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ENGLISH 0310 LAB MANUAL
English and its Grammar
ENGLISH 0310
LAB MANUAL
Developmental Education
Juanita Austin, Dean
Written by Linda Conry
Prepared by M. Brown and S. Valdez
This Lab Manual belongs to __________________________
Course: __________________________ Section:_________
Semester:_______________ Campus:_________________
Instructor:________________________________________
If found, please turn in this manual to the Developmental Education office at Spring Creek
Campus (K 102) or to any business office on any Collin County Community College
campus.
First edition, 1992
COPYRIGHT © CCCCD 1992
Revised 2004
English 0310 Lab Manual
Table of Contents
Page
Credits
I. English and Its Grammar
A. Learning English Grammar
1
II. Grammar Skills Diagnostic Exam
2
III. Skill Areas with Explanations and Exercises
A. Parts of Speech
Exercise
B. Subjects and Verbs
Exercise
C. Sentence Patterns
Exercise
D. Active and Passive Voice
Exercise
E. Sentence Types
Exercise
F. Clauses-Adverb, Adjective, Noun
Exercise
G. Verbals and Verbal phrases
Exercise
H. Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers
Exercise
I. Punctuation
Exercise
J. Verb Forms
Exercise
K. Subject-Verb Agreement
Exercise
L. Pronouns
Exercise
15
16
18
19
19
21
24
25
26
27
28
29
32
33
34
35
37
38
43
44
50
51
53
54
59
IV. Practice Exams
A. Skill Areas A-C
B. Skill Areas D-F
C. Skill Areas G-H
D. Skill Area I
E. Skill Area J-K
F: Skill Area L
60
61
63
66
68
70
72
______
______
______
______
______
______
V. Grammar Competency Exam
74
______
VI. Glossary of Grammar Terms
82
VII. Word List Sheet
87
______
______
______
______
______
______
______
______
______
______
______
______
______
Learning Grammar
English 0310 is an opportunity for you to learn more about the English language.
Grammar is not an easy subject to study, but its rewards are many. Grammar allows us to
understand the varied components of English and helps us to make better language choices in
our writing and speaking. Learning about these choices will enhance our writing and our
understanding of others’ writing.
As with any field of knowledge, a scholar must experience the application of knowledge to
fully acquire that knowledge. Grammar is no different. The student should plan to spend time
reading the text and exploring this manual. The more time spent with grammar, the greater the
understanding will be.
The word glamour comes from the word grammar. While grammar will not make a person
glamorous, as you study grammar, you will join the ranks of kings and queens, scholars and
geniuses. All recognized and recognize the importance of clear, orderly communication that
proper grammar ensures.
Good luck in your studies and may your education delight and benefit you a hundredfold
in the years to come.
1
Grammar Skills Diagnostic Exam
2
Grammar Skills Diagnostic Exam
Parts of Speech: In the corresponding blank, record the letter of the correct part of
speech.
A. noun
B. pronoun
C. verb
D. adjective
1. ____________
2. ____________
3. ____________
4. ____________
5. ____________
6. ____________
7. ____________
8. ____________
9. ____________
E. adverb
F. preposition
G. conjunction
H. interjection
When I was in high school, I thought William Shakespeare
1
was an awful writer because I could not understand him.
2
3
4
Later, in my college studies, I discovered the wonder of his
5
6
plays and sonnets by reading them aloud. “Oh! Now I see
7
8
what that play means.” I responded to the Merry Wives of
9
Windsor. With my newly acquired knowledge, poetry and
10
plays of other writers came alive as I read them carefully.
11
Was Shakespeare a weak writer, or was I not familiar with his
12
poetic language? What do you think?
13
14 15
10. ___________
11. ___________
12. ___________
13. ___________
14. ___________
15. ___________
3
Subjects and Verbs: In the appropriate blank, record the subject and verb for each sentence.
Subject
Verb
___________
____________
1. Weekends on the beach are always relaxing.
___________
____________
2. After a long week at work, Tim enjoys strolling
along the shore.
___________
____________
3. Where are you going for vacation?
___________
____________
4. There is the book which was lost.
___________
____________
5. Call me soon for an appointment.
___________
____________
6. Tim and Pat are partners in the telecommunications
field.
___________
____________
7. Happy are the people who work hard and enjoy the
rewards of their toil.
___________
____________
8. My favorite dessert is cheesecake.
___________
____________
9. What are you planning for tomorrow?
___________
____________
10. Plans for the new campus are provided for your
review.
4
Sentence Patterns: In the blank, record the number of the corresponding sentence pattern.
Pattern 1Pattern 2Pattern 3Pattern 4Pattern 5-
S- Vi
S- Vi- SC
S- Vt- DO
S- Vt- IO- DO
S- Vt- DO- OC
______________
1. Many people learn well in the morning.
______________
2. What is your motivation?
______________
3. The restaurant provided us a buffet steam table.
______________
4. After the difficult race John slept soundly for hours.
______________
5. Janet proved quite skillful in the courtroom.
______________
6. She proved the opposing attorney incompetent.
______________
7. Telephones, on the other hand, ring loudly at all hours of the night.
______________
8. The hot chocolate tastes sweet and smooth
______________
9. For two years Sherry has given her time and money to help the
homeless.
______________
10. Worrying over problems wastes too much time and doesn’t provide a
solution.
5
Active and Passive Voice: Label each sentence as having an Active Voice or Passive Voice main
verb.
______________
1. The young couple visited the museum with several friends.
______________
2. Whew! We passed the test!
______________
3. These students have been chosen by their peers to represent the college
at the national conference.
______________
4. Sherry’s roommate prepared lasagna for us last night.
______________
5. That letter has been read to us twice already.
______________
6. What was discussed in the meeting on Thursday?
______________
7. Timothy has been elected to the steering committee.
_____________
8. These peach trees grow best in the sun.
_____________
9. Susan chose a pink dress for the party.
_____________
10. Our niece was born in July last year.
6
Sentence Types: Record the type of each sentence in the corresponding blank.
Type 1- Simple
Type 2- Complex
Type 3- Compound
Type 4- Compound-Complex
____________
1.
This test is designed for English 0310 which is being offered this semester.
____________
2.
Joe is training for the Boston Marathon.
____________
3.
Mother will arrive on Tuesday, and Jan will visit on Thursday.
____________
4.
We walk early in the morning and late in the evening.
____________
5.
When I get up each morning, I need a nice, hot shower; and I want a big
cup of strong coffee.
____________
6.
If I were you, I’d get a second opinion.
____________
7.
Who is going to prepare dinner this evening?
____________
8.
The storm rained hail on our home, and our roof was damaged.
____________
9.
Positive people focus on solutions; negative people focus on problems.
____________
10.
May I introduce Ms. Helen Roberts?
7
Clauses-Adverb, Adjective, Noun:
Missing Instructions
Identify the underlined clause as an Adjective, Adverb, or Noun clause????
___________
1.
Here is the belt that I lost yesterday.
___________
2.
Whoever sent this letter knew our plans.
___________
3.
As soon as class is over, Jim will leave for Austin.
___________
4.
Whenever you are having fun, time passes quickly.
___________
5.
Mr. Green announced that he is retiring next month.
___________
6.
Jan and I enjoyed that Christmas when our family and friends danced to
Cajun music until 3 a.m.
___________
7.
Anyone who travels frequently may tire of staying in hotels.
___________
8.
Please call James about which program fits our needs.
___________
9.
The attorney thinks it unlikely that Jones will appeal the case.
___________
10.
Because of the heavy rain, the road was closed for several hours.
8
Verbals: Identify each underlined word or phrase as a Gerund, Infinitive, Participle, or Absolute.
___________
1.
Americas has wheat to export to other countries.
___________
2.
Running to the window, George saw the parade down the street.
___________
3.
Dancing in a musical was her highest ambition.
___________
4.
Each semester professors have much to learn about their classes.
___________
5.
The day being almost over, Jean curled up in her chair with a fascinating
novel.
___________
6.
I haven’t had a chance to read the newspaper.
___________
7.
An exploded shell is reduced to fragments.
___________
8.
Being a good listener is difficult for many people.
___________
9.
John having had too much to eat, he lay down for the rest of the evening.
___________
10.
Teaching is truly the most interesting profession.
9
Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers: Record a “C” in the blank if the sentence does NOT contain a
modifier error. Record a “W” if it has a modifier error within it.
__________
1.
Burning brightly, we watched the flames dance up the chimney.
__________
2.
When only five years old, my father died quite suddenly of a heart attack.
__________
3.
Having reported for duty, the soldiers were ordered to march five miles.
__________
4.
Running down the field, the fence seemed much too far away.
__________
5.
Floating across the stadium, the sound of music was welcome to the
spectators.
__________
6.
To get the most out of life, one must put something into it.
__________
7.
The train was bumpy and slow, causing us great discomfort.
__________
8.
Caring for the wounded and the dying, nurses moved about the battlefield.
__________
9.
If we had only a winning lottery ticket, we’d be very rich indeed.
__________
10.
Always treated well, our dog Daisy enjoys our family.
10
Punctuation and Capitalization: In the corresponding blank, mark “C” if the punctuation and the
capitalization are correct. Mark “W” if they are not.
__________
1.
__________
2.
__________
3.
__________
4.
__________
5.
__________
6.
__________
7.
__________
8.
__________
9.
__________
10.
Its easier to talk about work than it is to do it, isn’t it Jack.
1
2 3 4 5
Jeff crossed the atlantic on the Acquitania, an old popular
6
7
8
vessel, and Millie met him when she ate dinner with the captain.
9
10
11
Verb forms:
Record “W” if the verb form is incorrect. Record “C” if it is correct.
__________
1.
A deep quiet lain over the field as night came.
__________
2.
He had, as usual, hid the present in an obvious place.
__________
3.
I heard Meagan’s pink balloon bust.
__________
4.
All the flowers had been thrown away.
__________
5.
Prices have rose during the last few years.
__________
6.
He had sat on the porch to wait for the family to arrive.
__________
7.
Because the wind had blew the roof off our house, we moved.
__________
8.
Written by hand, the document seems to be genuine.
__________
9.
They laid the gems in the box for safekeeping.
__________
10.
We watched the sky to see if the jet had took off.
12
Subject-Verb Agreement: Mark the sentence “C” if it is correct. Mark it “W” if it is incorrect.
__________
1.
The manager, not the engineers, is coming.
__________
2.
The founder and director of the tiny hospital was my neighbor.
__________
3.
Each of my nephews have had some training in electrical engineering.
__________
4.
Neither the crew nor the passengers wants to stay on the plane any
longer.
__________
5.
The cause of the accidents has not been determined.
__________
6.
The number of students taking the grammar class have grown each
semester.
__________
7.
Each of you is to be congratulated on your success.
__________
8.
Has either of the classes visited the Learning Resource Center on
this campus?
__________
9.
There is in our yard a large tree and several flower beds.
__________
10.
Twenty-one is, in most states, the age required for voting.
13
Pronoun Reference and Agreement: If all the pronouns in the sentence are used correctly,
record a “C” in the corresponding blank. If any of the
pronouns are NOT used correctly, record a “W” in the
blank.
__________
1.
You being here is a big help to the family.
__________
2.
Mary runs a faster mile than me.
