PELLETB EXAM – QUESTIONS WITH SOLUTIONS
a. The officer was hoping to get a new partner, one that had a great deal of
experience.
b. The officer was hoping to get a new partner. One that had a great deal of
experience. - ✔️ ANSWER:
a. The officer was hoping to get a new partner, one that had a great deal of
experience.
(sentence fragment in b)
a. Bullet fragments were gathered by officers in envelopes.
b. Bullet fragments were gathered in envelopes by officers. - ✔️
ANSWER:
b. Bullet fragments were gathered in envelopes by officers.
(misplaced modifier in a)
a. The suspect disliked the officer as did the judge.
b. The suspect disliked the officer as much as the judge. - ✔️
ANSWER:
a. The suspect disliked the officer as did the judge.
(confusing and not straight forward in b)
a. The officer had probable cause to arrest the suspect when he arrived at
the scene.
b. When the officer arrived at the scene, he had probable cause to arrest the
suspect. - ✔️ ANSWER:
b. When the officer arrived at the scene, he had probable cause to arrest the
suspect.
(a has an unreferenced pronoun)
, a. Jail is not a pleasant place to be, but they do get their basic necessities
met.
b. Jail is not a pleasant place to be, but prisoners do get their basic
necessities met. - ✔️ ANSWER:
b. When the officer arrived at the scene, he had probable cause to arrest the
suspect.
(a is unclear who the pronoun is referred to)
Modification examples - ✔️ a. "In rural areas, more deer are
killed by automobiles than by hunters." (correct one)
b. "In rural areas, automobiles kill more deer than hunters."
a. Beginning to run before stretching is frequently the cause of shin splints.
(correct one)
b. Beginning to run before stretching frequently is the cause of shin splints.
vague or indefinite reference examples - ✔️ a. The next time
Mary was in town, she agreed to have lunch with Sue. (correct one)
b. Mary agreed to have lunch with Sue the next time she was in town.
a. The child wanted everything he saw advertised in commercials, even
though he didn't know exactly what the toys were. (correct one)
b. The child wanted everything he saw advertised in the commercials, even
though he didn't know exactly what they were.
run on sentence examples - ✔️ a. The necessary revisions have
been made by the author and the manuscript is now ready to be printed.
The publicist can begin developing the advertising campaign. (correct one)
b. The necessary revisions have been made by the author and the
manuscript is now ready to be printed the publicist can begin developing
the advertising campaign.
Sentence Fragment Example - ✔️ The position requires that the
incumbent type, file and prepare travel expense claims in addition to acting
as the receptionist for the organization. (correct one)
a. The officer was hoping to get a new partner, one that had a great deal of
experience.
b. The officer was hoping to get a new partner. One that had a great deal of
experience. - ✔️ ANSWER:
a. The officer was hoping to get a new partner, one that had a great deal of
experience.
(sentence fragment in b)
a. Bullet fragments were gathered by officers in envelopes.
b. Bullet fragments were gathered in envelopes by officers. - ✔️
ANSWER:
b. Bullet fragments were gathered in envelopes by officers.
(misplaced modifier in a)
a. The suspect disliked the officer as did the judge.
b. The suspect disliked the officer as much as the judge. - ✔️
ANSWER:
a. The suspect disliked the officer as did the judge.
(confusing and not straight forward in b)
a. The officer had probable cause to arrest the suspect when he arrived at
the scene.
b. When the officer arrived at the scene, he had probable cause to arrest the
suspect. - ✔️ ANSWER:
b. When the officer arrived at the scene, he had probable cause to arrest the
suspect.
(a has an unreferenced pronoun)
, a. Jail is not a pleasant place to be, but they do get their basic necessities
met.
b. Jail is not a pleasant place to be, but prisoners do get their basic
necessities met. - ✔️ ANSWER:
b. When the officer arrived at the scene, he had probable cause to arrest the
suspect.
(a is unclear who the pronoun is referred to)
Modification examples - ✔️ a. "In rural areas, more deer are
killed by automobiles than by hunters." (correct one)
b. "In rural areas, automobiles kill more deer than hunters."
a. Beginning to run before stretching is frequently the cause of shin splints.
(correct one)
b. Beginning to run before stretching frequently is the cause of shin splints.
vague or indefinite reference examples - ✔️ a. The next time
Mary was in town, she agreed to have lunch with Sue. (correct one)
b. Mary agreed to have lunch with Sue the next time she was in town.
a. The child wanted everything he saw advertised in commercials, even
though he didn't know exactly what the toys were. (correct one)
b. The child wanted everything he saw advertised in the commercials, even
though he didn't know exactly what they were.
run on sentence examples - ✔️ a. The necessary revisions have
been made by the author and the manuscript is now ready to be printed.
The publicist can begin developing the advertising campaign. (correct one)
b. The necessary revisions have been made by the author and the
manuscript is now ready to be printed the publicist can begin developing
the advertising campaign.
Sentence Fragment Example - ✔️ The position requires that the
incumbent type, file and prepare travel expense claims in addition to acting
as the receptionist for the organization. (correct one)
