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 PROMPT: SOMETHING DIFFICULT... 2 CORRECT USE OF ADJECTIVES AND ADVERBS... 5 SPECIAL PRONOUN PROBLEMS...11 1
Writing Prompt: Something Difficult 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. Write about trying to do something you thought was difficult. make your writing interesting to the reader make sure that each sentence you write helps the reader understand your composition make sure that your ideas are clear and easy for the reader to follow write about your ideas in detail so that the reader really understands what you are saying check your work for correct spelling, capitalization, punctuation, grammar, and sentences 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
Name: Score: Title: 3
4
Correct Use Of Adjectives And Adverbs Good is normally the adjective form, and well the adverb form, but when applied to health, well is an adjective. - She looks good in that dress! - She looks well now that she has recovered. A verb that indicates state of being, not action, is followed by a predicate adjective describing the subject rather than by an adverb, which would describe the action in the verb. Whether the verb indicates action or state of being in a particular sentence depends upon the meaning of the sentence since most of these verbs can be used in both senses. - The machine runs well. - This plant grew quickly. (Quickly tells how the plant grew.) However, it may be used as predicate adjective. - The room grew quiet. (Quiet describes the room.) Correct each of the following sentences if necessary. Or, indicate OK. 1. The record player operates good now that he has fixed it. 2. He sure looks well now that he has recovered from his illness. 3. Look sharp and breathe deep if you want to survive the crisis. 4. Be quiet when you enter that corridor. 5. Walk quiet when you go through that corridor. 5
6. The torch of freedom burns bright through out the world. 7. He drives so careful that I have full confidence in his ability. 8. He drives so recklessly that I fear for his life. 9. They played well during the rehearsal. 10. Please be prompt for tonight s rehearsal. 11. Arrive prompt, and you will leave on time. 12. Go direct to my office when you arrive. 13. That new suit looks good on him. 14. There words express my feelings exactly. 15. The words express my exact feelings. 6
16. That there was a foul ball. 17. That was a foul ball. 18. That there sure was a foul ball. 19. He showed me a real good copy of the picture. 20. The machine now runs very quiet. 21. You did good when you really tried. 22. The flowers smelled so sweet that I could not leave the garden. 23. Go slow as you approach the curves, and you will do good. 24. He doesn t look so good tonight. 25. That suit sure fits him well! 7
26. Go quick, and get Mr. Hammond here as soon as you can. Comparative and Superlative Forms of Adjectives When two persons or things are being compared, use the comparative. Error: He is the brightest of the two brothers. Fix: He is the brighter of the two brothers. Reason: When three persons or things are being compared, use the superlative. Error: Of the three, he is the slower. Fix: Of the three, he is the slowest. Reason: Never combine both methods of forming either the comparative or the superlative in a given instance. Error: She is the most quietest girl in the class. Fix: She is the quietest (or the most quiet) girl in the class. Reason: Use the word other or else when a person, place, or thing is compared with the entire group to which it belongs. Error: He is more capable than any boy in his group. Fix: He is more capable than any other boy in his group. Reason: He cannot be more capable than himself; yet he is part of the group! Some adverbs have the same form as their corresponding adjectives. Some of these are: ill, slow, fast, deep, and fast. Error: Go slow. Drive slow. Fix: Take a slow train. Go slowly. Drive slowly. Examine each of the following sentences carefully. Indicate OK if it contains no error, or underline the error and use the blank space provided for correction. 27. You will have to do more better than that if you expect to remain on the first team. 28. Do not put them there! 8
29. This is the kind of a sentence that I enjoy reading. 30. This here is as far as I can go now. 31. I always enjoy reading those kind of books. 32. May I have one of those over there? 33. He is the best player on his team, without any doubt. 34. These kinds of records must be handled with additional care. 35. She is more capable than any girl in her clique. 36. She took an onion so that she could have a good cry. 37. It was the most noisy party that I have ever attended, but I enjoyed it. 38. We found that there boat at the end of the lake. 9
39. Is this the sort of remark that you should make? 40. She is most funniest when her audience applauds at the right moments. 41. Give him one of those there reports when he comes in. 42. She is brighter than any of her friends. 43. How could you have put that bottle over there? 44. Helen is more capable than anyone in her family. 45. Helen is the most capable one in her family. 46. Jonathans are the most tastiest of all apples. 47. Jonathans are more tasty than any apples. 48. It was an argument that I just could not answer. 10