__________
3.
General Motors suffered their first on billion dollar loss.
__________
4.
It’s coat showed signs of fresh wounds.
__________
5.
Each member runs his or her mileage daily to keep in shape.
__________
6.
Tim does not like my running so late at night.
__________
7.
Herman addressed the letter to Tom, Sam, and I.
__________
8.
Everyone in our family took his or her problems to my mother.
__________
9.
Success comes to whoever works hard enough for it.
__________
10.
Joan is one of those artists who enjoy their work.
14
Skill Areas:
Explanations and Exercises
15
Parts of Speech
The eight parts of speech are the building blocks with which writers create phrases, clauses,
and sentences.
1. A Noun may be defined as a person, place, thing, quality, feeling, or idea.
Proper: Ms. Greene, Collin County Community College District, Collin
Creek Mall
Common: student, professor, classroom, home, car, paper, honesty,
chivalry, happiness, sadness, euphoria, anger, division,
relativity, democracy
2. A Pronoun is a word that can take the place of a noun. Pronouns are classified in
several ways.
PersonalPossessiveIndefiniteRelative-
he, she, we, they
her, hers, his, our, their
everyone, somebody, no one
which, that, who
3. A Verb is a word that shows action or state of being (existence). Verbs have various
characteristics that provide us with additional ways to divide them into groups.
Action: run, sleep, study, drive, have, call, taste, smell, prove
Being (Linking): be, am, is, are, taste, smell, prove
4. An Adjective is a describing word. It modifies a noun or pronoun.
red, tired, sleepy, quick, hard, soft
5. An Adverb is a describing word that modifies three types of words.
verbadjectiveadverb-
Linda drives fast.
Susan is rather sad.
Tim speaks too quickly.
6. A Conjunction is a joining word that connects two or more grammatical units.
Coordinate (equal) - and, or, but, for, nor, yet, so
Bill and Tom are registered for this class.
Subordinate (less) - after, while, although, etc.
Although we have been to Catalina Island, we did not see all the
sights.
16
7. A Preposition is a word that shows the relationship between its object and the rest of
the sentence.
The photograph on the table is my most cherished possession.
8. An Interjection is a word that expresses mild or strong emotion.
Oh, that is fine for now.
Shoot! I was counting on that raise!
17
Parts of Speech Exercise
Directions:
Record in the blank the part of speech of the underlined word.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
noun
pronoun
verb
adjective
adverb
preposition
conjunction
interjection
__________ 1.
The child’s kindness pleased her grandmother.
__________ 2.
Several new students have registered for that class.
__________ 3.
We can classify cats according to hair length, as well as ancestry.
__________ 4.
The sound of the siren called the soldiers to arms.
__________ 5.
A sound frame is an important component of a home.
__________ 6.
During the class period we will take a short quiz.
__________ 7.
The anniversary party was carefully planned.
__________ 8.
Children and adults enjoy flying kites.
__________ 9.
Clara sails her catamaran on Lake Texoma.
__________ 10.
“Oh! I’ve spilled ink on this novel,” remarked Clarice.
__________ 11.
Instinctively she listened for the sound of footsteps.
__________ 12.
You have been a most charming guide to this museum.
__________ 13.
The carpenter placed his hand tools carefully into the toolbox.
__________ 14.
Next to him stood his two daughters.
__________ 15.
“Golly! Are we late for the concert?” asked Jill.
18
Subjects and Verbs
A sentence must have two components: a subject and a verb. In addition, the
expressed thought must be independent of other sentences for its meaning.
A subject is the noun or pronoun that performs the action or state of being of the verb.
The subject is not found within the prepositional phrases. As a result, prepositional phrases may be
deleted when the subject and the verb are being identified. This practice of deletion will remove most
of the distracting nouns and pronouns.
Jack plays tennis on weekends.
Subject Verb
Prepositional Phrase
Over the back of the couch was draped a large Siamese cat.
Prepositional Phrase Prepositional Phrase
Verb
Subject
Subject and Verb Exercise
Directions:
Subject
Copy the subject and then the verb in the appropriate blanks.
Verb
_______________ _______________ 1.
New governmental services require more money from
us.
_______________ _______________ 2.
After work we’ll go to dinner at the new Korean
restaurant down the street.
_______________ _______________ 3.
Call me after the meeting.
_______________ _______________ 4.
There are, you will soon find, shortcuts to success.
_______________ _______________ 5.
Hard work and energy will guarantee a bright future.
_______________ _______________ 6.
Over that hill is my grandmother’s house.
_______________ _______________ 7.
The new architect’s office is down the hall from Bill’s
office.
_______________ _______________ 8.
When will you arrive at the train station?
_______________ _______________ 9.
Please sit down and begin the test on the last three
chapters.
_______________ _______________ 10.
After the third soccer game, I was ready to leave.
19
Subject
Verb
_______________ _______________ 11.
The presidential candidates spend most of their time
in rallies and meetings.
_______________ _______________ 12.
To the right and to the left, the child
looked before crossing the street.
_______________ _______________ 13.
Was your class difficult this semester?
_______________ _______________ 14.
Your lovely floral arrangement gave the table an
elegance from the past.
_______________ _______________ 15.
Is this your street?
20
Sentence Patterns
English has only 5 basic sentence patterns. These patterns are determined by the nature of
the verb, as well as sentence components. When we are identifying sentence components, we omit
prepositional phrases.
Verbs can be categorized as intransitive or transitive.
An intransitive verb names an action or state of being that is NOT performed upon
something. No action occurs (trans) across the verb.
Sentence Pattern 1
Subject – Verb
Examples:
Sometimes the neighborhood children run happily down the street.
Subject
Verb
Prepositional Phrase
The juice glasses are on the shelf.
Subject
Verb Prepositional Phrase
The parent ran around the gate.
Subject Verb
Prepositional Phrase
Note the several modifiers in each of the example sentences. these modifiers are ignored as we
determine the sentence pattern.
Sentence Pattern 2
Subject – Linking Verb – Subjective Complement
Example:
John is our guest.
Subject LV
SC
Jane was happy about the job.
Subject
LV
SC
Prepositional Phrase
This pattern has two important components (Linking Verb and Subjective Complement) to recognize:
Linking Verbs
Linking verbs act like an = in math. What is on one side is equal to what is on the other.
Group A:
be, am, is, are, was, were, been, seem, appear, prove, remain, continue
The coffee pot seemed dirty.
Her car was clean and pretty.
21
Group B:
Group C:
become, turn, grow, work, get, wear
Later she became an actress.
He soon grew tired.
look, smell, taste, feel, sound
The coffee tastes bitter.
The boy sounds ill.
The above verbs are not always linking verbs.
The band sounded professional.
Linking Verb
The man sounded the gong.
Verb
To check, replace the verb with one of these verbs – be, am, is, are, was, were, been.
If the sentence makes sense, the verb is linking. If not, the verb is transitive.
Subjective Complement
A subjective complement renames the subject with a noun or describes the subject with an
adjective.
Juanita is our dean.
LV
Juanita looks pretty.
LV
Juanita = dean
SC
Juanita = pretty
SC
Subjective Complements are only found in sentences with linking verbs and usually follow the
linking verb.
A transitive verb notes an action across (trans) the verb. Thus, it names an activity performed
by the subject upon something.
Today I saw __?___
(a tree, my sister, the Mona Lisa)
Susan read
(your essay, a novel, the newspaper)
__?___
Sentence Pattern 3
Subject – Verb – Direct Object
The subject performs the action on something (the direct object).
I baked cookies.
S
Verb
Direct Object
The direct object answers the question: What? after a transitive verb.
22
The students studied their notes.
Subject
Verb
Direct Object
What?
Sentence Pattern 4
Subject – Verb – Indirect Object – Direct Object
An indirect object is a noun or pronoun that answers the question: To or for whom/what? - the
action of the verb and direct object is done.
Examples:
Jody sent me the present.
Bill gave the children cookies.
Sentence Pattern 5
Subject – Verb- Direct Object – Objective Complement
An objective complement describes or renames the direct object and is usually placed after the
direct object in a sentence.
Examples:
Mr. Simon believed his seminar a grand success.
Most grandparents consider each of their grandchildren intelligent.
23
Sentence Patterns Exercise
Directions: Record the number of the corresponding sentence pattern in the blank.
1-
S–V
2-
S – V – SC
3-
S – V – DO
4-
S – V – IO – DO
5-
S – V – DO – OC
__________ 1.
After the cookout James and Debbie promptly drove home.
__________ 2.
However, the committee believed the plan improbable.
__________ 3.
Tommy, give me the squirt gun.
__________ 4.
The court case proved useless after all the negative publicity.
__________ 5.
Frightened, Jill locked the door behind her.
__________ 6.
Timothy is the most charming man in the whole world.
__________ 7.
Julie painted her doll house lavender.
__________ 8.
Linda drives too fast on interstate highways.
__________ 9.
In the ninth inning, Beulow hit the centerfielder a pop fly.
__________ 10.
Who bakes cookies and cakes professionally?
__________ 11.
The fireworks were beautiful against the night sky.
__________ 12.
The sunshine beamed through the windows in the library.
__________ 13.
Sara kneaded the bread dough on a floured board.
__________ 14.
Rick pronounced the business deal a success.
__________ 15.
Lessie traded me the novel for a used textbook.
24
Active and Passive Voice
Transitive verbs may be classified as being in the active voice or the passive voice.
In the active voice, the subject of the sentence performs the action of the verb.
Rick ran laps around the gym.
[ Rick is the one who is doing the running.]
In the passive voice, the subject of the sentence does not perform the action of the verb.
The twelve laps were run by Rick.
[ The laps are NOT doing the running.}
To determine the voice of a transitive verb, ask “Is the subject performing the action of the
verb?”
If the answer is yes, the verb is in active voice. If the answer is no, the verb is in passive voice.
25
Active / Passive Voice Exercise
Directions: Label each sentence as having an Active or Passive voice main verb.
__________ 1.
Bill ate the peppermint brownies with ice cream on top.
__________ 2.
The tidal wave piled up the huge logs easily.
__________ 3.
The puppy was left on a doorstep last Friday.
__________ 4.
Mr. Brown informed the students about the new attendance policy.
__________ 5.
The students were surprised by the strictness of the attendance policy.
__________ 6.
Writers need discipline in time management and in task completion.
__________ 7.
Her writing was graded as “Excellent” by Ms. LaFleur.
__________ 8.
Gloria was pleased by her high class average.
__________ 9.
The exams gave the students a chance to demonstrate their new skills
and knowledge.
__________ 10.
On summer evenings in the Rocky Mountains, temperatures drop
dramatically.
__________ 11.
Helen was given a promotion just last week.
__________ 12.
Her income will increase significantly over a five-year period.
__________ 13.
Barry buys generic brands each week to save money.
__________ 14.
Recently, he was hired as the Food Editor of a local newspaper.
__________ 15.
He will write weekly articles on shopping and cooking.
26
Sentence Types
Language has a natural rhythm or meter. Writers use that tempo to speed up, to slow down, or
to vary the pace of their writing.
Just as any music becomes dull if its rhythmic pattern is too regular, so does a paragraph or an
essay. The tempo of writing is determined, in one way, by the sentence types the writer uses.
