Grammar Review Answers

Grammar

  • Dependent and independent clauses
  • Compound and complex sentences
  • Run-On and Fused Sentences (how to correct them-comma or semi-colon)
  • FANBOYS
  • Capitalization
  • Quotations

List:

For

And

Nor

But

Or

Yet

So

Correct the sentences below. If it is correct put a C next to the sentence.

1. We must study the topics and write.C

2. My essay is due on Monday, September 15, but I will have it completed before the due date.

3. John was injured during practice yesterday, so he could not write his essay with a broken hand.

4. I am writing a college essay, so that I will be accepted to the college of my choice.

5. My essay must be typed, so I will type it.

6. I know that my essay is supposed to be typed, for it will not be accepted if it is not typed.

7. The essay must be typed and turned in.C

8. I am avoiding plagiarism, for I know that the consequences will be severe.

There are two types of run-on sentences:

  • Fused sentences
  • Comma splices

Fused Sentences:

A fused sentence occurs when independent clauses run together with no marks of punctuation or coordinating conjunctions to separate the clauses.

Examples: * Tom read the novel Frankenstein his friend saw the movie.

* Frankenstein was focused on his creation he did not think about the results of his actions.

Comma Splice:

A comma splice occurs when two or more independent clauses are joined only by a comma.

Examples: * Frankenstein goes off to college to pursue his education, his family stays behind and awaits his return.

* Frankenstein creates life, he does not tell anyone what he has done.

Solutions For Fixing Run-on Sentences:

There are four ways to revise a run-on sentence:

* Use a comma and a coordinating conjunction (FANBOYS).

Run-on:Frankenstein goes off to college to pursue his education, his family stays behind and awaits his return.

Correction:Frankenstein goes off to college to pursue his education, but his family stays behind and awaits his return.

* Use a semicolon alone or with a transitional expression.

Correction with a semicolon:Frankenstein goes off to college to pursue his education; his family stays behind and awaits his return.

Correction with a transitional expression:Frankenstein goes off to college to pursue his education; however, his family stays behind and awaits his return

* Separate the independent clauses into sentences:

Correction: Frankenstein goes off to college to pursue his education. His family stays behind and awaits his return.

Directions: Choose the correct way to fix the underlined problem in each sentence.

1. Lorna did not last long in Mr. Wolcott's busy office, her long fingernails made accurate typing impossible, and her abrasive manner scared away too many potential clients.

A. office her

B. office, because her

C. office. Her

2. Bo was craving a cold slice of watermelon, but he had money only for hotdogs and buns, Bo was pretty sure that sticking the huge fruit under his shirt and pretending that he was pregnant wouldn't fool the cashiers.

A. buns Bo

B. buns. Bo

C. buns, but Bo

3. Fighting the urge to crawl under her desk, Adriana looked at the clock, there was still a half hour left of class, more than enough time to do her poorly prepared, ten-minute speech.

A. clock there

B. clock; there

C. clock, so there

4. My cat Buster is always tipping over the garbage can then he searches through the trash for milk jug caps, which he bats around the floor, the cat version of playing ice hockey.

A. can, then

B. can, but then

C. can, and then

5. Susan ducked down when she saw Mr. Hayden, her English teacher, walk into Tito’s TacoPalace, unfortunately, a burrito wasn't big enough to hide behind, so poor Susan had to explain why she had missed his class again.

A. Palace unfortunately

B. Palace; Unfortunately

C. Palace. Unfortunately

Each of the following sentences needs either a comma or a semicolon. Put in the necessary punctuation.

1. Many companies make sugar-free soft drinks, which are flavored by synthetic chemicals; the drinks usually contain only one ortwo calories per serving.

2. Mr. Leyland played the viola professionally for many years, and he now conducts a community orchestra.

3. The crab grass was flourishing, but the rest of the lawn, unfortunately, was dying.

4. The hill was covered with wildflowers; it was a beautiful sight.

5. As I turned around, I heard a loud thump, for the cat had upset the goldfish bowl.

6. The artist preferred to paint in oils; he did not like watercolors.

7. The house was clean, the table set, and the porch light on; everything was ready for the guests' arrival.

8. He looked carefully in the underbrush, but he failed to notice the pair of green eyes staring at him.

9. The foundations of the house had been poured, but, to his disappointment, nothing else had been done because of thecarpenters' strike.

10. The computer could perform millions of operations in a split second; however, it could not think spontaneously.

11. I thought registration day would be tiring, but I didn't know I'd have to stand in so many lines.

12. The dog, growling and snarling, snapped at me; I was so frightened that I ran.

13. The snowstorm dumped twelve inches of snow on the interstate; subsequently, the state police closed the road.

14. Professors are supposed to be absent-minded, and I've seen plenty of evidence to support that claim since I've been incollege.

