WLCE Preparation Handouts

and Exercises

KEY

 Table of Contents

SPELLING RULE #1 ..................................................................................................................................................... 3

SPELLING RULE #2 ..................................................................................................................................................... 3

SPELLING RULE #3 ..................................................................................................................................................... 4

SPELLING RULE #4 ..................................................................................................................................................... 4

SPELLING RULE #5 ..................................................................................................................................................... 5

SPELLING RULE #6 ..................................................................................................................................................... 5

NOUNS ............................................................................................................................................................................ 5

VERBS............................................................................................................................................................................. 6

ADJECTIVES ................................................................................................................................................................. 7

ADVERBS ....................................................................................................................................................................... 7

PRONOUNS.................................................................................................................................................................... 8

SUBJECT ........................................................................................................................................................................ 9

MAIN VERB ................................................................................................................................................................... 9

CONJUNCTIONS ........................................................................................................................................................ 10

WHAT IS A SENTENCE?........................................................................................................................................... 10

SENTENCE TYPES ..................................................................................................................................................... 11

FRAGMENTS, SPLICES, AND RUN-ONS............................................................................................................... 12

PREPOSITIONS........................................................................................................................................................... 13

PARALLEL STRUCTURE ......................................................................................................................................... 14

AGREEMENT .............................................................................................................................................................. 15

MODIFIERS ................................................................................................................................................................. 18

APOSTROPHE............................................................................................................................................................. 21

PUNCTUATION........................................................................................................................................................... 22

DICTION SHEET #1.................................................................................................................................................... 23

DICTION SHEET #2.................................................................................................................................................... 23

MECHANICS TEST A ............................................................................................................................................... 25

MECHANICS TEST B................................................................................................................................................ 28

 Spelling Rule #1
(LBCH pg. 279)

Directions: Please circle the correct spelling of each word and identify which part of
Spelling Rule #1 applies.

1. vein 9 vien
2. sliegh sleigh 9
3. either 9 iether
4. weird 9 wierd
5. priest 9 preist
6. hieght height 9
7. freight 9 frieght
8. decieve deceive 9
9. neice niece 9
10. pateince patience 9
11. grief 9 greif
12. foreign 9 foriegn
13. sieze seize 9
14. neither 9 niether
15. heinous 9 hienous
16. seive sieve 9
17. relieve releive
18. biege beige 9
19. friend 9 freind
20. ceiling 9 cieling

Spelling Rule #2
(LBCH pg. 279-280)

Directions: Combine the following words and endings, keeping or dropping final es as
necessary to make correctly spelled words.

1. malice + ious = malicious 11. advise + able = advisable

2. service + able = serviceable 12. argue + ment = argument
3. retire + ment = retirement 13. sue + ing = suing
4. virtue + ous = virtuous 14. note + able = notable
5. battle + ing = battling 15. suspense + ion = suspension
6. dye + ing = dying 16. true + ly = truly
7. manage + able = manageable 17. battle + ment = battlement
8. advance + ment = advancement 18. guide + ance = guidance
9. lone + ly = lonely 19. surprise + ing = surprising
10. outrage + ous = outrageous 20. like + ness = likeness

3
 Spelling Rule #3
(LBCH pg. 280)

Directions: Combine the following words and endings, changing or keeping final ys as
necessary to make correctly spelled words.

1. imply + s = implies
2. delay + ing = delaying
3. solidify + s = solidifies
4. defy + ance = defiance
5. Murphy + s = Murphys
6. supply + ed = supplied
7. marry + ed = married
8. deputy + ize = deputize
9. happy + ness = happiness
10. spy + ed = spied
11. decay + ing = decaying
12. lonely + ness = loneliness

Spelling Rule #4
(LBCH pg. 280)

Directions: Combine the following words and endings, doubling the consonants as
necessary to make correctly spelled words.

1. repair + ing repairing 11. occur + ed occurred

2. drip + ing dripping 12. relent + ing relenting
3. shop + ed shopped 13. refer + ing referring
4. eat + en eaten 14. control + ing controlling
5. write + ing writing 15. beckon + ed beckoned
6. refer + ed referred 16. admit + ance admittance
7. travel + ed traveled 17. persist + ed persisted
8. hop + ing hopping 18. differ + ed differed
9. refer + ence reference 19. accustom + ed accustomed
10. write + en written 20. rebel + ing rebelling

4
 Spelling Rule #5
(LBCH pg.280)

Spelling Rule #6
(LBCH pg. 280)

Directions: Make correct plurals of the following singular words.

