1
Name Evelyne Chang
JCC Grammar Proficiency Test Fall 2005
My Major Problems:
I think there are four major problems about my English grammar:
- Comparative—I usually don’t see “than,” so I don’t know it is a comparative sentence. Moreover, I tend to use the wrong comparative, for example, I used to say “more friendly” until recently my classmate corrected me.
- Conjunction—I found out I’m not very good at conjunctions.
- Verb transitive and verb intransitive—Sometimes I can’t tell the difference between the use of these two kinds of verb.
- Tense—I didn’t learn it very well in high school grammar class. Instead, I acquire it by reading books on my own, so I know nothing about those terms such as “past progressive,”“past perfect,” and so on. Sometimes I mix them up.
- Attend TOEFL class regularly and review the grammars the teacher teaches. TOEFL class is a very useful class, though sometimes the teacher asks us to memorize grammatical terms, which I know nothing about. He even gave us a so-called “six-word aphorism” to memorize all the verb tenses, but I never got it. I’m wondering, is it important to learn those terms? As long as I know how to use it I don’t want to care about those terms at all. Nevertheless, sometimes I do forget how to use the correct grammar because of lack of practice.
- Improve my English via reading more. Since I was a high school student I have learned English mostly by myself, not in school. I didn’t like the regular training the grammar class gave us, which was no fun at all. The advantage of it is that I know how to use the correct grammar naturally, not by memorizing. However, the drawback is that sometimes when I lose the sense to use the correct grammar I have no formula to rely on. I can only depend on my intuition to choose an answer. I think I should read more English books to increase my vocabulary and grammar.
- Discuss with my classmates. Sometimes I’ll discuss my questions about English grammar with my friends, which is very useful. For example, we even exchange journals to learn not only each other’s experiences but also our different writing style.
I.
[Tense & Voice]5 / [word choiceusage] 3 / (countable/uncountable)
(singular/plural] 2 / [word form]
7
1 / 1
[subject-verb, noun-pronoun agreement] 5 / (comparative)
3 / [Sentence Structure]
5
2
[word form]
5 / [subject-verb agreement] 2 / [Sentence Structure] 23
1 / 3
- Directions: Identify the one underlined word or phrase, (A), (B), (C), or (D), that should be corrected or rewritten. Write your answer in the margin.
I. Tense and Voice: Correct Ones
- When (A)children get their first pair(B) of glasses, they are often surprising(C) to see that trees and flowers have(D) sharp clear outlines. (C) (surprised, past participle as adjective) [voice]
a third (D)of its passengers. (B)(caught, past tense, subject-verb agreement) [Tense]
21. With (A)advances in automation, the problems of unemployment will become more serious(B) unless(C) more people will be given(D) the training necessary for white-collar positions. (D)(are given, present tense in subordinate clause) [Tense]
24. Before(A) the invention of the printing(B) press, books have been(C) all printed by (D) hand. (C) (had been, past perfect) [Tense]
My Errors:
- Christianity has become(A) a worldwide(B) religion since it has begun(C) almost two
II. [word choice & usage]Correct Ones
17. Residents in some cities(A) can call an(B) electrical inspector to have(C) the wiring in
their house is checked(D). (D)(checked, passive participle) [usage: have+pp]
26. Holland’s most well-known(A) artist, Vincent van Gogh devoted nearly(B) every
moment of his life to develop(C) his skills in painting(D). (C) (developing, preposition + gerund) [usage: devote]
27. Since(A) the phenomenal success of Action Comics, hundreds of(B) comic books have
been published, some containing noted(C) comic strips, other(D) consisting of new material. (D)(others = other comic books, pronoun) [word choice: some . . . others]
My Errors:
III. Noun –(countable/uncountable)(singular/plural]Correct Ones
28. If less(A) calories are(B) consumed than are needed(C), energy is obtained from(D) the fat cells. (A)(fewer, quantifier) (countable/uncountable)
My Errors:
19. At present(A), advertising is(B) one of the most strictly(C) regulated industry(D) in Europe. (D)(industries, plural) (singular/plural]
IV. word formCorrect Ones
2. An ardent feminist, Margaret Fuller, through(A) her literature, asked that(B) women be(C) given a fairly(D) chance. (D)(fair, adjective) [word form--adj]
12. Original(A) cultivated(B) in India, the banana was brought(C) to the Americas by the
Portuguese, who fount it(D) in Africa. (A)(originally, adverb) [word form—adj/adverb]
