PART B MIDTERM Exam
Study Guide
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Refer to the pages below for EXTRA practice in preparation for your MIDTERM EXAM
Concept Writer’s Choice page numbers
Pronouns identify and define / 360- Subject, object / 361
- Antecedents / 365
- Possessive / 367
- Intensive / Class chart, notes, classwork, homework
Commas – usage and rules / 491-495
Verbs- Action / 333
- Linking / 337
- Main and Helping / 341
Commas
1. Which of the following is not a comma rule?
A. Use a comma to show a pause after an introductory word.
B. Use a comma between the title of someone’s first name and his or her last name.
C. Use a comma after two or more prepositional phrases at the beginning of a sentence.
D. Use commas to set off words that interrupt the flow of thought of a sentence.
2. Which of the following is not a comma rule?
A. Use commas to set off names used in direct address.
B. Use commas to set off three or more items in a series.
C. Place a comma before a semicolon when writing a compound sentence.
3. Which of the following is not a comma rule?
A. Use a comma after a coordinating conjunction when writing a compound sentence.
B. Use a comma before a coordinating conjunction when writing a compound sentence.
C. Use a comma to prevent misreading.
D. Use a comma after an introductory word or phrase.
4. Which of the following sentences is punctuated correctly with commas?
A. Last night I completed my homework ate dinner watched television took a shower and went to bed.
B. Last night, I completed, my homework, ate dinner, watched television, took a shower, and went to bed.
C. Last night, I completed my homework, ate dinner, watched television, took a shower and went to bed.
D. Last night, I completed my homework, ate dinner, watched television, took a shower, and went to bed.
5. Which of the following sentences is punctuated correctly with commas?
A. We wanted to go on vacation to London, Paris and Rome.
B. We ended up traveling to Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.
C. Next year I want to travel to, the Mediterranean, the Red Sea, and the Strait of Gibraltar.
D. My parents think it is important to stay home save our money, and take a break.
6. Which of the following sentences is punctuated correctly with commas?
A. Oh, I was unaware of a comma there!
B. Yes I need a comma there!
C. Why, is there a comma there?
D. Well you always must consider the comma rules!
7. Which of the following sentences is punctuated correctly with commas?
A. Beside the porch, under the flag, are the prettiest flowers ever!
B. Out of the woods, into the meadow the wolves crawled.
C. In 1921 in the middle of the night, a great storm began.
D. Over the river, through the woods, to Grandmother’s house we go.
8. Which of the following sentences is punctuated correctly with commas?
A. Queen Victoria was as they say, a formidable woman.
B. The interrupter I believe needs a comma before and after it to emphasize its separation from the rest of the sentence.
C. After demonstrating a decided lack of ethics, the CEO was, needless to say, dismissed from the company.
D. It does, indeed look like rain.
9. Which of the following sentences is punctuated correctly with commas?
A. Mrs. Jones where are you going to travel over spring break?
B. Where are you going to travel Mrs. Jones, for spring break?
C. Where are you going to travel for spring break, Mrs. Jones?
D. Where are you going to travel, Mrs. Jones for spring break?
Use the above Comma Rule Guide to insert commas in the following sentences. Be sure to use the “comma insert” proofreading symbol.
10. _____Dear Aunt Millie,
11. _____Instead of New York, Boston was our choice.
12. _____Hakeem weeded the garden, and his mom picked the vegetables.
13. _____Felipe’s first language is Spanish, and Andre speaks French.
14. _____Instead of twelve, six players got new uniforms.
15. _____Ali was invited to dinner, but he wasn’t feeling well.
16. _____Janelle came in first, four seconds ahead of Sonya.
17. _____Your friend,
Bethany
18. _____Now it’s suppertime, and we’re getting ready to go out.
19. _____When I turned forty, seven people wished me a happy birthday!
20. _____Would you rather go out to dinner, or would you rather order in?
