01. Conventions in Writing: Grammar

Question 1

Remember that both independent and ________ clauses have a subject and a ____.

Answer 1

Remember that both independent and dependent clauses have a subject and a verb.

Question 2

Only an ________ clause can function on it’s own as a sentence.

Answer 2

Only an independent clause can function on it’s own as a sentence.

Question 3

________ clauses by themselves are sentence fragments, they need an independent clause to make them whole.

Answer 3

Dependent clauses by themselves are sentence fragments, they need an independent clause to make them whole.

Question 4

Independent clauses are connected by coordinating and subordinating _________.

Answer 4

Independent clauses are connected by coordinating and subordinating conjunctions.

Question 5

What are the coordinating conjunctions?

Answer 5

For
And
Nor
But
Or
Yet
So

Question 6

Because they can function as independent sentences, two independent clauses can also be connected by a ______.

Answer 6

Because they can function as independent sentences, two independent clauses can also be connected by a semicolon.

Question 7

Generally, dependent clauses are connected to main clauses by ________ conjunctions or ______ pronouns.

Answer 7

Generally, dependent clauses are connected to main clauses by subordinating conjunctions or relative pronouns.

Question 8

The independent clause, the simplest type of _______, can be joined with _________ _________ or other ________ _______ to add greater context.

Answer 8

The independent clause, the simplest type of sentence, can be joined with dependent clauses or other independent clauses to add greater context.

Question 9

An _________ ________ is the simplest sentence you can write.

I love you.

My uncle paints houses.

He ate the last piece of pizza.

Answer 9

An independent clause is the simplest sentence you can write.

I love you.

My uncle paints houses.

He ate the last piece of pizza.

Question 10

At minimum, an independent clause consists of a _______ and a ____ that can stand alone as a sentence

Answer 10

At minimum, an independent clause consists of a subject and a verb that can stand alone as a sentence

Question 11

A subject is the person, place, idea, or thing that is either ______ something or ______ something in the sentence.

Answer 11

A subject is the person, place, idea, or thing that is either doing something or being something in the sentence.

Question 12

Find the subject of a sentence by finding the verb (that’s the part of the sentence that creates the ______) and then seeing what is the thing that is doing the ______ of the verb.

Answer 12

Find the subject of a sentence by finding the verb (that’s the part of the sentence that creates the action) and then seeing what is the thing that is doing the action of the verb.

Question 13

If you want to suggest that independent events are closely related to each other, you can join two _______ _______ by a comma and a _________ conjunction or with a semicolon and a _______ adverb.

Answer 13

If you want to suggest that independent events are closely related to each other, you can join two independent clauses by a comma and a coordinating conjunction or with a semicolon and a conjunctive adverb.

Question 14

I am at the front door; incidentally, I’ve swallowed my key.

Or leave the adverb out:

I am at the front door; I am the pizza deliveryman.

Independent clauses could function fine as separate sentences, but the semicolon connects the action to suggest a more _______ relationship.

Answer 14

I am at the front door; incidentally, I’ve swallowed my key.

Or leave the adverb out:

I am at the front door; I am the pizza deliveryman.

Independent clauses could function fine as separate sentences, but the semicolon connects the action to suggest a more intimate relationship.

Question 15

A _________ ________ isn’t a complete sentence on its own. It has to be added to an independent clause, which is what gives it its other name - the ______ ______ - because it’s ________ to the independent (or main) clause. It, too, has a subject and a verb. Take this example:

I love you because you are kind.

The _________ ________ here is ‘because you are kind.’ The verb is ‘are’ and the subject is ‘you,’ but ‘because you are kind’ cannot function as an independent sentence. Thus, it is ________ to our independent clause, ‘I love you.’ ‘Because’ connects the dependent clause to the independent clause and is called a __________ conjunction.

Answer 15

A dependent clause isn’t a complete sentence on its own. It has to be added to an independent clause, which is what gives it its other name - the subordinate clause - because it’s subordinate to the independent (or main) clause. It, too, has a subject and a verb. Take this example:

I love you because you are kind.

The dependent clause here is ‘because you are kind.’ The verb is ‘are’ and the subject is ‘you,’ but ‘because you are kind’ cannot function as an independent sentence. Thus, it is subordinate to our independent clause, ‘I love you.’ ‘Because’ connects the dependent clause to the independent clause and is called a subordinating conjunction.

Question 16

Dependent clauses can also be connected by ______ _______. Your ______ _______ are who, whom, whoever, whomever, whose, that, which, whichever, and whosoever.