14. Earthworms make(A) their path through heavily(B) soil by eating it(C) and then
eliminating it behind them (D). (B)(heavy, adjective) [word form—adj/adv]
5. Faced with(A) the possibility of a water shortage during the summer months, the city has asked it (B)citizens to limit(C) their use(D) of water. (B)(its, possessive pronoun) [word form--possessive]
20. All(A) of the transactions in this bank were(B) handled quickly and efficient(C) by
well-trained(D) tellers. (C)(efficiently, adverb) [word form]
30. Of the(A) several thousand(B) varieties of apples, relative(C) few have commercial(D) importance. (C)(relatively, adverb) [word form]
7. Buttercups are(A) avoided by(B) grazing(C) animals because(D) their bitter juices. (D)(because of, preposition) [preposition]
My Errors:
V. Agreement: Subject-Verb and Noun-Pronoun Correct Ones
10. With (A)specially(B) designed vaults, modern banks protects(C) their customers’ (D)money and other valuables. (C)(protect, subject-verb agreement) [subject-verb agreement]
- The basic law (A)of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division(B) are taught(C) to all elementary school (D)students. (A)(laws, plural, subject-verb agreement) [subject-verb agreement]
defenseless animals to survive(D). (B)(enables, subject-verb agreement) [subject-verb agreement]
22. Because recent studies(A) have shown that obesity can cause(B) a type of diabetes,
doctors usually put(C) his(D) diabetic patients on a special diet. (D)(their, possessive pronoun) [noun-pronoun agreement]
25. The cost of groceries have risen (A) so(B) rapidly during the past several years that lower-income families can scarcely(C) buy what(D) they need. (A)(has, subject-verb agreement) [subject-verb agreement]
My Errors:
VI. Comparative Correct Ones
23. The most(A) Americans were killed in(B) World War II than in any(C) other war since(D) the birth of the nation. (A)(More, comparative) [comparison]
My Errors:
18. The World Trade Center, the tallest(A) skyscraper in(B) New York City, has(C) eight
floors taller than(D) the Empire State Building. (C)(is, wrong word) [comparison]
29. Alligators can survive(A) a wide(B) range of temperatures(D) than other(C) crocodilians. (B)(wider, comparative) [comparison]
VII. Sentence Construction Correct Ones
6. A fiber-optic cable across(A) the Pacific went into(B) service in(C) April 1989, link(D) the United States and Japan. (D)(linking, present particle) [Sentence Structure: participial]
8. Although was(A) defeated for the presidency(B) three times, William Jennings Bryan was a major(C) influence in the(D) United States. (A)(Although, participle construction) [Sentence Structure: participial]
16. Only after local residents became(A) sick and publicly voiced(B) their displeasure
the chemical company began(C) to clean up its(D) dump sites. (C)(did the chemical company begin, inversion) [Sentence Structure-only]
9. Levees and dikes are walls or(A) embankments and which(B) are used to keep(C) the sea or a river from overflowing(D) an area. (B)(which, conjunction--relative pronoun) [Sentence Structure--conjunction]
15. Sponges, with a structural(A) organization like that of(B) a colony of one-celled animals, they stand(C) at the lowest(D) level of the animal kingdom. (C)(stand, redundant subject) [Sentence Structure]
My Errors:
- Choose the one word or phrase, (A), (B), (C), (D), that best completes the sentence. Write your answer in the margin.
I. [WORD FORM]Correct Ones
3. He is in good health and spirits and, ___D______his accident yesterday, ready to drive again.
(A) owing (B) though (C) regardless (D) despite (preposition)
5. ____A_____ conventional photography, holography produces three-dimensional images.
(A) Unlike (B) Unlikely (C) It is unlike (D) It is unlikely (preposition)
- James Figg was the first boxer ___C______as a heavyweight champion.
(C) to be recognized (D) recognizing
(infinitive as adjective; passive voice)
(gerund as subject)
- ____C_____ by transferring the blame to others is often called scapegoating.
(C) Eliminating problems (D) Problems are eliminated
My Errors:
- _____B____ all behavior is learned behavior is a basic assumption of social scientists.
(noun clause: that [conjunction] + all behavior [subject] + is [verb])
(adverb: “nearly” modifies “all”)
II. [subject-verb agreement]Correct Ones
2. Water vapor changing to liquid ___A_____ heat. (subject-verb agreement)
(A) releases (B) its (C) it releases (D) the
11. A lunar eclipse ___D______the earth passes between the sun and the moon, causing the moon to become dark.
(A) occurs (B) that occurs (C) which occurs (D) occurs when
(subject-verb agreement)
My Errors:
III. [Sentence Structure]Correct Ones
1. ______C______, the North Country Trail will be the world’s longest hiking system.
