Download 1. Identify the prepositional phrases.

#1. Identify the prepositional phrases.
Preposition: A preposition is a word that shows a relationship between a noun or
pronoun and some other word in the sentence.
Below is a list of common (not all) prepositions.
prepositions.
*Note* Be careful!! The (*) indicates that the preposition can function as something other than a
preposition.
about
above
according to
across
*after
against
along
along with
among
apart from
around
*as
as for
at
because of
*before
behind
below
beneath
beside
between
beyond
but* (except)
by
by means of
concerning
despite
down
during
except
except for
excepting
for
from
in
in addition to
in back of
in case of
in front of
in place of
inside
in spite of
instead of
into
*like
near
next
of
off
on
onto
on top of
out
out of
outside
over
past
regarding
round
*since
through
throughout
*till
*to
toward
under
underneath
unlike
*until
up
upon
up to
with
within
without
Prepositional Phrase: A prepositional phrase consists of a preposition, its object, and any modifiers of
the object. The object of the preposition
preposition is the noun or pronoun following the preposition.
As a general practice, put parentheses around prepositional phrases in order to reveal the basic
components of the sentence.
- We walked (through the hall,) (out the doors,) and arrived (at the foyer). = We walked and arrived.
- (On the desk,) I found three books (with 100 pages each). = I found three books.
#2. Write the subject and choose the correct verb.
Subject/Verb Agreement Rules
Basic
Rule.
The basic rule states that a singular subject takes a singular verb, while a plural subject takes a plural verb.
NOTE: The trick is in knowing whether the subject is singular or plural. The next trick is recognizing a singular
or plural verb.
Hint: Verbs do not form their plurals by adding an s as nouns do. In order to determine which verb is singular
and which one is plural, think of which verb you would use with he or she and which verb you would use with
they.
Example:
Rule 1.
Two singular subjects connected by or or nor require a singular verb.
Example:
Rule 2.
talks, talk
Which one is the singular form? Which word would you use with he? We say, "He talks."
Therefore, talks is singular. We say, "They talk." Therefore, talk is plural.
My aunt or my uncle is arriving by train today.
Two singular subjects connected by either/or or neither/nor require a singular verb as in Rule 1.
Examples:
Neither Juan nor Carmen is available.
Either Kiana or Casey is helping today with stage decorations.
Rule 3.
When I is one of the two subjects connected by either/or or neither/nor, put it second and follow it with the
singular verb am.
Example:
Rule 4.
When a singular subject is connected by or or nor to a plural subject, put the plural subject last and use a plural
verb.
Example:
Rule 5.
The serving bowl or the plates go on that shelf.
When a singular and plural subject are connected by either/or or neither/nor, put the plural subject last and use a
plural verb.
Example:
Rule 6.
Neither she nor I am going to the festival.
Neither Jenny nor the others are available.
As a general rule, use a plural verb with two or more subjects when they are connected by and.
Example:
A car and a bike are my means of transportation.
Rule 7.
Sometimes the subject is separated from the verb by words such as along with, as well as, besides, or not. Ignore
these expressions when determining whether to use a singular or plural verb.
Examples:
The politician, along with the newsmen, is expected shortly.
Excitement, as well as nervousness, is the cause
of her shaking.
Rule
8.
The pronouns each, everyone, every one, everybody, anyone, anybody, someone, and somebody are singular and
require singular verbs. Do not be misled by what follows of.
Examples:
Each of the girls sings well.
Every one of the cakes is gone.
NOTE: Everyone is one word when it means everybody. Every one is two words when the meaning is
each one.
Rule 9.
With words that indicate portions—percent, fraction, part, majority, some, all, none, remainder, and so forth —
look at the noun in your of phrase (object of the preposition) to determine whether to use a singular or plural
verb. If the object of the preposition is singular, use a singular verb. If the object of the preposition is plural, use a
plural verb.
Examples:
Fifty percent of the pie has disappeared.
Pie is the object of the preposition of.
Fifty percent of the pies have disappeared.
Pies is the object of the preposition.
One-third of the city is unemployed.
One-third of the people are unemployed.
NOTE: Hyphenate all spelled-out fractions.
All of the pie is gone.
All of the pies are gone.
Some of the pie is missing.
Some of the pies are missing.
None of the garbage was picked up.
None of the sentences were punctuated correctly.
Rule
10.
When either and neither are subjects, they always take singular verbs.
Examples:
Neither of them is available to speak right now.
Either of us is capable of doing the job.
Rule
11.
The words here and there have generally been labeled as adverbs even though they indicate place. In sentences
beginning with here or there, the subject follows the verb.
Examples:
There are four hurdles to jump.
There is a high hurdle to jump.
Rule
12.
Use a singular verb with sums of money or periods of time.
Examples:
Ten dollars is a high price to pay.
Five years is the maximum sentence for that offense.
Rule
13.
Sometimes the pronoun who, that, or which is the subject of a verb in the middle of the sentence. The pronouns
who, that, and which become singular or plural according to the noun directly in front of them. So, if that noun is
singular, use a singular verb. If it is plural, use a plural verb.
Examples:
Salma is the scientist who writes/write the reports.
The word in front of who is scientist, which is singular. Therefore, use the singular verb writes.
He is one of the men who does/do the work.
The word in front of who is men, which is plural. Therefore, use the plural verb do.
Rule
14.
Collective nouns such as team and staff may be either singular or plural depending on their use in the sentence.