1. pile piles 11. video videos

2. donkey donkeys 12. thief thieves
3. beach beaches 13. goose geese
4. summary summaries 14. hiss hisses
5. mile per hour miles per hour 15. appendix appendices
6. box boxes 16. child children
7. switch switches 17. piano pianos
8. sister-in-law sisters-in-law 18. tomato tomatoes
9. Bales correct 19. leaf leaves
10. cupful cupsful 20. syllabus syllabi

Nouns
(LBCH pgs. 154-155)

Directions: Circle the nouns in the following sentences.

1. The baby is climbing up the stairs. baby, stairs

2. The refund from my income tax was not too large. refund, tax

3. My brother travels to New York University on the subway. brother, New York
University, subway

4. The hardware store made an adjustment on my bill. store, adjustment, bill

5. The director of the project is Dr. Lena Smith. director, project, Dr. Lena Smith

6. The children heard the anger in her voice. children, anger, voice

7. Our college must make a commitment to excellence. college, commitment, excellence

8. The real estate agent receives a commission on every sale. agent, commission, sale
9. In the event of a fire, use the stairs. event, fire, stairs

10. Because of his gentleness and warmth, Father Howe is loved by all his parishioners.
gentleness, warmth, Father Howe, parishioners

Verbs
(LBCH pgs. 170-199)

Directions: Circle all the verbs in the following sentences.

1. Marie will be cleaning the house all day. will be cleaning

2. The broken dishwasher is sitting in the garage. is sitting

3. The farmer feeds the chickens at dawn. feeds

4. I have driven a standard shift car; I prefer an automatic. have driven, prefer

5. Ken drives his car to the office. drives

6. Yvonne has been studying for several hours. has been studying

7. Rachel practices on the piano every night. practices

8. Paul is an excellent student. is

9. Yesterday Maureen was angry at her boyfriend. was

10. Sue feels bad about the accident. feels

11. The customer paid his bill promptly. paid

12. I am not a very good cook. am

13. The two boys carried the wood into the house. carried

14. You must return the gift in its original box. must return

15. I did write the check; I must have lost it. did write, must have lost

6
 Adjectives
(LBCH pgs. 214-215)

Directions: Circle the adjectives in the following sentences. Underline the pronouns that serve as
adjectives.

1. The new mother held the tiny baby in her arms. the, new, the, tiny, her

2. The black cat is beautiful. the, black, beautiful

3. A sports car can be expensive. a, sports, expensive

4. My old boyfriend was jealous. my, old, jealous

5. Her orange Halloween costume was wonderful. her, orange, Halloween, wonderful

6. I dont like to read scary mystery stories. scary, mystery

7. A famous author will speak to our church group. a, famous, our, church

8. Before the heart operation, the skillful doctor put on his disposable gloves. The, heart,
the, skillful, his, disposable

Adverbs
(LBCH pgs. 215-216)

Directions: Circle the adverbs in the following sentences.

1. We stepped cautiously through the thick weeds. cautiously

2. We often come here when the weather is good. often

3. Five posters hung there all week. all week

4. The avant-garde play was well received by the audience. well

5. They hardly had time for dinner. hardly

6. His judgment was made hastily. hastily

7. The feathers are quite beautiful. quite

8. Writing well takes practice. well

9. She sings very nicely. very

10. Surprisingly, the band played for hours. surprisingly

7
11. Revise your paper later. later

12. The scouts are camping nearby. nearby

Pronouns
(LBCH pgs. 200-212)

Directions: Circle all the pronouns in these sentences.

1. The girls lost their mittens. their

2. Mrs. White needed my notes to help her write her report. my, her, her

3. Many came to the party, but a few left early. many, few

4. These are my favorite books. these, my

5. He called his mother on her birthday. he, his, her

6. Please take my contract, and make two copies of it. my, it

7. You can visit our factory for a tour. you, our

8. Some of the papers are missing; perhaps someone took them by mistake. some,
someone

9. They will receive their paychecks in the mail. they, their

10. Paula likes my car, but she prefers it in red. my, she, it

11. When your test results arrive, she will give them to you. your, she, them, you

12. Everyone is expected to work on the project. everyone

13. He couldnt help himself. he, himself

14. This is the best party Ive ever been to. this, I (Ive=I have)

15. The man who knocked at the door was selling vacuum cleaners in this neighborhood.
who, this

8
 Subject
(LBCH pg. 161)

Main Verb
(LBCH pgs. 170-199)

Directions: Circle the subject and underline the main verb in the following sentences.

