Mechanics Mastery Test
Mechanics Mastery Test
A. The following problems concern capitalization. In most of the problems, either the version in Column A or the one in column B is correctly capitalized. In the blank provided, write the letter of the column in which the correct version appears. If neither version is wholly correct, write N in the space.
(A) / (B)1. / the Labor Day weekend / the Labor day weekend / 1.
2. / a Presbyterian Minister / a Presbyterian minister / 2.
3. / reading The Diary Of Anne Frank / reading The Diary of Anne Frank / 3.
4. / at a High School in Chicago / at a high school in Chicago / 4.
5. / going West on Lake Avenue / going west on Lake avenue / 5.
6. / the Aztec rulers of Mexico / the Aztec Rulers of Mexico / 6.
7. / the county seat of Suffolk County / the county seat of Suffolk county / 7.
8. / a theater in Elmhurst / a Theater in Elmhurst / 8.
9. / a course in Latin-American History / a course in latin-American history / 9.
10. / the Governors of these states / the governors of these states / 10.
B. Most of the following sentences need either one or two commas. In the blank at the right of each sentence, copy the word(s) that should be followed by commas and add the commas. If a sentence is correct as it stands, write C in the blank.
11. / The child was wearing a ragged pair of trousers and a faded badly torn shirt. / 11.12. / When they heard that the coach was going to leave the boys on the swimming team decided to give him a farewell party. / 12.
13. / Among his prized possessions were two broken alarm clocks a bowl of fish and several Mickey Mouse comic books. / 13.
14. / No one whom we know has ever been to Alaska but my best friend and I would like to go there this summer. / 14.
15. / On the evening of the Autumn Frolic the school gym was appropriately decorated in red and orange and yellow. / 15.
16. / Several students believed that Mr. Prinz the science teacher always gave too much homework. / 16.
17. / Yes I’d be glad to take care of your Saint Bernard for you while you’re in Europe. / 17.
18. / No one who lived through the disastrous flood of 1965 is likely to forget the experience. / 18.
19. / Huddling close to the fire the lost explorers sang songs and cracked jokes trying to forget the cold north wind that swept the trackless wastes outside their tent. / 19.
20. / I am sure that you will understand why our secretary had trouble spelling your last name Mr. Wyrklwski. / 20.
C. Most of the following sentences have a comma or no mark of punctuation at all where a semicolon or a colon should have been used. In the blank provided, copy the word preceding the error and add the semicolon or colon. If a sentence is correct as it stands, write C in the space.
21. / This is one of the oldest houses in the city, it has recently been restored by the city historical society. / 21.22. / I have signed up for courses in the following subjects, Spanish, English, chemistry, and history. / 22.
23. / Michael had warned the rest of us against bringing unnecessary supplies, but he himself brought a dictionary, two electric razors, and a set of naval signaling flags. / 23.
24. / Mr. Soames has gone on a business trip to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg however, he is expected to return tomorrow. / 24.
25. / The Outing Club usually sponsors a picnic at the end of the year, this year the members are planning to hold a regatta instead. / 25.
D. Edit the following sentences. Denote italics (by underlining) and insert quotation marks as needed in the following sentences.
26. I can’t find a copy of Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities anywhere in the library, Belinda said to me.
27. Does the assignment include the last chapter, Civics and Your Future?
28. We asked him whether this month’s issue of the Reader’s Digest was on sale yet.
29. Jeffrey exclaimed excitedly, Mr. McGinley is going to let me play in the game Friday!
30. The drama director said that he could think of nothing more ridiculous than a high school production of Hamlet.
E. In most of the following sentences, apostrophes and hyphens either are missing or are incorrectly used. Draw a line through each expression containing an error; then write the expression correctly in the space provided. If a sentence is correct as it stands, write C in the space.
31. / Certainly, I know the Josephson twins’ – don’t you remember that I used to be their neighbor? / 31.32. / Nearly seventy five percent of the students in last years senior class are now attending colleges or technical schools. / 32.
33. / Didn’t you know that his brother had been chosen to play in the all-star game? / 33.
34. / Traditionally, the president elect of the Student Council always conducts the final assembly of the year. / 34.
35. / Lets see whether the mens’ department carries the kind of cuff links you’re looking for. / 35.
F. You are to insert punctuation wherever needed in the following prose passage. The punctuation that already appears in the passage is correct and need not be changed.
[36.] Julia Moore is I believe one of the few poets ever to win fame for writ
[37.] ing badly. Her first book The Sweet Singer of Michigan Salutes the Public,
[38.] was published in 1876 it immediately attracted wide attention. Many sophis-
[39.] ticated critics Mark Twain was one of them reported that they had been awed
[40.] delighted or moved to helpless laughter by her verse. Twain declared that
[41.] she had “the touch that makes an intentionally humorous episode pathetic
[42.] and an intentionally pathetic one funny
[43.] One of Mrs. Moores best known poems is about the death of a neighbor who
[44.] choked on a piece of beef. Another poem, entitled Ashtabula Disaster, begins
[45.] with the question, “Have you heard of the dreadful fate of Mr P. P. Bliss and
[46.] wife” The poem goes on to give casualty statistics for a railway accident.
[47.] Not all her poems, however are concerned with lugubrious themes. Among her
[48.] other works are a poem praising the Grand Rapids Cricket Club a song about
[49.] the joys of playing croquet and several uplifting Temperance Club songs that
[50.] urge the listener to join the anti saloon movement.
G. Each of the following sentences contains one or more misspelled words. Cross out each misspelled word; then write the word correctly in the blank provided.
51. / The principle of the school made the arrangements himself. / 51.52. / He said it would be alright to alter the plans, if necessary. / 52.
53. / The actors should speak their lines to each other, not to the audiance. / 53.
54. / The rebel leaders may succeed in seizing control of the government. / 54.
55. / Three of the churchs in the neighborhood are planning to hold early-morning services during the summer months. / 55.
H. Following are ten groups of words. One word in each group is misspelled. Cross out the wrong word; then write this word correctly on the blank provided.
57. / vacuum, withold, naïve, proved / 57.
58. / awfuly, cruelty, liquor, meadow / 58.
59. / disappear, disimilar, misuse, dissolve / 59.
60. / deferred, dwarfs, loaves, potatos / 60.
61. / hospitle, receive, ladies, beggar / 61.
62. / maintenance, exibition, horizontal, vehicle / 62.
63. / monkeys, heroes, consistant, adequate / 63.
64. / behavior, anonymous, melodious, mysterous / 64.
65. / temperture, symbolic, yacht, appendix / 65.