Examples:
The staff is in a meeting.
Staff is acting as a unit here.
The staff are in disagreement about the findings.
The staff are acting as separate individuals in this example.
The sentence would read even better as:
The staff members are in disagreement about the findings.
#3. Is this a simple, compound, complex, or
compound/complex sentence?
Simple Sentence: A simple sentence contains one independent clause (complete sentence) and no
dependent clauses (incomplete sentences). Remember that even a simple sentence can include many
details.
Examples:
- Malika sings.
- Ben competes at chess every day after school.
Compound Sentence: A compound sentence contains two or more independent clauses and no
dependent clauses. The clauses in a compound sentence must be closely related. Independent clauses
can be joined by a semicolon OR a comma and a coordinating conjunction (FANBOYS: for, and, nor,
but, or, yet, so).
Example:
- Malika sings every day, and she practices with the choir.
- The choir rehearsed late on Tuesday, and the director praised their hard work.
- The choir rehearsed late on Tuesday; the director praised their hard work.
Complex Sentence: A complex sentence contains one independent clause and one or more
dependent clauses. The dependent clause will always begin with a subordinating conjunction (see #4 for
a list of all subordinate conjunctions).
Example:
- Mr. Hernandez, who is a professional storyteller, performs at many different festivals.
- Young people love the way he tells stories because he changes his voice and
wears costumes.
Compound/Complex Sentence: A compound/complex sentence contains
• At least two independent clauses
• At least one dependent clause.
Example:
- She played the banjo, and I played the drums because together we could make beautiful music.
- As if they had the same mind, Mr. Bell threw a ruler, and Mr. Stapleton caught it.
#4. Identify the part of speech for the underlined
words.
Preposition:
Preposition: (see #1)
Noun: a word that names a person, place, thing, or idea
Examples: girl, Emily, restaurant, Arby’s, star, Little Dipper, imagination, honesty
Pronoun: a word that takes the place of a noun or another pronoun (See #14 for detailed descriptions
descriptions)
Examples: she, my, he, him, anyone, this
Verb: a word that represents an action (action verbs) or a state of being (linking verbs)
verbs)
Examples of Action Verbs: run, play, sing, trample, collide, breeze
Examples Linking and Helping Verbs: am, is, are, was, were, be, being, been, do,
did, does, can, may, could, would, should, must, might, will, have, has, had, shall, seem
Adjective: a word that describes or modifies a noun or pronoun
Answers the ?’s: what kind, how many, which one, how much
Examples: red, three, that, large, slimy, sleepy, beautiful, delicious
Adverb: a word that describes or modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb
Answer the ?’s: how, when, where, to what extent (why);
Examples: ran slowly, rode yesterday, spoke outside, married once, fell repeatedly
Interjection: a word that expresses an emotion and has no grammatical bearing on the sentence.
Examples: Man!, Gee!, Yea!, Ouch!, Well
Conjunction:
Conjunction: a word that connects words or groups of words
Three types: Coordinating, Subordinating, Correlative
Coordinating Examples:
Examples and, or, but, nor, for, so, yet (FANBOYS)
*Note* Coordinating Conjunctions are used with a comma to connect two independent clauses
creating a compound sentence. (See #3)
Subordinating Examples:
Examples
after
although
as
as if
as long as
as much as
as soon as
as though
because
before
by the time
even
even if
even though
every time
how
however
if
if only
if then
if when
inasmuch
in order that
in case
in the event that
just as
just in case
lest
now (that)
now when
once
only if
provided (that)
rather than
since
so that
supposing (that)
than
that
the first time
though
till (or ‘til)
unless
until
when
whenever
where
where if
whereas
wherever
whether or not
while
who
whoever
why
*Note* Subordinating conjunctions are used at the beginning of a dependent clause combined
with an independent clause to create a complex sentence. (See #3)
Correlative Examples:
Examples either…or, neither…nor, both…and, not only…but also, not…but, as…as,
whether…or
*Note* Correlative Conjunctions are used similar to FANBOYS creating compound sentences.
#5. Part A:
A: Identify the underlined verbal or verbal phrase as
present participial,
participial, past participial,
participial, gerund,
gerund, or
infinitive.
infinitive.
Part B:
B: Is the phrase functioning
functioning as a noun,
noun, adjective,
adjective, or
adverb?
adverb?
A verbal is a word that was originally a verb but is being used as a different part of speech.
See the chart below to help you identify verbals, and how they act.
Verbal
Present Participl
Participle
Past Participle
Gerund
Infinitive
Ending
-ing
-ed or -en
-ing
to + verb
Function
adjective
adjective
noun
noun, adjective, or adverb
Often verbals will create phrases which contain objects or even whole prepositional phrases.
• The entire phrase will act as one part of speech, e.g., present participial phrase will act as a single adjective.
• See the examples below to help identify whether the verbal is acting by itself or creating a phrase.
Present Participle:
Participle:
• Original verb form: We were leaping through the hallways!
• Present Participle: Those leaping frogs are really amazing!
Present Participial phrase:
• There goes Jacob (riding
riding across the bridge).
“riding across the bridge” is a participial phrase which contains the verbal: “riding,” the
preposition: “across,” and the object of the preposition: “the bridge.” Think of this as a
phrase within a phrase.
Past Participle:
• Original verb form: They really dented up that car.
• Past participle: That dented door will be expensive to fix.
Past Participial phrase:
• Antelope are frequently (hunted
hunted by lions).