Pronouns
In your own words…
21. What is a pronoun?
A pronoun is a word that takes the place of one or more nouns.
22. What is an antecedent?
An antecedent is a word that the pronoun refers to.
Write the word that best completes each sentence and the pronoun case on each line. Circle the antecedent if there is one.
EXAMPLE:
our__/Poss There were two red cars involved in the accident on (our, ours, we) street.
23. We/sub. Tonight (our, ours, we) will sing, "America."
24. We/sub. (Our, Ours, We) used the magnet to attract the nails.
25. She /sub. Rachel's pious nature guaranteed that (she, her) would never lie to her parents.
26. She /sub. Although (she, her) tried to be brave, Lisa let a soft groan escape when the doctor gave her an injection.
27. Her/obj. My best friend wants me to stay with (she, her) tonight.
28. Her/ poss. (She, Her) pink hair looked ridiculous!
29. She/sub. (She, Her) went to the mall with her companion.
30. I/ sub. (I, Me) need to discard the old clothes.
31. Me/obj. At home my mother gives (I, me) etiquette lessons.
32. I/sub. Everybody in my family but (I, me) likes squash.
33. I/sub. I kept the receipt for the groceries (I, me) bought.
34. Me/obj. The story began to puzzle (I, me) when it did not make sense anymore.
35. It’s/sub. (It, Its, It's) time to switch classes.
36. It’s/sub. A fig doesn't look tasty, but (it, its, it's) good to eat.
37. Read the following sentences and choose the sentence in which the italicized pronoun agrees with its antecedent.
A. Donna loves to put lots of hot sauce on her food.
B. Jim and I didn't enjoy the movie; they thought it was boring.
C. All of the members of the team give his best performances.
D. A person needs their full amount of sleep to perform well on tests.
38. Which sentence uses the correct pronoun cases?
A. Susie and I went to the movies last night.
B. My mother bought tickets for she and I.
C. Susie and me enjoyed the movie a great deal.
D. Afterwards she and me went to her house.
Verbs
In your own words…
39. What is the difference between an action verb and a linking verb? An action verb names as action; Linking verb connects the subject of a sentence with a noun or adjective.
40. What is a helping verb? Give three examples.
A helping verb is a verb that helps the main verb tell about an action or make a statement.
41. What is a verb phrase? A verb phrase consists of one or more helping verbs followed by a main verb.
Read the following excerpt from I Am a Genius of Unspeakable Evil and I Want to Be Your Class President by Josh Lieb and then answer the following questions:
(a) He should be staring down at his plate, rethinking his entire youth, realizing just how empty his school-age
accomplishments were, since I can equal them. (b) Or he should be looking at me with admiration. (c) He should be slapping me on the back, giving me a proud and hearty “Good work, Kid.” (d) Or he should be weeping. (e) Weeping
would be fine.
42. Sentence (a) has two verb phrases. What are they? Should be staring
43. Is the word “should” in sentence (b) an action verb, linking verb, or helping verb? helping
44. Sentence (c ) has a helping verb. What is it? Be or should
45. Sentence (d) has a verb phrase? What is it? Should be weeping
Directions: Highlight each verb in the sentence. On the line, write A for action verbs and L for linking verbs.
46. ____a______Sound waves enter our ears.
47. ____a_____They strike the eardrum.
48. ____l______Some sounds are too high-pitched to be heard by humans.
49. ____l______The process of hearing is complicated.
50. ____a______Sir Francis Galton invented a whistle to call dogs.
51. ____l______The sound was too high for people to hear.
Writing
Read the following paragraph.
My father and grandfather have been working on cars together for nearly twenty-five years. Fixing cars is just part of our family's history. My grandfather became a mechanic when he graduated from high school and joined the military. After finishing boot camp, he was assigned to repair tanks and other military service vehicles. His training in the military allowed him to open up his own repair shop once he came home. Naturally, when my dad was growing up, he spent most of his weekends and after school hours helping my grandfather work in his shop. ______.
