Class V Spring
Grammar Packet
Verbals, Dangling and Misplaced
Modifiers, Pronoun Reference, Pronoun
Case, and Agreement
Name:
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Spring Grammar Packet Table of Contents
Unit 1: Verbals
3
Participles + Gerunds
3
Infinitives
10
Absolute Phrase
14
Varying Sentence Structure
26
Verbals Quiz Review
30
Unit 2: Dangling and Misplaced Modifiers
35
Unit 3: Pronoun Reference
43
Unit 4: Pronoun Case
49
Unit 5: Agreement
56
Spring Quiz Review
65
Proofreading Practice
69
Final Test Review
73
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UNIT 1: VERBALS
Participles and Gerunds
VERBALS are verb forms that do NOT act as verbs, but act as other parts of speech. They
include participles, gerunds, and infinitives.
1. A PARTICIPLE is a verb form that is used as an adjective. Present participles all end in -ing,
and past participles usually end in -ed (but sometimes in other irregular endings like –t, -n).
Underline the participles below and draw arrows to the words they modify.
The sleeping boy rolled over in bed.
The defeated players were sad, but they gave a resounding cheer for their exulting
opponents.
3. Hand me the stolen manuscript.
Write your own sentence with a participle in it. Make sure your participle is acting like an
adjective!
A PARTICIPIAL PHRASE is a phrase that includes a participle and all of its modifiers and
complements. As with prep phrases, we put parentheses around verbal phrases. Underline
the participles, put parentheses around the participial phrases, and draw arrows to the words
they modify.
(Standing in line in the cafeteria), I dropped my quesadilla
(Giggling uncontrollably), the students pointed and stared.
(Saved by the bell), I quickly ran to my next class.
Write your own sentence that includes a participial phrase:
HINT: Don’t confuse these participles with VERBS that look similar. If asked to label the
italicized words below, you would label them as ACTION VERBS. Although these sentences
say the same thing as the sentences above, note the effect of the different syntax. Which
phrasing do you prefer? Why?
I was standing in line when I dropped my quesadilla.
They were giggling uncontrollably as they pointed and stared.
I was saved by the bell, and I quickly ran to my next class.
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2. A GERUND is a verb form ending in –ing that acts as a noun. Don’t confuse gerunds with
participles that end in –ing!
Because the gerund is used like a noun it can function as the:
Subject: Running is good for your heart.
Direct Object: I hate running because I am lazy.
Predicate Noun: My favorite sport is running.
Object of the Prep: I am sick of running.
Indirect object: I gave running my best effort.
Appositive: My favorite sport, running, makes me healthy.
Object Complement: She declared her favorite sport running.
Underline the gerunds and label their functions.
1. Hitting is a bad way to settle an argument.
2. We know now the harmful effects of smoking.
3. On our snow day, I gave your writing my full attention. (OK, maybe not true...)
4. I spent time yesterday on my favorite hobby, singing.
5. I also love reading.
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A GERUND PHRASE includes a gerund and its modifiers (its articles, adjectives, adverbs) and
complements (because it is a noun it can take an object -- a DO, IO, or OP). Underline the
gerunds below, put each gerund phrase in parentheses, and label the function of each gerund
phrase.
1. I hate driving in the snow.
2. His only hobby, building robots, makes him happy.
3. Running quickly makes me tired.
4. Hitting your head against a wall is bad for your hairdo.
5. I like reading in bed, but I fear it will eventually damage my eyes.
Write your own sentence that includes a gerund phrase:
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Exercise 1: Participle and Gerund Phrases
● Enclose all gerund and participial phrases in parentheses.
● Underline the gerund or participle and label it G or P.
● Indicate the function of the gerund phrase or draw an arrow from the participle to the word
it modifies.
● Be sure that you find all the gerunds and participles - even when a sentence has more than
one!
1. Walking through the quiet churchyard at midnight, Chuck began to whistle softly to himself.
2. Having won the first six games on their schedule, the Northport team had an excellent
chance to win the county championship.
3. Struggling for her life in the icy water, Helen was thrilled to see the two kids push a ladder
over the ice toward her.
4. Wayne Stewart, now swimming the freestyle, learned to swim only a year ago.
5. Yellowstone Falls, thundering into the canyon below us, really consists of two separate
Waterfalls.
6. The girl now assisting the biology teacher wouldn’t touch a frog six months ago.
7. The boy now diving from the high board is the captain of our swimming team.
8. Trained to ride bicycles, walk tightropes, and do stunts on the backs of horses,
chimpanzees make excellent circus performers.
9. Having used the wheel in a thousand different ways since childhood, we hardly notice this
amazing implement.
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10. Giving money to charities is a civic responsibility.
11. Recognizing types of planes is basic training for citizens volunteering for the Ground
Observer Corps.
12. In planning our vacation this year, we thoroughly enjoyed reading Dorr Yeager’s book
about our national parks.
13. Keeping Mecca a shrine sacred to their faith, Muslims have barred all infidels from setting
foot in the city.
14. Drinking from the sacred spring called Zemzem purifies the Muslim pilgrim’s soul.
Exercise 2: More Participle and Gerund Phrases
● Enclose all gerund and participial phrases in parentheses.
● Underline the gerund or participle and label it G or P.
● Indicate the function of the gerund phrase or draw an arrow from the participle to the word
it modifies.
● Be sure that you find all the gerunds and participles--even when a sentence has more than
one!
1. Working people should be paid living wages.
2. She earns her living by raising goldfish.
3. That was her one desire, the winning of the scholarship.
4. After pausing for a moment, he continued singing his favorite song.
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5. Their chief occupations were hunting and fishing.
6. In the evening I enjoy reading a good novel.
7. After mending his nets, he untied the rope holding the boat.
8. The buzzing sound disturbed my thinking.
9. In painting the house the men trampled the growing plants.
10. Having received approval for the plans, the contractor began building the house.
11. The boy approaching me said, “Please pardon my disturbing you.”
Exercise 3: Grammar in Action -- Participle and Gerund Phrases
1) Write a sentence about a literary character using a gerund as a subject.
2) Write a sentence about a literary character using a gerund as a direct object.
3) Write a sentence about a literary character that begins with a participial phrase. Punctuate
Correctly!
4) Write a sentence about your favorite movie using two participles and a gerund.
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Combine the following sentences once using a dependent clause and once using a verbal phrase.
Circle the combination you prefer.
5) Holden returns to New York. He finds it depressing.
6) Holden tries to connect with other people. He finds it difficult.
7) Holden watches Phoebe ride around and around the carousel. It makes him cry.
Combine the following sentences into one sentence without using any coordinating conjunctions:
7) Holden has a deep connection his sister. Her name is Phoebe. She seems wiser than her
older brother.
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Infinitives
THE INFINITIVE: Infinitives are verbals made from the infinitive form of verbs (to + verb).
They can function as adjectives, adverbs, or nouns (in any noun function).
To understand a foreign language is a great asset in working for the diplomatic service.
At first, she wanted to learn Arabic.
She had no way to know that she would spend her life in Asia.
She seemed eager to speak Chinese once she moved to China.
She enrolled in language classes quickly to convince the State Department that she
should stay in China.
NOTE: Sometimes the “to” is omitted and simply left to be understood, as in:
She helped translate for American newcomers.
Infinitive phrases are made up of the infinitive plus any modifiers or complements or both.
Put parentheses around the infinitive phrases above.
HINTS:
1. If you can add “in order” before an infinitive phrase, you probably have an adverb.
She ran quickly (in order) to escape the detectives.
2. Use your adjective, adverb, and DO questions!
She had no way to know the answer. (WHAT KIND of way?) Adj.
She was eager to finish the school year. (Eager WHY?) Adv.
She wanted to buy an ice cream cone. (She wanted WHAT?) DO
3. To determine the function of the infinitive phrase, look at the word before it. This trick
doesn’t always work, but it’s worth a try! Infinitives after action verbs are often DOs.
