2023 Grammar Review Quiz #1

There was/were an audience at the trial.

• Was

• Were

Nobody who understands thermodynamics has/have anything to fear from the physics test.

• Has

• Have

Has/Have those people in the jury decided on Tom Robinson’s guilt or innocence?

• Has

• Have

Identify the comma error in this sentence:

Some new TV shows have great writing, but, more often they contain little to redeem them in the eyes of persnickety English teachers.

• Some new TV shows have great writing but more often they contain little to redeem them in the eyes of persnickety English teachers.

• Some new TV shows have great writing, but more often they contain little to redeem them in the eyes of persnickety English teachers.

• Some new TV shows have great writing but, more often they contain little to redeem them in the eyes of persnickety English teachers.

• Some new TV shows have great writing, but, more often they contain little to redeem them in the eyes of persnickety English teachers.

Identify the comma error in this sentence:

Some say Mother’s Day started on May 12 1907 when a woman named Anna Jarvis held a memorial service for her mother in a small town in West Virginia.

• Some say Mother’s Day started, on May 12 1907, when a woman named Anna Jarvis held a memorial service for her mother in a small town in West Virginia.

• Some say Mother’s Day started on May 12, 1907 when a woman named Anna Jarvis held a memorial service for her mother in a small town in West Virginia.

• Some say Mother’s Day started on May 12, 1907, when a woman named Anna Jarvis held a memorial service for her mother in a small town in West Virginia.

• Some say Mother’s Day started on May, 12, 1907, when a woman named Anna Jarvis held a memorial service for her mother in a small town in West Virginia.

Explain the dangling modifier error in this sentence:

Practicing the piano, my cats annoyed me by meowing for food.

• It sounds as if the piano meowed.

• It sounds as if the piano annoyed me.

• It sounds as if my cats annoyed me by meowing for food.

• It sounds as if my cats are playing the piano.

Identify the dangling modifiers error in this sentence:

Taking the quiz, the student’s stress in the room was palpable.

• It sounds as if the quiz was palpable.

• It sounds as if the student's stress was taking the quiz.

• It sounds as if the students were taking a quiz.

• It sounds as if the students were palpable.