Grammar and Usage: Section 1

Name Class Date

GrammarNotes

Standardized Test Prep: Grammar and Usage
Sixth Course

Grammar and Usage: Section 1

Read the paragraph below. In the items that follow the paragraph, select the word or word group that best completes the sentence.

Fingerprinting __1__ a significant role in investigative work ever since the late nineteenth century, when a British anthropologist determined that __2__ identical fingerprints. Building upon this research, two other scientists __3__ fingerprint classification systems during the 1890s. Fingerprints are one of the __4__ of identification because a person’s fingerprints are unlikely to change during __5__ lifetime. Thus, __6__ find fingerprints at crime scenes. Sometimes fingerprints are clearly visible, but other times __7__ cannot be seen. Most latent, or hidden, fingerprints __8__ detected until they have been covered with colored powder or special chemicals. Moreover, there are some types of latent fingerprints __9__ with a laser beam. Fingerprints, which are also used to identify victims of fires and plane crashes, __10__ to be an invaluable tool for more than a century.

Name Class Date

GrammarNotes

Standardized Test Prep: Grammar and Usage
Sixth Course

1. (A) has played

(B) played

(D) had played

(E) will have played

2. (A) no two people never have

(B) people they never have

(D) no two people don’t have

(E) no two people have

3. (A) introduced his

(B) introduced their

(D) had introduced their

(E) have introduced their

4. (A) more useful type

(B) usefuller types

(D) most useful types

(E) usefullest types

5. (A) his or her

(B) her

(D) their

(E) they’re

6. (A) investigators they try and

(B) investigators try and

(D) investigators they try to

(E) those investigators try to

7. (A) they

(B) no fingerprints

(D) these kind of fingerprints

(E) those type of fingerprints

8. (A) can’t hardly be

(B) can’t in no way be

(D) they can’t hardly be

(E) can’t scarcely be

9. (A) that only can be seen

(B) that can be seen only

(D) only that can be seen

(E) what can only be seen

10. (A) has proven

(B) proves

(D) proved

(E) have proven

Name Class Date

GrammarNotes

Standardized Test Prep: Grammar and Usage
Sixth Course

Grammar and Usage: Section 2

Using the rules of formal, standard English, choose the revision that most clearly expresses the meaning of the underlined part of each item. If there is no error, choose A.

EXAMPLE

Gail told Wendy that the tryout had gone so well that she was sure she got the part of Emily in Our Town.

(A) well that she was sure she got

(B) good that she was sure Wendy had got

(D) well that Wendy was sure she had got

(E) good that Gail was sure she had got

1. On the other side of these here mountains lie some of the richest farmland in the world.

(A) these here mountains lie

(B) these mountains lie

(D) these mountains lay

(E) these mountains lays

2. The myelin sheath which surrounds nerve cells and helps to speed up nerve impulses.

(A) The myelin sheath which surrounds nerve cells and helps to speed up nerve impulses.

(B) The myelin sheath surrounding nerve cells, which helps to speed up nerve impulses.

(D) The myelin sheath, which surrounds nerve cells, helps to speed up nerve impulses.

(E) Helping speed up nerve impulses, the myelin sheath surrounding nerve cells.

3. Arnie carves soapstone beautifully; he plans to give them to his friends.

(A) them

(B) these

(D) it

(E) ones

4. Beaming proudly, a medal hung around her neck at the ceremony.

(A) Beaming proudly, a medal hung around her neck at the ceremony.

(B) At the ceremony, a medal hung around her neck, beaming proudly.

(D) Beaming proudly, she wore a medal around her neck at the ceremony.

(E) Beaming proudly at the ceremony, a medal hung around her neck.

5. The contract between him and them is quite complex.

(A) between him and them

(B) between him and they

(D) among him and them

(E) among he and they

6. I can’t hardly believe that less people than we had predicted turned out for today’s carnival.

(A) I can’t hardly believe that less people than

(B) I can hardly believe that fewer people then

(D) I can’t hardly believe that fewer people than

(E) I can hardly believe that fewer people than

7. In 1824, I read that a fifteen-year-old student who was blind, Louis Braille, developed a system of reading that used raised dots.

(A) In 1824, I read that a fifteen-year-old student who was blind, Louis Braille, developed a system of reading that used raised dots.

(B) I read in 1824 that a fifteen-year-old student who was blind, Louis Braille, developed a system of reading that used raised dots.

(C) I read that in 1824 a fifteen-year-old student who was blind, Louis Braille, developed a system of reading that used raised dots.

(D) I read that Louis Braille, a fifteen-year-old student who was blind in 1824, developed a system of reading that used raised dots.

(E) I read that a fifteen-year-old student who was blind, Louis Braille, developed a system of reading that used raised dots in 1824.

8. In golf, a “mulligan” is when a player is given a free shot after having made a poor shot.

(A) when a player is given a free shot after having made

(B) where a player is given a free shot after having made

(D) a free shot given to a player after he or she has made

(E) that a player is given a free shot after having made

9. Skimming through the magazine, there were two articles I found for my report on Marcus Garvey.

(A) when a player is given a free shot after having made

(B) where a player is given a free shot after having made

(D) a free shot given to a player after he or she has made

(E) that a player is given a free shot after having made

10. Each of the athletes in the Olympics wore their nation’s jersey.

(A) Each of the athletes in the Olympics wore their

(B) Each of the athletes in the Olympics wore his or her

(D) All of the athletes in the Olympics wore their

(E) All of the athletes in the Olympics wore his or her