Download Name ______ ________ Date ________ Period Grammar Review

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GRAMMAR REVIEW: WRITTEN AND ORAL ENGLISH LANGUAGE CONVENTIONS
CAHSEE PREPARATION: UNIT FOUR
Standard(s) Addressed:
Grade 7 Review WOC: 1.2 Identify and use infinitives and participles and make clear references between pronouns and antecedents; 1.3 Identify all parts of
speech and types and structure of sentences; 1.4 Demonstrate the mechanics of writing (e.g., quotation marks, commas at end of dependent clauses) and
appropriate English usage (e.g., pronoun reference).
ESLR:
Reflective Communicators: Think, read, write, listen, speak well
Directions: At the start of class each day you are to have this paper on your desk. When the bell rings you are to
begin working on the activity. Each of these activities is designed to prepare you for the CAHSEE on March 8th, so
pay attention!
Grammar Activity (Thursday, 3/1): 8 Days to CAHSEE – “Identifying Passive and Active Voice”
Voice indicates whether the subject is acting or being acted upon.
Active voice indicates that the subject of the verb is, has been, or will be doing something.
Example: For four years now, Segerstrom students have dominated the CAHSEE.
Active voice makes your writing more direct and lively.
Passive voice indicates that the subject of the verb is being, has been, or will be acted upon.
Example: For four years now, the CAHSEE has been dominated by Segerstrom students.
See that nasty form of the “be” verb, been? We want to get rid of those so we can keep our writing in an active voice.
Grammar Memory Check: Hopefully (fingers crossed) you can now identify the most common “be” verbs: is, am,
______, was, _________, be, _________, been.
Practice: If any sentence or part of a sentence below is in the passive voice, rewrite it in the active voice. Write
“correct as is” if it is already in the active voice. Remember, if you are struggling (even after checking for “be”
verbs), ask yourself, “Is the agent of the action performing the action?” (Active) or “Is the agent of the action
receiving the action?” (Passive)
1. In any election, young people have the most to gain by voting.
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2. If the election isn’t won by their favorite candidate, these young people have to live with the consequences the
longest.
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3. Unfortunately, voting is done by only a low percentage of people from this age group (18 to 24).
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4. Although many young adults seem cynical about politics, some are taking action.
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5. They are relying on more than just advertising to become informed.
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6. Research is done to evaluate a candidate’s record.
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7. A solid picture of each candidate—beyond sound bites and photo ops—is developed.
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8. Then a decision on whom to vote for is made.
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9. These young people are realizing the power they have to change things, and they are making a difference.
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Grammar Activity (Thursday, 3/1): 8 Days to CAHSEE – “Who, Whom, Whose”
Use who to refer to people. Who is used as the subject of a verb in an independent clause.
Grammar Memory Check: A clause contains both a ____________ and a predicate (a.k.a., a __________).
Whom is used as the object of a preposition or as a direct object. (Remember that a direct object is a noun or
pronoun that receives the action of a verb or that shows the result of the action. It answers the question “What”
or “whom”?)
Grammar Memory Check: Name three common prepositions _________, _________, and/or _________.
Whose is a pronoun that can show possession or ownership.
Grammar Memory Check: A pronoun replaces this part of speech: ____________________.
Practice: Choose the appropriate word (who, whom, whose) to fill in the spaces below.
1. _______________ dictionary is on the table?
2. _______________ wrote this book?
3. _______________ are you going to recommend?
4. This doesn’t look like the right address. _______________ did you ask for directions?
5. I have two extra tickets for the concert. _______________ wants to go with us?
6. It wasn’t me! I have no idea _______________ left the oven on.
7. _______________ car is parked in the loading zone? If someone doesn’t move it, it’s going to be towed.
8. The police have called in an expert to identify _______________ handwriting is actually on the ransom letter.
9. Do you remember _______________ received the Academy Award for best actress this year? Was it Kate Winslet?
10. Jose couldn’t remember the name of the student _______________ science project received the $25,000 prize.
11. I know exactly _______________ I’m going to vote for in the upcoming election.
12. That’s the professor _______________ spent 10 years living with the Pygmies in Central Africa.
13. She’s the actress _______________ he so vividly describes in his new tell-all book.
14. Can you please tell me the names of the people _______________ helped organize the Sadie Hawkins dance?
15. The national park is being renamed in honor of Dian Fossey, _______________ scientific research and
environmental efforts helped save the last remaining mountain gorillas.