Infinitives after linking verbs are often PNs. Infinitives after nouns are often adjectives.
Infinitives after adjectives are often adverbs.
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Exercise 4: Infinitives and Infinitive Phrases
●
●
●
●
Underline each infinitive and, where appropriate, put infinitive phrases in parentheses.
Label each infinitive as adj, adv, or noun.
For infinitives acting as adjectives and adverbs, draw arrows to the word they modify.
For infinitives acting as nouns, label the noun functions.
1) To forgive is to forget.
2) To forget completely is to forgive completely.
3) To offer him the position was the decision of the committee.
4) The decision of the committee was to offer him the position.
5) The committee decided to offer him the position.
6) That was a class to remember.
7) Eager to please, my dog lunged at the interloper.
8) Our headmaster rose to speak.
9) To interrupt a speaker abruptly is impolite, but Professor Umbridge chose to do it anyway.
10) He had hoped to escape.
11) He is the man to see about the job.
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12) He was glad to receive the prize.
13) What remains to be done?
14) I called to tell him the news about his Academy Award nomination.
Exercise 5: More Infinitives
●
●
●
●
Underline each infinitive and, where appropriate, put infinitive phrases in parentheses.
Label each infinitive as adj, adv, or noun.
For infinitives acting as adjectives and adverbs, draw arrows to the word they modify.
For infinitives acting as nouns, label the noun functions.
1) To refuse the offer seems insane to most of our class.
2) Jane wants to be true to her principles.
3) We know Jane by now, so her reaction is to be expected.
4) Jane is perhaps too rigid to find happiness.
5) The moon tells Jane to flee temptation, so she wanders off to the moor to find a new
home.
6) Jane’s efforts to keep her identity a secret are thwarted by her idle doodling.
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7) Jane dreams of returning to Thornfield, but for a while she insists on staying true to her
decision to leave Rochester.
8) St John offers her a chance to make a noble sacrifice in the name of her religion.
9) Jane must weigh the conflicting aspects of her nature to make her decision.
10) Jane wants to make the right choice.
11) Our hope is to find Jane content at the end of the novel.
Part 2:
Write a sentence about a literary character that includes an infinitive acting as a noun. Label
it.
Write a sentence about a literary character that includes an infinitive acting as an adjective.
Challenge!: Go back to the sentences above and label gerunds and participles.
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The Absolute Phrase
●
●
●
●
The Absolute Phrase always starts with a noun and is followed by a participle
It is not a subject and does not modify any word in the sentence.
It is always separated from the rest of the sentence by a comma.
It sets the conditions under which the rest of the sentence is to be understood.
Here’s how it works:
(The rain having stopped), we played our game as scheduled.
(The concert being canceled), I have the evening free.
I will do what I want to, (all things considered).
HINT: To identify an absolute phrase, try inserting “with” at the beginning of the phrase. It’s
not grammatically relevant, but it may help to connect the parts of the sentence in your brain
and show you if the phrase is an absolute. If adding “with” doesn’t make sense, you probably
don’t have an absolute phrase.
Having watched the New Year’s Eve ball drop, we went to bed. (This is a participial
phrase, NOT an absolute phrase. “With having watched the New Year’s Eve ball
drop, we went to bed” makes no sense.)
The New Year’s Eve ball having dropped, we went to bed. (This is an absolute phrase.
“With the New Year’s Eve ball having dropped, we went to bed” makes some
sense.)
Formula: absolute phrases are made by:
● Starting with a ____________.
● Following it with a _________________.
● Separating it from the main part of the sentence with a ________________.
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Exercise 6: Practice with Absolute Phrases
Put the absolute phrase in each of the following sentences in parentheses:
1. We cleaned up the living room and relaxed, everyone having left.
2. The drill explained, the players got ready for the coach’s whistle.
3. The lights having gone out, the play began.
4. The goal achieved, the climbers smiled for a mountain-peak photo.
5. Business being slow, my boss let me take a long lunch hour.
Question:
Why should you never draw an arrow to show what word(s) these absolute phrases modify??
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Exercise 7: Mixed Verbal Phrases Review
●
●
●
●
●
Underline and label each verbal (gerund, participle, or infinitive).
Where appropriate, put phrases in parentheses.
Label each infinitive as adj, adv, or noun.
For verbals acting as adjectives and adverbs, draw arrows to the word they modify.
For verbals acting as nouns, label the noun functions.
1. My first care was to deliver your letter.
2. The order to attack reached us shortly before dawn.
3. Flushed with our success, we were not so vigilant.
4. John set off to obey his master’s orders.
5. Terrified by the sudden shout, we dared not even move.
6. I know that you prefer to eat lobster instead of shrimp.
7. A good many of them have abstained from voting.
8. The task he undertakes is like numbering sands and drinking oceans dry.
9. Seeing a flower makes me happy.
10. To be conscious that you are ignorant is a great step towards knowledge.
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11. I did not enjoy crossing the ocean.
12. He has a fixed purpose, to get an education.
13. He had no choice except to work.
14. He is as able to work as anyone.
15. Toward evening we came to a quaint little village paved with broken shells.
16. A boy, splashed with acid and badly frightened by the explosion, rushed out of the lab.
17. Calling to her comrades, she led the way into the cave.
18. At the blowing of the whistle every man returned to his work.
19. Growing flowers for his friends is his avocation.
20. She always makes time to be courteous to everyone.
21. In the summer I enjoy sleeping out of doors.
22. Angela, strange to say, likes to study geometry during the summer.
23. I regret being unable to accompany you on your trip.
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Exercise 8: More Mixed Verbal Phrases Review
●
●
●
●
●
Underline and label each verbal (gerund, participle, or infinitive).
Where appropriate, put phrases in parentheses.
Label each infinitive as adj, adv, or noun.
For verbals acting as adjectives and adverbs, draw arrows to the word they modify.
For verbals acting as nouns, label the noun functions.
1. To enjoy a snow day is delightful.
2. Having grown up in California, I had never experienced a snow day until today.
3. Seasoned and experienced New Englanders believe that snow days are unnecessary.
4. More learning takes place at Winsor without snow days.
5. While I am in complete support of learning, I loved receiving an unexpected three-day
weekend.
6. Committed and determined, my students are probably reading Macbeth right now in front
of warm fires crackling and burning in their fireplaces.
7. These students want to know what will happen to Macbeth for murdering so many people.
8. They also hope to discover what this sleepwalking business is all about.
9. After discovering the answers to these questions, they may consider watching a little T.V.
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Exercise 9: More Verbal and Absolute Phrase Review
Put the verbal and absolute phrases in parentheses. Label.
1. The exchange completed, several students say they are interested in studying the Japanese
language.
2. Students are asked to read five books over the summer to keep their brains active.
3. Giving children responsibility helps to develop their confidence.
4. Jonathan, known for his computer expertise, will assume the responsibility for the
computer lab.
5. The lights having come on, the band began to play again.
6. Moving quietly and carefully, my cats surprised the mouse.
7. The bus having stopped, the tourists filed out.
8. To adjust the draperies took longer than he had expected.
9. Many opportunities are available to people living in America.
10. Living in America offers many opportunities.
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Exercise 10: Identifying Mixed Verbal Phrases (CHALLENGE)
●
●
●
●
Underline the verbals, label the verbal as PART, GER, or INF.
If it’s acting as a noun, also write its function.
If it’s acting as an adjective or adverb, draw as arrow to the word it modifies.
Put verbal phrases in parentheses.
Near the little village of Lynn, a sleepy New England town, there is a winding stream
known to the local fishermen as “the creek.” Following the twisting channel toward the sea,
you finally arrive at an abandoned railroad bridge. Here the stream begins to branch out into
a salt marsh extending over many acres. Digging for clams is one of the favorite local
pastimes, and at low tide this is the place to do it. There is usually an old row boat tied to one
of the supports of the bridge. Although the craft may be water-logged and leaky, it will do for
exploring the shallow channels of the marsh. There are no oars, for the channels are too
narrow for rowing, but a pole or narrow plank will serve to push the boat along.