English has four basic sentence types:
Simple Sentence: A simple sentence contains one, and only one, independent clause.
It does not contain any dependent clauses. Its symbol in this manual
is = █ .
Example:
Bill drives a delivery truck for the lumber yard.
Helen waited anxiously for the telephone call and jumped when the
telephone rang.
Complex Sentence: A complex sentence contains one independent clause and at least
one dependent clause (often beginning with a subordinate
conjunction). It can be represented by █ + ▲.
Example:
When we drive to Galveston for the weekend, James likes to photograph
the blooming wildflowers along the interstate.
▲+█
Debbie enjoys shopping for antiques when she has a whole day to spend
in the shops.
█+▲
Compound Sentence: A compound sentence contains two independent clauses and no
dependent clauses. It can be represented as █ + █.
Example:
Homemade peach jam is delicious on toast, but on fresh, hot homemade
bread I prefer just butter.
Mark lives in North Ridge, California; Pat resides in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
Compound – Complex Sentence: A compound – complex sentence contains two
independent clauses and at least one dependent clause. █ + █ + ▲
Example:
When I am late for work, police cars follow me for blocks; and slow drivers
travel in packs in front of me. ▲ + █ + █
Clarence was awarded a $500 academic scholarship, but Sharon was given
a full scholarship to Texas A&M when she scored 28 on the ACT.
█+█+▲
27
Sentence Types Exercises
Directions: Mark each sentence as being Simple, Complex, Compound, or Compound – Complex.
______________ 1. Our trip to Los Angeles is scheduled for Friday, and I haven’t packed yet.
______________ 2. After we get back from California, we’ll call you.
______________ 3. Billie and Joe are joining us for dinner in Anaheim.
______________ 4. I met Karen yesterday, and I know Craig from college when we took a physics
class together
______________ 5. My favorite pastimes include hiking, biking, and swimming.
______________ 6. What would you like to do first when we get to the beach?
______________ 7. Lunch consisted of yogurt and a green salad; dinner was much more substantial.
______________ 8. While our husbands were at an air show, we shopped for antiques.
______________ 9. Susie jumped when the alarm sounded; I dropped my coffee cup.
______________ 10. After a long day at the office I curl up in a chair with a good book and sip a
mug of tea.
______________ 11. Often on Saturday mornings Tim and I drink coffee outside and read the
newspaper in the shade, and sometimes I serve breakfast on the patio.
______________ 12. Timothy builds, when he has time, unique pieces of accent furniture.
______________ 13. Do you need a box for all those charming hats?
______________ 14. Plants soften the look of a room, but wood gives a room a warm glow when the
furniture compliments the furnishings.
______________ 15. When you need to have a picture framed, where do you go?
28
Dependent Clauses
We have studied independent clauses (sentences) previously. Now we are ready to explore
the many choices of dependent (subordinate) clauses.
Reminder: A clause is a group of words that contain a subject and a verb.
Reminder: Subordination means to make one idea secondary (less important) to
another.
Dependent Clauses are divided into three types: Adverb Clauses, Adjective Clauses, and
Noun Clauses.
Adverb Clause
An adverb clause acts like a one-word adverb. It can describe the action, the time, a place, a
purpose, the manner or the degree, can give a cause, a result, or a condition and can make a
concession or a comparison.
Adverb clauses often answer: When? Where? Why? How?
A subordinate conjunction introduces the adverb clause and is considered part of the whole
clause.
Because the rain was heavy, I did not go shopping.
[ Why? Because the rain was heavy. ]
[ Because is a subordinate conjunction. ]
Examples:
Joan waved as we set sail.
We stopped where the flowers grew wild.
As you are the first to arrive, you should be served first.
I cleaned our home so that we could entertain friends.
He acted as though he had won the Texas Lottery.
The girls gave me such a surprise that my heart pounded for ten minutes.
If you want to eat dinner now, you need to set the table.
Although we slept late, we were tired from hiking by the middle of the afternoon.
Timothy is taller than I (am tall).
29
Adjective Clause
An adjective clause acts like a one-word adjective. It describes a noun or pronoun. Most
adjective clauses are introduced by relatives: that, which, who, whom, whose, when, where.
These words are necessary because they perform a function within the clause.
Examples:
Here is the belt that I lost yesterday.
We miss Uncle Mark who was always the life of the party.
Note: The relatives when and where are used in adjective clauses for a time when or a
place where.
Examples:
This is the store where I bought these shoes.
Jan and I enjoyed the weekend when the whole family and our friends
danced to Cajun music till 3 a.m.
Adjective clauses may be restrictive (necessary for identification) or nonrestrictive
(not necessary for identification).
Examples:
Any person who saw the accident should call the police. [restrictive]
Mr. Brown, who saw the accident, is my pastor. [nonrestrictive]
30
Noun Clause
A noun clause is not an appendage to the main clause; instead, it functions within the main
clause in one of the noun slots:
Subject:
Direct Object:
Subjective Complement:
Indirect Object:
Object of a Preposition:
Whoever called this morning knew the secret.
Mrs. Bunk announced that she would resign.
That computer system is what he has been perfecting.
Sirena gave whoever dropped by a coupon.
Mr. James should call the distributor about what is being provided.
Delayed Subject:
It is unfortunate that you were delayed.
Delayed Subject:
We think it unlikely that Odie will appear.
Special noun clauses are evoked by words such as fact, belief, hope, statement, news, or argument.
Reminder: Adjective clauses describe while noun clauses rename.
Examples:
The fact that the strike is over gave us all a reason to celebrate.
(noun clause)
The fact that he tried to prove was later withdrawn from the transcript.
(adjective clause)
31
Clauses-Exercises
Directions:
Identify the underlined clause as an Adjective, Adverb, or Noun clause.
______________ 1. What he told us was shocking.
______________ 2. Did you remember that today is Megan’s birthday?
______________ 3. After the sun came out, we began a softball game.
______________ 4. The woman who is dressed in blue was my husband’s boss.
______________ 5. I hope to hear form Marlon when the mail arrives.
______________ 6. Debbie could hardly believe what she’d heard.
______________ 7. Jim recounted for us the day he won the Texas State Lottery.
______________ 8. The car which needs a new coat of paint is a classic muscle car.
______________ 9. John opened the windows because he liked to sleep in an airy room.
______________ 10. Miller gave whoever volunteered the Russian travel assignment.
______________ 11. The wind which whipped across the mountain gave us rosy cheeks and
noses.
______________ 12. Daniel was so tired that he fell asleep on the sofa.
______________ 13. Ms. Greene, who is our division dean, has presented academic papers
at conferences across the country.
______________ 14. I wonder why he attended a stranger’s wedding.
______________ 15. Most students are relieved when each semester is completed.
32
Verbals and Verbal Phrases
Phrase:
a group of words that does not contain a subject and a verb.
Verbal Phrases:
verb forms, NOT verbs
1. Gerund- ends in –ing, acts as a noun
Example: studying, being studied
Uses:
subject:
direct object:
object of preposition:
subjective complement:
Walking can be good exercise.
Tim enjoys hiking in the mountains.
Sometimes the story is changed in its telling.
My favorite sport has always been swimming.
2. Infinitive- to plus a verb
Uses:
subject:
direct object:
adjective:
adverb:
To sleep is a normal activity.
Stacey wants to dance on Broadway.
I hope this is the right plan to follow.
Jane was happy to serve your dinner.
3. Participle- a verb form that ends in –ing, -ed, -t, -n that is used as an adjective.
Example: Working elephants are often seen in India.
Walking around the corner, he suddenly saw the children.
The woman wearing a red coat was busy shopping for a present.
The tired student fell asleep on the sofa.
The meeting scheduled for Friday has been canceled.
Susan found the lost kitten.
Torn from the magazine, the article was missing.
Having seen all the sights, the family was ready to go home.
4. Absolute Phrase- a noun plus a verb form that can be removed from the sentence
without affecting the sentence structure.
Example: His experience, being so extensive, Larry is certain to get the position.
We were happy to see Laura, that being the highlight of our visit.
With the students filing out of the classroom, the professor stacked his books and
erased the board.
33
Verbals Exercise
I.
Directions: Identify the underlined verbal as a Gerund, Participle, Infinitive, or Absolute.
______________ 1. Walking in the rain, Susan was drenched from head to toe.
______________ 2. Swimming laps each morning is an excellent way to wake up.
______________ 3. The water overflowing the dam, the engineers coordinated containment
efforts.
______________ 4. My tired feet felt better when I removed my shoes.
______________ 5. The plan to implement is the one that we have already discussed.
______________ 6. Do you think skiing is dangerous?
______________ 7. Daniel, wearing his new baseball cap, managed to duck into class only five
minutes late.
______________ 8. The sun shone brightly on the glistening meadow, the rain storm having
stopped only minutes earlier.
______________ 9. Jill agrees that being able to laugh at yourself is the first sign of maturity.
______________ 10. The eerie mist lay gently above the steaming bayou.
II. Directions: Underline the verbal phrase and identify it as a Gerund, Participle, Infinitive, or Absolute
______________ 1. After working twelve hours straight, I am going home.
______________ 2. Her palomino Seco rearing on his hind legs, Nancy held the reins tightly
and leaned forward.
______________ 3. Where are you planning to visit this summer?.
______________ 4. The glowing computer screen lighted the room dimly.
______________ 5. Racing up the stairs, Catherine dashed into her bedroom.
34
Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers
Misplaced Modifiers are modifiers that are used in a confusing or incorrect spot in the sentence.
1.
To attain clear, precise meaning, some adverbs present special problems—i.e., only, nearly,
almost, hardly. Often, the placement of the adverb changes the meaning.
Example: The exam only requires half an hour.
The only exam requires half an hour.
The exam requires only half an hour.
2.
3.
4.
Weak:
Dad nearly saw thirty deer on opening day.
Better:
Dad saw nearly thirty deer on opening day.
Words that are attached to the wrong word can be confusing.
Weak:
You should call the man I’m taking about personally.
Better:
You should call personally the man I’m talking about.
Best:
You should personally call the man I’m talking about.
The “squinting modifier” is one that is placed between two units it could modify.
Weak:
He announced after the dinner a speech would be made.
Better:
He announce a speech would be made after the dinner.
The “split infinitive” occurs when an adverb is placed between to and the verb.
Incorrect: Dad likes to once in a while cook dinner.
Correct: Once in a while Dad likes to cook dinner.
5.
The correlatives (Both…and …; not only…but also…; either… or…; neither…nor…) are used
together and are placed right before the words they connect.
Incorrect: We sent invitations both to Jon and Tim.
Correct: We sent invitations to both Jon and Tim.
35
Dangling Modifiers
Modifying phrases containing a participle, a gerund or an infinitive must be attached to the
word it modifies.
Dangling: Painting most evenings, the house is slowly becoming blue.
Correct: Painting the house blue, Tim worked most evenings.
1.
Participle Phrases:
Dangling: Stepping into the boat, my camera dropped into the water.
Correct: Stepping into the boat, I dropped my camera into the water.
Correct: As I stepped into the boat, my camera dropped into the water.
2.
Gerund
Dangling: Before making a final decision, other cars should have been driven.
Correct: Before making a final decision, you should have driven other cars.
