HESI_A2_Grammar_Study_Guide book

  Table of Contents List of the Eight Parts of Speech 3 Noun 3 Pronoun 4 Verbs 4 Adverbs 4 Adjectives 6 Conjunctions 7 Prepositions 8 Interjections 9 Subject Verb Agreement 9 Common Grammatical Mistakes 10 Sentence Fragments 16 “Test Your Knowledge” Answer Key 28 HESI A2 Grammar Practice Test 20 HESI A2 Grammar Practice Test Answer Key 33 Eight Parts of Speech The eight parts of speech are:  Nouns  Pronouns  Verbs  Adverbs  Adjectives  Conjunctions  Prepositions  Interjections A NOUN is a word or phrase that describes a person, place, or thing. For example, the White House, Annie, book, and tree are all nouns. There are four types of nouns: common noun, proper noun, abstract noun, and collective noun.  Common nouns are used to describe things in general.  For example, lamp, tree, and chair are all common nouns.  Proper nouns are often capitalized and describe specific things, people, or places.  For example, the Boston Red Sox and the White House are both proper nouns.  Abstract nouns describe things that one cannot observe using the five senses.  For example, love, honesty, and fear are abstract nouns.  Collective nouns describe a group of things or people.  For example, the faculty, the herd, and the flock are all collective nouns. TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE! (Answers on Page 18) Identify the bolded word as a common, proper, abstract, or collective noun. 1. How will we get the cat down from the tree? 2. If you can’t be honest with me, I can’t trust you. 3. The jogging group meets every day at 7 A.M. 4. I’d love to join you for dinner at The Riverside Grille tomorrow. 5. Do you think the band will add more dates since the show is already sold out? A PRONOUN is a word that is used in place of a noun. For example, he, she, that, we, and I are all pronouns.  Do you see that lady across the street?  I want to be in his class. TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE! (Answers on Page 18) Fill in the blank with the appropriate pronoun. 6. I think lady over there used to be my first grade teacher. 7. Sometimes I borrow my sister’s makeup without asking . 8. doesn’t like spinach, but he eats it because it’s healthy. 9. are all planning to go the movies after school today. 10. want to buy a cookie at lunch, but I forgot to bring extra money today. A VERB is a word or phrase that describes an action. For example, jumping, crying, and drawing are all verbs.  She sang in front of the entire school.  We were jumping on the trampoline when she fell. An ADVERB is a word or phrase that is used to modify a verb, adjective, or another adverb. Adverbs do not modify nouns. Many adverbs end with –ly; however, there are adverbs that do not. For example, most, least, never, very, there, and now are all adverbs that do not end with –ly. Examples of adverbs: quickly, randomly, regularly, usually, simply, happily Adverbs can tell us multiple things. First, adverbs can answer the question “When?”. For example, now, daily, and never are all adverbs that answer the question “When?”.  If we are going to make it in time, we need to leave now. Adverbs can also answer the question “Where?”. For example, here, there, and everywhere are all adverbs that answer the question “Where?”.  I looked everywhere for my book, but I cannot find it. Third, adverbs answer the question “How?”. For example, quickly, slowly, and easily are all adverbs that answer the question “How?”.  She had done that task before, so she was easily able to finish it in time. Adverbs modifying verbs:  We watched her dance gracefully on the stage. (Here, the adverb gracefully modifies the verb dance.)  He drank the most of them all. (Here, the adverb most modifies the verb drank.) Adverbs modifying adjectives:  The extremely tall man stepped on my feet. (Here, the adverb extremely modifies the adjective tall.)  The monster on TV was disgustingly ugly. (Here, the adverb disgustingly modifies the adjective ugly.) Adverbs modifying other adverbs:  He ran the marathon unusually quickly. (Here, the adverb unusually modifies the adverb quickly.) TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE! (Answers on Page 18) Identify the adverb in the following sentence 11. That cake was absolutely delicious! Please, tell me your recipe. 12. She was extremely proud of her daughter when she graduated. 13. He goes to that coffee shop practically every day. 14. She looked at me wearily when I asked her how long she’d been studying. 15. You finished your dinner quickly! You must have been hungry. An ADJECTIVE is a word or phrase that is descriptive of a noun or a pronoun. Adjectives answer the following questions: “What kind?” and “How many/how much? Adjectives can be a verb, noun, or a pronoun. A verb is a word that describes an action. When an adjective is a verb, it is called a participle. Verbs typically end with –ing or, if in past tense, -ed. For example, running, yelling, and reading are all verbs. A noun is a word or phrase that describes a person, place, or thing. For example, the White House, Annie, book, and tree are all nouns. A pronoun is a word that is used in place of a noun. For example, he, she, that, we, and I are all pronouns.  My favorite is the red book.  He is a funny doctor.  There are a lot of birds outside, but I like the yellow one the best.  Even though people do not call her a bully, I still think she is very mean. Adjectives as verbs:  I found a torn sheet of paper.  I tried to help the crying girl. Adjectives as nouns:  We played at the school’s playground.  I got to pet the panda’s baby cub. Adjectives as pronouns:  Do you see that lady across the street?  I want to be in his class. TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE! (Answers on Page 19) Identify the adjective. 16. She rides her bike to school every day. 17. The flying birds dodged the electric poles. 18. Do you still have that hat? I was thinking I could use it for my Halloween costume. 19. I brought my sister’s lunch to school by accident. 20. I think I bought a broken phone. I tried charging it, but it still doesn’t work. A CONJUNCTION is a word that is used to connect words, phrases, clauses or sentences. Conjunctions can also connect thoughts, ideas, and actions. There are three main types of conjunctions. These are correlative, subordinating, and coordinating conjunctions.  Correlative conjunctions connect two equivalent words or phrases that correlate.  Both my brother and my sister play basketball.  Subordinating conjunctions connect an independent clause with a dependent clause.  I will bring your jacket with me because you may change your mind.  Coordinating conjunctions: These connect sentences, words, or phrases.  I ate ice cream and a brownie for dessert. TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE! (Answers on Page 19) Fill in the blank with the appropriate conjunction: (because, unless, and, both, but). 21. Can we get popcorn candy at the movies? 