Happy New Year, Grammar Lovers!
We all like taking quizzes, right? Especially when there is no one there to correct them for us. (sentence fragment)
Here is a grammar quiz to start the new year. After you finish, scroll way down to see the answers. For more detailed explanations of the answers, stay tuned for next week’s post. Here we go . . .
1. Is this book title capitalized correctly? And We are Happy Again
2. My mom gave snacks to my friend and (me, myself, I).
3. Is something wrong with this sentence? If so, what? I heard about the meeting at the zoo.
4. Is something wrong with this sentence? If so, what? Topics covered during the seminar will include ordering new equipment, training employees on the new software, who will be the system administrator, and assigning tasks for maintaining the new lab.
5. Is this sentence okay? And we will have all the new furniture in time for our open house!
6. Is this sentence OK? The teacher told us we couldn’t leave our desks until the bell had rang.
7. (Who, whom) did you invite to the movies?
8. This is the closing of a letter: Sincerely (Yours, yours)
9. Is this sentence okay? I don’t know whom I am going with.
10. Can you identify the grammar issue in this sentence? He told me to carefully tear the coupons.
11. Is this sentence okay? Why or why not? Joe and his friend tried to climb Mt. Whitney, but he was too out of shape.
12. What is the problem with this sentence? The meeting is at 8 a.m. in the morning.
13. How would you fix this sentence? The coat, that has a blue hood, is mine.
14. Between you and (I, me), I think he gave the tickets to (he, him) and Joe.
15. Neither Carrie nor Katrina (are, is) playing in the concert.
16. I feel really (bad, badly) about missing the meeting.
17. Everyone who is going to the concert needs to bring (his or her, their) ticket.
18. My cat is (laying, lying) in the sun.
19. My sister, along with her friends, (are, is) coming with us.
20. If I (was, were) taller, I could reach that bookshelf.
21. Is this sentence correct? The class consists of nine boys and 16 girls.
22, Is this sentence correct? Drive slow through the fog.
23. She likes chocolate better than (I, me).
24. Is this sentence correct? Sitting on a bed of rice, the chicken looked delicious.
25. It is (they, them) knocking at the door.
Scroll down for the answers.
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One more time.
Answers:
- No. Capitalize Are.
- me
- Confusing. Was the meeting at the zoo, or did you hear about it while you were at the zoo?
- Not parallel. Add the word deciding before who, and it will be fixed!
- Yes. It is okay to start a sentence with a conjunction in most cases. I don’t like it in formal writing, though.
- had rung
- whom
- yours
- Yes. It is okay to end a sentence with a preposition in most cases. (Where are you at? is still wrong.)
- Split infinitive
- No. Confusing. To whom does he refer?
- Redundancy. if you write a.m., you don’t need to write morning.
- Take out both commas.
- me, him
- is
- bad
- either one is now fine.
- lying
- is
- were
- No. Write either 9 boys and 16 girls or nine boys and sixteen girls.
- Slowly is better than slow, but slow is acceptable.
- I
- yes
- They is technically correct.
Thanks, It’s always good to do a check-up on my use of American English grammar.
On #13, I changed “that” to “which,” but I have also used: The blue hooded coat is mine.
I thoroughly enjoyed everyone’s comments
Thanks for the comment!
All done, one mistake # 21, simple as it is I did not notice that the two numbers were written the same way.
Thanks
Great! You’re welcome!
Did I miss the memo for #17 ?
Are we too lazy to say the three correct words and opt instead for one incorrect word?
Why is #22 acceptable with slow? It’s used as an adverb and therefore should be slowly!
Lazy or not, it’s acceptable. See this week’s post (tomorrow). Slow is a flat adverb. Acceptable, but not preferred.
Hi! Regarding #10, a split infinitive is not an ‘issue’, if by that you mean a mistake. It’s actually perfectly acceptable. Some people like to make an issue out of it though…
No, it is not a mistake, but many think it is.
#23 could be me or I depending on whether she likes chocolate more than she likes me or whether she likes chocolate more than I do😀
Yup! But most of the time, we assume it means more than I like chocolate!
Very interesting!
Thanks!
Actually, the answer to #23 could be “me,” if what the writer (or speaker) means is “she likes chocolate better than she likes me.” It all depends on what is meant, and the context is needed in order to determine what it is that the writer (or speaker) intended to write (or say).
True indeed. But most of the time, we take it to me that she like chocolate more than I do.
Communication shouldn’t include assumptions. Let’s say what we mean and mean what we say instead.
Yes!
On point!
Thank you!
All done, one mistake #23, and the other I changed to which instead of lifting the commas #13…
Thank you, was a mind refreshing for me…
You are welcome, grammar pro!
Very refreshing
Thank you!
Ah, Ms. Diva. This little quiz reminded me I need to brush up on my basics. Back to The Best Little Grammar Book Ever!
🙂