Grammar and Word Usage Flashcards

Which sentence correctly uses a restrictive clause?

Answer: Students who study regularly tend to succeed.

A restrictive clause (no commas) limits the meaning of the noun and is essential to the sentence's meaning.

Identify the correct use of 'who' vs. 'whom': 'Give the award to ______ deserves it most.'

Answer: whoever

'Whoever' is correct because it acts as the subject of the clause 'whoever deserves it most,' which is the object of the preposition 'to.'

Which sentence avoids wordiness?

Answer: Because it was raining, we stayed inside.

'Because it was raining' replaces the wordy phrase 'due to the fact that it was raining' concisely.

Select the sentence with correct subject-verb agreement:

Answer: A number of students have completed the survey.

'A number of' takes a plural verb; 'the number of' takes a singular verb.

Which option uses 'that' vs. 'which' correctly?

Answer: The car that needs repairs is in the garage.

'That' introduces a restrictive clause (essential information); 'which' introduces a nonrestrictive clause set off by commas.

Choose the correctly punctuated sentence with a quotation:

Answer: She said, "I will be there by noon."

In American English, the period goes inside the closing quotation mark, and a comma introduces a direct quotation.

Which sentence uses 'among' vs. 'between' correctly?

Answer: Divide the candy among the five children.

'Among' is used when referring to more than two; 'between' is used with exactly two.