Answer 16

Dependent clauses can also be connected by relative pronouns. Your relative pronouns are who, whom, whoever, whomever, whose, that, which, whichever, and whosoever. For instance:

Question 17

Name the relative pronouns

Answer 17

Who, whom, whoever, whomever, whose, that, which, whichever, and whosoever.

Question 18

The man who was in jail confessed.

In this case, ‘who was in jail’ is the dependent clause - a kind called an _______ ______ because it functions like an ________. ‘The man confessed’ would be the independent clause here, while ‘who was in jail’ adds describing detail.

Answer 18

The man who was in jail confessed.

In this case, ‘who was in jail’ is the dependent clause - a kind called an adjective clause because it functions like an adjective. ‘The man confessed’ would be the independent clause here, while ‘who was in jail’ adds describing detail.

Question 19

The other types of clauses are ____ clauses and ______ clauses, which do the same things that ______ and _______ do but in full clause form. In the sentence ‘I drink soda when I’m sad,’ for example, ‘when I’m sad’ is a dependent _____ clause, as the whole clause describes the verb ‘drink,’ with ‘I’ as the subject.

Answer 19

The other types of clauses are noun clauses and adverb clauses, which do the same things that nouns and adverbs do but in full clause form. In the sentence ‘I drink soda when I’m sad,’ for example, ‘when I’m sad’ is a dependent adverb clause, as the whole clause describes the verb ‘drink,’ with ‘I’ as the subject.

Question 20

The first, most basic way you’re taught to use a _____ is for separating elements in a series, as in, ‘‘McBliver was able to build a rudimentary thermonuclear reactor with a cheese wedge, a half-empty Diet Coke, and some Uranium-235.’’

Answer 20

The first, most basic way you’re taught to use a comma is for separating elements in a series, as in, ‘‘McBliver was able to build a rudimentary thermonuclear reactor with a cheese wedge, a half-empty Diet Coke, and some Uranium-235.’’

Question 21

The last comma in a series is called the _____ _____ or _____ ______ because it punctuates the last item in a series.

Answer 21

The last comma in a series called the Oxford comma or serial comma because it punctuates the last item in a series.

Question 22

Which of the following is correct? ‘‘Tyrone had a strong, legendary appetite’’ or ‘‘Tyrone had a strong legendary appetite?’’

Answer 22

The answer is the first option. Remember that if you can put ‘and’ between the adjectives that describe the noun and they still make sense, then there should be a comma in between them. Otherwise, leave it out.

Question 23

Use commas when introducing any word or phrase that comes before the ____ _____ in the sentence (that’s the part of the sentence with at least one subject and one verb that’s the most essential).

Answer 23

Use commas when introducing any word or phrase that comes before the main clause in the sentence (that’s the part of the sentence with at least one subject and one verb that’s the most essential).

Question 24

'’Yes, I will have that bacon sandwich. However, I can’t eat it in front of that pig. It’s like he knows!’’ In this case, both ‘yes’ and ‘however’ are _______ _____, so they need to have a comma after them.

Answer 24

'’Yes, I will have that bacon sandwich. However, I can’t eat it in front of that pig. It’s like he knows!’’ In this case, both ‘yes’ and ‘however’ are introductory words, so they need to have a comma after them.

Question 25

If the ________ _____ is at the very end of the sentence, then it has to have a comma preceding it. As in, ‘‘I can’t eat it in front of that pig, however.’’

Answer 25

If the introductory word is at the very end of the sentence, then it has to have a comma preceding it. As in, ‘‘I can’t eat it in front of that pig, however.’’

Question 26

What is the introductory phrase in the sentence:

'’Because the pig was watching her, Janet decided to save the sandwich for tomorrow.’

Answer 26

“Because the pig was watching her,” is the introductory phrase.

“Janet decided to save the sandwich for tomorrow.” is the main clause.

Question 27

Which of the following phrases is grammatically correct American English?

'’Take me to your leader,’’ the square-headed alien said.

or

’'’Take me to your leader’’, the square-headed alien said.

Answer 27

'’Take me to your leader,’’ the square-headed alien said.

American English puts the comma inside the quotes, whereas British English puts them outside.

Question 28

If you wrote:

I like swimming through fire, I love juggling bobcats.

you would be committing a grammatical error called a ______ _____. However, add any comma plus a coordinating conjunction and you’re all set.

Answer 28

If you wrote:

I like swimming through fire, I love juggling bobcats.

you would be committing a grammatical error called a comma splice. However, add any comma plus a coordinating conjunction and you’re all set.

