Grammar Skills Test Eng 101

Sentence Fragments

• Sentence fragments lack a complete thought or a main clause needed to stand alone.
• Examples of fragments:
  • "Which gives tourists the impression of an island paradise."
  • "Although he plays basketball."
  • "For example, the phonograph and the first practical lightbulb."
  • "As the Earth continued to shake."

Run-on Sentences

• Run-on sentences incorrectly connect two independent clauses without appropriate punctuation.
• Examples of run-ons:
  • "Leroy is a genius he earned a perfect score on every Math test."
  • "Education is an elusive idea it means different things to different people."

Comma Splices

• Comma splices occur when two independent clauses are joined by just a comma without a coordinating conjunction.
• Example of a comma splice:
  • "Leroy and Sally are going to the movies, they plan to see the new action film."

Correct Comma Placement

• Proper use of commas is essential for sentence clarity.
• Example of correct comma placement:
  • "There was a long line at the concession stand, which is why it took her awhile."

Semicolon Usage

• Semicolons are used to connect closely related independent clauses.
• Example of correct semicolon placement:
  • "Involvement in team sports provides more than just health benefits for young girls; it also increases their self-confidence."
• Semicolon insertion in the following sentence should go after "prohibited":
  • "Plagiarism is strictly prohibited; therefore, double-check that you're quoting, citing, and documenting your sources correctly."

Subject-Verb Agreement

• Ensuring the correct verb forms with the subject is critical for grammatical accuracy.
• Examples of correct verb forms:
  • "A backpack, a canteen, and a rifle were issued to each recruit."
  • "A vase of flowers makes a room more attractive."

Pronouns and Antecedents

• Pronouns should agree with their antecedents in number and gender.
• In the sentence "The superhero rushed to save his city from the evil villain," the pronoun "his" refers to "superhero."

Parallelism

• Faulty parallelism occurs when items in a list do not follow the same grammatical structure.
• Example of faulty parallelism:
  • "Many teenagers enjoy listening to music, watching television, and to go shop."

Modifier Errors

• Modifiers must clearly relate to the words they modify to avoid confusion.
• Example of a modifier error:
  • "Weighing 120 pounds, the wrestling coach argued that his wrestler should be in a different class."

Word Choice

• Precise word choice enhances clarity and meaning in sentences.
• Examples of correct word choice:
  • "To win the lottery, you have to buy a ticket."
  • "If we make it in time, then we can go to the movies rather than the bowling alley."
  • "They forgot where the party was being held, so they're not sure that their friends will be there."

Test your understanding of sentence fragments with this engaging quiz designed for English 101. Identify which sentences are complete and which are incomplete. Brush up on your grammar skills and solidify your knowledge of sentence structure.