Grammar Diagnostic

Identify whether the underlined words are phrases or clauses.

After she ate dinner, Susie ordered dessert.

• phrase

• clause

Answer explanation

A phrase is defined as a group of related words lacking either a subject or a verb. A clause is a group of related words that contains a subject and a verb.

Identify whether the underlined words are phrases or clauses. He lived in the house on the hill.

• phrase

• clause

Answer explanation

A phrase is defined as a group of related words lacking either a subject or a verb. A clause is a group of related words that contains a subject and a verb.

Identify the complete subject of the sentence. : The car in the driveway next door is a Corvette.

• The car

• The car in the driveway

• The car in the driveway next door

• a Corvette

Answer explanation

The complete subject is the simple subject and all of its modifiers. The complete predicate is everything in the sentence that is not the complete subject.

Identify the complete subject of the sentence.:You can pick up the papers that are sitting on the steps.

• the papers

• the steps

• the papers that are sitting on the steps

• You

Answer explanation

The complete subject is the simple subject and all of its modifiers. The complete predicate is everything in the sentence that is not the complete subject.

In the following sentence, identify the complete predicate.: After winning, we competed in the playoffs.

• after winning

• competed in the playoffs

• after winning, competed in the playoffs

• in the playoffs

Answer explanation

The complete subject is the simple subject and all of its modifiers. The complete predicate is everything in the sentence that is not the complete subject.

In the following sentence, identify the complete predicate.: Because Kay did well at school this year, Mom is letting her go to Mexico next fall.

• is letting her go to Mexico next fall

• did well at school this year

• Because Kay did well

• Mom is letting her go

Answer explanation

The complete subject is the uimplesubject and all of its modifiers. The complete predicate is everything in the sentence that is not the complete subject.

Which sentence below is a compound sentence?

• John's scout troop sold light bulbs, but didn't earn what they thought they would.

• Ben suggested that they sell T-shirts, but Gary, our treasurer, objected.

• The Girl Scouts had just finished their cookie sale, and made a lot of money.

Answer explanation

A compound sentence has two independent clauses connected by a common and a conjunction or a semicolon.

Which sentence below is a complex sentence?

• Because we were stumped for a while, we became very discouraged.

• We all really liked Jeff's suggestion of a car wash.

• Who doesn't want someone else to wash their pet, clean their house, and mow their lawn?

Answer explanation

A complex sentence has both dependent and independent clauses.

Identify if the following sentence is a simple sentence, run-on, or fragment.: Figuring out the maze was really difficult.

• Run-on

• Fragment

• Simple

Answer explanation

Run-ons combine several thoughts together and fragments are incomplete sentences.

Identify whether the sentence below is a simple sentence, run-on, or fragment. First we went through the path marked Y at the next intersection N we turned left.

• Run-on

• Fragment

• Simple

Answer explanation

Run-ons combine several thoughts together and fragments are incomplete sentences.