1. The public relation department is designing a new brochure. department / is designing

2. Samuel Levin bought the house on the corner. Samuel Leven / bought

3. There are two kittens in the basket. kittens / are

4. Her idea is brilliant. idea / is

5. They will research your case thoroughly. they / will research

6. Will he have the experience necessary for the job? he / will have

7. The roof on our house is leaking. roof / is

8. Over the telephone came an urgent call. call / came

9. The warehouse is guarded by the night watchman. warehouse / is guarded

10. Many questions were asked by the students. questions / were asked

11. Write your name on the bottom line. (you)implied you / write

12. The distribution of the newspapers is handled by the circulation department. distribution /
is handled

13. Send me any information about that course. (you)implied you / send

14. On every desk is a clean piece of paper. paper / is

15. The number of nurses on the ward is seven. number / is

9
 Conjunctions
(LBCH pgs. 159-160, 243-245)
No exercise provided.

What is a sentence?
(LBCH pg. 115)

Directions: Correct the following sentences. If it is a complete sentence, write correct.

Some possible correct answers are listed below. The list of correct answers is not
conclusive, as several possibilities exist for rewriting sentence fragments.

1. Researchers unwrapping the mummy containing the carefully preserved body of a

woman in an ancient tomb.
Researchers unwrapped the mummy containing the carefully preserved body of a
woman in an ancient tomb.

Researchers, unwrapping the mummy containing the carefully preserved body of a

woman in an ancient tomb, were excited about the discovery.

2. Which had been wound in twenty layers of silk.

The mummy had been wound in twenty layers of silk.

The mummy, which had been wound in twenty layers of silk, was fragile.

3. Turned out to be a Chinese aristocrat named Lady Dai.

The body turned out to be a Chinese aristocrat named Lady Dai.

4. She was embalmed in a bath of mercury salts.

Correct

5. When she died around B.C. 168.

When she died around B.C. 168, she was only thirty years old.

6. Bamboo matting and five tons of charcoal.

Bamboo matting and five tons of charcoal were placed in the base of the tomb.

7. Absorbed excess water in the tomb and kept the body dry.

These materials absorbed excess water in the tomb and kept the body dry.

8. The body of another Chinese princess had been buried in a magnificent jade suit.
Correct

9. Because jade was also believed to preserve bodies.

10
 Jade was also believed to preserve bodies.

10. Had decayed, unlike Lady Dais.

Nevertheless, the body of the other Chinese princess had decayed, unlike Lady Dais.

Sentence Types

Directions:

1.Circle the subjects in the following sentences.

2.Underline the predicates in the following sentences.

3.Put all independent clauses in parentheses.

4.Put all dependent clauses in brackets.

5.Identify sentence type (simple, compound, complex, or compound-complex).

Note: In this key, both subjects and main verbs are underlined

1. comp-complex (The dog ran into the street) [chasing the ball], and (a car almost hit him).

2. comp-complex [Because she swerved to miss the dog], (the driver crashed into a tree),
but (she was not harmed).

3. compound (The tree, however, was not okay); (it fell over into the street).

4. complex (A woman [who saw the incident] spoke to the policeman and told him that the
driver had no choice but to crash into the tree).

5. simple (The driver was taken to a nearby hospital for an examination).

6. comp-complex [A short time after], (the car was towed away), and (the tree was pulled onto
the sidewalk).

7. complex [Even though the witness told police that the driver had no choice but to crash
into the tree], (the driver was given a citation).

8. compound (The next day the tree was cut into pieces), (the pieces were loaded onto a truck),
and (the truck was driven to the wood mill).

11

 Fragments, Splices, and Run-ons

(LBCH pgs. 228-235)

Directions: Identify and correct the fragments, comma splices, and run-on sentences.
Circle the number of any sentence that is correct.

1. As he ran to catch the train. fragment

As he ran to catch the train, he dropped his briefcase.

2. The kids ate the food, the party ended. comma splice

The kids ate the food. The party ended.

3. Whether or not you like it. fragment

Whether or not you like it, you need to clean your room.

4. I enjoyed the movie I saw it twice. run-on

I enjoyed the movie. I saw it twice.

5. By the time I am through with her. fragment

By the time I am through with her, she will be the best student at Wheelock.

6. The WPE has three sections, you have to pass all three. comma splice

The WPE has three sections. You have to pass all three.

7. As long as we are all here and ready to begin. fragment

As long as we are all here and ready to begin, lets start the program.

8. In order to see the best of the famous New England foliage. fragment
In order to see the best of the famous New England foliage, you should arrive in mid-
October.

9. Maya Angelou will speak at Wheelock, she will attract a crowd. comma splice

Maya Angelou will speak at Wheelock. She will attract a crowd.

