1.0 GRAMMAR SKILLS – SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT

A1.  There ____________ several reasons why you should reconsider your decision.

ARE

IS2.  Howard and Vincent, who ____________ a copy center in town, have decided to expand their business.

RUNS

RUN3.  Both of the statues on the shelf ____________ broken.

ARE

IS4.  The fishing boat that has been tied up at the pier for three days ____________ finally on its way this morning. Remember that a subject and its verb are not always together.

WAS

WERE5.  The chairman, along with his two assistants, ____________ to attend the annual convention.

PLAN

PLANS6.  The issues of inflation and tax reform ____________ to be on everyone's mind.

CONTINUE

CONTINUES7.  Juan or Julian ____________ the conference room each week.

PREPARE

PREPARES8.  Not one of the performers ____________ at the party after the concert.

WERE

WAS9.  The results of the election ____________ not available for two days.

WERE

WAS10.  When there ____________ thunderstorms approaching, we are always reminded of the threat of tornadoes.

IS

ARE

BSelect one answer from the choices provided after each sentence. The word you choose should fit the blank in the sentence. Don't use the HINT buttons unless you really need them.

1.  Either the physicians in this hospital or the chief administrator ____ going to have to make a decision.

is

are

2.  ______ my boss or my sisters in the union going to win this grievance?

Is

Are

3.  Some of the votes __________ to have been miscounted.

seem

seems

4.  The tornadoes that tear through this county every spring _____ more than just a nuisance.

are

is

5.  Everyone selected to serve on this jury _____ to be willing to give up a lot of time.

have

has

6.  Kara Wolters, together with her teammates, _________ a formidable opponent on the basketball court.

presents

present

7.  He seems to forget that there __________ things to be done before he can graduate.

are

is

8.  There _______ to be some people left in that town after yesterday's flood.

have

has

9.  Some of the grain __________ to be contaminated.

appear

appears

10.  Three-quarters of the students __________ against the tuition hike.

is

are

11.  Three-quarters of the student body __________ against the tuition hike.

is

are

12.  A high percentage of the population _________ voting for the new school.

is

are

13.  A high percentage of the people _________ voting for the new school.

was

were

2.0 GRAMMAR SKILLS – VERB TENSESAA Trekking Journal

November 12, 1997

Today (be) is the second day of my trek around Mount Annapurna. I am exhausted and my legs

(shake) are shaking ; I just hope I am able to complete the trek. My feet (kill, really) are really

killing me and my toes (bleed) are bleeding, but I (want, still) still want to continue.

Nepal is a fascinating country, but I have a great deal to learn. Everything (be) is so different,

and I (try) am trying to adapt to the new way of life here. I (learn) am learning a little bit of the

language to make communication easier; unfortunately, I (learn, not) do not learn foreign

languages quickly. Although I (understand, not) do not understand much yet, I believe that I

(improve, gradually) am gradually improving.

I (travel, currently) am currently travelling with Liam, a student from Leeds University in

England. He (be) is a nice guy, but impatient. He (walk, always) always walks ahead of me and

(complain) complains that I am too slow. I (do) am doing my best to keep up with him, but he is

younger and stronger than I am. Maybe, I am just feeling sorry for myself because I am getting

old.

Right now, Liam (sit) is sitting with the owner of the inn. They (discuss) are discussing the

differences between life in England and life in Nepal. I (know, not) do not know the real name

of the owner, but everybody (call, just) just calls him Tam. Tam (speak) speaks English very

well and he (try) is trying to teach Liam some words in Nepali. Every time Tam (say) says a

new word, Liam (try) tries to repeat it. Unfortunately, Liam (seem, also) also seems to have

difficulty learning foreign languages. I just hope we don't get lost and have to ask for directions.

B

1. Every Monday, Sally (drive) DRIVES her kids to football practice.

2. Usually, I (work) WORK as a secretary at ABT, but this summer I (study) am studying French at a language school in Paris. That is why I am in Paris.

3. Shhhhh! Be quiet! John (sleep) is sleeping.

4. Don't forget to take your umbrella. It (rain) is raining.

5. I hate living in Seattle because it (rain, always) always rains.

6. I'm sorry I can't hear what you (say) are saying because everybody (talk) is talking so loudly.

7. Justin (write, currently) is currently writing a book about his adventures in Tibet. I hope he can find a good publisher when he is finished.

