Developmental Language Skills

FOURTH COURSE 

Developmental 

Language Skills 

■ Grammar 

■ Usage 

■ Mechanics

Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston 

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ISBN 978-0-03-099198-1 

ISBN 0-03-099198-6 

1 2 3 4 5 6 018 13 12 11 10 09 

ii

Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved. 

Contents 

Using This Workbook ....................................................vi 

Symbols for Revising and Proofreading ....................vii 

Chapter 1 

PARTS OF SPEECH OVERVIEW: 

IDENTIFICATION AND FUNCTION 

Nouns..................................................................................1 

Pronouns A: Personal Pronouns, 

Reflexive and Intensive Pronouns............................3 

Pronouns B: Demonstrative 

and Interrogative Pronouns ......................................5 

Pronouns C: Relative Pronouns ....................................7 

Pronouns D: Indefinite Pronouns..................................9 

Adjectives ........................................................................11 

Verbs A: Main Verbs and Helping Verbs ..................13 

Verbs B: Action Verbs ....................................................15 

Verbs C: Linking Verbs ..................................................17 

Verbs D: Transitive Verbs and Intransitive Verbs ....19 

Adverbs ............................................................................21 

Prepositions......................................................................23 

Conjunctions and Interjections ....................................25 

Chapter 2 

THE PARTS OF A SENTENCE: 

SUBJECTS, PREDICATES, COMPLEMENTS 

The Subject ......................................................................27 

The Predicate ..................................................................29 

Predicate Nominatives ..................................................31 

Predicate Adjectives ......................................................33 

Direct Objects ..................................................................35 

Indirect Objects................................................................37 

Classifying Sentences by Purpose ..............................39 

Chapter 3 

THE PHRASE: 

PREPOSITIONAL, VERBAL, 

AND APPOSITIVE PHRASES 

Prepositional Phrases A: Adjective Phrases ..............41 

Prepositional Phrases B: Adverb Phrases ..................43 

The Participle and the Participial Phrase ..................45 

The Gerund and the Gerund Phrase ..........................47 

The Infinitive and the Infinitive Phrase ....................49 

The Appositive and the Appositive Phrase ..............51 

Chapter 4 

THE CLAUSE: 

INDEPENDENT CLAUSES 

AND SUBORDINATE CLAUSES 

The Adjective Clause......................................................53 

The Adverb Clause ........................................................55 

The Noun Clause............................................................57 

Sentence Structure A: Simple Sentences 

and Compound Sentences ......................................59 

Sentence Structure B: Complex Sentences 

and Compound-Complex Sentences ....................61 

Chapter 5 

AGREEMENT: 

SUBJECT AND VERB, PRONOUN AND ANTECEDENT 

Agreement of Subject and Verb A: 

Singular, Plural, and Compound Subjects............63 

Agreement of Subject and Verb B: 

Indefinite Pronouns, Don’t and Doesn’t ................65 

Agreement of Pronoun and Antecedent A: 

Number and Gender, Compound Antecedents ..67 

Agreement of Pronoun and Antecedent B: 

Indefinite Pronouns ..................................................69 

Chapter 6 

USING PRONOUNS CORRECTLY: 

NOMINATIVE, OBJECTIVE, AND POSSESSIVE CASE; 

CLEAR REFERENCE 

Case Forms of Personal Pronouns A: 

The Nominative Case ..............................................71 

Case Forms of Personal Pronouns B: 

The Objective Case ....................................................73 

Case Forms of Personal Pronouns C: 

The Possessive Case..................................................75 

Special Problems in Pronoun Usage ..........................77 

Clear Reference A: Ambiguous Reference ................79 

Clear Reference B: General Reference ........................81 

iii

iv 

Contents 

Chapter 7 

USING VERBS CORRECTLY: 

PRINCIPAL PARTS,TENSE, VOICE, MOOD 

The Principal Parts of Verbs A: Regular Verbs ........83 

The Principal Parts of Verbs B: Irregular Verbs ........85 

Lie and Lay; Sit and Set; Rise and Raise ......................87 

Tense..................................................................................89 

The Progressive Form....................................................91 

The Uses of the Tenses ..................................................93 

Consistency of Tense......................................................95 

Active and Passive Voice ..............................................97 

Chapter 8 

USING MODIFIERS CORRECTLY: 

FORMS, COMPARISON, AND PLACEMENT 

Degrees of Comparison ................................................99 

Placement of Modifiers A: Dangling Modifiers ....101 

Placement of Modifiers B: Misplaced Modifiers....103 

Chapter 9 

A GLOSSARY OF USAGE: 

COMMON USAGE PROBLEMS 

Glossary of Usage A ....................................................105 

Glossary of Usage B ....................................................107 

Glossary of Usage C ....................................................109 

Glossary of Usage D ....................................................111 

Chapter 10 

CAPITALIZATION: 

STANDARD USES OF CAPITALIZATION 

Capitalization A: First Words, The Pronoun I 

and Interjection O, Salutation 

and Closing of Letters ............................................113 

Capitalization B: Proper Nouns and Proper 

Adjectives, Names and Initials ............................115 

Capitalization C: Geographical Names....................117 

Capitalization D: Organizations, Businesses and 

Business Products, Buildings ................................119 

Capitalization E: Monuments, Historical Events, 

Nationalities..............................................................121 

Capitalization F: Religions, Transportation, 

Heavenly Bodies, School Subjects........................123 

Capitalization G: Titles of Persons and Creative 

Works ........................................................................125 

Chapter 11 

PUNCTUATION: 

END MARKS AND COMMAS 

End Marks and Abbreviations ..................................127 

Commas A: Items in a Series......................................129 

Commas B: Compound Sentences............................131 

Commas C: Nonessential Phrases and Clauses ....133 

Commas D: Introductory Words, Phrases, and 

Clauses ......................................................................135 

Commas E: Sentence Interrupters ............................137 

Chapter 12 

PUNCTUATION: 

SEMICOLONS AND COLONS 

Semicolons ....................................................................139 

Colons ............................................................................141 

Chapter 13 

PUNCTUATION: 

ITALICS, QUOTATION MARKS, AND ELLIPSIS POINTS 

Italics ..............................................................................143 

Quotation Marks A: Direct Quotations....................145 

Quotation Marks B: Titles ..........................................147 

Ellipsis Points ................................................................149 

Chapter 14 

PUNCTUATION: APOSTROPHES, HYPHENS, 

DASHES, PARENTHESES, BRACKETS 

Apostrophes ..................................................................151 

Hyphens and Dashes ..................................................153 

Parentheses and Brackets............................................155 

Chapter 15 

SPELLING: 

IMPROVING YOUR SPELLING 

Words with ie and ei ....................................................157 

Prefixes and Suffixes ....................................................159 

Plurals of Nouns ..........................................................161 

Words Often Confused A............................................163 

Words Often Confused B ............................................165 

Words Often Confused C............................................167 

Chapter 16 

CORRECTING COMMON ERRORS: 

KEY LANGUAGE SKILLS REVIEW 

Common Errors Review..............................................169 

Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.

Using This Workbook 

The worksheets in this workbook provide instruction, practice, and reinforcement for Elements of 

Language and Language Skills Practice. 

This workbook is designed to supplement Language Skills Practice by providing additional 

instruction and practice to students who have not yet mastered the rules and topics covered in 

Elements of Language. 

You will find throughout the workbook several special features, which have been added to aid 

students’ mastery of grammar, usage, and mechanics. The special features include notes, 

reminders, tips, points of instruction after instructional and exercise examples, and guided practice 

for the first one or two items in each exercise. 

vi 

• Notes provide students with pertinent information related to the rule or topic covered on a 

given worksheet. 

• Reminders review grammatical terms and concepts that were covered on previous 

worksheets. 

• Tips provide students with tangible aids for understanding abstract concepts. These tips 

include mnemonic devices, identification tests, and recognition strategies. 

• Points of Instruction explain how the rule or topic applies to the instructional and exercise 

examples provided. 

• Guided Practice helps students with the first one or two items of each exercise by asking 

questions that guide students to the correct answer. 

Teacher’s Notes and an Answer Key are provided on the Teacher One Stop DVD-ROM with 

ExamView® Test Generator. 



Symbols for Revising and Proofreading 

Symbol Example Meaning of Symbol 

^ 

/ 

^ 

^ 

/ 

tr 

. 

^, 

# 

Fifty-first street Capitalize a lowercase letter. 

Jerry’s Aunt / 

Lowercase a capital letter. 

differ e a ^ nt Change a letter. 

of 

The capital Ohio 

^ 

Insert a missing word, letter, 

or punctuation mark. 

lake 

beside the river Replace a word. 

^ 

Where’s the the key? 

Leave out a word, letter, 

or punctuation mark. 

an invisibile / guest Leave out and close up. 

a close friend ship Close up space. 

thier Change the order of letters. 

Avoid having too many Transfer the circled words. 

corrections of your paper (Write tr in nearby margin.) 

in the final version. 

^ 

“Hi,” he smiled. Begin a new paragraph. 

Stay well . 

Add a period. 

Of course you may be wrong. 

^, 

Add a comma. 

icehockey 

# 

Add a space. 

: one of the following : 

Add a colon. 

^; 

= 

^ ’ 

Maria Simmons, M.D. ^; 

Add a semicolon. 

Jim Fiorello, Ph.D. 

a great=grandmother Add a hyphen. 

Pauls car Add an apostrophe. 

stet On the fifteenth of July .... 

^ ’ 

Keep the crossed-out material. 

(Write stet in nearby margin.) 

vii


NAME CLASS DATE 

for CHAPTER 1: PARTS OF SPEECH OVERVIEW pages 49=51 

1a. 

Nouns 

A noun names a person, a place, a thing, or an idea. 

PERSONS Mark J. Ritson and his mother are meeting that writer. 

Compound Nouns 

PLACES Is Madrid in Spain? 

THINGS The chess pieces spilled down the stairs. 

IDEAS Should freedom be valued over duty? 

A compound noun consists of two or more words that together name a person, a place, a thing, 

or an idea. The parts of a compound noun may be written as one word, as separate words, or 

as a hyphenated word. 

ONE WORD There are grasshoppers in the greenhouse. 

SEPARATE WORDS Rain clouds shaded the sun deck. 

HYPHENATED WORDS That spot-check was a real eye-opener. 

EXERCISE A Underline each noun in the following sentences. 

Examples 1. Freedom and responsibility go together. [The words freedom and responsibility are 

nouns because they name ideas.] 

2. In the nursery, several newborns cried inside clear boxes on wheels. [The noun 

nursery names a place, the noun newborns names people, and the nouns boxes and 

wheels name things.] 

1. My sister-in-law and my mother once studied with the professor. [Which three words name 

people?] 

2. Happiness often results from hard work. [Which word names an idea? Which word names a 

thing?] 

3. A familiar voice broke through the darkness and called to Mr. Clark. 

4. Beams of light danced on the water. 

5. The results surprised even the scientist on the project. 

6. Behind the gates of the castle stood the well-dressed king and queen. 

7. Actually, good ideas cost more than a dime. 

8. The park was outside of the city near a creek. 

9. The difficulty of the task did not stop the programmers. 

10. Put on your life jacket, and then the boat can leave the dock. 

Developmental Language Skills 1



continued 

Common and Proper Nouns 

A common noun names any one of a group of persons, places, things, or ideas. A proper noun 

names a particular person, place, thing, or idea. Generally, common nouns are not capitalized; 

proper nouns are capitalized. 

COMMON NOUNS My sister is meeting the governor in town. [Sister and governor could refer 

to any one of a group of people. Town could refer to any town. Each 

noun in this sentence is a common noun.] 

PROPER NOUNS Paula is meeting Governor Hoover in Los Angeles. [Paula and Governor 

Hoover name specific people, and Los Angeles names a specific place. 

Each noun in this sentence is a proper noun.] 

EXERCISE B Underline each noun in the following sentences. Draw a second line under each proper noun. 

Examples 1. Has Julie read the book called The Phantom Tollbooth yet? [Julie is a proper noun 

because it names a specific person. Book is a noun because it names a thing, and it is a 

common noun because the word book could refer to any book. The compound noun 

The Phantom Tollbooth names a specific book, so it is a proper noun.] 

2. My home is in the Napa Valley of California. [Home is a common noun because it 

names an unspecified place. Napa Valley and California are proper nouns because they 

name specific places.] 

11. What are the first few words of “The Star-Spangled Banner”? [Which word names a type of 

thing? Which compound noun names a specific thing?] 

12. Meet the team at Cornerstone Grill on Saturday. [Which word names a thing? Which word 

names a specific place? Which word names a specific time?] 

13. China exports large quantities of goods to the United States. 

14. The invention of the automobile made possible a new way of life. 

15. The reporter from KZZZ held the microphone close to the man. 

16. Jesse enjoys reading books about chemistry and physics. 

17. Did Mayor Turner give a reason for her decision? 

18. Dr. Hans Parker will speak at the conference in the morning. 

19. Was Mrs. Malone really at the White House last winter, Mary? 

20. My mom and Carla have become good friends. 

2 Fourth Course 





1b. 

Pronouns A 

A pronoun takes the place of one or more nouns or pronouns. 

EXAMPLE Sam and she were invited, but he couldn’t attend. [She takes the place of a 

specific female, and he takes the place of Sam.] 

The word or word group that a pronoun stands for is called the antecedent of the pronoun. 

The antecedent of a pronoun is not always known or stated. 

EXAMPLES Sam and she were invited, but he couldn’t attend. [The pronoun he takes 

the place of Sam, so Sam is the antecedent.] 

Sam and she were invited, but he couldn’t attend. [The female that the 

pronoun she takes the place of hasn’t been named in this sentence, so the 

antecedent is unknown.] 

Personal Pronouns 

A personal pronoun refers to the one speaking, the one spoken to, or the one spoken about. 

SINGULAR PLURAL 

FIRST PERSON I, me, my, mine we, us, our, ours 

SECOND PERSON you, your, yours you, your, yours 

THIRD PERSON he, him, his, she, her, hers, it, its they, them, their, theirs 

EXERCISE A Underline each personal pronoun in the following sentences. A sentence may have more 

than one pronoun. 

Examples 1. Yes, take it to the librarian. [The personal pronoun it replaces an object that has not 

been named.] 

2. Did the customers lose their receipts? [The personal pronoun their refers to the noun 

customers.] 

1. After Mr. Reed graduated from college, he entered the Peace Corps. [Which word replaces Mr. 

Reed?] 

2. An umbrella was found in the hallway, and it was mine. [Which word replaces an object? 

Which word refers to a person not named?] 

3. I hadn’t thought about the problem from his point of view. 

4. The tools needed to build the bookshelf are they. 

5. Teresa asked her dad about them. 

6. Did Eric and you get the ice for my cooler? 




continued 

7. Give me a chance at bat. 

8. It is a kind of wildlife that is common at this park. 

9. For us, physics class is interesting. 

10. Will she be the new manager on your shift? 

Reflexive and Intensive Pronouns 

Reflexive and intensive pronouns take the same forms. 

FIRST PERSON 

REFLEXIVE AND INTENSIVE PRONOUNS 

myself, ourselves 

SECOND PERSON yourself, yourselves 

THIRD PERSON himself, herself, itself, themselves 

A reflexive pronoun refers to the subject of a sentence and functions as a complement or as an 

object of a preposition. 

EXAMPLES I made a sandwich for myself. [Myself is the object of the preposition for.] 

I made myself a sandwich. [Myself is a complement—the indirect object of 

the verb made.] 

An intensive pronoun emphasizes its antecedent and has no grammatical function in the 

sentence. In other words, an intensive pronoun is not a complement or an object. Intensive 

pronouns can be removed from a sentence without changing the meaning of the sentence. 

EXAMPLE I, myself, made the sandwich. [Myself could be removed without changing 

the meaning of the sentence. The pronoun myself is intensive because it 

merely emphasizes I.] 

EXERCISE B Complete the following sentences by filling each blank with a reflexive or intensive pronoun 

that makes sense. 

Example 1. Unfortunately, the table itself must be repaired. [Itself is the intensive pronoun 

used to emphasize an object.] 

11. They must make that decision. [Which intensive pronoun can emphasize They?] 

12. Yes, Dylan wrote the play all by . 

13. The students will design their costumes for the play. 

14. I prefer another type of career for . 

15. The composer conducted the symphony. 





for CHAPTER 1: PARTS OF SPEECH OVERVIEW page 54 

Pronouns B 

Demonstrative Pronouns 

A demonstrative pronoun points out a person, a place, a thing, or an idea. The demonstrative 

pronouns are this, that, these, and those. 

TIP 

EXAMPLES Those are two students from Eva’s school. [Those is a demonstrative pronoun 

because it points out the students.] 

However, this is a better spot for our picnic blanket. [This is a demonstrative 

pronoun because it points out the spot.] 

Are the shirts that are hanging on these on sale? [These is a demonstrative 

pronoun because it points out the objects the shirts are hanging on.] 

Ricardo, that is a great plan! [That is a demonstrative pronoun because it 

points out the plan.] 

You can remember demonstrative pronouns by remembering what the word demonstration 

means. A demonstration shows how to do something, so a demonstrative pronoun shows 

or points out a person, a place, a thing, or an idea. 

EXAMPLE These are very old trees. [The speaker is probably pointing to some trees, 

just as someone would do in a demonstration. The pronoun These is 

demonstrative.] 

EXERCISE A Underline each demonstrative pronoun in the following sentences. Some sentences have 

more than one demonstrative pronoun. 

Examples 1. The finest items in the auction are those. [Those is the word that points out which 

items are meant, so it is a demonstrative pronoun.] 

2. Dinner was just a little of this and a bit of that. [This and that are words that point out 

which food was meant, so they are demonstrative pronouns.] 

1. Please give these a catalog number. [Which ones need a catalog number?] 

2. What a day this was! [Which day was meant?] 

3. Would you pay fifteen dollars for these? 

4. This is just one example of her brilliant use of symbolism. 

5. That is an expression I’ve never heard before. 

6. As soon as the second relay runner hands you that, run! 

7. Deliver both these and those to Mr. Stephen’s office. 

8. Will our assignments be these on the list? 

9. We must make that our top priority. 

10. The only cups left are those in the storeroom, and the only napkins are these. 




continued 

Interrogative Pronouns 

An interrogative pronoun introduces a question. The interrogative pronouns are who, whom, 

which, what, and whose. 

TIP 

EXAMPLES Who owns these books? [Who introduces a question, so it is an 

interrogative pronoun.] 

By whom was this book written? [Whom introduces a question.] 

Which of these books is yours? [Which introduces a question.] 

What is the book about? [What introduces a question.] 

Whose are these books on my desk? [Whose introduces a question.] 

To spot an interrogative pronoun, look for a question mark. If a sentence ends in a 

question mark and begins with who, whom, which, what, or whose, then that pronoun is 

probably an interrogative pronoun. If a sentence does not end in a question mark, then 

the sentence probably does not have an interrogative pronoun. 

EXAMPLES Who won the art contest? [This sentence ends in a question mark. Who is 

an interrogative pronoun because it introduces the question.] 

She is the girl who won the art contest. [This sentence ends in a period. 

Since no question is asked, the word who is not used as an interrogative 

pronoun.] 

EXERCISE B Underline each interrogative pronoun in the following sentences. 

Example 1. Which of these rivers is located in South America? [Which introduces a question 

about rivers, so Which is an interrogative pronoun.] 

11. By whom were you contacted about the petition? [Which word introduces a question about 

a person?] 

12. Who was the author of the book Roots? 

13. What did Mr. Dolan say about the new schedule? 

14. With whom are you staying on your trip to Utah? 

15. What is the capital of Saudi Arabia? 






Pronouns C 

Relative Pronouns 

A relative pronoun introduces a subordinate clause. The relative pronouns are that, which, who, 

whom, and whose. 

REMINDER 

EXAMPLES The clerk who is waiting on us was smiling. [Who introduces the clause who 

is waiting on us, so who is a relative pronoun.] 

Look! There is the dog that our neighbors lost last week. [That introduces 

the clause that our neighbors lost last week, so that is a relative pronoun.] 

A subordinate clause has a subject and a verb but does not express a complete 

thought. A subordinate clause cannot stand alone, so it must be attached to a sentence. 

BY ITSELF though we were seeing the movie for the first time [This word group has a 

subject, we, and a verb, were seeing. The word group is incomplete by 

itself, so it is a subordinate clause.] 

IN A SENTENCE Though we were seeing the movie for the first time, we thought it would 

become a favorite. [The subordinate clause Though we were seeing the 

movie for the first time has been attached to the sentence We thought it 

would become a favorite.] 

EXERCISE A Circle the relative pronoun in each of the following sentences. Hint: Each subordinate clause 

has been underlined for you. 

Examples 1. Is your neighbor the one who attended high school in Madrid? [The word who 

introduces the subordinate clause who attended high school in Madrid, so who is a relative 

pronoun.] 

2. The front yard, which had been bare, was lined with flowers. [The word which 

introduces the subordinate clause which had been bare, so which is a relative pronoun.] 

1. The guitar strings that you wanted are here. [Which word introduces the subordinate clause that 

you wanted?] 

2. Is that your friend whom you met at summer camp? [Which word begins a subordinate clause?] 

3. Pistachios, which originated in Asia, are now grown in California. 

4. The Cheyenne, who fought at Little Bighorn, once lived near there. 

5. Anyone who signed up for drama class will be transferred to Room 215. 

6. Plants that require a great deal of water are not advisable in this area. 

7. Lawrence Douglas Wilder, who became the first African American governor in 1990, also ran 

for president. 

8. Did S. I. Hayakawa, who is an author, also serve as a senator? 




continued 

9. Salmon, which live in salt water but spawn in fresh water, flourished in the Northwest. 

10. The address will be given by Art Walker, whom the class has elected as their spokesperson. 

To find a relative pronoun, look for the words that, which, who, whom, and whose. If you find 

one of these words in a sentence, ask yourself, “Does this pronoun connect one part of the 

sentence to another?” If the answer is yes, then the word that, which, who, whom, or whose is 

probably a relative pronoun. 

EXAMPLES The solution that we created has worked well. [The word that connects one 

part of the sentence, that we created, to another, The solution has worked 

well. Therefore, that is a relative pronoun.] 

That was the best spaghetti ever! [The word That does not connect one part 

of a sentence to another, so That is not a relative pronoun.] 

EXERCISE B Circle the relative pronoun in each of the following sentences. 

Examples 1. The apples that Sandy bought were grown in Washington State. [That introduces 

the subordinate clause that Sandy bought, so that is a relative pronoun.] 

2. Our favorite cousin, who overslept this morning, will join us on the hike later. 

[Who introduces the subordinate clause who overslept this morning, so who is a relative 

pronoun.] 

11. Megan enjoys the lessons that she studies in geography class. [Which word introduces a 

subordinate clause?] 

12. People who like flowers often study each state’s official flower. [Which word introduces a 

subordinate clause?] 

13. My uncle, whom I visit often, lives near California’s Redwood National Park. 

14. At the party, please put the food on the table that has sturdy legs. 

15. New Mexico, which we call the Land of Enchantment, has some good ski hills. 

16. Some of the students who went to the museum missed the dinosaur exhibit. 

17. Birds covered the walkway that had been sprinkled with birdseed. 

18. Leaves that koalas eat come from the eucalyptus tree. 

19. All contestants whom we call up to the stage will receive a prize. 

20. One scientist who studied chimpanzees is Jane Goodall. 






Pronouns D 

Indefinite Pronouns 

Most pronouns refer to certain persons, places, things, or ideas. An indefinite pronoun refers to 

one or more persons, places, things, or ideas that may or may not be specifically named in a 

sentence. An indefinite pronoun does not refer to a definite person, place, thing, or idea. 

TIP 

COMMON INDEFINITE PRONOUNS 

all another any anybody anyone 

anything both each each other either 

everybody everyone everything few many 

more most much neither nobody 

none no one nothing one one another 

other several some somebody someone 

something such 

EXAMPLES The invitation says we can wear any of the costumes we want to the party. 

[Any refers to a nonspecific kind of costume, so any is an indefinite 

pronoun.] 

Did someone drink the last of the milk already? [Someone does not name a 

specific person, so someone is an indefinite pronoun.] 

A few of the trails had paw prints in the dirt. [Few refers to the number of 

trails, but since few does not name a specific number of trails, it is an 

indefinite pronoun.] 

You can recognize an indefinite pronoun more easily if you remember what the word 

indefinite means. Indefinite means “not definite, undefined, not specific.” Whenever you 

see a pronoun that does not refer to anything or anyone in particular, that pronoun is 

probably an indefinite pronoun. 

EXERCISE A Underline the indefinite pronoun in each of the following sentences. 

Example 1. Nearly everything the actors said made the students laugh. [Everything is an 

indefinite pronoun because it refers to a thing that is unspecified.] 

1. On the table were several of the latest magazines. [Which word refers to an amount that isn’t 

specified?] 

2. Believe me, not just anyone can make deliveries! [Which word refers to a person that isn’t 

specified?] 

3. Neither of those rivers is as long as the Nile. 

4. Please show both of these gentlemen the way to the office. 

5. Of all of our applicants, only you can speak Spanish and English. 




continued 

NOTE 

Even though indefinite pronouns may not refer to specified persons, places, things, or 

ideas, they are still used in the same ways as other pronouns. In a sentence, indefinite 

pronouns can appear as subjects, direct objects, indirect objects, predicate nominatives, 

or objects of prepositions. 

EXAMPLES No one at the dinner table had change for a ten-dollar bill. [No one is an 

indefinite pronoun used as the subject of the sentence.] 

Please find someone to be your partner for the class activity. [The indefinite 

pronoun someone is used as the direct object of the verb find.] 

The woman on the parade’s float gave many of us key chains. [The 

indefinite pronoun many is used as an indirect object explaining to 

whom the key chains were given.] 

Was that all? [The indefinite pronoun all is used as a predicate nominative 

of the verb Was.] 

Krista, you may deliver this note to either of the sisters. [The indefinite 

pronoun either is used as an object of the preposition to.] 

EXERCISE B Underline each indefinite pronoun in the following sentences. Hint: Some sentences have 

more than one indefinite pronoun. 

Example 1. That island has birds living near each of its coves. [The word each refers to an 

unspecified number of coves, so it is an indefinite pronoun.] 

6. Rick can make friends with just about anyone. [Which word refers to an unspecified person?] 

7. The solution must be something that involves everyone in the group. 

8. The meteorologist says this will be another of our rainiest weekends. 

9. We can do nothing about the problem, or we can pull together and accomplish something. 

10. The Ruiz twins decided to donate clothes to somebody who would need them. 

EXERCISE C Fill in each blank with an indefinite pronoun that makes sense. Hint: Some items have more 

than one correct answer. 

Example 1. Many of the light bulbs were burned out, so I changed them. [Many is an indefi- 

nite pronoun that tells, in a nonspecific way, how many light bulbs were burned out.] 

11. of the performers forgot a line during the show, and the director was proud of 

them. [What is an indefinite pronoun that makes sense as the subject of this sentence?] 

12. Did Deb find to take her place in the softball game she’ll miss next week? 

13. who attends Jackson High School is allowed to try out for the soccer team. 

14. Take a bagel or a muffin, but please do not take . 

15. Of the national parks on this list, have guided tours available. 






1c. 

Adjectives 

An adjective modifies (or describes) a noun or a pronoun. 

ADJECTIVES The first act will be a comedian. [The word first is an adjective because it 

describes the noun act.] 

The first one will be a comedian. [The word first is an adjective because it 

describes the pronoun one.] 

Adjectives tell what kind, which one, how many, or how much. 

WHAT KIND interesting class [The adjective interesting tells what kind of class.] 

WHICH ONE this class [The adjective this tells which class.] 

HOW MANY several classes [The adjective several tells how many classes.] 

HOW MUCH entire class [The adjective entire tells how much of a class.] 

An adjective may appear before or after the word it describes. 

NOTE 

BEFORE The careful technician checked the circuits. [The adjective careful appears 

before technician, the word it describes.] 

AFTER The technician was careful and checked the circuits. [The adjective careful 

appears after technician, the word it describes.] 

The words a, an, and the are adjectives. These words are a special type of adjectives 

called articles. 

EXAMPLE The class did not have a textbook. [The tells which class, and a tells which 

textbook. The and a are articles.] 

EXERCISE A Underline each adjective in the following sentences. Do not underline the articles a, an, or 

the. Hint: Most sentences contain more than one adjective. 

Examples 1. Strange and mysterious were the ancient symbols on the wall. [The words strange, 

mysterious, and ancient all describe the noun symbols, so these descriptive words are 

adjectives.] 

2. Can you stay optimistic in the face of difficulty? [The word optimistic describes the 

pronoun you, so optimistic is an adjective.] 

1. Brilliant beams of bright sunlight dotted the trail. [Which word describes beams? Which word 

describes sunlight?] 

2. Over the years, the house had grown old and seemingly lonely. [Which two words describe the 

house?] 




continued 

3. One of the fuses must be bad. 

4. Don’t worry; our dog is friendly. 

5. Soft lights illuminated the small stage. 

6. According to the newspaper, the movie was tedious, dull, and meaningless. 

7. The nubby bark of the hollow log was becoming uncomfortable. 

8. In the dusty trunk, we found photographs from the 1920s. 

9. Warm and clear were the waters of the Bahamas. 

10. An unfamiliar melody caught the attention of the walkers. 

REMINDER 

A word’s part of speech depends on how it is used in a sentence. Many words that 

can be used as adjectives can also function as other parts of speech. 

ADJECTIVE This CD-ROM contains an encyclopedia. [This is an adjective because it 

tells which CD-ROM.] 

PRONOUN This is the CD-ROM that contains an encyclopedia. [This is a pronoun 

because it stands for a specific thing and does not describe another word.] 

ADJECTIVE Computer programs can help teach languages. [The word Computer is an 

adjective because it tells what kind of programs.] 

NOUN Computers can help teach languages. [The word Computers is a noun 

because it names a thing.] 

EXERCISE B Underline each adjective in the following sentences. Do not underline the articles a, an, or 

the. Most sentences have more than one adjective. Hint: Remember that some words that can be used 

as pronouns can also be used as adjectives. 

Example 1. Few students in these schools are strangers to computers. [Few is an adjective 

because it tells how many students, and these is an adjective because it tells which 

schools.] 

11. Little sisters can be troublesome but also can be enjoyable. [Which three words describe sisters?] 

12. Vegetarian cafes were experiencing a boom at that time. 

13. A wooden Kenyan statue sat on a small table in the hall. 

14. With a lurch, the door opened and revealed a huge space with bare walls. 

15. A Cuban dancer won the competition. 






Verbs A 

Main Verbs 

1d. 

A verb expresses action or a state of being. 

ACTION Tera bakes the family bread on Saturday. [Bakes is the action happening in 

the sentence, so bakes is a verb.] 

STATE OF BEING Her bread tastes delicious. [Tastes shows the bread’s state of being, so 

tastes is a verb.] 

Tera is the baker of the family. [Is shows Tera’s state of being, so is is a verb.] 

A sentence may have more than one verb. 

EXAMPLES I bake bread on Saturday and rest on Sunday. [Bake and rest are verbs 

because they express action.] 

I think it’s ready! [Think is a verb because it expresses action. The 

contraction It’s stands for It is, so the verb is is part of the contraction. 

Is is a verb because it expresses a state of being.] 

EXERCISE A Underline each verb in the following sentences. Some sentences contain more than one 

verb. Hint: Remember that a verb can appear in a contraction. 

Examples 1. Pull down the menu, and select format. [Pull and select are the actions of the 

sentence, so they are the verbs.] 

2. I’m the only Spanish speaker in my family. [I’m stands for I am. The word am is a 

verb because it shows a person’s state of being.] 

1. Close the door, please. [What is the action that is happening in the sentence?] 

2. Is your mother home? [Which word shows the mother’s state of being?] 

3. We’re so happy about your good fortune. 

4. How wonderful your new home seems! 

5. Puffy, white clouds appeared in the sky above us. 

6. Never talk or laugh with your mouth full. 

7. Hand me those needle-nose pliers, Lucy. 

8. This calculator requires AA batteries. 

9. Crocodiles lounge on the muddy riverbank and watch for prey. 

10. Nancy considered her alternatives and chose a course of action. 




continued 

Helping Verbs 

One or more helping verbs work with a main verb to create a verb phrase. A main verb is the 

word that shows action or a state of being. 

NOTE 

VERB PHRASES The bread must have been baking long enough. [The main verb is baking. 

The helping verbs are must have been. Together, these words make up the 

verb phrase must have been baking.] 

Will you bake bread with me? [Even though you separates the helping 

verb Will and the main verb bake, Will bake is a verb phrase..] 

I’ll bake bread for the family on Saturday. [The contraction I’ll stands for I 

will, and the helping verb will is part of the verb phrase will bake.] 

The words not, never, and ever and the contraction –n’t are not part of verb phrases. 

They are adverbs. 

ADVERB Please don’t open the oven right now. [Not, which is part of the contraction 

for do not, is an adverb that describes the verb phrase do open.] 

EXERCISE B Underline the verb phrase in each of the following sentences. Do not underline the adverbs 

not and never or the contraction –n’t. Hint:The parts of a verb phrase may be separated by other words. 

Examples 1. Shouldn’t that five have been a two, Roger? [Should have been is a verb phrase. Been 

is the main verb, and should and have are the helping verbs. The contraction Shouldn’t 

stands for Should not, and not is an adverb.] 

2. Researchers have been examining that possibility for some time. [Have been 

examining is a verb phrase. Examining is the main verb, and have and been are the 

helping verbs.] 

11. Do not cross the solid white line on the road. [Which two words tell the action of this sentence? 

Hint: Remember that not is an adverb and not part of a verb phrase.] 

12. Will these green apples turn red? [Which two words show the state of being of the apples?] 

13. Yes, sir, your order is being processed. 

14. Actually, the message must have never even been sent. 

15. Luke would have traveled to New York last summer. 

16. Oh, I must have been thinking of Istanbul. 

17. The young girl has placed all the horse figurines up on the windowsill. 

18. Hasn’t the teacher approved of your science project? 

19. Will you be the lead singer next year? 

20. Did anything about the book surprise you? 






Verbs B 

Action Verbs 

Some verbs are called action verbs. An action verb expresses either physical or mental activity. 

Physical activity is something that a person, animal, or object can do. Mental activity is 

something that people or animals can do with their minds. In other words, an action verb is a 

word that tells what the subject of a sentence did, does, or will do. 

REMINDER 

PHYSICAL Players run, jump, and shoot hoops. [Run, jump, and shoot are used as 

action verbs. All three of these verbs express physical activity.] 

MENTAL Students study, read, or research in study hall. [Study, read, and research are 

used as action verbs. All three of these verbs express mental activity.] 

When you identify action verbs, remember to include any helping verbs. Helping 

verbs are added to the main verb to help the main verb express action or a state of 

being. 