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Exercise 11: More Identifying Mixed Verbal Phrases (CHALLENGE)
●
●
●
●
Underline the verbals, label the verbal as PART, GER, or INF.
If it’s acting as a noun, also write its function.
If it’s acting as an adjective or adverb, draw as arrow to the word it modifies.
Put verbal phrases in parentheses.
Once out in the marsh, you find yourself in a bewildering maze, for even when you stand
up, you are unable to see over the tall reeds. To lose your sense of direction in
such a marsh is the easiest thing in the world, and therefore only an experienced native will
dare to venture far from the bridge without a compass. To find her way through the
innumerable channels, she has long since learned to navigate by the direction of the sun or
by the distant roaring of the sea. Naturally there are dismal stories to be heard in the village
about foolish strangers who have lost their way in this baffling labyrinth and have been found
days later, famished and exhausted. Others have been carried out to sea at night by the tide.
Exploring this wilderness, a dangerous pursuit for anyone, should never be attempted by
your average camera-toting tourist. To take such a risk would be courting disaster.
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PHRASES: A General Review and Punctuation Rules
Phrases are, quite simply, groups of words that do not have a subject-verb combination and
thus do not express a complete thought; they function as though they are single words (as
nouns, adjectives, or adverbs).
There are SIX types of phrases to learn to identify, three of which relate to our study of
verbals:
1. THE GERUND PHRASE
Gerund phrases consist of a gerund first, along with any objects or modifiers; like gerunds
themselves, gerund phrases can only function as nouns.
Hula-hooping endlessly is her idea of fun.
She finally succeeded in convincing her parents.
Ernesto hated babysitting his mother’s pet housefly.
Ernesto’s hobby, killing houseflies, made him a bad candidate for babysitting anyway.
2. THE PARTICIPIAL PHRASE
A participial phrase begins with a participle and includes any objects or modifiers the
participle has; participial phrases function only as adjectives.
Disappointed by her best friend, Marcia planned to call someone else.
Having thought through all her college options, Angelique chose clown college.
The boy standing in the doorway is the one about to be lifted by a crane.
3. THE INFINITIVE PHRASE
An infinitive phrase consists of an infinitive along with any objects or modifiers of the
infinitive. Infinitive phrases, like infinitives, function as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs.
To chase a dog through town was the aim of this pack of dangerous house cats.
Millicent jumped onto the wall to watch the cats chase the dog.
Although she was a little bit late, she was happy to report her success in watching the
pursuit.
The cats had no plans except to watch “101 Dalmatians.”
After watching the movie, they decided to leave dogs alone in the future.
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4. THE PREPOSITIONAL PHRASE
A prepositional phrase begins with a preposition followed by its object, including any
modifiers the object might have. Prep phrases function as adjectives or adverbs.
The idea of clown college was distressing to Angelique’s parents.
Throughout the kitchen a number of piles of paper towered on every surface.
5. THE APPOSITIVE PHRASE
An appositive phrase is a group of words that functions just like an appositive: it renames or
identifies a noun. An appositive phrase may consist of a noun and its modifiers, a gerund
phrase, an infinitive phrase, or a prep phrase. Like appositives, appositive phrases may be
essential or non-essential.
This book, a treatise on the rights of porpoises, will never be a best-seller.
Jeanette knew the way to manipulate her parents: making googly eyes at them.
His greatest ambition, to be a sky-diver, was doomed from the start.
The escaped prisoner’s hideout, the basement of the prison, was a problem.
ESSENTIAL vs. NON-ESSENTIAL APPOSITIVE PHRASES:
The Victorian poets Tennyson and Browning both enjoyed eating worms. (“Tennyson
and Browning” is an essential phrase because it clarifies which poets we are talking about.
No commas around an essential appositive phrase.)
Tennyson and Browning, two Victorian poets, both enjoyed eating worms. (Put
commas around the no-essential phrase that just adds extra information.)
6. THE ABSOLUTE PHRASE
An absolute phrase begins with a noun which is then followed by a participle; the absolute
phrase functions as a grammatically independent part of a sentence but not as a complete
thought. It does not modify anything else in the sentence, but it sets the conditions under
which the rest of the sentence is to be understood. It is “absolutely” separate, in a
grammatical sense, from the rest of the sentence, and its noun will usually not be the same
noun as the subject of the sentence. For example:
The clowns having departed, Marceline fell into a depression.
The Jello pit being nearby, I decided to make a quick stop there.
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PUNCTUATION OF PHRASES
The rules of punctuating phrases are as follows:
• Introductory participial phrases are set off by commas.
• Other participial phrases are also set off by commas unless they’re essential.
• Introductory infinitive phrases are set off by commas.
• Absolute phrases are ALWAYS set off by commas, no matter where they appear.
• Non-essential appositive phrases are set off by commas.
Exercise 12: Mixed Phrases Review
● There may be more than one verbal or absolute phrase per sentence.
● Find the verbals and underline them. Identify the type of verbal
● If the verbal acts as a noun, state its function; if it acts as an adjective or adverb, draw an
arrow to the word modified
● If the verbal is part of a verbal phrase, put the phrase in parentheses
● Put absolute phrase in parentheses and label them as ABS.
1. Potion-making, a very noble endeavor, is my exhilarating career.
2. Initially, I avoided the profession of potion-making because my parents are both
potion-makers; ultimately, however, I was happy to follow in their footsteps.
3. When they heard the news that I would follow in their footsteps, my parents, dancing for
joy, bequeathed me their potion-making equipment.
4. Worried about Hermione’s petrification, Harry wanted to find answers to his many
questions.
5. Hagrid having been sent to Azkaban, Fang was left alone to fend for himself.
6. Opening the Chamber of Secrets results in much hysteria at Hogwarts.
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7. The Chamber of Secrets having opened, much mayhem ensues.
8. Despite being brothers, Hogwarts students Percy and Ron Weasley seem quite
different.
EXTRA CREDIT! Go back and find 2 APPOSITIVE PHRASES.
Grammar in Action: Be sure to punctuate correctly when you write your own...
1. ... sentence in which you write an adverbial infinitive phrase.
2. ... sentence in which you use a gerund as an o.p.
3. ... sentence in which you use a participial phrase in any way.
4. .... sentence with an absolute phrase.
5. … sentence with an appositive phrase.
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Exercise 13: Varying Your Sentence Structure
Notice all of the different ways you can start a sentence! Then rewrite each sentence, maintaining
the meaning but changing the sentence structure somehow. Which version do you like better? Why?
Starting with a noun/subject: Romeo thinks Juliet outshines the torches when he sees her
across the room.
Your version:
Starting with a gerund phrase: Dreaming of black dogs is a sure sign of trouble according to
Mrs. Trelawney’s superstitions.
Your version:
Starting with a participial phrase: Anticipating his parents’ return home, Holden urges
Phoebe to find her Christmas money quickly.
Your version:
Starting with an infinitive/adverb phrase: To ensure Jane’s return from Gateshead, Rochester
keeps part of her wages.
Your version:
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Starting with an adverb: Reluctantly, Juliet bids Romeo adieu.
Your version:
Starting with an adverb clause: When Tybalt kills Mercutio, Romeo flies into a rage.
Your version:
Starting with a noun clause: That she can subdue her anger in the face of Romeo’s murder
of her cousin shows the power of her love.
Your version:
Starting with a prepositional phrase with a gerund OP: After meeting at a party, Romeo and
Juliet make several impulsive decisions that impact all of the other characters.
Your version:
Starting with an absolute phrase: Their children having died, the Montagues and Capulets
end their feud.
Your version:
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Exercise 14: Sentence Revision
A. Using the grammar skills you have learned, untangle and tighten the following sentences.
Choose your structures deliberately, and be able to explain how your sentences are constructed.
