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1. The new chairs and sofabeds, displayed so brightly in the department store window, receives many stares from the passers-by.
A. displayed so brightly in the department store window, receives
B.
which are displayed so brightly in the department store window, and receives
C.
are displayed so brightly in the department store window, receive
D.
being displayed so brightly in the department store window, and receiving
E.
displayed so brightly in the department store window, receive
The new chairs and sofabeds, displayed so brightly in the department store window, receives many stares from the passers-by.
Grammar issue presented: subject/verb agreement
The subject of the sentence — new chairs and sofabeds — is plural, and a plural verb must follow. displayed so brightly in the department store window is a modifying phrase.
NOTE: Modifying phrases are often used to obscure agreement issues by splitting apart subject and verb.
A. displayed so brightly in the department store window- receives
- receives (singular verb form) Agrees: NO
B. which are displayed so brightly in the department store window, and receives
- receives (singular verb form) Agrees: NO
C.
are displayed so brightly in the department store window, receive
- receive (plural verb form)
Agrees: YES
Additional errors?
Run-on sentence!
D.
being displayed so brightly in the department store window, and receiving
-
receiving (progressive verb form)
Agrees: NO!
Additional errors?
Sentence fragment.
E.
displayed so brightly in the department store window, receive
- receive (plural verb form)
Agrees: YES
Additional errors?
None
(E) is correct because it is the only choice in which the verb agrees with the subject by being in the plural form, without creating further errors.
2. The jazz band has played all night and are finally ready to go home.
A. has played all night and are finally
B.
has played all night and is finally
C.
have played all night and are finally
D.
have played all night and is finally
E.
has been playing all night and are finally
The jazz band has played all night and are finally ready to go home.
Grammar issue presented: subject/verb agreement
The subject of the sentence is jazz band, which is a group, but is a singular entity. Therefore singular verbs must follow. Has is singular, but are is not.
A. has played all night and are finally
- has (singular), are (plural) Agree: NO
B. has played all night and is finally
-
has (singular), is (singular) Agree: YES
C.
have played all night and are finally
-
have (plural), are (plural) Agree: NO
D. have played all night and is finally
- have (plural), is (singular) Agree: NO
E. has been playing all night and are finally
- has (singular), are (plural) Agree: NO
(B) is correct because it is the only choice in which both verbs agree with a singular subject
3. Finally rescued from the streets, the shelter
provides the dogs with food and routine exercise.
A.
the shelter
provides the dogs with food and routine exercise.
B.
the shelter
provides food and routine exercise to the dogs.
C.
food and
routine exercise is provided to the dogs in the shelter.
D.
the dogs
are provided with food and routine exercise in the shelter.
E.
the dogs,
with food and routine exercise, provide in the shelter.
Finally
rescued from the streets, the shelter provides the dogs with food
and routine exercise.
Grammar issue presented: modifiers
Finally
rescued from the streets is a modifier. It
must be placed as close as possible to what it describes.
Finally
rescued from the streets, the shelter provides the dogs with food
and routine exercise.
The
modifier is misplaced because it is next to shelter. The
dogs are what is rescued from the streets, NOT the shelter.
A.
the
shelter provides the dogs with food and routine exercise.
Modifies: shelter
Correct: NO
B.
the
shelter provides food and routine exercise to the dogs.
Modifies: shelter
Correct: NO
C.
food and routine
exercise is provided to the dogs in the shelter.
Modifies: food
and routine
Correct: NO
D.
the dogs
are provided with food and routine exercise in the shelter.
Modifies: the dog
Correct: YES
Additional errors? None
E.
the dogs,
with food and routine exercise, provide in the shelter.
Modifies: the dog
Correct: YES
Additional errors?
Changes
in meaning
, sentence fragment
(D) is the only
choice which resolves the misplaced modifier without creating additional
problems.
4. Betsy loves summertime when she
swims, plays tennis, and is making friends.
A.
and
is making friends.
B.
and makes
friends.
C.
and
is able to be making friends.
D. and
friends are made.
E. and
there will be friends to make.
Betsy
loves summertime when she swims, plays tennis, and is making friends.