EXAMPLES Did you think of a solution to our problem? [Did think expresses action. 

Did is a helping verb, and think is the main verb.] 

That same bird has been returning to Lake Edward for years. [Has been 

returning expresses action. Has and been are the helping verbs, and 

returning is the main verb.] 

EXERCISE A Underline the action verb in each of the following sentences. Hint: Remember to underline 

any helping verbs. 

Examples 1. Can you imagine such a sight? [Can imagine expresses a mental action, so it is an 

action verb.] 

2. With her dog on its leash, Keisha walked down the street. [Walked expresses a 

physical action, so it is an action verb.] 

1. All the bread had been baked by Friday afternoon. [Which word expresses physical action?] 

2. She had dreamed of snow on the dunes. [Which word expresses mental action?] 

3. Tall oak pillars supported the ceiling. 

4. The mother bird fed a worm to her babies. 

5. Name the principal port in Japan. 

6. In a tight tuck, the Olympic gymnast flipped backward on the beam. 

7. Will you call about the exhibit at the science museum? 

8. A swirl of mosquitoes buzzed near Christopher’s ankles. 

9. In Mrs. Burke’s neighborhood, airplanes fly overhead during the day. 

10. The school principal considered our idea very seriously. 




continued 

To find action verbs in a sentence, look for words that show what is happening in the sentence. 

Look at each word you’ve identified, and then ask yourself, “Does the verb show physical or 

mental action?” If the answer is yes, then the verb is probably an action verb. 

ACTION VERBS I looked through the telescope. [Looked is an action verb because it shows 

a physical action.] 

He has tasted the soup. [Has tasted is an action verb because it shows 

physical action.] 

Our shortstop thought quickly and threw the ball to the catcher. [Thought is 

an action verb because it shows mental action. Threw is an action verb 

because it shows physical action.] 

EXERCISE B Underline each action verb in the following sentences. Hint: Remember to underline any 

helping verbs. 

Example 1. Our dog Shadow will stand perfectly still while he looks at a chipmunk. [Will stand 

and looks express physical activity, so they are action verbs.] 

11. Sound the alarm, Bobby! [Which word shows an action?] 

12. With a deep breath, she smelled the salt water from the ocean. 

13. A sailor on the deck had already sighted the mist of an island. 

14. The divers felt their way along the cave wall. 

15. Just taste this orange right from the tree in our own yard. 

EXERCISE C Complete each of the following sentences by filling the blank with an action verb that 

makes sense. Hint: Each item has more than one answer that could be appropriate. 

Example 1. The track star amazed the crowd when he broke the world record. [Broke 

expresses a physical activity, so it is an action verb.] 

16. Darla, please the door before a bug flies in here. [What is a physical action that makes 

sense in the blank?] 

17. After thinking about it for three days, Thomas that he would try out for the play. 

18. Did the wind loudly throughout the thunderstorm? 

19. Several of the passengers cheered when the airplane safely after the long flight. 

20. During the festival, hundreds of hot-air balloons through the sky. 






Verbs C 

Linking Verbs 

Some verbs are called linking verbs. A linking verb connects the subject to a word or word 

group that identifies or describes the subject. 

As you may remember, an action verb is a word that tells what the subject of a sentence did, 

does, or will do. Some verbs are linking verbs. Instead of telling what the subject does, linking 

verbs are followed by a word or words that rename or describe the subject. 

COMMONLY USED LINKING VERBS 

appear become feel grow 

seem smell sound stay 

look remain taste turn 

EXAMPLES Players must be students at this school. [Must be is a linking verb. It is 

called a linking verb because it links the word students to the subject 

Players. Students identifies the subject Players.] 

Players stay enthusiastic. [Stay is a linking verb. It is called a linking verb 

because it links the word enthusiastic to the subject Players. Enthusiastic 

describes the subject Players.] 

EXERCISE A Underline the linking verb in each of the following sentences. Hint: Remember to underline 


Examples 1. Uncle Joe remained a chief petty officer for thirty years. [Remained links Uncle Joe to 

a chief petty officer, so remained is a linking verb.] 

2. If the spaghetti tastes too mild, add some pepper flakes. [The linking verb tastes links 

spaghetti to the word that describes it, mild.] 

1. Did those trigonometry problems look hard to you? [Which words link problems to a word that 

describes the problems?] 

2. Hey, that tune sounds familiar to me. [Which word links tune to a word that describes the tune?] 

3. Diego became curious about the design of those bridges. 

4. Somehow, the restaurant’s enormous freezer did not seem cold enough. 

5. Wow! Some masks at the costume party looked rather festive. 

6. Yes, my dear, this sushi is raw fish, rice, and seaweed. 

7. Wow! That popcorn certainly smells good. 

8. To the sailors, the sight of land was a relief. 

9. Doesn’t this Egyptian cotton feel soft? 

10. Grandmother’s noodles always taste delicious. 




continued 

Some verbs can be used as action verbs or as linking verbs. To tell the difference between 

action verbs and linking verbs, look at the verb and ask yourself, “Does the verb express 

physical or mental action?” If the answer is yes, then the verb is an action verb. 

ACTION VERB I looked through the telescope. [In this sentence, looked expresses a 

physical action that I did.] 

LINKING VERB The moon looked rough. [In this sentence, looked connects the subject 

moon with the adjective rough. The moon is not looking at anything, so 

looked does not express physical action.] 

ACTION VERB He tasted the soup. [In this sentence, tasted expresses physical action that 

he did.] 

LINKING VERB The soup tasted good. [In this sentence, tasted links the words soup and 

good. The subject, soup, is not tasting anything, so tasted does not express 

physical action.] 

EXERCISE B Underline the linking verb in each of the following sentences. Hint: Remember to underline 


Examples 1. Mrs. Rena remained a resident of Canada for thirty years. [Remained links Mrs. Rena 

to resident, so remained is a linking verb.] 

2. Flood zones can be risky places for houses. [Can be links Flood zones to places, so can 

be is a linking verb.] 

11. The tabletop still feels rough, even after Jenna sanded it. [Is the tabletop actually feeling 

something, or does feels link tabletop to rough? Did Jenna actually sand something, or does sanded 

link Jenna to it?] 

12. After the storm, the lake finally looked calm. [Is the lake actually looking at something, or does 

looked link lake to calm?] 

13. Does this van appear new to you? 

14. Public discussions about plans for the new highway will be controversial. 

15. Armadillos can sound loud when they move through brush. 

16. A famous painting can seem more impressive when viewed from up close. 

17. Most two-year-olds are happier after they’ve taken their daily nap. 

18. Make sure the tennis racket feels right before you buy it. 

19. Hey, the piano sounds out of tune. 

20. What will you have become ten years from now? 






Verbs D 

Transitive Verbs and Intransitive Verbs 

A transitive verb has an object—a word that tells who or what receives the action of the verb. 

An object may be a noun or a pronoun. 

EXAMPLES Bake these potatoes at four hundred degrees. [The object of the transitive 

verb Bake is the noun potatoes.] 

When the package arrived, Steven opened it eagerly. [The object of opened 

is the pronoun it.] 

An intransitive verb does not have an object. 

NOTE 

EXAMPLES Janet walked carefully across the rope bridge. [The verb walked does not 

have an object.] 

This tree seems healthier. [The verb seems does not have an object.] 

In order to identify transitive and intransitive verbs, you must be able to identify the 

objects of verbs—direct objects and indirect objects. The object of a verb will usually be 

a noun or a pronoun. To identify the object of a verb, ask what? or whom? after the verb. 

EXAMPLE Follow him. [The pronoun him is the object. Him answers the question 

Follow whom? Follow has an object; therefore, follow is a transitive verb.] 

EXERCISE A Underline the verb in each of the following sentences. Then, circle the object or objects of 

that verb. When you are underlining verbs, remember to underline any helping verbs. Hint: Some verbs 

do not have objects. 

Examples 1. Surveyors measured the distance between the two points. [Measured what? 

Distance. Therefore, distance is the object of the verb measured.] 

2. A full moon shone down on the travelers. [Shone what? The sentence doesn’t say 

that the moon shone something, so the verb shone has no object. Down is not a noun or 

a pronoun, so it couldn’t possibly be an object.] 

1. Did you remember the mustard and catsup? [Does something receive the action of the verb? Is 

there an answer to the question,“Did you remember what?”] 

2. Wow! That trash can smelled awful! [Awful is an adjective. Can an adjective be an object?] 

3. Zack saw snow for the first time that night. 

4. A lone cello sounded sad and mysterious in the darkness. 

5. Nick hardened the special clay in the oven. 

6. At the sound of the electric can opener, three cats ran into the kitchen. 




continued 

7. Mr. Zolas drives a van with a purple pinstripe. 

8. That beagle can smell even the faintest scents. 

9. Last Saturday, we made an overseas call to Bianca. 

10. Would you please forward my mail? 

TIP 

Think of the words that share the prefix trans–: transportation, transit, transaction, 

transformation. These words all refer to some kind of movement from one thing or place to 

another. Likewise, a transitive verb transmits action from a subject to an object. An 

intransitive verb may express action, but it does not transmit action. (Remember, the same 

verb may be transitive in one sentence and intransitive in another.) 

TRANSITIVE VERB We ate potatoes. [This verb has an object—potatoes. It is transitive.] 

INTRANSITIVE VERB We ate early. [This verb has no objects. It is intransitive.] 

EXERCISE B Identify each underlined verb in the following sentences by writing T for transitive or I for 

intransitive on the lines provided. Hint:Transitive verbs have objects, and intransitive verbs do not. 

Examples T 1. Ask her the question on your mind. [Her and question are objects of the 

I 

verb ask.] 

2. They were asking for donations for the new bleachers. [Only prepositional 

phrases follow this verb. Were asking has no object.] 

11. A woman with a scarf over her head lit the candles. [Lit what? Candles. Candles is the 

object of the verb lit.] 

12. What a wonderful surprise this is! [Is expresses a state of being. Is has no object.] 

13. Have you ever seen a dolphin up close? 

14. The turtle was moving very slowly. 

15. Get the hose from the shed, please. 

16. From a rooftop perch, a tabby cat presided over the market’s activities. 

17. What are the differences between fraternal and identical twins? 

18. Sandpaper comes in several degrees of roughness. 

19. Tell him about the change in plans. 

20. In the last stall on the right was Mrs. Cho’s favorite horse. 






1e. 

Adverbs 

An adverb modifies (or describes) a verb, an adjective, or another adverb. 

EXAMPLE They talked today. [Today is an adverb because it describes the verb 

talked.] 

An adverb tells how, when, where, or to what extent (how much, how long, or how often). 

TIP 

HOW They talked excitedly. [Excitedly is an adverb that tells how they talked.] 

HOW LONG They talked briefly. [Briefly is an adverb that tells how long they talked.] 

HOW OFTEN They frequently talk. [Frequently is an adverb that tells how often they 

talk.] 

Many adverbs that tell how end in the letters –ly. 

EXAMPLE In a hurry, the family quickly ate their soup. [Quickly is an adverb that tells 

how the family ate.] 

EXERCISE A Underline the adverb in each of the following sentences. Hint: Each of the following 

sentences contains an adverb that describes a verb. 

Example 1. The geese flew noisily over the lake. [Noisily is an adverb that tells how the geese flew. 

Flew is a verb.] 

1. Proudly, he took the crown in his own hands. [Which word tells how something was done?] 

2. The lawn mower stopped working yesterday. 

3. Bald eagles are rarely sighted in this area. 

4. Six people around the table were staring intently at some graphs. 

5. You may begin the test now. 

An adverb can describe an adjective. 

EXAMPLE That blue jacket is surprisingly inexpensive. [Surprisingly is an adverb that 

describes the adjective inexpensive.] 

EXERCISE B Underline the adverb in each of the following sentences. Hint: Each of the following 

sentences contains an adverb that describes an adjective. 

Example 1. That was quite kind of you, ma’am. [The adverb quite describes the adjective kind.] 

6. Everyone, please be especially quiet when we enter the museum. [Which word describes the 

adjective quiet?] 




continued 

7. Our proposal, sir, met with an exceptionally good response. 

8. Extremely dangerous, this mountain range has claimed many lives. 

9. The most organized applicant will get this job. 

10. An especially colorful garden would improve our yard. 

An adverb can describe another adverb. 

NOTE 

EXAMPLE Quite often, they talk. [Often is an adverb that describes the verb talk. 

Quite is an adverb that describes another adverb, often.] 

A contraction can contain an adverb. 

EXAMPLE They don’t talk. [Don’t stands for do not. Since not is an adverb describing 

the verb do talk, the contraction contains an adverb.] 

EXERCISE C Underline each adverb in the following sentences. Each sentence contains more than one 

adverb. Hint:The following sentences contain adverbs that describe verbs and other adverbs. 

Example 1. Yes, Stanton has always arrived rather promptly. [The adverbs always and promptly 

describe the verb has arrived. The adverb rather describes the adverb promptly.] 

11. Can you believe we’re almost there, kids? [Which word describes the verb are in the contraction 

we’re? Which word describes the adverb there?] 

12. Handle these slides more carefully in the future. 

13. Miss Turner is frequently away on business. 

14. The children danced rather merrily during the folk festival. 

15. Must you play those drums consistently loudly? 

EXERCISE D Underline each adverb in the following sentences. Then, draw an arrow to the word that 

each adverb describes. 

Example 1. Yes, the Lakota Sioux once camped here. [The adverbs once and here describe the verb 

camped.] 

16. The twins watched the stranger curiously. [Which word tells how something was done?] 

17. Traffic is usually light at this time of day. 

18. She takes her art very seriously. 

19. Play with the dog outside. 

20. Would you explain the math formula again? 






1f. 

Prepositions 

A preposition is a word that shows the relationship of a noun or a pronoun, called the object of 

the preposition, to another word. 

Memorizing several of the prepositions is a good way to help you know them when you see 

them. 

COMMONLY USED PREPOSITIONS 

above according to at before below 

by for from in in addition to 

in spite of of on to until 

Prepositions show relationships between words. 

EXAMPLES She arrived before lunch. [The preposition before shows the relationship 

between arrived and lunch.] 

She arrived during lunch. [The preposition during shows the relationship 

between arrived and lunch.] 

Please get ready for dinner. [The preposition for shows the relationship 

between ready and dinner.] 

Did you write a letter to her? [The preposition to shows the relationship 

between write and her.] 

Everyone except her was there. [The preposition except shows the 

relationship between everyone and her.] 

EXERCISE A Underline the preposition in each of the following sentences. Remember to underline all 

parts of a compound preposition. 

Examples 1. Without goggles, the welder could damage his eyes. [The preposition Without shows 

a relationship between goggles and could damage.] 

2. Their ball rolled in front of the house. [The compound preposition in front of shows 

the relationship between rolled and house.] 

1. A bicycle with five speeds would be best. [What word relates bicycle to speeds?] 

2. Can that gecko jump over the stone, Richard? [What word shows what can jump has to do with 

stone?] 

3. The store across the street sells art supplies and hardware. 

4. The winner will be the person with the lowest score. 

5. During the performance, no one will be admitted. 

6. A moray eel was hiding among the rocks. 

7. Palm trees, in addition to native flowers, were planted. 




continued 

8. Wait until dark. 

9. In spite of countless obstacles, Wilma Rudolph triumphed. 

10. Weren’t some of the slides usable? 

Changing the preposition can change the relationship between words. 

NOTE 

EXAMPLES He was sitting behind the table. [The preposition behind shows the 

relationship between table and sitting.] 

He was sitting beside the table. [The preposition beside changes the 

relationship between table and sitting.] 

He was sitting in front of the table. [The preposition in front of changes the 

relationship between table and sitting again.] 

A word’s part of speech depends on how the word is used in a sentence. Words that can 

be used as prepositions can also be used as other parts of speech. 

PREPOSITION I had never seen an ostrich before that day. [Day is the object of the 

preposition before.] 

ADVERB I had never seen an ostrich before. [Before has no object. Before is an adverb.] 

EXERCISE B Underline the preposition in each of the following sentences. Remember that a preposition 

must have an object. Adverbs do not have objects. 

Examples 1. After that, Athens attained its real power. [Which word shows a relationship in time?] 

2. The study of the past protects the future. [Which word expresses the relationship 

between study and past?] 

11. Lisa just got a letter from Senator Lee. [Which word relates Senator Lee to letter?] 

12. At that time, social changes affected Europe. [Which word specifies the relationship between 

affected and that time?] 

13. Wow! Your little brother runs fast for a six-year-old. 

14. The shirts that have white tags go on the bottom shelf. 

15. Who is the girl standing between Barbara and Jean? 

16. The knight would encounter many adventures in faraway lands. 

17. According to Dad, we haven’t finished our chores. 

18. We were surprised because Dad sprinkled cinnamon on the carrots. 

19. Mrs. Shepard took the first exit off the interstate and then turned right. 

20. Just then, a red balloon floated by my window. 






Conjunctions and Interjections 

Conjunctions 

1g. 

A conjunction joins words or word groups. 

Coordinating conjunctions join words or word groups that are used in the same way. The 

coordinating conjunctions are and, but, for, nor, or, so, and yet. 

EXAMPLES Mike and Dave have pets. [Two words are joined.] 

Mike walks his dog at the park or on Main Street. [Two phrases are joined.] 

Mike has a pet, but Dave doesn’t have one. [Two clauses are joined.] 

EXERCISE A Underline each conjunction in the following sentences. 

Example 1. The old brick road will be torn up and resurfaced with asphalt. [The conjunction and 

connects the words torn and resurfaced.] 

1. The power was off, so the model train didn’t move. [Which word connects the two clauses?] 

2. Push the plus key but not the equals key. 

3. Your role in the play is small yet important. 

4. Why not put some special effects or voice-overs on your video? 

5. An informal yet elegant restaurant opened at the airport. 

Correlative conjunctions are pairs of conjunctions that join words or word groups that are 

used in the same way. The correlative conjunctions are both . . . and, either . . . or, neither . . . nor, 

not only . . . but also, and whether . . . or. 

EXAMPLES Neither pet snakes nor pet tarantulas require much work. [Two nouns are 

joined.] 

We can adopt a puppy either from our neighbor or from the pound. [Two 

phrases are joined.] 

Not only does Mike have a cat, but he also has a dog. [Two clauses are 

joined.] 

EXERCISE B Underline each pair of correlative conjunctions in the following sentences. Hint: Correlative 

conjunctions are pairs of words that work together to introduce two alternatives. 

Example 1. Tell me whether we are going to the library or my house. [The words whether and or 

work together to introduce the two alternatives.] 

6. Neither swamp buggies nor motorboats are allowed in this environmentally sensitive area. 

[Which two words work together to connect swamp buggies and motorboats?] 




continued 

7. Both cars and speedboats will be on display at the convention center. 

8. His walls were covered not only with posters but also with photographs, news clippings, and 

other mementos. 

9. Decide whether you’ll paint houses or plant trees, then sign the volunteer sheet. 

10. She had been neither to Chicago nor out of the county. 

1h. 

Interjections 

An interjection expresses emotion. An interjection has no grammatical relation to the rest of the 

sentence. In other words, an interjection is not a subject, verb, object, modifier, preposition, or 

conjunction. Without the interjection, the sentence still makes sense. Common interjections 

include ah, ouch, ugh, wow, oops, hey, and oh. 

STRONG EMOTION Yikes! What a big spider! [Yikes is an interjection that expresses strong 

emotion.] 

MILD EMOTION There’s an, oh my, excessively large spider. [Oh my is an interjection that 

interrupts the rest of the sentence.] 

MILD EMOTION Hey, your tarantula’s loose again. [Hey is an interjection that expresses mild 

emotion.] 

Notice that an interjection is usually set off from the rest of the sentence by an exclamation 

point or by a comma or commas. Interjections set off by commas can be easy to spot because 

they interrupt the rest of the sentence. 

EXERCISE C Underline each interjection in the following sentences. 

Example 1. Ugh, this milk is sour. [Ugh is an interjection that expresses emotion.] 

11. It’s, oh, about five hundred miles from here to Miami. [Which word interrupts the sentence but 

expresses no meaning other than an emotional one?] 

12. Ow! That was my toe under your foot. 

13. Whoa! The sun is brighter than usual today. 

14. The solution, well, is not that simple. 

15. My, the storm uprooted a tree at Valleyview Park. 





for CHAPTER 2: THE PARTS OF A SENTENCE pages 83=92 

The Subject 

Simple Subjects 

2b. 

2c. 

TIP 

Sentences consist of two basic parts: subjects and predicates. 

The main word or word group that tells whom or what the sentence is about is called the simple 

subject. 

EXAMPLES The lamp on the desk needs a new light bulb. [What needs a new light 

bulb? The lamp does. Lamp is the subject of the sentence.] 

When will Aunt Jesse pick us up? [Who will pick us up? Aunt Jesse will. 

Aunt Jesse is the subject of the sentence.] 

The simple subject is never in a prepositional phrase, which consists of a preposition and 

the noun or pronoun that follows it. Some common prepositions are about, among, at, for, 

from, in, of, under, and with. To find the simple subject, cross out any prepositional phrases. 

EXAMPLE The lamp on the desk needs a new light bulb. [Lamp is the subject, not desk.] 

EXERCISE A Underline the simple subject in each of the following sentences. 

Example 1. These ancient tools were recently discovered east of town. [What were discovered? 

Tools were. Tools is the subject of the sentence.] 

1. Earthworms have segmented bodies. [What have segmented bodies?] 

2. When is Dena moving to Baltimore? 

3. The pillows on the couch were handmade. 

4. Every morning, my mother works in the garden. 

5. Those lanterns on the patio are very unusual. 

Complete Subjects 

The complete subject is made up of all the words that tell whom or what the sentence is about. 

NOTE 

EXAMPLES The lamp on the desk needs a new light bulb. [What needs a new light 

bulb? The lamp does. Lamp is the simple subject. The and on the desk 

describe the lamp. The lamp on the desk is the complete subject.] 

Near the fishing pier were several pelicans. [What were near the fishing 

pier? Pelicans were. Pelicans is the simple subject. Several describes 

pelicans. Several pelicans is the complete subject.] 

Sometimes the simple subject is also the complete subject. 

EXAMPLE Saxophones are often used in jazz music. [Saxophones is the simple and the 

complete subject.] 




continued 

EXERCISE B Underline the complete subject in each of the following sentences. Then, underline the 

simple subject a second time. Hint: In some sentences, the simple subject and the complete subject will 

be the same. 

Example 1. The message light on the phone is blinking. [The sentence is about the complete 

subject The message light on the phone. The simple subject is light.] 

6. Will Peter audition for the leading role in Death of a Salesman? [Who is the sentence about?] 

7. The recipe for Aunt Rosa’s rosemary chicken has been passed down for generations. 

8. How long will the clearance sale last? 

9. High in the blue sky above us flew a lone eagle. 

10. A backpack with red stripes was left in the locker room. 

2f. 

Compound Subjects 

A compound subject consists of two or more subjects that are joined by a conjunction and that 

have the same verb. 

EXAMPLES The sandals, sunscreen, and beach towels are in the canvas bag. [The parts 

of the compound subject sandals, sunscreen, and towels are joined by the 

conjunction and. They have the same verb, are.] 

Has the veterinarian or her assistant spoken with you yet? [The parts of 

the compound subject veterinarian and assistant are joined by the 

conjunction or. They have the same verb, Has spoken.] 

EXERCISE C Underline the parts of the compound subject in each of the following sentences. Then, 

circle the conjunction. 

Example 1. Alex, Nina, and I will cover that part of the project. [Who will cover that part of the 

project? Alex, Nina, and I will. The parts of the compound subject Alex, Nina, and I are 

joined by the conjunction and.] 

11. Are you or Diego riding in the van with Mark? [Who is the sentence about? Which word 

connects the parts of the compound subject?] 

12. The art supplies and canvases are in the storage cabinet. 

13. Has Mrs. Edwards or her husband arrived yet? 

14. Butterflies and bees are attracted to these flowers. 

15. A monitor, speakers, and a printer came with the computer. 






The Predicate 

Simple Predicates 

2b. 

2d. 

Sentences consist of two basic parts: subjects and predicates. 

The simple predicate, or verb, is the main word or word group that tells something about the 

subject. 

A verb expresses action or a state of being. 

SIMPLE PREDICATES Corn grows well in our state. [Grows is the simple predicate and tells what 

corn does.] 

The recycling bin is under the sink. [Is is the simple predicate and tells 

about the recycling bin.] 

REMINDER 

A simple predicate can be a one-word verb or a verb phrase. 

EXAMPLES The student council meets every Wednesday. [Meets is the simple predicate 

and tells what the student council does.] 

Has your group completed the chemistry experiment? [Has completed is the 

simple predicate and asks what your group did.] 

EXERCISE A Underline the simple predicate in each of the following sentences. Be sure to underline all 

parts of a verb phrase. 

Example 1. The canyon walls appeared almost blue in the morning light. [The simple predicate 

appeared tells about the canyon wall.] 

1. Our new puppy played with its toy for hours. [What did the puppy do?] 

2. The passengers were enjoying the train ride through the countryside. 

3. During the weekend, we canoed on Lake Austin. 

4. Have you read the review of the play in the school newspaper? 

5. The police officer was directing traffic. 

Complete Predicates 

The complete predicate consists of the verb and all the words that modify the verb and complete 

its meaning. 

COMPLETE PREDICATE Corn grows well in our state. [The simple predicate is grows. The complete 

predicate is grows well in our state.] 

NOTE 

Sometimes the simple predicate is also the complete predicate. 

EXAMPLE My baby sister is sleeping. [Is sleeping is the simple predicate and the 

complete predicate.] 




continued 

The predicate usually comes after the subject. Sometimes, however, part or all of the predicate 

comes before the subject. 

EXAMPLES Last week, the grocery store celebrated its twentieth anniversary. 

Not far from our house is the community pool. 

EXERCISE B Underline the complete predicate in the following sentences. Then, draw a second line 

under the simple predicate. Hint:The simple predicate may be a one-word verb or a verb phrase. 

Example 1. Everyone should take notes during the presentation. [Should take notes during the 

presentation is the complete predicate. The simple predicate is should take.] 

6. My older brother will graduate from college in two weeks. [What will my older brother do?] 

7. The banana nut bread tasted wonderful. 

8. Is the debate tournament this weekend? 

9. After the award ceremony, a reception will be held in the cafeteria. 

10. On the top shelf in the pantry is the bag of cat food. 

2g. 

A compound verb consists of two or more verbs that are joined by a conjunction and that have 

the same subject. 

EXAMPLES I finished the book, made a few notes, and wrote my report. [The 

compound verb is finished, made, and wrote. The parts of the compound 

verb are joined by the conjunction and.] 

Would you clear the table and load the dishwasher? [The compound verb 

is Would clear and load. The parts of the compound verb are joined by the 

conjunction and.] 

EXERCISE C Underline the simple predicate, or verb, in each of the following sentences. Be sure to 

underline each part of a compound verb and all parts of a verb phrase. 

Example 1. Did you take the ferry or walk across the bridge? [The simple predicate is the 

compound verb Did take and walk.] 

11. The architect reviewed the design for the new building and made a few corrections. [What did 

the architect do?] 

12. Each contestant will be photographed and will receive a certificate of participation. 

13. Will the children’s parade start on Main Street and end on Fairview Avenue? 

14. The jury discussed the case for five hours and decided in favor of the defendant. 

15. Should I multiply or divide by three? 






Predicate Nominatives 

Every sentence has a subject and a verb. Many sentences have other words that complete the 

meaning of the verb. These words are called complements. Predicate nominatives are one kind 

of complement. 

2i(1) 

A predicate nominative is a word or word group that is in the predicate and that identifies the 

subject or refers to it. 

A predicate nominative appears only in a sentence that has a linking verb. Common linking 

verbs include is, was, will be, could have been, and has been. 

EXAMPLES My favorite rose is the American Beauty. [The noun American Beauty 

identifies the subject rose.] 

The winner of the poetry contest is he. [The pronoun he identifies the 

subject winner.] 

EXERCISE A In each of the following sentences, the linking verb has been underlined for you. Circle the 

predicate nominative in each of the following sentences. 

Example 1. One basic military maneuver is the about-face. [About-face identifies the subject, 

maneuver. About-face is the predicate nominative.] 

1. The band director is a very dedicated and patient teacher. [Which word in the predicate 

completes the meaning of the linking verb is and identifies the subject director?] 

2. In 1989, the winner of the Newbery Medal was Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices. 

3. The new counselor is she. 

4. One of the most mysterious archaeological sites is Machu Picchu. 

5. The first female U.S. senator was Hattie Wyatt Caraway from Arkansas. 

TIP 

To find the predicate nominative in a question, turn the question into a statement. 

QUESTION Will Mr. Acker be the construction supervisor? 

S 

STATEMENT Mr. Acker will V PN 

be the construction supervisor. 

[The word order of the 

statement makes it easier to tell that supervisor is the predicate 

nominative.] 

EXERCISE B Underline the linking verbs in each of the following sentences. Then, circle the predicate 

nominatives. 

Example 1. Is Leah the president of the freshman class? [President completes the meaning of the 

linking verb Is and identifies the subject Leah. President is the predicate nominative.] 




continued 

6. That sailboat is The Dancing Dolphin. [Which word is the linking verb? Which word group in the 

predicate identifies the subject sailboat?] 

7. Is Mount Fuji the highest mountain in Japan? 

8. The first day in the new building will be Monday. 

9. Was that necklace a gift from your grandmother? 

10. My uncle and my grandfather were firefighters. 

A linking verb may have more than one predicate nominative. Two or more predicate 

nominatives of the same linking verb are called a compound predicate nominative. 

EXAMPLE My favorite roses are the American Beauty and the Tropicana. [Both nouns, 

American Beauty and Tropicana, identify the subject roses.] 

EXERCISE C Underline the predicate nominatives in each of the following sentences. Hint: Some 

predicate nominatives will be compound. 

Examples 1. Is your favorite time of year autumn or summer? [Autumn and summer both identify 

the subject time. Autumn and summer are both predicate nominatives.] 

2. Painting is one of my hobbies. [One refers to the subject painting. One is the predicate 

nominative.] 

11. The person in the red car must have been she. [Which word in the predicate identifies the subject 

person?] 

12. My favorite musical instruments are the cello and the saxophone. [Which words in the predicate 

identify the subject instruments?] 

13. Have you always been a classical music fan? 

14. The basketball team has been the state champion for the past two years. 

15. She was the captain of the dive team and the editor of the school newspaper. 

16. In the front yard, the trees are elms and oaks. 

17. Was the answer on the last question True or False? 

18. Our best singers are Isabel and he. 

19. The winner of the dog show was a Dalmatian. 

20. Will the name of the new building be Logan Hall or Logan Performing Arts Center? 





for CHAPTER 2: THE PARTS OF A SENTENCE page 98 

Predicate Adjectives 

2i(2) 

A predicate adjective is an adjective that is in the predicate and that modifies the subject of a 

sentence or a clause. 

Like a predicate nominative, a predicate adjective completes the meaning of a linking verb. 

Common linking verbs include is, are, seem, appear, feel, sound, and smell. 

REMINDER 

EXAMPLES My grandmother is very kind. [The adjective kind describes the subject 

grandmother and completes the meaning of the linking verb is. Kind is the 

predicate adjective.] 

Doesn’t dinner smell delicious? [The adjective delicious describes the 

subject dinner and completes the meaning of the linking verb Does smell. 

Delicious is the predicate adjective.] 

An adjective is a word that describes a person, place, thing, or idea. An adjective 

usually answers the question what kind? how many? or which one? 

EXERCISE A In each of the following sentences, the linking verbs have been underlined for you. Circle 

the predicate adjectives in each sentence. 

Example 1. The spaghetti sauce tasted spicy. [The adjective spicy completes the meaning of the 

linking verb tasted and describes the subject sauce. Spicy is the predicate adjective.] 

1. Everyone was sleepy after a day at the beach. [Which word in the predicate completes the 

meaning of the linking verb was and describes the subject Everyone?] 

2. The milk smells sour. 

3. Did Gail seem nervous before the tryouts? 

4. This morning, the bus was early. 

5. The line outside the ticket office was long! 

A linking verb may have more than one predicate adjective. Two or more predicate adjectives 

that complete the meaning of the same linking verb are called a compound predicate adjective. 

EXAMPLE How thoughtful and lovely this is! [The adjectives thoughtful and lovely 

both describe the subject this and complete the meaning of the linking 

verb is.] 

EXERCISE B Underline the linking verbs in each of the following sentences. Then, circle the predicate 

adjectives. Hint: Some predicate adjectives will be compound. 

Example 1. The vase was beautiful but fragile. [The adjectives beautiful and fragile complete the 

meaning of the linking verb was and describe the subject vase.] 



for CHAPTER 2: THE PARTS OF A SENTENCE page 98 

continued 

6. The trees along the path were tall and thick. [Which word is the linking verb? Which words in the 

predicate describe the subject trees?] 

7. The glow from the kerosene lantern was soft and yellow. 

8. Isn’t Greg artistic and inventive? 

9. How lucky you are! 

10. That computer game about Egypt was difficult but fun. 

NOTE 

Do not mistake an adverb for a predicate adjective. Most adverbs modify a verb. 

Predicate adjectives do not modify verbs. Predicate adjectives describe people, places, 

things, and ideas. 

ADVERB The crowd cheered loudly. [Loudly describes the verb cheered. Loudly tells 

how they cheered.] 

PREDICATE ADJECTIVE The crowd’s cheers were loud. [Loud completes the meaning of the linking 

verb were and describes the subject cheers. Loud tells what kind of cheers.] 

EXERCISE C Underline the predicate adjectives in each of the following sentences. Hint: Some sentences 

may have compound predicate adjectives. 

Examples 1. The kittens were playful and adorable. [The adjectives playful and adorable complete 

the meaning of the linking verb were and describe the subject kittens. Playful and 

adorable are the predicate adjectives.] 

2. How beautiful San Francisco is! [The adjective beautiful completes the meaning of 

the linking verb is and describes the subject San Francisco. Beautiful is the predicate 

adjective.] 

11. The moving box was thick and strong. [Which words in the predicate describe the subject box?] 

12. After a good night’s rest, I felt alert. [Which word in the predicate describes the subject I?] 

13. Doesn’t the bread taste delicious? 

14. How bright those neon lights are! 

15. The hardwood floors in our house are beautiful. 

16. During the class discussion, many students were talkative. 

17. The speakers in your car sound strange. 

18. How annoying that noise is! 

19. The car was old and unreliable. 

20. After the exercise class, I was hot and sweaty. 






2j. 

Direct Objects 

A direct object is a noun, pronoun, or word group that tells who or what receives the action of a 

verb or shows the result of the action. 

A direct object answers the question whom? or what? after a verb. 

V S V DO 

EXAMPLES Does the computer need more memory? 

[Does the computer need what? 

Does it need memory. Memory is the direct object.] 