Question 29

What is the non-essential clause in the sentence:

Jonathan, though he was destined to become King of the Spider-People, just wanted to be an accountant.

Answer 29

The middle part there, ‘though he was destined to become King of the Spider-People,’ can easily be pulled out of the sentence and the sentence will still make sense — that is, it would read, ‘Jonathan just wanted to be an accountant.’ Therefore that middle clause is non-essential, and it needs to have commas (or dashes) offsetting it on either side. A non-essential clause also can’t stand on its own as a sentence, which is one way to help you decide whether it needs those commas or not.

Question 30

You can use commas to offset _______ _____ of a sentence, such as, ‘The Yeti isn’t evil, just misunderstood.’

Answer 30

You can use commas to offset contrasting parts of a sentence, such as, ‘The Yeti isn’t evil, just misunderstood.’

Question 31

You should also _______ the comma when it clears up confusion, and ____ a comma when it makes the sentence less clear.

Answer 31

You should also include the comma when it clears up confusion, and omit a comma when it makes the sentence less clear.

Question 32

Remember that a _______ _______ is just another term for ‘incomplete sentence.’

Answer 32

Remember that a sentence fragment is just another term for ‘incomplete sentence.’

Question 33

Sentence fragments usually lack either ____ ___ or ______ (or both). If you’re not sure if a sentence is a fragment, check that it has at least one ____ ____ and ______.

Answer 33

Sentence fragments usually lack either main verb or subject (or both). If you’re not sure if a sentence is a fragment, check that it has at least one main verb and subject.

Question 34

___-__ sentences consist of at least two independent clauses that are connected in one sentence without proper punctuation.

Answer 34

Run-on sentences consist of at least two independent clauses that are connected in one sentence without proper punctuation.

Question 35

A _____ _____ occurs any time a comma is inserted between two main clauses without a coordinating conjunction to connect them. For instance:

Most of us liked to eat fish, Jerry preferred to devour the still-beating hearts of fresh artichokes.

Answer 35

A comma splice occurs any time a comma is inserted between two main clauses without a coordinating conjunction to connect them. For instance:

Most of us liked to eat fish, Jerry preferred to devour the still-beating hearts of fresh artichokes.

Question 36

In America, we call the tiny little punctuation mark that ends a sentence a _____, but in other English-speaking countries they call it a ‘full stop’, which is probably a better description of the _____’s purpose.

Answer 36

In America, we call the tiny little punctuation mark that ends a sentence a period, but in other English-speaking countries they call it a ‘full stop’, which is probably a better description of the period’s purpose.

Question 37

The _____ is a way of letting the reader know there’s more to come to further illustrate a thought after the main clause. This is usually in the form of a list, as follows. ‘Dennis brought along several items with which to win the lady’s heart: flowers, fresh fish, a record of death metal sea chanteys, and a tuba.’

Answer 37

The colon is a way of letting the reader know there’s more to come to further illustrate a thought after the main clause. This is usually in the form of a list, as follows. ‘Dennis brought along several items with which to win the lady’s heart: flowers, fresh fish, a record of death metal sea chanteys, and a tuba.’

Question 38

A _____ can be used to introduce not just lists, but entire clauses that add important additional explanation. For instance, ‘Today was turning out like one of his nightmares: everyone was frowning and no one was wearing any pants.’ In this case, the _____ introduces the information of what one of his nightmare was like.

Answer 38

A colon can be used to introduce not just lists, but entire clauses that add important additional explanation. For instance, ‘Today was turning out like one of his nightmares: everyone was frowning and no one was wearing any pants.’ In this case, the colon introduces the information of what one of his nightmare was like.

Question 39

A semicolon is used:

To connect two independent clauses that are closely related to each other

To connect ________ _____ and ______ within a sentence

To keep items in a list that have _______ ________ separate

Answer 39

A semicolon is used:

To connect two independent clauses that are closely related to each other

To connect transitional words and phrases within a sentence

To keep items in a list that have internal punctuation separate

Question 40

You have the option of using a semicolon when connecting two independent clauses with a _______ _____ - that is, words, like ‘however,’ moreover,’ ‘therefore,’ or phrases like ‘for example’ - that serve to transition and further explain something about the main clause.

Answer 40

You have the option of using a semicolon when connecting two independent clauses with a conjunctive adverb - that is, words, like ‘however,’ moreover,’ ‘therefore,’ or phrases like ‘for example’ - that serve to transition and further explain something about the main clause.