Gerund:
Gerund:
• Original verb form: We were running through the hallways.
• Gerund: Running is my favorite sport.
Gerundial phrase:
• (Jumping
Jumping off the roof) was not a good idea.
HINT: If you can replace an –ing phrase with the pronoun “it” the phrase is gerundial, not
participial, e.g., the sentence above could read: It was not a good idea.
Infinitive:
Original verb form: Infinitives will NEVER be used as a verb in sentences (that’s what infinitive means).
• Infinitive phrase as a noun:
o I love to go fishing.
fishing (You can replace the phrase with a pronoun: I love it.)
• Inf. phrase as an adjective:
o Her ability to run track is astonishing! (What kind of ability? Ability to run track.)
• Inf. Phrase as an adverb:
o We waited in line to buy tickets.
tickets (Why did they wait? To buy tickets.)
#6. Write the correct pronoun.
Subject pronouns are used as subjects of the sentence.
Subjective Pronouns: I, you, he, she, it, we, they, who
Object Pronouns are used as objects.
Objective Pronouns: me, you, him, her, it, us, them, whom
Subjective
Objective
I
me
*you
*you
he
him
she
her
*it
*it
we
us
they
them
who
whom
*Notice “you” and “it” take the same form as subjects and objects
*Never use subject pronouns with object pronouns.*
Examples:
He and I (correct)
Him and me (correct)
Him and I (wrong)
He and me (wrong)
He and I are going to town. (both subjects)
She told him and me the truth. (both objects)
She gave the books to him and I.
He and me are in a band.
*TIP:
TIP To know for sure whether to use I or me, use them individually in the sentence to
see which one makes sense (plural equivalent: we or us)
Example: Kerri gave the glasses to David and (I/me).
Take out “David” – Would you say Kerri gave the glasses “to I” or “to me”?
The correct sentence is: “Kerri gave the glasses to David and me.”
#7. Choose the correct pronoun or contraction.
Possessive Pronoun:: A possessive pronoun is a personal pronoun used to show
ownership or relationship.
Examples:
The dog pricked up its little ears.
It saw the boy and heard his loud cry for help.
Contractions: A contraction is one word that has been made out of two or more
words.
Examples:
It’s going to be a hot one today.
I can tell he’s a strong swimmer.
It is = It’s
He is = He’s
*Notice: the apostrophe takes the place of the missing letter(s).
• Some possessive pronouns sound like contractions (its/it’s, your/you’re,
their/they’re). Because these pairs are alike they are often confused.
• Remember, a possessive pronoun NEVER uses an apostrophe.
• A contraction, however, ALWAYS uses an apostrophe.
#8. Write the correct adverb.
Adverb: a word that modifies/describes a verb, adjective, or another adverb.
Answers the ?’s: How? When? Where? To what extent (Why)?
Examples
How?
When?
Where?
To what extent?
Successfully
Soon
Inside
Nearly
Quietly
Later
Close
Completely
Terribly
Now
Together
Quite
Example of an adverb modifying…
a verb:
He drove slowly to the funeral. (slowly describes how he drove.)
drove
an adjective: He drove a really fast car. (really describes how fast.)
fast
an adverb:
She moved quite slowly down the aisle. (quite describes how slowly.)
slowly
Adverbs can appear in several different positions:
• Shari completed the exam quickly.
quickly (After the Verb)
• Shari quickly completed the exam. (Before the Verb)
• Quickly,
Quickly Shari completed the exam. (Beginning of the sentence)
#9. Combine the following sentences or fix the run-on
using the required form.
Sentence
Sentence combining is necessary to organize short, choppy, simple sentences, usually repeating similar
information, and
and combining them to make longer, more effective sentences
sentences.
Example: She was a Latin teacher. She taught in high school. She was tiny. She was a bird-like woman. She had
dark eyes. Her eyes were sparkling. Her hair was gray.
More Effective Sentences
Sentences:
-Our Latin teacher in high school was a tiny woman. She was birdlike, with dark, sparkling eyes and graying hair.
-Our tiny Latin teacher in high school was a birdlike woman with graying hair and dark, sparkling eyes.
There is no one single correct combination. With practice, you will learn to use a variety of versions to become a
more versatile writer.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
RunRun-on Sentence:
Sentence: a sentence that has two complete thoughts incorrectly combined into one sentence.
3 Methods to Correcting a Run-on sentence…
Run-On Example: Murray takes the train to school Mom rides the bus.
•
Place a period between the two complete thoughts.
Murray takes the train to school. Mom rides the bus.
•
Place a semisemi-colon between the two complete thoughts (possibly with a transition)
Murray takes the train to school; however, Mom rides the bus.
•
Place a comma and a conjunction to correctly combine the two complete thoughts.
Murray takes the train to school, and Mom rides the bus.
Appositives:
Appositives Another way to avoid repetitive sentence structure is with appositives. An appositive is a noun or
noun phrase that renames another noun right beside it. The appositive can be a short or long combination of
words.
Note: The appositive and the word(s) it renames should be interchangeable.
Examples:
The insect, a cockroach , is crawling across the kitchen table.
hairy-- legged cockroach that has spied my bowl of
The insect, a large, hairy
oatmeal , is crawling across the kitchen table.
So instead of saying:
You cold say:
Mr. Anderson is our teacher. He is really smart and engaging.
Mr. Anderson,, our teacher, is really smart and engaging.
See #12 for definitions and examples of compound and complex sentences.
