Taming the Wild Grammar Beastie | Berry Writing Group

Fill in the blanks

1) My supervisor did not feel ______.

Good
Well
I don't know

Correct. When referring to a state of health, use well, not good.

In fact, the correct answer is "well." When referring to a state of health, use well, not good.

2) Her sister is more articulate than ______.

Her
She
I don't know

Correct. This sentence is an incomplete comparison of her sister and she. To complete the comparison we would say, "Her sister is more articulate than she is (articulate). Once you complete the comparison, you have two ways of clearly choosing the correct pronoun: 1.) Your ear will tell you that she is the correct pronoun. Try saying aloud, … more articulate than her is. Ouch! 2.) You can see that the pronoun functions as the subject of the verb, is. And you remember that she functions as a subject (coming before the verb) and her functions as a object (coming after the verb).

In fact, the correct answer is "she." This sentence is an incomplete comparison of her sister and she. To complete the comparison we would say, "Her sister is more articulate than she is (articulate). Once you complete the comparison, you have two ways of clearly choosing the correct pronoun: 1.) Your ear will tell you that she is the correct pronoun. Try saying aloud, … more articulate than her is. Ouch! 2.) You can see that the pronoun functions as the subject of the verb, is. And you remember that she functions as a subject (coming before the verb) and her functions as a object (coming after the verb).

3) ______ did he write to for permission to use the material?

Who
Whom
I don't know

Correct. The difficulty of choosing who/whom lies in the difficulty of seeing how these two pronouns function: do they function as subjects or objects. Use this simple three-step process to choose who or whom with confidence: Step 1. Consider only the words that follow who or whom. With our example, we'd be left with: did he write to ? for permission to use the material? Step 2. Plug the gap with either he/she or him/her, whichever one makes sense, and we get: did he write to him/her for permission to use the material? Step 3. Now use a simple substitution: he/she = who or him/her = whom.

In fact, the correct answer is "whom." The difficulty of choosing who/whom lies in the difficulty of seeing how these two pronouns function: do they function as subjects or objects. Use this simple three-step process to choose who or whom with confidence: Step 1. Consider only the words that follow who or whom. With our example, we'd be left with: did he write to ? for permission to use the material? Step 2. Plug the gap with either he/she or him/her, whichever one makes sense, and we get: did he write to him/her for permission to use the material? Step 3. Now use a simple substitution: he/she = who or him/her = whom.

4) There ______ many typewriters like the one on which my grandfather learned.

Wasn't
Weren't
I don't know

Correct. Typewriters is the subject of this sentence. Plural subjects use plural verbs.

In fact, the correct answer is "weren't." Typewriters is the subject of this sentence. Plural subjects use plural verbs.

5) There were ______ people at the staff meeting this week than there were at the last meeting.

Fewer
Less
I don't know

Correct. Use fewer before a plural noun and use less before a singular noun. People is a plural noun.

In fact, the correct answer is "weren't." Typewriters is the subject of this sentence. Plural subjects use plural verbs.

6) The odor from the basement office smelled ______.

Bad
Badly
I don't know

Correct. Verbs of the senses (taste, smell, feel, touch) are usually followed by an adjective. Bad is an adjective; badly is an adverb. We mean here that the odor is bad-not that the odor has a poor sense of smell.

In fact, the correct answer is "bad." Verbs of the senses (taste, smell, feel, touch) are usually followed by an adjective. Bad is an adjective; badly is an adverb. We mean here that the odor is bad-not that the odor has a poor send of smell.

7) I can see that ______ happy with the working conditions here.

Your
You're
I don't know

Correct. Your is a possessive pronoun that merely shows ownership. You're is a contraction of you are.

In fact, the correct answer is "you're." Your is a possessive pronoun that merely shows ownership. You're is a contraction of you are.

8) ______, the whole scene appeared before his eyes.

While listening
As he listened
I don't know

Correct. The phrase in the first choice, while listening, is a classic example of a dangling participle. "While listening" cannot logically modify what follows because the whole scene cannot listen. So it dangles, unable to connect with what it's supposed to modify.

In fact, the correct answer is "As he listened." The phrase in the first choice, while listening, is a classic example of a dangling participle. "While listening" cannot logically modify what follows because the whole scene cannot listen. So it dangles, unable to connect with what it's supposed to modify.

9) To find our corporate headquarters, you must turn ______ at the second stop light.

East
east
I don't know

Correct. Do not capitalize east, west, north or south when they indicate directions.

In fact, the correct answer is "east." Do not capitalize east, west, north or south when they indicate directions.

Fragment, Sentence or Run-on

Fragments are incomplete sentences. Sentences express a complete thought. Run-on sentences are sentences that are combined without the proper punctuation to separate them. Identify the following sentences as a Fragment, Sentence, or Run-on.

10) Even though all cars are required to have safety belts, drivers and passengers sometimes neglect to use them.

Fragment
Sentence
Run-on
I don't know

Correct. This sentence expresses a complete thought. It has a dependent clause, "Even though all cars are required to have safety belts," joined to an independent clause, " drivers and passengers sometimes neglect to use them."

In fact, the correct answer is "Sentence." This sentence expresses a complete thought. It has a dependent clause, "Even though all cars are required to have safety belts," joined to an independent clause, "drivers and passengers sometimes neglect to use them.

11) Your opinion is important, it decides who will represent your department.

Fragment
Sentence
Run-on
I don't know

Correct. This word group consists of two complete sentences: Your opinion is important and it decides who will represent your department . A comma is not visually strong enough to separate them. And yet a period is too big a break. So we can compromise and use both-one on top of the other. A semicolon (;) would work. A less formal dash (--) would better tie the two ides together in a more a more intimate meaning.

In fact, the correct answer is "Run-on." This word group consists of two complete sentences: Your opinion is important and it decides who will represent your department . A comma is not visually strong enough to separate them. And yet a period is too big a break. So we can compromise and use both-one on top of the other. A semicolon (;) would work. A less formal dash (—) would better tie the two ides together in a more intimate meaning.