1. Romeo was caught in a situation where he had either to be separated from Juliet for a long
time or to kill himself, and neither solution was a very good choice.
2. Paris does not understand why Juliet is so upset about the death of Tybalt, and this is why
her father wants her to marry him right away in order to make her stop crying so much.
3. Shakespeare shows the delicate nature of young love, which is an
important recurring theme in the play, and he does this using flower imagery.
4. While one might think that the fire was the only destructive factor in Romeo and Juliet’s
love, it is vital to understand that only once restrictions and barriers are in place does
pressure build and let fire become the dangerous and explosive element it truly is.
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B. Combine each of the following sentence groups into a single sentence using any of the
techniques you have learned: dependent clauses, verbal phrases, etc. You may cut or add words.
Remember to follow punctuation rules!
1. David has not yet completely mastered the use of the computer. He is taking a computer
training course.
2. It is hard for Jill to speak in public. She becomes very nervous and unsure of herself.
3. Romeo compares banishment to death. He would rather die than not see Juliet.
4. Romeo would rather kill himself than be exiled. This choice seems unreasonable.
5. Juliet has a vivid imagination. She imagines many horrible scenarios. She drinks the potion
anyway.
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REVIEW for Quiz on Verbals and Phrases
I. VERBALS: In each sentence below:
●
●
●
●
Underline the verbals, label the verbal as PART, GER, or INF.
If it’s acting as a noun, also write its function.
If it’s acting as an adjective or adverb, draw as arrow to the word it modifies.
Put verbal phrase in parentheses.
NOTE: There may be more than one verbal per sentence!
1. Flying over the countryside, she began to wish that she had her sunglasses.
2. She was eager to see everything around her, but she felt blinded by the glaring sun.
3. Flying in a small plane was exhilarating, and she could see for miles simply by turning her
head.
4. This one experience, seeing the known world from an unusual perspective, changed her
desire to be a coal miner.
5. Reflecting on her flying, she decided to take pilot’s lessons the following day.
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II. PHRASES:
a. List the six types of phrases:
b. In the sentences below, put in parentheses any of the six types of phrases you find and label
them as GER, PART, INF, ABS, APP, or PREP. (There may be more than one example per sentence,
and there may be phrases within phrases!)
1. Seeing the dog in the window, he remembered his daughter’s birthday, a very special day,
on Thursday.
2. The dog having gone to sleep, the exhausted man in the pet store noticed the white spot
on its ear.
3. The cashier, understanding that the man was a possible customer, began to praise the
sleeping Puppy.
III. GRAMMAR IN ACTION:
Write your own and underline the required element,
1. A sentence in which you use an infinitive as a direct object.
2. A sentence in which you use a gerund in any way (write the function after the sentence).
3. A sentence in which you use a nonessential appositive phrase.
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MORE REVIEW for Quiz on Verbals and Phrases
● Underline the participles, gerunds and infinitives and label them. There may be some
one-word verbals in these sentences!
● Put verbal phrases in parentheses.
● If the phrase functions as an adjective or adverb, draw an arrow to the word that the
phrase modifies.
● If the phrase functions as a noun, be sure to include the noun function.
● Label absolute phrases.
● HINT: You may want to find and double underline your verb phrases so that you don’t
accidentally label an action verb as a verbal!
1. Playing Chopin nocturnes can be a source of great pleasure.
2. These soothing pieces of music are incredibly difficult to play well.
3. Still, dedicated young pianists all over the world are learning these pieces and
playing them beautifully.
4. Last spring, one of these young people was commended for playing twenty-one
Chopin nocturnes.
5. She paid particular attention to the delicate phrasing and emotion of each piece.
6. Encouraged by her performance, I listened to some Chopin nocturnes and decided
that I would learn one, too.
7. Initially, I started playing the left-hand and right hand separately as my teacher had
instructed me.
8. Practicing for days finally had an effect.
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9. Conveying beauty and emotion in every phrase, the nocturne created
a sense of deep and sustaining peace.
10. To approach these challenging pieces, I practice my scales daily.
11. The concert having ended, everyone praised my playing.
PART 2:
Write a sentence with a gerund/subject in it. Label it!
Write a sentence with a participial phrase in it. Label it!
Write a sentence with an infinitive/adverb phrase in it. Label it.
Write a sentence with an infinitive/noun phrase in it. Label it.
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Verbals in Eatonville
Grammar Review with an Actual Text!
For each passage…
● Locate any verbals and underline them.
● Identify the type of each verbal.
● If the verbal is acting as a noun, give the noun function; if it is acting as an adjective or adverb,
indicate which word the verbal is modifying.
● If the verbal is part of a verbal phrase, put the phrase in parentheses.
● Label any absolute phrases as ABS and put the phrase in parentheses.
1. The men were all around him, and he was talking to them by asking questions.
2. “...You just talkin’ to consolate yo’self by word of mouth. You got uh willin’ mind, but youse too light
behind.”
3. “...There’s some women dat jus’ ain’t for you tuh broach.”
4. So that’s where the meeting was held with Tony Taylor acting as chairman and Jody doing all the
talking.
5. It all looked too big and rushing for her to keep track of. Before the store had a complete roof, Jody
had canned goods piled on the floor and was selling so much he didn’t have time to go off on his
talking tours.
6. “...Dis evenin’ we’s all assembled heah tuh light uh lamp. Dis occasion is something for us all tuh
remember tu our dyin’ day.”
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UNIT 2: Dangling and Misplaced Modifiers
Using the sentences below, try to figure out why dangling and misplaced modifiers are a problem.
Draw a picture of what three of these sentences below are actually saying. Then rewrite all of the
sentences correctly.
1. While driving to my village, a tree fell and hit my car.
2. Running quickly in the chill snowy morning, my nose got cold.
3. Turning the corner, a lion appeared suddenly on the road.
4. Quickly summoning an ambulance, the corpse was carried to the mortuary.
5. India has developed a bullet-proof jacket for soldiers made of rubber.
6. After going through the arguments, the case appeared weak.
7. Relieved of your responsibilities, your home should be a place to relax.
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Modifier Overview
Modifiers are words or phrases acting to describe another word. All modifiers must have a
word to modify; however, writers sometimes make the mistake of providing the modifier but
not making clear what word is being modified. These mistakes fall into two categories:
I. DANGLING MODIFIERS
A dangling modifier is usually a verbal phrase that is placed at the beginning or end of a
sentence and that seems to modify a word but does not. In fact, the work the writer intends
to modify is not even in the sentence! For example:
Wandering through the swamp, the marsh grass tickled our legs.
Here, the participial phrase in italics modifies "marsh" - but a marsh can't wander! How could
you correct this sentence? Try another:
Alone in the house, the thunder scared him.
What's wrong with that sentence? How would you correct it? Dangling modifiers can also
come in the form of other kinds of verbal phrases, like the infinitive phrase below:
To win a duel to the death, the weapon must be held properly.
Dangling modifiers also occur when a writer uses the wordy and avoidable “It is necessary...”
phrase. (This is a common error in students’ analytical writing!!!)
To win a duel to the death, it is necessary to follow the 10 Duel Commandments.
Dangling modifiers can also come at the ends of sentences:
The dog had only one eye, caused by an accident.
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There are two ways to correct a dangling modifier:
1. Reword the main clause, making the subject a word to which the modifier clearly
refers.
2. Expand the modifier into a dependent clause.
II. MISPLACED MODIFIERS are modifiers that are in the wrong place in the sentence.
1. MISPLACED PHRASES AND CLAUSES
A writer must be careful to place the modifier in the sentence so that there's no possibility
that it would be seen to modify the wrong word. For example:
India has developed a bullet-proof jacket for soldiers made of rubber.
The phrase “made of rubber” appears to be modifying soldiers, but should probably modify
jacket. Always place the modifier a closely as possible to the word it modifies.
A piece was played at the concert that was offensive to hedgehogs.
Was the concert or the piece offensive? Remember, your goal as a writer is to get your point
across clearly to your reader.