22. you can keep your room clean; you won’t be able to go to the movies with your friends. 23. Make sure that you pack your tooth brush your toothpaste. 24. I think she is tired they stayed up watching scary movies at the sleepover last night 25. I play soccer, I prefer basketball. A PREPOSITION is a word that is often used before a noun or a pronoun to form a phrase. Prepositions describe a relationship between words in a sentence. Prepositions describe the location/position of something, the time at which something happens, and the way in which something is done.  Prepositions describing location/position:  I found the ball under the table.  Prepositions describing time:  He arrived to class after the teacher had already explained the directions.  Prepositions describing a way something is done:  She completed the puzzle without looking at the picture. TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE! (Answers on Page 19) Fill in the blank with the appropriate preposition: (without, under, past, after, up). 26. you finish washing the dishes, you can watch TV. 27. I can play the song looking at the music. 28. I think we can get to the other side of the highway if we follow the trail that goes the bridge. 29. My house is just the park on Maple street. 30. I put the Christmas decorations in the attic. An INTERJECTION is word or phrase that is used to show emotion. For example, interjections can show surprise, anger, and excitement. An interjection is often followed by an exclamation point.  Oh my gosh!  Ah! You scared me. TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE! (Answers on Page 20) Fill in the blank with the appropriate interjection: (hey, ouch, oh no, wow, hooray). 31. ! I got an A+ on my paper! 32. ! I can’t believe I got a parking ticket! 33. ! These flowers are beautiful. Thank you! 34. ! I think I stepped on a pushpin! That hurt! 35. ! Somebody stop him—he’s stealing my bike! Subject Verb Agreement The subject and verb of a sentence must agree in terms of number. A singular subject must have a singular verb, whereas a plural subject must have a plural verb. Plural subjects often end with either -s or -es. For example, dresses, cars, and phones are plural nouns. However, there are irregular plural nouns that do not end in -s or -es. For example, geese, teeth, and feet are irregular plural nouns. Correct:  The bird is in the cage. (Here, the subject, bird, is singular, and the verb, is, is also singular. Therefore, the subject and verb agree.)  The children were outside. (Here, the subject, children, is plural, and the verb, were, is also plural. Therefore, the subject and verb agree.) Incorrect:  The lamp are on. (Here, the subject, lamp, is singular, but the verb, are, is plural. Therefore, the subject and verb do not agree.)  The dogs is over there. (Here, the subject, dogs, is plural, but the verb, is, singular. Therefore, the subject and verb do not agree.) Sometimes, the subject and verb of a sentence are separated. Even so, the two must follow the rule of agreement.  The dress, which I designed, is in the closet. (Here, the subject, dress, is separated from its verb, is. Both the subject and the verb are singular and agree.)  Those girls, who I go to school with, are in my spot. (Here, the subject, girls, is separated from its verb, are. Both the subject and the verb are plural and agree.) A collective noun describes a group of things or people. Its form is singular, but its meaning is plural. When a collective noun describes a group acting together, then its verb should be singular. On the other hand, when a collective noun describes a group acting separately, then its verb should be plural.  The herd is chasing the prey together. (Here, the subject, the herd, is acting together, so the singular verb, is, is used.  The children are not in agreement about which game to play. (Here, the subject, the children, is not acting together, so the plural verb, are, is used. TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE! (Answers on Page 20) Insert the correct verb to match the subject, tense, and context of the sentence: (brings, was, comes, are, is, start) 36. He remembers meeting his great-grandfather from Italy when he quite young. 37. When she to visit, she usually presents for her grandchildren. 38. I think they going to visit her parents tonight, but maybe we can invite them for dinner another time. 39. Let’s make sure we get to the concert on time tonight. The band might their set early! 40. He working as a waiter the last time I saw him, but I think he attending college now. Common Grammar Mistakes We all know those words that send us running to Google for answers. They’re usually crazy words that sound alike but can have a different meaning depending on the context. These kind of words are called word pairs and there are well over 100 word pairs in the English language. Luckily, you only need to know a handful for the HESI Grammar Section.  Bad vs. Badly  Lie vs. Lay  Affect vs. Effect  Among vs. Between  Amount vs. Number  Good vs. Well  Its vs. It’s  Farther vs. Further  Then vs. Than  Which vs. That  Fewer vs Less Bad vs. Badly: Bad is used as an adjective to describe nouns and pronouns, whereas badly is used as an adverb that modifies a verb. Bad is also used with linking verbs, such as feel, look, or sound. For example, I feel bad. Here, bad is used with the linking verb feel. Badly, on the other hand, is not used with linking verbs. Most often, badly answers the question “How?” For example, how did he play? He played badly. Bad:  He felt bad that he missed her performance. (Here, bad is used to describe the pronoun he.)  Those cats looked bad after spending the night outside. (Here, bad is used to describe the noun cats.) Badly:  The baseball team played badly at last night’s game. (Here, badly is used as an adverb that is modifying the verb played.)  I did badly on my math test. (Here, badly is used as an adverb that is modifying the verb did.) Lie vs. Lay: Lay and lie are both present tense. The definition of lie is “to rest.” The definition of lay is “to put or to place.” Lay requires a direct subject, whereas lie does not require a direct subject. Other forms of lay are laying and laid. Other forms of lie are lying, lay, and lain. Lay:  Please, lay the book on the table. (Here, the direct subject is the book.)  Lay the shirt on the bed so I can see it. Lie:  I think I need to lie down to rest. (Here, there is no direct object.)  She always lies down after work. Affect vs Effect: Affect can be used as both a verb and a noun, though it is most often used as a verb. The noun form of affect means “an emotional state.” The verb form of affect means “to change or impact.” Effect can also be used as both a verb and a noun, though it is most often used as a noun. The noun form of effect means “the result.” The verb form of effect means “to cause.” Affect:  His affect was very blue after he lost the game. (Here, affect is used as a noun.)  