Correct: Before you made a final decision, other cars should have been driven.
3.
Time clauses- when, while
Dangling: When ten years old, my father sold the farm and moved to Dallas.
Correct: When I was ten years old, my father sold the farm and moved to Dallas.
Correct: When ten years old, I moved to Dallas after my father sold the farm.
4.
Infinitives
Dangling: To enter the contest, a box top must be sent with a candy wrapper.
Correct: To enter the contest, you must send a box top with a candy wrapper.
Correct: If you want to enter the contest, send a box top with a candy wrapper.
36
Misplaced and Dangling Modifier Exercise
Directions:
If the sentence contains a misplaced or a dangling modifier, mark the sentence
incorrect.
If it does not, mark it correct.
______________ 1. The sound of music was welcome to the spectators, floating across the stadium.
______________ 2. Running down the field, the goal posts seemed too far away.
______________ 3. To get the most out of life, one must put a great deal into it.
______________ 4. Burning brightly, we watched the flames dance up the chimney.
______________ 5. When only five years old, my father won the Nobel Prize for physics.
______________ 6. If we could only tell the truth, we would hurt fewer people.
______________ 7. We were sorry to see her leave for more reasons than one.
______________ 8. He wore a cap on his head which was green.
______________ 9. She told us about the accident which she had seen in full detail.
______________ 10. After hiking for an hour, our gear became very heavy.
______________ 11. Strolling along the pavement, I saw the Empire State Building.
______________ 12. We agreed to quickly leave if the crowd became violent.
______________ 13. We were told that he was killed by telephone.
______________ 14. The drugstore had only one brand of sunscreen.
______________ 15. Susan had a beautiful emerald ring on her hand which Jack had bought for her.
37
Common Punctuation Rules
COMMA
1.
Before: and, or, but, for, nor, yet, when they join two independent clauses.
Example: The day was bright and warm, but we had not time to go to the beach.
She raised her hand timidly and answered the question in a small voice.
2.
Between the items of a series.
Example: We were served Brie soup, green salad, seafood crepes, and raspberry
cheesecake.
The cake ingredients included sugar and butter and eggs and flour.
She rushed into the house, up the stairs, and into her room.
Note: Use a combination of commas and semi-colons in a series with two levels of rank.
Example: Our group was made up of many doctors: Jon Doe, pediatrician; Jeff
Moe, podiatrist; Joe Goe, gynecologist.
3.
Between coordinate adjectives preceding a noun.
Example: A tall, dark, handsome gentleman . . .
The dark, cold, drafty room . . .
Note:
4.
The two tests for COORDINATE adjectives:
1. Insert and between the adjectives.
2. Reverse the order of the adjectives.
Example: Old station wagon…(not coordinate; adjectives cannot be reversed.
After introductory modifiers, especially if they are lengthy.
A. Adverbial clauses- Although we are scheduled to leave Friday evening, we may
change our plans.
B. Verbal phrases-
To get to class early, he had to set his alarm for nine o’clock.
Running to the edge of the precipice, he yelled to his companions
to follow.
C. Absolute elements- In fact, there was no way to keep the door closed.
Well, we are not in danger.
Certainly, I’ll put a chair against it.
D. Prepositional phrases of five or more wordsAt the end of the day, we often retire to the porch to talk and enjoy the gloaming.
38
5.
Between any two words that might be mistakenly read together.
ExampleWhile we were eating, the table collapsed.
6.
Nonrestrictive adjective clauses and phrases.
ExampleA building that needs immediate renovations is Keeney Hall.
Kenney Hall, which needs immediate renovations, is the oldest
building on campus.
My oldest brother, Rik, is a water safety instructor.
My brother Pat is living in California.
7.
Most appositives.
ExampleThe colonel, a friend of many years, will be visiting with us.
8.
Absolute phrases.
ExampleThe cat being away, the mice will play.
My work having been finished, I went shopping.
9.
Parenthetical expressions.
ExampleThe essay, moreover, had not been carefully read.
His appearance, I must say, was not appropriate.
10. Words used in direct address.
ExampleI admit, Susan, we were rather uncertain of our welcome.
11. Expressions designating the speaker in a direct quote.
Example“That must do,” he said, “until we think of something better.”
12. Negative insertions.
ExampleOur plane was a DC-3, not the jet we had chartered.
13. Units of position and short interrogative clauses.
ExampleTired and footsore, the hikers reached the camp.
You had a good time, didn’t you?
14. Degrees and titles when they follow names.
ExampleHenry Lyle, Ph.D., gave the opening address.
the new ambassador is Peter Jones, Esq.
15. In dates and addresses.
ExampleOn May 25, 1985, we were married; and we moved to 21 Wilson
Street, Yukon, Alaska 32909.
39
SEMI-COLON
1.
To separate independent clauses NOT joined by a coordinating conjunction.
ExampleThe ability to take infinite pains is the mark of the genius; the ability
to delegate those pains to subordinates is the mark of the executive.
2.
To separate elements with internal commas.
ExampleThese instructions, as I have told you, are of the extreme importance;
and you will be expected to follow them explicitly.
3.
In series with two levels of rank.
Note: Use a combination of commas and semi-colons in a series with two levels of rank.
Example:
Our group was made up of many doctors: Jon Doe, pediatrician; Jeff Moe,
podiatrist; Joe Goe, gynecologist.
PERIOD
1.
To mark the end of a declarative or imperative sentence.
ExampleAT&T carries on a great deal of scientific research.
George, go feed the ferret.
2.
To mark the end of an indirect question.
ExampleFrances asked whether we had received our gifts.
3.
To punctuate abbreviations.
Mr. Mrs. Dr. Ave. St. ft. A.D. B.C. Jr. etc. in. Jan. III. a.m.
Note: Some abbreviations do not customarily require periods. MS (manuscript),
CBS, OED (Oxford English Dictionary)
4.
Abbreviations of some names of organizations omit periods.
ExampleNATO, CARE, WACS, SEATO, UNESCO
5.
To separate dollars from cents in sums of money.
Example$23.78 $600.27
6.
To mark a decimal fraction.
ExampleIvory soap is said to be 99.44% pure.
7.
An ellipsis (. . .) is used to indicate words are omitted.
Example“Run to the store. . .go by the cleaners. . .call me when you get back,”
chattered Jane.
40
QUESTION MARK
1.
To conclude every direct question.
Example-
2.
To conclude a sentence consisting of a declaration followed by a short, dependent
question.
Example-
3.
When is Spring Break this year?
That’s your third piece of cheesecake, isn’t it?
To punctuate questions which occur in the middle of a sentence.
Example-
The Speaker of the House said -- or did I misunderstand him? -- that
the Legislature passed the tax hike.
EXCLAMATION MARK
1.
To express STRONG emotion.
Example-
Help! Fire! Fire!
“Get the police!” she yelled.
DASH
1.
To introduce a list where a mark less formal than the colon is wanted.
Example-
2.
To introduce a summarizing statement after an enumeration.
Example-
3.
Jane had sweetness, understanding, warmth, and vivacity – in a
word, charm.
To indicate an abrupt change in the thought or structure of a sentence.
Example-
4.
Jane had a world of good qualities – sweetness, understanding, warmth,
and vivacity – and wanted to get married.
Celeste was too pure, too naïve, too sensitive – oh, how shall I say
it? – for life in a brothel.
To separate a parenthetical statement from the rest of the sentence.
Example-
I still have to put – I hate these sheets – the linens on the guest bed.
41
COLON
1.
To introduce a formal listing.
ExampleHe was told he must cultivate three qualities for the job: fairness,
perseverance, and discretion.
2.
To introduce a formal quotation or explanation.
Example
In describing the effects of love on a person, one should not overlook
Shakespeare’s words: “A lover’s eyes will gaze an eagle blind/ A lover’s
ears will hear the lowest sound.”
He told us exactly what we wanted to hear: that the factory would open
soon and immediately resume full-time production.
3.
After the formal salutation in a letter; in time notations; between title and subtitle of a
book; in biblical references.
ExampleDear Sir:
4:45 p.m.
Walt Whitman: A Study in Realism
Genesis 3:4-6
QUOTATION MARK
1.
To enclose a direct quotation in dialogue.
Example“I am simply mad about Proust,” said Paula. “He has wonderful insight
into a woman’s mind.”
2.
To enclose a quotation not part of a dialogue.
See Colon #2
3.
To enclose words used as words (Italics are used similarly).
ExampleThe word “lady” is of Old English origin and may be derived from a word
which meant “the bread maker.”
4.
To enclose titles of stories, poems, essays, works of art, parts of books,and articles.
Note: Use italics for titles of books, magazines, newspapers, names of ships, long musical
compositions, plays, and book-length poems.
5.
To enclose slang expressions used in special sense.
ExampleHe prefers to talk to his “punk” friends instead of to mine.
6.
Single (‘) quotation marks are used INSIDE double quotation marks.
7.
Use italics for foreign words and phrases not yet considered part of standard English.
ExampleFor some reason she always treated him as if he were persona non grata.
42
Punctuation Exercise
Directions:
If the punctuation and capitalization in the sentence are correct, mark the
sentence correct.
If there is an error, correct it.
______________ 1. Look fellows Roland said I’ve got to be going.
______________ 2. Only those students with valid tickets will be admitted.
______________ 3. The student raised her hand, and asked how to do the problem.
______________ 4. As I got in the car was already moving.
______________ 5. David plans to report to Rochester, Minnesota, for an internship.
______________ 6. John, worn out and sleepy was now resting comfortably.
______________ 7. As Jayne was sitting in her room trying to study George came by for a visit.
______________ 8. On Friday, June 26, they sailed for Europe on the Queen Mary.
______________ 9. The principal of our High School walked onto the stage amidst much applause.
______________ 10. His conference being over, he strolled happily to his car, and drove home.
______________ 11. He passed mathematics, English, history and Chemistry 1201.
______________ 12. Having lived in the Deep south, are you prepared for the North’s cold winters.
______________ 13. Jan left for Los Angeles yesterday, I’ll leave today at noon.
______________ 14. Its often easier to talk about work than it is to do it, isn’t it Jay.
______________ 15. I like Tom Clancy’s Patriot Games best, but I found The Hunt for Red October
quite interesting.
43
Verb forms
I.
Principal Parts of Verbs
The principal parts of verbs are used to build verb tenses.
These parts are as follows:
Present
dust
see
II.
Past
dusted
saw
Past Participle
dusted (regular)
seen (irregular)
Verb Tenses
Present Tense
The present tense indicates present time.
Example- Timothy is in class today.
Also, it us used for the following:
1. To express a general truth.
Example:
Classes are in session.
2. To state something which is customary or habitual.
Example:
The president calls the meeting to order.
3. To represent past events as taking place in the present.
Example:
John Kennedy comes to Dallas; he is assassinated.
4. To indicate a future time.
Example:
I give my first concert tomorrow.
Past Tense
The past tense indicates past time. It means indefinite past time.
Simple past --- walked
Emphatic past --- did walk
Progressive past --- was walking
To form the past tense:
1. Add –ed, -d, or –t --- walked, plunged, spent
2. Change the vowel --- sang, blew, drew
Future Tense
The future tense indicates futures time.
Example:
David will go to the mall.