S V DO 

Leslie saw them yesterday. [Leslie saw whom? She saw them. Them is the 

direct object.] 

S V DO 

Last summer, my family visited the Grand Canyon. [My family visited 

what? They visited the Grand Canyon. Grand Canyon is the direct object.] 

NOTE 

A direct object may come before the subject and the verb. 

DO S V 

EXAMPLE What a wonderful job you did! 

[You did what? You did a wonderful job. 

Job is the direct object.] 

EXERCISE A In each of the following sentences, the verbs have been underlined for you. Circle the direct 

objects in each of the following sentences. 

Example 1. How often do you lift weights? [Lift what? Lift weights. Weights is the direct object.] 

1. The book was missing five pages. [Which word answers the question The book was missing what?] 

2. That frog just caught a fly. 

3. What a great bargain you got! 

4. Has Janet completed the survey? 

5. The strawberries stained the countertop. 

TIP 

Direct objects are never found in prepositional phrases. 

OP 

EXAMPLES Luisa was writing in her journal. 

[Journal is part of the prepositional 

phrase in her journal. The sentence has no direct object.] 

DO 

Luisa was writing a short story. 

[Luisa was writing what? Writing a story. 

Story is the direct object.] 

EXERCISE B Underline the verb in each of the following sentences. Then, circle the direct object in each 

of the following sentences. Be sure to underline all words in a verb phrase. 

Examples 1. Describe your primary goal. [Describe what? Describe your goal. Goal is the direct 

object.] 




continued 

2. Have you finished the assignment? [Have finished what? Have finished the 

assignment. Assignment is the direct object.] 

6. My younger sister has seen The Land Before Time several times. [Which words are verbs? Which 

word group answers the question My younger sister has seen what?] 

7. A large umbrella provided shade. [Which word is the verb? Which word answers the question A 

large umbrella provided what?] 

8. Did the bee sting you? 

9. My grandmother’s dog follows her everywhere. 

10. He took a picture of the Washington sky. 

11. Should we unplug the computer? 

12. The squirrels were gathering acorns. 

13. Have you read To Kill a Mockingbird? 

14. I challenged them to a rematch. 

15. The man at the information desk gave me a map of the city. 

An action verb may have more than one direct object. Two or more direct objects of the same 

action verb are called a compound direct object. 

EXAMPLE The winners of the contest received t-shirts and CDs. 

EXERCISE C Underline the direct objects in each of the following sentences. Hint: Some sentences have 

compound direct objects. 

Example 1. Did you feed the dog and the cat this morning? [Did you feed what? Did you feed the 

dog and cat. Dog and cat are the direct objects.] 

16. We paved the patio and the garden path. [Which words answer the question We paved what?] 

17. Did he call Mr. Parker and her? 

18. What wonderful stories O. Henry wrote! 

19. Move this desk and those boxes to the main office. 

20. Have you ever taken a picture of yourself? 






2k. 

Indirect Objects 

An indirect object is a noun, pronoun, or word group that often appears in sentences containing 

direct objects. An indirect object tells to whom or to what (or for whom or for what) the action of 

a verb is done. 

An indirect object answers the question to whom? or to what? (or for whom? or for what?) after 

the verb. 

EXAMPLES Will 

V V IO DO 

you paint my aunt a picture of her cat? [Paint a picture for whom? For 

my aunt. Aunt is the indirect object.] 

V IO DO 

Please bring me a glass of water. [Bring a glass of water to whom? To me. 

Me is the indirect object.] 

V IO DO 

The student council gave the Parent-Teacher Association a certificate of 

appreciation. [Gave a certificate to whom? To the Parent-Teacher 

Association. Parent-Teacher Association is the indirect object.] 

EXERCISE A Underline the indirect objects in each of the following sentences. 

Example 1. Would you lend Tom a pencil for the exam? [Lend a pencil to whom? To Tom. Tom is 

the indirect object.] 

1. Who gave your little brother the coloring book? [Which word answers the question Gave the 

coloring book to whom?] 

2. Would you sing me that song about peace? 

3. Please send us a postcard from Jamaica, Alice. 

4. Can you hand your sister that wrench? 

5. For a solid hour, Lamont told them funny tales about his life in Alaska. 

NOTE 

If the word to or for is used, the noun or pronoun following it is a part of a prepositional 

phrase and cannot be an indirect object. 

OP 

EXAMPLES Give a test form to each student. 

[Student is part of the prepositional 

phrase to each student. This sentence has no indirect object.] 

IO 

Give each student a test form. [Give a test form to whom? To each student. 

Student is the indirect object.] 




continued 

EXERCISE B Underline the indirect object in each of the following sentences. 

Example 1. I made my father a tool chest. [Made a tool chest for whom? For my father. Father is 

the indirect object.] 

6. Mr. Phan’s dog brings him the newspaper every morning. 

7. Throw me the ball! 

8. She had promised her nephew a gift certificate. 

9. Order the department paper and pencils. 

10. The mockingbird fed its chick a worm. 

An action verb may have more than one indirect object. Two or more indirect objects of the 

same action verb are called a compound indirect object. 

EXAMPLE Give Mr. Lassiter and Ms. French copies of the test form. 

EXERCISE C Underline the indirect objects in each of the following sentences. Hint: Some sentences will 

have compound indirect objects. 

Examples 1. Lena tells everyone that story about the phone and the parrot. [Tells the story to 

whom? To everyone. Everyone is the indirect object.] 

2. Bring Dr. Berry and his patient the x-rays. [Bring the x-rays to whom? To Dr. Berry and 

his patient. Dr. Berry and patient are the indirect objects.] 

11. The road improvements will cost the county and the state three million dollars. [Which words 

answer the question will cost three million dollars for whom?] 

12. The booster club made the coaches and athletes a hearty breakfast. [Which words answer the 

question made a breakfast for whom?] 

13. Mr. Earl taught Raul and Cindy the basics of tractor maintenance. 

14. Feed the birds more bird seed. 

15. Mrs. Williams paid Hank and Hillary fifty dollars for yard work! 

16. Will you bring the manager today’s receipts? 

17. Mr. Yen and Mrs. Childress will write me letters of recommendation. 

18. Yes, my grandmother made my sister and me our very own quilts. 

19. Tell the judge and jury your story, sir. 

20. How often should I give my dog a bath? 






2l. 

Classifying Sentences by Purpose 

Depending on its purpose, a sentence may be classified as declarative, imperative, interrogative, 

or exclamatory. 

(1) A declarative sentence makes a statement and ends with a period. 

EXAMPLES Our team won the game. [statement] 

The cat climbed the fence. [statement] 

(2) An imperative sentence gives a command or makes a request. Most imperative sentences end 

with a period. A strong command ends with an exclamation point. 

TIP 

NOTE 

EXAMPLES Please carry the bags to the car. [request] 

Shut the door as you leave. [command] 

Often, when people state a strong command, they speak more loudly than when they 

state a simple command or make a request. When you write, you can show this change in 

volume by using an exclamation point. 

EXAMPLE Don’t track mud into the house! [strong command] 

The subject of a command is always you. When you doesn’t appear in the sentence, you 

is called the understood subject. 

EXAMPLES (You) Please carry the bags out to the car. [request] 

(You) Shut the door as you leave. [command] 

(You) Don’t track mud into the house! [strong command] 

The word you is the understood subject even when the person spoken to is addressed by name. 

EXAMPLE Isabel, (you) please take these ballots to the principal’s office. [In this request, 

Isabel is used to get the listener’s attention. You, not Isabel, is the subject.] 

EXERCISE A On the lines provided, write DEC if the sentence is declarative or IMP if the sentence is 

imperative. 

Examples IMP 1. Look out! [This sentence expresses a strong command.] 

DEC 

2. Guppies, a West Indies variety of fish, are common pets. [This sentence 

expresses a statement.] 

1. The California poppy is California’s state flower. [Does the sentence express a statement 

or a command?] 

2. Name each of this solar system’s planets. [Does the sentence express a statement or a 

command?] 

3. I thought the book was better than the movie. 

4. Olympic National Park is located in Washington. 




continued 

5. Ring the bell for service. 

6. Watch your step! 

7. The Greek poet Homer wrote the Iliad and the Odyssey. 

8. Get that cat off the kitchen counter! 

9. We watched the lightning light up the night sky. 

10. The monarch butterfly’s migration pattern crosses North America. 

(3) An interrogative sentence asks a question and ends with a question mark. 

EXAMPLE Did our team win the game? [question] 

(4) An exclamatory sentence shows excitement or expresses strong feeling and ends with an 

exclamation point. 

EXAMPLES We won the game! [exclamation] 

What a great game that was! [exclamation] 

How wonderfully those guys played! [exclamation] 

EXERCISE B Punctuate each of the following sentences with an appropriate end mark: a period, a 

question mark, or an exclamation point. Then, on the line provided, classify each sentence by writing 

DEC for declarative, IMP for imperative, INT for interrogative, or EXC for exclamatory. 

Examples IMP 1. Open the door slowly, please. [This sentence expresses a request.] 

INT 

2. When does the library open on Saturday? [This sentence expresses a 

question.] 

11. Pass the salad, please [Does the sentence express a statement or a command?] 

12. Were the first Olympic Games held in Greece [Does this sentence express a question or 

an exclamation?] 

13. How creative you are 

14. Which bus should I take to get to the airport 

15. Identify each bone in the leg and foot 

16. The symbol for gold is Au 

17. I finally figured out the riddle 

18. Where did you put my dictionary 

19. Pedro won six tickets to the concert 

20. The strawberry was covered with ants 





for CHAPTER 3: THE PHRASE pages 111=112 

3b. 

Prepositional Phrases A 

A prepositional phrase includes a preposition, the object of the preposition, and any modifiers 

of that object. 

REMINDER 

Prepositions are words that show the relationship of a noun or a pronoun to 

another word. 

SOME COMMONLY USED PREPOSITIONS 

according to after against along around 

before below beside by during 

from in in front of instead of next to 

of since toward until with 

EXAMPLES 

P O 

Has anyone seen our suitcase with the broken handle? 

[Handle is the 

object of the preposition with, and broken modifies handle.] 

P 

O 

P O 

During the early morning, 

a train usually rumbles past the school. 

[Morning is the object of the preposition During, early modifies morning, 

and school is the object of the preposition past.] 

P O P O 

According to Lillian, 

this book is about dogs and cats. [Lillian is the object 

of the compound preposition According to, and dogs and cats form the 

compound object of the preposition about.] 

EXERCISE A Draw a line under the prepositional phrases in each of the following sentences. Then, draw 

a second line under each object of a preposition. Hint: Some sentences contain more than one 

prepositional phrase. 

Example 1. Can I buy the outfit that’s inside the glass case next to the front door? [Case is the 

object of the preposition inside, and glass is an adjective modifying case. Door is the 

object of the preposition next to, and front is an adjective modifying door.] 

1. According to the study, a traffic signal should be installed next to the hospital. [Have you 

underlined two prepositional phrases and their objects?] 

2. Set the orange cones along the edge of the field beside the track. 

3. After the trip, were the beach towels covered in sand and sunscreen? 

4. Electric current, during this experiment, will flow around a closed circuit. 

5. Jessica is riding a blue skateboard with long, red flames painted on its top. 



for CHAPTER 3: THE PHRASE pages 111=112 continued 

3c. 

Adjective Phrases 

A prepositional phrase that modifies a noun or a pronoun is called an adjective phrase. An 

adjective phrase tells what kind or which one. 

EXAMPLE I read a book by Jack London. [The adjective phrase by Jack London 

modifies the noun book by telling which book.] 

Two or more adjective phrases may modify the same noun or pronoun, and an adjective 

phrase may also modify the object of another prepositional phrase. 

EXAMPLES The Call of the Wild is a story by a best-selling author about a dog’s survival. 

[Both adjective phrases, by a best-selling author and about a dog’s survival, 

tell which story.] 

The pet dog becomes a sled dog with brutal owners from the Klondike. 

[The adjective phrase with brutal owners modifies dog, and the adjective 

phrase from the Klondike modifies the object of the first adjective phrase, 

owners.] 

EXERCISE B Draw a line under the adjective phrases in each of the following sentences. Then, circle the 

noun or pronoun that each adjective phrase modifies. Hint: Some sentences contain more than one 

adjective phrase. 

Examples 1. This is a program with many options. [This adjective phrase tells what kind of 

program.] 

2. The house on the hill has a better view. [This adjective phrase tells which house.] 

6. Save our neighbors some of our apples and pears. [Which word group modifies an indefinite 

pronoun?] 

7. The flags in the stadium fluttered as the breeze picked up. [Which word group modifies a plural 

noun?] 

8. Everyone except Clara and me will be there. 

9. People in the audience laughed when the comedians began dancing. 

10. Bring me the notepad on the counter, please. 

11. Ants are amazing insects with clear divisions of labor. 

12. The benches near the bus stop are usually empty. 

13. It is the one with the gold label. 

14. Are you sure that this is the right park on Fourth Street? 

15. Mateo carefully vacuumed the edge of the carpet along the baseboards. 






3b. 

3d. 

Prepositional Phrases B 

A prepositional phrase includes a preposition, the object of the preposition, and any modifiers 

of that object. 

REMINDER 

Prepositions are words that show the relationship of a noun and pronoun to 

another word. 

SOME COMMONLY USED PREPOSITIONS 

according to after against along around 

before below beside by during 

from in in front of instead of next to 

of since toward until with 

Adverb Phrases 

A prepositional phase that modifies a verb, an adjective, or an adverb is called an adverb phrase. 

Like adverbs, adverb phrases tell when, where, why, how, or to what extent about a verb, an 

adverb, or an adjective. 

EXAMPLES Lita reads for pleasure. [The adverb phrase for pleasure modifies the verb 

reads by telling why Lita reads.] 

The crew rebuilt the engine quickly under the circumstances. [The adverb 

phrase under the circumstances modifies the adverb quickly by telling 

under what condition the crew rebuilt the engine quickly.] 

Graceful in front of the setting sun, the geese flew away. [The adverb 

phrase in front of the setting sun modifies the adjective Graceful by telling 

where the geese were graceful.] 

EXERCISE A Underline each adverb phrase in the following sentences. 

Example 1. During the previews and the movie, they sat silently. [The adverb phrase During the 

previews and the movie modifies the verb sat by telling when they sat.] 

1. Hey, your little brother plays baseball well for a third-grader. [Which word group modifies an 

adverb by telling how?] 

2. Without a diagram, we knew where the battery was located. 

3. Five quarters are lying in front of that grate. 

4. The car is pretty dusty from that last sandstorm. 

5. Why don’t you sit next to me and Yoko? 




Adverb phrases may come before or after the words they modify, and more than one adverb 

phrase may modify the same word. 

EXAMPLES In the morning, Miguel jogs before school. [Both adverb phrases modify 

the verb jogs, but In the morning comes before the verb while before school 

comes after it.] 

Miguel jogs in the morning before school. [Both adverb phrases, in the 

morning and before school, modify the verb jogs.] 

EXERCISE B Underline the adverb phrase in each of the following sentences. Then, draw two lines under 

the verb, adverb, or adjective that the adverb phrase modifies. 

Examples 1. The car stopped with a screech. [The adverb phrase with a screech modifies the verb 

stopped by telling how the car stopped.] 

2. Before the fifth grade, didn’t Jody like broccoli? [The adverb phrase Before the fifth 

grade modifies the verb did like by telling when Jody liked broccoli.] 

6. The cattle wandered beyond the gate. [Have you drawn a line under the adverb phrase telling 

where about a verb? Have you drawn two lines under the verb that the phrase modifies?] 

7. Shouldn’t we return the toaster because of the scratch? [Have you drawn a line under the adverb 

phrase telling why about a verb? Have you drawn two lines under the verb that the phrase 

modifies?] 

8. My little sister sits between our parents on long rides. 

9. The swim team won the second freestyle race by one-quarter second. 

10. Along the pond’s edges, silvery minnows darted. 

11. Under the sofa we found my library book. 

12. The holiday decorations are in the storage room. 

13. Calm for such a young dog, Max watched us play catch. 

14. For luck, Chen kept the rusted horseshoe he found. 

15. Green against the plant’s leaves, the lizard cautiously waited. 






The Participle and the Participial Phrase 

The Participle 

3e. 

3f. 

A participle is a verb form that can be used as an adjective. 

There are two kinds of participles, present participles and past participles. Present participles 

end in –ing. Most past participles end in –d or –ed, although some are formed in other ways. 

EXAMPLES Used furniture can be a good decorating option. [The past participle Used 

modifies the noun furniture, and the present participle decorating 

modifies the noun option.] 

Kim’s winning attitude stems from her belief that there is no such thing as a 

lost cause. [The present participle winning modifies the noun attitude, 

and the past participle irregularly formed lost modifies the noun cause.] 

The trained dogs should take the stage at any given moment. [The past 

participle trained modifies the noun dogs, and the irregularly formed past 

participle given modifies the noun moment.] 

EXERCISE A Underline any participles used as adjectives in the following sentences. Hint: Sentences 

may have more than one participle. 

Example 1. The faded photograph reminded Ms. Caroline of her thrilling past. [The past 

participle faded modifies photograph, and the present participle thrilling modifies past.] 

1. The smell of baking bread filled the house. [Which word helps to describe a noun in this sentence?] 

2. The hiking group rested under a blazing sun. 

3. Should we add two beaten eggs to the simmering mixture? 

4. The purring cat sat lazily watching the lit candle. 

5. A budding friendship may be lost over a broken promise or betrayed confidence. 

The Participial Phrase 

A participial phrase consists of a participle and any modifiers or complements the participle 

has. The entire phrase is used as an adjective. 

EXAMPLES Dr.Pandit’s lecture covering the Constitution and the Bill of Rights intrigued 

Dennis. [The participle covering has a complement, the Constitution and 

the Bill of Rights. The entire phrase modifies the noun lecture.] 

Wondering about her ideas, Dennis asked her a few questions. [The 

participle Wondering is modified by the adverb phrase about her ideas. 

The participial phrase modifies the noun Dennis.] 




NOTE 

When placed at the beginning of a sentence, a participial phrase is followed by a comma. 

EXAMPLE Surprised by his curiosity,she answered him. [The participle Surprised is 

modified by the adverb phrase by his curiosity, and the entire phrase 

modifies the pronoun she.] 

EXERCISE B Underline each participial phrase in the following sentences. Then, draw two lines under the 

noun or pronoun that the participial phrase modifies. 

Examples 1. The cat, adopted by a friendly family, had been at the shelter for more than a 

month. [The past participle adopted and the prepositional phrase by a friendly family 

together form a participial phrase that modifies the noun cat.] 

2. Building quickly, the clouds towered overhead. [The present participle Building and 

its modifier quickly form a participial phrase that modifies the noun clouds.] 

6. Most courses are open to anyone registered at our school. [Have you underlined the past 

participle and prepositional phrase that together form a participial phrase in this sentence? Have you 

drawn two lines under the pronoun modified by the phrase?] 

7. Following quietly, the wolf watched her cubs as they played. [Have you underlined the present 

participle and adverb that together form a participial phrase in this sentence? Have you drawn two 

lines under the noun modified by the phrase?] 

8. Won’t the person programming the video game have to work carefully with the artists? 

9. Because of a defect, CDs bearing this imprint must be sent back to the manufacturer. 

10. The newspaper received a number of letters from readers concerned about the issue. 

11. Celebrated on January 6, Three Kings’ Day means presents to the children of Puerto Rico. 

12. Do you know anyone acquainted with this neighborhood? 

13. Beside a stream filled with salmon, the bears took up their positions. 

14. Someone watching for the guest of honor’s arrival was at the door. 

15. The director’s experimental version of Romeo and Juliet will be staged on a set resembling a 

space station near Jupiter. 






The Gerund and the Gerund Phrase 

The Gerund 

3g. 

A gerund is a verb form that ends in –ing and that is used as a noun. 

A gerund can be used as a subject, a predicate nominative, a direct object, an indirect object, or 

an object of a preposition. 

SUBJECT Dancing has always been her favorite activity. 

PREDICATE NOMINATIVE Her usual pastime is dancing. 

DIRECT OBJECT Doesn’t she teach dancing at a local studio? 

INDIRECT OBJECT You should give dancing a try! 

OBJECT OF A PREPOSITION After dancing, she likes to take a brisk walk. 

NOTE 

Both gerunds and present participles end in –ing. To tell them apart, decide how the 

word is used in the sentence. If the word is used as a noun, it is a gerund. If the word is 

used as an adjective, it is a present participle. 

EXAMPLES Growing children will enjoy digging. [Growing is used as an adjective 

describing children, so it is a present participle. Digging is used as a 

noun telling what the children will enjoy, so it must be a gerund.] 

The pacing dogs were barking at my singing. [Pacing is used as an 

adjective describing dogs, so it is a present participle. Barking is part 

of the verb phrase were barking, so it is used as a verb. Singing is the 

object of the preposition at, so it is used as a gerund.] 

EXERCISE A Underline each gerund in the following sentences. 

Examples 1. Do you like dancing? [The gerund dancing functions as the direct object of the verb 

Do like.] 

2. Sleeping occupies a lot of Tani’s time. [The gerund Sleeping is the subject of the verb 

occupies.] 

1. Give baby-sitting your full attention. [Which word functions as the indirect object of the verb 

Give?] 

2. How easy diving looks! [Which word functions as the subject of this sentence?] 

3. The field is so muddy that the halfbacks will have to really watch out for slipping. 

4. Cooking has become a popular activity around our house. 

5. When is Lio going to finish her exploring? 

6. The helicopter’s pilot wants to continue flying. 

7. On our scavenger hunt, what great scrounging we did! 

8. Soon after he took up the sport, his main interest became riding. 




9. Sometimes sleeping can be good for the soul. 

10. Try to take traveling less seriously. 

3h. 

The Gerund Phrase 

A gerund phrase consists of a gerund and any modifiers or complements the gerund has. The 

entire phrase is used as a noun. 

SUBJECT Searching for fossils is one of his hobbies. 

PREDICATE NOMINATIVE Part of his routine on hikes is searching carefully. 

DIRECT OBJECT He’s even tried searching in urban areas. 

INDIRECT OBJECT He’s given searching for fossils renewed popularity. 

OBJECT OF A PREPOSITION Before searching in creek beds, he packs a snakebite kit. 

EXERCISE B Underline each gerund phrase in the following sentences. 

Examples 1. Navigating by the stars can be an exciting activity for a mariner or pilot. [The 

gerund phrase acts as the sentence’s subject.] 

2. Megan started collecting stamps a long time ago. [The gerund phrase acts as the 

direct object of the verb started.] 

11. Training your puppy may result in a better-behaved adult dog. [Which group of words acts as 

the subject of this sentence?] 

12. By telling a mysterious tale, the librarian kept his visitors interested. [Which group of words 

acts as the object of a preposition in this sentence?] 

13. Alexis is going to give listening to classical music another chance. 

14. Briefly, Stacy found herself disturbed by shouting from the stands. 

15. Maisie said, “I enjoyed talking to you and Mr. Wells.” 

16. Running for political office can be expensive. 

17. One bond between Mom and Chad has always been watching hockey games together. 

18. Now the mouse seems to be giving darting across the room a try. 

19. The frog outside my window enjoys croaking during the early evening. 

20. Isn’t your hobby trading baseball cards? 






The Infinitive and the Infinitive Phrase 

The Infinitive 

3i. 

An infinitive is a verb form that can be used as a noun, an adjective, or an adverb. Most infinitives 

begin with to. 

NOUN To win is their ambition. [To win is the subject.] 

He likes to write. [To write is the direct object.] 

ADJECTIVE A few letters to mail remain in the outbox. [To mail modifies letters.] 

ADVERB Her sister is coming to talk. [To talk modifies the verb is coming.] 

It felt good to rest. [To rest modifies the adjective good.] 

The lizard moved too quickly to catch. [To catch modifies the adverb quickly.] 

Sometimes, to, which is known as the sign of the infinitive, is omitted. 

EXAMPLES The players decided to wave and [to] smile. 

I think I’ll help her [to] tune that engine. 

EXERCISE A Underline each infinitive in the following sentences. Hint: A sentence may have more than 

one infinitive. 

3j. 

Example 1. To prepare, follow these simple steps. [The infinitive To prepare acts as an adverb 

modifying the verb follow.] 

1. Before beginning the experiment, there are a number of things to consider. [Have you 

underlined the infinitive that modifies a noun in this sentence?] 

2. Has it started to snow yet? 

3. To win is Lily’s only goal in today’s race. 

4. Carefully built to last, that old dock will be there for years to come. 

5. That may have been this summer’s movie to see. 

The Infinitive Phrase 

An infinitive phrase consists of an infinitive and any modifiers or complements the infinitive has. 

The entire phrase can be used as a noun, an adjective, or an adverb. 

NOUN To drive well was one of her goals. [The infinitive To drive acts as the 

subject of the sentence and is modified by the adverb well.] 

Does he like to write short stories or to read them? [The infinitive to 

write acts as a direct object of the verb Does like and has its own direct 

object, short stories. The infinitive to read also acts as a direct object of 

Does like and has its own direct object, them.] 




NOTE 

ADJECTIVE Bianca still has a few letters to write before noon. [To write modifies the 

word letters and is modified by the prepositional phrase before noon.] 

ADVERB E-mail is easy to send to friends. [To send modifies the word easy and is 

modified by the prepositional phrase to friends.] 

The word to may begin either infinitive or prepositional phrases. In general, when a 

noun or pronoun follows to, the word group is a prepositional phrase, and when a verb 

form follows to, the word group is an infinitive. 

INFINITIVE PHRASE The dog sniffed to find its toy. [To is followed by the verb form find. To 

find is an infinitive used as an adverb explaining why the dog sniffed.] 

PREPOSITIONAL PHRASE The dog trotted to its toy. [To is followed by the object of the 

prepositional phrase, toy, and the modifier of toy, its. To its toy is an 

adverb phrase explaining where the dog trotted.] 

EXERCISE B Underline each infinitive phrase in the following sentences. Hint: A sentence may have 

more than one infinitive phrase. 

Examples 1. To confirm our reservations, should we dial the number to the hotel? [The infinitive 

phrase acts as an adverb explaining why we should call the number. To, in the phrase to 

the hotel, is a preposition and not part of an infinitive.] 

2. On the table are the papers to file before five. [The infinitive phrase includes the 

prepositional phrase before five.] 

6. To discover such a thing must be wonderful! [Have you underlined the infinitive and its direct 

object?] 

7. The alternator belt has started to whine during acceleration. [Have you underlined the infinitive 

and the prepositional phrase that modifies it?] 

8. I just called to say hello. 

9. Do you want to play the inning or watch from the bench? 

10. Was this essay written to persuade readers, to entertain them, or to describe an event? 

11. The buds on these trees look ready to sprout into leaves. 

12. The children laughed to see the baby goats’ antics. 

13. It was easy to find the problem’s solution. 

14. My aunt always tells me, “It is better to begin the journey than put it off.” 

15. The water has begun to boil vigorously, so it’s time to start the spaghetti. 






The Appositive and the Appositive Phrase 

The Appositive 

3k. 

3l. 

An appositive is a noun or pronoun placed beside another noun or pronoun to identify or 

describe it. 

EXAMPLES Our teacher Mrs. Thomas was born in Guatemala. [The compound proper 

noun Mrs. Thomas is an appositive identifying teacher.] 

All of the research materials, newspapers, are in the kitchen. [Newspapers is 

an appositive identifying the pronoun All.] 

EXERCISE A Underline each appositive in the following sentences. 

Examples 1. Is your research on the poet T. S. Eliot finished? [T. S. Eliot is an appositive helping to 

identify which poet.] 

2. The next breed, Arabian, is known for its smooth gait. [The appositive Arabian 

identifies which breed.] 

1. The term Elysian Fields refers to classical mythology’s blissful afterlife. [Which compound 

proper noun identifies term?] 

2. The movie stars’ gowns, originals, were worth a fortune. [Which word helps to identify gowns?] 

3. Antonio’s friend, “Brain,” knew the answer. 

4. Did the explorer Erik the Red discover Greenland? 

5. Here are our photographs from the 1950s, portraits. 

6. They were practicing on lutelike instruments, sitars. 

7. Has he fed his cat Gershwin its dinner? 

8. The order will arrive tomorrow, Thursday, afternoon. 

9. Marla goes everywhere with her friend Gene. 

10. Today, we will see a film classic, The Red Balloon. 

The Appositive Phrase 

An appositive phrase consists of an appositive and any modifiers it has. 

An appositive phrase usually follows the noun or pronoun it identifies or describes. 

Sometimes, though, an appositive phrase precedes the noun or pronoun. 

EXAMPLES Ms. Creech, a local storyteller, will be visiting the library on Thursday. [The 

appositive phrase identifying Ms. Creech includes the article a, the 

adjective local, and the noun storyteller.] 




A wonderful storyteller, Ms. Creech usually entertains dozens of listeners. 

[The appositive phrase includes the article A, the adjective wonderful, and 

the noun storyteller, and the phrase precedes the noun it identifies.] 

Appositives and appositive phrases that are not essential to the meaning of a sentence are set 

off with commas. An appositive that is essential to the meaning of the sentence, identifying 

which one of two or more items, should not be set off with commas. 

ESSENTIAL Dwayne’s friend Julius Tetrone is visiting this weekend. [The appositive is 

essential to understanding which friend, so it is not set off with commas.] 

NONESSENTIAL Julius Tetrone,one of Dwayne’s friends,is visiting this weekend. [Because 

the appositive is not necessary to the meaning of the sentence, it is set 

off with commas.] 

EXERCISE B Underline the appositive phrase in each of the following sentences. 

Examples 1. A bold painter with a fondness for color, she rocketed to fame. [The appositive 

phrase precedes the pronoun it identifies and includes the article A, the noun painter, the 

adjective bold, and the adjective phrase with a fondness for color.] 

2. I live on Fifty-seventh Street, the greatest place in the world. [The appositive phrase 

includes the article the, the noun place, the adjective greatest, and the prepositional 

phrase in the world.] 

11. Hiram R. Revels, the first African American senator, took Jefferson Davis’s former seat in the 

Senate. [What phrase helps to identify the sentence’s subject, Hiram R. Revels?] 

12. Doesn’t Sonia Quintana, photographer for the yearbook, have a home darkroom? [What word 

group identifies Sonia Quintana?] 

13. The restaurant serves a daily special, a vegetable medley with ranch dip. 

14. Right away, we fell in love with the house, a three-story fixer-upper with a wooden frame and 

gingerbread trim. 

15. The dormitory room was furnished with two chairs, both from a local flea market. 

16. She was Juana Inés de la Cruz, a woman of letters and a student of science in the 1600s. 

17. A gift from my grandmother, the Chinese vase is several hundred years old. 

18. The arctic region from Siberia to Greenland, the longest piece of land in the world with one 

language and culture, is unique. 

19. The song was written by my brother, a student of Irish folk music. 

20. A new perspective, a bird’s-eye view of the situation, might help. 





for CHAPTER 4: THE CLAUSE pages 139=141 

4d. 

The Adjective Clause 

An adjective clause is a subordinate clause that modifies (or describes) a noun or a pronoun. 

An adjective clause tells what kind or which one. 

WHAT KIND We have six puppies that are three weeks old. [The adjective clause tells 

what kind of puppies. The word group acts as an adjective that describes 

the noun puppies.] 

WHICH ONE Will you name the one that is wagging its tail? [The boldfaced word 

group tells which one. The word group acts as an adjective that describes 

the pronoun one.] 

An adjective clause is usually introduced by a relative pronoun, such as who, whom, whose, 

which, or that. A relative pronoun relates an adjective clause to the word or word group that 

the clause describes. 

EXAMPLES The ad seeks a worker who can speak Spanish and English. [The adjective 

clause who can speak Spanish and English describes worker. The clause tells 

what kind of worker is wanted. The relative pronoun who introduces the 

adjective clause.] 

Hartford Kennels, which breeds setters, is nearby. [The adjective clause 

which breeds setters describes the subject Hartford Kennels. The relative 

pronoun which introduces the adjective clause.] 

EXERCISE A Underline each adjective clause in the following sentences. 

Examples 1. List the sources from which you got your information. [The word group from which 

you got your information describes sources and tells which ones. The relative pronoun is 

which. Which also serves as the object of the preposition from in the adjective clause.] 

2. Put your trust only in those who have earned it. [The word group who have earned it 

describes those and tells which ones. The relative pronoun is who.] 

1. Draw the subject that interests you most. [This clause modifies the direct object subject and tells 

what kind of subject.] 

2. The candidate whom the committee chooses will get the job. [What word group tells which 

candidate?] 

3. Their band still needs someone who can play the guitar. 

4. I’ll introduce them to the teacher who sponsors the program. 

5. Yes, this is the one whose car design won an award. 

6. Isn’t that the man for whom those shoes were named? 

7. Green and tan are the colors that the designer suggested. 



for CHAPTER 4: THE CLAUSE pages 139=141 continued 

8. Trees line the running trail that is next to Washington Lake. 

9. Follow the brown signs that lead to the campground. 

10. For first period, find the room to which you have been assigned. 

Occasionally, the word where introduces an adjective clause. 

TIP 

EXAMPLE Here is the kennel where the puppies were born. 

Understanding adjective clauses is easier if you understand adjectives. Adjectives describe 

nouns and pronouns, and adjective clauses do exactly the same thing. 

ADJECTIVES I want a friendly and playful dog. [Friendly and playful describe dog.] 

ADJECTIVE CLAUSE I want a dog that is friendly and playful. [The whole adjective clause 

describes dog.] 

EXERCISE B Underline the adjective clause in the following sentences. 

Examples 1. The scanner that the library has is also a copier. [Adjectives can tell which one. This 

adjective clause tells which scanner.] 

2. Did you mark the places where changes must be made? [Adjectives can tell what 

kind. This adjective clause tells what kind of place.] 

11. Have you met Mr. Riley, who taught my shop class last year? [Which words work as a group to 

describe Mr. Riley?] 

12. For reasons that remain unknown, the king refused their simple requests. [Which words work 

as a group to describe reasons?] 

13. Did Sondra lend the book to the girl who is her lab partner? 

14. Where is the carpenter whom she has hired? 

15. Monterey, which features spectacular scenery, is a popular vacation spot. 

16. Would you buy a pair of socks that are striped with every color of the rainbow? 

17. Someone that Mr. Brown knows has an instruction manual for that program. 

18. Nicole remained the captain of the basketball team, which won the championship last year. 

19. The new soccer uniforms, which Sam likes better than the last ones, are dark blue. 

20. Kelly is the sister of the artist of whom you spoke. 






4e. 

The Adverb Clause 

An adverb clause is a subordinate clause that modifies (or describes) a verb, an adjective, or an 

adverb. 

EXAMPLES Before I run, I stretch. [The adverb clause describes the verb stretch.] 

To me, a run is more fun than an aerobics class. [The adverb clause 

describes the adjective fun.] 

