Download Study Guide for Grammar Test 2

What to Study to Prepare for the Grammar Test
Know the simple past form and past participles of these verbs: write, drive, come, run, and go
Punctuate titles correctly:
Novels: underlined when hand written; italicized when typed
Poems: quotation marks
Short stories: quotation marks
Newspapers and Magazines: italics
Using “could of” when you mean “could have” is incorrect.
Spell variations on its correctly. The contraction, it’s, means “it is.” “Its” without an apostrophe is
possessive.
Learn the singular indefinite pronouns. They’re in your notes. If you don’t have them, search online
for “singular indefinite pronouns” and find a list. Most are complete.
Learn your Verbals:
Gerund: -ing form of the verb used as a noun. Can be a subject or an object
Infinitive: “to” form of the verb. Almost always a noun.
Participle: -ing or –ed form of the verb. Used as a modifier. Can work as an adjective or an
adverb.
You will have to identify these correctly in sentences.
Learn the term Predicate. It’s useful when we talk about commas.
A predicate is the completer of a sentence. The subject names the "do-er" or "be-er" of the sentence;
the predicate does the rest of the work. A simple predicate consists of only a verb, verb string, or
compound verb:



The glacier melted.
The glacier has been melting.
The glacier melted, broke apart, and slipped into the sea.
A compound predicate consists of two (or more) such predicates connected:
The glacier began to slip down the mountainside and eventually crushed some of the village's outlying
buildings.
(http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/objects.htm)
Memorize the difference between a phrase and a clause. A clause has a subject and a verb; a phrase
doesn’t.
Clauses come in two flavors: independent and dependent, which is also called subordinate. An
independent clause expresses a complete thought. A subordinate clause doesn’t.
Independent: A clause has a subject and a verb.
Subordinate (dependent): As Gatorade ran off the counter and onto the floor
Because my dog won’t take his vitamins
Commas.
With introductory elements
With nonessential elements (essential elements are usually indicated by “that,” while nonessential elements are usually indicated by “which”).
With independent clauses
Never use a comma with a conjunction when the conjunction joins a compound predicate—only
with two independent clauses.
Know what a comma splice is and how to avoid it.
Semi-colons.
Parallel structure. Watch for errors in parallel structure, usually indicated by inconsistencies in parts of
speech, syntax, or verb tense.
Review
Adjectives and Adverbs
Adjectives modify nouns. They don’t modify anything else.
Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. They usually end in “ly” but not always.
Sometimes they show degree, as in “too much coffee” or “very excited.”
Direct and indirect objects
Prepositional phrases. The SAT will give you a sentence like this to confuse you:
An increase in applicants have made the selection process more rigorous.
The subject of the sentence is “increase,” so the correct verb is “has.” “In applicants” is a prepositional
phrase, so “applicants” does not affect the verb.