Grammar
issue presented: parallelism
-
The sentence contains a list, which
is a case for parallelism.
-
All items in a list must be parallel.
This
sentence contains faulty parallelism because
the verb form is making does not match the form of swims and plays.
A.
and
is making friends.
Parallel? NO
-
swims / plays / making
B.
and
makes friends.
Parallel? YES
- swims
/ plays / makes
C.
and
is able to be making friends.
Parallel? NO - swims / plays / to
be making
D.
and
friends are made.
Parallel? NO
-
swims
/ plays / made
E.
and
there will be friends to make.
Parallel? NO
-
swims /
plays / to make
(B) is the only choice which
contains proper parallel construction.
5. I was surprised
that, when given the news, Jack called you and she before
anyone else.
A. Jack called you and she before
anyone else.
B. you and she were
called before anyone else by Jack.
C. Jack called
you and her before anyone else.
D. Jack called, before anyone else, you and she.
E. her and
you were called by Jack before anyone else.
I was surprised that, when given
the news, Jack called you and she before
anyone else.
Grammar
issue presented: pronoun agreement
In
the underlined portion Jack is the subject. The
people he calls are the objects. The
pronoun she is a subjective pronoun, meaning it is used
to indicate the subject of a sentence. Thus
it is in the wrong case. In
order to be correct, she must become her, an objective
pronoun.
A. Jack called you and she before anyone else.
Subject / object / subject
Agrees: NO
she must become her
B. you and
she were called before anyone else by Jack.
Subject / subject / object
Agrees: YES
Additional errors? Passive voice: were
called, by Jack
C. Jack called you and her before
anyone else.
Subject / subject / object
Agrees: YES
Additional errors: None
D. Jack called, before anyone else, you and she.
Subject / object / subject
Agrees: NO
she must become her
E. her and you were called by Jack before
anyone else.
object / subject / object
Agrees: NO
she must become her
(B) and (C) contain pronoun agreement. Though, (B) is not
incorrect, it is not the best choice. The active voice
is preferable on the test, making (C) the clearest and best choice.
6. Every person feels
that their needs are more crucial than that of other human beings.
A. their
needs are more crucial than that of other human beings.
B. his
needs are more crucial than that of other human beings.
C. his
needs are more crucial than those of other human beings.
D. his
needs are more crucial from that of other human beings.
E. their
needs are more crucial from those of other human beings.
Every person feels that their
needs are more crucial than that of other human beings.
Grammar
issue presented: pronoun and noun agreement
In
the original sentence person is singular, while their and human
beings are both plural. In addition, needs is
plural while that is singular. The
sentence must correct agreement in number.
A.
their needs are more crucial than that of other
human beings.
singular noun
(person), plural pronoun (their)
Agree: NO
singular comparison
(than that of), plural noun (human beings)
Agree: NO
B. his needs are more crucial than
that of other human beings.
singular noun
(person), singular pronoun (his)
Agree: YES
singular comparison
(than that of), plural noun (human beings)
Agree: NO
C. his needs are more crucial than those of other human
beings.
singular noun
(person), singular pronoun (his)
Agree: YES
plural comparison
(than that of), plural noun (human beings)
Agree: YES
D. his needs are more crucial from that of other human
beings.
singular noun
(person), singular pronoun (his)
Agree: YES
improper comparison
(from that of), plural noun (human beings)
Agree: NO
E. their needs are more crucial from those of other
human beings.
singular noun
(person), plural pronoun (their)
Agree: NO
improper comparison
(from that of), plural noun (human beings)
Agree: NO
(C) is correct because it is the only choice that contains complete agreement.
7. John Edward Kenna, a Senator from West Virginia, was born
near St. Albans, in Kanawha
County, Viginia, which becomes part of the state of West Virginia
in 1863.
A.
which
becomes part of the state of
West
Virginia
in 1863.
B.
which
was becoming part of the state of
West
Virginia
in 1863.
C. which
became part of the state of
West
Virginia
in 1863.
D. which
had become part of the state of
West
Virginia
in 1863.
