CLT Grammar and Writing 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which sentence contains a dangling modifier? A) Running through the park, Sarah spotted a deer. B) Running through the park, a deer was spotted by Sarah. C) While running through the park, Sarah spotted a deer. D) Sarah spotted a deer while running through the park.
- Running through the park, Sarah spotted a deer.
- Running through the park, a deer was spotted by Sarah. (Correct answer)
- While running through the park, Sarah spotted a deer.
- Sarah spotted a deer while running through the park.
Correct answer: Running through the park, a deer was spotted by Sarah.
In option B, the participial phrase 'Running through the park' illogically modifies 'a deer' rather than the intended subject Sarah.
Question 2: Which sentence demonstrates correct subject-verb agreement with a collective noun? A) The committee are divided on the issue. B) The committee is divided on the issue. C) The committees is divided on the issue. D) The committee were divided on the issue.
- The committee are divided on the issue.
- The committee is divided on the issue. (Correct answer)
- The committees is divided on the issue.
- The committee were divided on the issue.
Correct answer: The committee is divided on the issue.
In American English, collective nouns like 'committee' are treated as singular and take singular verbs when acting as a unified body.
Question 3: Which sentence uses 'whom' correctly? A) Whom shall I say is calling? B) The candidate whom the voters chose was inspiring. C) Whom do you think will win? D) Give the award to whomever deserves it most.
- Whom shall I say is calling?
- The candidate whom the voters chose was inspiring. (Correct answer)
- Whom do you think will win?
- Give the award to whomever deserves it most.
Correct answer: The candidate whom the voters chose was inspiring.
'Whom' is correct when the pronoun functions as an object; here 'whom' is the object of 'chose,' making B correct.
Question 4: Which version best corrects the comma splice? Original: The Renaissance was a period of rebirth, it transformed art and philosophy across Europe. A) The Renaissance was a period of rebirth; it transformed art and philosophy across Europe. B) The Renaissance was a period of rebirth, and, it transformed art and philosophy across Europe. C) The Renaissance was a period of rebirth, while it transformed art and philosophy across Europe. D) The Renaissance was a period of rebirth it transformed art and philosophy across Europe.
- The Renaissance was a period of rebirth; it transformed art and philosophy across Europe. (Correct answer)
- The Renaissance was a period of rebirth, and, it transformed art and philosophy across Europe.
- The Renaissance was a period of rebirth, while it transformed art and philosophy across Europe.
- The Renaissance was a period of rebirth it transformed art and philosophy across Europe.
Correct answer: The Renaissance was a period of rebirth; it transformed art and philosophy across Europe.
A semicolon correctly joins two independent clauses without a coordinating conjunction, eliminating the comma splice.
Question 5: Which sentence uses correlative conjunctions correctly? A) Not only the prose but also the poetry were celebrated by scholars. B) Neither the students or the teacher understood the assignment. C) Both Plato and Aristotle was influential philosophers. D) Either the essays or the poem needs revision.
- Not only the prose but also the poetry were celebrated by scholars.
- Neither the students or the teacher understood the assignment.
- Both Plato and Aristotle was influential philosophers.
- Either the essays or the poem needs revision. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Either the essays or the poem needs revision.
With 'either...or,' the verb agrees with the nearest subject ('poem'), so 'needs' is correct in option D.
Question 6: Which sentence uses a non-restrictive (non-essential) clause correctly punctuated? A) My sister who lives in Boston is a physician. B) My sister, who lives in Boston, is a physician. C) My sister, who lives in Boston is a physician. D) My sister who lives in Boston, is a physician.
- My sister who lives in Boston is a physician.
- My sister, who lives in Boston, is a physician. (Correct answer)
- My sister, who lives in Boston is a physician.
- My sister who lives in Boston, is a physician.
Correct answer: My sister, who lives in Boston, is a physician.
A non-restrictive clause adds extra information and must be set off by commas on both sides, as in option B.
Question 7: Which revision most effectively converts the passive voice to active voice? Original: The novel was written by Dostoevsky in order to explore themes of guilt. A) Dostoevsky, writing the novel, explored themes of guilt. B) Dostoevsky wrote the novel to explore themes of guilt. C) The novel, written by Dostoevsky, explored themes of guilt. D) In order to explore guilt, the novel was composed by Dostoevsky.
- Dostoevsky, writing the novel, explored themes of guilt.
- Dostoevsky wrote the novel to explore themes of guilt. (Correct answer)
- The novel, written by Dostoevsky, explored themes of guilt.
- In order to explore guilt, the novel was composed by Dostoevsky.
Correct answer: Dostoevsky wrote the novel to explore themes of guilt.
Option B places the agent (Dostoevsky) as the grammatical subject performing the action, producing a direct and concise active voice construction.
CLT Grammar and Writing 2
Which sentence contains a dangling modifier?
A) Running through the park, Sarah spotted a deer.
B) Running through the park, a deer was spotted by Sarah.
C) While running through the park, Sarah spotted a deer.
D) Sarah spotted a deer while running through the park.