Using Correct Grammar Flashcards

Which sentence correctly uses 'its' versus 'it's'?

Answer: It's important to check your work carefully.

'It's' is a contraction of 'it is,' while 'its' is the possessive pronoun — 'It's important' means 'It is important.'

Which sentence correctly uses a restrictive clause without commas?

Answer: Students who study regularly tend to do well.

A restrictive clause (essential to meaning) is not set off with commas — it identifies which students are being discussed.

Select the sentence with correct use of 'fewer' versus 'less'.

Answer: There are fewer students in class today.

'Fewer' is used with countable nouns (students), while 'less' is used with uncountable quantities.

Which sentence uses a correct transition to show contrast?

Answer: She trained hard; however, she lost the race.

'However' signals contrast between two ideas, making it the appropriate transition between training hard and losing.

Choose the sentence that correctly uses quotation marks with punctuation.

Answer: She said, "I'll be there soon."

In North American English, periods and commas go inside quotation marks, and a comma follows the dialogue tag.

Which sentence correctly uses the future perfect tense?

Answer: By next year, she will have finished her degree.

The future perfect ('will have finished') expresses an action that will be completed before a specific point in the future.

Identify the sentence that corrects the fragment: 'Although the rain had stopped.'

Answer: Although the rain had stopped, we decided to stay inside.

A subordinate clause like 'Although the rain had stopped' must be attached to an independent clause to form a complete sentence.