Progressive future --- shall/will be going
To form the future tense:
Add shall (1st person) / will (2nd and 3rd person)
44
Perfect Tense
Verbs which express completed or perfected action are said to be in the perfect
tenses.
Present Perfect Tense: A verb, which expresses an action completed in the present.
Formed:
Example:
have/has + past participle
They have sowed the seed.
Past Perfect Tense:
Formed:
Example:
A verb, which expresses an action, completed at some past
time.
had + past participle
John had driven to the store.
Future Perfect Tense: A verb, which expresses an action, completed at or before
some future time.
Formed:
Example:
shall have / will have + participle
Dorothy will have taken 30 semester hours by June 1990.
45
Conjugation of the Verb
All aspects of the verb can be conveniently shown by the conjugation of the regular verb “work.”
PRINCIPAL PARTS
Present
work
Past
worked
Past Participle
worked
INDICATIVE MOOD ACTIVE VOICE
Present Tense (Singular)
First person
Second person
Third person
I work
you work
he (she, it) works
Present Tense (Plural)
we work
you work
they work
Past Tense (Singular)
Past Tense (Plural)
I worked
you worked
he worked
we worked
you worked
they worked
Perfect (Singular)
Perfect (Plural)
I have worked
you have worked
he has worked
we have worked
you have worked
they have worked
Past Perfect (Singular)
Past Perfect (Plural)
I had worked
you had worked
he had worked
we had worked
you had worked
they had worked
Future Tense (Singular)
Future Tense (Plural)
I shall work
you will work
he will work
we shall work
you will work
they will work
Future Perfect Tense (Singular)
Future Perfect Tense (Plural)
I shall have worked
you will have worked
he will have worked
we shall have worked
you will have worked
they will have worked
46
PASSIVE VOICE
Present Tense:
Past Tense:
Perfect Tense:
Past Perfect Tense:
Future Tense:
Future Perfect Tense:
I am worked, etc.
I was worked, etc.
I have been worked, etc.
I had been worked, etc.
I shall be worked, etc.
I shall have been worked, etc.
OTHER FORMS
Imperatives:
work, be worked
Subjunctives:
If I, you, he work; If I, you, he be worked
Infinitives:
to work, to have worked, to be worked, to have been worked
Gerunds:
working, having worked, being worked, having been worked
Participles:
working, worked, having worked, being worked, having been worked
Expanded forms: In addition to the simple forms there are also two expanded forms:
The Progressive:
I am working, I am being worked
The Emphatic:
I do work
PROGRESSIVE
Present progressive:
Past progressive:
Perfect progressive:
Past perfect progressive:
Future progressive:
Future perfect progressive:
I am working, etc.
I was working, etc.
I have been working, etc.
I had been working, etc.
I shall be working, etc.
I shall have been working, etc.
EMPHATIC
Present emphatic:
Past emphatic:
I do work, etc.
I did work, etc.
47
Parts of Speech / Verbs
PRINCIPAL PARTS OF THE MOST FREQUENTLY USED IRREGULAR VERBS
PRESENT
PAST
PAST PARTICIPLE
arise
awake
be
bear (to bring forth)
beat
begin
bid
bid (at cards or auction)
bind
bite
blow
break
choose
cling
come
dig
do
draw
drink
drive
eat
fall
fight
find
flee
fly
forbid
forget
freeze
get
give
go
grow
hang
hang (execute)
hide
hold
know
lie
ride
arose
awoke (or awaked)
was
bore
beat
began
bade
bid
bound
bit
blew
broke
chose
clung
came
dug
did
drew
drank
drove
ate
fell
fought
found
fled
flew
forbade
forgot
froze
got
gave
went
grew
hung
hanged
hid
held
knew
lay
rode
arisen
awoke (or awaked)
been
born
beaten(or beat)
begun
bidden
bid
bound
bitten (or bit)
blown
broken
chosen
clung
come
dug
done
drawn
drunk
driven
eaten
fallen
fought
found
fled
flown
forbidden
forgotten
frozen
got, gotten
given
gone
grown
hung
hanged
hidden
held
known
lain
ridden
48
PRESENT
PAST
PAST PARTICIPLE
ring
rise
see
shine
shoot
shrink
sing
sink
sit
slay
slide
sling
speak
spin
spring
stand
steal
stick
sting
stink
stride
strike
strive
swear
swim
swing
take
tear
throw
wake
wear
weave
win
wring
write
rang
rose
saw
shone
shot
shrank (or shrunk)
sang
sank (or sunk)
sat
slew
slid
slung
spoke
spun
sprang (or sprung)
stood
stole
stuck
stung
stank (or stunk)
strode
struck
strove (or strived)
swore
swam
swung
took
tore
threw
woke (or waked)
wore
wove
won
wrung
wrote
rung
risen
seen
shone
shot
shrunk
sung
sunk
sat
slain
slid
slung
spoken
spun
sprung
stood
stolen
stuck
stung
stunk
stridden
struck
striven (or strived)
sworn
swum
swung
taken
torn
thrown
waked (woke or woken)
worn
woven
won
wrung
written
49
Verb Form Exercise
Directions:
If the verb forms in the sentence are correct, mark the sentence correct.
If there is an error, correct it.
______________ 1. A boxcar load of toys and books was delivered to the orphanage.
______________ 2. Lois swang higher than ever before on the playground’s swing.
______________ 3. I had snuck upstairs and hidden his present.
______________ 4. I use to run four miles before breakfast.
______________ 5. He had lain the roses on the table next to her plate.
______________ 6. Criminals were hanged in the old West.
______________ 7. Please lay down and try to sleep.
______________ 8. Industry does not wait for prices to rise; it raises them.
______________ 9. Professor Barr was furious that someone had stole his prize guinea.
______________ 10. The fisherman almost drownded in the storm.
______________ 11. When we payed for the groceries, the manager took them to our car.
______________ 12. I am quite sure that he’s the clerk; I seen him go behind the counter.
______________ 13. After Jake came inside, I asked him to set down.
______________ 14. It doesn’t matter if Yvonne cannot go with us.
______________ 15. Where have you lain the exams?
50
Subject-Verb Agreement
A verb should agree in number with its subject: a singular verb with a singular
subject, a plural verb with a plural subject.
Example:
The ladies are ready to go at last.
subject verb
A child
was crying in the park.
subject
verb
The problem of agreement in number between the subject and the verb causes
difficulty in three situations particularly.
I. Singular subject separated from the verb by a plural element.
The nearness of the plural noun leads the careless writer to use a plural verb.
Example:
The remark he made in reference to the strikes was in poor taste.
subject
verb
Marvin, together with his friends, is going to the rock concert.
subject
verb
Note: When the phrase together with or along with is set off by commas, it is not
considered part of the subject.
II. Mistaken number in the subject.
Indefinite pronouns used as subjects take a singular verb.
Example:
Each of the men is waiting his turn.
A compound subject connected by and requires a plural verb.
Example:
Exception:
Example:
Steak and fresh salad are his favorite foods.
When the compound subject is thought of as one unit, use a
singular verb.
Oil and vinegar is a good salad dressing.
A compound subject connected by the conjunctions either. . .or. . ., neither. . .nor. . .,
requires a verb that agrees with the subject nearer to the verb.
Example: Neither Bill nor his friends are able to go to Susan’s party.
Either Jon or Jane is here already.
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III.
Delayed Subject
Often in English one finds the there is and there are constructions. the subjects
of sentences beginning with either of these constructions invariably fall after the
verb.
Remember: There and here are never subjects.
Example:
There
is only one reason for his extraordinary behavior.
verb
subject
There
are acres
verb subject
to be developed in this region.
Note: Good writers avoid the there is / there are constructions when they can.
Example:
Acres of land have yet to be developed in this region.
IV. Incidentals
A number is a plural subject.
Example:
A number of my friends are coming over soon.
The number is a singular subject.
Example:
the number on the board is twelve.
52
Subject-Verb Agreement Exercise
Directions:
If the subjects and verbs in the sentence are correct, mark the sentence correct.
If there is an error, correct it.
______________ 1. Everyone in the stands were unusually quiet.
______________ 2. Neither the frame nor the hammers of the early piano was equal to the
demands of modern music..
______________ 3. Pat and Bob were going to New Orleans to celebrate Mardi Gras.
______________ 4. Sandy, as well as her sisters, are leaving now.
______________ 5. No one from the club’s team were at the softball game.
______________ 6. Doesn’t either of you care what happens to our planet?
______________ 7. During the commencement address there was shouts of encouragement
from the audience.
______________ 8. The team is representing our college at the state finals this week.
______________ 9. Have either of the customers decided on what to buy?
______________ 10. A number of students is registered for the next semester.
______________ 11. The lucky raffle number is 47.
______________ 12. Kayla’s parents, as well as her grandfather, are visiting San Antonio this week.
______________ 13. There are many reasons for the committee’s decision.
______________ 14. Behind her desk on the low bookshelf stands two antique porcelain figures.
______________ 15.The shipping list of these twelve items are in the second box we opened.
53
Pronoun Usage
A pronoun is a word that substitutes for a noun or another pronoun. The word for which
a pronoun stands is called its antecedent.
Example:
I invited Joan, but she could not attend.
(Joan is the antecedent of the pronoun she.)
In order to use pronouns effectively and without confusing your reader, you must follow
two basic principles:
1.
Establish a clear, easily identified relationship between a pronoun and its
antecedent.
2.
Make the pronoun and its antecedent agree in person, number, and
gender.
PRONOUN REFERENCE
Personal pronouns should have definite antecedents and should be placed as near their
antecedents as possible.
Faulty:
A strange car followed us closely, and he kept blinking his lights at us.
Improved:
A strange car followed us closely, and the driver kept blinking his lights at
us.
The indefinite you or they is quite common in speech and chatty, informal writing, but one
should avoid using either in serious writing.
Faulty:
In Alaska they catch huge king crabs.
Improved
In Alaska huge king crabs are caught.
A pronoun should not appear to refer to either of two antecedents.
Faulty:
Bob told Jim that he was getting bald.
(Who is losing his hair?)
The “it says” introduction to statements, although common in informal language, is
objectionable in serious writing.
Faulty:
It says on the bottle that the chemical will kill weeds but not grass.
54
The pronouns one, everyone, no one, anyone, anybody, everybody, somebody, nobody,
each, either, and neither are usually singular; therefore, the pronouns referring to them should
be singular.
Example:
Everybody has his faults and his virtues.
In the occasional sentence where a singular pronoun would give a confused meaning, you
will have use a plural pronoun or revise the sentence entirely.
Example:
No one noticed the accident, for their attention was focused on the
stage performance.
If a pronoun refers to a compound unit or to a collective noun, the pronoun will be singular
or plural depending on the number of the antecedent.
Example:
Both she and her daughter have changed the color of their hair.
Either Tom or Floyd will bring his camera.
An antecedent in the third person should not be referred to by you.
Faulty:
In a large university a freshman can feel lost if you have grown up
in a small town.
Improved:
In a large university a freshman can feel lost if he has grown up in a
small town.
If two antecedents differ in gender or if the antecedent is a single word that could include
both sexes, it is customary to use the singular masculine pronoun forms to refer to the
antecedent.
Example:
Every man and woman must do his best.
However, increasingly the his or her unit is substituted.
