Creative Writing - Midterm Study Materials

Identify the Linking or helping verbs: We have read an exciting account of her triumphs.

Helping - have

Identify the Linking or helping verbs: Teresa is painting a picture of the famous runner.

Helping - is

Identify the Linking or helping verbs: My class will write reports about this sports legend.

Helping - will

Identify the complete subject: Pink lemonade makes me happy.

Pink lemonade

Decide whether or not the item contains a sentence fragment. As a travel destination, Asia attracts many Americans now.

contains a fragment

Decide whether or not the item contains a sentence fragment. Because my niece is planning to attend college at Ohio State.

contains a fragment

Decide whether or not the item contains a sentence fragment. I wish the pond would freeze over so that I could go ice skating.

contains a fragment

Decide whether or not the item contains a sentence fragment. Long before she started skating, Kelly was a talented downhill skier.

contains a fragment

After getting a head start, Noah dove headfirst (into/in to) the pool.

into Into is a preposition that indicates movement toward the inside of a place.

Identify the verb phrase: He is driving to the show.

is driving

Liana sent her new tablet back because (its/it's) screen was cracked.

its

My cat ate (its / it's) _______________ food and then fell asleep.

its Its shows ownership or belongingness.

Even after Laila tied a thick (knot/not), her shoelaces came undone.

knot Knot refers to a fastening made by tying a piece of string or rope.

I don't (know/no) what Pamela's plans are.

know Know means "to understand."

The (loose/lose) cats prowled around the streets looking for food.

loose Loose means "free or released from fastening or attachment."

Ludia will (loose/lose) her keys if she doesn't tie them to her bag.

lose Lose means "to come to be without."

Identify the complete predicate: Pink lemonade makes me happy.

makes me happy

Identify the verb phrase: I might go out to eat tonight.

might go

Identify the verb phrase: She might study tonight instead of going to the football game.

might study

When asked if she would enter the pie-eating contest, Marisol said (know/no).

no No means the opposite of yes.

Diego made it clear he could (knot/not) go to the dance that weekend.

not Not expresses negation, denial, or refusal.

Mark (passed/past) the egg salad to Liza.

passed Passed indicates motion, the delivery of an object, or the completion of an action.

Lady Gaga has won many awards in the (passed/past).

past Past either refers to a prior time period (in the past) or describes direction (marching past the school).

The bus drove (passed/past) the football stadium.

past Past either refers to a prior time period (in the past) or describes direction (marching past the school).

Identify the Linking or helping verbs: I am studying the amazing life of Wilma Rudolph.

Helping - am

Nathan's biscuits are my favorite '(because/'cause) they're so flaky.

'cause

"(By/Buy/Bye), Elijah!" Joey yelled across the parking lot.

Bye Bye has two meanings: · Most commonly, it's used as an abbreviation for "goodbye." · Less commonly, in sports, a "bye" means that an individual or team can skip a round in a competition.

(It's/Its) hard for Ellis to run long distances.

It's

What time is it? (Its / It's) _______________ almost eight o'clock.

It's It's means "it is."

Identify the Linking or helping verbs: At the park, I feel happy.

Linking - feel

Identify the Linking or helping verbs: Josh got the job by working hard.

Linking - got

Identify the Linking or helping verbs: I can't smell anything with this terrible cold.

Linking - smell

Identify the Linking or helping verbs: Jack was angry about the mess.

Linking - was

I was (write/right) that Billy Joel was a New York native.

Right Right is the opposite of wrong.

Alaina was bored yesterday, so she took a train (to/too/two) New York.

To To is a preposition that usually expresses motion or direction.

Identify the simple subject: Tom caught the mouse.

Tom

Noemi gave me (to/too/two) magic markers in 2018, and I still use them both every day.

Two Two is the number between one and three.

(Whose/Who's) going to the party this weekend?

Who's Who's means "who is."

(Whose/Who's) autograph did Feliciano get at the game?

Whose Whose shows ownership or belongingness.

Eric's roommate likes to (write/right) answers to his homework on the windows.

Write Write is to communicate in writing.

(You're/Your) just in time for the show.

You're You're means "you are."

Is this (you're/your) dog?

Your Your shows ownership or belongingness.

Ed thought it was (a/an) great honor to be the class representative.

a A comes before words that begin with a consonant sound.

