GW8 Grammar & Writing Issue 1

Size: px

Start display at page:

Download "GW8 Grammar & Writing Issue 1"

Mark Barrett
6 years ago
Views:

1 Grammar & Writing February 2, 2005 : Fax: For class info, visit Direct your questions and comments to DrLi@Smart4Micro.com Name: Peter Lin Peter Lin WRITING PROMPT: UNFORGETTABLE MEMORY... 2 AGREEMENT OF PRONOUN AND ANTECEDENT... 5 NOUN CLAUSE... 8 STATIVE VS. PROGRESSIVE VERBS...11 SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT

2 Writing Prompt: Unforgettable Memory If you are in the "Grading by Mailing" program, finish your essay as instructed. Tear the page off and mail it in with the self-addressed envelope. In a week, you will receive your graded essay with comments and suggestions by a certified professional. Your essay must be written on the lines provided on your answer sheet -- you will receive no other paper on which to write. You will have enough space if you write on every line, avoid wide margins, and keep your handwriting to a reasonable size. Remember that people who are not familiar with your handwriting will read what you write. Try to write or print so that what you are writing is legible to those readers. You have twenty-five minutes to write an essay on the topic assigned below. DO NOT WRITE ON ANOTHER TOPIC. AN OFF-TOPIC ESSAY WILL RECEIVE A SCORE OF ZERO. Think carefully about the issue presented in the following excerpt and the assignment below. We all have memories connected to our experiences. Think about an experience you feel you ll always remember. Try to picture the time, the place, and the people involved. Try to remember everything you can about this experience. Write an essay in which you develop your point of view on this issue. Support your choice or position with reasoning and examples taken from your reading, studies, experience, or observations. 2

3 Name: Score: Title: 3

4 4

5 Agreement of Pronoun and Antecedent Pronouns take the place of or refer to nouns, other pronouns, or phrases. The word that the pronoun refers to is called the antecedent. - Joshua wants to go to Disneyland because it is his favorite vacation spot. - Elizabeth and Emily cleaned their room. - We like grocery shopping because it gives us a chance to plan our week together. Pronouns must agree with antecedents in person and number. - Bill called to say he wouldn t be in until later. - The girls bought their favorite dresses at Castner Knott. Indefinite pronouns are singular; pronouns which refer to them must be singular as well. (anybody, anyone, somebody, someone, everybody, everyone, nobody, no one, one, ) - Anyone can pass this class if he or she follows the directions. - Everyone in the girls choir brought her robe from home. - Everybody needs to take his or her seat so we can get started. The following constructions are always singular; pronouns which refer to them must be singular: each (of), every one (of), either (of), neither (of), one (of) - Each of the girls brought her own camera. - Neither of the boys remembered his coat. - Every one of the players forgot to have his note signed. Collective nouns refer to a group but are considered singular; therefore, they need a singular pronoun. - The class took its field trip in Washington. - The committee voted to raise its pay. - The flock of birds winged its way to Florida. The word to which the pronoun refers to is the antecedent. Personal pronoun (I, you, he, it) has to match with the antecedent. 1. The riders readied (pronoun) horses. 2. The rider adjusts (pronoun) horse. 5

6 3. Does Margaret like (pronoun) piano lesson? 4. Because the car could not start, (pronoun) had to be towed. 5. Each of the teams had (pronoun) mascot at the game. When the antecedent can be either masculine or feminine, you may use masculine (he). It is fine to use both (he or she), too. 6. Someone in the class left (pronoun) notes behind. 7. Everybody on the bus is supposed to stay in (pronoun) seat before a complete stop. 8. Miriam is one of the students who (be) always striving to do (pronoun) best. 9. Anyone who wants to volunteer should raise (pronoun) hand. 10. What if a girl discovered that (pronoun) exact twin was sitting across the table in the cafeteria? Selecting Pronouns That Agree with Their Antecedents. For each blank in the following sentences, select a pronoun that will agree with its antecedent. 11. After the hike, all of the scouts complained that feet hurt. 6