PRONOUN CASE
Nominative
Possessive
Objective
I
you
he
she
it
we
you
they
who
whoever
my, mine
your, yours
his, his
her, hers
its, its
our, ours
your, yours
their, theirs
whose
whosever
me
you
him
her
it
us
you
them
whom
whomever
55
The case form you choose depends on how the word is used within the sentence.
Possessive Case
Pronoun is used to show possession. the chart shows two possessive forms for the
personal pronouns. The first form is used as a modifier of a noun. the second form is used in a
noun slot.
Example:
Tom and Jane said their dog was no longer theirs.
The indefinite pronouns use as an apostrophe to form the possessive case: everybody’s duty,
one’s lifetime, everyone’s hopes, someone else’s car. The personal pronouns do not.
Example:
These seats are ours. Yours are in the next row.
Nominative Case
A pronoun is in the nominative case when it is used:
1. as a subject:
I know that he is honest.
2. as a subjective complement:
This is she speaking.
3. as an appositive of a nominative noun:
We children ate the ice cream.
Objective Case
A pronoun is in the objective case when it is used:
1. as an object of a verb or verbal:
John gave me the key.
I enjoyed meeting them.
2. as an object of a preposition:
No one except me knew the answer.
3. as the subject of an infinitive:
The policeman ordered me to halt.
4. as an appositive of an objective noun:
Two of us children ate the ice cream.
56
Specific Guidelines
I.
When the pronoun follows and (sometimes or) as a part of a compound unit, determine
its use in the sentence and choose the appropriate case form.
Example:
The man gave Sue and me some candy.
Send your check to either my lawyer or me.
Note: A good way to determine the correct case is to use each element of the
compound unit separately in the sentence.
Example:
Read it these ways:
The colonel ordered Bob and (I, me?) to proceed
immediately to the base.
The colonel ordered Bob to proceed. . .
The colonel ordered (I, me) to proceed. . .
Of course, me is the correct form.
II. In comparisons after as and than, when the pronoun is the subject of an understood verb,
use the nominative form. Occasionally the meaning of a sentence may demand an
objective pronoun. The best method is to complete the sentence logically.
Example:
He is tall than I (am tall).
Can you talk as fast as she (can talk)?
You like Mr. Alton more than (you like) me.
III. Ordinarily use the nominative form for the subjective complement.
Example:
It is I.
It could have been he.
Was it they who called?
IV. See that the appositive is in the same case as the word it refers to.
Example:
We boys were hired.
Mr. Eller hired us boys.
Two boys—you and I—will be hired.
57
WHO-WHOM
The only other pronouns in standard modern English that have distinctive nominative/
objective forms are who/whom and whoever/whomever. The rules that apply to personal
pronouns apply to these words as well: In the subject position, who/whoever should be
used: in objective positions, whom/whomever should be used. These pronouns are never
used as appositives.
The special problem in the application of case rules to these words comes from their
special use as interrogatives and as subordinating words.
Specifics
I. In formal usage, whom is required when it is a direct object or an object of a preposition,
even though it stands ahead of its subject and verb.
Example:
Whom
direct object
did
verb
He is a boy
Mr. Long hire?
subject verb
whom
everyone can like.
direct object
subject verb
Whom
are
you
objective verb subject
preposition
going with?
verb preposition
II. When who/whom or whoever/whomever begins a subordinate clause that follows a verb
or a preposition, the use of the pronoun within its own clause determines its case form.
Example:
Do you know who sent Jane the flowers?
No one knows who the intruder was.
No one knows whom the mayor will appoint.
III. When the pronoun, used as a subject, is followed by a parenthetical insertion like do
you think, I suspect, everyone believes, or we know, the nominative form is used.
Example:
Who do you think is their strongest supporter?
Jenkins is the one who I suspect will make the best impression.
Note: If the pronoun is not the subject of the verb, the objective form should be used.
Example:
Mr. Bass is the suitor whom we hope Portia will accept.
58
Pronoun Exercise
Directions:
If all the pronouns in the sentence are correct, mark the sentence Correct.
If there is an error, correct it.
______________ 1. Could it have been he who was responsible for the decision?
______________ 2. That house is their’s, but the one across the street is our’s.
______________ 3. Our government officials are chosen by we the people, and the power
comes from us.
______________ 4. We stopped at a service station and asked him to check the gas and oil.
______________ 5. They asked Mary and she to go.
______________ 6. I assume that whomever you choose will play the part.
______________ 7. You being elected was quite an honor.
______________ 8. I have four brothers older than me.
______________ 9. Every student in college will have some teachers whom he or she likes
and some he or she dislikes.
______________ 10. If students fail to take advantage of the services of the library, he is missing
golden opportunity.
______________ 11. All of we players were in agreement on the new grading policy.
______________ 12. If everyone does his or her best, how will it affect their grade?
______________ 13. Give any suggestions you have to Jill or I.
______________ 14. In our daily newspaper it says the economy is improving slightly.
______________ 15.He is the only one of the contestants which is entitled to a prize.
59
Practice Exams
60
Practice Exam A
I. Parts of Speech:
Directions: Write the part of speech of the underlined word in the corresponding blank.
Noun Pronoun Verb Adjective Adverb Preposition Interjection Conjunction
1. ____________
Camping is a fun way to spend a weekend or a week.
1 2
3
My husband approaches the outdoors differently: he
4
5
6
requires a microwave, a VCR, and a cable television.
7
Well, as a result, he spends very little time in the woods.
8
9
10
2. ____________
3. ____________
4. ____________
5. ____________
6. ____________
7. ____________
8. ____________
9. ____________
10. ___________
II.
Subject and Verb Exercise
Directions: Record in the corresponding blanks the subject and the verb of each sentence.
Subject
Verb
_______________ _______________ 1.
There are more boxes in the storeroom
_______________ _______________ 2.
Call me when you’ve finished the new Clancy novel.
_______________ _______________ 3.
On the table to your left is the permit for the new
addition.
_______________ _______________ 4.
Billy attends the fastest growing community college in
the country.
_______________ _______________ 5.
A bird flew in the open door.
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III.
Sentence Patterns
Directions: Record the number of the corresponding sentence pattern in the blank.
Pattern 1
Pattern 2
Pattern 3
Pattern 4
Pattern 5
S – Vi
S – Vi – SC
S – Vt – DO
S – Vt – IO – DO
S – Vt – DO – OC
__________ 1.
Leave me the house key for later this afternoon.
__________ 2.
After the fireworks on the lawn she laughed with joy at the beauty of the display.
__________ 3.
The former movie star remained fascinating to the public until his untimely death.
__________ 4.
Larry washed every dish and every article of clothing.
__________ 5.
Cheri made her outfit elegant with a beaded jacket.
__________ 6.
Norma looked up from her ice cream cone with a childlike grin.
__________ 7.
Rick gave his girlfriend jumper cables for her birthday.
__________ 8.
Rick’s girlfriend refused his proposal of marriage.
__________ 9.
After a recent news story Steve believed the inexperienced politician truthfully.
__________ 10.
Who is ready for dinner?
62
Practice Exam B
I. Active / Passive Voice
Directions: Label each sentence as having an Active or Passive voice main verb.
__________ 1.
A large crowd watched the fireworks from outside the stadium.
__________ 2.
Friendship gives us a chance to relax and be ourselves.
__________ 3.
The document must be signed by both parties.
__________ 4.
Good writers carefully shape their compositions after they write one or
two drafts.
__________ 5.
Mr. Baldwin had been awarded a medal for service to the community.
__________ 6.
Kahla read Wuthering Heights last summer in the library’s reading
program
__________ 7.
Your committee has been chosen to review hiring procedures.
__________ 8.
Dinner had been eaten, and the dishes had already been washed.
__________ 9.
Leave the party planning to George and Martha.
__________ 10.
Mr. Carson had been rushed to the hospital because of sharp chest pains.
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II. Sentence Types
Directions: Mark each sentence as being Simple, Complex, Compound, or Compound – Complex.
______________ 1. Bill and David tinkered with the old car and then decided to replace its engine.
______________ 2. After the student had missed class three times, the professor mentioned the
attendance policy.
______________ 3. When you hear from Debbie, call us immediately.
______________ 4. Next week we will fly to Atlanta and rent a car to travel to Augusta.
______________ 5. Deanie spent her summer at the beach or curled up with a good book; Jean
hiked the Appalachian Trail from Maine to Georgia.
______________ 6. I prefer to dine in quiet restaurants when the day has been hectic and noisy.
______________ 7. Where does this memo need to be filed when we have been sent the original?
______________ 8. Tom prepared lovely French cuisine last week, but when the weather turns
cold, he’ll make German dishes.
______________ 9. Jennifer goes to Six flags several times each year for the roller coaster rides.
______________ 10. When this class is over today, I’ll be in my office if you have any questions
about the lesson.
64
III.
Subordinate Clauses
Directions:
Label each underlined clause as an Adjective, Adverb, or Noun clause.
______________ 1. If this bill is incorrect, please notify our billing department
______________ 2. Ms. Gallagher, who is a local resident, volunteers for the literacy programs
in the area.
______________ 3. Charlie knows why Bill is absent.
______________ 4. The textbook that we will use is sold by the campus bookstore.
______________ 5. Our architect explained the reason why the wall had to be moved.
______________ 6. Please tell me that out plane tickets are in your purse.
______________ 7. Whenever I ride a rollercoaster, I keep my eyes tightly closed.
______________ 8. That Lora rarely misses work only underscores her commitment to her work.
______________ 9. Running, which requires little equipment other than shoes, an enjoyable sport.
______________ 10. Michael is taller than Bill is.
______________ 11. The wind which whipped across the mountain gave us rosy cheeks and
noses.
______________ 12. Daniel was so tired that he fell asleep on the sofa.
______________ 13. Ms. Greene, who is our division dean, has presented academic papers
at conferences across the country.
______________ 14. I wonder why he attended a stranger’s wedding.
______________ 15. Most students are relieved when each semester is completed.
65
Practice Exam C
I. Verbals
Directions: Label each underlined verbal as a Gerund, Participle, Infinitive, or an Absolute.
______________ 1. Lenora has never tried skiing, but she’s planning a ski trip this winter.
______________ 2. The wind being cold and wet, Sue decided not to walk to the corner store.
______________ 3. Running after the departing bus, Gus tripped and almost fell.
______________ 4. Earning a college degree is a worthwhile challenge.
______________ 5. The time to act on the governor’s orders has arrived.
______________ 6. Sleeping babies are always beautiful, especially to tired parents.
______________ 7. Tim washing up the dinner dishes, Ann offered to dry them.
______________ 8. Jan was extremely shy in meetings and disliked having to speak for her
department.
______________ 9. Don called about teaching the new literature class next fall.
______________ 10. Mark, rested after his trip to Kenya, began to plan a cruise down the Nile.
66
II.
Misplaced and Dangling Modifier Exercise
Directions:
If the sentence contains a Misplaced or a Dangling Modifier, mark the sentence
incorrect.
If it does not contain such an error, mark it correct.
