Grammar and Usage Flashcards

Which sentence correctly uses the subjunctive mood? A) If I was you, I would reconsider. B) She wishes she was taller. C) He recommended that she takes the early flight. D) The judge insisted that the witness be present.

Answer: The judge insisted that the witness be present.

After verbs of demand or requirement ('insisted'), the subjunctive 'be' is used, not 'is' or 'takes.'

Identify the sentence with a correctly placed only: A) I only eat vegetables on Mondays. B) Only I eat vegetables on Mondays. C) I eat only vegetables on Mondays. D) Both B and C are correct depending on intended meaning.

Answer: Both B and C are correct depending on intended meaning.

'Only I' means no one else does it; 'only vegetables' means nothing else is eaten — both are correct for different meanings.

Which sentence uses 'affect' and 'effect' correctly? A) The medicine will effect your sleep patterns. B) The new policy effected a major change in operations. C) Stress can affect your concentration and memory. D) She was unable to affect the desired outcome.

Answer: Stress can affect your concentration and memory.

'Affect' is typically a verb meaning to influence; 'effect' is typically a noun meaning result.

Which option corrects the error in verb tense consistency? 'She walked into the room, sees the mess, and started cleaning.' A) walked into the room, saw the mess, and started cleaning B) walks into the room, sees the mess, and starts cleaning C) Either A or B, since both are internally consistent D) walked into the room, seen the mess, and started cleaning

Answer: Either A or B, since both are internally consistent

Both all-past and all-present tense versions are internally consistent; the original sentence mixes tenses incorrectly.

Which sentence correctly uses a possessive before a gerund? A) The coach was surprised by him scoring three goals. B) The coach was surprised by his scoring three goals. C) The coach was surprised by he scoring three goals. D) The coach was surprised by the scoring of him three goals.

Answer: The coach was surprised by his scoring three goals.

A gerund ('scoring') acting as a noun requires a possessive pronoun ('his') before it, not an object pronoun.

Which sentence avoids the error of using a double negative? A) She couldn't find no solution to the problem. B) He didn't say nothing about the meeting. C) They couldn't find any evidence at the scene. D) We don't have no time for distractions.

Answer: They couldn't find any evidence at the scene.

'Couldn't find any' uses a single negative, correctly expressing that no evidence was found.

Choose the sentence with correct pronoun-antecedent agreement: A) Everyone should bring their own lunch to the field trip. B) Each student must submit their paper by Friday. C) Neither of the boys remembered to bring his permission slip. D) All of the above are correct in contemporary standard English.

Answer: All of the above are correct in contemporary standard English.

All three sentences reflect accepted contemporary usage: singular 'they' for indefinite pronouns, and 'his' for a clearly male antecedent.