52. Choose the best concluding sentence to fill in the blank.
A. After Dad graduated from high school, he got his mechanic's certification, and he and my granddad have been in business ever since.
B. My father never really liked working on cars, but my granddad needed someone's help to keep the shop running.
C. My family's car repair shop is still one of the most popular places in town to have your car troubles fixed.
D. My grandfather says that he'll retire from the family business once I graduate from college and get a job.
Read the following paragraph.
One serious problem facing a number of elderly people is living on a reduced income. When they retire, many older adults receive a pension from their company or benefits from the government. The amount of their monthly income is often significantly less than they received when they were fully employed. All of a sudden, retirees find that they can no longer continue the lifestyle to which they had become accustomed, even if that lifestyle was a modest one. Many find, after paying their monthly bills, that there is no money left for a movie or dinner out. ______.
53. Choose the best concluding sentence to fill in the blank.
A. Unfortunately, without some financial help or planning, many elderly adults may have trouble making ends meet.
B. Younger adults can avoid the struggles of living on a reduced income with better financial planning and investments.
C. Luckily, my parents won't have to face this challenge because their mortgage has been paid off.
D. Many Americans are working well past retirement age simply because they cannot afford to retire.
Read the paragraph below.
Growing a garden is easy. First, you need a fertile piece of land. Next, you should till the soil until it can sift through your fingers. Then you take the seeds and drop two or three into a small hole and cover the hole with the soil. Your hands will get dirty from digging. Water the seeds and watch for tiny plants to grow.
54. Choose the sentence that is irrelevant. (Irrelevant – def. adjective - no connection to, not fitting in,
immaterial)
Your hands will get dirty from digging.
55. Which of the following information would not be appropriate (Appropriate – def. adjective – belong, fitting, proper) to use in a research paper?
A. The name of the governor of South Dakota.
B. The nations that border Scotland.
C. What you did last weekend.
D. The nation that rules the Juan Fernandez Islands.
Read the following passage.
1) For thousands of years, people have removed minerals from the ground. 2) Minerals do not come from living things or from the remains of living things. 3) Minerals are solid substances found on or in the ground. 4) A gem is a stone that can be cut and polished to make jewelry. 5) Most gems are minerals. 6) Diamonds are minerals, and so are brightly colored gems, such as rubies, sapphires, and emeralds. 7) These four are called precious stones because they are rare and valuable. 8) They are the most costly gems.
56. Which sentence should begin a new paragraph?
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Analyze the following essay outline and identify the organizational pattern.
Issue: Motorized Vehicles1. Increasing pollution
2. Increasing traffic congestion
3. Traffic accidents and related deaths
Fix: Riding Bicycles
1. Reduces the number of motor vehicles being used
2. Reduces pollution
3. Health benefits
57. Which of the following organizational patterns best describes this essay outline?
A. cause-effect pattern
B. advantage-disadvantage pattern
C. chronological pattern
D. problem-solution pattern
58. Which of the following statements is not true when organizing information in an essay?
A. Always include an introduction and conclusion.
B. Divide information into one-sentence paragraphs.
C. Begin sentences with capital letter.
D. Use transition words.
Read the following passage.
It is important to create a shopping list before going to the grocery store. First, you should check your pantry for needed items. Next, you should look in the newspaper for sales on items you need prior to shopping. After locating your items and deciding where you will buy them, create your list of items and places to go. ______, you should note the sales price of certain items in case you forget them while shopping. Finally, you should create a column to check off items after you place them in your basket. Completing each of these steps will help you purchase all of the necessary items and save time during your next trip to the store.
59. Write the best transition word to complete the paragraph above.
______
Paragraphs should be written in a manner that is both readable and understandable. When a passage includes a sentence that has little connection to the theme or interrupts the flow of the paragraph, then the sentence is irrelevant.