______________ 1. Weighing less than steel, aluminum is used in many fuel-efficient cars.
______________ 2. We saw a herd of goats nibbling grass peacefully.
______________ 3. To win the photo contest, the entries must be color photographs.
______________ 4. Having moved away at thirteen, Frederick found his hometown unfamiliar.
______________ 5. Being an airline pilot, James nearly drank a gallon club soda at our party.
______________ 6. Although the guest list was limited, we sent invitations both to Grace and
Jeffrey.
______________ 7. Trotting along the fence, the first graders saw a herd of horses.
______________ 8. Almost all the blueberry pie had been eaten.
______________ 9. The landscape architect who was planting trees every day worked out to relax.
______________ 10. Shopping for most of the day, Debbie found only two dresses she liked.
67
Practice Exam D
I.
Punctuation
Directions:
If the sentence is punctuated correctly, mark it Correct.
If it is not, mark it Incorrect.
______________ 1. After we visited Six Flags my cousin Angela wanted to visit the botanic
gardens.
______________ 2. Of course, she also wanted to stroll through the West End that evening.
______________ 3. Lee enjoys vacations that involve driving for many hours each day; however,
I much prefer relaxing and exploring in one spot for several days.
______________ 4. On two occasions in the last year David has locked himself out of his
apartment.
______________ 5. The police officers first tried to help him get inside but they had to call the
fire department to force the door open.
______________ 6. David now keeps an extra key in safe secure location outside his patio.
______________ 7. We left the theater early the play being quite dreadful.
______________ 8. I have only one word to describe my fear of heights: terror.
______________ 9. Ms. Garcia chatting with the vice-president suddenly remembered she had
a four o’clock meeting.
______________ 10. The faculty list included many with impressive credentials: J. Greene; MIT;
B. Williams; UCLA; H. Winfred; Texas A&M.
______________ 11.”No! I’ll not be chairing the directory committee again” she said shrilly.
______________ 12. “What do you plan to do” he asked?
______________ 13. Mervin advocates – I don’t know why – our merger with our competitor.
______________ 14. Jill Shoppe the county judge addressed the litigants and the jury.
______________ 15. The cake is ready for Jack’s party however the strawberry punch still must
be made.
______________ 16. These modifications are crucial to the design all other changes were minor.
______________ 17. She is a brilliant banker, isn’t she?
68
______________ 18. The childs face was glowing with the pleasure of the birthday celebration.
______________ 19. Grandparents enjoy the independence of their lifestyles and the pleasure
of grandchildren.
______________ 20. Traveling requires planning, flexibility, reliable transportation, and energy.
69
Practice Exam E
I. Verb Forms
Directions:
Record in the blank the correct verb in each sentence
______________ 1. Myrtle (swing, swang, swung) high in the air after a slow start.
______________ 2. Who (sits, sets) the table each evening at your house?
______________ 3. Mr. Syms has (drink, drank, drunk) too much lemonade.
______________ 4. Wake me as soon as the sun (rises, raises).
______________ 5. She (swim, swam, swum) after breakfast for aerobic exercise.
______________ 6. Tarla had (studied, studied) for the final exam.
______________ 7. Shall we (rise, raise) the funds with a bake sale or a silent auction?
______________ 8. My kitten likes to (sit, set) in the sunshine, especially on my windowsill.
______________ 9. Sheila would have liked (to run, to have run) several errands.
______________ 10. Do you like to (lie, lay) in bed as late as you can?
______________ 11. Tom (lay, laid, lain) the concrete for the driveway just last week.
______________ 12. Reggie believes the Earth’s diameter (is, was, were) 32,000 miles.
______________ 13. The swallow had (fly, flew, flown) over a thousand miles to land in Capistrano.
______________ 14. Was that Jean I (see, saw, seen) yesterday at the library?
______________ 15. Call me when you have (choose, chose, chosen) the fabric for the drapes.
70
II. Subject-Verb Agreement
Directions:
Record in the blank the correct verb in each sentence.
______________ 1. The agreement between the companies (seems, seem) reasonable with the
current economic constraints.
______________ 2. Debra Niermeyer, as well as her four sisters, (am, is, are) visiting relatives in
Louisiana.
______________ 3. Rudi and Dave (travels, travel) to Ireland each summer.
______________ 4. Some folks (hasn’t, haven’t) had a vacation in more than a decade.
______________ 5. The number of college-educated adults (continues, continue) to rise each year.
______________ 6. Getting good grades (is, are) more difficult because of the increasing fields
of knowledge.
______________ 7. Either the boys or Erica (likes, like) the new mini-van.
______________ 8. Grammar and organization (is, are) required for clear communication.
______________ 9. A number of courses (require, requires) good writing skills.
______________ 10. Most Dallas residents (enjoys, enjoy) the diverse cultures found in their city.
______________ 11. Your friend Hoss (rides, ride) very well for a beginner.
______________ 12. Although they are usually old, the Peabody ducks (marches, march) from the
elevator to the fountain each day.
______________ 13. Across the street and up two blocks (lives, live) a retired couple we’ve known
for years.
______________ 14. There (is, are), you will soon discover, a new method for cooking.
______________ 15. Bart (watches, watch) entirely too much television.
71
Practice Exam F
I. Pronouns
Directions:
Choose the correct pronoun for each sentence.
______________ 1. Arthur and Marilyn moved to the Ozarks, where (he or she, they) built a log
cabin.
______________ 2. Neither of these two professors gave any hint of the surprise in (his or her,
their) opening remarks.
______________ 3. (Who, Whom) do you suppose the judge will select?
______________ 4. Milford contends that (whoever, whomever) knew the butler must have
committed the crime.
______________ 5. Maria remains one of those travel agents (who, whom) clients request.
______________ 6. During the game everyone had (his or her, their) hopes dashed by fielder
errors and poor hitting by the home team.
______________ 7. Chadwick insisted on driving Allen and (I, me) around town for a tour.
______________ 8. The first lesson an employee learns at XYZ Company is that (you, one) must
dress professionally.
______________ 9. The promotion often goes to (he, him) who waits.
______________ 10. Ada wiped the grease from her hands and explained to Riley and (I, me) what
was wrong with the car.
______________ 11. Only one of (we, us) deserving students will receive the scholarship.
______________ 12. Dad, Uncle Charles, and (we, us) three cousins piled into the café’s booth.
______________ 13. You may purchase either of these two books if you want (it, them).
______________ 14. Three years ago Eric decided to become a flight attendant because (it, flying)
gives you a chance to see the world.
______________ 15. You know as well as I do (they, the faculty) say students should prepare for a
comprehensive final exam.
______________ 16. Please remind (me, myself) to confirm our flight reservations before noon
tomorrow.
72
______________ 17. Mr. Alton does not cook as often as (I, me).
______________ 18. Would you call the authorities if you were (I, me)?
______________ 19.Jill and I have a agreement on (who, whom) is responsible for the
document.
______________ 20. (Who, Whom) do you plan to vote for in November.
73
Grammar Competency Exam
74
Grammar Competency Exam
I.
Parts of Speech:
In the corresponding blank, write the correct part of speech of the
underlined word.
NOUN VERB ADVERB PREPOSITION PRONOUN
CONJUNCTION INTERJECTION ADJECTIVE
1. ____________
The novel began with a surprise murder and then moved
1
2
3
4
rapidly into a plot of epic proportions. Oh, it was quite
5
6 7
8
entertaining, but the long story was hard to follow at times.
9
10
2. ____________
3. ____________
4. ____________
5. ____________
6. ____________
7. ____________
8. ____________
9. ____________
10. ___________
II. Subject and Verb:
Directions:
Subject
Record in the appropriate blank the subject and the verb of the following sentences.
Verb
_______________ _______________ 1.
There at the entrance to the park stood two marble
statues.
_______________ _______________ 2.
The crest of the towing mountain lies just two miles up
this path.
_______________ _______________ 3.
Here are our guests for dinner this evening.
_______________ _______________ 4.
Bill argued with the umpire about the latest call.
_______________ _______________ 5.
The pages of the book were free of dust and dirt.
75
III.
Sentence Patterns
Directions: Record the number of the corresponding sentence pattern in the blank.
Pattern 1
Pattern 2
Pattern 3
Pattern 4
Pattern 5
S – Vi
S – Vi – SC
S – Vt – DO
S – Vt – IO – DO
S – Vt – DO – OC
__________ 1.
My parents considered my sister musically talented.
__________ 2.
Jan plays for weddings and for church services.
__________ 3.
She cleans her silver flute after every use.
__________ 4.
She volunteers her talent frequently for charities and other organizations.
__________ 5.
Jan is happy to share her musical gifts.
__________ 6.
Her performances bring her audiences pleasure each time she plays.
__________ 7.
After one particularly moving musical performance a man wept with joy.
__________ 8.
He seemed overcome with the beauty of the music.
__________ 9.
In gratitude he sent her a beautiful bouquet.
__________ 10.
Jan’s husband thought the man too friendly.
I. Active and Passive Voice: Label each sentence as having an Active or Passive voice main verb.
__________ 1.
Our roof was damaged by the storm last night.
__________ 2.
Shingles had been ripped up from the strong wind.
__________ 3.
Thunderstorms often bring wind, rain, and hail.
__________ 4.
I was frightened because of the loud thunder and bright flashing light.
__________ 5.
Next time I’ll shut the drapes so I can’t see the fury of the storm.
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VI. Clauses: Label each underlined clause as a Noun, Adjective, or Adverb clause.
______________ 1. Because the traffic is moving so slowly, we will take the tollway north.
______________ 2. That the economy is unstable is the chief reason for not buying a car this year.
______________ 3. The model which we had chosen is no longer in stock.
______________ 4. Victor knows who will be selected for the position.
______________ 5. Vera was reprimanded for how she performed on the exam.
______________ 6. Jim will be back from the boat as soon as he gets really hungry.
______________ 7. Charles was fascinated by a television show that featured the island of Crete.
______________ 8. If I were you, I would return the diamond bracelet to him.
______________ 9. The fellow who gave Monique the bracelet is only a casual friend of hers, or
so she thought.
______________ 10. Monique doesn’t understand why he gave her such an expensive present.
VII. Verbals: Label each underlined verbal as a Gerund, Participle, Infinitive, or Absolute
______________ 1. The laundry being almost done, Sharyn began to relax and think about her
upcoming trip to Washington.
______________ 2. Startled by the crash in the kitchen, Sharyn leaped to her feet.
______________ 3. Running was difficult in her bathrobe and slippers.
______________ 4. To her great dismay, she rounded the corner into the kitchen to see the hood
of her new car framed by what had once been the kitchen wall.
______________ 5. Sharyn, shocked by the sight of the mess, could only conclude her husband
hadn’t applied the parking brake when he finished driving the car last night.
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VIII. Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers:
If the sentence contains a misplaced or dangling modifier, mark it Incorrect.
If it does not contain such an error mark it Correct.
______________ 1. Bob intended to clearly state his position on the issue.
______________ 2. The illustrious group discussed the city garbage accumulation in the judge’s
chambers
______________ 3. After we danced for an hour, my shoes were kicked off to soothe my tired feet.
______________ 4. Smothered in chocolate sauce, every guest will enjoy this dessert.
______________ 5. Pat’s new position offers not only a good salary but a fine retirement plan.
IX. Punctuation:
If the sentence contains a punctuation error mark it Incorrect.
If it does not contain such an error, mark it Correct.