8. Jim: Do you want to come over for dinner tonight?Denise: Oh, I'm sorry, I can't. I (go) am going to a movie tonight with some friends.

9. The business cards (be, normally ) are normally printed by a company in New York. Their prices (be) are inexpensive, yet the quality of their work is quite good.

10. This delicious chocolate (be) is made by a small chocolatier in Zurich, Switzerland

3.0 CLAUSESQuestions

1. If you don't fix the car, IT WILL CONTINUE TO LEAK OIL.

dependent clause

independent clause

2. WHILE THE CAR IS BEING FIXED, we will need to take the bus.

dependent clause

independent clause

3. It isn't necessary to cram all night IF YOU HAVE STUDIED A LITTLE EACH DAY.

dependent clause

independent clause

4. Before you begin studying for the exam, YOU WILL PROBABLY WANT TO REST.

dependent clause

independent clause

5. I can't go to the movies SINCE I DON'T HAVE ANY MONEY.

dependent clause

independent clause

6. WHETHER HE ATTENDS THE PARTY OR NOT, I have decided to go.

dependent clause

independent clause

7. I WILL STOP PLAYING THE DRUMS when you go to sleep.

dependent clause

independent clause

8. SINCE YOU'VE TAKEN YOUR EXAM IN BIOLOGY, you probably don't feel like studying for tomorrow's exam in math.

dependent clause

independent clause

9. Until he apologizes to me for his rude behavior, I REFUSE TO SEE HIM.

dependent clause

independent clause

10. I wore my boots BECAUSE IT LOOKED LIKE IT MIGHT SNOW.

dependent clause

independent clause

 

4.0 SENTENCE TYPES

A1: The teacher walked into the classroom, greeted the students, and took attendance.

Simple

Compound

Complex2: Juan played football while Juanita went shopping.

Simple

Compound

Complex3: Juan played football, yet Juanita went shopping.

Simple

Compound

Complex4: Although Mexico has the better football team, it lost.

Simple

Compound

Complex5: The island was filled with many winding trails, a small lake, and dangerous wild pigs.

Simple

Compound

Complex6: Naoki passed the test because he studied hard and understood the material.

Simple

Compound

Complex

BIdentify the following sentences as compound, complex or compound-complex by clicking on the appropriate word.

1. Insurance cannot cover everything, but it does cover the big expenses accrued while giving birth. COMPOUNDCOMPLEX COMPOUND-COMPLEX

2. Monarch butterflies, which migrate to Mexico each year, are guided by instinct. COMPOUND

COMPLEX COMPOUND-COMPLEX

3. Geese mate for life unlike humans who, according to the divorce rate, seem to have trouble committing to just one person.COMPOUNDCOMPLEX COMPOUND-COMPLEX

4. The finals are on Saturday, but we'll have to compete without Paul, who will be in court all day arguing an important case.COMPOUNDCOMPLEX COMPOUND-COMPLEX

5. Scientists are working on a cure for the common cold and, when they find one, think how remarkably it will change the profits of the Kleenex and drug industries. COMPOUNDCOMPLEX COMPOUND-COMPLEX

C

1. The Cleveland Indians, who have rebuilt themselves in the off season, have lost their home opener this year.

Compound-Complex

Simple

Complex

Compound

2. Mark said that he forgot his homework, and he asked if he could make it up later.

Simple

Compound

Complex

Compound - Complex

3. Although he was very intelligent, Mario could not figure out how to solve the Rubik's Cube.

Simple

Compound-Complex

Compound

Complex

4. My favorite sport to watch in the fall is football, so I clear my schedule every Sunday to watch the Browns.

Complex

Simple

Compound

Compound-Complex

5. The circus, with its crazy clowns and brave lion tamers, is in town this week.

Compound-Complex

Compound

Simple

Complex

6. Joan said she loves shopping, but she doesn't have enough money to do it as often as she would like!

Compound-Complex

Complex

Simple

Compound

7. When he saw the price of the car, he started laughing and walked away.

Complex

Compound

Simple

Compound-Complex

8. In the middle of the night, a loud noise from my neighbor's house woke me up.

Compound

Simple

Complex

Compound - Complex

9. Violence on television has been debated by politicians for years, yet they still don't have a good plan about how to deal with it.