Question 41

The most important thing to remember about parallel structure is not to mix ____, _____, or passive and active _____. If you have all gerunds, stick with them; if you have all infinitives, or all adverbs, stick with those.

Answer 41

The most important thing to remember about parallel structure is not to mix forms, tenses, or passive and active voices. If you have all gerunds, stick with them; if you have all infinitives, or all adverbs, stick with those.

Question 42

To spot potential parallelism pitfalls, first look for the ________ _______ in a sentence - those are for, and, nor, but, or, yet, and so - and then look to either side of the conjunction to see if it’s parallel. So here’s an example of a sentence without parallel structure:

Deep-fried Oreos are delicious but bad nutrition.

So we have ‘delicious’ on one side and ‘nutrition’ on the other of the _______ _______, but the former is an adjective and the latter is a noun. Here’s the same sentence with parallel structure:

Deep-fried Oreos are delicious but not nutritious.

Answer 42

To spot potential parallelism pitfalls, first look for the coordinating conjunctions in a sentence - those are for, and, nor, but, or, yet, and so - and then look to either side of the conjunction to see if it’s parallel. So here’s an example of a sentence without parallel structure:

Deep-fried Oreos are delicious but bad nutrition.

So we have ‘delicious’ on one side and ‘nutrition’ on the other of the coordinating conjunction, but the former is an adjective and the latter is a noun. Here’s the same sentence with parallel structure:

Deep-fried Oreos are delicious but not nutritious.

Question 43

A _______ _______ can take the form of either…or, neither…nor, both … and, and not only … but also. These pairings highlight a connection, or correlation, between two elements. Here’s an example of a sentence that uses correlative conjunctions but is not parallel:

We not only were lost but also broke.

Answer 43

A correlative conjunction can take the form of either…or, neither…nor, both … and, and not only … but also. These pairings highlight a connection, or correlation, between two elements. Here’s an example of a sentence that uses ________ _________ but is not parallel:

We not only were lost but also broke.

Question 44

One of the most common parallel structure mistakes occurs when writers list items in a series. You’re bounding over the hills and dales of a sentence when suddenly, just before you reach your destination, the car hits a ditch. Here’s an example:

Sasquatch enjoys taking long walks in the forest, playing with small woodland creatures, and to devour wandering tourists.

Now, instead of all -ing words - called ______ - in the series, the sentence hits a hitch at the infinitive to devour. Matching the verb-forms restores the balance, so it should be:

Sasquatch enjoys taking long walks in the forest, playing with small woodland creatures, and devouring wandering tourists.

Answer 44

One of the most common parallel structure mistakes occurs when writers list items in a series. You’re bounding over the hills and dales of a sentence when suddenly, just before you reach your destination, the car hits a ditch. Here’s an example:

Sasquatch enjoys taking long walks in the forest, playing with small woodland creatures, and to devour wandering tourists.

Now, instead of all -ing words - called gerunds - in the series, the sentence hits a hitch at the infinitive to devour. Matching the verb-forms restores the balance, so it should be:

Sasquatch enjoys taking long walks in the forest, playing with small woodland creatures, and devouring wandering tourists.

Question 45

I like to time travel more than flying.

The two comparison elements here (to time travel and flying) aren’t in the same grammatical form. To time travel is in the _______ form, while flying is a ______. To make the sentence parallel, use the ______ in both cases (those are those -ing words we talked about before).

I like time traveling more than flying.

Answer 45

I like to time travel more than flying.

The two comparison elements here (to time travel and flying) aren’t in the same grammatical form. To time travel is in the infinitive form, while flying is a gerund. To make the sentence parallel, use the gerund in both cases (those are those -ing words we talked about before).

I like time traveling more than flying.

Question 46

When writing parallel sentences, you want to make sure your verb tenses are the same. Remember to look on either side of the conjunction or connecting phrase to make sure the forms match.

“Jonathan had grabbed the stake and drove it into the vampire’s heart.” is not parallel because “had grabbed” on the one side of the conjunction (and) is in the ____ _____ form, while “drove” is simply in ____ _____. A balanced version would be:

“Jonathan had grabbed the stake and driven it into the vampire’s heart,” or “Jonathan grabbed the stake and drove it into the vampire’s heart,”

Answer 46

When writing parallel sentences, you want to make sure your verb tenses are the same. Remember to look on either side of the conjunction or connecting phrase to make sure the forms match.