______________ 1. Peter just flew back from San Francisco; he attended a week-long conference
there.
______________ 2. Whenever I pack for a trip I take too many clothes.
______________ 3. Of course, I iron every bit of clothing before I leave; and when I arrive, I have
to borrow the hotels’ iron so I can iron all of it again.
______________ 4. The officers of the club are as follows; J. Doe, secretary, G. Meaux,
vice-president, and E. Gough, president.
______________ 5. My oldest brother, James is a pilot for American Airlines.
______________ 6. His regular destinations include Cincinnati, Omaha, San Diego, and Memphis.
______________ 7. Gary submitted a proposal—when is that deadline to our supervisor.
______________ 8. Our writing projects require much effort and thought, don’t they?
______________ 9. Anne mallow who designed our company’s logo is a native Texan.
______________ 10. “That’s all of this emotional drivel I can take” whispered Jay as he left the room.
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X. Verb forms:
Record the correct verb in the blank.
______________ 1. Our college (lies, lays) on the crest of a hill.
______________ 2. As he (drink, drank, drunk) the soda, he reached for a bag of potato chips.
______________ 3. My sister (sings, sang, sung) like a bird at my wedding.
______________ 4. I’m so excited about my trip I can hardly (sit, set, sat) down.
______________ 5. I have (lay, lain, laid) my baby down for a nap.
______________ 6. Do you think the bread dough will (raise, rise, raised) at room temperature.
______________ 7. Tim’s niece Jessica likes to be (swing, swang, swung) around and around.
______________ 8. Lea has never (sleep, sleeped, slept) this soundly before; the fresh air must
agree with her.
______________ 9. As professors, we must (sit, sat, set) appropriate standards for our students.
______________ 10. If you will please (rise, raise, rised) the curtain, we will begin the entertainment.
XII. Subject-Verb Agreement:
Choose the correct verb for each sentence.
______________ 1. Nan and Frank (has, have) been viewing the exhibit for almost an hour.
______________ 2. A large number of graduates (mails, mail) resumes to local firms.
______________ 3. Staci, along with her children, (attends, attend) several symphony concerts
each year.
______________ 4. Sara or Claire (has, have) only recently arrived in Dallas.
______________ 5. Swimming and boating (requires, require) knowledge and safety.
______________ 6. Either of the sports (is, are) a good hobby for folks of all ages.
______________ 7. The number of participants in the literary contests (is, are) rapidly increasing.
______________ 8. Jack is one of those persons who (waits, wait) until the last moment to make
any plans.
______________ 9. Neither the teacher nor the students (wants, want) an extra week of classes.
______________ 10. (Call, Calls) Susan when you’re finished here.
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XIII. Pronouns: Choose the correct pronoun for each sentence.
______________ 1. The reward for (he or she, him or her) is a year’s supply of chocolate.
______________ 2. I’m afraid I don’t know (who, whom) that article refers to.
______________ 3. If one is to succeed in business, (one, you) should be prepared for some
.
backs.
______________ 4. That must surely be (he, him).
______________ 5. Gayla adores seeing a play; (it, the experience) gives her great pleasure.
______________ 6. Is that (my, me) car with its lights on?
______________ 7. (Who, Whom) shall I say is calling?
______________ 8. We have all heard (them, the police) say a professional burglar can enter
anyone’s home.
______________ 9. Perhaps Shari should give (you, yourself) a raise.
______________ 10. My son thinks deer are his friends; (it, they) are beautiful.
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Glossary of Grammar Terms
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Glossary of Grammar Terms
absolute phrase:
a verbal phrase consisting of a noun and a verb form. This type of pharse
is completely separate from the main sentence.
Ex.: The day being hot and humid, Mildred decided to stay inside.
action verb:
a verb that shows action, obvious or other wise
Ex.: Maria ran from her brother.
Steve slept quietly at his desk.
active voice:
a term used to describe a sentence in which the subject performs the action of
the verb.
Ex.: Jim
sent me his picture.
subject verb
adjective:
a modifier or describer that con only modify/describe nouns or pronouns
Ex.: Courtney tried on the beautiful dress.
She was radiant on the morning of her wedding.
adjective clause:
a subordinate clause that, like an adjective, describes a noun or pronoun
Ex.: He who believes a falsehood often appears a fool.
The plan which Lucille described is the one the committee approved.
adverb:
a modifier (describer) that modifies a verb, adjective, or adverb
Ex.: Jeff runs quickly.
Jeff is rather sleepy.
Jeff sleeps quite soundly.
adverb clause:
a subordinate clause that acts like an adverb
Ex.: When we travel to Arkansas, we stay in Little Rock.
clause:
a group of words that contains a subject and a verb; can be independent
(sentence) or dependent (subordinate)
Ex.: My grandmother’s knees ache when the weather changes. (independent)
While the stew simmers, please set the table. (dependent)
complex sentence: a sentence that contains an independent clause and at least one dependent
clause
Ex.: I plan to sleep late when my vacation begins next week.
compound sentence: a sentence that contains two independent clauses and no dependent clauses.
Ex.: The real estate agent showed us an older brick home; it needed a new
roof and a new fence.
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compound-complex sentence: a sentence that contains two independent clauses and at least one
dependent clause.
Ex.: The store was about to close, but I managed to purchase the new blazer
after I chase down a salesperson.
conjunction: a joining word that can be coordinate (joins equal items) or subordinate (joins items that
are not equal).
Ex.: Tim and Pat drove to the air show on Saturday. (coordinate)
Call me when you’re ready to leave. (subordinate)
dangling modifier:
a modifier that does not modify a word in the sentence
Ex.: Running up the street, my eyes were drawn to the shiny new car.
direct object:
the noun or pronoun in a sentence that answers the question “What?” after an
action verb
Ex.: That television program may promote violence.
(may promote What?)
gerund:
a verbal that acts like a non and ends in –ing
Ex.: I know very little about playing soccer.
indirect object:
the noun or pronoun in a sentence that answers the question “To or for whom?”
the action of the verb and direct object are done
Ex.: That exam gave me the jitters.
(gave the jitters To whom?)
infinitive:
a verbal that consists of the word to and a verb
Ex.: The place to visit is the Dallas Museum of Arr.
interjection:
a word that expresses emotion, mild or strong
Ex.: Oh, you frightened me!
intransitive verb:
a verb that does not have an object
Ex.: Sam cheered for the home team.
The players were happy about the touchdown.
linking verb:
a verb that shows state of being, and some can be used as an auxiliary verb
Ex.: Janis and Bill are business partners.
The coffee tastes bitter.
misplaced modifier: a modifier that is put in the wrong place in the sentence
Ex.: Glenn was asked to quickly finish the exam.
nonrestrictive adjective clause: a clause that contains information not necessary to identify the noun
it modifies
Ex.: Darla Briggs who owns an antique shop live next door to us.
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noun: a person, place, thing, quality, feeling, or idea. Nouns can be proper (capitalized) or common
(not capitalized).
Ex.: Collin Creek Mall is a fun place to shop for gifts.
noun clause:
a subordinate clause that acts like a noun in a sentence
Ex.: What you don’t know can’t hurt you.
Tell us about what you’ve learned.
object of a preposition: the noun or pronoun that answers the question “What?” after the preposition
Ex.: The herd of horses galloped in the pasture.
(of what?; in what?)
objective complement: a noun/pronoun, or adjective that describes (adjective) or renames (noun)
the direct object
Ex.: Jerry considers his daughter a scholar. (noun)
Missy believes the plan practical. (adjective).
participle:
a verbal that acts like an adjective—describes a noun or pronoun
Ex.: the puppy running for the ball skidded on the tile.
passive voice:
a term used to describe a sentence in which the subject does not perform the
action of the verb
Ex.: The letter was sent some weeks ago.
No answer has been received from the bureau.
phrase:
a group of words that does not contain a subject and a verb. It can contain one
or the other or neither.
Ex.: In response to your remarks, I’ve written a memo.
preposition:
a word that shows the relationship between its object and another word in
the sentence
Ex.: The man on the steps is my father.
(on shows how the man and the steps are related)
pronoun:
a word that takes the place of a noun or nouns
Ex.: Everyone in the stadium cheered him and his efforts.
restrictive adjective clause: a subordinate clause that contains information necessary to identify the
noun it describes
Ex.: The document that you requested is being sent to you by courier.
simple sentence:
a sentence that contains one, and only one, independent clause and no
dependent (subordinate ) clauses
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subject:
a noun or pronoun which the sentence is about and that often performs the
action or state of being of the verb.
Ex.: Dennis works hard in his math class.
Kerensa seems happy this evening.
subjective complement: a noun/pronoun or adjective after linking main verb that renames (noun)
or describes the subject
Ex.: Myron is a salesclerk at a department store. (noun)
Hilda and Cherianne are cheerful in class. (adjective)
transitive verb:
a verb that expresses an action performed on something else
Ex.: I ran laps to relax last night.
He completed his presentation in record time.
verb:
a word that expresses action or state of being.
Ex.: The photograph is so realistic that it startled me.
verbal:
a verb form that is not used as a verb. Forms include infinitive, gerund,
participle, and absolute
Ex.: Walking is excellent exercise.
I would like to run some errands.
Tired of his novel, Lang drifted off to sleep.
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Word List Sheet
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Word List Sheet
11 Common Linking Verbs
1. to be
4. remain
2. become
5. look
3. seem
6. appear
7. prove
8. feel
9. smell
10. sound
11. taste
12 Common Subordinate Conjunctions—introduce dependent clauses
1. if
4. although
7. nobody
10. that
2. because
5. before
8. where
11. as if
3. since
6. anybody
9. while
12. after
12 Singular Indefinite Pronouns
1. one
4. no one
2. everyone
5. many a
3. anyone
6. anybody
7. nobody
8. every
9. each
10. everybody
11. someone
12. somebody
9 Nouns Ending in “s’ that usually take a singular verb
1. mumps
4. ethics
7. economics
2. news
5. civics
8. mathematics
3. physics
6. measles
9. whereabouts
7 Nouns Ending in “s” that usually take a plural verb
1. scissors
3. pliers
5. riches
2. tactics
4. trousers
6. athletics
7. acoustics
5 Nouns Ending in “s” that take either a singular or plural verb
1. wages
3. means
5. amends
2. politics
4. aims
8 Relative Pronouns—introduce dependent clauses
1. who
3. which
5. whoever
2. whom
4. that
6. what
7. whomever
8. whatever
8 Subjective Case Pronouns—subjects or predicate nouns
1. I
3. he
5. it
7. they
2. you
4. she
6. we
8. who
8 Objective Case Pronouns—direct object, indirect object, objective preposition
1. me
3. him
5. it
7. them
2. you
4. her
6. us
8. whom
4 Negative words NOT to be used with other negatives
1. hardly
2. scarcely
3. but
4. only
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12 Conjunctive Adverbs
1. therefore
4. however
2. still
5. likewise
3. then
6. also
7. so
8. thus
9. moreover
10. nevertheless
11. accordingly
12. otherwise
7 Possessive Personal Pronouns
1. yours
3. hers
2. his
4. its
5. ours
6. theirs
7. whose
6 Coordinate Conjunctions
1. and
3. but
2. or
4. for
5. nor
6. yet
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