ParaPro Grammar and Mechanics (Conventions of Standard English) — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Choose the correct verb: "Neither the teacher nor the students ___ ready for the fire drill."
- was
- were (Correct answer)
- is
- has been
Correct answer: were
With neither/nor, the verb agrees with the closer subject, "students," which is plural.
Question 2: Choose the correct verb: "Each of the boys ___ his own lunch on field trip days."
- bring
- are bringing
- brings (Correct answer)
- have brought
Correct answer: brings
"Each" is a singular subject, so it takes the singular verb "brings."
Question 3: Which pronoun correctly completes the sentence? "The secret stays between you and ___."
- I
- myself
- mine
- me (Correct answer)
Correct answer: me
"Between" is a preposition, so it takes the objective pronoun "me."
Question 4: Which sentence uses a collective noun correctly in standard American English?
- The committee has made its decision. (Correct answer)
- The committee have made their decision.
- The committee have made its decision.
- The committee has made their decision.
Correct answer: The committee has made its decision.
In American English, a collective noun acting as one unit takes a singular verb and singular pronoun.
Question 5: Choose the correct word: "To ___ should I address the permission slip?"
- who
- whom (Correct answer)
- whose
- who's
Correct answer: whom
"Whom" is the object of the preposition "to."
Question 6: Which sentence uses pronouns correctly?
- Ms. Lee and myself graded the tests.
- Me and Ms. Lee graded the tests.
- Ms. Lee and I graded the tests. (Correct answer)
- Ms. Lee and me graded the tests.
Correct answer: Ms. Lee and I graded the tests.
"I" is the subjective pronoun needed for a compound subject, and reflexive "myself" needs an antecedent.
Question 7: Choose the correct verb: "The number of students in after-school tutoring ___ increasing."
- are
- were
- have been
- is (Correct answer)
Correct answer: is
"The number" is singular and takes "is," while "a number" would take a plural verb.
Question 8: Which sentence uses a semicolon correctly?
- I studied all week; and I passed the test.
- I studied all week; I passed the test. (Correct answer)
- Because I studied all week; I passed the test.
- I studied; all week and passed the test.
Correct answer: I studied all week; I passed the test.
A semicolon joins two independent clauses without a coordinating conjunction.
Question 9: Which phrase correctly shows possession by more than one child?
- the childrens' books
- the childrens books
- the children's books (Correct answer)
- the childs' books
Correct answer: the children's books
"Children" is an irregular plural not ending in s, so add an apostrophe and s.
Question 10: Which of the following is a comma splice?
- The bus was late, so we missed the assembly.
- The bus was late; we missed the assembly.
- Because the bus was late, we missed the assembly.
- The bus was late, we missed the assembly. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: The bus was late, we missed the assembly.
A comma splice joins two independent clauses with only a comma.
Question 11: Which sentence uses a colon correctly?
- Bring three items: a pencil, an eraser, and a ruler. (Correct answer)
- Please bring: a pencil, an eraser, and a ruler.
- The items are: a pencil, an eraser, and a ruler.
- You need to: bring a pencil and a ruler.
Correct answer: Bring three items: a pencil, an eraser, and a ruler.
A colon should follow a complete independent clause that introduces a list.
Question 12: Choose the correct word: "The classroom hamster ran back to ___ cage."
- it's
- its'
- its (Correct answer)
- it is
Correct answer: its
"Its" is the possessive pronoun, while "it's" means "it is."
Question 13: Which sentence is punctuated correctly?
- When the bell rang the students, left quickly.
- When the bell rang, the students left quickly. (Correct answer)
- When, the bell rang the students left quickly.
- When the bell rang the students left, quickly.
Correct answer: When the bell rang, the students left quickly.
A comma follows an introductory dependent clause.
Question 14: Which sentence follows standard American punctuation for quotations?
- Mr. Ruiz said, "Line up at the door".
- Mr. Ruiz said "Line up at the door."
- Mr. Ruiz said, "line up at the door."
- Mr. Ruiz said, "Line up at the door." (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Mr. Ruiz said, "Line up at the door."
In American English, periods and commas go inside closing quotation marks, and a quoted full sentence begins with a capital.
Question 15: Which sentence contains a dangling modifier?
- Walking into the classroom, the smell of paint was strong. (Correct answer)
- Walking into the classroom, I noticed the smell of paint.
- I noticed the smell of paint as I walked into the classroom.
- The smell of paint was strong when I walked into the classroom.
Correct answer: Walking into the classroom, the smell of paint was strong.
The opening phrase has no logical subject because the smell was not walking.
Question 16: Which sentence has correct parallel structure?
- Students like reading, to write, and drawing.
- Students like reading, writing, and to draw.
- Students like reading, writing, and drawing. (Correct answer)
- Students like to read, writing, and drawing.
Correct answer: Students like reading, writing, and drawing.
Items in a series should share the same grammatical form.
Question 17: Which of the following is a sentence fragment?
- The students waited quietly.
- Although the students waited quietly. (Correct answer)
- The students waited quietly for the bus.
- Quietly, the students waited.
Correct answer: Although the students waited quietly.
"Although" makes the clause dependent, so it cannot stand alone.
Question 18: Choose the correct verb: "By the time we arrived, the movie ___."
- has started
- starts
- will start
- had started (Correct answer)
Correct answer: had started
The past perfect shows an action completed before another past action.
Question 19: Choose the correct verb form: "She has ___ a thank-you letter to the principal."
- written (Correct answer)
- wrote
- writed
- writing
Correct answer: written
"Written" is the past participle of the irregular verb "write" and follows "has."
Question 20: Which sentence uses lie/lay correctly?
- The dog is laying on the rug.
- Please lie the books on the table.
- The dog is lying on the rug. (Correct answer)
- Yesterday I laid down for a nap.
Correct answer: The dog is lying on the rug.
"Lie" means to recline and takes no object, so "is lying" is correct.
Question 21: Which sentence uses an adjective or adverb correctly?
- She did good on her spelling test.
- He runs quick around the track.
- The choir sang beautiful today.
- She did well on her spelling test. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: She did well on her spelling test.
"Well" is the adverb that modifies the verb "did."
