Grammar praxis 5038

The rain clouds gather in the sky just as the game ended. The patrons quickly raced to their cars in an effort to escape the impending downpour. No error.

• gathered

• ends

• races

• No error

Answer explanation

To maintain proper tense, gather should be changed to gathered.

Tags

CCSS.L.11-12.3A

CCSS.L.5.1.B-D

CCSS.L.5.1B

CCSS.L.5.1C

CCSS.L.5.1D

The following sentence was included a summary that a student wrote for a short story read in class:

Following the performance, the students were expected to pick up his trash and place it in the trash can.

This student would benefit from further instruction on which of the following skills?

• pronoun-antecedent agreement

• punctuation for appositives

• punctuation for subordinate clauses

• subject-verb agreement

Answer explanation

In this example, the student uses the pronoun "his" when the antecedent was "students." Since "students" is plural, the pronoun should be "their."

Tags

CCSS.L.3.1A

CCSS.L.6.1A

CCSS.L.6.1C

CCSS.L.6.1D

While I would love to join you I'm not feeling well, so I think it would be best for me to stay in tonight.

• you: I'm not feeling well, so

• you, I'm not feeling well so

• you; I'm not feeling well, so

• you, I'm not feeling well, so

Answer explanation

This correctly adds a comma after "you." A comma is needed to separate the subordinate clause beginning with "while" at the start of the sentence from the main clause beginning with, "I'm not feeling well."

Tags

CCSS.L.9-10.2A

Quinn studied spanish, Khalil studied literature, and Naomi studied history at the University of Texas. No error.

• Quinn studied spanish

• Khalil studied literature

• Naomi studied history

• University of Texas

• No error

Answer explanation

Because it is a proper noun, "Spanish" should be capitalized.

Tags

CCSS.L.1.1B

CCSS.L.2.2C

CCSS.L.3.2D

"I severely dislike that man," said Jane to her mother, he had long ago broken Jane's heart, and she had yet to forgive him. No error.

• man," said

• mother, he had

• heart, and she

• No error

Answer explanation

The use of a comma here has created a comma splice. This comma should be replaced with a period or a coordinating conjunction to fix the grammatical error.

Tags

CCSS.L.3.2C

CCSS.L.4.2B

CCSS.L.5.2D

Read the two sentences below and answer the question:

Original Sentence: Some dogs barks when they are startled.

Revised Sentence: Some dogs bark when they are startled.

What aspect of the revised sentence was corrected?

• indefinite

• subject/verb agreement

• plural "s"

• pronoun/antecedent agreement

Answer explanation

Present-tense verbs should match their subjects in number. Singular subjects use one form of the verb, while plural subjects use another. Since "dogs" is plural, the "s" on "barks" needed to be removed.

Tags

CCSS.L.3.1F

Which sentence is correctly punctuated?

• Let's visit the children's museum next week; preferably on Monday.

• Let's visit the children's museum next week, preferably on Monday.

• Lets visit the children's museum next week, preferably on Monday.

• Let's visit the childrens' museum next week, preferably on Monday.

Answer explanation

This sentence does not contain an error which needs to be corrected.

Tags

CCSS.L.9-10.2A

There are only a couple of things left to pack before we go: my keys, which I believe are on the dining room table; and my kindle, which is next to my bed.

• go: my keys, which I believe are on the dining room table; and my kindle, which is next to my bed. (no change needed)

• go. My keys, which I believe are on the dining room table; and my kindle, which is next to my bed.

• go: my keys which I believe are on the dining room table; and my kindle which is next to my bed.

• go, my keys, which I believe are on the dining room table, and my kindle, which is next to my bed.

Answer explanation

This clause does not contain an error.

Tags

CCSS.L.9-10.2B

Charles asked me to go to the movies with him, but Ashley and me go to the movies together every Monday, so I had to disappoint him. No error.

• him,

• me

• Monday

• him

• no error

Answer explanation

Pronouns must agree in case. In compound structures where there are both a noun and a pronoun, drop the noun for a moment, and then you can see which case you want. You wouldn't say, "me go to the movies," so the correction would read, "Ashley and I go to the movies together every Monday."

Tags

CCSS.L.3.1A

CCSS.L.1.1D

Which of the following sentences contains an error in using the subjunctive mood?

• "If I were you, I'd eat while I had the chance."

• "Dogs are the most expensive pet to own."

• "The most important things in life are free: family, love and friends are all vital."

• "If I was rich, I'd buy a private plane so I'd never have to deal with an airline again."

Answer explanation

There is an error in the subjunctive mood in this sentence. The sentence should use "were" instead of "was."

Tags

CCSS.L.8.1C

CCSS.L.8.1D

CCSS.L.8.3A