name_____________________
ENGLISH 102
grammar exam: run-ons, agreement, misplaced & dangling modifiers, parallelism, subjunctive, and active & passive voice
Word Power Made Easy sessions 14-31
Directions. Write “OK” if the sentence is OK
Write “CS” if the sentence contains a COMMA SPLICE RUN-ON
Write “FUSED” if the sentence contains a FUSED RUN-ON
**If the sentence contains an error, CIRCLE THE ERROR**
1. _____ Not the least of some men’s worries is a billboard advertising Robot World, therefore Eli put oil in the chainsaw.
2. _____ He went home to his wife Trish she was in the process of canning blueberries.
3. _____ Her hands were stained purple, this was from squeezing juice through the cheesecloth.
4. _____ On the splintery pine floor sat Jo, a young girl of twelve whose beer can collection was world class and contained a Buckhorn Oktoberfest with the beer still in it.
5. _____ She waxed her cans weekly, consequently they gleamed.
6. _____ Eli went to the barn to talk to Whitney the horse, a talking Clydesdale with a gray spot above his right nostril.
7. _____ Whitney whinnied, giving a sign to Eli that the Robot World billboard had to come down.
8. _____ On a night with just a thumbnail moon above him, Eli drove his ’59 Chevy Apache to the gravel pit by Crockett’s; he was the man who rented the land to Robot World for the sign.
_____ The chainsaw bound on the third post of the billboard, the chain blurry and
clattering bucked back inches from Eli’s face
10. _____ Later that night, when the wind puffed up against the fading picture of the happy freckled kid and a robot, the third post gave way with a crackle, the sign landed on one of Crockett’s Holsteins.
Directions. The following sentences may or may not exhibit errors of AGREEMENT between subjects & verbs, and pronouns and their antecedents. Look, too, for junky PRONOUN constructions—missing, repetitious, and ambiguous pronouns. Write “C” by the correct sentences, “NC” by the incorrect sentences. **If the sentence contains an error, CIRCLE the word(s) in question.**
___11. The curricula of the California state schools was under attack in 1971
___12. Anyone who knows their PIN number can retrieve money from a personal account 24 hours a day.
___13. The school announced that every freshman, sophomore, and senior was required to read the disaster manual they gave to all students before Thanksgiving.
___14. Annette kidded Margot because she had worn her tennis shoes.
___15. Each of the principals in the area schools think they have the answer to teen truancy.
___16. That driver’s education instructor, he is making money hand over fist.
___17. Outside the school they have a parking lot which will hold one hundred and twelve vehicles.
___18. Just between you and I, this place is for dweebs.
___19. Neither the eighteen varsity football players nor the coach is pleased about tonight’s prospects.
___20. The student handbook, it states that a child offender will explain away a behavior.
Directions. Underline each of the MISPLACED AND DANGLING MODIFIERS in the following sentences and draw and arrow to the words they mistakenly modify.
21. Only Genuine Bayer [aspirin] can help save your life when taken regularly.
22. [A child molester’s] behavior is in his head, not in his testosterone level, indicated by the comments he makes about his dreams and fantasies of children becoming more violent.
23. The host pointed out the moosehead to the guests mounted on the wall.
24. Performed as a religious ceremony, ministers would give sermons to the crowd on the consequences of sin and crime before the execution.
The guy who’s sitting between the table that I like and the empty chair just winked at me!
Catching some rad air, the sidewalk retreated into the distance as I sailed above on my skateboard.
Visiting relatives can be boring.
Nixon told reporters that he would get out of politics after he lost the gubernatorial race.
The judge sentenced the killer to die in the electric chair for a second time.
The summary of information contains totals of the number of students broken down by sex, marital status, and age.
Directions. Underline elements in the following sentences that upset the PARALLELISM being established. Above the underlined element, indicate which kind of word, phrase, or clause would complete a parallel construction; be specific. A sample is done for you.
SAMPLE: April is responsible for stocking merchandise, writing orders for delivery, and sales of computers.
Child molesters have obsessive fantasies, distorted thinking, and lack empathy.
After insisting he was not intoxicated, Ziegfeld skied down the middle of the hill, ran into two skiers, and a small sapling.
Jerry is generous, affable, and makes us depressed.
It is easier to speak in abstractions than grounding one’s thoughts in reality.
Accomplished entrepreneurs have used their profits wisely, moved with the times, and they pay close attention to the economy.