Grammar Activity (Friday, 3/2): 7 Days to CAHSEE – “Parallelism”
Parallelism/Parallel Structure is the repetition of similar grammatical structures (words, phrases, or sentences)
to give writing rhythm.
Practice: Read the sentence provided. Then choose the option that maintains parallel structure.
Example:
When Lillian realized her father had made beans and
rice for dinner, she _____________________, claimed to feel
nauseous, and excused herself from the table.
a. clutched her stomach (“A” is the correct
answer because it maintains the verb
tense of the sentence. Notice Lillian also
“claimed” and “excused.”)
b. was clutching her stomach
c.
did tighten his shoelaces
d.
will tighten his shoelaces
6. We searched the car trunk, ____________________, and
the top of the refrigerator, but we could not find the
bag of cookies we remember buying.
a. looked on the pantry shelves
b.
on the pantry shelves
c.
did clutch her stomach
c.
the pantry shelves
d.
clutch her stomach
d.
looking on the pantry shelves
1. Not only did Pauline despise the way Hanadi
chewed with her mouth open, ________________________
finding her wet towels all over the bathroom floor.
a. but also disliked
b.
but also disliking
c.
but she also disliked
d.
but she also disliking
2. To protect her delicate hands, Linda will not rake
the yard, do the dishes, or _______________________.
a. refuses to scrub the bathtub
b.
won’t scrub the bathtub
c.
scrub the bathtub
d.
will not scrub the bathtub
3. When Ray takes his beagle, Lucy, for a walk, she
enjoys sniffing for edible garbage,
_______________________, and lunging at squirrels.
a. howls at bicyclists
b.
howling at bicyclists
c.
she howls at bicyclists
d.
howled at bicyclists
4. After Stephanie cashes her paycheck, the money
goes into her savings account, mocha fund, and
_________________.
a. paying her credit card bill
b.
toward her credit card balance
c.
credit card balance
d.
toward paying her credit card balance
5. In preparation for his run, Amaury
_____________________, applied sunscreen, and increased
the volume on his iPod.
a. tightened his shoelaces
b.
was tightening his shoelaces
7. Maggie, our 90 pound golden retriever, chews on
furniture, _______________________, and snots up the car
windows—inconveniences we didn’t anticipate
when we adopted her.
a. would drag us around the neighborhood
during walks
b.
she drags us around the neighborhood
during walks
c.
drags us around the neighborhood during
walks
d.
will drag us around the neighborhood
during walks
8. Frania saw very little of the horror movie, for she
shut her eyes ___________________, when she heard the
monster’s footsteps in the dead leaves, and when
characters started screaming.
a. when the violins began to play
b.
while listening to the violins play
c.
during the violin music
d.
when the violins played
9. In Ms. Figueroa’s office, Vanessa feigned the flu. She
hoped to be excused from class, get an extension on
her paper, and _________________________.
a. spend the afternoon shopping with her
friends
b.
to spend the afternoon shopping with her
friends
c.
then to spend the afternoon shopping
with her friends
d. spending the afternoon shopping with her
friends
Grammar Activity (Monday, 3/5): 6 Days to CAHSEE – “Improving Sentences”
Read the following sentences, paying careful attention to the underlined sections. Beneath each sentence you will find five
ways of phrasing the underlined part. Choice “A” repeats the original; the other four are each different.
Circle the answer that best expresses the meaning of the original sentence. If you think the original is best, circle “A.” Your
selection should produce the most effective sentence—clear and precise, without awkwardness, ambiguity, or errors.
Hint: As you read these sentences, check for the “usual suspects” like the appropriate use of punctuation, dangling or
misplaced modifiers, subject and verb agreement, and passive voice. These are the most popular CAHSEE errors!
1. The team’s failure to keep it’s cool led to a
technical foul.
A. The team’s failure to keep it’s cool
B. The teams failure to keep it’s cool
C.
The teams failure to keep their cool
D. The team’s failure to keep their cool
E.
The team’s failure to keep its cool
2. Laura Ingalls Wilder published her first book and
she was 65 years old then.
A. and she was 65 years old then.
B. when she was 65 years old.
C.
at age 65 years old.
D. upon reaching 65 years of age.
E.
at the time when she was 65.
3. My dentist’s office lies on the north side of town, to
the east of the water tower.
A. to the east of the water tower.
C.
D. my friend along with me
E.
and the water tower is to the east.