I run more often than I lift weights. [The adverb clause describes the 

adverb often.] 

An adverb clause tells how, when, where, why, to what extent, or under what conditions. All of the 

following examples have adverb clauses that describe the verb run. 

HOW I run as if I were in a race. 

WHEN I run a mile before breakfast is served. 

WHERE I run where there are trees and grass. 

WHY I run so that I can stay in shape. 

TO WHAT EXTENT I run faster than I could last year. 

UNDER WHAT CONDITIONS I run whether it rains or shines. 

EXERCISE A Underline the adverb clause in each of the following sentences. 

Examples 1. Since Mr. Hanly took over, class certainly has changed. [This adverb clause tells 

when the change happened.] 

2. Read Chapter 23 so that you’ll be ready for the quiz. [This adverb clause tells why 

Chapter 23 should be read.] 

1. If history had been different, how would you be different? [Which part of the sentence has a 

subject and a verb and tells under what conditions?] 

2. Because it was in an unfamiliar place, the dog would not leave the pet carrier. [Which part of 

the sentence has a subject and a verb and tells why?] 

3. As Juanita prepared for the math competition, her confidence grew. 

4. The orange juice container is empty, even though it had been full only yesterday. 

5. Even though few people knew the poem, most understood it right away. 

6. If you are tired, why don’t you take a nap? 

7. I painted my room green because that’s my favorite color. 

8. The mystery will remain unsolved until scientists interpret the lab results. 

9. Whenever there is a crisis, Martin immediately takes charge of the situation. 

10. Because the wildlife needs to be protected, no cars are allowed in the park. 




An adverb clause is introduced by a subordinating conjunction. A subordinating conjunction 

is a word that shows the relationship between the adverb clause and the word or words that 

the clause describes. Notice how the whole meaning of the sentence changes when the 

subordinating conjunction changes. 

EXAMPLES I jog after it rains. I jog while it rains. 

I jog when it rains. I jog as soon as it rains. 

I jog until it rains. I jog if it rains. 

When an adverb clause introduces a sentence, the clause is followed by a comma. An adverb 

clause at the end of a sentence usually does not require a comma before it. 

EXAMPLES After it rains, I jog. [The adverb clause After it rains describes the verb jog. 

Because the adverb clause introduces the sentence, it should be followed 

by a comma.] 

I jog after it rains. [Because the adverb clause after it rains comes at the 

end of the sentence, it does not need a comma before it.] 

EXERCISE B Underline the adverb clause in each of the following sentences. Then, circle each 

subordinating conjunction. 

Examples 1. Impatient because the bus was late, Lonnie paced back and forth. [The adverb 

clause because the bus was late describes the adjective Impatient by telling why.] 

2. If the weather is good, the sailboat race will start at noon. [This adverb clause If the 

weather is good describes the verb will start by telling under what conditions.] 

11. When the plant gets too much water, the leaves turn yellow. [Which words work together to tell 

when the leaves turn yellow?] 

12. The baby broke into smiles because her mother had walked in the room. [Why did the baby 

start smiling?] 

13. Although many researchers have tried, no one has duplicated the scientists’ results. 

14. Because everyone else was asleep, we talked quietly. 

15. Will we take a walk as soon as David puts on his shoes? 

16. Whenever an important news story comes out, Marissa knows about it first. 

17. The train arrived sooner than we had expected. 

18. Oh, the computer has not run slowly since we installed more memory. 

19. Since one table leg was too short, the table wobbled easily. 

20. Unfortunately, the party was more expensive than we had expected. 






4f. 

The Noun Clause 

A noun clause is a subordinate clause that is used as a noun. 

A noun clause may be used as a subject, a predicate nominative, a direct object, an indirect 

object, or the object of a preposition. As you might have noticed, noun clauses are used in all 

the same ways that nouns are used. Below is a list of words that often introduce noun clauses, 

followed by examples of how noun clauses are used. 

COMMON INTRODUCTORY WORDS 

how that what whatever when 

where whether which whichever who 

whoever whom whomever whose why 

SUBJECT Who built that ancient monument is still a mystery. [The noun clause 

Who built that ancient monument is used as the subject of the sentence.] 

PREDICATE NOMINATIVE The winner will be whomever the judges choose. [The noun clause 

whomever the judges choose is used as a predicate nominative in the 

sentence.] 

DIRECT OBJECT Do you know when the Middle Ages began? [The noun clause when 

the Middle Ages began is used as a direct object in the sentence.] 

INDIRECT OBJECT Please give whatever this book suggests some consideration. [The 

noun clause whatever this book suggests is used as an indirect object in 

the sentence.] 

OBJECT OF A PREPOSITION I’m saving for what I want. [The noun clause what I want is used as 

the object of a preposition in the sentence.] 

EXERCISE A Underline the noun clause in each of the following sentences. 

Examples 1. Tell us what the Dominican Republic is like, Raul. [The word group what the 

Dominican Republic is like is a noun clause because it acts as the direct object of Tell.] 

2. Yes, they’ll make whoever asks custom shelves. [The word group whoever asks is a 

noun clause because it acts as the indirect object of will make.] 

1. Did he say when the car will be ready? [Which word group is used as a direct object?] 

2. What the baby needs is a warmer blanket. [Which word group is used as the subject?] 

3. Can you tell which one is the original photograph? 

4. Which path would lead home was the question. 

5. Did Grandma get what she wanted for her birthday? 

6. Each band member must remember where he or she should stand on the field. 

7. Choose whichever font looks best. 




8. Actually, they wrote a book about how the discovery was made. 

9. Rich natural resources are why they came to this area. 

10. Tell whoever comes in the store about our special. 

TIP 

To recognize a noun clause, try replacing any clause with the word it. If the sentence still 

makes sense, then the clause you’ve replaced is probably a noun clause. 

NOUN CLAUSE What I want is my own room. [It is my own room makes sense. Therefore, 

the boldfaced clause is a noun clause. The clause is the subject.] 

ADVERB CLAUSE After Jane goes to college, I may get my own room. [It, I may get my own 

room does not make sense. Therefore, the boldfaced clause is not a noun 

clause. Instead, it is an adverb clause that describes the verb may get.] 

ADJECTIVE CLAUSE I want a room that is my own. [I want a room it does not make sense. 

Therefore, the boldfaced clause is not a noun clause. Instead, it is an 

adjective clause that describes room.] 

EXERCISE B Underline the noun clause in each of the following sentences. 

Examples 1. Show us how you solved that equation. [The word group how you solved that 

equation is a noun clause introduced by the word how. The clause has a subject, you, and 

its verb, solved.] 

2. Did Diego tell Mom that Mrs. Smith called earlier? [The word group that Mrs. Smith 

called earlier is a noun clause introduced by the word that. The clause has a subject, Mrs. 

Smith, and a verb, called.] 

11. Our first question is who will be the next editor of the school paper. [Which words act as a noun 

clause that is a predicate nominative? This clause renames the subject question.] 

12. The movie shows how the firefighter rescued the children. [Which words act as a noun clause? 

This noun clause is the direct object of the verb shows.] 

13. My mom said that this would happen. 

14. So, that was what the baby wanted! 

15. Are you satisfied with what you have accomplished so far? 

16. Sure, these brochures are for whoever wants one. 

17. The topic of our dinner conversation was whether or not Lee could go on the class trip. 

18. What gift to take to the housewarming party was the question of the day. 

19. They were talking about where the new railroad tracks will run. 

20. Give whoever is elected the keys to the file cabinets. 






4g. 

Sentence Structure A 

The structure of a sentence is determined by the number and type of clauses it has. 

A sentence can be classified, depending on its structure, as simple, compound, complex, or 

compound-complex. 

Simple Sentences 

A simple sentence contains one independent clause and no subordinate clauses. 

S V 

EXAMPLES Mr. Romano designed the treehouse. [This is an independent clause 

because it makes sense on its own and has a subject, Mr. Romano, and its 

verb, designed.] 

S V 

Mr. Romano designed the treehouse but has 

V not built 

V it yet. [This 

independent clause makes sense on its own and has a subject, Mr. 

Romano, and a compound verb, designed and has built.] 

Compound Sentences 

A compound sentence contains two or more independent clauses and no subordinate clauses. 

A compound sentence may be divided by a comma and a coordinating conjunction such as 

and, but, for, yet, so, nor, or or. Sometimes, a semicolon separates the clauses. 

EXAMPLES He 

S V S V S V 

wore cowboy boots, she wore sandals, and I wore tennis shoes. [This 

sentence has three independent clauses. Commas separate these clauses, 

and the coordinating conjunction and signals the last independent clause.] 

He 

S V S V 

wore cowboy boots; she wore sandals. [This sentence has two 

independent clauses. A semicolon divides the clauses, so no coordinating 

conjunction is needed.] 

EXERCISE A Identify the structure of each of the following sentences. On the lines provided, write S for a 

simple sentence or CD for a compound sentence. 

Examples S 

1. Rocks and stones marked the trail and pointed the way. [This is a simple 

CD 

sentence with a compound subject and a compound verb. Both subjects, rocks 

and stones, have the same verbs, marked and pointed.] 

2. Either you will, or you won’t; there’s no in-between position. [This sentence 

has three independent clauses, so it is a compound sentence.] 

1. Dozens of paper cranes in all colors sat on the table, and the recycling can had only a 

few sheets of colored paper in it. [How many independent clauses are in the sentence?] 




2. Do the buses or subway run near there? [How many independent clauses are in the 

sentence?] 

3. A string of pearls is expensive, so a knot is tied in the string between each pearl. 

4. The tourists held up their binoculars, and an eagle soared above them. 

5. Modern art inspires many people but confuses some others. 

6. The barn is down the road a couple of miles from here. 

7. This is a dress rehearsal, everybody, so do your best. 

8. Will Psychology I or World Studies II be offered next semester? 

9. Slowly, transfer the solution into the beaker. 

10. The human eye can be fooled; just look at these optical illusions. 

Do not confuse a simple sentence with a compound subject or verb with a compound 

sentence. 

SIMPLE SENTENCE He 

S S V 

and his friends wore cowboy boots. [This sentence has a compound 

subject, He and friends, but only one verb, wore.] 

COMPOUND SENTENCE He 

S V S 

wore cowboy boots, and his friends did 

V NOTE 

,too. [This sentence has two 

independent clauses—He wore cowboy boots and his friends did, too. Each 

clause could stand alone as a complete sentence.] 

EXERCISE B Use a conjunction and a comma to combine each of the following pairs of simple sentences 

into a compound sentence. Use proofreading symbols to make your changes. 

, but 

Example 1. Mt. Rainier is a tall mountain. It is not the tallest mountain in the world. [Both of 

^ 

these simple sentences can become one compound sentence. A comma and the 

conjunction but join these two sentences together.] 

11. The soccer coach and her team practiced every day for months. They won the championship. 

[How can the word so be used to join these two sentences together?] 

12. Can raccoons swim? Do they not know how? 

13. Our city’s Fourth of July parade was a massive project. Hundreds of floats were presented. 

14. Meet the class in this room at 8:00 A.M. on Friday for the field trip. We’ll leave the building 

by 8:30 A.M. 

15. Wilma used to spend money quickly. Now she prefers to save it. 






4g. 

Sentence Structure B 

A sentence can be classified, depending on its structure, as simple, compound, complex, or 

compound-complex. 

Complex Sentences 

A complex sentence contains one independent clause and at least one subordinate clause. In 

the following example, the independent clause has been underlined once, and the subordinate 

clause has been underlined twice. 

EXAMPLE Although Ed likes to watch movies, he usually prefers to read. [Although Ed 

likes to watch movies is a subordinate clause. This clause cannot stand 

alone as a sentence, but it does have a subject and its verb. He usually 

prefers to read is an independent clause. This clause has a subject and its 

verb, and it can stand alone as a sentence.] 

EXERCISE A Underline each independent clause once and each subordinate clause twice in the sentences 

that follow. Hint: All items are complex sentences. 

Example 1. When the bell rang, students poured into the hallways. [Students poured into the 

hallways is an independent clause because it has a subject and a verb , and it could make 

sense on its own. When the bell rang is a subordinate clause because it has a subject and a 

verb, but it does not make sense on its own.] 

1. When the train approached the railroad crossing, the train whistle blew loudly. [Which part of 

the sentence would not make sense on its own? Which part would make sense on its own?] 

2. I will visit you every day while you are in the hospital. 

3. While the electricity was out, did Carlton light some candles? 

4. If the ice in the cooler melts, move the water bottles into the refrigerator. 

5. Myra’s confidence grew as the third game of the tennis match progressed. 

Compound-Complex Sentences 

A compound-complex sentence contains two or more independent clauses and at least one 

subordinate clause. 

EXAMPLE Although Ed likes to watch movies, he usually prefers to read; however, he 

doesn’t like to watch movies based on books. [This sentence has two 

independent clauses and one subordinate clause.] 




EXERCISE B Identify each of the following sentences as complex or compound-complex. First, underline 

all independent clauses once and all subordinate clauses twice. Then, write CX for complex or CD-CX for 

compound-complex on each line provided. 

Example CD-CX 1. When my brother went to college, I got his room, and it is great! [This 

sentence has two independent clauses and one subordinate clause. It is a 

compound-complex sentence.] 

6. Since Aunt Chi got her convertible, she drives it every day, yet she will not put the top 

down. [How many independent and subordinate clauses are in the sentence?] 

7. If Ida washes the dishes this evening, Ken will dry them. 

8. Because she has been saving money all year, Nina is proud of her savings account. 

9. Hundreds of pigeons lived in the tower, and every one of them knew the lady who fed 

them every day. 

10. Eric has had little time for games since he opened his lawn business. 

EXERCISE C Identify each of the following sentences as complex or compound-complex. Write CX for 

complex or CD-CX for compound-complex on the line provided. 

Example CD-CX 1. If you can try out for the play, I can, and I will. [This sentence is compound- 

complex because it has two independent clauses—I can and I will—and one 

subordinate clause, If you can try out for the play.] 

11. Although our neighbors have a satellite dish, we don’t have one. [Does this sentence 

have more than one independent clause?] 

12. That’s right; although this leaf may look plain, it will look much more interesting under 

the microscope. 

13. Because the gray fence hid the yard from public view, the children wondered who 

lived in the house on the corner. 

14. The tractor, which is a model from the 1940s, still runs fine. 

15. The tour of downtown is interesting; my favorite stop on the tour is the street that has 

several offbeat stores and restaurants. 





for CHAPTER 5: AGREEMENT pages 156=164 

5a. 

5c. 

Agreement of Subject and Verb A 

A verb should agree in number with its subject. 

A word that is singular in number refers to one person, place, thing, or idea. A word that is 

plural refers to more than one person, place, thing, or idea. A verb and a subject agree when 

they have the same number. 

Singular and Plural Subjects 

Singular subjects take singular verbs, and plural subjects take plural verbs. 

EXAMPLES The clock chimes every hour. [The singular verb chimes agrees with the 

singular subject clock.] 

Two girls in the orchestra play the oboe. [The plural verb play agrees with 

the plural subject girls.] 

Seven ears of corn are lying on the table. [The plural helping verb are 

agrees with the plural subject ears.] 

EXERCISE A Underline the verb form in parentheses that agrees in number with the subject in each of 

the following sentences. Hint:The subject has been underlined for you. 

Example 1. Melanie (is, are) studying cactuses in her spare time. [The singular helping verb is 

agrees with the singular subject Melanie.] 

1. The members of our football team (has, have) been lifting weights after school. [Is the subject of 

this sentence singular or plural?] 

2. Spiders (has, have) eight legs. 

3. Mississippi (lies, lie) between Louisiana and Alabama. 

4. (Does, Do) this flashlight need new batteries? 

5. Peaches (grows, grow) well in warmer climates. 

Compound Subjects 

A compound subject consists of two or more subjects that are joined by the connecting words 

and, or, or nor, and that have the same verb. 

EXAMPLE Carol and Jeremy take piano lessons from Mrs.Winters. [Carol and Jeremy 

form a compound subject because both share the same verb, take.] 

Subjects joined by and generally take a plural verb. 

EXAMPLE Cheese, yogurt, and milk are all dairy products. [The parts of this 

compound subject, Cheese, yogurt, and milk, are joined by and, so the 

subject takes the plural verb are.] 



for CHAPTER 5: AGREEMENT pages 156=164 continued 

5d. 

5e. 

Singular subjects joined by or or nor take a singular verb. Plural subjects joined by or or nor take 

a plural verb. 

EXAMPLES Either Lisa or her sister studies Italian. [The singular verb studies agrees 

with the two singular subjects Lisa and sister.] 

Neither the shelves nor the brackets are available. [The plural verb are 

agrees with the two plural subjects, shelves and brackets.] 

When a singular subject and a plural subject are joined by or or nor, the verb agrees with the 

subject nearer the verb. 

EXAMPLES My parents or my grandmother has the key to the gate. [The singular 

subject grandmother is nearer the verb, so the verb is singular.] 

My grandmother or my parents have the key to the gate. [The plural 

subject parents is nearer the verb, so the verb is plural.] 

EXERCISE B Circle each part of the compound subject in each of the following sentences. Then, 

underline the verb form in parentheses that agrees with the compound subject. 

Examples 1. (Is, Are) the window and door closed? [The singular subjects window and door are 

joined by and, so the verb form should be plural.] 

2. Either Coach McGee or her assistants (was, were) expecting a phone call. [The 

compound subjects are joined by or. The plural part of the compound subject, assistants, 

is nearer the verb, so the verb form should be plural.] 

6. The art paper and the charcoal pencils (belong, belongs) in the cabinet. [Do compound subjects 

joined by and take singular or plural verbs?] 

7. Neither the box nor the drawers (contain, contains) the part we need. [Which part of the 

compound subject joined by nor should the verb agree with?] 

8. Jody or Monica (is, are) going to the store. 

9. Lewis and Clark (was, were) famous American explorers. 

10. The dog or the children (have, has) been playing with the garden hose again. 

11. Either a robin or a sparrow (occupies, occupy) the nest outside my window. 

12. Pasta or rice (is, are) part of Phoebe’s daily diet. 

13. On scheduled evenings, the students and Ms. Soyer (gazes, gaze) at stars through 

a telescope. 

14. Neither rain nor heavy winds (has, have) damaged the building. 

15. The trees and the stream (look, looks) peaceful in the morning sunlight. 






Agreement of Subject and Verb B 


5b. 

Some indefinite pronouns are singular; others are plural. Certain indefinite pronouns may be 

either singular or plural, depending on how they are used. 

The indefinite pronouns anybody, anyone, anything, each, either, everybody, everyone, everything, 

neither, nobody, no one, nothing, one, somebody, someone, and something are singular. 

EXAMPLE Everyone expects rain. [Everyone is singular, so it takes a singular verb.] 

EXERCISE A Circle the subject in each of the following sentences. Then, underline the verb form in 

parentheses that agrees with the subject. 

Example 1. (Does, Do) anyone in the building know how this machine works? [Anyone is a 

singular subject, so it takes the singular helping verb Does.] 

1. Neither of these computers (works, work) properly. [Is the subject singular or plural?] 

2. (Has, Have) everyone signed the guest book? 

3. One of the cats always (scratches, scratch) the furniture. 

4. Each of the fruit salads (has, have) been eaten. 

5. (Does, Do) either of these CD players use batteries? 

The indefinite pronouns both, few, many, and several are plural. 

EXAMPLE Both enjoy camping. [Both refers to two things, so it takes a plural verb.] 

EXERCISE B Circle the subject in each of the following sentences. Then, underline the verb form in 


Example 1. Several of the parents in our area (is, are) hosting exchange students. [The plural 

subject Several should take the plural helping verb are.] 

6. Many of the endangered giant pandas (live, lives) in China. [Is the subject of this sentence 

singular or plural?] 

7. Together, both of Ellen’s cousins (visits, visit) Maine in the fall. 

8. Only a few of the onion bulbs (has, have) sprouted. 

9. Due to their instincts, several (dig, digs) their own dens. 

10. After the thunderstorm, both of the phones (quit, quits) working. 




The following indefinite pronouns may be either singular or plural, depending on how they 

are used in a sentence: all, any, more, most, none, and some. 

EXAMPLES Most of the lecture on dinosaurs was interesting. [Most refers to a single 

lecture, so it takes the singular verb was.] 

Most of the lectures on dinosaurs were interesting. [Most refers to more 

than one lecture, so it takes the plural verb were.] 

EXERCISE C Circle the subject in each of the following sentences. Then, underline the verb form in 


Example 1. All of the containers (was, were) sealed tightly. [All refers to the plural noun containers, 

so it takes the plural verb were.] 

11. None of that story (sounds, sound) believable. [Does the subject of this sentence refer to a plural or 

singular noun?] 

12. (Has, Have) any of the buses arrived yet? 

13. All of the orange (has, have) been eaten. 

14. Some of China’s natural resources (is, are) minerals, coal, tungsten, and tin. 

15. To help finish quickly, more of us (have, has) been assigned to the project. 

5l. 

Don’t and Doesn’t 

The contractions don’t and doesn’t should agree with their subjects. 

EXAMPLES Neta doesn’t write letters very often. [The contraction doesn’t agrees with 

the singular subject Neta.] 

We don’t live far from the museum. [The contraction don’t agrees with the 

plural subject We.] 

EXERCISE D Circle the subject of each of the following sentences. Then, underline the verb form in 


Example 1. Why (don’t, doesn’t) you ask for directions to their house? [The verb don’t agrees with 

the subject you.] 

16. (Don’t, Doesn’t) the actors work well with each other? [Is the subject singular or plural?] 

17. Charlie (doesn’t, don’t) have a camera that we can use. 

18. I (doesn’t, don’t) raise parakeets any more. 

19. (Don’t, Doesn’t) tales of Viking visits to North America appear in Viking epic stories? 

20. The knife (doesn’t, don’t) require sharpening. 






5p. 

Agreement of Pronoun and Antecedent A 

A pronoun should agree in both number and gender with its antecedent. 

REMINDER 

A pronoun takes the place of a noun or another pronoun. That noun or other 

pronoun is called the pronoun’s antecedent. 

Use singular pronouns to refer to singular antecedents. Use plural pronouns to refer to plural 

antecedents. 

EXAMPLES Scott played his guitar at the banquet. [The singular pronoun his agrees 

with the singular antecedent Scott.] 

The divers checked their gear carefully. [The plural pronoun their agrees 

with the plural antecedent divers.] 

EXERCISE A Circle the antecedent in each of the following sentences. Then, underline the pronoun in 

parentheses that agrees with the antecedent. 

Example 1. Stacie wrote (her, their) name on the test. [The singular pronoun her agrees with the 

singular antecedent Stacie.] 

1. Where will the Bartons spend (his, their) holiday? [What is the antecedent? Is the antecedent 

singular or plural?] 

2. Camels store fat, rather than water, in (its, their) humps. 

3. Before (she, they) left the campsite, did Laurel put out the campfire? 

4. Lake Superior takes (its, their) name from a French term meaning “Upper Lake.” 

5. Council members discussed (his, their) plans for the coming year. 

Some singular pronouns indicate gender—masculine, feminine, or neuter (neither masculine nor 

feminine). 

MASCULINE Wesley is washing his car. [The masculine pronoun his agrees with the 

masculine antecedent Wesley.] 

FEMININE Does Madeline ride her bike to school? [The feminine pronoun her agrees 

with the feminine antecedent Madeline.] 

NEUTER Because the roof was damaged, it had to be replaced. [The neuter pronoun 

it agrees with the neuter antecedent roof.] 

EXERCISE B Write an appropriate pronoun form on the line provided in each of the following sentences. 

Make sure that your pronouns agree in number and gender with their antecedents. Hint: Antecedents 

have been underlined for you. 




Example 1. After Nick left the house, he went to the bowling alley. [He is a singular pronoun 

that agrees with the masculine singular antecedent Nick.] 

6. Mary set own glass on the table. [What is the antecedent? Is the antecedent masculine or 

feminine?] 

7. The airline attendant tagged the luggage and put on the plane. 

8. Pete picked up his laundry and took it with . 

9. Whenever Susan goes to Washington, D.C., always visits the Smithsonian’s National 

Museum of Natural History. 

10. Does each brother have own room? 

5r. 

Compound Antecedents 

Pronouns agree with compound antecedents according to the following rules. 

(1) Use a plural pronoun to refer to two or more antecedents joined by and. 

EXAMPLE Jeff and Sidney wore their raincoats and galoshes. [The plural pronoun 

their agrees with the compound antecedent Jeff and Sidney.] 

(2) Use a singular pronoun to refer to two or more singular antecedents joined by or or nor. 

EXAMPLE Neither Laura nor Angie has bought her ticket yet. [Because the two 

antecedents, Laura and Angie, are singular and joined by nor, they take 

the singular pronoun her.] 

EXERCISE C Circle each part of the compound antecedent in each of the following sentences. Then, 

underline the pronoun in parentheses that agrees with the compound antecedent. 

Example 1. Many people eat apples and bananas because of (its, their) nutritional value. [The 

compound antecedent apples and bananas is plural, so the plural pronoun their agrees 

with the antecedent.] 

11. Either Greg or Jason needs help with (his, their) math assignment. [What is the compound 

antecedent? How are the parts of the compound antecedent joined?] 

12. Bottles and cans should be placed in (its, their) own recycling bin. 

13. Did Alex and Shane enter (his, their) sailboats in the race? 

14. Neither Julie nor Jane had (her, their) picture taken. 

15. Opossums and wombats carry (its, their) young inside pouches. 






Agreement of Pronoun and Antecedent B 


5q. 

Indefinite pronouns agree with their antecedents according to the following rules. 

(1) The indefinite pronouns anybody, anyone, anything, each, either, everybody, everyone, everything, 

neither, nobody, no one, nothing, one, somebody, someone, and something are singular. 

NOTE 

EXAMPLE Someone on the men’s baseball team forgot his glove. [The singular 

pronoun his agrees with the singular antecedent Someone.] 

If you don’t know whether the antecedent is masculine or feminine, or if the antecedent 

refers to both genders, use his or her. 

EXAMPLES Did somebody leave his or her car’s lights on? [Because the gender of the 

singular pronoun somebody is unknown, his or her renames the 

antecedent.] 

Everybody brought his or her book today. [Because the singular pronoun 

Everybody refers to both genders, his or her renames the antecedent.] 

(2) The indefinite pronouns both, few, many, and several are plural. 

EXAMPLE Several of the customers returned their purchases. [The plural pronoun 

their agrees with the plural antecedent Several.] 

EXERCISE A Circle the antecedent in each of the following sentences. Then, underline the pronoun in 

parentheses that agrees with it. 

Examples 1. Everyone finished (his or her, their) project on time. [His or her agrees with the singular 

antecedent Everyone.] 

2. Several of the water-skiers rented (his or her, their) skis from the boat shop. [The 

plural pronoun their agrees with the plural antecedent Several.] 

1. Has either of your brothers taken (his, their) driving test? [Is the antecedent plural or singular?] 

2. Why are so few of the band members wearing (his or her, their) uniforms? [Is the antecedent 

plural or singular?] 

3. No one is wearing (his or her, their) watch today. 

4. Everything in the display case is priced according to (its, their) size. 

5. Because both of the boys knew the song, (he, they) sang it together. 

6. Many of our citizens exercise (his or her, their) right to vote. 

7. Is one of the skillets missing (its, their) lid? 

8. Several of the countries in Europe replaced (its, their) own currencies with the euro. 




9. If somebody calls, tell (him or her, them) that I’ll be home in an hour. 

10. Few of the dancers in the company missed (his or her, their) training session. 

(3) The indefinite pronouns all, any, more, most, none, and some may be singular or plural depending 

on how they are used in a sentence. 

When the pronoun refers to a singular word, it is singular. When the pronoun refers to a plural 

word, it is plural. 

SINGULAR None of the building was safe, so the wrecking crew destroyed it. [It is used 

because None refers to only one building.] 

PLURAL None of the buildings were safe, so the wrecking crew destroyed them. 

[Them is used because None refers to more than one building.] 

EXERCISE B Circle the antecedent in each of the following sentences. Then, underline the pronoun in 

parentheses that agrees with it. 

Examples 1. If any of the paper cups are left, save (it, them) for the party. [Them is used because 

any refers to the plural noun cups.] 

2. Is most of the book interesting because (its, their) story is exciting? [Its is used 

because most refers to the singular noun book.] 

11. None of the casserole remains, so (it, they) must have been delicious. [Does the subject of this 

sentence refer to a plural word or to a singular word?] 

12. Some of the firm’s history is unknown because (it, they) was lost during the 1860s. [Does the 

subject of this sentence refer to a plural word or to a singular word?] 

13. If all of the apples are ripe, I will use (it, them) in the Waldorf salad. 

14. Do most of your neighbors sit on (his or her, their) front porches in the evening? 

15. Some of the tropical rain forests have been cleared for (its, their) lumber. 

16. All of the contestants in the art show may pick up (their, his or her) paintings on Monday. 

17. If you’re interested in buying (it, them), more of the tickets are available in the library. 

18. When any of the order arrives, (it, they) will need to be unpacked and checked for quality. 

19. Now, more of our visitors are satisfied with (his or her, their) tours of the museum. 

20. Because most of the tile has been shipped, (it, they) should arrive within a week. 





for CHAPTER 6: USING PRONOUNS CORRECTLY pages 193=195 

Case Forms of Personal Pronouns A: 

The Nominative Case 

Subjects 

6a. 

A subject of a verb should be in the nominative case. 

The subject of a verb tells whom or what the sentence is about. Nominative case pronouns 

include I, you, he, she, it, we, and they. 

TIP 

EXAMPLES He usually rides the bus to school. [He is the subject of the verb rides.] 

Did Mary and she study at the library? [Mary and she make up the 

compound subject of the verb Did study.] 

To determine which pronoun to use for a compound subject, try each form by itself as the 

subject of the verb. Then, choose the form that sounds better. 

EXAMPLE (She, Her) and (I, me) decorated the gymnasium. 

ASK She decorated or Her decorated? I decorated or me decorated? 

ANSWER She and I decorated the gymnasium. [She decorated and I decorated sound 

better, so she and I are the pronouns to use as parts of the compound 

subject.] 

EXERCISE A Underline the appropriate form of the pronoun in parentheses in each of the following 

sentences. 

Examples 1. Leon and (he, him) rode their skateboards through the park. [Leon and he is the 

compound subject of the verb rode.] 

2. Does (she, her) play basketball for the team? [She is the subject of the verb Does play.] 

1. Has (she, her) ever been to the art museum? [Which pronoun can be a subject of the verb Has been?] 

2. Danny and (I, me) rehearsed our lines together. [Try each pronoun by itself. Which sounds better?] 

3. (They, Them) brought the watermelon to the picnic. 

4. The Robertsons and (we, us) had a garage sale. 

5. Do (he, him) and (she, her) sit in the same row? 

6. Last week, (she, her) and Pauline adopted a stray cat. 

7. (We, Us) are building a footbridge across the creek. 

8. Because it’s been snowing, (they, them) have had to stay indoors. 

9. Yesterday afternoon, Len, Willie and (he, him), practiced their free throws. 

10. Should (they, them) water the garden and mow the lawn? 



for CHAPTER 6: USING PRONOUNS CORRECTLY pages 193=195 continued 

6b. 

The Predicate Nominative 

A predicate nominative should be in the nominative case. 

A predicate nominative completes the meaning of a linking verb and refers to the subject of 

the verb. A personal pronoun used as a predicate nominative usually completes the meaning 

of a form of the verb be. Common forms of the verb be are am, is, are, was, were, be, been, and 

being. 

TIP 

EXAMPLE The choir’s director is she. [She completes the meaning of the verb is and 

refers to the subject director.] 

Is the apartment manager he? [He completes the meaning of the verb is 

and refers to the subject manager.] 

To help you decide which pronoun form to use as a predicate nominative, try each form 

of the pronoun as the subject of the verb. Then, choose the form that sounds better. 

EXAMPLE The first runner to cross the finish line was (he, him). 

ASK He was or Him was? 

ANSWER The first runner to cross the finish line was he. [He was sounds better, so he 

is the pronoun to use as the predicate nominative.] 

EXERCISE B Underline the appropriate form of the pronoun in parentheses in each of the following 

sentences. 

Examples 1. It was (he, him) who painted the portrait. [He completes the meaning of the verb was.] 

2. It will be (me, I)! [I completes the meaning of the verb will be.] 

11. Is the librarian (she, her)? [Try each pronoun as the subject of the verb. Which sounds better—She 

is the librarian or Her is the librarian?] 

12. The schools that raised the most money are (they, them). [Which pronoun is in the nominative 

case?] 

13. The tournament champions are (we, us). 

14. Are the supreme court justices (they, them)? 

15. The chief engineer on the project is (she, her). 

16. She knocked on the door and said, “It is (I, me).” 

17. Your choice should be (they, them). 

18. The person responsible for your order has been (he, him). 

19. The first group of people with entry passes will be (we, us). 

20. The trees that will grow tallest are (they, them). 






Case Forms of Personal Pronouns B: The Objective Case 

Direct Objects 

6c. 

6d. 

A direct object should be in the objective case. 

Objective case pronouns include me, you, him, her, it, us, and them. 

A direct object answers the question Who or what receives the action of an action verb? When a 

pronoun receives the action of an action verb, an objective case pronoun should be used as the 

direct object. 

TIP 

EXAMPLES During practice, Sarah watched us. [Sarah watched whom? The pronoun us 

receives the action of the verb watched.] 

Please roll up the rugs and take them outside. [Take what outside? The 

pronoun them receives the action of the verb take.] 

To choose the correct pronoun when there is more than one direct object, try each pronoun 

by itself in the sentence. Which pronoun sounds right? 

EXAMPLE The camp director praised (she, her) and (I, me). 

ASK The camp director praised she or The camp director praised her? 

The camp director praised I or The camp director praised me? 

ANSWER The camp director praised her and me. [Praised her and praised me sound 

better than the other two choices, so her and me are the pronouns to use 

as direct objects.] 

EXERCISE A Underline the appropriate form of the pronoun or pronouns in parentheses in each of the 

following sentences. 

Example 1. Did you invite (she, her) for dinner? [Did you invite she doesn’t sound right. Use the 

objective case her.] 

1. The magnificent fireworks display delighted (we, us)! [Try each pronoun by itself. Which 

pronoun sounds right?] 

2. Has anyone seen (she, her) or (he, him) this morning? 

3. The tropical fish at the aquarium interested (they, them). 

4. Ms. Davidson greeted (he, him) and (I, me) at the door. 

5. When we launched our model rockets, our science teacher helped (we, us). 

Indirect Objects 

An indirect object should be in the objective case. 

Many sentences that contain direct objects also contain indirect objects. An indirect object may 

come between a direct object and an action verb. An indirect object answers the question, To 

whom or to what, or for whom or for what is the action of the verb done? 




EXAMPLE Grandmother often tells us stories about her childhood. [To whom does 

Grandmother tell stories? The pronoun us is the indirect object and 

comes before the direct object stories.] 