• Sometimes the question will ask you to fix the sentence by changing it into a
compound or complex sentence.
See #14 for definitions and examples of gerund, infinitive,
infi nitive, and participial phrases.
• Sometimes the question will ask you to fix the sentence using verbal phrases.
#10. Proofread and write the sentence correctly.
When making changes to the sentence, no words should be added, taken away, or
moved around to “fix” the sentence.
Some Errors to look for:
Punctuation:
• Check for comma rule usage. (See #15 in your packet)
• Make sure semicolons are used correctly.
• Make sure the sentence ends with a period.
• Check to see that dialogue or quotations are punctuated correctly.
o “Hey mom,” Kathy said, “can we go to the mall today?”
o When Romeo and Juliet first meet, Juliet says they’re love is “too sudden” and “too like the
lightning which doth cease to be ere one can say ‘It lightens.’”
Capitalization:
• Always capitalize the first word of a sentence.
• Always capitalize proper nouns: Mr. Williams, Kathy, Wal-Mart, Oreos, etc.
• Capitalize the first word of a quote if you are quoting an entire sentence
o As David read the book aloud, he raised his voice when the protagonist said, “You will not get
away this time!”
Spelling: Use a dictionary!
SubjectSubject-Verb Agreement: See #2 in your packet
Pronoun Usage: See #6, 7, and 14 in your packet
Practice Examples:
martha’s vineyard prove to be a one of a kind vacation spot
my aunt molly were going downtown and decided to visit I for minute
did you tell james that I liked him questioned martha
#11. Write the correct verb.
List of Irregular Verbs
Simple
Present
Simple Past
Past Participle
arise
awake
become
begin
bite
bleed
break
bring
burn
choose
cling
come
creep
deal
dive
do
draw
dream
drink
drive
eat
fall
flee
fling
fly
forbid
forget
forgive
forgo
freeze
get
give
go
grow
hang
hide
hold
hurt
keep
kneel
knit
know
lay
lead
leap
lend
let
lie (down)
light
mean
meet
pay
prove
quit
read
ride
arose
awoke
became
began
bit
bled
broke
brought
burned or burnt
chose
clung
came
crept
dealt
dived or dove
did
drew
dreamed or dreamt
drank
drove
ate
fell
fled
flung
flew
forbade or forbad
forgot
forgave
forwent
froze
got
gave
went
grew
hung or hanged
hid
held
hurt
kept
knelt or kneeled
knitted or knit
knew
laid
led
leapt or leaped
lent
let
lay
lit or lighted
meant
met
paid
proved
quit
read
rode
arisen
awoken
become
begun
bitten
bled
broken
brought
burned or burnt
chosen
clung
come
crept
dealt
dived
done
drawn
dreamed or dreamt
drunk
driven
eaten
fallen
fled
flung
flown,
forbidden or forbade
forgotten
forgiven
forgone
frozen
gotten or got
given
gone
grown
hung or hanged
hidden
held
hurt
kept
knelt or kneeled
knitted or knit
known
laid
led
leapt or leaped
lent
let
lain
lit or lighted
meant
met
paid
proved or proven
quit
read
ridden
More…
Simple
Present
Simple Past
Past Participle
ring
rise
run
saw
see
seek
set
sew
shake
shave
shear
shine
show
shrink
sing
sink
slay
sleep
slide
sneak
speak
speed
spill
spin
spit
split
spring
steal
stick
sting
stink
strew
strike
strive
swear
sweep
swim
swing
take
tear
thrive
throw
undergo
understand
upset
wake
wear
weave
weep
wind
withdraw
wring
write
rang
rose
ran
sawed
saw
sought
set
sewed
shook
shaved
sheared
shone or shined
showed
shrank or shrunk
sang
sank
slew
slept
slid
sneaked or snuck
spoke
sped
spilled or spilt
spun
spat or spit
split
sprang
stole
stuck
stung
stank or stunk
strewed
struck
strove or strived
swore
swept
swam
swung
took
tore
thrived or throve
threw
underwent
understood
upset
woke or waked
wore
wove
wept
wound
withdrew
wrung
wrote
rung
risen
run
sawed or sawn
seen
sought
set
sewn or sewed
shaken
shaved or shaven
sheared or shorn
shone or shined
shown or showed
shrunk or shrunken
sung
sunk
slain
slept
slid
sneaked or snuck
spoken
sped
spilled or spilt
spun
spat or spit
split
sprung
stolen
stuck
stung
stunk
strewn
struck or stricken
striven or strived
sworn
swept
swum
swung
taken
torn
thrived or thriven
thrown
undergone
understood
upset
woken or waked
worn
woven
wept
wound
withdrawn
wrung
written
#12. Write the required form of the underlined verb.
The Seven Principal Parts of a Verb
Present
Present Participle
Past
Future
Past Participle
Present Perfect
Past Perfect
Future Perfect
Sail
is/am/are sailing
ing
sailed
ed
will sail
has/had sailed
ed
has/have sailed
had sailed
will have sailed
Lift
is/am/are lifting
ing
lifted
ed
will lift
has/had lifted
ed
has/have lifted
had lifted
will have lifted
Drink*
is/am drinking
drank
will drink
has/had drunk
has/have drunk
had drunk
will have drunk
Walk
Throw
* Make sure you know which verbs are irregular, and conjugate them accordingly. (See #11.)
#13. Part A. Is the underlined verb active or passive?
