ELSA Grammar & Sentence Structure 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which sentence uses the past perfect tense correctly?
- She had finished the report before the meeting started. (Correct answer)
- She has finished the report before the meeting started.
- She finished the report before the meeting had started.
- She was finishing the report before the meeting started.
Correct answer: She had finished the report before the meeting started.
Past perfect (had + past participle) is used for an action completed before another past event.
Question 2: Identify the sentence with a dangling modifier.
- Running through the park, she spotted a deer.
- Running through the park, a deer was spotted. (Correct answer)
- While she was running, she spotted a deer.
- As she ran through the park, a deer appeared.
Correct answer: Running through the park, a deer was spotted.
In the second sentence, 'running through the park' incorrectly modifies 'a deer' instead of the subject performing the action.
Question 3: Which option correctly joins these two independent clauses: 'The team worked hard' and 'they did not win'?
- The team worked hard, yet they did not win. (Correct answer)
- The team worked hard yet they did not win.
- The team worked hard, yet, they did not win.
- The team worked hard; yet they did not win.
Correct answer: The team worked hard, yet they did not win.
Two independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction like 'yet' require a comma before the conjunction.
Question 4: Choose the sentence that correctly uses the subjunctive mood.
- If I was taller, I would play basketball.
- If I were taller, I would play basketball. (Correct answer)
- If I am taller, I would play basketball.
- If I be taller, I would play basketball.
Correct answer: If I were taller, I would play basketball.
The subjunctive mood uses 'were' (not 'was') for hypothetical or contrary-to-fact conditions with 'if'.
Question 5: Which sentence contains a misplaced modifier?
- She almost drove her children to school every day. (Correct answer)
- The children were driven to school almost every day.
- Almost every day, she drove her children to school.
- She drove her children to school on almost every weekday.
Correct answer: She almost drove her children to school every day.
In the first sentence, 'almost' is placed before 'drove' when it should modify 'every day,' implying she nearly drove but never did.
Question 6: Select the correctly punctuated sentence using a semicolon.
- I enjoy hiking; however, I dislike rainy weather. (Correct answer)
- I enjoy hiking; However, I dislike rainy weather.
- I enjoy hiking, however; I dislike rainy weather.
- I enjoy hiking; however I dislike rainy weather.
Correct answer: I enjoy hiking; however, I dislike rainy weather.
A semicolon precedes a conjunctive adverb like 'however,' and a comma follows it.
Question 7: Which sentence demonstrates correct subject-verb agreement with a collective noun?
- The committee are disagreeing among themselves.
- The committee is presenting its findings today. (Correct answer)
- The committee were voting on the budget.
- The committee have reached their decision.
Correct answer: The committee is presenting its findings today.
In American English, collective nouns like 'committee' typically take singular verbs and singular pronouns.
ELSA Grammar & Sentence Structure 2
Which sentence uses the past perfect tense correctly?