EXERCISE B Underline the appropriate form of the pronoun or pronouns in parentheses in each of the 


Example 1. Did Denise buy (they, them) a travel guide for their vacation? [Them is the indirect 

object that tells for whom Denise did buy the travel guide.] 

6. Will the committee award (they, them) a trophy? [Which pronoun is in the objective case?] 

7. Uncle Randy showed (he, him) and (I, me) his antique pocket watch. 

8. Did you bring (I, me) a souvenir from New York? 

9. Mr. Lions teaches (we, us) chess on Tuesdays. 

10. Monica gave (she, her) a music box for her birthday. 

6e. 

Objects of Prepositions 

An object of a preposition should be in the objective case. 

An object of a preposition is the noun or pronoun that follows a preposition. A prepositional 

phrase consists of a preposition, the object of the preposition, and any modifiers of that object. 

Some commonly used prepositions are in, to, for, from, behind, around, above, with, and next to. 

EXAMPLES I sent a postcard to her. [The pronoun her is the object of the preposition to.] 

After school, Lance came home with us. [The pronoun us is the object of 

the preposition with.] 

EXERCISE C Underline the appropriate form of the pronoun or pronouns in parentheses in each of the 


Example 1. He set his briefcase down beside (he, him). [The pronoun him is the object of the 

preposition beside.] 

11. We took our coats and backpacks with (we, us) on the train. [Which pronoun is in the objective 

case?] 

12. Did Lacy sit next to Jennifer and (they, them) in the cafeteria? 

13. Patricia stood behind (he, him) and (I, me). 

14. The counselor gave good advice to (she, her) and (I, me). 

15. Has anyone received a letter from (he, him)? 






Case Forms of Personal Pronouns C: 

The Possessive Case 

Personal pronouns in the possessive case are used to show ownership or possession. 

Possessive pronouns include my, mine, your, yours, his, her, hers, its, our, ours, their, and theirs. 

The possessive pronouns mine, yours, his, hers, its, ours, and theirs can be used in the same way 

that the personal pronouns in the nominative and objective cases are used. 

SUBJECT Mine is the one on the end of the row. 

PREDICATE NOMINATIVE The gift box with the red bow is yours. 

DIRECT OBJECT Sharon left hers in the car. 

INDIRECT OBJECT His dad leant ours a lawn mower. 

OBJECT OF PREPOSITION Our orchestra conductor sent an invitation to theirs. 

EXERCISE A Write an appropriate possessive pronoun in the space provided in each of the following 

sentences. Some items have more than one possible answer. 

Example 1. The bicycle with the blue handlebars is his 

. [His is a predicate nominative that 

tells whose bicycle.] 

1. I brought my binoculars with me, but Gerald left at home. [Whose binoculars did 

Gerald forget?] 

2. My grandfather showed me collection of records. 

3. is the one with the stripes. 

4. Our teacher mailed a thank-you note to . 

5. His friends showed how to play backgammon. 

The possessive pronouns my, your, his, her, its, our, and their are sometimes used to describe 

nouns and pronouns. (Some teachers prefer to call the possessive pronouns my, your, his, her, 

its, our, and their possessive adjectives. Follow your teacher’s instructions when using these 

terms.) 

EXAMPLES My jacket is warm. [My describes jacket. My is a possessive pronoun 

because it shows ownership.] 

Is this his book? [His describes book. His is a possessive pronoun because 

it shows ownership.] 

EXERCISE B Complete each of the following sentences by filling the blank with a possessive pronoun 

that shows ownership and makes sense. 

Example 1. Mrs. Douglas calls her grandchildren every weekend. [Her is a pronoun that 

shows ownership and makes sense.] 




6. Did Darren find bicycle helmet? [What possessive pronoun makes sense in the sentence?] 

7. They hung coats on the coat rack by the door. 

8. When will she pick up photographs? 

9. I hope that mother sends me a package soon. 

10. Have you finished essay yet? 

A noun or pronoun preceding a gerund generally should be in the possessive case. 

A gerund is the –ing form of a verb that functions as a noun. Because a gerund functions as a 

noun, a noun or pronoun that comes before a gerund should be in the possessive case in order 

to modify the gerund. 

NOTE 

EXAMPLE The teachers encouraged the students’ [or their] tutoring the younger 

children. [The gerund tutoring functions as a noun, so the pronoun their 

is in the possessive case.] 

Be careful not to confuse a gerund with a present participle, which is also a verb form 

that ends in –ing. Remember that a gerund functions as a noun; a present participle, 

however, functions as an adjective or as part of a verb phrase. A noun or pronoun that 

comes before a present participle should generally not be in the possessive case. 

EXAMPLE We hear birds [or them] singing happily every morning. [Birds comes before 

the present participle singing, so the pronoun them is not in the 

possessive case.] 

EXERCISE C Underline the appropriate pronoun in parentheses in each of the following sentences. 

Example 1. (Me, My) working on weekends has helped me earn extra money. [Working functions 

as a noun and is the subject of the sentence. My must be in the possessive case in order 

to modify the gerund working.] 

11. My parents worry about (me, my) handling dangerous chemicals in the lab. [Does handling 

function as a noun?] 

12. Has (him, his) extra studying helped his grades? 

13. (She, Her) living in the country has improved her health. 

14. Does (us, our) talking disturb you? 

15. (You, Your) learning CPR may help you save someone’s life. 






Special Problems in Pronoun Usage 

The Relative Pronouns Who and Whom 

6i. 

The use of who or whom in a subordinate clause depends on how the pronoun functions in the 

clause. 

Who and whoever are in the nominative case. Whom and whomever are in the objective case. To 

decide which form to use, find the subordinate clause and then determine how the pronoun is 

used in that clause—as a subject, a predicate nominative, a direct object, an indirect object, or 

an object of a preposition. 

If the pronoun is used as a subject or a predicate nominative in the subordinate clause, the 

pronoun should be in the nominative case. 

EXAMPLE Georgia gave me the phone number of the man who organizes the softball 

league. [Because who is the subject of the subordinate clause who 

organizes the softball league, it is in the nominative case.] 

EXERCISE A Underline the appropriate form of the pronoun in parentheses in each of the following 

sentences. 

Example 1. Do you know (who, whom) the last person to leave the building was? [Who is a 

predicate nominative: the last person was who. It should be in the nominative case.] 

1. Neil Armstrong was the first person (who, whom) walked on the moon. [Is the pronoun a 

subject or an object of the verb walked?] 

2. Do you know (who, whom) the ship’s captain is? 

3. (Whoever, Whomever) finds the missing puppy should call the owner immediately. 

4. I’m not certain (who, whom) the guests of honor are. 

5. The woman (who, whom) greeted us at the entrance is the vice-president. 

If the pronoun is a direct object, an indirect object, or an object of a preposition in the subordinate 

clause, then the pronoun should be in the objective case. 

EXAMPLES Alan, whom I saw at the store, is an electrician. [Whom is the direct object of 

the verb saw in the subordinate clause whom I saw at the store.] 

This is a woman for whom we feel great admiration. [Whom is the object of 

the preposition for.] 

EXERCISE B Underline the appropriate form of the pronoun in parentheses in each of the following 

sentences. 

Example 1. Michelle, with (who, whom) I carpool to dance class, is a senior. [Whom is the object of 

the preposition with.] 




6. Lynn, (who, whom) I met at camp, lives in Sacramento. [Is the pronoun a subject or object of the 

verb met?] 

7. The family for (who, whom) we are housesitting has gone to Germany. 

8. Ms. Atkins is the person to (who, whom) you should submit your application. 

9. From (who, whom) do you take karate lessons? 

10. Suzi, to (who, whom) we sent a card, is graduating from high school. 

6j. 

Appositives 

A pronoun used as an appositive should be in the same case as the word to which it refers. 

An appositive appears next to another noun or pronoun. The appositive identifies or describes 

that noun or pronoun. 

EXAMPLE The two finalists, he and I, will compete tomorrow. [The pronouns he and I 

identify the noun finalists, so he and I are called appositives.] 

Every appositive should be in the same case as the noun or pronoun the appositive identifies. 

If the appositive identifies a word in the nominative case, then the appositive should be 

nominative. If the appositive identifies a word in the objective case, then the appositive should 

be objective. 

NOMINATIVE The youngest passengers, he and she, boarded first. [The pronouns he and 

she are in the nominative case because he and she refer to the subject 

passengers.] 

OBJECTIVE Ms. Douglas gave instructions to the opposing squads, them and us. [The 

pronouns them and us are in the objective case because they refer to 

squads, the object of the preposition to.] 

EXERCISE C Underline the appropriate form of the pronoun in parentheses in each of the following 

sentences. 

Example 1. The conductor held a section rehearsal for (we, us) cello players. [The pronoun us is 

the object of the preposition for, so the pronoun should be in the objective case. The 

noun players is the appositive that describes the pronoun us.] 

11. The coach gave the team captains, Drew and (he, him), some last-minute pointers. [Captains is 

an indirect object. Which case should be used for an appositive of captains?] 

12. The first two parking spaces are reserved for the Volunteers of the Month, Kayla and (I, me). 

13. Should (we, us) cyclists park our bikes at the end of the street? 

14. The new students—Noreen, Marvin, and (I, me)—received an enthusiastic welcome. 

15. Our youth group gave a surprise party for our sponsors, Ms. Davis and (he, him). 





for CHAPTER 6: USING PRONOUNS CORRECTLY page 210 

6l. 

Clear Reference A 

A pronoun should refer clearly to its antecedent. 

By itself, a pronoun usually has no definite meaning. A pronoun takes the place of another 

word or word group. This word or word group is called the antecedent of the pronoun. A pronoun’s 

meaning is clear only when the antecedent is known. 

EXAMPLES Clara and Jacob finally met their new neighbors. [Their takes the place of 

Clara and Jacob. Clara and Jacob are the antecedents of their.] 

After Raymond mowed the lawn, he trimmed the hedges. [He takes the 

place of Raymond. Raymond is the antecedent of he.] 

EXERCISE A Draw an arrow from the underlined pronoun to its antecedent in each sentence. 

Example 1. The bushes in the garden have been trimmed, but they still need to be watered. 

[They takes the place of bushes. Bushes is the antecedent of the pronoun they.] 

1. Have the Hensons reserved their hotel room? [What word does their take the place of?] 

2. Nina made a shopping list, and then she went to the store. 

3. After school, Charlene went shopping with her mother. 

4. Have we already passed our favorite restaurant? 

5. Gloria lent her CD to Beth so that Beth could listen to it. 

Ambiguous Reference 

Avoid an ambiguous reference, which occurs when any one of two or more words can be a 

pronoun’s antecedent. 

TIP 

AMBIGUOUS Clark called Shaun while he was at work. [Who was at work, Clark or 

Shaun?] 

CLEAR While Clark was at work, he called Shaun. [The pronoun he clearly refers to 

the antecedent Clark.] 

CLEAR While Shaun was at work, Clark called him. [The pronoun him clearly refers 

to the antecedent Shaun.] 

One way to eliminate ambiguous reference is to replace the pronoun with a noun. 

Another way to avoid ambiguous reference is to rearrange the sentence to clarify the 

pronoun’s antecedent. 

AMBIGUOUS Dave sent his dad a letter while he was away. [Who was away, Dave or his 

dad?] 



for CHAPTER 6: USING PRONOUNS CORRECTLY page 210 continued 

CLEAR Dave sent his dad a letter while his dad was away. [Replacing the pronoun 

he with the noun dad fixes the ambiguous reference.] 

CLEAR While Dave was away, he sent his dad a letter. [Rearranging the sentence 

clarifies the antecedent and makes it clear that the pronouns he and his 

refer to Dave.] 

EXERCISE B Revise each of the following sentences to eliminate ambiguous references. You may need 

to add, delete, or rearrange words. 

Examples 1. While she was at lunch, Eileen paged Carla. [Who was at lunch, Eileen or Carla?] 

While Eileen was at lunch, she paged Carla. 

2. Jordan phoned Alex about the homework assignment because he missed school 

today. [Who missed school, Jordan or Alex?] 

Because Jordan missed school today, he phoned Alex about the homework assignment. 

6. Mrs. Gibson handed Amanda her sweater. [Whose sweater is it, Mrs. Gibson’s or Amanda’s?] 

7. Gloria told Anna she was an hour early. [Who was an hour early, Gloria or Anna?] 

8. Fred and Jason went to the market to help out his aunt. 

9. We did not take the boat to the dock while it was being repaired. 

10. When faculty members receive their schedules, they should be posted on their doors. 

11. While Jane visited her grandmother, they looked at a photo of her as a child. 

12. Has Greg given Marty his car keys? 

13. Fruits are healthier than sugary snacks because they contain many nutrients. 

14. She took the books off the shelves because they were falling apart. 

15. Maria wanted to put her ticket in her purse, but she couldn’t find it. 





for CHAPTER 6: USING PRONOUNS CORRECTLY page 211 

6l. 

Clear Reference B 

A pronoun should refer clearly to its antecedent. 

As you may remember, a pronoun by itself usually has no definite meaning. A pronoun 

usually stands for another word or word group called its antecedent. In your writing, you 

should always be able to identify clearly a pronoun’s antecedent. 

EXAMPLES Jay enjoys lifting weights in his spare time. [His takes the place of Jay. Jay is 

the antecedent of his.] 

Did Cameron and Nick bring their scuba gear? [Their takes the place of 

Cameron and Nick. Cameron and Nick are the antecedents of their.] 

EXERCISE A Draw an arrow from the underlined pronoun in each sentence to its antecedent. 

Example 1. Anita did her homework, and then she went to sleep. [The pronoun she refers to 

Anita. Anita is the antecedent of she.] 

1. When Roy and Zachary ride their skateboards, they wear blue safety helmets. [What words 

does they take the place of?] 

2. Isabella learned algebra from her aunt. 

3. The computer crashed, but the technicians repaired it right away. 

4. The cats that live there seem to think that the porch belongs to them. 

5. When Roger started working at the store, did he have to buy a uniform? 

General Reference 

Avoid a general reference. A general reference is the use of a pronoun that refers to a general idea 

rather than to a specific antecedent. 

GENERAL The girls visited several different cities, which was educational. [Which does 

not clearly refer to any word in the sentence.] 

CLEAR The girls’ visit to several different cities was educational. 

CLEAR The girls visited several different cities. Their trip was educational. 

Most general reference errors result from the misuse of the pronouns it, this, that, which, and 

such. When you use one of these pronouns, especially in writing, make sure that the pronoun 

has a clear antecedent. 

GENERAL In 1958, Bobbie opened a shoe store. That is what launched the family 

business. [That has no clear antecedent. To what specifically might that 

refer?] 

CLEAR In 1958,Bobbie opened a shoe store. That event launched the family business. 



for CHAPTER 6: USING PRONOUNS CORRECTLY page 211 continued 

EXERCISE B Each of the following items contains a general reference error. Revise each item to fix the 

general reference error. You may need to add, delete, or rearrange words. 

Example 1. I tried to fix the radio, but it was unsuccessful. [It does not clearly refer to any word in 

the sentence, so it should be replaced by the noun efforts.] 

2. I played soccer in the rain, which is why I’m muddy. [Which does not clearly refer to 

any word in the sentence, so the words should be rearranged.] 

6. Caleb overslept this morning. That is why he missed the bus. [What specifically does That 

refer to?] 

I tried to fix the radio, but my efforts were unsuccessful. 

I am muddy because I played soccer in the rain. 

7. We had hoped to see some dolphins on our boat trip, but it didn’t happen. [What didn’t happen?] 

8. Nelda studied for her history quiz, which is why she knew the answers. 

9. Grady found the keys inside the drawer. That is how he opened the cabinet. 

10. We didn’t win the basketball game, but it was close. 

11. Benjamin Franklin may have flown a kite during a thunderstorm. That may be how he proved 

his theories about electricity. 

12. Our biology class will study genetics next semester. I am looking forward to that. 

13. If everyone recycled, that would reduce waste substantially. 

14. Nadine had a dental appointment, which explains why she left early. 

15. If more people would participate in neighborhood watch programs, it might reduce crime. 





for CHAPTER 7: USING VERBS CORRECTLY pages 218=220 

The Principal Parts of Verbs A 

Regular Verbs 

7a. 

7b. 

Every verb has four principal parts, and each principal part is a different form of the same verb. 

The four principal parts of a verb are the base form, the present participle, the past, and the 

past participle. 

Principal parts of a verb are important because each principal part is used to show when the 

verb’s action happened. 

A regular verb generally forms its past and past participle by adding –d or –ed to the base form. 

All verbs form their present participle by adding –ing to the base form. In the following chart, 

helping verbs are shown in brackets because present participles and past participles cannot be 

used as verbs unless they are used along with helping verbs. 

REMINDER 

BASE FORM PRESENT PARTICIPLE PAST PAST PARTICIPLE 

answer [is] answering answered [have] answered 

march [is] marching marched [have] marched 

want [is] wanting wanted [have] wanted 

relax [is] relaxing relaxed [have] relaxed 

When you are using the past and past participle forms of a regular verb, be sure 

not to leave off the –d or –ed ending. 

NONSTANDARD Neil use to teach swim lessons. [Use is not the standard past form. A –d 

needs to be added to the verb.] 

STANDARD Neil used to teach swim lessons. [Used is the standard past form.] 

EXERCISE A Complete the following chart by writing the present participle, the past, and the past 

participle of each verb that is provided. 

Example 1. talk [is] talking 

talked [have] talked 

BASE PRESENT PAST PAST 

FORM PARTICIPLE PARTICIPLE 

1. earn [is] [have] 

[What needs to be added to earn to make each of the three other forms?] 

2. claim [is] [have] 

3. prevail [is] [have] 

4. challenge [is] [have] 

5. live [is] [have] 



for CHAPTER 7: USING VERBS CORRECTLY pages 218=220 continued 

A few regular verbs have alternate past and past participle forms that end in –t. The regular 

verbs deal and mean always form the past and past participle by adding –t. 

NOTE 

EXAMPLES Last night I dreamt that a frog had leapt into the bedroom. [The past form 

of dream can be spelled dreamed or dreamt. The past participle of leap can 

be leapt or leaped.] 

I meant to tell you that we have dealt with that company before. [The past 

form of mean is always meant. The past participle of deal is always dealt.] 

Most regular verbs that end in e drop the e before adding –ing. Some regular verbs 

double the final consonant before adding –ing or –ed. 

EXAMPLE While Crystal chatted with her interviewee, a device on the table was 

recording the conversation. [Chat is a regular verb that doubles the final 

consonant before –ed is added. The regular verb record just adds –ing.] 

EXERCISE B Complete each of the following sentences by writing the past form or the past participle 

form of the verb that is given in parentheses. 

Examples 1. (batter) The fierce winds have battered the houses along the shore. [Batter is a 

regular verb, so its past participle form is made by adding –ed to batter.] 

2. (glide) The skater glided gracefully over the ice. [Glide is a regular verb, so its 

past form is made by adding –d to glide.] 

6. (score) Chelsea the winning goal of the soccer championship. [Score is a regular 

verb. To make its past form, what letter do you need to add to the end?] 

7. (turn) Who off the light? [How do you form the past of a verb whose base form 

does not end in e?] 

8. (close) The post office at noon today. 

9. (shatter) The vase when it hit the floor. 

10. (mean) He had to take his binoculars with him. 

11. (reach) The temperature has a record high today. 

12. (hike) Last weekend, Jason and Ben on part of the Appalachian Trail. 

13. (gather) We fresh strawberries from a local farm. 

14. (trim) Mr. Shepherd has the hedges along the sidewalk. 

15. (type) I my history paper on the computer. 






The Principal Parts of Verbs B 

Irregular Verbs 

7c. 

An irregular verb forms its past and past participle in some way other than by adding –d or –ed 

to the base form. 

There is no set rule for making the past and past participle forms of irregular verbs. Even so, 

some patterns exist. An irregular verb forms its past and past participle in one of the following 

ways. 

(1) Changing consonants 

BASE FORM PAST PAST PARTICIPLE 

EXAMPLES build built [have] built 

lend lent [have] lent 

(2) Changing vowels 

EXAMPLES fight fought [have] fought 

ring rang [have] rung 

(3) Changing vowels and consonants 

EXAMPLES bring brought [have] brought 

go went [have] gone 

(4) Making no change 

EXAMPLES put put [have] put 

cut cut [have] cut 

COMMONLY USED IRREGULAR VERBS 

BASE FORM PAST PAST PARTICIPLE 

begin began [have] begun 

break broke [have] broken 

send sent [have] sent 

set set [have] set 

write wrote [have] written 

EXERCISE A Complete the following chart by writing the past form and the past participle form of each 

verb that is provided. Hint:The following verbs are irregular verbs. 

Examples 1. catch caught 

[have] caught 

2. swim swam [have] 

swum 

BASE PAST PAST 

FORM PARTICIPLE 

1. make [have] 

[Which letters of make will need to change in order to form its principal parts?] 




2. freeze [have] 

3. know [have] 

4. forgive [have] 

5. say [have] 

6. burst [have] 

7. choose [have] 

8. sell [have] 

9. grow [have] 

10. sleep [have] 

TIP 

People sometimes try to make irregular verbs follow the regular pattern. Verb forms such 

as catched, teached, thinked, and drived are nonstandard. Check a dictionary if you are not 

sure whether a verb is regular or irregular. The dictionary entries for irregular verbs list 

the principal parts. If an entry for a verb does not list the principal parts, then the verb is 

regular. 

EXERCISE B Underline the correct verb form in parentheses in each of the following sentences. 

Examples 1. Samantha has (goed, gone) to her art class. [The past participle form of go is gone.] 

2. We (began, beginned) our presentation with a demonstration. [The past form of begin 

is began.] 

11. Has Kenneth (becomed, become) a cabin leader yet? [How is the past participle of become formed?] 

12. The geometry teacher (drawed, drew) a diagram on the chalkboard. [How is the past form of 

draw formed?] 

13. The hotel staff (leaved, left) a mint on my pillow. 

14. Have you ever (rided, ridden) an elephant? 

15. The martial arts instructor (teached, taught) us how to break boards. 

16. I would have (writed, written) her a letter, but I couldn’t find her address. 

17. A mosquito just (flew, flied) past my ear. 

18. Has anyone here ever (runned, run) for public office? 

19. Brent (finded, found) his missing shoe under his bed. 

20. Has the mail (comed, come) yet? 






Lie and Lay; Sit and Set; Rise and Raise 

Lie and Lay 

The verb lie means “to rest,” “to recline,” or “to be in a place.” Lie does not take a direct object. 

The verb lay means “to put (something) in a place.” Lay usually takes a direct object. 

TIP 


lie [is] lying lay [have] lain 

lay [is] laying laid [have] laid 

EXAMPLES My shoes were lying on the floor. [The verb lie does not take a direct object.] 

The conveyor belt laid the suitcases on the baggage-claim carousel. [The 

conveyor belt laid what? The verb lay takes a direct object, suitcases.] 

Remember that lay means “to put (something) in a place.” When you are not certain 

whether to use lay or lie, replace the verb with a form of put. If the sentence makes sense 

with put, you should use lay. If not, you should use lie. 

EXAMPLE The coach is (lying, laying) down the chalk for the base lines. 

TEST The coach is putting down the chalk for the base lines. [Replace the verb 

with a form of put. Does the sentence make sense?] 

ANSWER The coach is laying down the chalk for the base lines. [Putting makes sense 

in this sentence, so laying is the correct verb form.] 

EXERCISE A In each of the following sentences, underline the appropriate verb in parentheses. 

Example 1. Canada (lies, lays) north of the United States. [The verb cannot be replaced by put, so 

the answer is lies.] 

1. Who (lay, laid) the book on top of my papers? [Can you substitute put for the verb?] 

2. The faded shirt had been (lying, laying) in the sun for days. 

3. (Lay, Lie) the quilt on top of the cedar chest. 

4. Did Janelle (lie, lay) her keys on the coffee table? 

5. Gordon found a dollar that was (lying, laying) on the sidewalk. 

Sit and Set 

The verb sit means “to rest in a seated, upright position” or “to be in a place.” Sit usually does 

not take a direct object. The verb set means “to put (something) in a place.” Set usually takes a 

direct object. 


sit [is] sitting sat [have] sat 

set [is] setting set [have] set 




EXAMPLES May I sit in this chair? [Sit means “to rest in a seated, upright position.” 

There is no direct object with sit.] 

Gloria set the magazine on the counter. [Set means “to put (something) in 

a place.” Magazine is the direct object of set.] 

EXERCISE B Underline the appropriate form of the verb in parentheses in each of the following sentences. 

Example 1. Did Michelle (set, sit) the water pitcher on the table? [The meaning is “to put 

(something) in a place,” so set is the correct verb.] 

6. Is anyone (setting, sitting) beside Gerald? [Is the meaning “to rest in a seated, upright position” or 

“to put (something) in a place”?] 

7. We (set, sat) our sleeping bags inside the tent. 

8. Please (set, sit) down your pencils when you are finished with the test. 

9. How long has that squirrel been (setting, sitting) on the tree branch? 

10. I hope that we can (set, sit) in the front row! 

Rise and Raise 

The verb rise means “to go up” or “to get up.” Rise does not take a direct object. The verb raise 

means “to lift” or “to cause (something) to rise.” Raise usually takes a direct object. 


rise [is] rising rose [have] risen 

raise [is] raising raised [have] raised 

EXAMPLES The screaming fans rose to their feet. [Rose means “got up.” There is no 

direct object with rose.] 

The screaming fans raised their arms in victory. [Raised means “lifted.” The 

direct object of raised is arms.] 

EXERCISE C Underline the appropriate verb in parentheses in each of the following sentences. 

Example 1. (Rise, Raise) your hand if you have a question. [The meaning is “to lift,” so Raise is the 

correct verb.] 

11. The river (rises, raises) quickly during a rainstorm. [Is the meaning “to go up” or “to lift”?] 

12. The temperature has (risen, raised) ten degrees since this morning. 

13. The attendant (rose, raised) the drawbridge so the ship could pass. 

14. The branches on the weeping willow tree gently (rose, raised) and fell with the wind. 

15. Would you please (rise, raise) the window and let in some fresh air? 






7d. 

Tense 

The tense of a verb indicates the time of the action or the state of being that is expressed by the 

verb. 

Each verb in English has six tenses: present, past, future, present perfect, past perfect, and 

future perfect. These tenses are formed from the four principal parts of verbs. 

REMINDER 

Every verb has four different forms called the principal parts. The four principal 

parts of verbs are made by changing some letters of a verb’s base form. 


dance [is] dancing danced [have] danced 

take [is] taking took [have] taken 

Each of the six tenses shows a different way of expressing time. 

PRESENT Every day, the actor rehearses his lines. [The present tense verb rehearses 

shows an action that is happening now.] 

PRESENT PERFECT The actor has rehearsed his lines several times. [The present perfect tense 

verb has rehearsed shows an action that happened sometime before now 

and may be continuing now.] 

PAST Yesterday, the actor rehearsed his lines. [The past tense verb rehearsed 

shows an action that happened in the past.] 

PAST PERFECT Before he went on stage, the actor had rehearsed his lines many times. [The 

past perfect verb had rehearsed shows an action that happened before a 

specific time in the past.] 

FUTURE The actor will rehearse his lines tomorrow. [The future tense verb will 

rehearse shows an action that will happen in the future.] 

FUTURE PERFECT By the time the play opens, the actor will have rehearsed his lines many 

times. [The future perfect tense verb will have rehearsed shows an action 

that will have happened before a specific time in the future.] 

EXERCISE A Identify the tense of the underlined verb in each of the following sentences. On the line provided, 

write present, past, future, present perfect, past perfect, or future perfect. 

Examples 1. By the end of our hike, we will have walked three miles. future perfect [Will 

have walked indicates an action that will have happened before a specific time in the 

future, the end of the hike.] 

2. The drill team marched in the parade. past [Marched indicates an 

action that happened in the past.] 

1. Nancy plays the guitar and the banjo. [When is the action happening?] 

2. Next week, our class will visit the planetarium. [Does the word will relate to 

past, present, or future?] 




3. Who left this package on the doorstep? 

4. Richard has read Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird three times. 

5. Ten years from now, technology will have provided surprising medical improvements. 

6. Mr. Jenkins discovered that he had deleted a file from his computer. 

7. Sarah takes aerobics classes on Monday evenings. 

8. By the time you reach the station, the bus will have arrived. 

9. Dinosaurs became extinct for reasons that are complex and mysterious. 

10. She has lived here since November. 

EXERCISE B Complete each of the following sentences by writing the verb tense in parentheses on the 

line provided. 

Examples 1. The officers have delegated tasks to the volunteers. (present perfect tense of 

delegate) [The verb delegate forms its present perfect tense by adding have to the past 

participle form delegated.] 

2. Until yesterday, I thought that Nicki was her middle name. (past tense 

of think) [The verb think forms its past tense with the past form thought.] 

11. The Watsons the next book club meeting. (future tense of host) [What 

helping verb is used for future tense?] 

12. That tree in this yard for over forty years. (present perfect tense of stand) 

[Does the present perfect tense need a helping verb?] 

13. Who paper plates and napkins to the picnic? (future tense of bring) 

14. Long ago, the ocean this part of the continent. (past tense of cover) 

15. Eliza a solo in the community talent show. (past tense of sing) 

16. The exchange students from Brazil home in May. (future tense of return) 

17. The old printer for the library’s computer documents more slowly than the 

new printer does. (past tense of print) 

18. Linda Latin since she was a child. (present perfect tense of study) 

19. At the end of this week, the kitten in our family for six months. (future 

perfect tense of be) 

20. Before Ann used oil paints, she watercolors. (past perfect tense of use) 






The Progressive Form 

Each of the six tenses has a form called the progressive form, which expresses continuing 

action or state of being. The progressive form is made up of the appropriate tense of the verb 

be and the present participle of a verb. The present participle is the –ing form of the verb. Here 

are three of the progressive forms of tenses. 

PRESENT PROGRESSIVE Our beagle is chasing that cat. [The present tense action, chase, 

is continuing.] 

PRESENT PERFECT PROGRESSIVE Our beagle has been chasing that cat. [The present perfect 

tense action, has chased, is continuing.] 

PAST PROGRESSIVE Our beagle was chasing that cat. [The past tense action, chase, is 

continuing.] 

EXERCISE A Complete each of the following sentences by writing the progressive form of the verb in 

parentheses on the line provided. Hint: Remember to use helping verbs with the main verb. 

Example 1. Are 

both of your sisters competing in the district spelling bee this 

year? (compete) [The present progressive form of the verb compete is Are competing.] 

1. The famous tower in Pisa since the Middle Ages. (lean) [How do you 

form the present perfect progressive of lean?] 

2. Small birds across the sky. (streak) 

3. That cat on the windowsill all day! (lie) 

4. In the photo, a grizzly bear in the river for salmon. (wait) 

5. the news reporter that same story again? (repeat) 

Three more progressive forms of tenses are past perfect progressive, future progressive, and future 

perfect progressive. Making the progressive forms of these tenses is the same as it is for the other 

tenses: The progressive form is made up of the appropriate tense of the verb be and the present 

participle of the main verb. 

PAST PERFECT PROGRESSIVE Our beagle had been chasing that cat. [The past perfect tense 

action, had chased, is continuing.] 

FUTURE PROGRESSIVE Our beagle will be chasing that cat. [The future tense action, 

will chase, is continuing.] 

FUTURE PERFECT PROGRESSIVE Soon, our beagle will have been chasing that cat for ten minutes. 

[The future perfect tense action, will have chased, is continuing.] 




EXERCISE B Complete each of the following sentences by writing the progressive form of the verb in 

parentheses on the line provided. Hint: Remember to use helping verbs with the main verb. 

Example 1. By noon, we had been addressing envelopes for two hours. (address) [The past 

perfect progressive form of address is had been addressing.] 

6. that factory car parts ever since the 1950s? (produce) 

[How do you form the present perfect progressive of produce?] 

7. After dinner, the toddlers a game on the lawn. (play) 

8. In two months, Mom in the choir for three years. (participate) 

9. Tanya and Raul food at a shelter on Thanksgiving. (serve) 

10. Before the major discovery, detectives that particular case for several 

years. (research) 

EXERCISE C Identify the tense of the underlined verb in each of the following sentences. On the line 

provided, write present progressive, past progressive, future progressive, present perfect progressive, past 

perfect progressive, or future perfect progressive. 

Example 1. Monarch butterflies have been migrating to this area for years. 

present perfect progressive [The action started in the past and is continuing. 

Therefore, the verb is in the present perfect progressive tense.] 

11. In the next few years, the castle on the hill will be reopening as a museum. 

continuing?] 

12. Are you reading the novel that Mr. Rios recommended? 

[When is the action happening? Is the action continuing?] 

[When will the action be happening? Will the action be 

13. Deer have been gathering on this lawn in the late evenings. 

14. The photographer had been working for the magazine for a decade. 

15. This glacier has been moving gradually over this wide section of rocks. 






7e. 

The Uses of the Tenses 

Each of the six tenses has its own uses. 

As you may remember, each verb in English has six tenses: present, past, future, present 

perfect, past perfect, and future perfect. A verb’s tenses indicate different ways of expressing 

time. In other words, a verb’s tense shows when something happened. 

The present tense shows an action or a state of being that is occurring now, at the present time. 

EXAMPLE Stephanie takes violin lessons. [Takes is in the present tense. Stephanie 

currently takes violin lessons.] 

The past tense shows an action or state of being that occurred in the past and did not continue 

into the present. 

EXAMPLE The captain gave us a tour of the ship. [Gave shows an action that happened 

in the past.] 

The future tense shows an action or a state of being that will occur. The future tense is usually 

formed by adding the helping verb will or shall to the main verb. 

EXAMPLE I will send you a postcard when I arrive. [Will send shows an action that 

will be happening in the future.] 

EXERCISE A Identify the tense of the underlined verb in each of the following sentences. On the line 

provided, write present, past, or future. 

Example 1. Last week, many students hoped for an invitation to the event. past 

[The 

action of the sentence, hoped, happened in the past. Therefore, the verb is in the past 

tense.] 

1. Dr. Earle, the anthropologist, will research this area for a few years. [Is the action 

of the verb happening now, in the past, or in the future?] 

2. What was wrong with the dishwasher? 

3. How do sharks communicate? 

4. Professor Goldberg will deliver the keynote address next weekend. 

5. Cathy showed the tour group where to go. 

The present perfect tense shows an action or a state of being that occurred at an indefinite time 

in the past. In other words, this tense shows action that happened sometime before now and 

may be continuing now. The present perfect tense is usually formed with the helping verb have 

or has and the past participle of a verb. 

EXAMPLE We have seen this movie. [Have seen indicates an action that occurred at 

an indefinite time in the past.] 




The past perfect tense shows an action or a state of being that ended before another past action 

or state of being happened. The past perfect tense is usually formed with the helping verb had 

and the past participle of the verb. 

