English Composition Flashcards

Choose the appropriate error. No sentence contains more than one error. If No Error exists, then select the no error (1)If people (2) had helped solved the energy crisis, (3) it might (4) of been a lesson to humanity.

Answer: of

The phrase 'might of been' is a common grammatical error. The correct auxiliary verb construction is 'might have been.' 'Of' is a preposition and cannot substitute for the auxiliary verb 'have' in this context.

Choose the appropriate error. No sentence contains more than one error. If No Error exists, then select the no error As they (1) listened to his (2) fabulous statistics, the board members (3) became more and more (4) incredible.

Answer: incredible

The word 'incredible' means unbelievable or astonishing. In this context, the board members are becoming skeptical or disbelieving of the statistics, not becoming unbelievable themselves. The correct word to describe someone who is unwilling or unable to believe something is 'incredulous.'

Choose the appropriate error. No sentence contains more than one error. If No Error exists, then select the no error (1) Such a comment about anyone (2) who (3) we know to be generous, kind, and thoughtful (4) is unfair.

Answer: who

In the clause 'who we know to be generous,' the pronoun is the object of the verb 'know' (we know *him*). Therefore, the objective case pronoun 'whom' should be used instead of the subjective case 'who.' The correct phrasing is 'whom we know to be generous.'

Choose the appropriate error. No sentence contains more than one error. If No Error exists, then select the no error If he (1) would have been there, he would have seen for (2) himself the (3) further improvements they (4) had made.

Answer: would have been

This sentence uses a past hypothetical conditional (third conditional). The 'if' clause in a third conditional requires the past perfect tense ('had' + past participle). The phrase 'If he would have been there' is a common error; it should correctly be 'If he had been there.'

Choose the appropriate error. No sentence contains more than one error. If No Error exists, then select the no error He (1) has always been negligent (2) about his health, and he (3) is feeling the (4) effects of his carelessness.

Answer: about

The correct preposition to use with 'negligent' when referring to a specific area of neglect is 'of' or 'in,' not 'about.' One is 'negligent of one's health' or 'negligent in one's duties.' 'About' is less precise and less idiomatic in this context.

Choose the appropriate error. No sentence contains more than one error. If No Error exists, then select the no error We (1) were not allowed (2) to skate on the pond until it (3) had froze to a depth of 10 in. and the red signal (4) had been hoisted.

Answer: had froze

The verb 'freeze' is an irregular verb. Its past participle form is 'frozen,' not 'froze.' The sentence requires the past perfect tense ('had' + past participle), so it should be 'had frozen.' 'Froze' is the simple past tense.

Choose the appropriate error. No sentence contains more than one error. If No Error exists, then select the no error Samuel was the (1) least prepared of the two (2) who (3) took the examination (4) last Friday.

Answer: least

The sentence compares Samuel to 'the two' other individuals. When comparing only two items or people, the comparative degree should be used, not the superlative. The comparative form of 'little' (implied by 'least prepared') is 'less.' Therefore, it should be 'Samuel was the less prepared of the two.'