“Jonathan had grabbed the stake and drove it into the vampire’s heart.” is not parallel because “had grabbed” on the one side of the conjunction (and) is in the past perfect form, while “drove” is simply in past tense. A balanced version would be:

“Jonathan had grabbed the stake and driven it into the vampire’s heart,” or “Jonathan grabbed the stake and drove it into the vampire’s heart.”

Question 47

______ are words that replace nouns (or other ______) that help make sentences more agile.

Answer 47

Pronouns are words that replace nouns (or other pronouns) that help make sentences more agile.

Question 48

_____ pronouns are the objects of verbs, infinitives and prepositions. These can act on pronouns as well as nouns, which is how we get the idea of an object pronoun. For instance:

‘I love Japanese monster movies.’

‘I’ is the subject pronoun (the subject of the sentence), and ‘movies’ is the ____ (Japanese monster movies, specifically). But in this sentence:

‘And Japanese monster movies love me.’

Well, ‘me’ is an _____ pronoun here (because it’s the object of the subject ‘movies’), but it’s a pronoun because it’s still replacing the ‘I’ in the sentence (the person that it’s supposed to be).

Answer 48

Object pronouns are the objects of verbs, infinitives and prepositions. These can act on pronouns as well as nouns, which is how we get the idea of an _____ pronoun. For instance:

‘I love Japanese monster movies.’

‘I’ is the subject pronoun (the subject of the sentence), and ‘movies’ is the object (Japanese monster movies, specifically). But in this sentence:

‘And Japanese monster movies love me.’

‘Me’ is an object pronoun here (because it’s the object of the subject ‘movies’), but it’s a pronoun because it’s still replacing the ‘I’ in the sentence (the person that it’s supposed to be).

Question 49

Your _____ _____ pronouns are me, you, him, her and it, while _____ _____ pronouns are us, you and them. You might notice that ‘you’ is listed as both a subject and an object pronoun, that’s because it is! It all depends on how it’s used.

Answer 49

Your singular object pronouns are me, you, him, her and it, while the plural object pronouns are us, you and them. You might notice that ‘you’ is listed as both a subject and an object pronoun, that’s because it is! It all depends on how it’s used.

Question 50

Your _____ _____ pronouns are me, you, him, her and it, while the _______ _______ pronouns are us, you and them. You might notice that ‘you’ is listed as both a subject and an object pronoun, that’s because it is! It all depends on how it’s used.

Answer 50

Your singular object pronouns are me, you, him, her and it, while the plural object pronouns are us, you and them. You might notice that ‘you’ is listed as both a subject and an object pronoun, that’s because it is! It all depends on how it’s used.

Question 51

Remember that the _____ and _____ of the pronoun should match the ____ and _____ of the subject.

Answer 51

Remember that the gender and number of the pronoun should match the gender and number of the subject.

Question 52

The _______ pronouns are ‘who’/’whom,’ ‘whoever’/’whomever,’ ‘whose,’ ‘that’ and ‘which.’ They help connect the main clause of a sentence to a clause that adds detail or helps describe the main clause, called a _______ clause.

Answer 52

The relative pronouns are ‘who’/’whom,’ ‘whoever’/’whomever,’ ‘whose,’ ‘that’ and ‘which.’ They help connect the main clause of a sentence to a clause that adds detail or helps describe the main clause, called a relative clause.

Question 53

Because English is weird, ______ is the only possessive relative pronoun, and it can be used for both people and things.

Answer 53

Because English is weird, ‘whose’ is the only possessive relative pronoun, and it can be used for both people and things.

Question 54

____ should only be used when introducing a clause that adds necessary and essential information to the sentence (called a restrictive clause), while _____ is used when introducing information that adds non-essential detail (called a non-restrictive clause). The thing you most need to remember here is necessary and essential detail compared to non-essential detail.

Answer 54

‘That’ should only be used when introducing a clause that adds necessary and essential information to the sentence (called a restrictive clause), while ‘which’ is used when introducing information that adds non-essential detail (called a non-restrictive clause). The thing you most need to remember here is necessary and essential detail compared to non-essential detail.

Question 55

Which of the following is grammatically correct:

Gary, whom I barely knew, was missing.

Gary, who I barely knew, was missing.

Answer 55

Gary, whom I barely knew, was missing.

‘Whom’ is correct here because it is referring to the object of the clause.

Question 56

Which of the following is grammatically correct:

Gary, whom forgot to ask to be paid up front, was in a predicament.

Gary, who forgot to ask to be paid up front, was in a predicament.

Answer 56

Gary, who forgot to ask to be paid up front, was in a predicament.

‘Who’ is correct here because it is referring to the subject of the clause.