E. which
will become part of the state of
West
Virginia
in 1863.
John Edward Kenna, a Senator from West Virginia, was born
near St. Albans, in Kanawha
County, Viginia, which becomes
part of the state of West Virginia in 1863.
Grammar
issue presented: verb tense
-
The sentence begins in the past and discusses past events. Therefore all verbs should be in past
tense.
-
which becomes is in the present tense and
must be corrected.
A. which becomes part
of the state of
West Virginia
in
1863.
Tense: present
Correct: NO
B. which was becoming part
of the state of
West Virginia
in
1863.
Tense: progressive
past
Correct: NO
C. which became part
of the state of
West Virginia
in
1863.
Tense: past
Correct: YES
additional errors? none
D. which had become part
of the state of
West Virginia
in
1863.
Tense: past perfect
Correct: NO
E.
which will become part
of the state of
West Virginia
in
1863.
Tense: future
Correct: NO
(C) correctly puts the sentence into the past
tense.
8. Alice
Robie Resnick was elected in 1988 as only the second woman in
Ohio
to serve on the state bench, and is subsequently
reelected in 1994 and 2000.
A.
as
only the second woman in
Ohio
to
serve on the state bench, and is subsequently reelected in 1994 and 2000.
B.
to
be only the second woman in
Ohio
to
serve on the state bench, and was subsequently reelected in 1994 and 2000.
C.
as
only the second woman in
Ohio
who
served on the state bench, and is subsequently reelected in 1994 and 2000.
D.
as
only the second woman in
Ohio
to
serve on the state bench, and was subsequently reelected in 1994 and 2000.
E. as
only the second woman in
Ohio
who
had served on the state bench, and is subsequently reelected in 1994 and 2000.
Alice
Robie Resnick was elected in 1988 as only the second woman in
Ohio
to
serve on the state bench, and is subsequently reelected in 1994 and 2000.
Grammar issue presented: verb tense
-
All events in the sentence take place in the past. Therefore all verbs should be in past tense.
- is
subsequently reelected is in the present tense and must be
corrected.
Alice
Robie Resnick was elected in 1988 as only the second
woman in
Ohio
to
serve on the state
(past tense)
bench, and is subsequently
reelected in 1994 and 2000.
(present tense)
A.
as
only the second woman in
Ohio
to
serve on the state bench, and is subsequently reelected
in 1994 and 2000.
Tense: present
Correct: NO
B.
as
only the second woman in
Ohio
to
serve on the state bench, and was subsequently reelected
in 1994 and 2000.
Tense: past
Correct: YES
Additional errors?
None
C.
as
only the second woman in
Ohio
who had
served on the state bench, and was subsequently reelected
in 1994 and 2000.
Tense: past
Correct: YES
Additional errors?
had served (past
perfect) - should be infinitive to
serve.
D.
to
be only the second woman in
Ohio
to
serve on the state bench, and is subsequently reelected
in 1994 and 2000.
Tense: present
Correct: NO
E. as
only the second woman in
Ohio
who
served on the state bench, and is subsequently reelected
in 1994 and 2000.
Tense: present
Correct: NO
(B) to
be only the second woman in
Ohio
to
serve on the state bench, and was subsequently reelected in 1994 and 2000.
9.
42nd Street
has
more theaters than any street.
A.
than
any street.
B.
than
any other street.
C. then
any other street does.
D.
than
theaters on other streets.
E.
than
any street has.
42nd Street
has more theaters than any street.
Grammar issue presented: comparison
-
The sentence compares
42nd St
to
any street.
This
sentence contains faulty comparison because
to compare one street to any street is illogical. Any street includes the street
being compared. Any
other street must be used to indicate we are comparing one street
with all the rest.
A.
than any
street.
Proper
Comparison?
NO
42nd Street
to any
street
B.
than any
other street.
Proper
Comparison? YES
42nd Street
to any other street
Additional errors? none
C.
then any
other street does.
Proper
Comparison? YES
42nd Street
to any other street
Additional errors?
Improper
use of then. Than must be used in comparisons.
D.
than
theaters on other streets.
Proper
Comparison? NO
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