2. AMBIGUOUS MODIFIERS
When a modifier is placed between two words so that it can be taken to modify either,
you've got the same problem as above. For example:
The girl who had been dancing foolishly entered the room.
i
Did she dance foolishly, or was her entrance at that moment foolish?
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3. MISPLACED WORDS: ONLY, NEARLY, ALMOST
Make sure that the modifiers only, nearly, and almost are always situated immediately next to
the words they modify. Their placement can change the meaning of a sentence; see the
examples below:
Only I will agree to a pie-eating contest.
I will agree only to a pie-eating contest.
I heard only the call of the hippos.
I only heard the call of the hippos.
I heard the call of the hippos only.
Be careful, too, not to create an illogical statement by misplacing these words:
The baby only cried until he was six months old.
4. SPLIT INFINITIVES
A split infinitive happens when the "to" is split from the verb in an infinitive. Unless the flow
of a sentence is greatly impaired by doing so, always try to keep the infinitive intact; here's an
example of the problem:
She always tries to efficiently and neatly eat pies.
Unfortunately, she loses every pie-eating contest because she tends to
consistently fail.
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Exercise 15: Dangling Modifiers
Put all dangling modifiers in parentheses. Then REWRITE the sentence, correcting it. If a sentence is
correct, write CORRECT.
1. Using my computer, the report was finished in two days.
2. Moving the microscope's mirror, the light can be directed onto the slide.
3. Paid in advance, the furniture was delivered.
4. Pushing on the brakes, my car would not stop for the stop light.
5. Working overtime, my salary almost doubled.
6. Stacked high with papers, Zoe did not want to look at her desk.
7. The pigeons were fed sitting in the park.
8. Dressed professionally, Judith was not nervous about the interview.
9. My leg began to hurt driving for a long time.
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Exercise 16: Misplaced Modifiers
Put all misplaced modifiers in parentheses. Then REWRITE the sentence, correcting it. If a sentence
is correct, write CORRECT.
1. Sarah fed the dog wearing her pajamas.
2. Julia ate a pizza standing in front of the refrigerator.
3. Meghan only looked at the man sitting in the chair with the red hair.
4. With a mysterious smile, Leonardo da Vinci painted the Mona Lisa.
5. Typing as fast as she could, Hannah could not wait to finally finish her paper.
6. I noticed Samantha walking down the hall quietly eating an apple.
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Exercise 17: More Modifier Practice
Correct the following sentences.
1. Alexis and Anne only wanted to study grammar, grammar and more grammar.
2. The student who corrects all the dangling modifiers soon will receive numerous unhealthy
snacks.
3. To master modifiers, it is necessary to consume shocking amounts of candy.
4. Amy almost donated all of her worldly goods to a charity that buys licorice
for orphaned gerbils.
5. Studying for hours every night, dangling modifiers were easy for Amy to understand.
6. Stuck inside a broken locker, Adrienne had to tell her teacher that she could not bring her
books to class.
7. Sometimes it seems that all of the students in our class almost have names that start with
“A.”
8. Cooked over an open flame, Zelda dropped her marshmallow into a vat of boiling
chocolate.
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9. To totally and completely understand verbals, it is necessary to know and love the verbs
themselves.
10. Stripped of several layers of green paint, I was delighted with my mother's
old kitchen table.
11. Having just missed the shuttle bus to the hotel, an hour's wait was a real
possibility.
12. Short of money, the trip was canceled.
13. I bought a stuffed lion for my niece made of velvet.
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UNIT 3: Pronoun Reference Errors
A pronoun must have a clear antecedent. The antecedent is the noun which comes before
(ante=before) the pronoun and to which the pronoun refers. When there are errors in this
area, we call them errors of pronoun reference. Generally, sentences need to be rewritten
entirely in order to become correct. We will discuss different types of pronoun reference in this
section, but you do not need to know all of these specific terms. But you should be able to
recognize these pronoun reference errors and be able to correct them.
1. AMBIGUOUS REFERENCE: In this type of error, a sentence contains more than one word
to which a pronoun may grammatically refer:
Bartholomew told his stepbrother that he would become a cowboy.
In this sentence, it's not clear who will become the cowboy: Bartholomew himself, or his
brother. How might you correct this problem?
Another kind of ambiguity can occur when a modifying clause is misplaced in a sentence:
The cowboy was knocked unconscious by a flying brick who was riding a
bronco.
Here, the cowboy himself is riding the bronco- not the brick!
2. BROAD REFERENCE: A pronoun should not refer broadly to the entire idea in the
preceding clause:
The referee called unnecessary fouls, which made her unpopular with the athletes.
There is no clear noun that "which" refers to; "which" seems to refer to the entire idea in the
independent clause.
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The boy talked endlessly about his coin collection, and this was tiresome.
“This" also does not have a clear referent - what was tiresome, exactly?
There are a couple of ways to fix these reference errors:
Try a gerund: The referee’s calling of unnecessary fouls made her unpopular with the
players.
Try a noun clause: The fact that the referee kept calling unnecessary fouls made her
unpopular with the players.
Try an adverb clause: The players disliked the referee because she called unnecessary
fouls.
This error--the use of vague pronouns “it” and “this”--is very common in students’
analytical writing. Keep an eye out for this error in your own writing!
3. WEAK REFERENCE
A pronoun must refer to an actual noun in the sentence - not to a noun implied by context:
My grandfather was an engineer; this is a profession I want to follow.
Here, "engineer" doesn't match with "profession": the profession would be "engineering."
When she thrust her stick into the rat-hole, it jumped out and bit her.
What's wrong with that sentence?
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4. IMPERSONAL USE OF THE PERSONAL PRONOUN
Avoid using "you" and "your" unless you are directing your statement to the reader; instead,
use "one" or "person.”
If you want to become a cowboy, you should practice with a lasso in the backyard.
Unless this sentence is directed to the specific person reading it, the pronouns need to
become impersonal, as in the corrected sentence:
If one wants to become a cowboy, one should practice with a lasso in the
backyard.
NOTE: The impersonal "it" can be used without an antecedent when one is speaking about
time, weather, or distance:
It looks like rain. It's half-past twelve.
How far is it to the nearest rodeo?
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Exercise 18: Pronoun Reference Practice
Find the pronoun errors and correct them. You may need to rewrite the sentence, or you may be
able to change just a word or two. Some sentences may be correct.
I. My daughter told her friend that she needed a haircut.
2. She got a 95 on her homework, which made her really happy.
3. Because my college roommate works in graphic design, I've always wanted to be one.
4. How far is it from Boston to New York City?
5. She always spoke with her mouth full, which irritated the rest of the family.
6. When she auditioned for the conservatory, it was easier than she thought it
would be.
7. If you want to make the tennis team, you should practice every day.
8. When she went to the animal shelter, it seemed to bark only at her.
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9. All those planning on voting should get your ballots in soon.
10. I put the flowers in the vase that I picked yesterday.
I I. The apple tree is producing fruit that we planted last year.
12. Charlotte told Cecelia that her cell phone was vibrating during class.
13. The cowboy used his whip to threaten the bull, which was made of leather.
14. The cowboy proclaimed to his assistant, Julius, that he was the best man for the job.
15. The bull, anxious under duress, leapt into the air; this helped him avoid the whip.
16. If only the cowboy would consider the bull's feelings, creating an empathetic bond
between them, it would make a world of difference.
17. Antonio had always wanted to be a cowboy, for they had intrigued him since he was a boy.
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Exercise 19: Modifier and pronoun reference errors that commonly occur in student writing
Correct the following sentences and look out for these errors in your own writing!
1. Janie suffers abuse from each of her husbands, suggesting that domestic violence was a
regular part of male-female relationships at this time.
2. Janie claims that Nanny tried to "take the horizon and choke her with
it," conveying that she resents the limits Nanny imposed on Janie's opportunity for love and
self-determination.