Part B. Re-write the sentence, changing active
verbs to passive or passive to active.
Active voice: A verb is in active voice when its action is performed by the subject.
subject In
other words, the subject is doing that action.
Example:
The car hit the tree. (Ask yourself…What is the subject? Car. Now ask…Did the car
do the hitting? Yes. The subject is doing the action, therefore, it is active.)
Passive voice: A verb is in passive voice when the action is performed on the subject.
subject
In other words, the subject is NOT doing that action.
Example:
The tree was hit by the car. (Ask yourself…What is the subject? Tree. Now
ask…Did the tree do the hitting? No. The subject is NOT doing that action,
therefore it is passive.)
Note: A passive verb will ALWAYS include a be-verb: was hit, was purchased, etc.
Note: In a passive sentence the actor of the verb will not always be named. If the
actor is named, they will ALWAYS be the object of a preposition.
Example: The building was constructed in 2009.
- The actor is not named.
The building was constructed (by BuildCo.) in 2009.
- The actor is the object of the preposition “by”
• Every sentence in the English language will be either passive or active.
• Think of the subject and object as hinging (or rotating) around the verb:
The store
Kelly
Was purchased
Purchased
by Kelly
in 2009.
Passive
The store
in 2009.
Active
#14. Identify the underlined pronoun(s) as
demonstrative, interrogative, personal, intensive,
reflexive, indefinite, relative or possessive.
A pronoun is a word that can replace a noun or a pronoun.
An antecedent is the noun or pronoun being replaced.
Personal: a personal pronoun (a person) represents specific people and things. We use them
depending on:
• Number: singular (eg: I) or plural (eg: we)
• Person: 1st person (eg: I), 2nd person (eg: you) or 3rd person (eg: he)
• Gender: male (eg: he), female (eg: she) or neutral (eg: it)
• Case: subject (eg: we) or object (eg: us)
*We use personal pronouns to replace the person or people that we are talking about.*
Possessive: a pronoun that shows ownership
Examples: mine, hers, ours, its, his, yours
Note: possessive pronouns do NOT have apostrophes.
Demonstrative: A demonstrative pronoun (demonstrates) points out a person, place, thing, or idea.
The demonstrative pronouns—this, that, these, those—are used alone in a sentence; never use here or
there with a demonstrative pronoun.
Examples:
Singular:
That is a circuit breaker.
This is our emergency shelter.
Plural:
These are electrical appliances.
Those are bottles of water.
Interrogative: An interrogative pronoun (interrogates) is used to introduce a question. The
interrogative pronouns are who, whom, what, which, and whose.
Examples:
Who used up all the water?
Whose cup is this? (Watch out! Don’t confuse whose with who’s (who is)…)
Reflexive: A reflexive pronoun (reflects) refers to the subject and directs the action of the verb back to
the subject. They are necessary to the meaning of the sentence. Note: The sentence must have an
antecedent in order to use a reflexive pronoun.
Examples:
The Carson family tried to lift themselves out of poverty.
Ben Carson
Carson dedicated himself to becoming a doctor.
Intensive: An intensive pronoun (intensifies) emphasizes a noun or another pronoun within the same
sentence. Intensive pronouns are NOT necessary to the meaning of the sentence.
Examples:
You yourself have overcome many hardships.
Dr. Carson himself has survived great poverty.
Indefinite: An indefinite pronoun (indefinite means unclear) does not refer to a specific person,
place, thing, or idea. Indefinite pronouns often do not have antecedents.
Examples:
Nothing
Nothing lasts forever.
Anyone can make a time capsule.
Relative: A relative pronoun (relates) is used to join clauses to make a complex sentence. Relative
pronouns are used at the beginning of the subordinate (dependent) clause which gives some specific
information about the main clause.
Example:
This is the house that Jack built.
That house, which is brick, was built last year.
A Few Common Pronouns for Each Category
Intensive OR
Reflexive
Myself
Yourself
Herself
Himself
Itself
Ourselves
Yourselves
Themselves
Interrogative
Demonstrative
Indefinite
Personal
Possessive
Relative
Who
Whom
What
Which
Whose
This
That
These
Those
Someone
Anyone
Each
Several
Many
All
Most
I
He
We
it
them
she
they
mine
yours
ours
his
hers
their
my
That
Who
Whom
Whose
Which
Where
When
None
me
Why
#15. Identify the comma rule(s) being used in the sentence.
Rule #1
To avoid confusion, use commas to separate words and word groups with a series of three or more.
Example:
J.C. brought apples, oranges, grapes, and bananas for us to eat on our picnic.
Rule #2
Use a comma to separate two adjectives when the word and can be inserted.
Example:
Christopher gave his girlfriend four pretty, pink balloons.
Rule #3
Use a comma when an –ly adjective is used with other adjectives.
Example:
The witch had an ugly, hairy wart in the middle of her nose.
Rule #4
Use a comma before or surrounding the name or title of a person directly addressed.
Example:
Thank you, Doctor, for fixing my broken arm.
Rule #5a
Use a comma to separate the day of the month and the year and after the year.
Example:
December 31, 1983 is my birthday.
Rule #5b
If any of the date is omitted, leave out the comma.
Example:
December 31 is New Year’s Eve.
Rule #6
Use a comma to separate the city from the state and after the state. If you use the two-letter capitalized form of a
state, you do not need a comma after the state.
Example:
I was born in Waco, Texas.