Visual aids can positively affect learning for students of all ages. (Here, affect is used as a verb.) Effect:  He earned an A on his test, the effect of his studying. (Here, effect is used as a noun.)  The morning’s rainfall had very little effect on the city’s drought. (Here, effect is used as a verb.) Among vs Between: Among is used when describing a relationship of more than two thing or people. Between is used when describing a relationship of two things or people. Among:  Let's hand these fliers out among the crowd. (Here, the relationship is the crowd which consists of multiple people.)  The friendship I was talking about is among Annie, Brianna, and Cate. (Here, the relationship is three people.) Between:  Go sit over there between those two girls. (Here, the relationship is two girls.)  Between you and I, I don't like the new science teacher. (Here the relationship is you and I which is two people.) Amount vs Number: Amount is used when referring to things that cannot be counted. For example, trust and courage are things that cannot be counted. Number is used to count nouns. It is used in reference to things that can be counted. For example, people and pencils are two things that can be counted in number.  The amount of courage he jumped in the water was impressive. (Here, courage is being measured. Since it cannot be counted, amount is used.)  I only need a small number of candles to cover the cake. (Here, candles are being measured. Since it is something that can be counted, number is used.) Good vs Well: Good is used as an adjective, whereas well is most often used as an adverb. Well answers the question “how?” and can sometimes be used as an adjective to describe physical health. When referring to emotional health, good is used. Good:  My teacher told me I did a good job with my homework. (Here, good is used as an adjective to describe job.)  He did not feel good after she broke up with him. Well:  My teacher told me I did my homework well. (Here, well is used as an adverb to explain how the homework was done.)  Do you feel well? (Here, well is used as an adjective to describe physical health.) Its vs It's: “Its” is a possessive form of it. On the other hand, “it’s” is a contraction and means “it is” or “it has.” A good way to remember which one to use is to substitute “it’s,” for it is or it has. If the sentence still makes sense, then “it’s” is the correct form. If it does not make sense, use the form, “its.” Its:  The gorilla brushed its own teeth. (Here, its, without the apostrophe, is used because it has a possessive meaning in the sentence.)  I got a new wagon, and its color is a bright red. (Here, its, without the apostrophe, is used because it has a possessive meaning in the sentence.) It’s:  It’s raining outside. (Here, it’s with the apostrophe is used because it means “it is” in this sentence.)  I know it’s been very busy for you at work. (Here, it’s with an apostrophe is used because it means “it has” in this sentence.) Farther vs Further: Farther is used when referring to physical distance. It can be used as an adjective or an adverb. Further is used when referring to nonphysical distances or things that cannot be physically measured. It can be used as an adjective, adverb, or a verb.  My school is farther from my house than the grocery store. (Here, farther is used because it is referring to a physically measurable distance.)  Do you have any further questions for me? (Here, further is used because it is referring to a nonphysical distance/amount.) Then vs Than: Than is used only to compare things; then is not. Than is a conjunction. Then has multiple definitions. “At that time,” “next,” “also,” “in addition,” “in that case,” “therefore,” and “as a consequence” are all definitions of then. It is most often used as an adverb, but it can be used as an adjective or a noun at times. Then:  Then, he jumped from the ledge and almost knocked me down. (Here, then means “at that time.”)  If you have all your stuff, then you can leave. (Here, then means “in that case.”) Than:  I am taller than my brother. (Here, than is the correct word because it is comparing the height of two people.)  That bully thinks he is better than me. (Here, than is the correct word because it is comparing two people.) Which vs That: Which is used to connect an unnecessary, dependent clause to a sentence. That is used to connect a necessary clause to a sentence.  Our house, which has three floors, is on Rutherford street. (Here, which is used because it connects the unnecessary clause, which has three floors, to the rest of the sentence. If this dependent clause was removed, the sentence would mean the same thing  Our house that has three floors is on Rutherford street. (Here, that is used because it connects a piece that is necessary to give the sentence full meaning. It can be assumed there are multiple houses and that identifies the specific house in mention.) Fewer vs Less: Fewer is used when referencing things that can be counted, such as books, candles, or shoes. Less is used when referencing things that cannot be counted. It is also used with collective nouns and abstract nouns.  I like him less than I like her. (Here, less is used because it is referring to something that cannot be counted.)  You have fewer marbles than I do. (Here, fewer is used because marbles are things that can be counted.) TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE! (Answers on Page 20) Fill in the blank with the appropriate use of “bad” or “badly.” 41. The tree in the front yard looks very . I think it might be dead. 42. I want that new video game so , but my mom says I have to wait until my birthday or buy it myself. 43. Does my art project look ? I worked really hard on it, but I’m not sure that it’s my best work. 44. The play went . Most of the cast was out sick with the flu. 45. If you think this movie is so , you can pick which one we watch next time. Fill in the appropriate version of “lie”, “lay”, or one of their other forms. 46. I know you’re excited about school starting tomorrow, but you really need to down and try to get some sleep. 47. The dog obedience course went very well. Watch this: Toby, down! 48. Could you the picnic blanket out while I get the grill started? 49. I remember that you your purse down on the floor when we were seated. Let’s call the restaurant and see if they found it. 50. It is so cute when the cat jumps up to sit on my father’s lap when he’s down for a nap. Identify which choice (provided in parentheses) correctly completes the sentence. 51. Her story of hardship had a profound (affect/effect) on me. 52. I can’t decide (between/among) the cheeseburger or the turkey club. Which would you recommend? 53. I know I have a test today, but I’m really not feeling (good/well). Can I stay home from school? 54. I think the nausea is just a side- (effect/affect) of the medication they gave me after the surgery on my wisdom tooth. 55. She is the best singer (between/among) our friends, but she doesn’t show off when we all go to karaoke. 