of the girls lost their surfboard in the undertow.
6. After Joe paid Bill, he seemed happier.
7. The musicians nearly earned $400 for the evening's work.
1. Marianne hit the ball hard, nobody could catch it.
2. A collection of new songs arrive in the mail every day.
3. My friends are more likely than me to get the answer right.
4. Distracted by the lights, the oncoming car was not seen by Mel.
5. One of the girls lost their surfboard in the undertow.
6. After Joe paid Bill, he seemed happier.
7. The musicians nearly earned $400 for the evening's work.
8. The camp offered it's program to children of all ages.
9. Yoga often helps people lose weight, increase flexibility, and it reduces stress.
10. Anyone, who enjoys seafood, will like the food at Bill's Eatery.
Irregular
Verbs - Exercise 5
Directions: In the blank below each
sentence, write the correct form of the verb in parenthesis. You may add
auxiliary verbs.
1. Yesterday
Joan (feel) quite ill.
2. Have you (make) any money from your business yet?
3. After he finished the plumbing job, Bob (leave) his tools at the site.
4. The house was (build) near a lake.
5. Jack studied for twelve years and finally (become) a doctor.
6. The witness (swear) that she had not seen the burglar.
7. We (eat) lunch at the restaurant and then went home.
8. After climbing for hours, the hiker (fall) into the ravine.
9. Two expensive pieces of jewelry were (steal) from the store.
10. Will they be (give) away free samples?
2. Have you (make) any money from your business yet?
3. After he finished the plumbing job, Bob (leave) his tools at the site.
4. The house was (build) near a lake.
5. Jack studied for twelve years and finally (become) a doctor.
6. The witness (swear) that she had not seen the burglar.
7. We (eat) lunch at the restaurant and then went home.
8. After climbing for hours, the hiker (fall) into the ravine.
9. Two expensive pieces of jewelry were (steal) from the store.
10. Will they be (give) away free samples?
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