NCDAP English Grammar & Writing Mechanics 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which sentence demonstrates correct use of 'fewer' vs. 'less'?
- There are less students in the class today.
- I have less apples than you.
- She has fewer money than he does.
- We need fewer ingredients for this recipe. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: We need fewer ingredients for this recipe.
'Fewer' is used with countable nouns like 'ingredients,' while 'less' is used with uncountable nouns.
Question 2: Identify the type of error in this sentence: 'Running to catch the bus, my backpack fell off my shoulder.'
- Comma splice
- Dangling modifier (Correct answer)
- Subject-verb disagreement
- Faulty parallelism
Correct answer: Dangling modifier
The participial phrase 'Running to catch the bus' dangles because the subject implied is a person, not 'my backpack.'
Question 3: Which sentence correctly uses 'who' vs. 'whom'?
- Who did you give the book to?
- Whom is coming to the party?
- To whom should I address the letter? (Correct answer)
- Whom do you think will win?
Correct answer: To whom should I address the letter?
'Whom' is the object form and correctly follows the preposition 'to' in 'to whom.'
Question 4: Which sentence uses the correct form of the adjective?
- Of the three candidates, she is the most qualified. (Correct answer)
- Of the two plans, this one is the most efficient.
- She is more taller than her brother.
- This is the most fastest route.
Correct answer: Of the three candidates, she is the most qualified.
Superlative forms like 'most qualified' are used when comparing three or more items.
Question 5: Which option is a run-on sentence?
- She studied all night, but she still failed.
- He finished the test; he left early.
- The store was closed we had to go home. (Correct answer)
- Although it rained, we enjoyed the picnic.
Correct answer: The store was closed we had to go home.
'The store was closed we had to go home' incorrectly joins two independent clauses without punctuation or a conjunction.
Question 6: Choose the sentence with the correct pronoun-antecedent agreement.
- Everyone must bring their own lunch.
- Everyone must bring his or her own lunch. (Correct answer)
- Everyone must bring its own lunch.
- Everyone must bring our own lunch.
Correct answer: Everyone must bring his or her own lunch.
In formal writing, 'his or her' is the traditional agreement with the indefinite pronoun 'everyone.'
Question 7: Which sentence correctly uses a hyphen?
- She is a well known author.
- The well-known author signed books. (Correct answer)
- He is well-known.
- The author is well-known in her field.
Correct answer: The well-known author signed books.
Compound modifiers like 'well-known' are hyphenated when they appear before the noun they modify.
NCDAP English Grammar & Writing Mechanics 4
Which sentence demonstrates correct use of 'fewer' vs. 'less'?