56. I like strawberry ice cream but (it’s/its) not my favorite. 57. The exam (that/which) I took in the fall went well. I hope I do as well on the one scheduled for next week. 58. If you don’t want a stomachache you should eat (fewer/less) candy! 59. Starting a babysitting business will require a large (amount/number) of responsibility. 60. I think we should discuss your decision to get a dog (farther/further). They are a lot of work! 61. My dad wished cheese didn’t (affect/effect) him so much so he could eat as much cheese as he wanted to. 62. You played so (good/well) at the basketball game today! Have you been practicing? 63. How much (farther/further) until we get to the hotel? I’m tired! 64. I think that the show will be very (good/well) this season. I can’t wait for it to premier! 65. My bike, (that/which) I received for my 10th birthday, is too small for me now. 66. My mom is doing better (than/then) she was before. I think the surgery was a success. 67. I think (it’s/its) time to water the plant. (It’s/Its) leaves are wilting. 68. I think we should get breakfast and (than/then) go for a hike. It’s such a beautiful day out! 69. The (amount/number) of people at the concert was a bit overwhelming. I think I’d prefer something a bit more low-key next time. 70. I think the dogwood tree sprouted (fewer/less) blossoms than it did last year—I hope it’s not dying. Sentence Fragments Sentence fragments are incomplete sentences. They contain a dependent clause but no independent clause. Often, sentence fragments lack a subject verb relationship. A complete sentence should have three things: a subject, a verb, and an independent clause.  As he colored. (Here, this sentence lacks an independent clause. There is only a subject, he, and an action, colored.)  I cleaned the kitchen as he colored. (Here, the dependent clause from the example above is combined with the independent clause, I cleaned the kitchen, to make a complete sentence.) TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE! (Answers on Page 22) Identify each of the examples below as a sentence or a sentence fragment. 71. Wish you were here! 72. I think that if I explain the situation to my teacher. 73. What do you want? 74. She hopes can make it to the party. 75. Having a great time in the Bahamas! 76. So happy to hear from you. 77. He looks at them. 78. We won the game! 79. There it is. 80. Going to the store. Test Your Knowledge-Answers Nouns Identify the bolded word as a common, proper, abstract, or collective noun. 1. How will we get the cat down from the tree? Common noun 2. If you can’t be honest with me, I can’t trust you. Abstract noun 3. The jogging group meets every day at 7 A.M. Collective noun 4. I’d love to join you for dinner at The Riverside Grille tomorrow. Proper noun 5. Do you think the band will add more dates since the show is already sold out? Collective noun Pronouns Fill in the blank with the appropriate pronoun. 6. I think that lady over there used to be my first grade teacher. 7. Sometimes I borrow my sister’s makeup without asking her . 8. He doesn’t like spinach, but he eats it because it’s healthy. 9. We are all planning to go the movies after school today. 10. I want to buy a cookie at lunch, but I forgot to bring extra money today. Adverbs Identify each of the bolded words as an adverb modifying a verb, adjective, or adverb. 11. That cake was absolutely delicious! Please, tell me your recipe. absolutely 12. She was extremely proud her of daughter when she graduated. extremely 13. He goes to that coffee shop practically every day. practically 14. She looked at me wearily when I asked her how long she’d been studying. wearily 15. You finished your dinner quickly! You must have been hungry. quickly Adjectives Identify the adjective. 16. She rides her bike to school every day. her 17. The flying birds gliding across the sky were so beautiful. flying 18. Do you still have that hat? I was thinking I could use it for my Halloween costume. Halloween 19. I brought my sister’s lunch to school by accident. sister’s 20. I think I bought a broken phone. I tried charging it, but it still doesn’t work. broken Conjunctions Fill in the blank with the appropriate conjunction. 21. Can we get popcorn and candy at the movies? 22. Unless you can keep your room clean, you won’t be allowed to go to the movies with your friends. 23. Make sure that you pack both your tooth brush and your toothpaste. 24. I think she is tired because they stayed up watching scary movies at the sleepover last night 25. I play soccer, but I prefer basketball. Prepositions Fill in the blank with the appropriate preposition. 26. After you finish washing the dishes, you can watch TV. 27. I can play the song without looking at the music. 28. I think we can get to the other side of the highway if we follow the trail that goes under the bridge. 29. My house is just past the park on Maple street. 30. I put the Christmas decorations up in the attic. Interjections Fill in the blank with the appropriate interjection. 31. Hooray ! I got an A+ on my paper! 32. Oh no ! I can’t believe I got a parking ticket! 33. Wow ! These flowers are beautiful. Thank you! 34. Ouch ! I think I stepped on a pushpin! That hurt! 35. Hey ! Somebody stop him—he’s stealing my bike! Subject verb agreement 36. He remembers meeting his great-grandfather from Italy when he was quite young. 37. When she comes to visit, she usually brings presents for her grandchildren. 38. I think they are going to visit her parents tonight, but maybe we can invite them for dinner another time. 39. Let’s make sure we get to the concert on time tonight. The band might start their set early! 40. He was working as a waiter the last time I saw him, but I think he is attending college now. Common Grammatical Mistakes Fill in the blank with the appropriate use of “bad” or “badly.” 41. The tree in the front yard looks pretty bad . I think it might be dead. 42. I want that new video game so badly , but my mom says I have to wait until my birthday or buy it myself. 43. Does my art project look bad ? I worked really hard on it, but I’m not sure that it’s my best work. 44. The play went badly . Most of the cast was out sick with the flu. 45. If you think this movie is so bad , you can pick which one we watch next time. Fill in the appropriate version of “lie,” lay,” or one of their other forms. 46. I know you’re excited about school starting tomorrow, but you really need to lie down and try to get some sleep. 47. The dog obedience course went very well. Watch this: Toby, lie down! 48. Could you lay the picnic blanket out while I get the grill started? 49. I remember that you laid your purse down on the floor when we were seated. Let’s call the restaurant and see if they found it. 50. It is so cute when the cat jumps up to sit on my father’s lap when he’s lying down for a nap Identify which word (from the pairs included in parentheses for each example) correctly fits the sentence. 