Rule #7
Use a comma to surround degrees or titles used with names. Commas are no longer required around Jr. and Sr.
Commas never set off II, III, and so forth
Example:
Doogie Houser, M.D., was a great show in the 80s.
Rule #8
Use commas to set off expressions that interrupt sentence flow.
Example:
My favorite TV show, as you can probably tell, is The Cosby Show.
Rule #9
When starting a sentence with a weak clause (subordinate), use a comma after it. Conversely, do not use a comma
when the sentence starts with a strong clause (independent) followed by a weak clause (subordinate).
Example:
After the magician performed the trick, the crowd cheered.
Rule #10
Use a comma after phrases of three or more words that begin a sentence. If a phrase has fewer than three
words, the comma is optional.
Example:
In the box under the bed, I found five books that I haven’t read.
Rule #11
If something or someone is sufficiently identified, the description following it is considered non-essential and should be
surrounded by commas.
Example:
Tony Romo, quarterback for the Cowboys, used to date Jessica Simpson.
Rule #12
Use a comma to separate two strong clauses (independent) joined by a coordinating conjunction
(FANBOYS). You can omit the comma if the clauses are both short.
Example:
The game will start at 7:00, and the dance will follow.
Rule #13
Use a comma and coordinating conjunction (FANBOYS) to correct comma splices (run-on sentence only
connected by a comma).
Wrong: My parents went to the movies and they didn’t invite me!
Right: My parents went to the movies
, and they didn’t invite me!
Rule #14
If the subject does not appear in front the second verb (in a sentence with two verbs), do not use a comma.
Example:
My parents went to the movies and didn’t invite me!
Rule #15
Use a comma to introduce or interrupt direct quotes.
Example:
Jennifer exclaimed, “There’s a roach in my soup!”
Rule #16
Use a comma when beginning sentences with introductory words such as well, now, or yes.
Example:
Yes, you may go to the restroom.
Rule #17
Use commas surrounding words such as therefore and however when they are used as interrupters.
Example:
I was speeding to work, however, I was late because of all the stop lights.
Rule #18
Use either a comma or a semicolon before introductory words such as namely, that is, i.e., for example, e.g.,
or for instance when they are followed by a series of items.
Example:
I like to listen to country, namely, Tim McGraw, Garth Brooks, and Shania Twain.
#16.
16. Identify the underlined word(s) as predicate noun
(PN), predicate pronoun (PPN), predicate adjective
(PA), OR direct object (DO), or indirect object (IO).
Follow these steps…
• Find the verb and determine if it is an ACTION verb or a LINKING verb.
For ACTION verbs:
o (D.O.) Ask…verb + what? The answer is the direct object.
For example:
I gave Jennifer a gift.
Ask: Gave what? A gift. Gift is the direct object.
o (I.O.) If you have a direct object, then look for an indirect object. You may not have one, but if
you do, it will always be located in between the verb and the direct object.
Ask: verb + what + to/for whom? The answer is the indirect object.
For example:
I gave Jennifer a gift.
Gave what? A gift. To/for whom? Jennifer. Jennifer is the indirect object. Jennifer answers
the question to/for whom and is located in between the verb and direct object.
(DO) She hit his car!
- Hit what? A car. Car is the direct object.
- This sentence has no indirect object.
(IO) She lent Jimmy a DVD.
- Lent what? A DVD. DVD is the direct object
- Lent a DVD to/for whom? Jimmy. Jimmy is the
indirect object.
For LINKING verbs:
Common linking verbs: be verbs, become, appear, seems, look, sound, feel,
smell, taste, grow, remain, prove, stay
o Ask…verb + what? The answer is a predicate object.
For example:
Martin is handsome. Ask: Is what? handsome. Handsome is the predicate object.
o Now decide…is the predicate object a noun (PN), pronoun (PPN), or adjective (PA)?
For example:
Handsome is describing Martin (a noun) which makes it an adjective. Handsome,
therefore, is a predicate adjective (PA).
(PA).
(PN) Martin is a teacher.
“a teacher” is a predicate noun (PN).
(PPN) This is he.
“he” is a predicate pronoun (PPN).
(PA) This is so boring!
“boring” is a predicate
predicate adjective (PA).
#17. Write the appropriate word for the correct meaning
of the sentence.
COMMONLY MISUSED/CONFUSED WORDS:
ACCEPT-to
ACCEPT receive
ex: He accepts defeat well.
EXCEPT-to
EXCEPT take or leave out
ex: Please take all the books off the shelf except for the
red one.
AFFECT
AFFECT-to
CT influence
ex: Lack of sleep affects the quality of your work.
EFFECT-n.,
EFFECT result, v., to accomplish
ex: The subtle effect of the lighting made the room look
ominous.
ex: Can the university effect such a change without
disrupting classes?
A LOT (two words)-many.
ALOT (one word)-Not the correct form.
ALLUSION-an
ALLUSION indirect reference
ex: The professor made an allusion to Virginia Woolf's
work.
ILLUSION-a
ILLUSION false perception of reality
ex: They saw a mirage: that is a type of illusion one sees in
the desert.
ALL READY-prepared
READY
ex: Dinner was all ready when the guests arrived.
ALREADY-by
ALREADY this time
ex: The turkey was already burned when the guests
arrived.
ALTOGETHER-entirely
ALTOGETHER
ex: Altogether, I thought that the student's presentation
was well planned.
ALL TOGETHER
TOGETHER-gathered,
with everything in one
HER
place
ex: We were all together at the family reunion last spring.