3. Janie tosses her apron on the bush on the side of the road when she leaves
her husband, which represents her rejection of domestic servitude and security in favor of
the chance for adventure and love.
4. When Phoebe gives Holden the hat, he accepts her offer. This suggests
that he has learned to accept the impossibility of preserving childhood forever.
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UNIT 4: Pronoun Case
Pronouns have three "cases" and need to be used in the correct case depending on their use
in a sentence:
Nominative case (pronoun as subject, p.n., app.): I, we, he/she, they
Objective case (pronoun as object): me, us, him/her, them
Possessive case (pronoun acting as possessive adjective): my, our, its, whose (etc.)
The trick is to keep the pronoun consistent with its function! So, for example:
Nominative: I am going to quit school and go to clown college.
Above, the pronoun “I” is in the nominative case because it's acting as the subject.
Objective: My brother said he wants my sock monkey collection, so before I go, I'm going to give it
to him.
Here, "him" is the object of the preposition "to" - so objective case is used.
Possessive: My only worry is that people won't remember whose collection it originally was.
"My" modifies "worry" - and shows whose worry it is, so possessive case is used; "whose" tells
the possessor of "collection," so possessive case is correct there as well.
COMMON PRONOUN CASE ISSUES
1. When a pronoun comes before a gerund (an -ing verb form acting as a noun), the pronoun
should be in possessive case: THE "POSSESSIVE BEFORE A GERUND"RULE!
I appreciate your calling me, Elvis.
My wearing mismatched socks makes people uncomfortable.
No one understands his choosing to move to Siberia.
2. Pronouns used as predicate nominatives must agree with the subject; therefore, they must
be in nominative case:
It could not have been I who stole the pig.
The people arrested were she and I.
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3. Appositives renaming the subject must also be in nominative case:
Two clowns, you and he, actually stole the pig.
2. Comparative sentences using “as” or “than” require the nominative case:
No one can make me laugh harder than she.
Here, the pronoun “she” is in nominative case because it's the subject of the understood verb
"can."
No one is as foolish as I.
Using “I” in the nominative case is correct because of the implied verb "am."
4. Compound objects are both in objective case:
Before you go on the lam, give the keys to Julius and me.
"Me" is the object of the preposition "to" (as is "Julius).
5. The pronouns "who" (nominative) and "whom" (objective) must be used correctly,
depending on the pronoun's function in the sentence. HINT: Answering the question or
replacing the who/whom with he/him sometimes makes it easier to hear the correct
answer!
You know who should be arrested for pig-stealing - you should!
Place the blame on whoever deserves it, please.
Here, "who" and "whoever" are the subjects of dependent clauses, so they are nominative.
Whom did the circus police arrest?
Here, "whom" is the direct object ("the police arrested him"), so it's in objective case.
Who do you think called me last night? Elvis!
Note this tricky usage: here, "who" is the subject of the verb "called" - not the object of "you
think"! He called me last night.
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More on WHO vs. WHOM!
Both "who" and "whom" are words that can be used to start a noun or adjective dependent
clause. Like the words "that" and "which," "who" and "whom" are called relative pronouns. To
decide which pronoun to use, you need to do the following:
● Put brackets around the clause that contains "who" or "whom."
● Then decide how "who" or "whom" is acting only within the clause itself. If the word is
functioning as the subject or PN of the clause, then you use "who." If the clause
already has another subject, then the relative pronoun (the "who or the "whom") is
probably functioning as the DO, IO or OP of the clause. In this case, you would use
the word "whom."
Label the function of the relative pronoun within the dependent clause:
1. He is the man [whom we saw on the plane].
2. We asked him [who he was].
3. Lady Macbeth is the one [who acted bold].
4. Macbeth is the one [whom Malcolm and Macduff want to kill].
5. Revenge can feel sweet to [whoever has been banned].
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Exercise 20: Pronoun Case
Circle the correct pronoun from the parentheses in each sentence. Label the function of the
pronoun(s) you circle.
I. Dawn and (her/she) will bring the peanuts.
2. Can you give Sandy and (we/us) a ride?
3. Gayle and (her/she) are trying out for cheerleading.
4. The doorman gave Al and (1/me) a pass.
5. There is no difference in weight between (him and me/he and I).
6. Wait for Lori and (I/me) after school.
7. Jeff lives between (they and me/them and me).
8. (Her/She) and I are the newspaper editors.
9. The ushers were Maria and (her/she).
10. Just between you and (I/me), that speaker wasn't very good.
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Exercise 21: Pronoun Case
All but one of the following sentences contain pronoun errors. Correct the errors.
I. My parents and me are going to the ice show tonight.
2. Larry and them have gone to Detroit.
3. The telephone must be for either you or she.
4. Everyone had enough except Janet and she.
5. The packages were divided evenly between Tanya and I.
6. Judy and her just went out the back door.
7. Mrs. McGowan made Meg and I a sandwich.
8. The gas station attendant gave Mary Beth and I directions.
9. Peggy and Linda sat next to Lauri and I at the concert.
10. The helicopter kept circling around Pam and me.
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Exercise 22: Pronoun Case (Who/Whom)
The following sentences are all CORRECT! Enclose the dependent clause in brackets, and then
label the function that the pronoun who or whom performs within that clause.
I. Rover is a dog who likes young people.
2. Rover is a dog whom young people like.
3. The girl who spoke to me has just won a scholarship.
4. The girl to whom I spoke has just won a scholarship.
5. Can you tell me who that player is?
6. She is a casual friend whom I seldom see.
7. Students who attend the meetings will be excused from class. '
8. I wondered who it could be at the door.
9. Whom Delia finally married I do not know.
10. There is no one who really understands me.
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Exercise 23: Pronoun Case
Circle the proper form of the pronoun in each of the following sentences. (HINT: You will need to
figure out its function in the dependent clause first!)
1. Ladies (who/whom) lived during the fifteenth century painted their teeth instead of their
fingernails.
2. Her older sister, to (who/whom) she sent the article, has moved to Santa Fe.
3. It was Napoleon (who/whom) invaded Spain in 1808.
4. Maureen finally guessed (who/whom) it was.
5. I visited with Mr. Windlow, (who/whom) was trimming his rose bushes.
6. Mr. Harvey, (who/whom) I work for on Saturdays, owns two poultry farms.
7. Is there anyone (who/whom) plans to leave early?
8. He is a teacher (who/whom) I respect.
9. There is the man (who/whom) you were asking about.
10. Francis Drake, (who/whom) Queen Elizabeth I knighted, defeated the Spanish fleet.
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UNIT 5: Agreement
Subject/Verb Agreement: A verb must agree with its subject in person (first, second,
third) and number (singular or plural).
1) When the verb comes before the subject: Determine the subject and be sure the verb
agrees! Hint: Reverse the order or answer the question.
Where is/are Elizabeth and Kate? Elizabeth and Kate are there.
Beside the school stand/stands the fields. The fields stand beside the school.
Try writing one yourself:
2) Intervening Expressions:
A list of eligible candidates WAS posted on the bulletin board. (ignore the prep phrase that
gets in between the subject and verb and agree with the subject “list”).
The famous golfer along with his many fans IS disappointed with the recent news coverage.
Try it:
3) The relative pronoun rule:
She is one of those teachers who do not give homework.
This sentence suggests that there are many teachers who do not give homework and she is
one of them. “Do” agrees with the subject “who,” whose antecedent is “teachers.”
The boy who chases cats is a delinquent.
The boys who chase cats are delinquents.
Try it:
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4) PLURAL ALWAYS:
Several
Many
Both
Try it: Write a sentence using one of these pronouns.
5) INDEFINITE PRONOUNS ARE ALWAYS SINGULAR:
Each
Everything
Every
Someone
Everyone
No one
Anybody
Nobody
Anyone
Either
One
Neither
Try it: Write a few sentences using the pronouns above as subjects:
EXCEPTION!! Either/or and neither/nor agree with second noun in the series. Example:
Neither Bob or his brothers drive sports cars.
