Grammar Diagnostic Exam

Pick the correct sentence.
Any text in green is meant to be italicized.
Skills: Punctuating Appositives, Title Formatting

• The Spirit of St. Louis, Lindburg's plane, will be on exhibit next Spring, so plan to attend.
• The Spirit of St. Louis, Lindburg's plane, will be on exhibit next spring, so plan to attend.
• The Spirit of St. Louis--Lindburg's plane, will be on exhibit next Spring, so plan to attend.
• The Spirit of St. Louis, will be on exhibit next Spring, so plan to attend.

Pick the correct sentence.
Skill: Parallel Structure

• College professors teach grammar for fun, mental exercise, and so students can learn about the English language.
• College professors teach grammar to have fun, to get mental exercise, and to help students learn about the English language.
• College professors teach grammar for fun, for mental exercise, and helping students learn about the English language.
• College professors teach grammar to have fun, to get mental exercise, and helping students learn about the English language.

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Skill: Verb Tenses, Comma Usage

• The student saw, that the grammar test was easy.
• The student seeing, that the grammar test was easy.
• The student saw that the grammar test was easy.
• The student seeing that the grammar test was easy.

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Skill: Homophones

• Its hard for a dog to bury its bone in rocky ground.
• It's hard for a dog to bury its bone in rocky ground.
• Its hard for a dog to bury it's bone in rocky ground.
• It's hard for a dog to bury it's bone in rocky ground.

Pick the correct sentence.
Skill: Complex Sentence Structure

• We broke camp quickly, being that the storm was approaching.
• We broke camp quickly, the storm was approaching.
• Breaking camp quickly, because the storm was approaching.
• Because the storm was approaching, we broke camp quickly.

Pick the correct sentence.
Skill: Parallel Structure

• Students go to the Student Union for relaxation, conversation, and so they can study.
• Students go to the Student Union for relaxation, for conversation, and studying.
• Students go to the Student Union for relaxation, for conversation, and for studying.
• Students go to the Student Union to relax, to have conversation, and to study.

Pick the correct sentence.
Skills: Punctuation Between Clauses, Homophones

• The newscast confirmed our fears: there would be no break in the weather.
• The newscast confirmed our fears; their would be no break in the weather.
• The newscast confirmed our fears, there would be no break in the weather.
• The newscast confirmed our fears: their would be no break in the weather.

Pick the correct sentence.
Skills: Punctuation of Quotations, Adjectives vs. Adverbs

• "Don't walk on the grass," said the policeman calm but sternly.
• "Don't walk on the grass", said the policeman calmly but sternly.
• "Don't walk on the grass" said the policeman calm but sternly.
• "Don't walk on the grass," said the policeman calmly but sternly.

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Skill: Punctuation Between Clauses

• She didn't waste time she knew that she had a busy schedule.
• She didn't waste time; knowing that, she had a busy schedule.
• She didn't waste time; she knew that she had a busy schedule.
• She didn't waste time, she knew that she had a busy schedule.

Pick the correct sentence.
Skills: Pronoun Cases, Pronoun Order

• Mark and I washed the dishes.
• Mark and me washed the dishes.
• I and Mark washed the dishes.
• Me and Mark washed the dishes.