APART-to
APART be separated
ex: The chain-link fence kept the angry dogs apart. OR
My old car fell apart before we reached California.
A PART-to
PART be joined with
ex: The new course was a part of the new field of study at
the university. OR A part of this plan involves getting
started at dawn..
BREATH-noun,
air inhaled or exhaled
BREATH
ex: You could see his breath in the cold air.
BREATHE-verb,
to inhale or exhale
BREATHE
ex: If you don't breathe, then you are dead.
BRINGBRING-when the speaker is requesting that an item be
transported to him or her.
ex: Will you bring me that book?
TAKETAKE-when the speaker is describing an time moving
away from him, with him, or between two other places.
ex: I am taking chips to the party.
CAPITAL-seat
of government. Also financial resources.
CAPITAL
ex: The capital of Virginia is Richmond.
ex: The firm had enough capital to build the new plant.
CAPITOL-the
actual building in which the legislative
CAPITOL
body meets
ex: The governor announced his resignation in a speech
given at the capitol today.
CITE-to
CITE quote or document
ex: I cited ten quotes from the same author in my paper.
SIGHT-vision
SIGHT
ex: The sight of the American flag arouses different
emotions in different parts of the world.
SITE-position
or place
SITE
ex: The new office building was built on the site of a
cemetery.
COMPLEMENT-noun,
something that completes; verb,
COMPLEMENT
to complete
ex: A nice dry white wine complements a seafood entree.
COMPLIMENT-noun,
praise; verb, to praise
COMPLIMENT
ex: The professor complimented Betty on her proper use
of a comma.
CONSCIENCE-sense
of right and wrong
CONSCIENCE
ex: The student's conscience kept him from cheating on
the exam.
CONSCIOUS-awake
CONSCIOUS
ex: I was conscious when the burglar entered the house.
COUNCIL
COUNCIL-a
CIL group that consults or advises
ex: The men and women on the council voted in favor of
an outdoor concert in their town.
COUNSEL-to
COUNSEL advise
ex: The parole officer counseled the convict before he
was released.
LEAD-noun,
a type of metal
LEAD
ex: Is that pipe made of lead?
LED-verb,
past tense of the verb "to lead"
LED
ex: She led the campers on an over-night hike.
LIE-to
LIE lie down (a person or animal. hint: people can tell
lies)
ex: I have a headache, so I'm going to lie down for a
while.
(also lying, lay, has/have lain--The dog has lain in the
shade all day; yesterday, the dog lay there for twelve
hours).
LAY-to
LAY lay an object down.
ex: "Lay down that shotgun, Pappy!" The sheriff
demanded of the crazed moonshiner.
ex: The town lay at the foot of the mountain.
(also laying, laid, has/have laid--At that point, Pappy laid
the shotgun on the ground).
LOSE--verb,
to misplace or not win
LOSE
ex: Mom glared at Mikey. "If you lose that new lunchbox,
don't even think of coming home!"
LOOSE--adjective,
to not be tight; verb (rarely used)--to
LOOSE
release
ex: The burglar's pants were so loose that he was sure to
lose the race with the cop chasing him.
ex: While awaiting trial, he was never set loose from jail
because no one would post his bail.
PASSED-verb,
past tense of "to pass," to have moved
PASSED
ex: The tornado passed through the city quickly, but it
caused great damage.
PAST-belonging
to a former time or place
PAST
ex: Who was the past president of Microsquish
Computers?
ex: Go past the fire station and turn right.
PRECEDE-to
PRECEDE come before
STATIONARY-standing
still
STATIONARY
ex: The accident was my fault because I ran into a
stationary object.
STATIONERY-writing
paper
STATIONERY
ex: My mother bought me stationery that was on recycled
paper.
THAN-use
with comparisons
THAN
ex: I would rather go out to eat than eat at the dining hall.
THEN-at
THEN that time, or next
ex: I studied for my exam for seven hours, and then I
went to bed.
THEIR-possessive
form of they
THEIR
ex: Their house is at the end of the block.
THERE-indicates
location (hint: think of "here and
THERE
there")
ex: There goes my chance of winning the lottery!
THEY'RE-contraction
for "they are"
THEY'RE
ex: They're in Europe for the summer--again!
THROUGH-by
THROUGH means of; finished; into or out of
ex: He plowed right through the other team's defensive
line.
THREW-past
tense of throw
THREW
ex: She threw away his love love letters.
THOROUGH-careful
or complete
THOROUGH
ex: John thoroughly cleaned his room; there was not even
a speck of dust when he finished.
THOUGH-however;
nevertheless
THOUGH
ex: He's really a sweetheart though he looks tough on the
outside.
THRUTHRU abbreviated slang for through; not appropriate
ex: Pre-writing precedes the rough draft of good papers.
PROCEED-to
PROCEED go forward
ex: He proceeded to pass back the failing grades on the
exam.
PRINCIPAL-adjective,
most important; noun, a person
PRINCIPAL
who has authority
ex: The principal ingredient in chocolate chip cookies is
chocolate chips.
ex: The principal of the school does the announcements
each morning.
PRINCIPLE-a
PRINCIPLE general or fundamental truth
ex: The study was based on the principle of gravity.
TO-toward
TO
ex: I went to the University of Richmond.
TOO-also,
or excessively
TOO
ex: Mr. Dye is way too exited about grammar.
TWO-a
TWO number
ex: Only two students did not turn in the assignment.