10. We will leave when I am done. correct

11. It is worth studying for the WPE. It is a hard test. correct

12. Only ten people came to the tag sale, it was a financial failure. comma splice
Only ten people came to the tag sale. It was a financial failure.

Note: When correcting comma splices or run-on sentences, the periods can be replaced
with a semicolon (;) or with a comma and a conjunction (, and).

12

 Prepositions
(LBCH pgs. 140-141, 164)

Directions: Circle the prepositional phrases in the following sentences.

1. Milly went to the grocery store. to the grocery store

2. In the morning, I walk several miles. in the morning

3. The business meeting will be held after the dinner. after dinner

4. Someone broke into the office during the night. into the office, during the night

5. At night my grandmother keeps her teeth in a glass by the bed. at night, in a glass, by the
bed

6. Jane moved to Boston from San Francisco. to Boston, from San Francisco

7. Before the storm, we closed several windows in the house. before the storm, in the
house

8. Sal looked under the desk, behind the bookshelf, and even in the wastebasket for the missing
check. under the desk, behind the bookshelf, in the wastebasket, for the missing
check

9. Dan skis on the cross-country trails in Maine. on the cross-country trails, in Maine

10. On the way to school, Joey always walks through the puddles. `on the way, to school,
through the puddles

13

 Parallel Structure
(LBCH pgs. 123-126)
Parallel: Not just anyone off the street can be prepared for, or capable of, teaching
kindergarten.

Directions: Correct the faulty parallelism in each of the items below.

1. Abused children commonly exhibit one or more of the following symptoms: withdrawal,
rebelliousness, restlessness, and they are depressed.
Abused children commonly exhibit one or more of the following symptoms: withdrawal,
rebelliousness, restlessness, and depression.

2. Esperanza is responsible for stocking merchandise, writing orders for delivery, and sales
of computers.
Esperanza is responsible for stocking merchandise, writing orders for delivery, and selling
computers.

3. At Lincoln High School, vandalism can result in suspension or even being expelled from
school.
At Lincoln High School, vandalism can result in suspension or expulsion from school.

4. Many states are reducing property taxes for homeowners and extend financial aid in the
form of tax credits to renters.
Many states are reducing property taxes for homeowners and extending financial aid in the
form of tax credits to renters.

5. Leslie was both proud and happy with her new job.
Leslie was both proud of and happy with her new job.

6. It is easier to make generalizations than providing specific examples.

It is easier to make generalizations than to provide specific examples.

7. Mother could not persuade me that giving is as much a joy as to receive.

Mother could not persuade me that giving is as much a joy as receiving.

8. He liked to sunbathe, drink margaritas, and sleeping on the beach all day.
He liked to sunbathe, drink margaritas, and sleep on the beach all day.

9. Our program is easy to install, easy to finance, and the learning required is minimal.
Our program is easy to install, easy to finance, and easy to learn.

10. I am ready and scared of life after graduation.

I am ready for and scared of life after graduation.

14
 Agreement
(LBCH pgs. 194-199)

Directions: Choose the word(s) that agrees with the rest of the sentence.
1. Each of my sisters (has, have) (her, their) own apartment. has, her

2. All of them (spend, spends) an evening with us every week. spend

3. Each of us (hope, hopes) someday to go there. hopes

4. Therefore, there (is, are) usually a quite a few problems. are

5. My sister and (I, me) will enjoy going. I

6. We needed to know if there were reservations for (he and I, him and me). him and me

7. Maybe (she, her) and (I, me) will get As. she, I

8. Playing the game was great fun for David and (I, me). me

9. It was a hard decision for (she and I, her and me) to make. her and me

10. It was a great experience for my wife and (I, me). me

11. One of the best courses Im taking this year (are, is) typing. is

12. Some of my friends (take, takes) the same course. take

13. All of us (wish, wishes) we had learned to type earlier. wish

14. Most of my friends now (type, types) their papers. type

15. One of my friends (has, have) even typed her brothers papers. has

16. It (doesnt, dont) take as much time to type as to write longhand. doesnt

17. Two of the men in our class (takes, take) computer programming. take

18. Each of them (find, finds) (his, their) typing skills essential. finds, his

19. Typed papers usually (get, gets) better grades. get

20. All the students who cant type (wish, wishes) they could. wish

15

Directions: Revise the following sentences so that each part agrees.

1. Each of my sisters have their own cars.

Each of my sisters has her own car.

2. Both of them likes the independence of living alone.

Both of them like the independence of living alone.

3. One of them live in the center of the city.

One of them lives in the center of the city.

4. Neither of my sisters have their own television sets.

Neither of my sisters has her own television set.

