Dr. Kristi Siegel Associate Professor and Chair, English Department Mount Mary College - Milwaukee, WIsconsin siegelkr@mtmary.edu
Test Your Grammar Know-How! Submit Your Answers to See How You've Done ...
Grammar Assessment
FIRST, type in Your Name
Complete the following test (make sure to enter your name in the text box above and then press SUBMIT; to see your results and e-mail them to me. Print the results' page. If you are completing this test for another instructor, select File, Send from the browser command bar to e-mail your teacher your results or print the results' page and turn it in.
I. Usage. Homonyms and Other Easily Confused Word Pairs - Choose the correct word choice in each of the sentences below.
1. He can
except
accept a compliment fairly well.
2. She loves every dance
except
accept the polka
3. The
affect
effect of the drug was apparent immediately.
4. The drug could
affect
effect her breathing.
5. I could
of
have died.
6.You should
of
have seen it.
7. Will you tell me when
its
it's midnight?
8.The statue fell off
its
it's base.
9.
They're
Their hearts were heavy.
10. Put the pizza over
there
their.
11. I wonder how
there
they're planning on getting here.
12.
Who's
Whose afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?
13.
Your
You're becoming increasingly difficult.
14.
You're
Your salad is perfect.
15.
The school's
principle
principal is new.
16.
She believes in the
principle
principal of fair play.
17.
The
principle
principal reason she left was because of the noise.
II. Pronouns - Select the correct pronoun:
18. I doubt he's smarter than
I.
me
19.When my mother-in-law and
I
me get together, we have a wonderful time.
20.The Joneses and
us
we used to live right next door to each other.
21.Every one of the men took off
his
their hat.
22. It's important to Charlene and
I
me.
23.One of the puppies lost
its
their collar.
24.Both of the boys brought
his
their book.
III. Sentences - In the drop-down menus below select C for a complete sentence, F for a fragment, and R for a run-on.
25. Turning the corner on two wheels without tipping over.
26.Determined to win his approval.
27. I like to watch all the soap operas its so stimulating.
28.She grabbed a fly swatter.
29.By carrying away waste products efficiently and effectively.
30.To study harder than ever before.
31.She married him, when Percival heard the news, he fainted.
32.We had planned an all-day picnic in a pasture near the river.
33.Where are Riff and Raff those cats won't come when I call them.
IV. Correct modification - Check D for any sentence containing a dangling or misplaced modifier, or check C if the sentence is correct.
D
34. Walking to school this morning, the wisteria vines were blooming
C
D
35. After scratching his fleas for a while, Fido took a nap.
C
D
36. Encouraged by the coach, the team won the game.
C
D
37. To gain weight quickly, doughnuts are a good bedtime snack.
C
D
38. Just after eating my lunch, the telephone rang.
C
D
39. After having a serious heart attack, the mayor was concerned.
C
D
40. Louise yearned to see the Mississippi River while in Arizona.
C
D
41. I read about the kidnappers who were found in this morning's paper.
C
D
42. The thief was arrested after the store had been robbed by the police.
C
V. Punctuation - Decide what punctuation belongs in the blanks and select the appropriate letter from the dropdown menu.
A = comma ( ,) B = semicolon (;) C = colon(: ) D = quotation marks (") E = no punctuation
43. The best months of the year are
September, May and June.
the phone rings several times.
44, 45. In the morning
regardless of how early it is
46. I have three hobbies
sewing, cooking, and painting.
47. Hank made a touchdown during the last quarter
we won by a score of 6 to 0.
48, 49. "I believe,
said Nell, "that you can save this dress.
50. I like roses
however, impatiens require less care.
51. "Out of my way!
John yelled.
52. Yesterday morning I washed the dishes and swept the kitchen
then I went to the grocery store.
53. We visited the following states
Wisconsin, Minnesota, Maine, and New Hampshire.
VI. Parallel Structure - Select I for Incorrect parallel structure, and P for correct parallel structure in the sentences below:
54. When it comes to basketball, Chicago's Michael Jordan does almost everything well: runs, shoots, gets rebounds, and can pass.
55. There's something special about people who are interested in the printed word. They are learned, kind, knowledgeable, and humane.
56. Baseball is like chamber music, a comparison can be made between football and a symphony, and jazz is the music that most closely resembles basketball.
57.Runners should warm up properly, following a safe route, to vary their speed, and a soft surface like grass or sand is preferable to the pavement.
VII. Subject-Verb Agreement - Select the correct verb from the drop-down menu.
58. The topic of gender differences
always controversial.
59. The patterns of performance in math
a longer history.
60. In fact, the effects of birth order
been studied.
61. Both birth order and its impact
important in his study.
the right to succeed.
62. Everybody
the right answer.
63. Each of the boys
64.
any of the new members arrived yet?
65. Some of the books
to be mended.
good voice control.
66. Each of the speakers
VIII. Apostrophes - Select the correct word in each of drop-down menus below.
67.Two (girls girls' girl's) coats are hanging in the hall.
68.(Its Its' It's) been a long day for everyone.
69. The (athletes athletes' athlete's) meetings will be held in the assembly. (athletes is plural)
70. After (schools school's schools') out we go to the store.
71.
71, 72. The canary didn't know (its its' it's) name; (it's its its') still learning.
72.
73. The (sheeps sheep's sheeps')'wool is warm.
74.The (babies babies') toys were in the attic.
'75. The (students student's students') absences are mounting. (students ' is singular)
Assessing your results: 73 - 77 correct - Congratulations! You're a grammar whiz! 68 - 72 correct - Very good - check on areas where you have more than two answers wrong 63 - 67 - Good - brush up on areas where you have two or more errors. Below 62 - Time for a grammar brush up!