EXAMPLE Phillip discovered that his mother had lived here as a child. [Had lived 

describes an action that ended before another past action, the 

discovering, happened.] 

The future perfect tense shows an action or a state of being that will end before another future 

action or state of being. The future tense is usually formed with the helping verbs shall have or 

will have and the past participle of a verb. 

EXAMPLE By tomorrow, we will have finished painting the house. [Will have finished 

indicates an action that will end before another future state of being.] 

EXERCISE B Identify the tense of the underlined verb in each of the following sentences. On the line 

provided, write present, past, future, present perfect, past perfect, or future perfect. Also indicate if the tense 

is in the progressive form. 

Examples 1. Wade has been landscaping the yard. present perfect progressive [The helping 

verb has is used with the present perfect tense. The helping verb been and the –ing at 

the end of the verb show that this is the progressive form.] 

2. Delores had seen us from a distance. past perfect 

[The helping 

verb had is used with the past perfect tense.] 

6. The Stewarts moved to Nevada. [Which tense of the verb move 

is used?] 

7. Dennis and Linda will register the guests. [Which tense of the 

verb register is used?] 

8. By the afternoon, the direction of the wind had shifted. 

9. The supervisor discovered that he had been reading the plans upside down. 

10. Kelsie was waiting for us at the gate. 

11. I learned the art of sculpting. 

12. Are they planning a brunch for their garden club? 

13. By evening, the archaeologists will have unearthed a few treasures. 

14. The lion defended its territory. 

15. Will the plane depart on schedule? 






7f. 

Consistency of Tense 

Do not change needlessly from one tense to another. 

As you know, the tense of a verb shows when an action or state of being occurs. When you 

describe events that occur at the same time, use verbs in the same tense. 

EXAMPLES Jerry shouted and threw his arms in the air as he won the tennis match. 

[All three actions happened at the same time in the past, so all three 

verbs are in the past tense.] 

Jerry shouts and throws his arms in the air as he wins the tennis match. [All 

three actions are happening now, so all three verbs are in the present 

tense.] 

EXERCISE A Revise each of the following sentences so that all of the verbs in the sentence are in the 

same tense. Write your revised sentences on the lines provided. 

Examples 1. Yesterday, Marvin loses his sunglasses while he was at the beach. [The adverb 

Yesterday indicates that the action occurred in the past. Change the present tense verb 

loses to the past tense lost.] 

Yesterday, Marvin lost his sunglasses while he was at the beach. 

2. The choir rehearses on Thursdays and usually invited the public. [Change the past 

tense verb invited to the present tense invites to be consistent with the present tense 

verb rehearses.] 

The choir rehearses on Thursdays and usually invites the public. 

1. Tomorrow, we will order the flowers and are meeting with the caterer. [What tense is suggested 

by Tomorrow? Which verb is not consistent with that tense?] 

2. Last summer, Anthony played soccer and joins the swim team. [What tense is suggested by Last 

summer? Which verb is not consistent with that tense?] 

3. Most people live and will work in the same town. 

4. During the game, the fans cheer and waved banners. 




5. Jean reads German and spoke Italian. 

6. The council members meet only when there was a problem. 

7. Eileen always took her cell phone with her when she goes to the store. 

8. Did you see which way my dog has run? 

9. The balloon makes a loud noise when it burst. 

10. Is Jesse sick, or was he just tired? 

When describing events that occur at different times, use verbs in different tenses to show the 

sequence of events. 

EXAMPLES Barbara mentioned that she had made an appointment for tomorrow. [The 

past tense mentioned is correct because the action of mentioning 

happened in the past. The past perfect tense had made is correct because 

the action of making was completed before the action of mentioning.] 

Laurie is knitting a scarf for her brother and will give it to him for his 

birthday. [The present progressive tense is knitting is correct because the 

action of knitting is occurring now. The future tense will give is correct 

because the action of giving will happen in the future.] 

EXERCISE B Make the following sentences clearer by correcting the tense of the underlined verb. Cross 

out the underlined verb, and write the appropriate verb above it. 

will remove 

Example 1. Jessica hopes that the doctor removed her cast tomorrow. [The action of removing will 

happen in the future, so the future tense verb will remove is appropriate.] 

11. The building inspector found a fracture that worsened if it isn’t repaired. [When does the 

action of worsening occur?] 

12. Next week, our history teacher will tell us what happens during World War II. 

13. I will mop the floor after I swept it. 

14. Dale works at the mall, but after tomorrow he will have been working at the supermarket. 

15. Will you tell Evan that Brad was moving to Portland two weeks ago? 






7h. 

Active and Passive Voice 

TIP 

When the subject of a verb performs the action, the verb is in the active voice. When the subject 

of a verb receives the action, the verb is in the passive voice. 

ACTIVE VOICE The mechanic rotated the tires on that car. [The verb rotated is in the 

active voice because the subject, mechanic, performs the action.] 

PASSIVE VOICE The tires on that car were rotated by the mechanic. [The verb were rotated 

is in the passive voice because the subject, tires, receives the action.] 

ACTIVE VOICE The critics rated those films. [The verb rated is active because the subject, 

critics, performs the action.] 

PASSIVE VOICE Those films were rated by the critics. [The verb were rated is passive 

because the subject, films, receives the action.] 

Choosing between the active voice and the passive voice is a matter of style. Nevertheless, 

sometimes the passive voice can sound awkward or weak. 

PASSIVE VOICE Lunch will be made by me. [This sentence sounds awkward. The passive 

voice is too wordy for this otherwise simple sentence.] 

ACTIVE VOICE I will make lunch. [This active voice makes the sentence simpler, and it 

sounds more natural.] 

EXERCISE A Identify the voice of each of the following underlined verbs by writing active or passive on 

the line provided. 

Examples active 1. We tossed the horseshoes at the iron stake. [The verb is in the active 

passive 

voice because the subject We performs the action.] 

2. The instructions are given at the top of the page. [The verb is in the 

passive voice because the subject instructions receives the action.] 

1. The crumbling building was demolished by the wrecking crew. [What is the 

subject? Does the subject perform the action or receive the action?] 

2. Howard took a picture of the Washington Monument. [Is the subject performing 

the action?] 

3. Some useful sewing techniques were demonstrated at the craft show. 

4. The wheelbarrow was covered with mud. 

5. Rosalind has taught physics at the community college for years. 

6. The children played soccer after school. 

7. A versatile product, beeswax is used in candles, cosmetics, and art. 

8. The spider spun an intricate web over the doorway. 

9. Did Nancy lend her pen to Christine? 




10. The woodcarvings were crafted in fine detail. 

A verb in the active voice has a direct object. A direct object tells who or what receives the 

action of the verb. A verb in the passive voice does not have a direct object. 

S DO 

ACTIVE VOICE The state police will enforce the speed limit. [The subject police performs 

the action; the direct object limit receives the action.] 

S 

PASSIVE VOICE The speed limit will be enforced by the state police. [The subject limit 

receives the action; the verb does not have a direct object.] 

A verb in the passive voice is made by combining a form of the verb be and the past participle 

form of the verb. A verb in the passive voice is sometimes followed by a prepositional phrase 

that begins with by and tells who or what performs the action. 

EXAMPLES The quilts for the auction were donated. [Were is a form of the verb be. 

Donated is the past participle of the verb donate. Were donated is in the 

passive voice. The performer of the action, or who donated the quilts, is 

not stated.] 

The quilts for the auction were donated by the Heritage Society. [The 

subject quilts receives the action described by the verb. The performer of 

the action is the Heritage Society. The object of the preposition by is 

Heritage Society.] 

EXERCISE B Identify the verb in each of the following sentences as active or passive. Then, if the verb is 

in the passive voice, revise the sentence so that the verb is in the active voice. If the verb is in the active 

voice, revise the sentence so that the verb is in the passive voice. 

Example 1. That barn was built by my grandfather. [The verb was built is passive because the 

subject barn receives the action.] 

passive—My grandfather built that barn. 

11. Did Pattie develop the film? [Does the subject of the verb perform or receive the action?] 

12. Crossing guards help the children cross the street. 

13. Many highways are lined by billboards. 

14. In the Civil War, the Confederate army was defeated by the Union army. 

15. Conservationists planted those seedlings. 





for CHAPTER 8: USING MODIFIERS CORRECTLY pages 264=267 

8b. 

Degrees of Comparison 

Modifiers change form to show comparison. 

The three degrees of comparison are positive, comparative, and superlative. 

Regular Comparison 

POSITIVE COMPARATIVE SUPERLATIVE 

ONE SYLLABLE fine finer finest 

TWO SYLLABLES sticky stickier stickiest 

fully more fully most fully 

THREE OR MORE SYLLABLES thoroughly more thoroughly most thoroughly 

considerate more considerate most considerate 

To show a decrease in the qualities modifiers express, use less in forming the comparative 

degree and least in forming the superlative degree. 


fortunate less fortunate least fortunate 

EXERCISE A Write the comparative and superlative degrees of the modifiers on the lines provided 

according to the instructions given in each of the items below. 

Example 1. decreasing degrees of late 

Comparative Superlative 

[The decreasing degrees of late are formed by using less and least.] 

1. increasing degrees of helpful 

Comparative Superlative 

[How many syllables are in helpful? Which of the two possible correct choices sounds right?] 

2. increasing degrees of complicated 

3. decreasing degrees of lucky 

4. increasing degrees of alert 

5. increasing degrees of high 

Irregular Comparison 

less late 

Some modifiers in the comparative and superlative degrees are formed in different ways. 


bad, badly, ill worse worst 

good, well better best 

little less least 

least late 



for CHAPTER 8: USING MODIFIERS CORRECTLY pages 264=267 continued 

many, much more most 

far farther or further farthest or furthest 

EXERCISE B Underline the appropriate comparative or superlative form of the modifier given in 

parentheses in each of the following sentences. 

Example 1. The weather is (badder, worse) today than it was yesterday. [The comparative form of 

bad is worse.] 

6. Don has many baseball cards, but his brother has (more, manier). [How is the comparative 

degree of many formed?] 

7. Of all the musicians in the orchestra, Lee plays her instrument (best, goodest). 

8. My trip to London was the (much, most) exciting of my life! 

9. Claudia has (less, littler) time to practice on Wednesdays than on Thursdays. 

10. Seattle is (more far, farther) away from our city than Denver is. 

Use of Comparative and Superlative Forms 

When comparing two things, use the comparative degree. When comparing more than two 

things, use the superlative degree. 

EXAMPLES I think that skiing is more exciting than bowling. [Two sports, skiing and 

bowling, are being compared, so the comparative degree is used.] 

I think that skiing is the most exciting sport. [Skiing is being compared to 

all other sports, so the superlative degree is used.] 

EXERCISE C Underline the appropriate comparative or superlative form of the modifier given in 

parentheses in each of the following sentences. 

Example 1. Is Kim the (more, most) energetic debater on the team? [Because more than two things 

are being compared, the superlative degree is used.] 

11. Isn’t the Mississippi River (longer, longest) than the Rio Grande? [How many things are being 

compared in this sentence?] 

12. This cartoon is one of the (funnier, funniest) cartoons ever written! 

13. The (larger, largest) ocean animal is the blue whale. 

14. Of these two pairs of shoes, which is (less, least) comfortable? 

15. Because of his repairs, Roberto’s engine runs (more, most) smoothly ‘than Michael’s. 





for CHAPTER 8: USING MODIFIERS CORRECTLY page 270 

00a. 8g. 

Placement of Modifiers A: Dangling Modifiers 

Avoid using dangling modifiers. 

A dangling modifier is a modifying word or word group that does not clearly and logically 

modify another word or word group in a sentence. 

DANGLING While painting the house, paint spilled onto the sidewalk. [Was the paint 

painting the house?] 

CLEAR While painting the house, I spilled paint onto the sidewalk. 

DANGLING Exhausted, a break was taken. [Was the break exhausted?] 

CLEAR Exhausted, the search party took a break. 

DANGLING Gazing calmly into the water, the stream rushed noisily past. [Did the 

stream gaze calmly into the water?] 

CLEAR Gazing calmly into the water, we listened as the stream rushed noisily past. 

EXERCISE A Underline the dangling modifier in each of the following sentences. 

Example 1. Reaching the top of the mountain, some magnificent views were enjoyed. [The word 

group Reaching the top of the mountain is dangling because its subject is missing.] 

1. Shifting his weight suddenly, the canoe tipped over. [Did the canoe shift its weight?] 

2. While delivering newspapers, the two Great Danes barked. 

3. Having lived near the cliffs for several years, the area was quite familiar. 

4. Although nervous, Ms. Oakley’s speech was a success. 

5. Climbing to the top of the stairs, the toddler’s shoe fell off his foot. 

6. Having asked for assistance, the computer was quickly repaired. 

7. Cracked after a fall, Christy used glue for her repairs. 

8. Having sold us new umbrellas, the rain didn’t bother us at all. 

9. Hungry after so much work, a well-cooked meal was wanted. 

10. After marching for so long, a brief rest was called for. 



for CHAPTER 8: USING MODIFIERS CORRECTLY page 270 continued 

Most dangling modifiers come at the beginnings of sentences. There are at least two ways to 

correct such dangling modifiers: (1) Add a subject to the word group that comes at the 

beginning of the sentence; or (2) Place the word being modified immediately after the comma 

that follows the word group at the beginning of the sentence. 

DANGLING While driving home from work, Alan’s car ran out of gas. [Was the car driving 

home from work?] 

CLEAR While Alan was driving home from work, his car ran out of gas. [The subject 

Alan is added to the word group that begins the sentence.] 

DANGLING Concerned for our safety, a self-defense class was taught to us. [Was the 

self-defense class concerned for our safety?] 

CLEAR Concerned for our safety, the officer taught us a self-defense class. [The 

subject officer is added immediately after the comma that follows the 

word group that begins the sentence.] 

EXERCISE B Underline the dangling modifier in each of the following sentences. Then, on the line 

provided, rewrite each sentence to eliminate the dangling modifier. 

Example 1. After tabulating the results, the winner was announced. [In order to eliminate the 

dangling modifier, a subject can be added to the phrase that begins the sentence.] 

After the judges tabulated the results, the winner was announced. 

11. While exploring the cave, some ancient writings were discovered. [Who was exploring the cave?] 

12. After receiving a catalog, five dollars was sent to the company’s headquarters. 

13. Completing several space walks, the damaged satellite was repaired. 

14. Visiting Mackinac Island in Lake Huron, a boat can be taken. 

15. After running around with muddy paws, the rug had to be vacuumed. 





for CHAPTER 8: USING MODIFIERS CORRECTLY pages 271=274 

8h. 

Placement of Modifiers B: Misplaced Modifiers 

Avoid using misplaced modifiers. 

A misplaced modifier is a modifying word or word group that seems to modify the wrong 

word or word group in a sentence. To avoid misplaced modifiers, place words, phrases, or 

clauses as near as possible to the words they modify. 

Misplaced One-Word Modifiers 

NOTE 

MISPLACED Distracted, the baseball sailed past the center fielder. [Was the baseball 

distracted?] 

CLEAR The baseball sailed past the distracted center fielder. 

To show clearly the meaning you intend, place one-word modifiers such as almost, even, 

hardly, just, merely, nearly, not, and only directly before the words they modify. 

EXAMPLES We wash clothes only on Saturdays. [Saturdays are the only days we 

wash clothes.] 

We wash only clothes on Saturdays. [On Saturdays, we wash nothing but 

clothes.] 

We only wash clothes on Saturdays. [On Saturdays, we don’t do anything 

but wash clothes.] 

EXERCISE A Circle the misplaced modifier in each of the following sentences. Then, draw an arrow to 

where the modifier should go in the sentence. 

Example 1. Those squirrels just moved into that tree three weeks ago. [Logically, just does not 

modify moved, but instead modifies three–they moved just three weeks ago.] 

1. Lost, the ranger station was a welcome sight to the campers. [Is the ranger station lost?] 

2. I have almost visited every state in the Union. 

3. Imaginative, the art kit entertained the child for hours. 

4. Because Karen wasn’t staying long, she only brought one suitcase. 

5. Sturdy, the copiers nearly worked for twenty-three hours a day. 

Misplaced Phrase and Clause Modifiers 

Place adjective phrases, adverb phrases, and verbal phrases near the words they modify. 

MISPLACED Glen filmed a rare bird perching in the tree with his video camera. [Was the 

bird perching with the video camera?] 

CLEAR With his video camera, Glen filmed a rare bird perching in the tree. 



for CHAPTER 8: USING MODIFIERS CORRECTLY pages 271=274 continued 

Place adjective and adverb clauses near the words they modify. 

MISPLACED Olympic athletes receive gold medals who win their events. [Medals do not 

win events.] 

CLEAR Olympic athletes who win their events receive gold medals. 

MISPLACED For lunch I ate tomato soup and crackers, which is my favorite soup. 

[Crackers are not a soup.] 

CLEAR For lunch I ate tomato soup, which is my favorite soup, and crackers. 

EXERCISE B Circle the misplaced phrase or clause modifier in each of the following sentences. Then, 

draw an arrow to where the modifying phrase or clause should go in the sentence. 

Examples 1. Bart built a model of the Eiffel Tower using toothpicks. [Bart, not the Eiffel Tower, 

used toothpicks.] 

2. The carpenters forgot their tools who were building cabinets. [The carpenters, not 

the tools, were building the cabinets.] 

6. The research assistant sifted through stacks of papers working late into the evening. [Are the 

papers working late into the evening?] 

7. Kristie couldn’t hear the speaker who made the announcements because she was sitting in the 

back row. [Was the speaker sitting in the back row?] 

8. Albert Einstein made many scientific advances developing new theories. 

9. We stored the bicycle in the garage with the broken handlebars. 

10. Penicillin was discovered by Alexander Fleming, which is still prescribed by doctors today. 

11. The computer is making strange noises on the left. 

12. Did the detective find any clues to the mystery who took the case? 

13. Niagara Falls attracts many tourists lying on the border between Canada and New York State. 

14. The car stopped just in time that was skidding on the icy bridge. 

15. Redwoods grow on the West Coast of the United States, which are the tallest living trees. 





for CHAPTER 9: A GLOSSARY OF USAGE pages 283=288 

Glossary of Usage A 

accept, except Accept is a verb that means “to receive.” Except may be used as either a verb or 

a preposition. As a verb, except means “to excuse” or “to leave out.” As a preposition, except 

means “excluding.” 

EXAMPLES Ronald accepted the award. [You can replace accepted with received.] 

Returning students are excepted from paying the registration fee. [You can 

replace excepted with excused.] 

Everyone was late except Jill. [You can replace except with excluding.] 

ain’t The word ain’t is nonstandard. Do not use ain’t in formal speaking or writing. 

EXAMPLE Bobby isn’t [not ain’t] going to the baseball game. 

a lot A lot should always be written as two words. A lot is often used informally as a noun 

meaning “a large number or amount” or as an adverb meaning “a great deal” or “very much.” 

In formal writing and speaking, try to avoid using a lot. 

INFORMAL A lot of people attended the celebration. 

FORMAL A large number of people attended the celebration. 

INFORMAL This week’s vocabulary test was a lot easier than usual. 

FORMAL This week’s vocabulary test was much easier than usual. 

EXERCISE A Underline the word or word group in parentheses that is correct according to formal, 

standard English. 

Examples 1. Our school collected (a lot, a large number) of stuffed animals for the children’s 

shelter. [A lot is informal.] 

2. (Ain’t, Aren’t) you taking a sculpting class? [Ain’t is nonstandard.] 

1. Will you (accept, except) my help? [Which word means “to receive”?] 

2. The injured owl will require (a great deal, a lot) of care. [Which word group is preferred in formal, 

standard English?] 

3. This is your scarf, (ain’t, isn’t) it? 

4. The Humane Society has (a large number, a lot) of animals available for adoption. 

5. (Ain’t, Isn’t) this a saltwater aquarium? 

6. Does the literary magazine (except, accept) student submissions? 

7. Our math teacher is (a lot, much) taller than our science teacher. 

8. Are college students over thirty-five years of age (excepted, accepted) from taking a physical 

education class? 

9. I brought everything for the camping trip (accept, except) my compass. 

10. Whales and dolphins (aren’t, ain’t) fish; they are mammals. 



for CHAPTER 9: A GLOSSARY OF USAGE pages 283=288 continued 

at Do not use at after where. 

NONSTANDARD Where is the party at? 

STANDARD Where is the party? 

between, among Use between when referring to two individuals or items at a time. Use among 

when referring to a group rather than to separate individuals or items. 

EXAMPLES The lizard scurried between the two potted plants. [Between the two potted 

plants refers to two items.] 

The news quickly circulated among the class. [Among the class refers to a 

group of individuals.] 

bring, take Bring means “to come carrying something.” Take means “to go away carrying 

something.” Think of bring as related to come and take as related to go. 

EXAMPLES Please bring bread when you come for dinner. [Bring is related to come.] 

Take a jacket with you when you go to school. [Take is related to go.] 

could of Use have, not of, with the helping verbs could, should, would, might, must, and ought. 

EXAMPLES Someone could have [not could of ] told me earlier. 

Someone could’ve [not could of ] told me earlier. 

EXERCISE B Underline the word or word group in parentheses that is correct according to formal, 


Examples 1. The matter was discussed (between, among) the twenty council members. [Among 

the twenty council members refers to a group of individuals.] 

2. Dad always (brings, takes) us souvenirs when he comes home from a business trip. 

[Brings is related to comes.] 

11. Libya is located (between, among) Algeria and Egypt. [Is the sentence referring to two items?] 

12. Please (bring, take) these magazines with you when you go to Grandma’s house. [Which word 

means “to go away carrying something”?] 

13. What kind of bird (could of, could have) built this large nest? 

14. Pass out the fliers (among, between) the team. 

15. (Bring, Take) your appointment card with you when you go to the doctor’s office. 

16. Where are the power tools (located, located at)? 

17. The fox ran (between, among) the hedge and the fence. 

18. Would you (bring, take) me a glass of water when you come back? 

19. The tomato plants (should of, should have) been planted last week. 

20. Does anyone know where the light switch (is, is at)? 






Glossary of Usage B 

fewer, less Fewer is used with plural nouns and tells “how many.” Less is used with singular 

nouns and tells “how much.” 

EXAMPLES There are fewer days in February than in March. [Days is a plural noun.] 

Paul has less homework this week than he had last week. [Homework is a 

singular noun.] 

good, well Good is an adjective. Do not use good to modify a verb; use well. 

NOTE 

EXAMPLES Angela is a good chess player. [Good is an adjective that tells “what kind” 

of player.] 

Angela plays chess well. [Well is an adverb that tells “how” Angela plays.] 

Although it is usually used as an adverb, well is also used as adjective to mean “healthy.” 

EXAMPLE Now that he is over his cold, Grady feels well. [Well refers to Grady’s health.] 

EXERCISE A Underline the word in parentheses that is correct according to formal, standard English. 

Examples 1. How (good, well) do you know Rebecca? [Well is an adverb that tells “to what extent” 

you know Rebecca.] 

2. I have (fewer, less) pennies than nickels in my pocket. [Pennies is a plural noun.] 

1. Those herbs smell very (good, well). [Which word should be used to describe the subject herbs?] 

2. Do you have (fewer, less) energy in the afternoon than in the morning? [Is energy singular 

or plural?] 

3. Today, there were (fewer, less) ducks at the pond than yesterday. 

4. Which breeds of dogs get along (good, well) with children? 

5. Investors showed (fewer, less) interest in the first proposal than in the second. 

6. What a (good, well) job you did! 

7. Does The Washington Post have (fewer, less) readers than The New York Times? 

8. The Rosetta stone is a (good, well) example of ancient writing forms. 

9. Smaller cars generally use (fewer, less) fuel than larger cars. 

10. Garrett went to the nurse’s office because he didn’t feel (good, well). 

hisself, theirself, theirselves These words are nonstandard. Use himself and themselves. 

NONSTANDARD Clint gave hisself a haircut. 

STANDARD Clint gave himself a haircut. 

NONSTANDARD My parents treated theirselves to a romantic dinner. 

STANDARD My parents treated themselves to a romantic dinner. 




its, it’s Its means “belonging to it.” It’s is a contraction of it is or it has. 

TIP 

EXAMPLES Each locker has its own combination lock. [Its means “belonging to each 

locker.”] 

It’s taking longer than I expected. [It’s is a contraction of It is.] 

What a wonderful day it’s been! [It’s is a contraction of It has.] 

To determine whether its or it’s is correct in a sentence, try substituting it is or it has. If the 

sentence makes sense with the substitution, the contraction it’s is probably correct. If not, 

the possessive form its is probably correct. 

ORIGINAL (Its, It’s) supposed to rain, so I brought my umbrella. [Does It is make sense? 

Yes. It is supposed to rain makes sense.] 

CORRECT It’s supposed to rain, so I brought my umbrella. 

kind of, sort of In formal speaking and writing, avoid using kind of and sort of. Use rather or 

somewhat instead. 

INFORMAL The algebra problems were kind of hard to solve. 

FORMAL The algebra problems were rather hard to solve. 



Examples 1. (Its, It’s) been a year since I saw Maxine. [It’s is a contraction of It has.] 

2. Jerod poured (hisself, himself) a glass of milk. [Hisself is nonstandard.] 

11. The new department store will open (its, it’s) doors tomorrow. [Does the sentence make sense 

with it is or it has?] 

12. This week’s crossword puzzle was (kind of, rather) difficult. [Which expression is preferred in 

formal English?] 

13. Did they move the furniture (theirself, themselves)? 

14. The city celebrated (its, it’s) hundredth anniversary this year. 

15. The puppy seemed (sort of, somewhat) confused by the loud noise. 

16. Do you think (its, it’s) too windy to fly our kites? 

17. Some modern works of art are (sort of, rather) strange. 

18. Kim and Irene sewed their uniforms (theirselves, themselves). 

19. Lonnie could see (himself, hisself) in the mirror. 

20. The meteorologist predicts that (it’s, its) going to snow tomorrow. 






Glossary of Usage C 

than, then Than is a word used in making comparisons. Then means “at that time” or “next.” 

EXAMPLES One of my cats is more active than the other. [Than is used to make a 

comparison of one cat to the other.] 

We loaded the car and then headed for the mountains. [Then indicates that 

we headed for the mountains after we loaded the car.] 

their, there, they’re Their means “belonging to them.” There is used to mean “at that place” or 

to begin a sentence. They’re is a contraction of they are. 

EXAMPLES All riders are required to wear their helmets during the bike ride. [Their 

means “belonging to the riders.”] 

Have you ever been there? [There means “at that place.”] 

There is a post office across from city hall. [There is used to begin a sentence.] 

Do you know when they’re leaving for the beach? [They’re is a contraction 

of they are.] 


Example 1. This bowling ball is heavier (than, then) that one. [Than is used to make a comparison 

between two bowling balls.] 

1. Have (their, there) grandparents arrived from Minnesota? [Which word means “belonging to 

them”?] 

2. The deer darted across the field, and (than, then) it disappeared into the forest. 

3. (Their, They’re) cleaning out the attic this weekend. 

4. Fortunately, the air conditioner is working better now (than, then) it was earlier. 

5. (There, Their) are about 450 different varieties of oak trees. 

them Do not use them as an adjective. Instead, use those. 

NONSTANDARD Set them bowls on the table. 

STANDARD Set those bowls on the table. 

this here, that there Do not use here or there after this or that. 

NONSTANDARD That there crossword puzzle was challenging. 

STANDARD That crossword puzzle was challenging. 

try and Use try to, not try and. 

INFORMAL The manager said he would try and order another one. 

FORMAL The manager said he would try to order another one. 






Examples 1. (Them, Those) classic cars were restored by my uncle. [Them is nonstandard.] 

2. Please (try and, try to) be serious. [Try and is nonstandard.] 

6. (This, This here) coin came from Germany. [Which term is preferred in formal, standard English?] 

7. I will (try and, try to) notify you when the new books arrive. 

8. How long have (those, them) flowers been blooming? 

9. Is (that, that there) painting an original or a copy? 

10. Please (try and, try to) keep your room clean. 

11. How much does (this, this here) bicycle cost? 

12. Put (them, those) newspapers in the recycling bin. 

13. (That there, That) aquarium is the largest I’ve ever seen. 

14. The next shipment should include more of (those, them) cabinets. 

15. The raccoons always (try to, try and) get into the trash. 

whose, who’s Whose means “belonging to whom.” Who’s is the contraction of who is or who has. 

EXAMPLES Whose socks are these? [Whose means “belonging to whom.”] 

Who’s going to the concert with you? [Who’s is a contraction of who is.] 

Leo is the only one who’s received an acceptance letter. [Who’s is a 

contraction of who has.] 

your, you’re Your means “belonging to you.” You’re is the contraction of you are. 

EXAMPLES Your coat is hanging in the closet. [Your means “belonging to you.”] 

When you’re in town, stop by for a visit. [You’re is a contraction of you are.] 

EXERCISE C Underline the word in parentheses that is correct according to formal, standard English. 

Example 1. Do you know (whose, who’s) glasses these are? [Whose means “belonging to whom.”] 

16. (Your, You’re) the only person who is familiar with this computer software. [Which word is a 

contraction of you are?] 

17. I can’t remember (whose, who’s) organizing this year’s fund-raiser. 

18. William Sydney Porter, (whose, who’s) pen name was O. Henry, is remembered for his short 

stories. 

19. (You’re, Your) ideas for the advertising campaign are brilliant! 

20. (Who’s, Whose) been to New York City? 






Glossary of Usage D 

The Double Negative 

The use of two or more negative words to express a single negative idea is called a double 

negative. Some common negative words include barely, but (meaning “only”), hardly, neither, 

never, no, nobody, none, no one, not (–n’t), nothing, nowhere, only, and scarcely. You should avoid 

using double negatives in writing and in speaking. 

NONSTANDARD We hardly never see Jenny anymore. 

STANDARD We hardly ever see Jenny anymore. 

NONSTANDARD There isn’t no explanation for what happened. 

STANDARD There is no explanation for what happened. 

There isn’t any explanation for what happened. 


Examples 1. The music was so loud that Leo (couldn’t, could) barely hear his friends. [Barely is a 

negative word, so could should be used.] 

2. Edward VI (wasn’t, was) but nine years old when he became the king of England. 

[But is a negative word, so was should be used.] 

1. (Hasn’t, Has) no one in the class read Langston Hughes’s poem “Harlem”? [Which word should 

be used with the negative word no one?] 

2. The grapevine hasn’t produced (any, no) grapes yet. [Which word should be used with the 

negative word hasn’t?] 

3. My dog (couldn’t, could) hardly wait to go for a walk. 

4. Doesn’t (anyone, no one) know the combination to this safe? 

5. During the summer, we hardly (ever, never) need to wear a jacket. 

6. Haven’t you (ever, never) seen a shooting star? 

7. Aren’t there (no, any) raisins left in the box? 

8. The bird (couldn’t, could) barely carry the large piece of bread. 

9. Carol (had, hadn’t) hardly hung up the phone when it rang again. 

10. The carpenter needed a dozen finishing nails, but she couldn’t find (none, any). 




Nonsexist Language 

Nonsexist language applies to people in general, whether they are male or female. You should 

use nonsexist language rather than gender-specific language when you are referring generally 

to people. 

NOTE 

GENDER-SPECIFIC Firemen quickly arrived at the scene. 

NONSEXIST Firefighters quickly arrived at the scene. 

If a pronoun’s antecedent may be either masculine or feminine, use both the masculine 

and feminine pronouns to refer to that antecedent. 

EXAMPLE The salesperson of the month will receive a gift of his or her choice. 

[Salesperson may be either masculine or feminine, so both his and her are 

used to refer to salesperson.] 

EXERCISE B Revise each of the following sentences to eliminate gender-specific terms. You may need to 

change a term or reword the sentence. 

Example 1. The businessmen planned their meeting for Tuesday afternoon. [The term 

businessmen is gender specific. The term executives can be used instead.] 

The executives planned their meeting for Tuesday afternoon. 

11. The salesman showed us the latest stereo equipment. [What nonsexist word can be used in place 

of the gender-specific term salesman?] 

12. Although the weathermen predicted rain, the day was bright and sunny. 

13. Isn’t your mother a U.S. congressman? 

14. On the job, firemen often risk their lives. 

15. Please tell a stewardess if you have any special dietary restrictions. 





for CHAPTER 10: CAPITALIZATION pages 312=313 

Capitalization A 

First Words, The Pronoun I and Interjection O, Salutation and 

Closing of Letters 

10a. 

10b. 

Capitalize the first word in every sentence. 

EXAMPLE This puppy belongs to my friend Kara. [This is capitalized because it is the 

first word in the sentence.] 

Begin a quoted sentence with a capital letter, even if the quoted sentence is in the middle of a 

longer sentence. 

EXAMPLES Miguel asked,“When is our science project due?” [When is capitalized 

because it is the first word of the quoted sentence.] 

“If we don’t leave now, we will be late for the game,” Maureen said. [If is 

capitalized because it is the first word of the quoted sentence.] 

EXERCISE A Circle the letter that should be capitalized in each of the following sentences. 

Example 1. this Christmas, we visited my grandmother and grandfather. [The t in this should be 

capitalized because this is the first word of the sentence.] 

1. the capital of California is Sacramento. [Which word should be capitalized?] 

2. Chi said, “my poem is about homework.” 

3. a small, new village developed rather quickly along the river. 

4. Paul said, “my grandfather is training for the marathon.” 

5. “this CD is on sale,” said the salesclerk. 

Capitalize the pronoun I and the interjection O. 

I is always capitalized, even if it is not the first word of the sentence. Capitalize I when it is 

used in contractions, such as I’d, I’ll, or I’ve. The interjection O is used for invocation and is 

followed by the name of the person or thing being addressed. 

EXAMPLES Summer vacation is almost here, and I can hardly wait. [The pronoun I is 

always capitalized, even when it is not the first word of a sentence.] 

You pitch in the softball game today, and I’ll pitch tomorrow. [I is always 

capitalized, even when it is in a contraction.] 

Have you ever read the poem “O Daedalus,Fly Away Home”? [The interjection 

O is always capitalized.] 



for CHAPTER 10: CAPITALIZATION pages 312=313 continued 

EXERCISE B Circle the letter or letters that should be capitalized in each of the following sentences. 

Example 1. This summer, i am attending band camp. [The pronoun I should always be capitalized.] 

6. when may i announce the winner? [Which words should be capitalized?] 

7. my friend said, “i know your favorite subject is math, but i like history.” 

8. Mr. Nelson announced, “now i’m ready for breakfast.” 

9. The person i admire the most is my father, so i wrote a poem about him that began, “o Father, 

my champion.” 

10. since snow is already covering the ground, i hope the city doesn’t get any more tonight. 

10c. 

Capitalize the first word in both the salutation and the closing of a letter. 