5. Both of my sisters was here last night.

Both of my sisters were here last night.

6. Everybody have a bicycle of their own.

Everybody has a bicycle of his or her own.

7. Nobody lost their license.

Nobody lost his or her license.

8. All the people has a right to choose.

All the people have a right to choose.

9. Every one of the students have their personal favorites.

Every one of the students has his or her personal favorite.

10. The difference between the twins are often surprising.

The difference between the twins is often surprising.

11. Both the drinks and the dessert was left off the bill.

Both the drinks and the dessert were left off the bill.

16
12. Each of the puzzles require thirty minutes to solve.

Each of the puzzles requires thirty minutes to solve.

13. Neither of us enjoys the outdoors. correct

14. There is only three original songs in the bands repertoire.

There are only three original songs in the bands repertoire.

15. The prices of every one of the houses in our neighborhood is high.

The prices of every one of the houses in our neighborhood are high.

16. The cabinet for the stereo components are made of oak.

The cabinet for the stereo components is made of oak.

17. Among the crowd was three pickpockets.

Among the crowd were three pickpockets.

18. Neither the ring nor the watch were stolen.

Neither the ring nor the watch was stolen.

19. There are a little group of houses at the curve in the road.

There is a little group of houses at the curve in the road.

20. The pieces of the clock was spread over the road.

The pieces of the clock were spread over the road.

17
 Modifiers
(LBCH pgs. 213-227)

Directions: Edit the following sentences to eliminate dangling and misplaced modifiers. If a
sentence is correct, write correct after it.
Note: The following changes represent some, but not all, possible corrections. Students may
rewrite the sentences differently, and those sentences may still be correct.

1. Strapped for cash, his rich uncle loaned Dave the money.
His rich uncle loaned the money to Dave, who was strapped for cash.

2. She only saw a blur as the express train roared through the station.
She saw only a blur as the express train roared through the station.

3. To be renewed, the library requires that a book be brought in for restamping.

The library requires that a book be brought in for restamping to be renewed.

4. Wrapped, labeled, and addressed, the gifts were ready to be mailed.

Correct

5. Whenever affordable, parents in Charlton send their children to private school.

Parents in Charlton send their children to private school whenever affordable.

6. While trying to cope with the heat and humidity in Baltimore, my friends in San Francisco
phoned to complain about the foggy, overcast skies there.
While I was trying to cope with the heat and humidity in Baltimore, my friends in San
Francisco phoned to complain about the foggy, overcast skies there.

7. The tremendous blast even surprised the demolition crew.

The tremendous blast surprised even the demolition crew.

8. The law firm accepted Stevens resignation, worrying that he was making the wrong move.
Worrying that he was making the wrong move, the law firm accepted Stevens resignation.

The law firm accepted Stevens resignation, even as he worried that he was making the
wrong move.

9. Driving home from work in a daze, the police officer stopped me for running a red light.
While I was driving home from work in a daze, the police office stopped me for running a
red light.

10. At the age of five, my father took a new job in Arizona.

When I was five, my father took a new job in Arizona.
11. Having been on a diet for months, my cabinets were bare.
My cabinets were bare because I had been on a diet for months.

18
12. Having added three cups of rice, I figured the stew would feed six.
Correct

13. To recover from surgery, the operation must be performed in less than an hour.
In order for patients to recover from surgery, the operation must be performed in less than
an hour.

14. Being a nonconformist, the green wig is the one she chose.
Being a nonconformist, she chose the green wig.

15. We serve ice cream to customers in cones or dishes.

We serve customers ice cream in cones or dishes.

16. After buying a new pair of shoes, they should be polished.

After buying a new pair of shoes, you should polish them.

17. Taking a careful look at all the gifts, the smallest box was the one the child selected.
Taking a careful look at all the gifts, the child selected the smallest box.

18. Driving to home for the weekend, my dog barked at every passing car.
While I was driving home for the weekend, my dog barked at every passing car.

19. Faster than a speeding bullet, the citizens of Metropolis saw Superman flying over head.
The citizens of Metropolis saw Superman flying overhead, faster than a speeding bullet.

20. Dark and threatening, Wendy watched the storm.

Wendy watched the dark and threatening storm.

21. Jane watched the boats roller-skating along the shore.

Roller-skating along the shore, Jane watched the boats.

22. Rolling down the hill, she watched the car.

She watched the car rolling down the hill.

23. Venus de Milo is a statue created by a famous artist with no arms.

Created by a famous artist, Venus de Milo is a statue with no arms.

