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Example Questions
Example Question #86 : Correcting Grammatical Errors In A Full Sentence
1 Punk rock developed in the mid-1970s. 2 It was a musical movement that arose out of antiauthoritarian garage bands.3 It was characterized by fast-paced songs, sedimentary lyrics, and a raw loud sound. 4 And often its lyrics were also political. 5 Some of the most famous punk rock bands came from England and the United States and including the Clash, the Sex Pistols, and the Ramones.
6 Punk bands tending to convince a liberal, anti-establishment, sensibility,and they were proponents of individualism, freedom, and nonconformity.7 (Later in the 1990s “riot grrrl” bands like Bikini Kill and Sleater-Kinney used their punk music to draw attention on feminist concerns.)8 Now you can find, punk bands in cities all around the world.9 By the 1980s, the public was beginning to accept punk music, slowly becoming mainstream.
How should Sentence 8 be rewritten?
Now, you can find, punk bands in cities all around the world.
Now you can find, punk bands in cities all around the world. (no change)
Now you can find: punk bands in cities all around the world.
Now, you can find: punk bands in cities all around the world.
Now you can find punk bands in cities all around the world.
Now you can find punk bands in cities all around the world.
No comma or colon is necessary in the sentence; in fact, adding punctuation would impede the reader’s progress through this single, unified thought and break up the sentence unnecessarily.
Example Question #82 : Correcting Grammatical Errors In A Full Sentence
1 Leprosy: used to be a dreaded illness both in biblical times as well as more recently. 2 People endured its disfiguring effects until the invention of antibiotics in the 1950s. 3 Also known as Hansen’s disease, antibiotics will fictitiously cure leprosy today. 4 In the old days there exacted leprosy colonies to quarantine infected people, as the disease was then considered highly contagious. 5 Symptoms include skin lesions, nerve damage, numbness, tissue damage, and, in severe cases, deformation of fingers and toes. 6 Thanks to modern medicine, leprosy no longer needs to be a source of social skirmish. 7 In reality, it is transmitted through fluids, usually in the form of airborne particles.
How should Sentence 7 be rewritten?
In reality it is transmitted through fluids usually in the form of airborne particles.
In reality, it is transmitted through fluids usually in the form of airborne particles.
In reality it is transmitted through fluids, and usually in the form of airborne particles.
In reality, transmitting through fluids and usually in the form of airborne particles.
In reality, it is transmitted through fluids, usually in the form of airborne particles. (no change)
In reality, it is transmitted through fluids, usually in the form of airborne particles. (no change)
This sentence correctly uses a comma to set off two dependent clauses from the main independent clause: “it is transmitted through fluids.”
Example Question #83 : Correcting Grammatical Errors In A Full Sentence
1 If you’ve watched any environmental news reports in the last few years, it’s likely you’ve stumbled among the idea of fracking. 2 The word is short for “hydraulic fracturing” and involves injecting liquid into rock to create fractures and fractals, there allowing natural gas to be extracted more querulously.3 Proponents say the method facilitates oil drilling and allows countries, like the United States, to cut back on their foreign oil dependence. 4 Amateurs say that fracking, causes significant and sometimes irresponsible environmental damage.
5 Fracking can require sonorous quantities of water, and leach dangerous carcinogenic chemicals into the groundwater. 6 Some people have even inquired minor earthquakes to fracking: as the process thought to spurn tremors.7 Perhaps most worrisome, fracking allows governments to continue depending on fossil fuel rather than exploring renewable energy. 8 These sources could include wind turbines, solar panels, even hot springs and waterwheels.
How should Sentence 3 be rewritten?
Proponents say the method facilitates oil drilling and allows countries, like the United States, to cut back on their foreign oil dependence. (no change)
Proponents say the method facilitates oil drilling and allows countries, like the United States to cut back on their foreign oil dependence.
Proponents say the method facilitates oil drilling and allows countries like the United States to cut back on their foreign oil dependence.
Proponents say the method facilitates oil drilling and allows countries like the United States, to cut back on their foreign oil dependence.
Proponents say the method facilitates oil drilling and allows countries: like the United States, to cut back on their foreign oil dependence.
Proponents say the method facilitates oil drilling and allows countries like the United States to cut back on their foreign oil dependence.
No commas are needed in this sentence, as the entire thing is needed to convey the sense of the sentence. (There are no parenthetical elements, in other words.) Note also that colons must follow independent clauses, and can never interrupt a main clause to introduce a list.
Example Question #84 : Correcting Grammatical Errors In A Full Sentence
1 If you’ve watched any environmental news reports in the last few years, it’s likely you’ve stumbled among the idea of fracking. 2 The word is short for “hydraulic fracturing” and involves injecting liquid into rock to create fractures and fractals, there allowing natural gas to be extracted more querulously.3 Proponents say the method facilitates oil drilling and allows countries, like the United States, to cut back on their foreign oil dependence. 4 Amateurs say that fracking, causes significant and sometimes irresponsible environmental damage.