Question 57

Use ‘whom’ whenever a _______ precedes the word. The correct grammatical construction is always ‘for whom’ and never ‘for who’, likewise ‘for whoever’ and ‘for whomever.’

Answer 57

Use ‘whom’ whenever a preposition precedes the word. The correct grammatical construction is always ‘for whom’ and never ‘for who’, likewise ‘for whoever’ and ‘for whomever.’

Question 58

An _________ pronoun is a pronoun that helps ask a question. As in, Whose collectible action figures are these? or To whom am I speaking? Use ‘which’ when referring to a specific range of options, as in, Which of these keys opens the gorilla cages? Use ‘what’ when there’s a broader world of possible answers, as in What is that guy in the gorilla suit doing in that cage? To which you might respond ‘Who?’ Those are _________ pronouns.

Answer 58

An interrogative pronoun is a pronoun that helps ask a question. As in, Whose collectible action figures are these? or To whom am I speaking? Use ‘which’ when referring to a specific range of options, as in, Which of these keys opens the gorilla cages? Use ‘what’ when there’s a broader world of possible answers, as in What is that guy in the gorilla suit doing in that cage? To which you might respond ‘Who?’ Those are interrogative pronouns.

Question 59

________ pronouns, like they sound, are pronouns that show possession. You’ll recognize them right away. They are: ‘my,’ ‘mine,’ ‘your,’ ‘yours,’ ‘his,’ ‘hers,’ ‘our,’ ‘ours,’ ‘their,’ ‘theirs’ and ‘whose’.

Answer 59

Possessive pronouns, like they sound, are pronouns that show possession. You’ll recognize them right away. They are: ‘my,’ ‘mine,’ ‘your,’ ‘yours,’ ‘his,’ ‘hers,’ ‘our,’ ‘ours,’ ‘their,’ ‘theirs’ and ‘whose’.

Question 60

What are the possessive pronouns?

Answer 60

‘my,’ ‘mine,’ ‘your,’ ‘yours,’ ‘his,’ ‘hers,’ ‘our,’ ‘ours,’ ‘their,’ ‘theirs’ and ‘whose’.

Question 61

The _______ singular pronouns are ‘myself,’ ‘yourself,’ ‘himself,’ ‘herself’ and ‘itself,’ while the plural ______ pronouns are ‘ourselves,’ ‘yourselves’ and ‘themselves.’

Answer 61

The reflexive singular pronouns are ‘myself,’ ‘yourself,’ ‘himself,’ ‘herself’ and ‘itself,’ while the plural reflexive pronouns are ‘ourselves,’ ‘yourselves’ and ‘themselves.’

Question 62

What are the singular reflexive pronouns?

Answer 62

‘Myself,’ ‘yourself,’ ‘himself,’ ‘herself’ and ‘itself’.

Question 63

What are the plural reflexive pronouns?

Answer 63

‘Ourselves,’ ‘yourselves’ and ‘themselves.’

Question 64

Plural _______ usually have an ‘-s’ or ‘-es’ added on to the end of the word, while verbs verbs drop the ‘-s’ if they have one. Likewise, singular ______ don’t have an ‘-s,’ while singular verbs do.

Answer 64

Plural subjects usually have an ‘-s’ or ‘-es’ added on to the end of the word, while plural verbs drop the ‘-s’ if they have one. Likewise, singular subjects don’t have an ‘-s,’ while singular verbs do.

Question 65

When writing a sentence using either/or or neither/nor, how do you decide whether the verb should be singular or plural?

Answer 65

Use the subject noun closest to the verb to decide.

Question 66

In the following sentence, _____ is the subject noun and _____ is the verb.

‘The two girls, as they stroll past the park, hear the faint sound of church bells chiming the hour.’

Answer 66

In the following sentence, girls is the subject noun and hear is the verb.

‘The two girls, as they stroll past the park, hear the faint sound of church bells chiming the hour.’

Question 67

A ________ is a word, phrase or clause that modifies (or describes) another word.

Answer 67

A modifier is a word, phrase or clause that modifies (or describes) another word.

Question 68

_________ ________ are modifiers that point to the wrong part of the sentence, changing its meaning from what you intend it to mean to something else.

Answer 68

Misplaced modifiers are modifiers that point to the wrong part of the sentence, changing its meaning from what you intend it to mean to something else.

Question 69

_______ _______ are modifiers where the thing that it’s supposed to modify is gone!

Answer 69

Dangling modifiers are modifiers where the thing that it’s supposed to modify is gone!