24. Using a pair of forceps, the skin of the rats abdomen was lifted, and a small cut was made
into the body with scissors.
Using a pair of forceps, the scientist lifted the skin of the rats abdomen and made a small
cut into the body with scissors.
25. Paid in three installments Brads financial situation seemed stable.
After the bill was paid in three installments, Brads financial situation seemed stable.

26. To make his paper accurate, all references were checked twice.
To make his paper accurate, he checked all references twice.

19
27. With fifty pages left to read, War and Peace was absorbing.
With fifty pages left to read, I found War and Peace absorbing.

28. Though a high-pressure field, I find great personal satisfaction in nursing.

I find great personal satisfaction in nursing, though it is a high pressure field.

29. As I skied down the mountain, the restaurant seemed warm and inviting.
The restaurant seemed warm and inviting, as I skied down the mountain.

30. When exiting the train, the station will be on your right.
When you exit the train, the station will be on your right.

31. This diet program will limit the consumption of possible carcinogens, which will benefit
everyone.
This diet program, which will benefit everyone, will limit the consumption of possible
carcinogens.

32. The parents checked to see if the children were sleeping after they finished their wine.
After they finished their wine, the parents checked to see if the children were sleeping.

33. He loaded the bottles and cans into his new Porsche, which he planned to leave at the
recycling center.
He loaded the bottles and cans, which he planned to leave at the recycling center, into his
new Porsche.

34. The manager explained the sales figures to the board members using a graph.
The manager used a graph to explain the sales figures to the board members.

35. The Prince and the Pauper is a novel about an exchange of identities by Mark Twain.
Mark Twains The Prince and the Pauper is a novel about an exchange of identities.

The Prince and the Pauper, by Mark Twain, is a novel about an exchange of identities.

36. Driving through the Mojave Desert, the landscape was oppressive.
I found the landscape oppressive, as I was driving through the Mojave Desert.

20
 Apostrophe
(LBCH pgs. 260-264)

Directions: Add apostrophes where they are needed and delete apostrophes used
incorrectly in the following sentences. If a sentence is correct, write correct after it.

1. Ill sew the costumes if youll paint the sets. Ill, youll

2. My sister-in-laws house is more than 150 years old; its most interesting feature is a hidden
passageway in the library. sister-in-laws, its

3. When we visited Ireland, we tried to locate the Murphys, who used to live next door to us.
Murphys

4. Their house is on the sunny side of the street; ours is on the shady side. ours

5. Veronica has always had problems with her nieces daughter. problems, nieces

6. The childrens clothing was soaked from the unexpected downpour. childrens

7. After sixteen years Silass gold was found. Silas

8. I dont know how many times I had to call my doctors office before someone answered.
dont, doctors

9. Little Andrew insisted on pulling the gooses tail. gooses

10. Theirs is the biggest pumpkin Ive ever seen. Theirs, Ive

21

 Punctuation

Directions: Correct the punctuation in each of the sentences. If the punctuation is already
correct, circle the number.

1. I ate pumpkin pie, blueberry pancakes, and chewing gum.

2. Before school, you should eat breakfast, finish your homework, walk the dog, and take the
trash out.

3. Is that a mouse or a rat?

4. He asked whether that was a mouse or a rat. correct

5. The two boys asked me, Can you help us fix our bicycle?

6. All the troops are accounted for! barked the captain.

7. I said, You are all so intelligent.

8. I went to the mall, the supermarket, and the deli.

9. Thats enough, he said. At least for now.

10. Could you bring me the wrench, screwdriver, and pliers?

11. I was impressed with the lakes, the clean cities, and the forests.

12. They bought a house with eight rooms, a two-car garage, and a large garden.

13. Ants live in the Arctic, in tropical forests, in deserts, on mountains, and along seashores.

14. Could that be the right temperature?

22
 Diction Sheet #1
Diction Sheet #2
Definitions for these words can be found in The Little, Brown Compact Handbook on pages
277-271, 469-482.

Directions: In the following sentences circle the correct word.

