MAP 8th Grade Reading › Identify and Correct Incorrect Shifts in Verb Voice and Mood: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.8.1.D
Choose which answer choice best expresses the underlined portion of the following sentence. If the original sentence is the best choice, select “NO CHANGE.”
It was a beautiful day at the lake - and a lucky one too. Jim cast his fishing rod into the water and within minutes a fish was caught.
NO CHANGE
Jim’s fishing rod was cast into the water and within minutes a fish was caught.
Jim cast his fishing rod into the water and within minutes he caught a fish.
Jim cast his fishing rod into the water and within minutes fish were being caught.
Answer: "Jim cast his fishing rod into the water and within minutes he caught a fish." The original sentence mixes the active voice (“Jim cast his fishing rod into the water” with the passive voice (“a fish was caught”). This sets up an unclear meaning - do we really know that “a fish was caught” means that Jim caught it? Or did Jim cast his rod and someone else caught a fish? The correct answer uses the active voice for both verbs of the sentence: Jim cast his rod and Jim caught the fish. This makes it crystal clear what happened in the sentence.
Choose which answer choice best expresses the underlined portion of the following sentence. If the original sentence is the best choice, select “NO CHANGE.”
The two brothers turned on the big screen television and a screeching sound was heard.
and they heard a screeching sound.
and a screeching sound were heard.
and a screeching sound can be heard.
NO CHANGE
The first portion of the sentence is in active voice and the subjects of the sentence (the two brothers) are performing the action. The second half is in the passive voice “was heard” so the subjects are no longer being active but instead are acted upon. When changing the phrasing to “and they heard a screeching sound.” both halves are in active voice and there is no error in shifts.
Which of the following sentences contains an improper shift in verb tense?
Last month, I finally threw my first touchdown in a game and will recover a fumble.
Yesterday, the principal called me to his office and I was so scared.
Today I brought my mother’s purse to her because she had forgotten it.
Tomorrow I will ride the bus to school because my father has to go to work early.
This answer choice has an improper shift in verb tense. “Last month” sets the sentence in the past tense, “threw” is also past tense, but then it shifts to future tense with “will recover”. If this is happening during the same game it should say “and recovered a fumble” to maintain the same tense throughout. The other choices are all in the same tense and there are no errors in shifts.
Choose which answer choice best expresses the underlined portion of the following sentence. If the original sentence is the best choice, select “NO CHANGE.”
If your head is hurting, take two of your pills, and then you should call the doctor.
and then call the doctor.
and then calls the doctor.
and then you may call the doctor.
NO CHANGE
The word “take” in the first portion of the sentence is written in an imperative mood while “you should call” in the second half is written in an indicative mood so there is a shift in mood. An imperative mood gives a command while an indicative mood states a fact or asks a question. In order to correct the shift, both parts of the sentence must be in the same mood. By correcting the sentence with “and then call the doctor.” both halves are now written in an imperative mood.
Choose which answer choice best expresses the underlined portion of the following sentence. If the original sentence is the best choice, select “NO CHANGE.”
The student handbook mandates that students wear appropriate clothing to school and are abiding by the honor code, which prohibits cheating on tests and copying others’ homework assignments.
NO CHANGE
they are abiding
abide
should be abiding
Answer: “abide” The sentence uses the imperative mood - the verb form that commands - to say that the student handbook mandates two things. Because of that, you should connect both verbs mandated by the handbook to the phrase “the handbook mandates that students ______” The handbook mandates that students wear appropriate clothing. And the handbook mandates that students abide by certain rules. Note that the -ing form of the verb suggests that that is ongoing, but the mandate really conveys the idea that this is a command for all times, not a temporary, current action.
Which answer choice does NOT correct the error in the shift of person.
If someone wants to play soccer on Tuesday, you must call the park first.
If you want to play soccer on Tuesday, he or she must call the park first.
If someone wants to play soccer on Tuesday, he or she must call the park first.
If you want to play soccer on Tuesday, you must call the park first.
If people want to play soccer on Tuesday, they must call the park first.