51. Her story of hardship had a profound affect (affect/effect) on me. 52. I can’t decide between (between/among) the cheeseburger or the turkey club. Which would you recommend? 53. I know I have a test today, but I’m really not feeling well (good/well). Can I stay home from school? 54. I think the nausea is just a side- effect (effect/affect) of the medication they gave me after the surgery on my wisdom tooth. 55. She is the best singer among (between/among) our friends, but she doesn’t show off when we all go to karaoke. 56. I like strawberry ice cream but it’s (it’s/its) not my favorite. 57. The exam that (that/which) I took in the fall went well. I hope I do as well on the one scheduled for next week. 58. If you don’t want a stomachache you should eat less (fewer/less) candy! 59. Starting a babysitting business will require a large amount (amount/number) of responsibility. 60. I think we should discuss your decision to get a dog further (farther/further). They are a lot of work! 61. My dad wished dairy didn’t affect (affect/effect) him so much so he could eat as much cheese as he wanted to. 62. You played so well (good/well) at the basket ball game today! Have you been practicing? 63. How much farther (farther/further) is the hotel? I’m tired! 64. I think that the show will be very good (good/well) this season. I can’t wait for it to premier! 65. My bike, which (that/which) I received for my 10th birthday, is too small for me now. 66. My mom is doing better than (than/then) she was before. I think the surgery was a success. 67. I think it’s (it’s/its) time to water the plant. Its (It’s/Its) leaves are wilting. 68. I think we should get breakfast and then (than/then) go for a hike. It’s such a beautiful day out! 69. The number (amount/number) of people at the concert was a bit overwhelming. I think I’d prefer something a bit more low-key next time. 70. I think the dogwood tree sprouted fewer (fewer/less) blossoms than it did last year—I hope it’s not dying. Sentence Fragments Identify each of the examples below as a complete sentence or a sentence fragment. 71. Wish you were here! Fragment 72. I think that if I explain the situation to my teacher. Fragment 73. What do you want? Complete 74. She hopes can make it to the party. Fragment 75. Having a great time in the Bahamas! Fragment 76. So happy to hear from you. Fragment 77. He looks at them. Complete 78. We won the game! Complete 79. There it is. Complete 80. Going to the store. Fragment Practice Test 1. She sat on the bed with her favorite cat and its head gently. a. petted b. patted c. pet d. pat 2. Last Friday night, my best friend was in a horrible car accident that left him hurt . a. bad b. baddest c. worst d. badly 3. As the class watched a documentary on cheetahs, one student commented, “Wow, that cheetah runs !” a. quick b. quicker c. quickest d. quickly 4. I think that you will get the job you interviewed for yesterday. You seemed very . a. preparing b. unprepared c. prepare d. prepared 5. She learned to play a new song on the piano and it sounds . a. beautifully b. lovely c. more beautiful d. loveliest 6. She has been running for five years now. Last time I watched her run, she ran more than I had ever seen her run before. a. quick b. fast c. quickly d. faster 7. After forgetting to water Leah’s flowers while she was out of town, Toni felt . a. badly b. worst c. worse d. bad 8. Despite the extra practices, my sister’s soccer team played at the tournament than they did last year. a. badly b. worst c. worse d. bad 9. ! I can’t believe you won the lottery! We should plan a trip to the Caribbean with your winnings. a. Yay b. Oh no c. Darn it d. No 10. Your dog is making too much noise. Can you please tell him to go down in his bed? a. lie b. lay c. layed d. laid 11. The teacher asked her a question, but he could barely hear her because she answered the question so . a. loudly b. quiet c. quietly d. loud 12. The is flying the kite that she recently received for her 7th birthday. a. children b. boy c. girl d. woman 13. Can you pick up eggs, milk, bread from the grocery store on your way home from work, please? I want to make scrambled eggs and toast for breakfast tomorrow. a. plus b. or c. and d. none of the above 14. Fill in the blank with a proper noun. After the baseball game, the coach is taking me and all of my friends to . a. the store b. practice c. Gino’s Pizzeria d. the pizza parlor 15. My dog always wags his tail when I tell him we’re going to the park. a. joy b. excited c. joyfully d. and 16. My little brother took my red bouncy ball from me and threw it the kitchen table. a. between b. under c. about d. after 17. Choose the adverb that best fits this sentence: My family and I went strawberry picking last weekend. I ate some today, but I did not like them because they were sour. a. currently b. comfortably c. extreme d. extremely 18. Please, the shirt down on the bed so I can see it more clearly. a. layed b. laid c. lie d. lay 19. After spending the whole day out running errands, I bet you need to go down and rest. a. layed b. laid c. lie d. lay 20. I cannot wait to play the new board game I got with all of my friends. We going to have so much fun! a. is b. are c. were d. was 21. I thought I reminded you this morning to please shut the windows. When I got home they wide open. a. was b. is c. were d. are 22. Fill in the blank with the correct adjective. Look there. Do you see that dog chasing his tail in the park across the street? a. between b. over c. up d. down 23. When an adjective is a verb, it is an adverb a. named b. called c. call d. made 24. My boyfriend and I have a huge of trust between the two of us. a. amount b. number c. space d. amounting 25. I do not feel well, so I am going to go the doctor. a. towards b. at c. to d. past 26. I really wanted to go to California with her, I couldn’t because I was not able to get time off of work. a. and b. but c. because d. after 27. I just looked outside, and I cannot believe snowing again! a. its b. you’re c. it’s d. your 28. Every day after work, he comes home and down on the couch. Sometimes, I wish he would help me make dinner instead. a. lies b. lays c. lie d. lay 29. I watched you at the school’s talent show this morning. You did a job playing the guitar! You should be very proud of yourself. a. good b. well c. terrible d. terribly 30. The , who are sitting at the red table, are coloring in books with crayons. You can join them if you would like. a. child b. kid c. boy d. children 31. Make this a complete sentence: as she watched me from the kitchen window. a. I ran around outside as fast as I could b. Because I ran fast c. And I skipped d. Feeling happy 32. It was a beautiful performance. We all watched her as she danced gracefully across the stage. a. hugely b. muddy c. stunningly d. massive 33. The quickly ran through the dark woods to get back to the house. a. love b. marching band c. President of the United States d. girl 34. The dress you wore at my birthday party is my favorite. a. which