1. It is easier to forget ( then / than ) it is to forgive. than

2. I dont know ( whose / whos ) idea that was. whose

3. No one knows how the school got ( its / its ) name. its

4. I have ( excepted / accepted ) his offer of help. accepted

5. I ( advice / advise ) against planning a ski trip in April. advise

6. Teachers directly ( effect / affect ) the community. affect

7. She has ( to / too ) much work. too

8. She is faster ( than / then ) her brother. than

9. I found out her name, but by ( than / then ) it was too late. then

10. I was deeply ( effected / affected ) by their presentation. affected

11. It is hard to assess the presentations ( affect / effect ) on others. effect

12. The debate will have an interesting ( affect / effect ) on the vote. effect

13. If it does not ( affect / effect ) you, let me know. affect

14. I cant tell you any more (then / than ) that. than

15. I think you should ( accept / except ) all but one invitation. accept

16. The basic wheel and pulley is a simple ( device / devise ). device

17. Dont underestimate the ( affect / effect ) of your words. effect

18. There is nothing easier ( than / then ) telling the truth. than

19. The children forgot ( their / there ) hats. their

20. ( Its / Its ) about time you got here. Its

23
Directions: In the following sentences circle the correct word.

1. The accident victim remained ( unconscious / unconscience ) for days. unconscious

2. Everyone ( should of / should have ) heard the news by now. should have

3. The committee spent all the interest and half of the ( principle / principal ) in the emergency
fund bank account. principle

4. She is ( suppose / supposed ) to arrive today. supposed

5. We are ( already / all ready ) to pass this test. all ready

6. The professor referred to the ( principle / principal ) of gravity. principle

7. You must ( choose / chose ) at least two items. choose

8. Unless you identify the ( principle / principal ) character, you will not solve the mystery.
principal

9. Havent we ( already / all ready ) reviewed this material? already

10. Have you gotten ( use / used ) to the format of this test yet? used

24
III. GRAMMAR AND MECHANICS: Practice Test A

1. Sentence Construction

1. Errors: Misplaced modifier; subject pronoun mistakenly used.

Possible revisions:
While my sister and I were studying for our exams, my parents sent care packets to us.
While we were studying for exams, my parents sent care packages to my sister and me.
While studying for exams, my sister and I received care packages from my parents.

**Please note that the revisions offered in this key are not exhaustive; other grammatically
correct revisions may be possible.

2. Errors: Agreement with a singular indefinite pronoun (everyone); fragment.

Possible revisions:
Before running a race, everyone should make sure he or she stretches to avoid becoming
injured.
To avoid becoming injured, everyone should make sure he or she stretches before

running a race.

3. Errors: faulty parallelism

Possible revisions:
If you want to be healthy, you have to eat right, gets lots of sleep, and exercise.

4. Correct

5. Errors: object pronoun mistakenly used; misplaced modifier

Possible revisions:
While wearing their pajamas, she and Jane always wrapped their gifts on the night before
the holiday.
On the night before the holiday, she and Jane always wore their pajamas while wrapping
their gifts.

6. Errors: faulty parallelism; comma splice

Possible revisions
In everyones life there is room for creativity and imagination; the important thing is to
avoid monotony.
In everyones life there is room for creativity and imagination. The important thing is to
avoid monotony.

25

 7. Usually every one of the children take his or her nap without a fuss. Although Roy hums to
himself after the lights go out.
Errors: fragment
Possible revisions:
Although Roy hums to himself after the lights go out, usually every one of the children
take his or her nap without a fuss.
Usually every one of the children take his or her nap without a fuss, although Roy hums
to himself after the lights go out.
Usually all of the children take their naps without a fuss, although Roy hums to himself
after the lights go out.

8. Errors: misplaced modifier

Possible revisions

Examining every ring very carefully, she selected the most expensive one.

After she examined every ring carefully, she selected the most expensive one.

9. Errors: fused sentence; subject-verb agreement problem

Possible revisions

When are you going to be finished with that magazine? One of the articles is required
reading for my class tomorrow.

10. Errors: fragment, agreement error with a singular indefinite pronoun

Possible revisions

However tired you might be, remember that each student must be ready for his or her test
tomorrow.

II. Punctuation and Capitalization

1. Do you ever wonder how French grocery stores differ from ours?

2. Protocol dictates that her subjects must bow or curtsey when being introduced to Queen
Elizabeth, our teacher explained.

3. While I was on vacation, I managed to read all of Tolstoys novel War and Peace.

4. Our tour guide wailed, Ive had all I can take! and then she left our group stranded at the
airport.

5. I was extremely appalled at how over-priced this artists work is.

6. Its nearly midnight,t so I suppose we ought to get our coats and head for home.

7. If youre a member of the Democratic Party you might be interested in this fundraising
dinner tonight.

26

8. correct

9. Jane asked, Why cant we all agree on what to have for dinner?

10. Even though I was still a little full from lunch, I managed to put away steak, potatoes, salad,
and cake.

Diction

1. Staying up all night negatively (affects/effects) her mood the next day.

2. My (principal/principle) aim in investing is to save enough money to buy a house.

3. Where (theres/theirs) smoke, you can be sure to find fire.

4. Our guide (led/lead) us through the network of caves and tunnels.

5. I dont know (whether/weather) to concentrate in child life or to major in social work.

3b. Vocabulary
1. nonsensical

a) part of speech: adjective

b) definition: following no rational principle or plan

** Please not that adequate definitions may be phrased differently than the definitions
provided here.

2. galvanize

a) part of speech: verb

b) definition: to stimulate or excite as if by electric shock

3. sarcastic

a) part of speech: adjective

b) definition: ironic in a way that is wounding or expresses contempt

3c. Grammatical Terms

1. dangling modifier modifier that does not sensibly modify anything in a sentence