If you want to play soccer on Tuesday, he or she must call the park first. This sentence does NOT correct the error in the shift of person. “Someone” is the third person and “you” is the second person so these tenses do not match. The same goes for “If you want to play soccer on Tuesday, he or she must call the park first.” “You” is the second person and “he or she” is third-person singular so they are mismatched. The other choices are all in the same tense and have corrected the error.
Choose which answer choice best expresses the underlined portion of the following sentence. If the original sentence is the best choice, select “NO CHANGE.”
A new law requires drivers to use headlights even during daylight and they should wear seat belts at all times.
NO CHANGE
should use headlights even during daylight hours and wear seat belts
to use headlights even during daylight hours and wear seat belts
to be using headlights even during daylight hours and they need to wear seat belts
who are using headlights even during daylight hours they should wear seat belts
Answer: “to use headlights even during daylight hours and wear seat belts.” This sentence uses the imperative mood - the verb form that makes commands to say that drivers are required to do two things: 1) use headlights and 2) wear seat belts. The imperative mood uses a command (such as “requires”) plus the infinitive form of the verb (e.g. “to use”), minus the word “to.” So you would say that “the law requires drivers to use headlights” or “the law requires drivers to wear seat belts.” Since the law requires both things, you need “the law requires drivers to use...and wear” and only one sentence has that. The choices that include “should” or “need to” do so redundantly and incorrectly: you wouldn’t say “the law requires drivers they need to wear” because “need to” or “should” is already conveyed by the word “requires.”
Choose which answer choice best expresses the underlined portion of the following sentence. If the original sentence is the best choice, select “NO CHANGE.”
Allyson started so quickly and was running so swiftly that a record time was recorded in the 100-meter dash.
NO CHANGE
ran so swiftly that a record time was recorded
was running so swiftly that she recorded a record time
ran so swiftly that she recorded a record time
Answer: “ran so swiftly that she recorded a record time” Two choices in this problem use the passive voice “a record time was recorded” but notice that the passive voice does not directly assign the record time to Allyson. “a record time was recorded” could mean that anyone in the race set a record, leaving it unclear what really happened. And notice, also, that since the record time occurred in the past (either “was recorded” or “she recorded”), the simple past tense “ran so swiftly” is the most efficient way to say what happened - and it is the same tense as “started so quickly.” The correct answer will use the simple past tense “ran so swiftly” and the active voice “she recorded a record time” to create a logical sequence of events and a clear meaning as to who set the record.
Select the answer choice that corrects the underlined portion of the following sentence:
Since starting high school last month, Priyanka has been learning French and took Geometry.
Priyanka will learn French and take Geometry.
Priyanka has been learning French and taking Geometry.
Priyanka has been learning French and will take Geometry.
Priyanka learned French and is taking Geometry.
Answer: Priyanka has been learning French and taking Geometry. Notice that this sentence talks about what has happened since Priyanka started high school a month ago. The word “since” suggests that the events started recently and are still going on, and the fact that she only started school a month ago means that it is quite unlikely she has already finished learning French or taking Geometry. And the fact that both events have been occurring in the same short timeframe suggests that they should be in the same tense. The “started recently and is still ongoing” tense is the present perfect continuous tense, constructed by has been + an -ing verb. Therefore “Priyanka has been learning French and taking Geometry” is correct. Note, also, that “will learn” or “will take” does not match with the time signal of “since starting high school” which means that the action started in the past, but “will” means that it will begin in the future.
Which answer choice does NOT correct the error in the shift of person.
This afternoon when someone calls for me, tell them that I went to the store for groceries and will call back later.
This afternoon when people call for me, tell him or her that I went to the store for groceries and will call back later.
This afternoon when someone calls for me, tell him or her that I went to the store for groceries and will call back later.
This afternoon when people call for me, tell them that I went to the store for groceries and will call back later.
This afternoon, tell anyone who calls for me that I went to the store for groceries and will call back later.
In the question there is a shift in the number related to the pronouns. “Someone” is singular while “them” is plural so there is an error with the selected pronouns. All the other answer choices have corrected this error but “This afternoon when people call for me, tell him or her that I went to the store for groceries and will call back later.” is still mismatched. “People” is a plural pronoun and “him or her” is a singular pronoun so it did NOT correct the error.