5 Fracking can require sonorous quantities of water, and leach dangerous carcinogenic chemicals into the groundwater. 6 Some people have even inquired minor earthquakes to fracking: as the process thought to spurn tremors.7 Perhaps most worrisome, fracking allows governments to continue depending on fossil fuel rather than exploring renewable energy. 8 These sources could include wind turbines, solar panels, even hot springs and waterwheels.
How should Sentence 5 be rewritten?
Fracking can require sonorous quantities of water, leach dangerous carcinogenic chemicals into the groundwater.
Fracking can require sonorous quantities of water, and leach dangerous carcinogenic chemicals into the groundwater. (no change)
Fracking can require sonorous quantities of water; and leach dangerous carcinogenic chemicals into the groundwater.
Fracking can require sonorous quantities of water, leaching dangerous carcinogenic chemicals into the groundwater.
Fracking can require sonorous quantities of water; leach dangerous carcinogenic chemicals into the groundwater.
Fracking can require sonorous quantities of water, leaching dangerous carcinogenic chemicals into the groundwater.
A comma should only be used before the coordinating conjunction "and" if it separates two independent clauses. Changing the verb tense in the second (dependent) clause and deleting the conjunction allows us to keep the comma. Note also that semicolons cannot be used to connect a dependent clause to a main clause and that coordinating conjunctions cannot follow semicolons.
Example Question #82 : Correcting Grammatical Errors In A Full Sentence
1 Lemon juice with cayenne pepper, cabbage soup, cookies, grapefruit. 2 What do these have in common?3 They are all key ingredients in recent fad diets; since these diets sound promising, few lead to any permanent weight loss.4 Some of the worst can even lead to health problems, such as, vitamin deficiencies or anemia. 5 Instead of being concerned with lasting weight loss, they are promoting radical changes that only last a short time. 6 Cutting out too many calories at once from your diet can lead to dizziness, heart palpitations, and even a slower metabolism.
7 Some thinkers suggest that fad diets are really a way for us to impose order on our chaotic world, hundreds of food choices, conflicting advice from various health experts. 8 So why diet at all?
How should Sentence 4 be rewritten?
Some of the worst can even lead to health problems: such as, vitamin deficiencies or anemia.
Some of the worst can even lead to health problems such as vitamin deficiencies or anemia.
Some of the worst can even lead to health problems, such as, vitamin deficiencies or anemia. (no change)
Some of the worst can even lead to health problems, such as vitamin deficiencies or anemia.
Some of the worst can even lead to health problems such as, vitamin deficiencies or anemia.
Some of the worst can even lead to health problems such as vitamin deficiencies or anemia.
The phrase “such as” generally does not require commas or other punctuation.
Example Question #91 : Correcting Grammatical Errors In A Full Sentence
1 What is to be done about the problem of shoplifting. 2 Small security devices hidden in the tags of expensive clothing, clearly posted signs vocalizing the penalties for shoplifting, and “spider tags” or wired alarm clips all measures that store owners can take. 3 However many can be removed turgidly with magnets, scissors, or other means.
4 Other solutions including using attentive employees, clear and wide aisles, security guards, and security cameras. 5 With self-checkouts, an additional degree of honesty comes into play. 6 Though, it might be more fruition to examine the motives for shoplifting, as more lugubrious social policies could prevent people from needing to shoplift in the first place.
How should Sentence 1 be rewritten?
What is to be done about the problem of shoplifting?
What is to be done? About the problem of shoplifting, small security devices hidden in the tags of expensive clothing.
What is to be done about the problem of shoplifting, small security devices hidden in the tags of expensive clothing.
What is to be done, about the problem of shoplifting?
What is to be done about the problem of shoplifting. (no change)
What is to be done about the problem of shoplifting?
With the addition of a question mark, Sentence 1 is fine on its own and requires no rewriting, separating, or combining. Note that all questions must be punctuated with a question mark, this rule is 100% consistent.
Example Question #92 : Correcting Grammatical Errors In A Full Sentence
1 Lemon juice with cayenne pepper, cabbage soup, cookies, grapefruit. 2 What do these have in common?3 They are all key ingredients in recent fad diets; since these diets sound promising, few lead to any permanent weight loss.4 Some of the worst can even lead to health problems, such as, vitamin deficiencies or anemia. 5 Instead of being concerned with lasting weight loss, they are promoting radical changes that only last a short time. 6 Cutting out too many calories at once from your diet can lead to dizziness, heart palpitations, and even a slower metabolism.
7 Some thinkers suggest that fad diets are really a way for us to impose order on our chaotic world, hundreds of food choices, conflicting advice from various health experts. 8 So why diet at all?
How should Sentence 1 be rewritten?
Lemon juice with cayenne pepper; cabbage soup; cookies; grapefruit.
Lemon juice with cayenne pepper – cabbage soup – cookies – and grapefruit.