The opposition to active euthanasia is based on existing laws of the state, policies of certain religious groups, and society.
Children who have been through physical abuse, are sexually assaulted, and emotional suffering are also traumatized by separation from their families.
Other cities with light rail have experienced the same problems as Buffalo, St. Louis, and Los Angeles has experienced problems with light rail, too.
The disappearance of the rain forests would be devastating to the ecosystem, modern medicine, indigenous tribes that live in the forests, and a loss of undiscovered plant and animal species.
As more and more antismoking laws are passed, we see legions of potential nonsmokers munching Nicorette gum, gnawing peppermints, they chew pencils, knitting sweaters, or practicing self-hypnotism.
Directions. Indicate whether each sentence is ACTIVE or PASSIVE. Then, convert each sentence to the opposite voice. PRESERVE THE ORIGINAL VERB TENSE. You need not write out the complete sentence again. You may need to create subjects in some sentences.
_______ Major Major was brought down by Yossarian with a flying tackle.
Yossarian brought down Major Major with a flying tackle.
Yossarian was brought down by Major Major . . .
_______ Yossarian released him.
Yossarian was released by him
He released Yossiarian.
43. _______ They smacked the gravel from their clothing.
From their clothing, they smacked the gravel.
The gravel was smacked by them from their clothing.
_______ “Captain Yossarian requests permission at once to speak to the major on a matter of life or death.”
Permission is requested at once to speak to the major . . .
Permission was requested by Captain Yossarian to speak to the major . . .
45. _______ Major said, “Even the bravest men experience fear.”
Major said, “Even the bravest men are experiencing fear.”
Major said, “Fear is experienced by even the bravest men.”
46. _______ “Colonel Cathcart must not be blamed for any delays with the orders,” Major said.
“We must not blame Colonel Cathcart for any delays with orders,” Major said.
“Colonel Cathcart is not to be blamed for any delays with orders,” Major said.
47. _______ What could you do?. . .
What else could I do? . . .
What else could be done? . . .
48. _______ . . . Major Cathcart asked himself again.
. . . Major Cathcart did ask himself again.
. . . was asked by Major Cathcart again.
49. _______ “Suppose we let you pick your own missions.”
“Suppose your own missions are picked by you.”
“Suppose we let you pick your own missions by yourself.”
50. _______ “Let somebody else be killed.”
”Let them kill somebody else.”
“Somebody else will be killed by them.”
Directions. Determine whether the following sentences use the SUBJUNCTIVE of formal grammar: write “C” for correct sentences, “NC” for incorrect sentences. For sentences that are not correct, MAKE THE CORRECTIONS IN THE SENTENCES.
____ Everybody wishes that the class takes a break for a change.
____ It is important that a person in a stressful situation relaxes at least once a day.
____ If one was to study throughout the ten week quarter without taking in a movie, a meal out, or a double tall mocha, deleterious mood swings might occur.
____ Teacher insisted that each class member writes a critique of another paper.
____ It is essential that the paper to be handed back to the author remains anonymous.
____ I approached my critique partner as if she was a secret agent.
____ It is imperative that she writes me a favorable review.
____ My cousin Vinny suggested that a bribe is considered.
____ If Vinny was to get out of the clink, he would move in with me and enroll in college.
____ He requested that the school sends application forms to him.
Directions. Match the words to their etymologies.
___61. chronometer a. strong on both sides
___62. equilibrium b. causes sleep
___63. malediction c. to create
___64. empathy d. set apart (from the herd)
___65. circus e. with highest honors
___66. gregarious f. being known
___67. tacit g. roll around
___68. locution h. small speech
___69. Fido i “always faithful”
___70. parity j. hand written
___71. revolve k. good will
___72. somnolent l. bad saying
___73. ambivalent m. round cut
___74. vox populi n. equality
___75. manuscript o. roll again
___76. apathetic p. able to walk
___77. summa cum laude q. likes to be with the herd
___78. Volvo r. measures time
___79. equivalent s. no feeling
___80. vociferate t. faithful
___81. ambulatory u. to walk
___82. nocturnal v. silent
___83. Semper Fidelis w. equal weight
___84. benevolent x. feeling in, into, within
___85. generate y. I roll
___86. notoriety z. pertaining to the night
___87. circumvolve aa. speak, carrying much voice
___88. amble bb. equal strength
___89. segregate cc. Voice of the people
___90. circumcision dd. a circle