Editing Drafts for Clarity

Which of the following sentences is correctly punctuated?

• Fires were common in all cities back then, and Chicago was no exception.

• Fires were common in all cities back then and, Chicago was no exception.

• Fires were common, in all cities back then and Chicago was no exception.

• Fires were common in all cities, back then and Chicago was no exception.

Answer explanation

The correct sentence is 'Fires were common in all cities back then, and Chicago was no exception.' It properly uses a comma before the conjunction 'and' to connect two independent clauses.

Identify the sentence that uses correct subject-verb agreement.

• The number of fires have risen significantly over the years.

• The number of fires has risen significantly over the years.

• The number of fires were risen significantly over the years.

• The number of fires are risen significantly over the years.

Answer explanation

The correct choice is 'The number of fires has risen significantly over the years.' Here, 'number' is the subject and is singular, so it takes the singular verb 'has' instead of 'have' or 'were'.

Choose the sentence that is free of grammatical errors.

• On Saturday the seventh, the night before the Great Fire, a blaze destroy four blocks.

• On Saturday the seventh, the night before the Great Fire, a blaze destroyed four blocks.

• On Saturday the seventh, the night before the Great Fire, a blaze destroys four blocks.

• On Saturday the seventh, the night before the Great Fire, a blaze destroying four blocks.

Answer explanation

The correct choice is 'On Saturday the seventh, the night before the Great Fire, a blaze destroyed four blocks.' It uses the past tense 'destroyed' to accurately describe an event that has already occurred.

Which sentence correctly uses commas?

• By October as many as six fires broke out every day.

• By October, as many as six fires broke out every day.

• By October as many, as six fires broke out every day.

• By October, as many as six, fires broke out every day.

Answer explanation

The correct sentence is 'By October, as many as six fires broke out every day.' The comma after 'October' separates the introductory phrase from the main clause, improving clarity.

Select the sentence that is correctly capitalized.

• The next year saw even more fires spring up, mainly because the Summer had been unusually dry.

• The next year saw even more fires spring up, mainly because the summer had been unusually dry.

• The next year saw even more fires spring up, mainly because the Summer had been unusually Dry.

• The next year saw even more fires spring up, mainly because the summer had been unusually Dry.

Answer explanation

The correct choice is 'The next year saw even more fires spring up, mainly because the summer had been unusually dry.' because 'summer' is a common noun and should not be capitalized.

Which of the following sentences is correctly punctuated?

• Trees drooped in the unrelenting summer sun grass and leaves dried out.

• Trees drooped in the unrelenting summer sun; grass and leaves dried out.

• Trees drooped in the unrelenting summer sun, grass and leaves dried out.

• Trees drooped in the unrelenting summer sun: grass and leaves dried out.

Answer explanation

The correct choice is 'Trees drooped in the unrelenting summer sun; grass and leaves dried out.' The semicolon properly connects two independent clauses, indicating a close relationship between the ideas.

Identify the sentence that uses correct verb tense.

• Records for 1870 indicate that fire-fighting companies responds to nearly 600 alarms.

• Records for 1870 indicate that fire-fighting companies responded to nearly 600 alarms.

• Records for 1870 indicate that fire-fighting companies respond to nearly 600 alarms.

• Records for 1870 indicate that fire-fighting companies responding to nearly 600 alarms.

Answer explanation

The correct choice is 'Records for 1870 indicate that fire-fighting companies responded to nearly 600 alarms.' It uses the past tense 'responded' to match the historical context of 1870.

Choose the sentence that is free of grammatical errors.

• Between July and October, only a few scattered showers had took place.

• Between July and October, only a few scattered showers had taken place.

• Between July and October, only a few scattered showers had take place.

• Between July and October, only a few scattered showers had taking place.

Answer explanation

The correct sentence is 'Between July and October, only a few scattered showers had taken place.' It uses the correct past participle 'taken' instead of 'took' or 'take', ensuring grammatical accuracy.

Select the sentence that is correctly capitalized.

• What made Sunday the eighth different and particularly dangerous was the steady wind blowing in from the Southwest.

• What made Sunday the eighth different and particularly dangerous was the steady wind blowing in from the southwest.

• What made Sunday the eighth different and particularly dangerous was the steady wind blowing in from the SouthWest.

• What made Sunday the eighth different and particularly dangerous was the steady wind blowing in from the South west.

Answer explanation

The correct choice is 'southwest' because it is a direction and should be in lowercase unless it starts a sentence. 'Southwest' is only capitalized when used as a proper noun, which is not the case here.

Which sentence correctly uses commas?

• On the day the fire started over 55 miles of pine-block streets and 600 miles of wooden sidewalks bound the city.

• On the day the fire started, over 55 miles of pine-block streets and 600 miles of wooden sidewalks bound the city.

• On the day the fire started over 55 miles, of pine-block streets and 600 miles of wooden sidewalks bound the city.

• On the day the fire started, over 55 miles of pine-block streets, and 600 miles of wooden sidewalks bound the city.

Answer explanation

The correct sentence uses a comma after the introductory clause "On the day the fire started" to separate it from the main clause. The other options either misuse commas or omit necessary ones.