Complex

Compound-Complex

Simple

Compound

10. This is the end of my quiz, which had to happen sometime; I hope you liked it!

Compound-Complex

Complex

Simple

Compound

5.0 SENTENCE ERRORS1. By the time Julia Roberts was 23, she had won two academy award nominations, she had

also become the world's most popular female actress.a. fragmentb. run onc. comma spliced. choppye. correct

2. Since then, Roberts has appeared in fourteen films. Most recently, "My Best Friend's Wedding" and "The Conspiracy Theory."a. fragmentb. run on c. comma spliced. choppye. correct

3. She didn't plan to become an actress. She wanted to be six feet tall. She wanted to be a veterinarian. She wanted to be happy and make others happy.a. fragmentb. run on c. comma spliced. choppye. correct

4. Although Julia Roberts has had much professional success. Her personal life has been troubled with several failed relationships.a. fragmentb. run onc. comma spliced. choppy

e. correct

5. Julia Roberts lives in Manhattan, not far from the apartment she once shared with her sister in Greenwich Village.a. fragmentb. run onc. comma spliced. choppye. correct

6. She came to New York when she was seventeen. Because her older sister lived there and she was influenced by her sister.a. fragmentb. run onc. comma spliced. choppye. correct

7. Roberts was raised in Georgia. Her parents ran a theater school there. Her sister and brother are also actors. The family was always short of money.a. fragmentb. run onc. comma spliced. choppye. correct

8. When Julia was four years old, her parents divorced. After eighteen years of marriage.a. fragmentb. run onc. comma spliced. choppye. correct

9. Julia and her sister lived with their mother. Their brother stayed with their father. Who died of cancer five years later.a. fragmentb. run onc. comma spliced. choppye. correct

10. In high school, Julia found classwork boring, she didn't know how to be a good student.a. fragmentb. run onc. comma spliced. choppye. correct

11. After she graduated from high school, Julia worked in a shoe store while auditioning for acting jobs. Though didn't get hired for a year. a. fragmentb. run onc. comma spliced. choppye. correct

12. In 1990, "Pretty Woman" became a smash hit her natural gift for this type of comedy brought her a nomination for Best Actress.a. fragmentb. run onc. comma spliced. choppye. correct

13. Julia Roberts was engaged to Keifer Sutherland in 1991. Three days before the wedding, she changed her mind and canceled everything. a. fragmentb. run onc. comma spliced. choppye. correct

14. The singer-actor Lyle Lovett is ten years older than Julia she married him in 1993 but split up after less than two years.a. fragmentb. run onc. comma spliced. choppye. correct

15. "Stepmom" is Julia Robert's new movie. It is a family drama. It co-stars Susan Sarandon. Ed Harris is also a co-star.a. fragmentb. run onc. comma spliced. choppye. correct

16. Currently, Julia is dating Benjamin Bratt. Who plays a detective on the TV series, "Law and Order."a. fragmentb. run onc. comma spliced. choppye. correct

17. Roberts says that she enjoys getting older and is content with her life experiences. a. fragmentb. run onc. comma spliced. choppye. correct

6.0 PARAGRAPH WRITING

A.   Unity : How I Spend My Weekdays

B.   Coherence: I live in a house in Izmit. It's a normal Turkish house. It isn't old or modern. We have one bedroom, one living room. We also have two other rooms, too. We use them as a dining room. Naturally, we have a kitchen, a bathroom, and a toilet. And our house has a little garden; my parents spend their time there to grow vegetables and fruit. We can say it is near the sea. It takes about 10 minutes to go to the sea side on foot.

D.   Lack of Topic Sentence: _________________________________________________________________A good friend must share his ideas with me; help each other and keeping each other happy enduring in long lasting trust

E.    Development of the ideas___________________________________________________________What quality do we look in a good friend? First, a good friend must always speak the truth. A good friend should not tell a lie because a good friendship is a friendship based on trust. Besides

that, a good friend should be there when I needed him the most. He should be there when I needed him the most whether I am in a problem or having a bad day giving me courage and lift me up. Finally, criticize me whenever I am wrong and correcting my deeds is another qualities that a good friend must have.

2.    VOCABULARY CHOICE:Friends play a great role in our lives. They bring great changes in negative or positive way. Choosing a great friend is vital.. First, we observe their behaviors’. Similar characters are great to be with. Second, interesting activities shared together will make a friendship more interesting. Here we can avoid a cigarette-smoker or a cursing person. Finally, physical appearance should be well considered as some may not agree with me. For example friends that share the same height may experience more long lasting friendship compare to those who aren't. Generally, choosing a friend must match your interest, behavior and physical appearance.