The salutation is the line near the top of a letter in which you greet the person to whom you 

are writing. The closing is a line near the bottom of a letter, just above your signature. 

NOTE 

SALUTATIONS Dear Grandma, My dearest granddaughter, 

CLOSINGS Yours truly, Sincerely, 

When a salutation or closing is more than one word, capitalize the first word and proper 

nouns only. 

EXAMPLES Dear applicant: [Dear is the only word capitalized because it is the first 

word in the salutation.] 

Dear Dr. Miller: [Dear is capitalized because it is the first word. Dr. and 

Miller are capitalized because they are parts of a person’s name.] 

EXERCISE C Circle the letter that should be capitalized in each of the following phrases. 

Example 1. dear Joe, [D in dear should be capitalized because Dear is the first word of the salutation.] 

11. best wishes, [Which word should be capitalized?] 

12. sincerely yours, 

13. dear President Polanski, 

14. yours truly, 

15. dear Jane, 






Capitalization B 

Proper Nouns and Proper Adjectives, Names and Initials 

10d. 

Capitalize proper nouns and proper adjectives. 

A common noun names a group of or any one of a group of persons, places, things, or ideas. A 

proper noun names a particular person, place, thing, or idea. A proper adjective is formed from 

a proper noun and is used to describe a noun or a pronoun. 

COMMON NOUNS state religion writer 

PROPER NOUNS Alaska Judaism Charles Dickens 

PROPER ADJECTIVES Alaskan wildlife Jewish holiday Dickensian characters 

EXAMPLES Our class is taking a field trip to Mansfield City Hall. [Mansfield City Hall is 

the name of a particular building and is capitalized.] 

My uncle brought my mother some Irish lace. [Irish is a proper adjective 

formed from the proper noun Ireland.] 

EXERCISE A In each of the following pairs, circle the word or word group that is capitalized correctly. 

Examples 1. Australian beef Beef from australia 

[Australian is a proper adjective that refers to a particular place.] 

2. a Bridge in Brooklyn Brooklyn Bridge 

[Brooklyn Bridge is a proper noun that refers to a particular thing.] 

1. Rhode Island the State of rhode island 

[Which word group is a proper noun that is correctly capitalized?] 

2. chinese Art Chinese art 

[Which word group contains a proper adjective that is correctly capitalized?] 

3. sears Tower in Chicago Sears Tower in Chicago 

4. Tiger Woods tiger Woods 

5. kenyan Athlete Kenyan athlete 

6. John Philip Sousa John Philip sousa 

7. rosa parks Rosa Parks 

8. peruvian Weaving Peruvian weaving 

9. Rocky Mountains Rocky mountains 

10. Windham Wildcats Windham wildcats 




10d(1–2). 

Capitalize the names of persons and animals. Capitalize initials in names and 

abbreviations that come before or after names. 

PERSONS Carl Sagan E. B. White Cal Ripken, Jr. 

ANIMALS Thumper Lassie Flipper 

EXAMPLES Melissa often takes her dog Lucy to the park. [Melissa is the name of a 

particular person, and Lucy is the name of a particular animal. Names 

are capitalized.] 


Examples 1. My uncle’s full name is juan manuel sanchez, jr. [Juan, Manuel, Sanchez, and Jr. 

should all be capitalized because they are all parts of a name.] 

2. We named our new puppy joey. [Joey is a name and should be capitalized.] 

11. My teacher is mrs. lin. [Which words are part of someone’s name and should be capitalized?] 

12. The goalie for our soccer team is dan. [Which word is someone’s name and should be capitalized?] 

13. The sixth-graders enjoyed watching the movie about the dog named beethoven. 

14. Our teacher read the class a poem by robert frost. 

15. The class hamster, bucky, eats sunflower seeds. 

16. The photograph shows a scientist, sam c. garcia, cleaning mud from artifacts. 

17. How many countries in africa border the Atlantic Ocean? 

18. An astronomer, gabrielle p. freeman, spoke at the observatory today. 

19. The family members agreed that fluffy would be a good name for their new cat. 

20. Last week, stephen j. jones was elected mayor. 

EXERCISE C Provide a proper noun for each of the following common nouns. Write your responses in 

the blanks provided. 

Example 1. author Bill Bryson 

[Bill Bryson is capitalized because it is the name of 

a particular author.] 

21. city [Should the name of a city be capitalized?] 

22. country 

23. holiday 

24. weekday 

25. professional athlete 






Capitalization C 

Geographical Names 

10d(3). 

Capitalize geographical names. 

Geographical names are proper nouns and should be capitalized. Geographical names are the 

names of towns, cities, counties, parishes, townships, provinces, states, regions, countries, 

continents, islands, mountains, bodies of water, forests, streets, roads, highways, and other 

geographical features. 

EXAMPLES Springfield [town] China [country] 

Boston [city] Antarctica [continent] 

Travis County [county] the Alps [mountains] 

the South [region] Baker Highway [highway] 

EXERCISE A Circle the letter or letters that should be capitalized in each of the following sentences. 

Example 1. Two years ago, we lived on pinto street. [Pinto Street should be capitalized because it 

is the name of a particular street.] 

1. The crew set sail on the atlantic ocean. [Which words are the name of a particular ocean and 

should be capitalized?] 

2. The United States is on the continent of north america. 

3. Doesn’t your pen pal Julian live in jamaica? 

4. Turn left on brentwood street and look for signs to the museum. 

5. The new road that the city council members voted on will start here and go all the way to 

hennepin county. 

When words such as north, west, or southeast are used in the name of a region, they are 

capitalized. When such words are used to tell direction, they are not capitalized. 

NOTE 

EXAMPLES His brother used to live on the West Coast. [West Coast is the name of a 

region, and it is capitalized.] 

The gym is on the west side of the campus. [The word west is not capitalized 

because it tells direction.] 

The second word in a hyphenated number is not capitalized. 

EXAMPLE Forty-second Street [S in second is not capitalized because it is the second 

word in a hyphenated number.] 




EXERCISE B Circle the letter or letters that should be capitalized in each of the following sentences. If a 

sentence is already correct, write C on the line provided. 

Example C 1. The sandwich shop is down the street and north of the bike shop. [North is 

not capitalized because it tells direction and is not part of the name of a region.] 

6. Chandra’s mother once lived in the area of the country sometimes known as the corn 

belt. [Which words are the name of a region and should be capitalized?] 

7. The coffee shop is on twenty-fourth Street. 

8. The route of this year’s 10-kilometer race will begin near the picnic area at valleydale 

pond. 

9. The state of vermont borders canada. 

10. Be careful when you bike across the street that is just east of the lake. 

Words such as city, island, park, and street are capitalized only when they are part of a name. 

EXAMPLES a high school in River City a high school in the city 

a picnic at Pleasant Park a picnic at the park 

EXERCISE C Circle the letter or letters that should be capitalized in each of the following sentences. If a 


Example 1. That dog ran down madison avenue. [Madison Avenue is the name of a 

particular street and should be capitalized.] 

11. The Ruiz family stopped at silver city on their vacation last year. [Which words are the 

name of a city and should be capitalized?] 

12. At the elementary school’s carnival in highland park, activities included a dunking 

booth and a face-painting station. 

13. What would you want to take with you if you were marooned on a desert island? 

14. A popular tourist spot in louisiana is lake pontchartrain. 

15. What kinds of birds are native to the hawaiian islands? 






Capitalization D 

Organizations, Businesses and Business Products, Buildings 

10d(4). 

10d(5). 

Capitalize the names of organizations, teams, institutions, and government bodies. 

Government bodies are things such as the Senate and Congress and any government-sponsored 

programs. Institutions are places such as specific hospitals, military branches, colleges, and 

museums. 

NOTE 

EXAMPLES American Academy of Pediatrics [organization] 

Bradford Bears [team] 

Department of Health, Education, and Welfare [government body] 

National Geographic Society [institution] 

Sometimes names of organizations, institutions, and government bodies are abbreviated 

to a set of initials. These initials are capitalized. 

EXAMPLES Department of Public Safety DPS 

Future Farmers of America FFA 


Example 1. Joel’s dad works for the f b i. [FBI stands for Federal Bureau of Investigation; therefore, all 

three letters should be capitalized.] 

1. My youngest sister is a pitcher for a team called the little cougars. [Which words are the name 

of a team and should be capitalized?] 

2. An officer in the united states marines spoke to our class today. 

3. The main branch of the university of texas is located in Austin. 

4. Dr. Bledsoe is a member of the american medical association. 

5. Isn’t memorial general hospital well known throughout the state for its architectural design? 

Capitalize the names of businesses and brand names of business products. 

Do not capitalize the name of a type of product. 

EXAMPLES Regal Records [name of a business] 

Apple Macintosh [brand name of a business product] 

Nature Valley granola bars [The brand name, Nature Valley, is capitalized, 

but not the type of product, granola bars.] 





Example 1. The toddlers were eating kix cereal. [The brand name Kix should be capitalized. The 

word cereal should not be capitalized.] 

6. A ford explorer was pictured in the magazine ad. [Which words are a brand name of a business 

product and should be capitalized?] 

7. My aunt’s new business is called food flair. 

8. The antique computer at the library is a compaq presario. 

9. Dave gave me a kleenex tissue after I sneezed. 

10. My dad invented a new labor-saving device, the vacuumeister. 

10d(6). 

Capitalize the names of buildings and other structures. 

EXAMPLES Eiffel Tower [structure] Museum of Modern Art [building] 

Palace of Versailles [building] Stonehenge [structure] 

EXERCISE C Circle the letter or letters that should be capitalized in the following sentences. 

Example 1. We went to the movie première at the paramount theater. [Paramount Theater should 

be capitalized because it is the name of a particular building.] 

11. Next year I am going to dewey high school. [Which words are the name of a particular building 

and should be capitalized?] 

12. The repair shop is located in the clark building. 

13. Mr. Feldman is a volunteer at baptist memorial hospital. 

14. That big building over there is the trump tower. 

15. The famous golden gate bridge is one of the many landmarks of San Francisco. 

EXERCISE D Provide a proper noun for each of the following common nouns. Write your answers on the 

lines provided. 

Example 1. government body House of Representatives 

16. brand name of a business product [Should the brand name of a 

business product be capitalized?] 

17. team 

18. business 

19. building 

20. organization 






Capitalization E 

Monuments, Historical Events, Nationalities 

10d(7). 

10d(8). 

Capitalize the names of monuments, memorials, and awards. 

EXAMPLES Washington Monument [monument] 

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier [memorial] 

Pulitzer Prize [award] 

EXERCISE A Circle the letter or letters that should be capitalized in the following sentences. 

Example 1. I saw the jefferson memorial last year. [The words jefferson and memorial should be 

capitalized because they name a monument.] 

1. The children’s bookstore nearby has a window display of newbery medal winners. [Which 

words are the name of an award and should be capitalized?] 

2. Tourists can learn a lot the national civil rights museum in Memphis, Tennessee. 

3. Who do you think will win an academy award this year? 

4. Seamus Heaney won the nobel prize. 

5. I am going to visit the lincoln memorial in Washington, D.C. 

Capitalize the names of historical events and periods, special events, and holidays and other 

calendar items. 

EXAMPLES War of 1812 [historical event] 

Industrial Age [historical period] 

Bastille Day [holiday] 

Summer Olympics [special event] 

Monday [calendar item] 

October [calendar item] 


Example 1. On f riday, the architectural plans for the new art museum were revealed. [Friday 

should be capitalized because it is a day of the week.] 

6. Soldiers will be honored during a service on memorial day. [Which words are the name of a 

holiday and should be capitalized?] 

7. Large signs at the park are advertising this year’s concert series, which is called blues on the 

green. 




8. Were Shanti’s grandparents alive during the great depression? 

9. The athletes have been training for the winter olympics for many years. 

10. Please turn in all completed applications by february 15. 

11. What are your plans for labor day? 

12. The renaissance was a period of great achievements in science and literature. 

13. What a surprise you’ll get on wednesday! 

14. In march the weather is usually warm enough for gardening. 

15. Will there be a fireworks display this fourth of july? 

10d(9). 

Capitalize the names of nationalities, races, and peoples. 

EXAMPLES Navajo [peoples] 

African American [race] 

Italian [nationality] 

EXERCISE C Circle the letter or letters that should be capitalized in the following sentences. 

Example 1. I attended a german festival with my friend Jane. [German should be capitalized 

because it is the name of a nationality.] 

16. Our new neighbor is japanese. [Which word is the name of a nationality and should be 

capitalized?] 

17. We saw many beautiful paintings by a sioux artist. 

18. The choir sang a few austrian songs. 

19. On the Batemans’ coffee table is a book with colorful photos of australian animals. 

20. The patient is a caucasian female. 






Capitalization F 

Religions, Transportation, Heavenly Bodies, School Subjects 

10d(10). 

10d(11). 

Capitalize the names of religions and their followers, holy days and celebrations, sacred 

writings, and specific deities. 

Sacred writings are the scriptures of a religion, such as the Bible. Deities are the religious figures 

that people worship. 

EXAMPLES Buddhism [religion] Baptist [religious follower] 

Easter [holy day] 

Talmud [sacred writing] 

Allah [deity] 


Example 1. My uncle is a presbyterian pastor. [Presbyterian should be capitalized because it is the 

name of a religious follower.] 

1. I attended a christmas service at my church. [Which word is the name of a holy day and should 

be capitalized?] 

2. The first book of the bible is genesis. 

3. A jewish holiday called passover observes the release of ancient Hebrews from slavery. 

4. Will Mia’s cousin get married at the baptist church on Burnet Street? 

5. The primary religion of India is hinduism. 

Capitalize the names of ships, trains, aircraft, and spacecraft. 

EXAMPLES Queen Elizabeth 2 [ship] City of New Orleans [train] 

Spruce Goose [aircraft] Mir [space station] 


Example 1. Many tenth-graders saw a documentary about the titanic. [Titanic should be 

capitalized because it is the name of a particular ship.] 

6. We saw a replica of the first airplane, the flyer I, at the museum. [Which word is the name of a 

particular aircraft and should be capitalized?] 

7. Is skylab the name of the space station that fell to earth? 

8. Mr. Lawless has owned his car, bertha, for five years. 

9. Tickets for the special trip on the train round rock express were available last weekend. 

10. My aunt and uncle took a cruise on the neptune princess. 




10d(12). 

NOTE 

Capitalize the names of planets, stars, constellations, and other heavenly bodies. 

EXAMPLES Jupiter [planet] Alpha Centauri [star] 

Milky Way [galaxy] Big Dipper [constellation] 

The words sun and moon are generally not capitalized. 

EXERCISE C Circle the letter that should be capitalized in each of the following sentences. If a sentence 

is already correct, write C on the line provided. 

Example 1. We learned all about neptune at the planetarium today. [Neptune should be 

capitalized because it is the name of a planet.] 

11. Catherine looked up at the sky and pointed out andromeda. [Which word is the name of 

a constellation and should be capitalized?] 

12. The one constellation I can always identify is orion. 

13. One of Jupiter’s moons is named io. 

14. People should never look directly at the sun. 

15. Is the planet mercury the nearest to the sun? 

Capitalize the name of school subjects if the course name is followed by a number, and 

capitalize the names of language classes. Do not capitalize general school subjects. 

EXAMPLES Math 101 [course name followed by a number] 

Spanish [language class] 

science [general school subject] 

EXERCISE D Circle the letter or letters that should be capitalized in the following sentences. If a sentence 


Example C 1. What was the topic of chemistry class yesterday? [Chemistry should be lower- 

case because it is not followed by a number.] 

16. Lee’s favorite class is art 101. [Is the course name followed by a number? Should it be 

capitalized?] 

17. Students in French impressed the school by raising money for several charities. 

18. If you need help with algebra II homework, please meet with one of the tutors. 

19. The latin classes at Jefferson High School have had three different teachers in four years. 

20. Do you like your history class? 






Capitalization G 

Titles of Persons and Creative Works 

10f. 

Capitalize titles. 

(1) Capitalize a person’s title when the title comes before the person’s name. 

The title can be spelled out or abbreviated, but it is always capitalized before a name. When a 

title is used alone, it is lowercase. If the title addresses someone directly, it is capitalized. 

EXAMPLES In a few minutes, President Ward will speak to our class. [President is a title 

that comes before a name and is capitalized.] 

Please deliver the envelope to Mrs. Serafini. [Mrs. is a title that comes 

before a name and is capitalized.] 

The hospital is hiring a new doctor in the pediatrics department. [Doctor is 

lowercase because it is not followed by a person’s name.] 

How long will I need to wear the leg cast, Doctor? [Doctor is capitalized 

because it is used to address someone directly.] 

EXERCISE A Circle the letter or letters that should be capitalized in each of the following sentences. If a 


Example 1. Tell dr. Garcia how you are feeling. [Dr. should be capitalized because it is 

someone’s title, and it comes before a name.] 

1. Before the meeting, president Ames spoke to the committee. [Which word is a title that 

comes before a person’s name and should be capitalized?] 

2. Didn’t Willis say that his favorite teacher is professor Donaldson? 

3. There’s an emergency at the skating rink, doctor! 

4. Our next-door neighbor, mr. dawson, has a lovely flower garden. 

5. The successful hardware store down the street is run by Mrs. Cho. 

(2) Capitalize a word showing a family relationship when the word is used before or in place of a 

person’s name, unless the word follows a possessive noun or pronoun. 

NOTE 

Words that show a family relationship are mom, dad, grandma, aunt, uncle, and other 

such words. Possessives are words such as my, our, your, his, her, its, and their. 

EXAMPLES Aunt Sally Uncle Phil Mom Dad 

my aunt Sally his uncle Phil their mom Mike’s dad 

EXERCISE B Circle the letter that should be capitalized in each of the following sentences. If a sentence 





Example C 1. I can’t wait to see my uncle Phillip. [Uncle should not be capitalized because it 

follows my, a possessive pronoun.] 

6. Will you tell us a story about Ireland, grandma? [Which word showing a family 

relationship is used in place of a person’s name?] 

7. Tomorrow, uncle Thomas will be volunteering at a home-building site. 

8. What time should we meet your cousin at the movie theater? 

9. Your most recent art show went quite well, mom. 

10. Well, Dad, five people have already signed up for next weekend’s canoe trip. 

(3) Capitalize the first and last words and all other important words in titles and subtitles. 

Words that are not important in a title or subtitle and should not be capitalized are articles (a, 

an, and the), short prepositions with fewer than five letters (such as of, to, in, for, from, and with), 

and coordinating conjunctions (and, but, for, nor, or, so, and yet). 

NOTE 

EXAMPLE Peter and the Wolf [The words and and the are not capitalized because and 

is a coordinating conjunction, and the is an article.] 

The first word of a title is always capitalized. If an article, short preposition, or 

coordinating conjunction is the first word in a title, it should be capitalized. 

EXAMPLES Of Mice and Men [The preposition Of is capitalized in this case because it 

is the first word of the title.] 

A Christmas Carol [The article A is capitalized in this case because it is the 

first word of the title.] 

EXERCISE C Circle the letter or letters that should be capitalized in each of the following sentences. 

Example 1. The name of the winning essay is “the ten best exercises for teenagers.” [The words 

the, ten, best, exercises, and teenagers should all be capitalized. The is capitalized because it 

is the first word in the title. For is not capitalized because it is a short preposition.] 

11. A reproduction of the painting mona lisa had been on display at the Riverdale Gallery. [Which 

words are the name of a painting and should be capitalized?] 

12. Isn’t his favorite TV show drake and josh? 

13. A class activity that kept everyone’s attention was Matt’s reading of the poem “jabberwocky.” 

14. Tyra’s younger sister receives nickelodeon magazine. 

15. Mr. Ramirez told his students to read Chapter 13, “the revolutionary war.” 





for CHAPTER 11: PUNCTUATION pages 338=343 

End Marks and Abbreviations 

End Marks 

11a. 

11b. 

11c. 

11d. 

A statement (a declarative sentence) is followed by a period. 

EXAMPLE John is late for his science class. [This sentence ends with a period 

because the speaker is making a statement.] 

A direct question (an interrogative sentence) is followed by a question mark. 

EXAMPLE What time is the birthday party on Saturday? [The speaker is asking a 

direct question, so the sentence should end with a question mark.] 

An exclamation (an exclamatory sentence or a strong interjection) is followed by an exclamation 

point. 

Use an exclamation point when the sentence expresses excitement, surprise, or fright. An 

interjection is one word that expresses excitement or fright, such as hey, wow, or oh. 

EXAMPLE Oh! What beautiful flowers those are! [An exclamation point is used after 

Oh because it expresses excitement. An exclamation point is used after 

the sentence because it also expresses excitement.] 

A request or command (an imperative sentence) is followed by either a period or an exclamation 

point. 

If the sentence is a request or a mild command, then use a period. If the sentence is a strong 

command, then use an exclamation point. 

MILD COMMAND Watch this video. [The person speaking is making a request, so the 

sentence needs a period at the end.] 

STRONG COMMAND Watch your step! [The person speaking is giving a strong command, so 

the sentence needs an exclamation point at the end.] 

EXERCISE A Add a period, question mark, or an exclamation point to the following sentences. 

Examples 1. How happy you look! [This sentence is an exclamation, so it should end with an 

exclamation point.] 

2. Maps are available at the bookstore. [This sentence is a statement, so it should end 

with a period.] 

1. The science test isn’t on Friday [Is the sentence a statement, a question, an exclamation, or a 

command?] 

2. Look out, there’s a rock falling from the cliff above us [Is the sentence a statement, a question, an 

exclamation, or a command?] 

3. Which of these books is your favorite 



for CHAPTER 11: PUNCTUATION pages 338=343 continued 

4. No running is allowed at the pool; slow down right now 

5. What did Simira think of the art exhibit 

6. Over the years, many immigrants have been inspired by the Statue of Liberty 

7. How many times per minute do hummingbirds flap their wings 

8. I think I just sprained my ankle—ouch 

9. As summer progressed, lawns across the city turned brown 

10. Does Aunt Nancy like her new apartment 

Abbreviations 

Abbreviations are shortened forms of words and phrases. Many abbreviations are followed by 

a period. Other abbreviations don’t use a period. These abbreviations include the names of 

certain organizations and two-letter state abbreviations on envelopes and letters. 

WITH PERIODS Meet in the gym at 7:00 A.M. [A.M. is an abbreviation of the Latin phrase 

ante meridiem, which means “before noon.”] 

Percy B. Shelley [B is a letter standing for part of someone’s name, so a 

period follows the abbreviation.] 

Thomas O’Malley, Jr. [Jr. is a title following someone’s name, so a period 

follows the abbreviation.] 

WITHOUT PERIODS MADD [MADD stands for Mothers Against Drunk Driving.] 

EXERCISE B Add periods where they are needed in each of the following sentences. If a sentence is 

already correct, write C on the line provided. 

Example C 1. The headquarters for NASA are in Houston, Texas. [No periods are needed 

between the letters of NASA, which is the abbreviation of National Aeronautics 

and Space Administration.] 

11. Fred McIntyre, Sr , is a popular professor. [Which word is an abbreviation that should be 

followed by a period?] 

12. The winner of this year’s poetry contest is A M Castile! 

13. Many historians believe that famous epic was created around 800 B C 

14. Look in the Yellow Pages for a surgeon named F J Dominguez. 

15. All of those invited to the dinner were surprised to learn that he was a member of 

the CIA. 






Commas A 

Items in a Series 

11f. 

Use commas to separate items in a series. 

When you list more than two items in a sentence, place a comma after all the items except the 

last one. 

EXAMPLE Last summer we went to the park, fished in the stream, and hiked on the 

mountain. [Three items are listed: went to the park, fished in the stream, 

and hiked on the mountain. Commas are needed after the first two items.] 

If all the items have and, or, or nor between them, do not put the commas between the items. 

EXAMPLE Last summer we went to the park and fished in the stream and hiked on the 

mountain. [Since and is between each item, commas are not needed.] 

EXERCISE A Add commas where they are needed in each of the following sentences. If a sentence is 


Examples 1. The subjects for the history test are the Boston Tea Party, the Revolutionary 

War, and the signing of the Constitution. [Commas should be added after 

C 

the first two items in the list.] 

2. Phil washed the car and vacuumed the mats and shined the windows. 

[Since and is between each item, no commas are needed.] 

1. Carter has lived in Memphis Houston and Boston. [What items are in a list and should 

have commas after them?] 

2. Which friend of Jenny’s has the three dogs named Bingo Lucky and Lottie? [What 

items are in a list and should have commas after them?] 

3. We packed pasta salad potato salad and fruit salad for our picnic. 

4. We can see pictures and dinosaurs and artifacts at the museum. 

5. My mother planted roses marigolds and daisies. 

6. The three girls, Betty and Laquita and Molly, tried out for the tennis team. 

7. Please bring an easel paintbrush and paint to art class. 

8. Rhode Island California and Iowa are all states. 

9. Please get milk cereal and bread at the grocery store. 

10. Engineers need to notice details enjoy math and solve problems. 




11g. 

Use commas to separate two or more adjectives preceding a noun. 

EXAMPLE Carla knitted a thick, soft, long-sleeved sweater. [The adjectives thick, soft, 

and long-sleeved describe the word sweater. These words should be 

separated by commas.] 

REMINDER Adjectives are words that describe something. They are words such as pretty, 

strong, blue, slow, small, impressive, energetic, and Irish. 

When a series of adjectives comes before a compound noun, do not use a comma between the 

last adjective and the compound noun. 

NOTE 

EXAMPLE The interesting, fun art class met on Saturday. [The adjectives interesting 

and fun describe the compound noun art class. A comma separates 

interesting and fun.] 

Adjectives in a series require commas between them. Don’t be fooled by words that 

look like adjectives but are not. Be careful not to use commas between adjectives and 

the adverbs that modify them. 

EXAMPLE Paula made an unusual, dark green apron in home economics class. [The 

adverb dark modifies the adjective green, so no comma is needed after 

dark. A comma is needed between unusual and green, which are both 

adjectives that describe the noun apron.] 

EXERCISE B Add commas where they are needed in each of the following sentences. If a sentence is 


Example 1. Customers enjoyed the hot, spicy Chinese food. [Hot and spicy are both 

adjectives that describe the compound noun Chinese food, so they are separated 

by a comma.] 

11. We saw a long suspenseful movie at the theater today. [Which adjectives describe the 

noun movie and should be separated by a comma?] 

12. Who were the most talented creative artists at the show? 

13. I like that bright red paint for the bedroom wall. 

14. Puff is a white fluffy friendly cat. 

15. The radio was playing soft peaceful music. 





for CHAPTER 11: PUNCTUATION page 347 

Commas B 

Compound Sentences 

11h. 

Use a comma before and, but, for, nor, or, so, or yet when the conjunction joins independent 

clauses. 

REMINDER 

EXAMPLES We attended the pep rally, and then we went to the football game. [We 

attended the pep rally and then we went to the football game are two independent 

clauses. The conjunction and joins them, so a comma is needed 

before the conjunction.] 

Boston is a busy city, but New York may be a busier one. [Boston is a busy 

city and New York may be a busier one are two independent clauses. The 

conjunction but joins them, so a comma is needed before the conjunction.] 

An independent clause is a group of words that expresses a complete thought and 

that has a subject and its verb. Independent clauses can stand alone as sentences, 

or they can be joined with other clauses to make a sentence. 

EXERCISE A Add commas where they are needed in each of the following sentences. 

Examples 1. Tony tossed the ball, and Susan caught it. [A comma is needed before the 

conjunction because and joins two independent clauses.] 

2. Will the storm hit Detroit, or will the rains bypass the city? [A comma is needed 

before the conjunction because or joins two independent clauses.] 

1. Paul did not paint the garage nor did he clean the attic. [Does the conjunction nor join two 

independent clauses?] 

2. Alan wants a mouse as a pet but Teresa wants a hamster. [Does the conjunction but join two 

independent clauses?] 

3. The sophomore class will hold a car wash or they will organize a bake sale. 

4. The tour guide told us about the history of the city yet we still had many questions. 

5. I am studying for the math test but I will be reading my novel next. 

6. I can bring charcoal to the pool party or you can bring it. 

7. Pedro is drawing the design and Sean is writing the story. 

8. We watched a show about interior design so we have many good ideas for this room. 

9. Mrs. Karon bought a keyboard for she is taking piano lessons. 

10. Don’t forget your homework and don’t be late for school. 



for CHAPTER 11: PUNCTUATION page 347 continued 

Do not use a comma before the conjunction and, but, for, nor, or, so, or yet unless the conjunction 

joins two independent clauses. 

EXAMPLE We listened to the radio and ate our sandwiches. [We listened to the radio is 

an independent clause, but ate our sandwiches is not. Do not place a 

comma before and.] 

EXERCISE B Add a comma where it is needed in each of the following sentences. If a sentence is already 

correct, write C on the line provided. 

Example C 1. We read a book and watched a movie. [A comma is not needed in this 

sentence because the conjunction and does not join two independent clauses.] 

11. I studied for my history test but forgot about my biology quiz. [Does the conjunction 

but join two independent clauses?] 

12. The dog ran after the ball and brought it back. 

13. My little sister blew out the candles so everyone at the party clapped their hands. 

14. My mother built the treehouse and Mrs. Tan planted the garden. 

15. Should we plant vegetables or grow a flower garden? 

EXERCISE C Combine the following pairs of sentences by using a comma and a conjunction (and, but, for, 

nor, or, so, or yet) to join each pair of independent clauses. 

Example 1. Did the concert get cancelled? Has it been postponed? [A comma and the conjunction 

or have been used to join the two independent clauses.] 

Did the concert get cancelled, or has it been postponed? 

16. Turn down the television. Turn it off entirely. 

17. Kendra won the 100-meter dash. She got a blue ribbon. 

18. The football soared through the air. It finally went through the goal posts. 

19. Friday was supposed to be rainy. It was sunny all day. 

20. Should we cook spaghetti? Should we make sandwiches? 






Commas C 

Nonessential Phrases and Clauses 

11i. 

Use commas to set off nonessential subordinate clauses and nonessential participial phrases. 

A nonessential clause or nonessential phrase is a word group that does not change the basic 

meaning of a sentence. In other words, the meaning of the sentence would be clear even if the 

nonessential word group were removed. 

EXAMPLES Jim, who made the best grade on the last test, will help us study for the 

next test. [The subordinate clause who made the best grade on the last test 

can be removed from the sentence, and the sentence will still make 

sense. Therefore, the clause is nonessential and is set off by commas.] 

The Kelsos’ house, painted a bright red, stood out in the neighborhood. 

[The participial phrase painted a bright red can be removed from the 

sentence, and the sentence will still make sense. Therefore, the phrase is 

nonessential and is set off by commas.] 


Example 1. Janie, who is my best friend, moved away last summer. [The subordinate clause 

who is my best friend can be removed from the sentence, and the sentence will still make 

sense. The clause is nonessential and should be set off by commas.] 

1. Dad energized by his morning jog made us breakfast this morning. [Which words could be 

removed from the sentence? Would the sentence still make sense?] 

2. Our two puppies which like to play tumble over their own feet sometimes. [Which words 

could be removed from the sentence? Would the sentence still make sense?] 

3. The sun which was shining brightly improved our moods. 

4. The telephone woke Mr. Grady who was snoring softly. 

5. His shoes shined and polished went well with his uniform. 

6. That blue chair which is rather old has been on the balcony all summer. 

7. The tree shedding leaves and branches looked as if it would fall. 

8. Grandma smiling widely stepped off the airplane. 

9. Jacob breathing heavily finished the marathon. 

10. The bee buzzing incredibly loudly followed us. 




An essential subordinate clause or participial phrase is not set off by commas because it helps 

the sentence make sense. An essential word group shouldn’t be separated from the rest of the 

sentence. 

EXAMPLES The girl who is from Sacramento won the spelling bee. [The subordinate 

clause who is from Sacramento is important to the meaning of the 

sentence. Without this word group, we would not know which girl won 

the spelling bee. This clause is essential and is not set off by commas.] 

Actors wishing to audition for the school play will meet here at 4:00 P.M. 

[The participial phrase wishing to audition for the school play is important 

to the meaning of the sentence. Without this word group, we would not 

know which actors are meant. This phrase is essential and is not set off 

by commas.] 

EXERCISE B Add commas where they are needed in each of the following sentences. If a sentence is 


Examples C 1. The boy who is standing next to the lockers is my brother. [The subordinate 

clause who is standing next to the lockers is important to the meaning of the 

sentence because this word group tells us which boy is meant. The clause is 

essential and should not be set off from the rest of the sentence by commas.] 

2. Julie, running in the third lane, is expected to win the race. [The participial 

phrase running in the third lane can be removed from the sentence, and the 

sentence will still make sense. The phrase is nonessential and should be set off 

from the rest of the sentence by commas.] 

11. The poem written by my aunt is on page seven. [Without the word group written by my 

aunt, do you still know which poem is meant?] 

12. Gracie’s science project which was on the blue table won the prize. [Without the word 

group which was on the blue table, do you still know which project is meant?] 

13. The day that it rained hard I was two blocks away from home. 

14. Customers using coupons must go to that cashier. 

15. The new movie panned by critics is still sold out. 

16. Uncle Joe who grew up in Texas says the hot weather doesn’t bother him. 

17. Students sitting in the first two rows will have to move to the back of the room. 

18. Trees that lose their leaves every year are called deciduous. 

19. Jamie’s horse which lives in a stable near her house is nine years old. 

20. David cleaning out his desk found the missing book. 






Commas D 

Introductory Words, Phrases, and Clauses 

11j. 

Use a comma after certain introductory elements. 

Use a comma to set off a mild exclamation such as well, oh, or why at the beginning of a 

sentence. Other introductory words such as yes and no are also set off by commas. Use a 

comma after an introductory participle or participial phrase. 

EXAMPLES Yes, the trip to the wildlife park was fun. [Yes is an introductory word that 

begins the sentence. Yes is set off from the rest of the sentence by a 

comma.] 

Shaking off water, the dog went into the house. [The introductory 

participial phrase Shaking off water is set off from the rest of the sentence 

by a comma.] 


Examples 1. Oh, I don’t know about that. [Oh is an introductory word. It should be separated from 

the rest of the sentence by a comma.] 

2. Spinning in a circle, the little girl fell onto the grass. [Spinning in a circle is an 

introductory participial phrase. The phrase should be separated from the rest of the 

sentence by a comma.] 

1. Yes I do like your new haircut. [Which word is an introductory word that should be separated 

from the rest of the sentence by a comma?] 

2. Weaving from side to side the skateboarder went through the obstacle course. [Which word 

group is an introductory participial phrase and should be followed by a comma?] 

3. Slowly a large stingray swam along the reef. 

4. Formed by a glacier this valley has fertile farm land. 

5. Waiting patiently Chris was ready for his driver’s test. 

6. Appearing quickly the digital image brightened the computer screen. 

7. Why that was the funniest show I have ever seen! 

8. Shining brightly the lighthouse beam can be seen for miles. 

9. Smiling Gary showed us his “Best Actor” trophy. 

10. Looking at her work again Lena decided to revise her layout. 




Use a comma after an introductory prepositional phrase if the phrase is long or if two or more 

phrases appear together. Use a comma after an introductory adverb clause. 