B. The coach, as well as her staff, was
C.
by the water tower.
4. Has anyone told you the identity of the person who
painted the mural?
A. the identity of the person who painted the
E.
C.
B. he received the most severe penalty from the
judge.
C.
E.
the most severe penalty was given by the
judge.
D. the penalty was the most severe that the
judge could give him.
E.
the judge punished him most severely.
8. The author says that she has always written with
pencil and paper; and that she always will.
A. has always written with pencil and paper; and
that she always will.
B. has always and always would write with
pencil and paper.
as to who painted the mural?
D. who painted the mural?
The coach, as well as her staff, have been
7. Having committed his third offense, the judge gave
him the most severe penalty.
A. the judge gave him the most severe penalty.
mural?
B. of the painter of the mural?
The coach, as well as her staff, are
D. The coach or her staff were
D. and on the water tower’s east side.
E.
my friend along with I
6. The coach, as well as her staff, were very
concerned about Cesar’s injury.
A. The coach, as well as her staff, were
B. to the water tower’s east.
C.
I and my friend
C.
has always written with pencil and paper, and
she always will.
about the mural painter’s identity?
D. will have always written with pencil and
5. Why don’t you serve my friend and I some of your
famous fried squid?
A. my friend and I
B. my friend and me
paper.
E.
always has written with pencil and paper and
would always.
Grammar Activity (Tuesday, 3/6): 5 Days to CAHSEE – “Improving Paragraphs”
Read the following essay—a first draft in need of editing and revision. Do not correct the text directly. Instead, answer
the questions listed after the essay to identify and fix mistakes. Circle the letter next to the answer you think is best.
(1) A few centuries ago, sailors in the tropics reported seeing mermaids, legendary creatures with the head and
upper body of a woman and the tail of a fish. (2) Some people speculate that the sailors may actually have been seeing
manatees. (3) These are large mammals that live their whole lives in the water. (4) The only other mammals that spend
their whole lives in the water are whales.
(5) Manatees have heavy, gray bodies that are fishlike in form and end in a tail. (6) They can grow to 13 feet long
and weigh over 500 pounds. (7) They are totally herbivorous; that is, they eat only plants. (8) Specifically, they eat
seaweeds and sea grasses. (9) They eat up to 100 pounds of vegetation a day.
(10) There are three different types of manatees. (11) There is the Amazon manatee, the Caribbean manatee,
and the African manatee. (12) Their population is diminishing. (13) Manatees are now an endangered species. (14)
Manatees have no natural enemies; humans are causing their decline. (15) In many places humans are ruining their
habitats. (16) They are running over them with boats, polluting the water with chemicals and other waste, and digging
canals in their grazing areas.
(17) One type of manatee has already become extinct. (18) In 1741 explorers discovered the Steller’s sea cow,
which grew up to 30 feet long and weighed up to 4 tons. (19) Within 30 years, the Steller’s sea cow had been hunted out
of existence.
Be sure to use your test-taking strategies, underline key words and consider the difference between Sentence Revision Questions
(SRQ) and Reading Passage Questions (RPQ).
1. Which of the following is the BEST way to
revise the underlined portions of sentences 10
and 11 in order to combine the two sentences?
There are three different types of manatees.
There is the Amazon manatee, the Caribbean
manatee, and the African manatee.
A. manatees, such as the
B. manatees: the
D. As a result,
E.
Also called sea cows,
4. Which of the following would be the BEST way
to combine sentences 7, 8, and 9?
A. They are totally herbivorous, that is, they
eat only plants, such as seaweeds and sea
grasses, and they eat up to 100 pounds of
vegetation a day.
D. manatees, the
B. Being totally herbivorous, they eat only
plants—seaweeds and sea grasses—up to
100 pounds of vegetation a day.
E.
C.
C.
manatees, for example, the
manatees, including the
2. Assume you have just combined sentences 10
and 11. If you were to insert a new sentence
just after 11, which of the following would
create the best transition to sentence 12?
Being totally herbivorous, they eat only
plants—up to 100 pounds of seaweed and
sea grasses a day.
A. Manatees are close relatives of another
animal called the dugong.
D. They are totally herbivorous, they eat
only plants (such as seaweeds and sea
grasses), and they eat up to 100 pounds of
vegetation a day.
B. They all live in the Atlantic Ocean.
E.
C.
Although they live in different parts of the
world, they all share the same danger.