7 12. Either Ken or Rose will bring cassette player. 13. Everyone at the campground will need to bring own tent and bedroll. 14. Some of the women wrote to local newspapers about the pollution problem. 15. Anyone wants to volunteer should raise his hand. 16. Every driver checked car before the race. 17. Each of the actors had own odd superstition. 18. Both of the girls practiced dives off the high tower. 19. Marcia and her brother are saving money to have car repaired. 7

8 Noun Clause A noun clause is a subordinate clause used as a noun. Tell whether the clause in each sentence is used as a subject, a direct object, an indirect object, a predicate nominative, or an object of a preposition. 20. She believes that lost time is never found again. 21. Where to build the municipal garage is the main item on tonight s agenda. 22. She has written an article about how she was elected to the Senate. 23. The store owner will give whoever wins the contest a substantial prize. 24. The happiest time in my life was when we went to Columbia for the summer. 25. Do you know what the problem is? After each clause, identify the clause by means of the following abbreviations: S (subject of the sentence), DO (direct object), IO (indirect object), PN (predicate nominative), or OP (object of a preposition). 26. I know that she is worried. 27. Mr. Perkins told us what we would play at half time. 8

9 28. We can never predict what he will choose. 29. We never know whether he will choose a march by Sousa or a show tune. 30. The drummer told Mr. Perkins she did not like Sousa. 31. How she could say that was a mystery to me. 32. Mr. Perkins told us we would play a medley of marches. 33. Whoever did not like this choice could leave the band. 34. His reason is that the band director must have the final say. 35. Whoever shows the most talent will play the solos. 36. The crowd always applauds enthusiastically for whoever plays a solo. For each of the following sentences, identify the subordinate clause as adjective, adverb, or noun clause. It may well be a independent clause. 37. When the circus is in town, be sure to go. 38. What she said convinced me. 9

10 39. We know that you won the prize. 40. Jack and Joan, who were in town last week, visited me. 10

11 Stative Vs. Progressive Verbs Use either the simple present or the present progressive of the verbs in parentheses. 41. A: This tooth is killing me! B: It s a good thing you (see) a dentist today. 42. A: Are you happy with the school you decided to send your daughter to? B: Yes, indeed. But it s pretty expensive. It (cost) us an arm and a leg to send her there, but we think it s worth it. And it won t last forever. 43. My cousin is an actor. She (appear, currently) in the popular TV series called Doctors of Mystery. Have you seen that show? 44. I (do) this practice at the moment. It (consist) of both nonprogressive and progressive verbs. 45. Susan is looking at some people across the street, but she (see, not) anyone she knows. 46. Jack (appear) happy this morning. He s smiling. 47. This box (weigh) a lot. It s too heavy for me to lift. 11

12 48. A: What s the price on that lamp? I really like it. B: Let me see. Well, no wonder. It (cost) three times as much as the other one. You certainly have expensive tastes. 49. A: That s a big stack of bills on your desk, Sam. Haven t you paid your bills this month? B: No. Nor last month. I know I (be) irresponsible about paying my bills right now, but I ve been really busy. I ll take care of them soon. Generally, I (be, not) an irresponsible person. 50. A: Bye, Alex. B: Wait! (you, forget, not) something? A: What do you mean? B: Isn t this your backpack? A: Gosh. Yes. How could I forget that? Thanks. 51. Tim (have) a car. 52. A: When is Jessica s birthday? B: I (forget) when her birthday is. Sometime in November, isn t it? 53. I (think) about the verbs in this grammar practice right now. I (think) all of my answers are correct, but I ll use the answer key to check them when I finish, just to make sure. 12

13 54. Jim (have) trouble with his car, so he has to take the bus to work these days. 55. A: Why isn t Richard here? B: I (imagine) he ll be here soon. Don t worry about him. 56. A: What are you doing? B: I (smell) the scent of this candle. It (smell) good. 57. A: Watch out, Tommy! Those scissors are sharp. (you, be) careful? Don t cut yourself. B: It s okay. I won t hurt myself. 58. Mrs. Edwards is at the market. Right now she (look) at the apples. They (look) fresh. 59. I just handed the box to the postal worker. Right now she (weigh) it to see how much postage it (need) 60. A: Do you let Tommy use scissors? He s very young. B: It s not a problem. He (be) very careful when he cuts something with scissors. He knows how to use scissors carefully. 13