15. The suspect said that he had never met the victim; however, the detective knew that he was lying.

Directions: In the following sentences, insert quotation marks in the correct place.

1. Although many people believe that Rick says, “Play it again, Sam,” in Casablanca, those exact words do not appear in the film.

2. After a tornado ripped through her house, a tearful Indiana woman said she had nothing left.C

3. Researchers recently stated that “infants who are exposed to peanuts have a reduced risk of developing a peanut allergy later in life.”

4. Yesterday, the president told Congress, “Democrats and Republicans need to cooperate.”

5. “Call me Ishmael” is the first sentence of novelist Herman Melville’s Moby Dick.

6. Most people like to think of themselves as open-minded and flexible enough to change when the circumstances demand.C

Directions: Highlight or circle any word that should be capitalized.

1. the committee issued the following recommendation: we need to have a stricter dress code.

2. I am resolved that we will win the gisa state championship.

2. before becoming a christian, I often asked myself, is god real?

3. rejoice, o ye righteous!

4. the united states of america

5. sunset boulevard

6. i live in the south.

7. I am taking english, spanish, chemistry, and algebra II and history.

8. the senior agreed to speak before the sophomore class.

8. he was elected president of the united states.

9. the united nations campus is between first avenue and the east river in new york city.

10. the lion, the witch and the wardrobe is one of the books in the fantasy series the chronicles of Narnia written by c. s. lewis.

11. accepting an award for his score for the film the high and the mighty, dmitri tiomkin thanked beethoven, brahms, wagner, and strauss.

12. i wondered if my new levi’s were faded enough.

13. brazilians speak portuguese, a romance language derived from latin.

14. we had a choice of fast-food, chinese, or italian restaurants.

15. the town in the american south where i was raised had a statue of a civil war soldier in the center of mainstreet.

Directions: Put commas where needed in the following sentences.

1. She had been a correspondent for the wire service in London, Paris, Rome, and Madrid.

2. There were books on the desk, posters on the wall, and clothing on the floor.

3. We talked, we walked, we laughed, and we sang.

4. Monday’s meeting had gone smoothly, yet I felt a controversy brewing.

5. Hannah gave me some good advice and got some from me in return.C

6. Cleaning and painting my room was hard but fun.C

7. While Sal put on his tuxedo, the flute player checked the sheet music.

8. James Baldwin wrote in 1953, “This world is white no longer, and it will never be white again.”

9. “The public be damned!” William Henry Vanderbilt was reported to have said. “I’m working for my stockholders.”C

Reminders

1) In print, titles of longer works are italicized, or printed in italics. This sentence is printed in italics. In handwritten papers, underlining is used to set off the words in some kinds of titles.

  • books, plays, book length poems
  • newspapers, magazines, pamphlets movies and television series
  • paintings, sculptures, CD titles, ballets, operas, musicals
  • ships, aircraft, and space craft

2) Use quotation marks to enclose the titles of shorter works.

  • short stories
  • essays
  • short poems
  • songs
  • articles
  • chapters of books
  • television episodes

3) Capitalize the letter of the first word, the last word, and all important words in a title.

Directions: Add underlining or quotation marks wherever needed in the following sentences.

1. The book American Folk Toys includes directions for making many simple toys.

2. Some students in ballet class will have roles in the Nutcracker Suite.

3. Our group is studying Walter de la Mare’s poem “The Listeners.”

4. One of my favorite episodes of Star Trek was called “The Trouble with Tribbles.”

5. The short story “A Time of Beginnings” was about the life of an artist.

6. In the history book Across the Centuries there’s a chapter called “Colonial Americans - How They Lived.”

7. Jasmine will sing “The Star-Spangled Banner” at the baseball game tomorrow night.

8. Walt Disney’s film Fantasia was the first color cartoon to feature classical music.

9. The song “Tomorrow” is from my favorite musical Annie.

10. I enjoyed Jack London’s story “To Build a Fire” and his novel The Call of the Wild.

11. North by Northwest is a classic Alfred Hitchcock film.

12. The famous opera Madame Butterfly has a tragic story line.

13. My aunt Lulu always sends me a subscription to National Geographic magazine at Christmas time.

14. Lord Byron’s poem Don Juan is so long that it fills an entire book.

15. The space shuttle Colombia landed perfectly after its flight.

16. I hope to see the exhibit about the Titanic at the Metreon in San Francisco.

17. The San Francisco Examiner had a great article called “49er’s and Raiders Clash.”

18. I really liked the way Catherine McPhee sang “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” on American Idol.

19. Did you like Langston Hughes’ story “Thank You Madam?”

20. The song “Listen” on Beyonce’s new album B’Day is from the upcoming movie Dreamgirls.