WHICH-pronoun,
WHICH
replacing a singular or plural
thing(s);not used to refer to persons
ex: Which section of history did you get into?
THAT-used
to refer to things or a group or class of
THAT
people
ex: I lost the book that I bought last week.
QUOTE-verb,
to cite
QUOTE
ex: I would like to quote Dickens in my next paper.
QUOTATION-noun,
the act of citing
QUOTATION
ex: The book of famous quotations inspired us all.
WHO-pronoun,
WHO
referring to a person or persons
ex: Jane wondered how Jack, who is so smart, could be
having difficulties in Calculus.
WHO-used
as a subject or as a subject complement (see
WHO
above)
ex: John is the man who can get the job done.
WHOM-used
as an object
WHOM
ex: Whom did Sarah choose as her replacement?
#18. Re-write the phrase to show the correct possessive
form.
Possession Rules:
• Add ’s to the singular form of the word (even if it ends in –s).
o The owner’s car
o The house’s roof
• Add ’s to the plural forms that do not end in –s.
o The children’s game
o The geese’s honking
• Add ’ to the end of plural nouns that end in –s.
o Two cats’ toys
o The three friends’ letters
• Add ’s to the end of compound words.
o My brother-in-law’s money
o The bride-to-be’s ring
• Add ’s to the last noun to show joint possession of an object.
o Todd and Anne’s apartment
o Bonnie and Clyde’s famous car
Examples:
The dog of my aunt = my aunt’s dog
The ring of my sister-in-law = my sister-in-law’s ring
The tickets of Mike and Joe = Mike and Joe’s tickets
the pool of Tom and Terry = ___________________________________
the mistake of the mice = ______________________________________
the CD of the teacher = ________________________________________
#19. Is the underlined clause restrictive or non-restrictive?
Nonrestrictive: An adjective clause that can be omitted from a sentence without affecting the
basic meaning of the sentence should be set off by commas.
- think of this type of clause as extra information which is not necessarily needed.
Example: My nephew,, who is obsessed with Star Wars,
Wars, says the funniest things.
The car,, which is black,
black, took me all the way to Dallas and back with one tank!
Note: Nonrestrictive clauses will always begin with “who” or “which.”
Restrictive: An adjective clause that cannot be omitted from a sentence without affecting the
basic meaning of the sentence should not be set off by commas.
- Think of this type of clause as identifying the noun it describes out of any other such
nouns.
Example: An older person who dresses like a teenager is often an object of ridicule or pity.
The car that is black was the one that hit me!
Note: Nonrestrictive clauses will always begin with “who” or “that.”
Restrictive and Nonrestrictive clauses might look very similar but will
have completely different implications to the meaning of the sentence.
“We approved all of the invoices, which were fewer than 60 days old.
old.”
In this sentence, they approved all of the invoices, and all of the invoices were fewer than
60 days old.
“We approved all of the invoices that were fewer than 60 days old.
old.”
In this sentence, ONLY the invoices fewer than 60 days old were approved, and some of
them were more than 60 days old.
For each sentence below, decide if the adjective clause (in bold) is restrictive (R) or nonrestrictive (NR). Please
note: Commas have been omitted in all sentences.
Students who have young children are invited to use the free daycare center.
I left my son at the campus daycare center which is free to all fullfull-time students.
students
John Wayne who appeared in over 200 movies was the biggest box-office attraction of his time.
I refuse to live in any house that Jack built.
built
The thing that impresses me the most about America is the way parents obey their children.
#20. Identify the mood of the underlined verb as
indicative, subjunctive, or imperative?
English verbs have three moods: indicative, imperative, and subjunctive.
Indicative Mood: expresses an assertion, denial, or question:
Little Rock is the capital of Arkansas.
Ostriches cannot fly.
Have you finished your homework?
Imperative Mood: expresses command, prohibition, entreaty, or advice. Their subject is the understood “you.”
Don’t smoke in this building.
Be careful!
Don’t drown that puppy!
Subjunctive Mood: expresses doubt or something contrary to fact. It is most often found in a clause
beginning with the word if. It is also found in clauses following a verb that expresses a doubt, a wish, regret,
request, demand, or proposal.
These are verbs typically followed by clauses that take the subjunctive:
ask, demand, determine, insist, move, order, pray, prefer, recommend, regret, request, require, suggest,
and wish. It is not certain whether any of these requests, suggestions, etc. will actually occur
In English there is no difference between the subjunctive and indicative, form of the verb with two exceptions:
EXCEPTIONS:
- The present tense third person singular
The subjunctive for the present tense third person singular drops the -s or -es so that it looks and sounds like the
present tense for everything else.
--------Incorrect:
He recommended that each driver reports his tips.
--------Correct:
He recommended that each driver report his tips.
- The verb “to be”
The subjunctive mood of the verb “to
to be”
be”
were”
be” is “be
be” in the present tense and “were
were” in the past tense, regardless of
what the subject is.
Incorrect:
If I was you, I would run.
Correct:
If I were you, I would run.
(The verb follows if and expresses a non-factual condition.)
Incorrect:
I wish he was able to type faster.
Correct:
I wish he were able to type faster.
(The second verb is in a clause following a verb expressing a wish. It also suggests a non-factual or
doubtful condition.)
Incorrect:
His requirement is that everyone is computer literate.
Correct:
His requirement is that everyone be computer literate.
(Subordinate clause follows main clause with a demand.)