Try it: Write a sentence using either/or or neither/nor.
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6) SAPMAN: These words can be plural or singular depending on the prep phrase that follows
it.
Some
All
Part
Most
Any
None
Some of the pie IS missing.
Most of the pies ARE missing.
None of the girls ARE eating pie.
Try it: Write a sentence with a singular SAPMAN and one with a plural SAPMAN.
7) A number (plural) vs. the number (singular):
A number of fans were waiting all night for tickets.
The number of fans who attended was large.
8) Foreign plurals:
Singular—plural
Criterion--criteria
Medium-Phenomenon-Alumna-Alumnus-Focus-Datum-58
8) Multiple nouns used as one unit:
Ham and eggs IS my favorite dish.
Peanut butter and jelly IS the best sandwich ever.
9) Nouns that look plural but aren't! (Diseases, academics)
Mumps HAS nearly disappeared. Mathematics IS my favorite subject.
10) Collective nouns can act differently depending on the context:
The team has elected Jean as captain. (The whole team is acting as one unit.)
The team quickly took their positions on the field. (Each team member is acting on her
own.)
The family of tigers is frightened by the visitors.
The family of tigers are running in different directions.
Pronoun/Antecedent Agreement
Pronouns must agree with their antecedents (the noun that the pronoun is replacing). Hint:
Trust your ears! If you can't figure out what sounds right, try replacing it with a simpler
pronoun that you know is singular or plural (like "he" or "we").
Pronouns must agree with ____antecedents.
A pronoun must agree with _____antecedent.
Everyone should agree with_______teacher.
They do not agree with ______teacher.
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Exercise 24: Subject/Verb Agreement
Correct errors of agreement below. Some of the sentences may be correct already.
I. The evidence that the diplomats submitted to the war tribunal were convincing.
2. The media was hot on the trail of the perpetrators after the army rescued the prisoners.
3. There is the squirrel and the chipmunk peering in through my office window!
4. Each of the fairies has tiny, sparkly wings.
5. Everyone who likes fairies were at the victory parade.
6. Neither I nor Ms. Grant particularly like fairies.
7. Either I or the fairies are leaving the party.
8. The number of soldiers in the victory parade were large.
9. A number of the soldiers in the victory parade were large.
10. Anyone who likes fairies should have their head examined.
11. The Board of Trustees were right in their decision.
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Exercise 25: Subject/Verb and Pronoun/Antecedent Agreement
Underline the subject or antecedent and fix any errors, if necessary. If the sentence is correct, write
"C."
I. Running up and down staircases were a frequent feature of Hitchcock's films.
2. Beside the barn stands cows.
3. A number of students were late to the play.
4. The number of students on the bus were small.
5. Most of cake was eaten mysteriously overnight.
6. Most of the cookies were broken.
7. Neither are my best friend.
8. Neither Ralph nor his relatives has been to Disneyland.
9. Either of the boys will be glad to lend us their history notes.
10. Someone at last night's game left their coat on the bleachers.
11. Patience and courage is needed when facing a grammar quiz.
12. Each of them have three shots at the bulls-eye.
13. Everybody in the arena were cheering for the underdog.
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14. Every woman enrolled in the exercise course received their own progress report.
Challenge! Circle the correct choices.
15. Neither of the boys who (is/are) invited to my party (is/are) able to persuade (his/their)
parents that (he/they) should get to come.
Exercise 26: Subject/Verb and Pronoun/Antecedent Agreement
Underline the subject or antecedent, and circle the correct form of the verb or pronoun
I. Neither she nor her friends want/wants to hear that music.
2. Both of us want/wants to hear The Cure.
3. She is one of those girls who love/loves alternative music.
4. Neither of them listen/listens to Metallica.
5. Most of the songs in my playlist was/were written twenty years ago.
6. Anyone who likes '80s pop has/have impeccable musical taste.
7. Each of us is/are free to make up her/our own decisions.
8. But anyone who disagrees with me should keep it to herself/themselves.
9. After all, I am/are the teacher.
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10. Some of the above is/are a joke.
11. Beside her friend Elisabeth stand/stands Lana.
12. The best thing about dogs is/are their slobber.
13. Each of the students in this class is/are fabulous.
14. Neither Patty nor Elena know/knows the way to San Jose.
15. Both Clem and Ken know/knows how to shoot a basketball.
16. Mathematics is/are not easy for everybody.
17. The president, along with many senators, oppose/opposes the bill.
18. Green eggs and ham is/are not Erik's favorite breakfast.
Exercise 27: Subject/Verb and Pronoun/Antecedent Agreement
Correct the errors in the following sentences. If the sentence is correct, mark C.
1. Each girl in Class V should leave their permission forms in my mailbox.
2. Neither Karen nor Beth are going to make her decision today.
3. Chocolate covered biscotti is one of those snacks that makes me happy.
4. The data you presented are surprising.
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5. The senator, along with her assistants, are taking the 5 PM shuttle.
6. The Winsor alumna are holding their meeting at 3.
7. Two miles are a lot to jog every day.
8. The crises in the Middle East is alarming.
9. Mumps are no longer a problem in the United States.
10. Every dog and cat need to have their town ID tag hanging on their collar.
11. Where is the homework and review pages?
12. Forty percent of Winsor students take the bus to school.
13. A small number of girls takes the T.
14. Neither of the last two questions were easy.
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Spring Quiz Review: Modifiers, Pronoun Case and Reference, Agreement
Honeymooning with the Woods
Modifiers, Pronoun Reference, and Pronoun Case Review
In Chapter 13 of Their Eyes Were Watching God, Janie and Tea Cake get married and go on a trip to Jacksonville. Janie
struggles with insecurity, especially after Tea Cake disappears for a day with $200 she had hidden in her shirt. Tea Cake
ultimately returns with a guitar and a story about an impromptu party he threw with Janie’s money.
Part I: Dangling and Misplaced Modifiers
Correct the modifier errors in the following sentences.
1. Wearing that blue silk dress, Tea Cake is eager to marry Janie the moment she gets off the train.
2. Bearing witness, the train left too early in the day.
3. Janie who behaved recklessly fascinated her neighbors.
4. Spending and doing out of his own pocket, Janie didn’t tell Tea Cake about the money inside her
shirt.
Part II: Pronoun Reference
Correct the pronoun reference errors in the following sentences. Please feel free to rewrite the sentences to make them more clear.
1. No matter how firm your determination is, you can’t keep turning round in one place like a horse
grinding sugar cane.
2. Who Flung tricked the lovelorn Annie Tyler into marrying him, which was not only unkind but also
deceitful.
3. Annie had gone off laughing and sure. Janie didn’t want to do that.
4. In Hurston’s novel, it says that the room where Who Flung brought Annie Tyler was shabby, which
shows that you shouldn’t date younger men.
5. Annie had waited all her life for something, which ultimately killed her.
Part III: Pronoun Case
Choose the correct pronoun case for each sentence.
1. It is no mystery (who/whom) took Janie’s money.
2. (He/him) stood in the door and paid all the ugly women two dollars not to come in. One big meriny
colored woman was so ugly it was worth five dollars for (she/her) not to come in.
3. (She/Her) was not shocked at Tea Cake’s gambling. It was part of (he/him), so it was all right.
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4. (Whoever/Whomever) wants to gossip about Janie and Tea Cake might be in danger! Janie better not
hear none of (they/them) talking about her husband.
5. Tea Cake drifted off into sleep, leaving (she/her) to look down on (he/him) and feel a self-crushing
love.
Correct the modifier errors in the following sentences.
1. Awed by her beauty, the model inspired the artist.
2. I ate the pepperoni pizza tanning on the picnic blanket.
3. The man who was wearing a gorilla suit unexpectedly looked like my weird uncle.
4. Without his security blanket, Harry tried to soothe his baby brother to sleep.
5. Convinced that cucumbers were vegetables, the definition was verified in the dictionary.
6. Between 1920 and 1921, the artist just produced twelve portraits for the museum.
7. Introduced at a bar, Larry was sure that Helena and Valerie would get married within the
year.