b. that c. when d. their 35. For the game, we had to pick up as many cards as we could before the timer ran out. I ended up with cards than everyone else. a. fewer b. less c. two d. lesser 36. My soccer coach gave me an award today I played so well at last week’s game and even scored the winning shot. a. but b. and c. because d. yet 37. Fill in the blank with an adjective. She was walking through town after work, and that is when she found the cat in the alley. a. softly b. dumbly c. crying d. that 38. We are all so happy that Annie is getting married, but her best friend her doubts that she can make it to the wedding in the Bahamas. a. have b. has c. is d. takes 39. Fill in the blank with a preposition. When I rode in an airplane for the first time, my favorite part was when the plane flew the clouds. a. through b. and c. before d. fast 40. I am so for you. I’m sure everyone else is too because they all congratulated you after the announcement of your promotion. a. happily; happy b. happily; happily c. happy; happy d. happy; happily 41. Fill in the blank with the correct adverb. He is usually more slow than everyone else, but in this race, he finished running the marathon unusually . He came in first place! a. fast b. slowly c. quickly d. slow 42. The faculty working together to make a decision on where the end of the year field trip should be. a. is b. will c. are d. try 43. you and I, although I like playing baseball, I really enjoy football more. Don’t tell my dad because he really wants me to play baseball. a. Hey! b. Among c. Between d. With 44. Her job interview went . She answered every question completely and confidently and her knowledge of the market was very impressive. a. good b. well c. terribly d. terrible 45. My mom took me to the park yesterday to teach me how to ride my bike. After, she told me how I did—I’m a fast learner! a. good b. well c. bad d. badly 46. It was scary to watch how the herd running in different directions toward all of the people. a. were b. was c. is d. will 47. Is your brother older you or younger you? a. then; then b. than; than c. then; than d. than; then 48. I have one question: Is the house from the Food Mart or the Grocery King? a. further; farther b. further; further c. farther; further d. farther; farther 49. I am so sorry I forgot to give you a ticket for the show. I’ll it on your desk. a. lie b. lay c. laid d. lies 50. What is the of all of this rain we have been getting over the last five days? a. affect b. effect c. amount d. amounts Practice Test - ANSWERS 1. She sat on the bed with her favorite cat and its head gently. a. petted b. patted c. pet d. pat The correct answer is a. Choice b is not correct because “patted” indicates a tapping motion, rather than a "gentle" stroking motion, indicated by the adverb at the end of the sentence. Choices c and d are not correct because the sentence requires the word “pet in the past tense and as a past participle. 2. Last Friday night, my best friend was in a horrible car accident that left him hurt . a. bad b. baddest c. worst d. badly The correct answer is d. This is an adverb and is describing the verb, “hurt.” Choice b and c are wrong because these forms are used for comparison which this sentence is not doing. Choice a is wrong because it is an adjective and would be describing the noun, “accident.” Since we are looking to find the word that is actively describing the verb, “hurt,” then choice d is the only correct answer. 3. As the class watched a documentary on cheetahs, one student commented, “Wow, that cheetah runs !” a. quick b. quicker c. quickest d. quickly The correct answer is d. Adverbs answer the questions how, why, when, and where. The adverb in this sentence answers the question how, describing how the cheetah runs. Choice a is wrong because it is an adjective. Choices b and c are wrong because these forms are used for comparisons which this sentence is not doing. 4. I think that you will get the job you interviewed for yesterday. You seemed very . a. preparing b. unprepared c. prepare d. prepared The correct answer is d. This sentence requires an adjective and choice d fits the sentence best. Choice b in not correct in the context provided by the first sentence that indicates a job well done. Choices a and c are verbs, not adjectives. 5. She learned to play a new song on the piano and it sounds . a. beautifully b. lovely c. more beautiful d. loveliest The correct answer is b. Choice a is an adverb and choices c and d are making a comparison, which is not required by this sentence. 6. She has been running for five years now. Last time I watched her run, she ran more than I had ever seen her run before. a. quick b. fast c. quickly d. faster The correct answer is c. Quickly is used as an adverb in this sentence. Choices a, b, and d are wrong because they are not grammatically correct. 7. After forgetting to water Leah’s flowers while she was out of town, Toni felt . a. badly b. worst c. worse d. bad The correct answer is d. In this sentence, we are looking to find the word that is an adjective describing the pronoun Toni, thus the choice d is correct. Choice a is wrong because it is an adverb. Choices b and c are wrong because these forms are used for comparison which this sentence is not doing. 8. Despite the extra practices, my sister’s soccer team played at the tournament than they did last year. a. badly b. worst c. worse d. bad The correct answer is c. Worse is being used to compare how the team played in the current tournament versus the one last year. 9. ! I can’t believe you won the lottery! We should plan a trip to the Caribbean with your winnings. a. Yay b. Oh no c. Darn it d. No The correct answer is a. An interjection is word or phrase that is used to show emotion and is often followed by an exclamation point. Choices b, c, and d are wrong because they are negative interjections, but this sentence identifies excitement, so a positive interjection is needed. 10. Your dog is making too much noise. Can you please tell him to go down in his bed. a. lie b. lay c. layed d. laid The correct answer is a. Lie means “to rest” and does not require a direct object. Choice b is wrong because the sentence lacks a direct object which lay requires. Choice c isn’t a word, and choice d is in the past tense. 11. The teacher asked her a question, but he could barely hear her because she answered the question so . a. loudly b. quiet c. quietly d. loud The correct answer is c. Adverbs answer the question “how?” Choice a is wrong because it does not make sense if the teacher could barely hear the student. Choices b and d are wrong because they do not grammatically or accurately complete the sentence. 12. The is flying the kite that she recently received for her 7th birthday. a. children b. boy c. girl d. woman The correct answer is c. The verb is is singular. Therefore, the subject should be singular as well. Choices a is wrong because it is plural. Choice b doesn’t match the gender indicated by the use of “her” and choice d is incorrect because a woman would not be celebrating her 7th birthday. 