14 61. A: What are you thinking about? You have such a pleasant expression on your face. B: I (imagine) what it would be like to be on a tropical beach right now. 14

15 Subject-Verb Agreement Choose the correct completion for each sentence. 62. Nearly 40 percent of the people in our town never (votes/vote) in local elections. 63. A number of students (has/have) participated in intensive language programs abroad. 64. The number of students who knew the answer to the last question on the exam (was/were) very low. 65. Every one of the boys and girls in the school (knows/know) what to do if the fire alarm rings. 66. (Isn t/aren t) Portuguese spoken in Brazil? 67. A lot of Brazilians (speaks and understands/speak and understand) Spanish. 68. Why (is/are) the police standing over there? 69. Why (does/do) most of the television stations broadcast news at the same hour? 70. Some of the most important books for my report (is/are) not available in the school library. 15

16 71. There (has/have) been times when I have seriously considered dropping out of school. 72. Not one of the women in my office (has/have) received a promotion in the past two years. All of the promotions (has/have) gone to men. 73. The news on the radio and TV stations (confirms/confirm) that a serious storm is approaching our city. 74. Geography (is/are) fascinating. Mathematics (is/are) fascinating. 75. Mathematics and geography (is/are) my favorite subjects. 76. By law, every man, woman, and child (is/are) guaranteed the right to free speech. 77. (Isn t/aren t) sugar and pineapple the leading crops in Hawaii? 78. Why (is/are) there a shortage of certified school teachers at the present time? 79. How many states in the United States (begins/begin) with the letter A? 80. The United States (consists/consist) of 50 states. 16

17 81. What places in the world (has/have) no snakes? 82. Politics (is/are) a constant source of interest to me. 83. (Was/Were) there ever any doubt in your mind about the outcome of the election? 17

18 Answer Key Agreement of Pronoun and Antecedent 1. their 2. his 3. her 4. it 5. its 6. Someone in the class left his notes behind. Or Someone in the class left his or her notes behind. 7. his 8. are, their 9. his 10. her 11. their 12. her 13. his 14. their 15. Who is singular because anyone is singular. Therefore, the singular forms wants and his are used to agree with who. 16. his 17. his 18. their 19. their Noun Clause 20. that lost time is never found again = DO 21. Where to build the municipal garage = S 22. how she was elected to the Senate = DO of about 23. whoever wins the contest = IO of give 24. when we went to Columbia for the summer = adv 25. what the problem is = DO, what = predicate nominative in the cluase 26. that she is worried = DO 27. what we would play at half time = DO 28. what he will choose = DO 29. whether he will choose a march by Sousa or a show tune = DO 30. (that) Mr. Perkins she did not like Sousa = DO 31. How she could say that = S 32. we would play a medley of marches = DO 33. Whoever did not like this choice = S 34. that the band director must have the final say = PN 35. Whoever shows the most talent = S 36. whoever plays a solo = OP 37. When the circus is in town = adv. clause 38. What she said = noun clause 18

19 39. that you won the prize = noun clause 40. who were in town last week = adj. clause Stative Vs. Progressive Verbs 41. are seeing 42. is costing/costs 43. is currently appearing 44. am doing consists 45. doesn't see 46. appears 47. weighs 48. costs 49. am being am not 50. Aren't you forgetting 51. has 52. forget 53. am thinking.. think 54. is having 55. imagine 56. am smelling smells 57. Are you being 58. is looking look 59. is weighing needs 60. is 61. am imagining 65. knows 66. Isn t 67. speak and understand 68. are 69. do 70. are 71. have 72. has... have 73. confirms 74. is, is 75. are 76. is 77. Aren t 78. Is 79. begin [Answer: 4 (Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas)] 80. consists 81. have 82. is 83. Was Subject-Verb Agreement 62. vote 63. have 64. was 19

GW7 Grammar & Writing Issue 1

GW7 Grammar & Writing Issue 1 Grammar & Writing February 2, 2005 : 301-251-7014 Fax: 301-251-8645 For class info, visit www.mathenglish.com Direct your questions and comments to DrLi@Smart4Micro.com Name: Peter Lin Peter Lin WRITING