There was (a lot/alot) of commotion in the room after the surprising announcement.

a lot

While it's not his favorite sport, Sam does play tennis (a lot/alot).

a lot A lot is two words, not one.

Identify the verb phrase: I am bringing snacks.

am bringing

Ed thought it was (a/an) honor to be the class representative.

an An comes before words that begin with a vowel sound.

Decide whether or not the item contains a sentence fragment. Just a note to say "hi" to my favorite niece.

contains a fragment

Nathan's biscuits are my favorite (because/cause) they're so flaky.

because Because and its informal cousin, 'cause, suggest that two events have a cause/effect relationship. The apostrophe in 'cause is meant to replace the letters be-.

Matthew stood (by/buy/bye) me during the concert.

by By can take on many meanings, including "near," "according to," and "not later than."

Corinne's baseball team was given a (by/buy/bye) in the first round of the tournament.

bye

I will (by/buy/bye) you a cookie if you're nice.

bye Buy means "purchase."

Identify the simple predicate: Tom caught the mouse.

caught

Nathan will fight for any (because/cause) he believes in.

cause Cause (noun) means "a reason."

Nathan's freestyle dancing would (because/cause) anyone to chuckle.

cause Cause (verb) means "to make happen."

Jenny (could have/could of) gone to the fair, but she decided not to.

could have Could have suggests that something is or was possible. In less formal writing, it can be shortened to could've.

I (could have/could of) passed that test if I studied.

could have Could of is an error. People sometimes confuse it with the sound of could've.

When our car ran out of gas, Isaiah and I were stranded in the (desert/dessert) until our friends sent another vehicle to get us.

desert Desert is a dry, often sandy, patch of land (has one "s")

When the waitress told Isaiah that the restaurant was out of (desert/dessert), he looked ready to cry.

dessert Dessert is the yummy food that follows a meal. (has 2 "s")

Identify the verb phrase: The dogs have been barking all day long

have been barking

Identify the verb phrase: I have eaten there already.

have eaten

Because of my ear infection, I can't (here/hear) you very well.

hear Hear means "to experience sound" or "to listen."

Will you come over (here/hear) to pick up your prize?

here Here means "at or in a certain location."

Jenny didn't realize that there was a (hole/whole) in her sock.

hole Hole means "a hollow or empty place."

I dropped (into/in to) to see you.

in to

Sara was advised to turn herself (into/in to) to the police.

in to In to is just the combination of the individual words "in" and "to" and does not indicate movement inside.

I got sent to the (principal/principle) for writing notes to Joel during class.

principal Principal is a noun that means a chief, head, or high-ranking official. Principal is also an adjective that means "main" or "primary."

The (principal/principle) reason that Jen won the race was her rocket-powered shoes.

principal Principal is also an adjective that means "main" or "primary."

I refused the job as a matter of (principal/principle).

principle Principle is a rule that people follow.

Identify the verb phrase: We shall dance at the reception.

shall dance

I (should have/should of) changed my tires before the big bike race.

should have Should have refers to past events that didn't happen. In speech and less formal writing, it can be shortened to should've.

I (should have/should of) went to the play when I had a chance.

should have Should of is an error. People write it because they think it sounds like should've.

Identify the verb phrase: The singer should make another album.

should make

Amina and Eden worked really hard on (their/there/they're) talent show act.

their Their is a possessive pronoun; it shows that something belongs to multiple people.

Before buying the house, Theo decided to head over (their/there/they're) one last time to make sure it was the perfect fit.

there There refers to a particular place or specific instance.

When Arlo's best friends Eric and John can't look him in the eye, he knows (their/they're/there) lying.

they're They're is a contraction for "they are." The apostrophe replaces the "a" in "are."

While Youssef loved eating ice cream for breakfast, he realized that a seven-scoop sundae was just (to/too/two) filling.

too Too is an adverb that means "in addition," "in excess," "more than should be," or "also."

Without you around, the team just didn't feel (hole/whole).

whole

Michael ate the (hole/whole) pie before you arrived.

whole Whole means "complete" or "entire."

I (would have/would of) frosted the cupcakes, but I didn't have time.

would have Would have is something that didn't happen, but had a chance of happening. In speech and less formal writing, it can be shortened to would've.

I (would have/would of) stayed at the party if they asked.

would have Would of sounds like would've, but is incorrect.

Identify the verb phrase: Would you look for my pen?

would look