English IV Honors grammar test

List four steps to determine a concise style.

1. Avoid deadwood constructions. 2. Avoid redundancy. 3. Carefully consider your passive verbs. 4. Avoid pretentiousness.

A/P . I made the quilt that won second place.

Active

A/P It was noticed by the choir that Linda was quite good.

Passive: The choir noticed that Linda was quite good.

In the following sentence, identify the dangling modifier and why it is wrong. Since getting that new job out of town, my gas bills have doubled and my car is falling apart.

My gas bills have doubled ,and my car has begun apart since I got a new job out of town.

C/S The diesel truck had a full load and it slowed down going up the grade.

The diesel truck, which slowed down going up the grade, had a full load.

Another use of word order to vary emphasis is called :

inversion

Emily broke her ankle over the weekend she is in a great deal of pain.

run on

A/P The rules of the game were explained by the coach.

Passive: The coach explained the rules of the game.

Choose the sentence which provide a better example of clear content. a. There are many kinds of beautiful tropical fish. The kind most popular with aquarium owners is the angelfish. b. Of the many kinds of beautiful tropical fish, the angelfish is the most popular with aquarium owners.

b. Of the many kinds of beautiful tropical fish, the angelfish is the most popular with aquarium owners.

Jarod has an interview with the PBS, I might get a job as his assistant.

comma splice

Driving a car is fast and comfortable, but riding a bicycle is better for one's health.

correct

C/S I slowly climbed to the lookout point and reaching the top provided me with a spectacular view.

Correct

John is always late for work, nobody seems to care.

comma splice

In the following sentence, identify the phrases that correctly modify the word 'sheep.' Startled by the explosion, the sheep began racing around the pen, ignoring the crowds.

'Startled by the explosion' and 'ignoring the crowds.'

List the six steps to determine a clear style.

1. Give your sentences content. 2. Make your sentences specific. 3. Avoid overpacking your sentences. 4. Fix major sentence errors. 5. Pay attention to word order. 6. Avoid mixed constructions and faulty predication.

Three strategies for developing an emphatic style.

1.Consider word order. 2.Use coordination to stress two closely related ideas equally. 3.Use subordination to connect a main idea and a less emphasized one

C/S My first thought was of you, and my second thought was of Collin.

Correct

C/S I lost the gold charm. It had been a gift from my father.

I lost the gold charm which had been a gift from my father.

In the following sentence, identify the misplaced modifier and why it doesn't work. The Senator nearly spoke for two hours about the somewhat unfair tax increase before the committee tiredly voted on the motion.

Nearly,' because it should appear before the words 'two hours.'

Determine if the following sentence contains an incorrect modifier. After falling from a ladder, the firefighter was rushed to the emergency room in a taxi and given blood before surgery.

No: the modifying phrases are correctly ordered and the meaning is clear.

Blend choppy sentences by combining sentences: Norman Bates manages a motel. It is remote. It is dangerous. Norman has a mother. She seems overly fond of knives. He tries to protect his mom.

Norman Bates manages a remote and dangerous motel along with trying to protect his mother who is overly fond of knives.

A/P The ball that was thrown by Nick was caught by the dog.

Passive: Nick threw the ball that the dog caught. The dog caught the ball Nick threw

A/P The half-time show was enjoyed by the crowd.

Passive: The crowd enjoyed the half-time show.

List six strategies for creating an engaging style

Use specific, descriptive verbs. Use specific, precise modifiers. Emphasize people when possible. Vary your sentence style. Avoid overuse of any one kind of construction in the same sentence. Don't change your point of view between or within sentences.

C/S We watched a special on naturalist John James Audubon, and the organization dedicated to birds is named after him.

We watched a special on naturalist John James Audubon, and the organization dedicated to birds is names after him.

The most important reason modifiers should be correctly placed in a sentence is that _____.

Well placed modifiers make the intended meaning of the sentence clear to the reader.

Which example uses a more descriptive verb than a bland verb? a. His fist broke the window into many little pieces. b. His fist shattered the window.

b. His fist shattered the window.

Choose the sentence which illustrates specificity. a. My roommate is truly horrible. b. My thoughtless roommate leaves dirty dishes under the bed, sweaty clothes in the closet, and toenail clippings in the sink.

b. My thoughtless roommate leaves dirty dishes under the bed, sweaty clothes in the closet, and toenail clippings in the sink.

Due to the fact that I am so busy this week, I don't have time for my animals.

correct

When students like their classes, they are more likely to achieve good grades.

correct

What is the main problem in the following sentence: He couldn't tell whether she didn't want him to go or not.

double negative

The following sentence is an example of what error of clarity? There are ten dental students on Full-Bite Scholarships attending this university.

empty fillers

When most of the students in your class are friendly

fragment

Whenever Janis does not sleep enough

fragment

Cleo can't sleep the air conditioner is too loud.

fused sentence

While hot summer weather is nice, high temperatures are dangerous for certain people.

fused sentence

Which word should be eliminated to make the following sentence more effective? The family made many enjoyable trips to Hawaii before their daughter got married there in 2009.

got

Identify the main problem in this sentence: Afraid poor repair service will ruin your next road trip? Come to Fix - it Shop.

poor repair service is not a person and will not ruin your trip

Pompous, inflated language is known a

pretentiousness

The following is an example of what problem? Upon being asked if she would like to live forever, one contestant in the Miss USA Contest replied:" I would not like to live forever, because we should not live forever, Because if we were supposed to live forever, then we would live forever, but we can Not live forever, which is why we should not live forever."

redundancy