8. Christina wanted to introduce herself to the speaker from the first minute she arrived.
9. Dripping from her hair, Joanne wanted to wipe off the coffee her seatmate had poured on
her.
10. Hallie who spoke inadvertently offended her classmate.
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Correct the errors in pronoun reference in the following sentences.
1. Karl wrote the book over five years, which was incredibly hard.
2. Whitney studied for hours for the test. This was incredibly difficult.
3. Alex eagerly awaited receiving her degree in May, something Deirdre also looked forward
to.
4. Francesca searched all day for the book, which wasn’t worth her time.
5. Nancy loved Yasmine’s declaration that women should earn equal pay for equal work. She
was always a feminist.
6. Barbara was an exceptional school superintendent; I want to do that too.
7. To be president in our current system, you need to raise a lot of money.
8. In the Lamp, it often includes really provocative poetry.
9. Because she really wanted to be a pediatrician when she grew up, Neville had to study a lot
of science. This took up a ton of her free time.
10. David bet Frank that he could drink a gallon of milk in an hour.
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Correct the agreement errors in the following sentences:
1. It is supposed to rain tomorrow. Everyone should bring their umbrella to school.
2. Focusing on mindfulness, anyone can find enlightenment if they look deep into
themselves.
3. Either Shannon or her parents is going to be at the school fair this weekend.
4. I am not sure whether to wear the blue dress or the green dress. Either work.
5. The debate team are on the bus back to school.
6. Winston was one of those guys who loves his mom. He bought her a big bouquet for
Mother’s Day.
7. Each girl should bring their favorite photo so that the class can make a wonderful yearbook.
8. Neither my cousins nor I are attending the family reunion.
9. One of the girls were making fun of my outfit. No one realizes how avant-garde my style
is.
10. All of the candy stash were gone before I even got my hands on a Twix bar!
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Correct the following errors in pronoun case. Some sentences may be correct.
1. I do not know who I should call about the job.
2. Please excuse me jumping up and down in the middle of class; I’m just excited about going
to the One Direction concert tonight.
3. The crowd was looking at us. The winners must have been us!
4. Eddie believed that no one in the Jackson Five was cooler than him.
5. Give the keys to whomever is the best driver.
6. After you lock up the store, give the keys to Betsy or I.
7. No one can believe that Betsy and me loved that terrible movie.
8. You will never guess whom is coming to dinner.
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Putting it Together: Proofreading Practice
Imagine you have been asked to revise the following literary essay. Remember the rules of
grammar and conventions of literary analysis we have learned this year. Correct the errors in
brightly colored pen; you may need to rewrite whole sentences to fix them! Write the name of the
error in the margin.
Excerpt 1:
Jane travels to Thornfield Hall twice. She goes there once to act as governess for
Adele who is Mr. Rochester’s ward and she returns much later to find Mr. Rochester.
Happening months apart, Jane learns a great deal about herself between these visits to the
great house. This also plays a large role because a main character, Mr. Rochester, lives at
Thornfield. The relationship between Jane and Mr. Rochester develops over the period of her
first stay, and is also the reason she decides to return. By comparing Jane's different reactions
to Thornfield, we better understand the consequences a Victorian woman might face when
asserting their independence.
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Excerpt 2:
Arriving directly from Lowood, Thornfield Hall presents a dramatic contrast to Jane’s
previous life. Her initial response to the estate differs greatly from her second arrival there.
She first appears there at night, in a carriage, adding to the element of gothic style. She
exclaims “Everything appeared very stately and imposing to me.” (145) While traveling to her
new home, Jane says “it is a very strange sensation to inexperienced youth to feel itself quite
alone in the world.” (137) Up to this point, Jane has not encountered any person who she can
connect with so it affects her a great deal. Her deepest thoughts have never been shared with
anyone, therefore she has become accustomed to loneliness.
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Excerpt 3:
Possessing a need to exert control, the gifts Mr. Rochester gave Jane suggested a desire to
curtail her independence. When she finally accepted his proposal Mr. Rochester triumphantly
declared “I will myself put the diamond chain round your neck ...” (387). Mr. Rochester
interpreted Jane accepting him as permission to monopolize her. He used imagery with
strong implications of slavery to figuratively bind Jane to him with a “diamond chain.” The
“chain” summons images of shackles and collars, however, a “diamond” chain may also imply
that he intends to bind Jane to him physically as well as financially. Mr. Rochester also says
that he will “clasp the bracelets on these fine wrists,” and this once again reinforces the image
of slavery.
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Class V Final Grammar Test Review
Clause Review: Bracket and label dependent clauses.
1) Janie has realized that most men see her as a representation of their power and status.
2) That men desire Janie is obvious, but whether they see themselves of worthy of her is
another question.
3) Many critics believe that Jane was too harsh in her judgment of Jody as he lay dying.
4) Tea Cake, the mysterious man who has a way with words, approaches Janie boldly.
5) Janie has an idealized vision of what a man should be and is frequently disappointed
by her relationships as a result.
6) Janie fears that Tea Cake has a girlfriend and that he has been making “false pretense”
with her.
7) The fact that Tea Cake steals Janie’s money and throws a party with it makes Janie and
readers angry.
8) Janie finally finds happiness with Tea Cake, but he dies tragically.
Now go back and label sentence types (simple, complex, compound, compound-complex,)
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Verbals Review: Label verbals and put verbal phrases in parentheses.
1) Rowing vigorously down the Charles, the crew won its race.
2) Colleen stopped smoking after hearing about the many risks.
3) As the crowd watched, the balloon began to rise into the air.
4) To enjoy a new country fully, one should learn to speak the language.
5) The teacher, making error after error, attempted to speak German to us.
6) Understanding verbal phrases contributes to your ability to construct effective
sentences on your own.
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Mixed errors review (agreement, modification, pronoun case, pronoun reference): Correct
the errors or write “C” for correct.
1) There is no difference between her and I.
2) The one with the greatest hat is me.
3) Petunia is someone who people often admire.
4) Neither Bob nor Petunia want to go to the prom.
5) Neither Bob nor his brothers want to go to the prom.
6) She is one of those girls who hates proms.
7) She prefers to go to the movies with whomever is available.
8) Each of the girls bought themselves beautiful dresses to wear to the movies.
9) Because I am taller than him, I wore flats to the prom.
10) I have never developed the ability to gracefully walk in heels.
11) Having taken off her high heels, the dance floor was much less dangerous for her.
12) Leaning over the fence on a spring day, Janie’s first kiss was life-changing for her.
13) The girls walking into the prom quickly glanced over her shoulder.
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Punctuation Review
Punctuate the following paragraph:
Zora Neale Hurston an American folklorist anthropologist and author was born on January 7
1891. When she was three her family moved to Eatonville one of the first all-black towns to be
incorporated in the United States. Although she was actually born in Alabama Hurston said she
always felt that Eatonville was home she sometimes even claimed it as her birthplace. Of
Hurston's four novels and more than 50 published short stories plays and essays she is best
known for her novel Their Eyes Were Watching God. In addition to new editions of her work
being published in 1975 her manuscript Every Tongue Got to Confess a collection of folktales
gathered in the 1920s was published posthumously in 2001 after being discovered in the
Smithsonian archives. Hurston never had children but she was married twice. Her first husband
a jazz musician and former classmate at Howard University later became a physician. Her
second husband was twenty-five years younger than she this marriage ended after only seven
months. Although she died poor and forgotten many black female authors now look to Hurston
as a central figure of their literary heritage.
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More Punctuation Review: List 6 punctuation rules we have learned this year, and write one
sentence to reflect each rule.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Write a sentence that includes a gerund/subject phrase.
Write a sentence that includes a noun/appositive clause.
Write a sentence that includes a noun/OP clause.
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