(A)It stretches 3,246 miles over seven states (no conjunction)
(B)That it stretches 3,246 miles over seven states (wrong conjunction)
(C)Stretching 3,246 miles over seven states (participle construction)
(D)Because stretching 3,246 miles over seven states (wrong conjunction)
4. Dry cleaning is a wet process in which the first step ___A_____ a garment in a cleaning solution. (A) involves soaking (B) that soaks (C) involving (D) which involves
(relative clause: in which [conjunction] + the first step [subject] + involves [verb] + gerund [object])
6. A new television series teaches handicapped children __B______can and should think about career development. (A) and (B) that they (C) both (D) who they
(noun clause: that [conjunction] + they [subject] + think[verb])
7. Not until a baby kangaroo is four months old ____D______to live outside its mother’s pouch. (A) it begins (B) beginning (C) and begins (D) does it begin (inversion)
8. ___D_____ 1980 that Voyager transmitted photographs of Saturn to earth.
(A) When it was (B) That was in (C) During (D) It was in
(Cleft sentence: It + be . . . that . . .)
9. So far, there is no vaccine ____C______in sight for the common cold.
(A) or curing (B) has cured (C) or cure (D) having cured
(parallelism: N1 + coordinate conjunction + N2)
10. Why _____C____ at a given time is not known.
(A) does a drought occur (B) it is a drought that
(C) a drought should occur (D) a drought that occurs
(noun clause: why [conjunction] + a drought [subject] + occur[verb])
12. Fainting can result from either a lack of oxygen __A______a loss of blood.
(A) or (B) and from (C) or from (D) and
(parallelism: N1 + coordinate conjunction + N2)
13. Romany is an Indic language ___A_____ gypsies speak.
(A) which (B) which is of (C) and which (D) is that which
(relative clause: which [conjunction//object] + gypsies [subject] + speak [verb])
15. ____D_____ is surpassed only by that of monkeys and apes.
(A) The intelligent dog (B) The dogs whose intelligence
(C) The dogs have intelligence (D) The intelligence of dogs
(parallelism:the intelligence of dogs vs. the intelligence of monkeys and apes)
16. “The City of London” actually refers to only a small part of London, ___A____ there is a concentration of banks, insurance companies and financial markets.
(A) where (B) which (C) with which (D) when
(relative clause: where [conjunction//adverb] + there-construction)
- At thirteen ____D____ at a district school near her home, and when she was fifteen, she saw her first article in print.
(B)the teaching position was Mary Jane Hawes’ first
(C)when Mary Jane Hawes had her first teaching position
(D)Mary Jane Hawes had her first teaching position
(clause1 + coordinate conjunction + clause2)
(coordinate conjunction: and)
(clause1: Mary Jane Hawes [subject] + had [verb])
(clause2: She [subject] + saw [verb])
- Essentially, a theory is an abstract , symbolic representation of ___C____ reality.
(C) what is conceived to be (D) that is being conceived of
(noun clause: what [conjunction//subject] + is conceived[verb])
- His career has been an active one: ___C______.
(B)poetry, editing magazines, and the Greek War
(C)writing poems, editing magazines, and serving in the Greek War
(D)poetry work, editing magazines, and fighting in Greece
(parallelism:gerund1 + gerund2 + coordinate conjunction + gerund3)
- The world would be less homogeneous than it is today __C___.
(B)if television not invented
(C)had television not been invented
(D)television having not been invented
(past hypothetical conditions; inverted hypothetical)
- ____C_____ Rodrigo used bribery to be elected pope, his election was generally welcomed.
(adverbial clause: even though [conjunction] + Rodrigo [subject] + used [verb])
- ___C____ agreement among scientists as to whether there is life on other planets such as Mars.
(C) There is no general (D) Although no general
(main clause: there-construction)
(noun clause: whether [conjunction] +there-construction)
(participle construction)
- _____B_____, Walt Whitman is renowned for his free-verse poetry celebrating the American spirit.
(B)One of America’s greatest poets
(C)One of America’s poets who are
(D)Despite one of America’s greatest poets
(appositive: Walt Whitman = one of America’s greatest poets)
- No matter how ___A______, many people have escaped from big cities to rural areas.
(B)country life may be inconvenient
(C)may country life be inconvenient
(D)country life inconvenient may be
(adverbial clause: no matter how inconvenient [conjunction] + country life [subject] + may be [verb])
- Pearls in edible clams and oysters are usually small, rough, and ___A_____.
(C) their quality (D) their poor quality
(parallelism:adjective1 + adjective2 + coordinate conjunction + adjective3)
My Errors:
14. Since there were no honeybees in North America, early European settlers ____B___.
(A) importing them (B) imported them
(C) imported themselves (D) their importation
(main clause: settlers [subject] + imported [verb] + them [object])
- Dairy farming is limited in Africa, ___C_____ primarily around urban centers in eastern and southern Africa.
- Anthropology is a science ____A_____ anthropologists use a rigorous set of methods and techniques to document observations that can be checked by others.
(conjunction: “in that” + explanation)