D. How could they spread to different parts
of the world?
E.
All of them live in shallow water.
3. In context, which of the following could BEST
be inserted at the beginning of sentence 3?
A. For example,
B. Today,
C.
Incidentally,
They eat up to 100 pounds of vegetation a
day, such as seaweeds and sea grasses, as
they are totally herbivorous, that is, they
eat only plants.
5. What is the BEST way to revise the underlined
portion of sentence 13?
A. They
B. In fact, manatees
C.
By the way, manatees
D. Not coincidentally, manatees
E.
However, manatees
6. To conclude the final paragraph in the BEST
way, which of the following sentences should
be added after sentence 19?
C.
Isn’t that a tragedy?
D. What can you do to save them?
E. They were insulated by very thick
A. What a huge animal!
blubber.
B. Unless we take steps to save the
remaining manatees, they will disappear
as well.
Grammar Activity (Wednesday 3/7): 4 Days to CAHSEE – “Improving Sentences”
Read the following sentences, paying careful attention to the underlined sections. Beneath each sentence you will find five
ways of phrasing the underlined part. Choice “A” repeats the original; the other four are each different.
Circle the answer that best expresses the meaning of the original sentence. If you think the original is best, circle “A.” Your
selection should produce the most effective sentence—clear and precise, without awkwardness, ambiguity, or errors.
Grammar Memory Check: What are the four “usual suspects” you should check for when looking to improve sentences on the
CAHSEE (Hint: Refer to the second grammar activity from 3/5)?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
1. I am irritated that he teases me every time when
he sees me.
A. me every time when he sees me.
B. me every time he sees me.
C.
me, whenever I am seen by him.
D. me at every time he sees me.
E.
me, whenever he sees me.
2. Please try to understand that I am neither for your
idea or against it.
A. for your idea or against it.
B. for or against your idea.
C.
for your idea nor against it.
D. for your idea nor against your idea.
E.
for your idea or am I against it.
3. Dramatically, by practicing every day, Zack’s
performance improved.
A. Dramatically, by practicing every day, Zack’s
performance improved.
B. By practicing every day, dramatically Zack’s
performance improved.
C.
By practicing every day, Zack dramatically
4. Jennifer wants to go to nursing school, become a
midwife, and to deliver babies.
A. to go to nursing school, become a midwife,
and to deliver babies.
B. to attend nursing school, become a midwife,
and to deliver babies.
C.
and deliver babies.
D. to go to nursing school and to become a
midwife, and to deliver babies.
E.
practicing every day.
E.
Dramatically, Zack’s performance improved
by his practicing every day.
to go to nursing school, become a midwife,
and deliver babies.
5. The sound coming from the garage was like a B-52
bomber.
A. like a B-52 bomber.
B. like the roar of a B-52 bomber.
C.
like that of a B-52 bomber’s.
D. the same as a B-52 bomber.
E.
a B-52 bomber.
6. Did I ever tell you that I once photographed an
elephant in my pajamas?
A. I once photographed an elephant in my
improved his performance.
D. Zack’s performance improved dramatically by
to go to nursing school, to become a midwife,
pajamas?
B. I once photographed an elephant with my
pajamas?
C.
an elephant was once photographed by me in
my pajamas?
D. I once photographed an elephant while I was
in my pajamas?
E.
I once photographed an elephant wearing my
E.
minutes in view of the fact that the group is
pajamas?
7. All of the tickets were sold in less than 15 minutes
on account a the group’s tremendous popularity.
A. All of the tickets were sold in less than 15
minutes on account a the group’s tremendous
popularity.
B. On account of the group’s tremendous
tremendously popular.
8. The last band’s music was loud, with a good beat,
and easy to dance to.
A. with a good beat, and easy to dance to.
B. had a good beat, and easy to dance to.
C.
popularity, all of the tickets were sold in less
C.
All of the tickets were sold in less than 15
and had a good beat, as well as being easy to
dance to.
than 15 minutes.
D. had a good beat, and was easy to dance to.
All of the tickets were sold in less than 15
E.
with a good beat, and you could dance to it.
minutes being that the group was
tremendously popular.
D. All of the tickets were sold in less than 15
minutes because of the group’s tremendous
popularity.
Remember our goal . . . 98% pass rate. You can do it!
Best of luck on the CAHSEE,
Miss Barron, Mrs. DeVries, Ms. Handley, and Mrs. Harkins