13. Can you pick up eggs, milk, bread from the grocery store on your way home from work, please? I want to make scrambled eggs and toast for breakfast tomorrow. a. plus b. or c. and d. none of the above The correct answer is c. When listing things, the correlative conjunction, and, is needed. Choice b is incorrect because all three items listen are necessary due to the context presented in the sentence that follows. 14. Fill in the blank with a proper noun. After the baseball game, the coach is taking me and all of my friends to . a. the store b. practice c. Gino’s Pizzeria d. the pizza parlor The correct answer is d. Proper nouns are typically capitalized and refer to something or someone specific. Choices a, b, and c are wrong because they are all common nouns. 15. My dog always wags his tail when I tell him we’re going to the park. a. joy b. excited c. joyfully d. and The correct answer is c. Adverbs answer the question “how?” Choices a, b, and d are wrong because they do not grammatically and accurately complete the sentence. Choice a is an abstract noun. Choice b is an adjective. Choice d is a conjunction. 16. Choose the preposition that best fits this sentence: My little brother took my red bouncy ball from me and threw it the kitchen table. a. between b. under c. about d. after The correct answer is b. Under is the best preposition listed because it fits the context of the sentence. 17. Choose the adverb that best fits this sentence: My family and I went strawberry picking last weekend. I ate some today, but I did not like them because they were sour. a. currently b. comfortably c. extreme d. extremely The correct answer is d. Extremely in this sentence is the adverb being used to modify the adjective sour which is describing the strawberries. Choice c is wrong because it is not an adverb and choices a and b do not match the context of the sentence. 18. Please, the shirt down on the bed so I can see it more clearly. a. layed b. laid c. lie d. lay The correct answer is d. Lay means “to put or place” and requires a direct object. In this case, the direct object is the shirt. 19. After spending the whole day out running errands, I bet you need to go down and rest. a. layed b. laid c. lie d. lay The correct answer is c. Lie does not require a direct object and means “to rest.” Choice d is wrong because lay requires a direct object which this sentence does not have. 20. I cannot wait to play the new board game I got with all of my friends. We going to have so much fun! a. is b. are c. were d. was The correct answer is b. In order to follow the rule of subject and verb agreement, if the subject is plural, then the verb must also be plural. Likewise, if the subject is singular, then the verb must also be singular. The subject, we, is plural. Choice a is wrong because it is singular. Choices c and d are wrong because they are past tense. 21. I thought I reminded you this morning to please shut the windows. When I got home they wide open. a. was b. is c. were d. are The correct answer is c. In order to follow the rule of subject and verb agreement, if the subject is plural, then the verb must also be plural. Likewise, if the subject is singular, then the verb must also be singular. The subject, they (the windows), is plural. Choice a is wrong because it is singular. Choices band d are wrong because they are present tense. 22. Choose the preposition that best first this sentence: Look there. Do you see that dog chasing his tail in the park across the street? a. between b. over c. up d. down The correct answer is b. Over is the best preposition listed because it fits the context of the sentence? 23. When an adjective is a verb, it is an adverb. a. named b. called c. call d. made The correct answer is b. Choices a and d do not fit the context of a sentence and choice c is in the present tense. 24. My boyfriend and I have a huge of trust between the two of us. a. amount b. number c. space d. amounting The correct answer is a. Amount is used to refer to things that cannot be counted. In this case, trust cannot be counted. Choice b is wrong because number is used to refer to things that can be counted. Choice c is not correct in the context of the sentence and choice is not grammatically correct. 25. I do not feel well, so I am going to go the doctor. a. towards b. at c. to d. past The correct answer is c. To is the best preposition listed because it fits the context of the sentence. 26. I really wanted to go to California with her, I couldn’t because I was not able to get time off of work. a. and b. but c. because d. after The correct answer is b. Choice d is wrong because after is an adverb of time and not a conjunction. Choices a and c are wrong because they are not the correct conjunctions that accurately complete the sentence. 27. I just looked outside, and I cannot believe snowing again! a. its b. you’re c. it’s d. your The correct answer is c. It’s is a contraction meaning “it is” or “it has.” In this case, the meaning is “it is.” Choice a is wrong because it is the possessive form of it. Choices b and d do not accurately complete the sentence. 28. Every day after work, he comes home and down on the couch. Sometimes, I wish he would help me make dinner instead. a. lies b. lays c. lie d. lay The correct answer is a. Choice c is wrong because it is singular and does not agree with the subject. Choices b and d are wrong because lay means “to put or place.” 29. I watched you at the school’s talent show this morning. You did a job playing the guitar! You should be very proud of yourself. a. good b. well c. terrible d. terribly The correct answer is a. Good is used as an adjective here to describe the noun job. Choice b is wrong because well is used either as an adjective to describe physical health or as an adverb. The sentence that follows indicates that terrible and terribly wouldn’t accurately describe how the guitar was played. 30. The , who are sitting at the red table, are coloring in books with crayons. You can join them if you would like. a. child b. kid c. boy d. children The correct answer is d. Choices a, b, and c are wrong because they are all singular and do not agree with the plural verb, are. If the verb is plural, then the subject must also be plural in order to make them agree. 31. Make this a complete sentence: as she watched me from the kitchen window. a. I ran around outside as fast as I could b. Because I ran fast c. And I skipped d. Feeling happy The correct answer is a. Choices b, c, and d are wrong because they are dependent clauses and do not complete the sentence fragment. 32. It was a beautiful performance. We all watched her from a balcony in the theater as she danced gracefully across the stage. a. hugely b. muddy c. stunningly d. massive The correct answer is d. This is the only adjective that makes sense. Choices a and b are wrong because they are adverbs. Choice d is wrong because it doesn’t make sense in the context of the sentence. 