Special Pronoun Problems Some of the most common problems in the use of pronouns have to do with a few specific pronouns. The following guidelines will help you avoid these errors. - Who or Whom and Whoever or Whomever These pronouns frequently cause confusion. Which words would you use in the following sentences? - (Who, Whom) is that child? - (Who, Whom) are you calling? The correct choice is easier if you remember which are subject pronouns and which are object pronouns. Subject Pronouns: who, whoever (he) Object Pronouns: whom, whomever (him) If you have trouble remembering when to use the subject or object pronouns, try substituting he and him. If the subject pronoun he works in the sentence, then use who or whoever If the object pronoun him fits in the sentence, use whom or whomever. - (Who, Whom) is that child? (Incorrect) Him is that child. (Correct) He is that child. So: Who is that child? Rearranging the subject and verb in a question will sometimes help you make the right choice. - (Who, Who) are you calling? You are calling (who, whom)? (Incorrect) You are calling he? (Correct) You are calling him? So: Whom are you calling? If the sentence is more complicated, look just at the group of words beginning with the pronoun. (You may have to rearrange the words in normal subjectverb order.) I know that (whoever, whomever) the coach picks will help our team. Rearrange: the coach picks (whoever, whomever) (Incorrect) the coach picks he 11
(Correct) the coach picks him So: I know that whomever the coach picks will help our team. Pronouns After Than or As: Than and as are used to compare two people or two things. - Tomas walks faster than Marcia. - Marcia is as tall as Tomas. These sentences have parts that are understood but not stated. - Tomas walks faster than Marcia (walks). - Marcia is as tall as Tomas (is tall). Because part of the sentence is not stated, choosing the correct pronoun is more difficult. - Tomas walks faster than (she, her). - Marcia is as tall as (he, him). To chose the right pronoun, mentally complete the sentence. - Tomas walks faster than she (walks). - Marcia is as tall as he (is tall). We or Us Followed by a Noun: The pronouns we and us sometimes cause problems when they are followed by a noun. - Car dealers are offering better deals to (we, us) Americans. To choose the correct pronoun, mentally drop the noun. Then decide which pronoun is correct. (Remember: we is a subject pronoun; us is an object pronoun.) (Incorrect) Car dealers are offering better deals to we. (Correct) Car dealers are offering better deals to us. So: Car dealers are offering better deals to us Americans. Three pronouns have been underlined in each sentence. If one of them is incorrect, circle the error. Then write the correct pronoun in the blank. If there is no error, write Correct. Example: Ted and me Nancy and he watched me and Ted do our imitation of their dancing. 49. Amy is just as qualified for the job as him, but they did not promote her as quickly. 12
50. We voters wanted both he and her to run on the ticket. 51. I thought our plans were just between you and myself. 52. Michael and Sarah gave we parents a chance to get away from them and their noise this weekend. 53. You should pay me more than you pay Janet; I work harder than her. 54. The administrators of mine company did not notify us workers of their decision. 55. Would you please tell whoever Maria brings home that we will be home to greet them? 56. Whomever would like to see our production should buy tickets from either Jean or her. 57. After we left, I and Ted continued laughing at that joke of theirs. 58. We bowlers didn t know that Franco and he had not reserved our lanes. 13
59. Jodie and me are as excited about our trip to Florida as our husbands are. 60. Manny said that he would go to the store for his mother since herself was too busy to go. 14
Answer Key Correct Use Of Adjectives And Adverbs 1. good well 2. sure surely 3. sharp sharply deep deeply 4. OK 5. quiet quietly 6. bright brightly 7. careful carefully 8. OK 9. OK 10. OK 11. prompt promptly 12. direct directly 13. OK 14. There Their 15. OK 16. That There was a foul ball. 17. OK 18. That there surely was a foul ball. 19. real really 20. quiet quietly 21. good well 22. OK 23. slowly slowly 24. good well 25. sure surely 26. quick quickly 27. more better (much) better 28. OK 29. a sentence sentences 30. This here This or Here 31. those that 32. OK 33. OK 34. OK 35. any girl any other girl 36. good better 37. noisy noisiest 38. there boat boat 39. OK 40. most funniest funniest 41. those there those 42. OK 43. OK 44. anyone anyone else 45. OK 46. most tastiest tastiest 47. any any other 48. an the 15
Special Pronoun Problems 49. he Amy is just as qualified for the job as him, but they did not promote her as quickly. 50. him We voters wanted both he and her to run on the ticket. 51. me I thought our plans were just between you and myself. 52. us Michael and Sarah gave we parents a chance to get away from them and their noise this weekend. 53. she You should pay me more than you pay Janet; I work harder than her. 54. my The administrators of mine company did not notify us workers of their decision. 55. whomever Would you please tell whoever Maria brings home that we will be home to greet them? 56. whoever Whomever would like to see our production should buy tickets from either Jean or her. 57. Ted and I After we left, I and Ted continued laughing at that joke of theirs. 58. OK 59. I Jodie and me are as excited about our trip to Florida as our husbands are. 60. she Manny said that he would go to the store for his mother since herself was too busy to go. 16