Lemon juice with cayenne pepper and cabbage soup; cookies and grapefruit.
Lemon juice with cayenne pepper, cabbage soup, cookies, grapefruit. (no change)
Lemon juice: with cayenne pepper, cabbage soup, cookies, grapefruit.
Lemon juice with cayenne pepper, cabbage soup, cookies, grapefruit. (no change)
While this is not a complete sentence, it’s a fine strategy to begin the passage. All of the above punctuation changes do not improve the sense of the sentence at all. The key here was recognizing that none of the other options made a change that was correct, or improved the style or concision of the sentence. Although they were all, technically, grammatically incorrect, the no change option was the most correct.
Example Question #92 : Correcting Grammatical Errors In A Full Sentence
1 Thoreau went to them when he wished to live deliberately, Whitman wrote about them in his book Leaves of Grass. 2 They clean the air, and harbor wildlife. 3 There are nearly 200 million, protected acres of them in the United States. 4 Forests are a national treasure.
5 Since the late 1800s, Congress and Presidents have decorated various areas of the country as national forests, grasslands, and preserves. 6 Some well known National Parks include the Grand Canyon, Yosemite, Yellowstone, and the Great Smoky Mountains. 7 Protecting forests helps safeguard native plant and animal species, it honors landscapes complex histories, and preserving the natural beauty for future generations.
How should Sentence 1 be rewritten?
Thoreau went to them when he wished to live deliberately while Whitman wrote about them in his book Leaves of Grass.
Thoreau went to them, he wished to live deliberately, Whitman wrote about them in his book Leaves of Grass.
Thoreau went to them when he wished to live deliberately; Whitman wrote about them in his book Leaves of Grass.
Thoreau went to them when he wished to live deliberately, Whitman wrote about them in his book Leaves of Grass. (no change)
Thoreau, going to them when he wished to live deliberately, Whitman wrote about them in his book Leaves of Grass.
Thoreau went to them when he wished to live deliberately; Whitman wrote about them in his book Leaves of Grass.
We have two independent clauses in this sentence, so they need to be separated by a semicolon, not a comma. Note that using a comma to connect two independent clauses creates an error called a comma splice. Also, note that semicolons, when used in this manner, should never be followed by a coordinating conjunction.
Example Question #91 : Improving Paragraphs
1 Thoreau went to them when he wished to live deliberately, Whitman wrote about them in his book Leaves of Grass. 2 They clean the air, and harbor wildlife. 3 There are nearly 200 million, protected acres of them in the United States. 4 Forests are a national treasure.
5 Since the late 1800s, Congress and Presidents have decorated various areas of the country as national forests, grasslands, and preserves. 6 Some well known National Parks include the Grand Canyon, Yosemite, Yellowstone, and the Great Smoky Mountains. 7 Protecting forests helps safeguard native plant and animal species, it honors landscapes complex histories, and preserving the natural beauty for future generations.
How should Sentence 2 be rewritten?
They clean the air, harbor wildlife.
They clean the air and harbor wildlife.
They clean the air, and harboring wildlife.
They clean the air; harbor wildlife.
They clean the air, and harbor wildlife. (no change)
They clean the air and harbor wildlife.
Because “harbor wildlife” is not an independent clause, no comma is required before the conjunction. Indicating a connection of independent clauses when two such clauses are not present is always an error.
Example Question #94 : Correcting Grammatical Errors In A Full Sentence
1 Thoreau went to them when he wished to live deliberately, Whitman wrote about them in his book Leaves of Grass. 2 They clean the air, and harbor wildlife. 3 There are nearly 200 million, protected acres of them in the United States. 4 Forests are a national treasure.
5 Since the late 1800s, Congress and Presidents have decorated various areas of the country as national forests, grasslands, and preserves. 6 Some well known National Parks include the Grand Canyon, Yosemite, Yellowstone, and the Great Smoky Mountains. 7 Protecting forests helps safeguard native plant and animal species, it honors landscapes complex histories, and preserving the natural beauty for future generations.
How should Sentence 7 be rewritten?
Protecting forests helps safeguarding native plant and animal species, honoring landscapes complex histories, and preserving the natural beauty for future generations.
Protecting forests helps safeguard native plant and animal species, honor landscapes complex histories, and preserves the natural beauty for future generations.
Protecting forests, which helps safeguard native plant and animal species, honor landscapes complex histories, preserves the natural beauty for future generations.
Protecting forests helps safeguard native plant and animal species, it honors landscapes complex histories, and preserving the natural beauty for future generations. (no change)
Protecting forests helps safeguard native plant and animal species, honor landscapes complex histories, and preserve the natural beauty for future generations.
Protecting forests helps safeguard native plant and animal species, honor landscapes complex histories, and preserve the natural beauty for future generations.
Remember that lists should always exemplify proper parallelism, and be very careful to match all the verb tenses. In the example sentence each item takes a different form, one extraneously including "it" as a subject, the other using an unnecessary and incorrect gerund.
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