2. article a word that marks a noun (a, an, the)

3. comma splice two complete sentences joined by a comma

27
III. GRAMMAR AND MECHANICS: Practice Test B

** Please note that other grammatically correct revisions may be possible

1. Sentence Construction
1. Errors: agreement problem with a singular indefinite pronoun; fused sentence
Possible revisions:
Each of the voters makes his or her own decision, but sometimes we are influenced by
family members when we vote.
Each of the voters makes his or her own decision, although/yet/
Even though all voters make their own decisions, they are sometimes influenced by
family members when voting.
There are many more possibilities.

2. Errors: subject-verb agreement; faulty parallelism

Possible revisions:
Keiko, distracted by daydreams, is munching on Doritos, noshing on pickles, and licking
her fingers.

3. Errors: agreement problem with a singular indefinite pronoun; subject pronoun mistakenly
used
Possible revisions:
The dangers of eating too many Big Macs do not worry him and Bob.
He and Bob arent worried about the dangers of eating too many Big Macs.

4. Errors: dangling modifier; comma splice.

Possible revisions:
While I was skiing on a steep slope, my hat flew off. It was so ugly I left it behind.

5. Errors: fragment; agreement problem with a singular indefinite pronoun

Possible revisions:
During the concert, around midnight, everyone was clapping with his or her hands in the
air.

6. Errors: misplaced modifier

Possible revisions:

The clothes that she and Stacey were giving away were full of holes.

7. Errors: comma splice

Possible revisions:
Its true: Even though I could sympathize with her, she had an attitude problem.
Its true. Even though I could sympathize with her, she had an attitude problem.

8. Correct

28
 9. The new math professor is a person. Who has great energy and with a keen interest in
students.

Errors: fragment; faulty parallelism

Possible revisions:

The new math professor is a person who has great energy and a keen interest in students.

10. Errors: dangling modifier; fused sentence

Possible revisions:

As I was climbing to a height of 4,000 feet, my ears hurt and it was hard to breathe.
As I climbed to a height of 4, 000 feet, my ears began to hurt. It was hard to breathe.

II. Punctuation and Capitalization

1. After the childrens nap, were going to play show-and-tell.

2. The little girl displayed her soiled, torn, and beloved security blanket. She announced, This
is my binkie.

3. How long have you had your binkie? asked one of the other children.

4. Another child brought some African drums and played them for the other children, who were
mesmerized by the performance.

5. Have you really memorized the Declaration of Independence?

6. Snow White, who had majored in womens studies at Yale University, taught the dwarves all
about feminist philosophy.

7. The dwarves professed a passion for the theories of Karl Marx and Julia Kristeva, Snow
Whites special favorites.

8. When the prince kissed Snow White, she awoke and told him that she expected him to share
in domestic chores, parenting duties, and financial decision-making.

9. Correct

10. Its time you started raising your consciousness, Snow White told the prince, handing him
a copy of the feminist book, Backlash.

Diction

Circle the correct word in each of the following five sentences.

1. (Whos/Whose) going to clean up this mess?

2. (Theyre/Their/There) reaction to the news was not what I had expected.

29
3. I know you have a lot of work to do. Youll just have to find a way to (bear/bare) it until the
semester is over.

4. The bosss decision really brought down the (morale/moral) of her employees.

5. If we cross five time zones, what (affect/effect) will that have on our sleep patterns?

3b. Vocabulary
***Please note that adequate definitions may be phrased differently
1. dogmatic
c) part of speech: adjective
d) definition: clinging to one approach or set of principles with relentless insistence

4. discerning
a) part of speech: adjective
b) definition: having the ability to make fine distinctions; insightful and subtle

5. ironic
a) part of speech: adjective
b) definition: using of words that express something other than or opposite from the
literal meaning.

3c. Grammatical Terms

4. misplaced modifier a modifier whose placement in a sentences creates ambiguity or

confusion in meaning

5. adverb a word that modifies an adjective, verb, or another adverb

6. fused sentence (run-on) two complete sentences that are not separated by punctuation

30