33. The quickly ran through the dark woods to get back to the house. a. love b. marching band c. President of the United States d. girl The correct answer is d. Choice a is wrong because it is an abstract noun. Choice b is wrong because it is a collective noun. Choice c is wrong because it is a proper noun. 34. The dress you wore at my birthday party is my favorite. a. which b. that c. when d. their The correct answer is b. One specific dress out of many is addressed; therefore, that, is used. Choice a is wrong because which is used to connect unnecessary clauses in a sentence, but all the information in the sentence is needed. Choices c and d are not grammatically correct. 35. For the game, we had to pick up as many cards as we could before the timer ran out. I ended up with cards than everyone else. a. fewer b. less c. two d. lesser The correct answer is a. Cards is something that can be counted; therefore, fewer is used. Choice c gives an exact amount of cards but does not describe it and choice d describes something less in “greatness,” an amount that cannot be counted. 36. My soccer coach gave me an award today I played so well at last week’s game and even scored the winning shot. a. but b. and c. because d. yet The correct answer is c. It is the only choice that explains why the student got an award. Because is a subordinating conjunction that connects two clauses. 37. Fill in the blank with an adjective. She was walking through town after work, and that is when she found the cat in the alley. a. softly b. dumbly c. crying d. that The correct answer is c. Here, the adjective crying is being used as a verb. In this case, it is called a participle. Choices a and b are wrong because they are adverbs. Choice d is wrong because it is a pronoun. 38. We are all so happy that Annie is getting married, but her best friend her doubts that she can make it to the wedding in the Bahamas. a. have b. has c. is d. takes The correct answer is b. In order for a subject and verb to agree, they must both either be plural or singular. In this case, the subject, best friend, is singular, so the verb must also be singular. Choice a is wrong because it is plural. Choices c and d are the wrong verbs. 39. Fill in the blank with a preposition. When I rode in an airplane for the first time, my favorite part was when the plane flew the clouds. a. through b. and c. before d. fast The correct answer is a. Choice b is wrong because it is a conjunction. Choice c is wrong because it is an adverb of time. Choice d is wrong because it is an adjective. 40. I am so for you. I’m sure everyone else is too because they all congratulated you after the announcement of your promotion. a. happily; happy b. happily; happily c. happy; happy d. happy; happily The correct answer is d. The first blank needs an adjective, which is happy. The second blank needs an adverb, which is happily. 41. Fill in the blank with the correct adverb. He is usually more slow than everyone else, but in this race, he finished running the marathon unusually . He came in first place! a. fast b. slowly c. quickly d. slow The correct answer is a. Choices b and d are wrong because they do not accurately describe how he finished the race. We can assume he finished fast since he came in first. Fast cannot be the correct answer because the sentence requires an adverb. Quickly is the best synonym of fast, and it is an adverb. 42. The faculty working together to make a decision on where the end of the year field trip should be. a. is b. will c. are d. try The correct answer is a. The faculty is a collective noun. When a collective noun acts together, a singular verb is used. When a collective noun does not act together, a plural verb is used. Choice c is wrong because the subject is working together, and are is a plural verb. In order for the subject, the faculty, and the verb to agree, a singular verb should be used. Try and will are the wrong verbs. 43. you and I, although I like playing baseball, I enjoy football more. Don’t tell my dad because he really wants me to play baseball. a. Hey! b. Among c. Between d. With The correct answer is c. Between is used to refer to two things or people. Choice b is wrong because among is used to refer to more than two things or people. In this sentence, there are two people, you and I. Choice A is an interjection and with is the wrong preposition. 44. Her job interview went . She answered every question completely and confidently and her knowledge of the market was very impressive. a. quickly b. well c. terribly d. terrible The correct answer is b. well answers the question “How?” In the correct answer, well answers the specific question of how her job interview went. Choice a is wrong because it is an adjective, not an adverb. Choices c and d are wrong because these describe the opposite of what the second sentence indicates regarding her interview. 45. My mom took me to the park yesterday to teach me how to ride my bike. After, she told me how I did—I’m a fast learner! a. good b. well c. bad d. badly The correct answer is a. Good is used as an adjective in this sentence to describe job. Choice b is wrong because well is used as an adjective to describe physical health or an adverb. Choice c and d do not accurately describe the speakers skill if we know s/he is a “fast learner.” 46. It was scary to watch how the herd running in different directions toward all of the people. a. were b. was c. is d. will The correct answer is a. The herd is a collective noun. Since the herd is not acting together, a plural verb should be used. Choice b is wrong because it is singular. Choices c and d are the wrong verbs. 47. Is your brother older you or younger you? a. then; then b. than; than c. then; than d. than; then The correct answer is b. Than is used in comparisons. Choices a, c, and d are wrong because then is not used in comparisons, and this sentence is comparing two people. 48. I have one question: Is the house from the Food Mart or the Grocery King a. further; farther b. further; further c. farther; further d. farther; farther The correct answer is a. The first blank uses further because it is referring to nonphysical distance. The second blank uses farther because it is referring to physical distance. 49. I am so sorry I forgot to give you your ticket for the show tonight. I’ll it on your desk . a. lie b. lay c. laid d. lies The correct answer is b. Lay requires a direct object. In this case, it (the ticket) is the direct object. Choice a is wrong because lie means “to rest.” C and D are the wrong tenses for this sentence. 50. What is the of all of this rain we have been getting over the last five days? a. affect b. effect c. amount d. amounts The correct answer is b. Effect in this sentence is used as a noun and means “the result.” Choice a is wrong because affect is most often a verb and means “to change or impact.” Amount and amounts are the wrong nouns for this sentence.