EXAMPLES Through the back door and down the back steps, you will find the 

garbage cans. [Through the back door and down the back steps are 

introductory prepositional phrases. Since two phrases begin the 

sentence, a comma is needed to separate the phrases from the rest of 

the sentence.] 

After we eat lunch, we will go to the park. [After we eat lunch is an 

introductory adverb clause that tells when we will go to the park. It 

should be separated from the rest of the sentence by a comma.] 

EXERCISE B Insert commas where they are needed in each of the following sentences. 

Examples 1. Beside the picnic table and the lawn chair, we found the picnic basket. [Beside the 

picnic table and the lawn chair is a long introductory prepositional phrase, and a comma is 

needed after it.] 

2. When you get to the post office, turn left. [When you get to the post office is an 

introductory adverb clause and needs a comma after it.] 

11. On top of Mom’s suitcase in the closet you will find her hat. [Is a comma needed after two 

introductory prepositional phrases?] 

12. After I finish my homework I am going for a walk. [Is a comma needed after the introductory 

adverb clause After I finish my homework?] 

13. For last year’s Fourth of July holiday didn’t the neighbors decorate their yard with tiny flags? 

14. As the train pulled away from the station my sister waved goodbye. 

15. From the lush mountains to the rugged valley the view was beautiful. 

16. On a hill in the center of town that castle is a noticeable landmark. 

17. When you go into the kitchen please take this plate with you. 

18. As soon as Terrell turned six years old he joined the Little League team. 

19. Before you get started on your essay please read the guidelines. 

20. Because the wind is blowing steadily the blades of the windmill are spinning. 






Commas E 

Sentence Interrupters 

11k. 

Use commas to set off an expression that interrupts a sentence. 

Use commas to set off nonessential appositives and nonessential appositive phrases. 

EXAMPLES My dog, a beagle, looks like Snoopy from the Peanuts cartoon. [The 

appositive beagle identifies the noun dog. The sentence makes sense 

without the appositive. Therefore, the appositive is nonessential and is 

set off from the rest of the sentence by commas.] 

This kitten, the liveliest one of the litter, is very cute. [The appositive 

phrase the liveliest one of the litter identifies the noun kitten. The sentence 

makes sense without the appositive phrase. Therefore, the appositive 

phrase is nonessential and is set off from the rest of the sentence by 

commas.] 

An essential appositive or appositive phrase is a word or word group that is important to the 

meaning of the sentence. If you remove an essential appositive or appositive phrase from the 

sentence, the sentence will be incomplete. 

EXAMPLE My friend Owen is the youngest of four children. [Since the speaker 

probably has more than one friend, the appositive Owen is important to 

the meaning of the sentence. The appositive is not set off from the rest of 

the sentence by commas.] 

EXERCISE A Add commas where they are needed in each of the following sentences. If a sentence is 


Example C 

1. My cat Jessie is the youngest cat I own. [Since the speaker has more than one 

cat, the name Jessie is important to the sentence. It should not be separated from 

the rest of the sentence by commas.] 

1. My paternal grandfather Sean Ward is a firefighter. [Does the speaker have only one 

paternal grandfather? If so, the appositive Sean Ward should be set off by commas.] 

2. This bike the blue one is mine. 

3. Tomorrow night, Saturday the twenty-seventh, is Tera’s birthday. 

4. Her math textbook a heavy book is sitting on the table. 

5. The cafe Trail’s End Diner serves large, healthful muffins. 

Use commas to set off words in direct address. When you use direct address, you say someone’s 

name to get that person’s attention. 

EXAMPLES Mom, I have a piano lesson today after school. [Mom is a noun of direct 

address because the speaker is talking to Mom directly. Mom 

should be followed by a comma.] 




This weekend, students, I hope you will spend some time studying for the 

quiz. [Students is a noun of direct address because the speaker is talking 

to the students directly. Students should be separated from the rest of the 

sentence by commas.] 

EXERCISE B Add commas where they are needed in each of the following sentences. 

Example 1. May we play catch in the yard today, Dad? [Dad is a noun of direct address and 

should be separated from the rest of the sentence by a comma.] 

6. Come inside the house Rover. [What word is a noun of direct address and should be separated 

from the rest of the sentence by a comma?] 

7. If you practice more Sarah you will soon learn to play the guitar. 

8. This amusement park Sir is the best one I have ever seen! 

9. How many pages is your English essay Julie? 

10. I am so glad you are visiting us Grandma. 

Use commas to set off parenthetical expressions. A parenthetical expression is a word or word 

group that interrupts the sentence to make a comment. Parenthetical expressions include 

words such as however, on the other hand, and for example. 

EXAMPLES In fact, he was offering us half his sandwich. [In fact interrupts the 

sentence. It should be set off from the rest of the sentence by a comma.] 

Another theory, on the other hand, is that the skeleton is 11,000 years old. 

[On the other hand interrupts the sentence and should be set off from the 

rest of the sentence by commas.] 

We believed him, of course. [Of course interrupts the sentence. It should 

be set off from the rest of the sentence by a comma.] 

EXERCISE C Insert commas where they are needed in each of the following sentences. 

Example 1. This movie, however, looks exciting. [However interrupts the sentence and should be 

separated from the rest of the sentence by commas.] 

11. This wood for instance is the correct type for a bird feeder. [What words interrupt the sentence 

and should be set off from the rest of the sentence by commas?] 

12. Meanwhile the two boys had broken the secret code. 

13. Golden retrievers are generally speaking smart and friendly dogs. 

14. We are meeting at the gym at 3:00 P.M. I believe. 

15. Is this new camera in fact more lightweight than last year’s model? 






Semicolons 

12a. 

Use a semicolon between closely related independent clauses that are not joined by a 

coordinating conjunction such as and, but, for, nor, or, so, or yet. 

EXAMPLE It rained today; I’m glad I brought my umbrella. [A semicolon appears 

between two closely related independent clauses.] 

Use a semicolon between independent clauses joined by a conjunctive adverb or by a 

transitional expression. A semicolon should precede the conjunctive adverb or transitional 

expression, and a comma should follow it. 

REMINDER 

EXAMPLES I missed the lecture; therefore, I borrowed class notes from Sue. 

[A semicolon appears between two independent clauses joined by a 

conjunctive adverb. A comma follows the conjunctive adverb.] 

The equation wasn’t hard to solve; in fact, the solution was easy to find. 

[A semicolon appears between two independent clauses joined by a 

transitional expression. A comma follows the transitional expression.] 

Conjunctive adverbs and transitional expressions show readers how linked independent 

clauses are related to each other. Common conjunctive adverbs include 

however, nevertheless, instead, consequently, and therefore. Common transitional 

expressions include as a result, for example, in addition, in fact, and on the other hand. 

EXERCISE A Use proofreading symbols to add semicolons where they are needed in each of the 


Examples 1. I wanted to go to a movie however, my little sister wanted to go to an amusement 

^; 

park. [The two independent clauses should be joined by a semicolon and the 

conjunctive adverb however. A comma follows however.] 

2. A small plane is circling the landing field, the pilot must be waiting to land. [The 

^; 

two independent clauses should be joined by a semicolon.] 

1. Today, the sun was shining the cat went for a walk outside. [Does a semicolon join the two 

independent clauses in this sentence?] 

2. The thermostat broke, consequently, the car overheated. [Do a semicolon and a conjunctive 

adverb join the two independent clauses in this sentence?] 

3. It was not an easy test nevertheless, she thinks she passed it. 

4. Zack likes his new bicycle after all, it has fifteen speeds. 

5. The press has to be level, otherwise, the drill holes will be at the wrong angle. 

6. There was a brief flurry of snow, then, it began to drizzle. 

7. Tom is trying out for the basketball team he plays well. 

8. The ’32 sedan should win the car show, on the other hand, so should the ’31 coupe. 




9. I like bright colors for instance, my room is bright blue. 

10. A light on that radio tower is out, someone needs to call in the repair crew. 

Use a semicolon, rather than a comma, to separate independent clauses joined by a 

coordinating conjunction when the independent clauses contain commas that may be confusing. 

Use a semicolon between items in a series if the items contain commas. 

EXAMPLES The baby ate his supper, took his bath, and heard a story; and his mother 

tucked him in, sang him a lullaby, and kissed him goodnight. [Because the 

two independent clauses contain commas, they are joined by a 

semicolon.] 

I addressed the letters to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Phoenix, Arizona; and 

Frankfurt, Germany. [Because the items in the series contain commas, 

semicolons are used to separate the items.] 

EXERCISE B Use proofreading symbols to add semicolons where they are needed in each of the 

following sentences. If the sentence is already punctuated correctly, write C on the line provided. 

Example C 1. These records indicate that long distance phone calls were made to that 

number on November 6, 8, and 17, 2009; and January 19, 22, 25, and 30, 

2010. [The items in this list contain commas, so semicolons should separate the 

items.] 

11. The package was routed through Memphis, Tennessee, New Orleans, Louisiana, and 

Houston, Texas. [Should the items in this series be separated by semicolons?] 

12. Because I needed reference books, a photocopier, and a quiet place to work, I went to 

the library; and because Carmela needed a thesaurus, periodicals, and a computer, she 

came with me. 

13. The scheduled meeting dates are Friday, January 26, Saturday, January 27, and Friday, 

February 2. 

14. The food donation bags need to be delivered to 1104 Oak Street, 124 Maple, 1932 Piney 

Woods, and 476 Shady Green. 

15. This file cabinet contains paper clips, both large and small, highlighters in assorted 

colors, pens, including red, blue, green and black ballpoints, and several types of file 

folders. 






Colons 

12e. 

Use colons to tell readers to “note what follows.” Use colons before lists of items, especially after 

expressions such as the following and as follows. 

EXAMPLE The shelter needs these supplies: bath soap, shampoo, toothpaste, paper 

towels, and assorted canned goods. [The colon tells readers that a list of 

items will follow.] 

Use colons to introduce long, formal statements or quotations. 

NOTE 

EXAMPLE The council announced the following:“The proposed change to zoning, after 

thorough and thoughtful discussion, has been rejected.” [The colon tells 

readers that a formal quotation follows. Because the quotation is a complete 

sentence, it begins with a capital letter.] 

Do not use a colon between a verb and its complements or between a preposition and 

its objects. 

INCORRECT For Tuesday’s field trip, wear: comfortable shoes, cotton socks, a hat, and 

hiking apparel. [The colon separates the verb wear from its complements, 

the direct objects shoes, socks, hat, and apparel.] 

CORRECT For Tuesday’s field trip, wear these: comfortable shoes, cotton socks, a hat, and 

hiking apparel. [The colon no longer separates the verb wear from its 

new complement, these.] 

INCORRECT The truck has been loaded with: books, a desk, two lamps, and a chair. [The 

colon separates the preposition with from its objects, books, desk, lamps, 

and chair.] 

CORRECT The truck has been loaded with office materials: books, a desk, two lamps, 

and a chair. [The colon no longer separates the preposition with from its 

new object, materials.] 

EXERCISE A Use proofreading symbols to correct any incorrect punctuation and to insert correct 

punctuation where needed in the following sentences. 

Example 1. Of whales, Estelle wrote this:“It’s their size that sometimes astonishes me.” [A colon 

should introduce this formal quotation.] 

1. Vivette’s locker has a few decorations similar to yours; a small poster, an origami swan, a 

couple of family photographs, and a superhero action figure. [Should a colon introduce the list 

of items in this sentence?] 

2. Tomorrow, each of you is expected to bring the raw materials that you’ll need in order to build 

a simple electric motor, three strands of wire, a magnet, two large paper clips, and a battery. 

3. In a letter to M. Standford, Lien Sing wrote; “The necessary data has been gathered. Now we 

await funding before we can begin the process of discovering what that data actually means.” 




4. Speaking directly to the play’s audience, the character Anne Benson reveals the following 

“That puddle of water, so far from any stream or river, seemed to be a quiet gift dropped to 

Earth, a shimmering and muddy pool of life-giving moisture with which I might survive the 

desert’s noonday sun.” 

5. Today, City Manager Manuela Mora announced new water restrictions—“Due to unusually 

dry conditions, we are asking citizens to further decrease their levels of water consumption. 

We are requiring that local residents suspend the use of sprinklers and sprinkler systems.” 

Use colons before statements that explain or clarify preceding statements. 

EXAMPLE The housing development will be completed on time: Most of the homes 

have been carpeted, and the remainder are scheduled to be carpeted within 

the next two weeks. [The second statement explains the idea of the first 

sentence. Because the second statement is a complete sentence, it begins 

with a capital letter.] 

Also use colons in certain conventional situations: between the hour and minute when writing 

time, between chapter and verse in Biblical references, between a title and its subtitle, and after 

the salutation of a business letter. 

EXAMPLES I’ll meet you outside your science class at 12:30 p.m. [hour and minute] 

Have you read Matthew 5:44? [chapter and verse of the Bible] 

Forgotten Duties: Leadership’s Limits [title and subtitle] 

Dear Major Leslau: [salutation of business letter] 

EXERCISE B Use proofreading symbols to correct any incorrect punctuation and to insert correct 

punctuation where needed in the following items. 

Example 1. Abra wrote a great essay titled “Summertime, : When Time Seems to Fly.” [A colon, 

^ 

not a comma, is needed between the title and subtitle of the essay.] 

6. Marguerite finally cleaned out her book pack, A pair of running shoes, two overdue library 

books, and an old bottle of water had made it heavy. [Does the second sentence explain the first 

sentence? Should a colon separate the two sentences?] 

7. “Easy Answers—Three Simple Steps Toward Healthier Living” 

8. To get to the bus terminal on time, you’ll have to get up by 7 15 A.M. 

9. Dear President Reid— 

10. The Bible verse Proverbs 19–8 is inspirational. 






13a. 

13b. 

Italics 

Use italics (underlining) for titles and subtitles of books, plays, long poems, periodicals, works of 

art, movies,TV series, and long musical works and recordings. 

BOOK Today: Essays in Politics WORK OF ART David 

PLAY Antigone MOVIE I Never Sang for My Father 

LONG POEM Don Juan TV SERIES I Love Lucy 

PERIODICAL Newsweek LONG MUSICAL WORK Chichester Psalms 

EXERCISE A Underline the word or word group that should be italicized in each of the following 

sentences. 

Examples 1. Isn’t American Idol on tonight? [American Idol is the title of a television series and 

should be underlined.] 

2. The colors in Lord of the Southern Dipper, a work of Chinese art, are vibrant. [Lord 

of the Southern Dipper is the title of a work of art and should be underlined.] 

1. Antonio Vivaldi’s long musical work, The Four Seasons, includes musical representations of 

the sounds of nature. [Should the title of a long musical work be underlined?] 

2. My sister is reading the book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory for the second time. [Should 

the title of a book be underlined?] 

3. Back issues of the magazine The Sciences are available in the library. 

4. My brother is playing the role of Stage Manager in Thornton Wilder’s play Our Town. 

5. Do you like the painting Irises by Vincent van Gogh? 

6. Where the Lilies Bloom is a book about a family’s struggle to stay together. 

7. He went home to watch the television show Deal or No Deal. 

8. Does Sarah really think that Shrek, a movie about a nasty, green ogre, is romantic? 

9. My English teacher said that reading The Waste Land, a long poem by T. S. Eliot, is a challenge. 

10. Because the movie is about scientific exploration, Teresa’s science class is going to watch 

Galapagos. 

Use italics (underlining) for the names of ships, trains, aircraft, and spacecraft. 

SHIP HMS Beagle AIRCRAFT Flyer III 

TRAIN the Stourbridge Lion SPACECRAFT Friendship 7 




EXERCISE B Underline the word or word group that should be italicized in each of the following 

sentences. 

Example 1. The first ship to use steam power while crossing the ocean was the Savannah. 

[Savannah is the name of a ship and should be underlined.] 

11. The Orient-Express was a luxury train that once traveled along a 1,700 mile route. [Should the 

name of a train be underlined?] 

12. Air Force One is the jet used to provide transportation for the president of the United States. 

13. Was Luna 9, an unmanned Soviet probe, the first spacecraft to make a soft landing on the moon? 

14. One of the first steamboats, the Charlotte Dundas, was put to commercial use in 1802. 

15. After six years in orbit, the U.S. space station Skylab re-entered the Earth’s atmosphere on 

13c. 

July 11, 1979. 

Use italics (underlining) for words, letters, symbols, and numerals referred to as such and for 

foreign words that have not been adopted into English. 

EXAMPLES Write the number 3 in that column. [Because 3 is referred to as a numeral, 

it is italicized.] 

How many e’s are in Tennessee? [Both the letter e and the word Tennessee 

are referred to as such, so both are italicized.] 

Is the symbol @ used in most e-mail addresses? [Because the symbol @ is 

referred to as such, it is underlined (italicized).] 

The Latin phrase carpe diem means “seize the day.” [The phrase carpe diem 

consists of foreign words that have not been adopted into English, so it 

is italicized.] 

EXERCISE C Underline the words, letters, symbols, or numerals that should be italicized in each of the 

following sentences. Hint: Some sentences contain more than one word, letter, symbol, or numeral that 

should be underlined. 

Example 1. Press # after you have entered the number of the extension you wish to reach. 

[Because the symbol # is referred to as such, it should be underlined.] 

16. Please write either yes or no as your answer to each question. [What words are being used as 

words and should be underlined?] 

17. The word for potato in French is pomme de terre, and in Spanish it is potata. 

18. Write the numeral 52 after the equal sign. 

19. Does the word canceled have one l or two? 

20. The chalk is smudged, but it looks like there is a ∑ in front of the in the equation. 






Quotation Marks A 

Direct Quotations 

13d. 

Use quotation marks to enclose a direct quotation—a person’s exact words. 

Quotation marks begin and end a direct quotation. A direct quotation generally begins with a 

capital letter. 

NOTE 

EXAMPLES “Tonight, read the short story. Then, tomorrow morning we’ll begin 

organizing our essays about the story,” said Mrs. Rodriguez. [Quotation 

marks begin and end Mrs. Rodriguez’s exact words.] 

Cora asked, “Should I take that class next year?” [Cora’s exact words are 

enclosed by quotation marks and her sentence begins with a capital 

letter.] 

Often a sentence contains an indirect quotation, or a writer’s rewording of what someone 

has written or said, rather than the speaker’s exact words. An indirect quotation is 

not set off with quotation marks. 

DIRECT QUOTATION Henry said, “We shouldn’t be late to the game.” [Quotation marks begin 

and end Henry’s exact words.] 

INDIRECT QUOTATION Henry said that we shouldn’t be late to the game. [Because the sentence 

does not contain Henry’s exact words, there are no quotation marks.] 

EXERCISE A Using proofreading symbols, insert quotation marks where they are needed in each of the 

following sentences. If a sentence is already correct, write C on the line provided. 

^ 

Examples 1. Garrett Dawson writes,“What we choose to explore helps define who we 

^ 

are.” [Mr. Dawson’s exact words should be set off with quotation marks.] 

C 

2. Marguerite said that she was tired and needed a nap. [The sentence 

contains an indirect quotation, so it does not need quotation marks.] 

1. I like your new bicycle. Did you get it for your birthday? asked Jane. [Where should 

quotation marks be placed to enclose Jane’s exact words?] 

2. According to Rosa, our assignments are due on Friday. [Does an indirect quotation need 

quotation marks?] 

3. We should go outside and get some fresh air, Tom said. 

4. A Chinese philosopher remarked, I have just three things to teach: simplicity, patience, 

and compassion. 

5. The fireflies look pretty on this starry night, said Monique. 




6. Mom said that your room needs to be vacuumed. 

7. Professor David Adams Leeming says that Greek drama came from religious rituals. 

8. During the ceremony Ben gasped, Quit making me laugh! 

9. In Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, an angry Brutus asks, Was that done like Cassius? 

Should I have answered Caius Cassius so? 

10. The brochure promises that we’ll get to swim, hike, cook out, and play volleyball. 

When an interrupting expression, such as said Amy or Hugh remarked, divides a quoted 

sentence into two parts, the second part of the quote begins with a lowercase letter. A direct 

can be set off from the rest of the sentence by a comma, a question mark, or an exclamation 

point, but not by a period. 

EXAMPLES “My favorite art form is sculpture,” said John, “but I also like pottery.” 

[The expression said John interrupts the direct quotation, so the second 

part of the quotation begins with a lowercase letter.] 

“I planted the garden all by myself!” said Millicent. [Because the 

exclamation point is part of the direct quotation, it appears inside the 

quotation marks.] 

EXERCISE B Insert quotation marks where they are needed in each of the following sentences. 

^ 

^ 

^ 

^ 

Example 1.“The school dance will be festive,” said Jacob. “I helped plan the decorations.” 

[Quotation marks should come before and after each part of Jacob’s exact words. The 

second part of the quote begins with a capital letter because it is a complete sentence.] 

11. When you go to the library, said Yvonne, please take this book with you. [Where should 

quotation marks be placed to enclose Yvonne’s exact words?] 

12. I miss my aunt in Boston, said Paul. She is a funny person. 

13. May I borrow your blue sweater? asked my little sister. 

14. Thanks for finding my lost math book! I exclaimed. 

15. When you get home, said Dad, we’ll leave for the soccer game. 





for CHAPTER 13: PUNCTUATION page 391 

Quotation Marks B 

Titles 

13g. 

NOTE 

Use quotation marks to enclose titles (including subtitles) of short works such as short stories, 

poems, essays, articles, songs, episodes of TV series, and chapters and other parts of books and 

periodicals. 

SHORT STORY “Boys and Girls” 

POEM “Mother to Son” 

ESSAY “The Man in the Water” 

ARTICLE “The Unknown Rebel” 

SONG “I’ve Been Working on the Railroad” 

TV EPISODE “Say Uncle” 

BOOK CHAPTER “The Beginning of Civilization:Trying Times” 

When commas or periods are used with quotation marks, they are placed within the 

closing quotation marks. When colons or semicolons are used with quotation marks, 

they are placed outside the closing quotation marks. 

EXAMPLES We read the chapter “After Hollywood,” and then we discussed the story 

“Stars in Their Eyes.” [The comma and period appear within the closing 


The following students will be reading the story “The Book of Sand”: 

Jessica, Ryan, Chet, and Carlos. [The colon appears outside the closing 


My aunt loves the song “O Superman”; in fact, she’s memorized its lyrics. 

[The semicolon appears outside the closing quotation marks.] 

EXERCISE A Insert quotation marks where they are needed in each of the following sentences. 

^ 

^ 

Examples 1. Theo missed the end of “Time Travel”; it’s an episode of Nova. [The name of the tel- 

evision episode should be in quotation marks, and the semicolon should appear outside 

the closing quotation marks.] 

^ 

^ 

2. I read the essay “Students Need Plenty of Rest,” which my teacher wrote for the 

school newspaper. [The name of the essay should be in quotation marks, and the 

comma should appear within the closing quotation marks.] 

1. My favorite short story is Two Kinds. [What words are the title of a short story and should be 

enclosed in quotation marks? Should the period appear within the closing quotation marks?] 

2. When I read Doris Lessing’s story Through the Tunnel, I found myself holding my breath! 

[What words are the title of a short story and should be enclosed in quotation marks? Should the 

comma appear within the closing quotation marks?] 



for CHAPTER 13: PUNCTUATION page 391 continued 

3. Mr. Minard assigned pages 479–84 of the chapter Making a Point. 

4. The article Recycling and You discusses the importance of recycling. 

5. The headline in today’s newspaper was this: Pollution Levels Decrease. 

6. I like Anne Sexton’s poem Courage. 

7. We danced to the song Telstar at my cousin’s wedding reception. 

8. That actor stars in tonight’s episode of The Smiths, Robbery. 

9. Shamika can play an arrangement of the song Take Five on the piano. 

10. Was the short story The First Seven Years written by Bernard Malamud? 

NOTE 

A question mark or an exclamation point is placed inside the closing quotation marks if 

the quotation itself is a question or an exclamation. Otherwise, a question mark or an 

exclamation point is placed outside the closing quotation marks. 

EXAMPLES “I won!” Ruth shouted in surprise. [Because Ruth’s quotation is itself an 

exclamation, the exclamation point appears within the closing quotation 

marks.] 

Did I hear you say, “Dinner’s almost ready”? [Because the quotation itself 

is not a question, the question mark appears outside the closing 


EXERCISE B On each of the lines provided, write a title that corresponds to the underlined noun in the 

sentence. Be sure to use quotation marks correctly in the sentence. You can make up the names for any 

titles you may need. 

Example 1. Have you read the poem “Hanging Fire” ? [The title of the poem,“Hanging 

Fire,” should be enclosed by quotation marks. Because the title is not a question, the 

question mark should appear outside the quotation marks.] 

11. Everyone in class watched , the show’s latest episode, last night. 

[Have you included quotation marks around the title of the television episode you’ve chosen? 

Should the comma appear within the closing quotation marks?] 

12. I absolutely love the song ! 

13. This magazine article, , discusses an average teenager’s spending 

habits. 

14. , the fourth chapter in our history book, discusses the growth of cities. 

15. Does Sheila think that everyone over eighteen years of age should read the short story 

? 






13j. 

Ellipsis Points 

Use ellipsis points ( . . . ) to mark omissions from quoted material. 

When you use direct quotations in your papers, you are quoting another person’s exact words. 

If you choose to leave words out of the direct quotation, use three spaced ellipsis points to 

show where you have left them out. Remember to include spaces before, after, and between 

the points of the ellipsis. 

ORIGINAL These are the scientific ideas that lead to technological advancement. 

QUOTED Of certain ideas,Tanya Wheatly said,“These . . . lead to technological 

advancement.” [Three spaced ellipsis points show where the words are 

the scientific ideas that have been left out of the quoted sentence.] 

EXERCISE A Use proofreader’s marks to omit the underlined words and phrases in the following 

sentences. Insert ellipses where they are needed, placing #’s where spaces should appear. 

#.#.#.# 

Example 1. The quick, brown fox jumped over the lazy dog. [Ellipsis points should replace quick, 

brown and spaces should appear before, after, and between the points of the ellipsis.] 

1. It’s a very long way from here at the edge of the forest to the meadow. [Have you deleted the 

underlined phrase, inserted ellipsis points, and indicated where spaces should be?] 

2. The greatest moment thus far in her life was when she won an Olympic medal. 

3. If you have lost a brown, spotted dog, please come to the entrance gate. 

4. We sang so many songs, such as “Row, Row, Row, Your Boat,” that the bus driver suggested 

that we listen to the radio. 

5. When the detectives arrived at the abandoned warehouse, the counterfeiters had already gone, 

taking the evidence with them. 

When you omit words from the beginning of a sentence within a quoted passage, keep the 

punctuation of the sentence before it and follow that punctuation with three spaced ellipsis 

points. 

ORIGINAL The morning fogs had lifted. The sailors could see the horizon again, and the 

sun sparkled atop the waves. 

QUOTED “The morning fogs had lifted. . . . and the sun sparkled atop the waves.” 

[The period at the end of the first sentence is followed with three spaced 

ellipsis points.] 




To omit words at the end of a sentence within a quoted passage, or to leave out one or more 

sentences from within a quoted passage, keep the sentence’s end punctuation and follow it 

with three spaced ellipsis points. 

NOTE 

ORIGINAL This tank is too small for the number of fish we’ve just bought. 

QUOTED “This tank is too small. . . .” [Three spaced ellipsis points follow the 

period that ends the sentence.] 

ORIGINAL The boys rode to the park. They rested. Then, since it was a nice day, they 

played a quick game of basketball. 

QUOTED “The boys rode to the park. . . . Then, since it was a nice day, they played a 

quick game of basketball. [Three spaced ellipsis points follow the period 

of the first sentence. The second sentence has been omitted.] 

Any time a writer changes the contents of a direct quotation, the change is indicated by 

enclosing it within brackets. 

ORIGINAL The backhoe scooped up dirt. We watched as it dumped it to one side. 

QUOTED “The backhoe scooped up dirt. . . . [I]t dumped it to one side.” [The 

beginning of the second sentence in the direct quotation has been 

omitted, but the remaining portion of the sentence should begin with a 

capital letter; therefore, a capital I has been placed in brackets to show 

that it has been substituted for the lowercase i of it.] 

EXERCISE B Use proofreader’s marks to omit the underlined words and phrases in the following 

sentences. Insert ellipsis points where they are needed, placing #’s where spaces should appear. Use 

brackets to enclose any changes made to the quoted material. 

#.#.#.#[I] 

Example 1. The ranch house was painted a bright blue. The color was unusual, but it was 

appealing to the people who lived there. [Three spaced ellipsis points should follow 

the period in the first sentence, and a capital I should be placed in brackets to indicate that 

the lowercase i of it has been replaced by a capital letter.] 

6. The new art gallery will be of interest to students. Many colorful, interesting exhibits are 

housed there. [Have you inserted ellipsis points to show where words have been left out, indicated 

where spaces should be, and used brackets to indicate changes to the quoted material?] 

7. The cat silently stalked the green-and-blue butterfly fluttering outside the window. 

8. How exciting can a movie be? This week’s hottest new release offers an answer. It can be very 

exciting! Deliveries, an epic adventure film, is the most fast-paced, must-see movie of the 

summer. 

9. “We found an answer that had been buried in historical detail,” said Carl Pierce. 

10. Who said, “Remember that time is money”? 






14a. 

14b. 

14c. 

14d. 

Apostrophes 

To form the possessive of most singular nouns, add an apostrophe and an s. 

EXAMPLE The television’s remote control is on the table. [Television is singular. To 

make television possessive, an apostrophe and an s are added.] 

To form the possessive case of a plural noun ending in s, add only the apostrophe. 

If the plural noun doesn’t end in s, add an apostrophe and an s. 

EXAMPLES We saw five spiders’ webs in the backyard. [Spiders is plural and ends in s. 

To make spiders possessive, only an apostrophe is added.] 

On the shores of the pond, there were many geese’s feathers. [Geese is 

plural, but it does not end an s. To make geese possessive, an apostrophe 

and an s are added.] 

EXERCISE A Write the possessive form of each of the following words on the line provided. 

Example 1. dolphin dolphin’s 

[To make the singular word dolphin possessive, an apostrophe 

and an s are added.] 

1. shepherd [Is the word shepherd singular or plural?] 

2. Dena 

3. children 

4. kangaroos 

5. pantry 

Do not use an apostrophe with possessive personal pronouns or with the possessive pronoun 

whose. 

Possessive personal pronouns are the words my, mine, your, yours, his, her, hers, its, our, ours, 

your, yours, their, and theirs. 

EXAMPLE Whose jacket is this? Is it yours or Steven’s? [The possessive pronoun 

Whose and the possessive personal pronoun yours do not have 

apostrophes. The possessive noun Steven’s is formed using an 

apostrophe and an s.] 

To form the possessive of an indefinite pronoun, add an apostrophe and an s. 

Indefinite pronouns are words such as anybody, anything, everybody, everyone, nobody, no one, 

somebody, and something. 

EXAMPLE The teacher asked for everyone’s opinion. [The possessive form of everyone 

is formed by adding an apostrophe and an s.] 




EXERCISE B On the line provided, complete each of the following sentences by writing the possessive 

form of the word in parentheses. 

Example (Who) 1. Whose skateboard is this? [The possessive form of who is whose. Whose 

does not have an apostrophe.] 

(it) 6. The puppy wagged tail when I walked into the room. [Does the 

possessive form of the personal pronoun it have an apostrophe?] 

(No one) 7. eyes were closed in the photograph. 

(she) 8. This tennis racket is . 

(anybody) 9. It is guess what he has planned for the birthday party. 

(They) 10. volleyball team is the best in the league. 

14g. 

14h. 

Use an apostrophe to show where letters, words, or numerals have been omitted in a contraction. 

A contraction is a shortened form of a word, word group, or number. 

EXAMPLES It is It’s of the clock o’clock 

she will she’ll 1960 ’60 

Use an apostrophe and an s to form the plurals of numerals, symbols, all lowercase letters, some 

uppercase letters, and some words referred to as words. 

EXAMPLES You use too many like’s when you speak. [Like is a word that is used as a 

word, and so it needs an apostrophe and an s.] 

Replace all the l’s with 1’s. [The letter l and the number 1 need an 

apostrophe and an s.] 

EXERCISE C Add apostrophes where needed in each of the following sentences. Some sentences may 

need more than one apostrophe added. 

Example 1. I don’t know where I left my skates. [Dont is a contraction and should have an 

apostrophe.] 

11. Penguins and ostriches cant fly. [Which word is a contraction?] 

12. Dont forget to cross your ts and dot your is. 

13. Its amazing! 

14. How many 7s are in your phone number? 

15. Wasnt there a bird’s nest in this tree? 






14i. 

14k. 

Hyphens and Dashes 

Use a hyphen to divide a word at the end of a line. 

When you run out of space at the end of a line, divide a word only between syllables. Do not 

divide a one-syllable word, and do not divide a word so that one letter stands alone. Divide an 

already hyphenated word only at the hyphen. 

TIP 

EXAMPLES In biology, Laura gave a presentation about the Chinese giant salamander, 

which can grow up to five feet in length. [Salamander is more than one 

syllable and can be divided between its syllables, sala • man • der.] 

My parents asked the car salesman which model was the most fuelefficient. 

[Fuel-efficient is an already hyphenated word and should be 

divided at the hyphen.] 

If you are not sure how a word should be hyphenated, check a dictionary. 

EXERCISE A On the line following each word, rewrite the word and insert slash marks to indicate where a 

word can be hyphenated. If the word should not be hyphenated, write NH on the line. 

Example 1. exciting ex/cit/ing [Exciting is more than one syllable and can be divided between 

any of its syllables, ex • cit • ing.] 

1. self-esteem [Where should an already hyphenated word be divided?] 

2. apple 

3. dog 

4. houseboat 

5. continue 

Use a hyphen with the prefixes all-, ex-, great-, and self-; with the suffixes -elect and -free; and with 

all prefixes before a proper noun or proper adjective. 

EXAMPLES ex-president [The prefix ex– always needs a hyphen.] 

sugar-free [The suffix –free always needs a hyphen.] 

pre-Columbian [The prefix pre– needs a hyphen because it comes before 

the proper adjective Columbian.] 

EXERCISE B Insert a hyphen where it is needed in each of the following items. If an item is already 

correct, write C on the line provided. 

Example 1. all-natural [A hyphen is always used with the prefix all–.] 

6. great grandmother [Should a word with the prefix great– be hyphenated?] 

7. governor elect 

8. tax free 




14m. 

14n. 

9. mid-December 

10. self propelled 

Use a dash to indicate the beginning and the end of an abrupt break in thought or speech or to 

indicate an unfinished thought. 

EXAMPLE This idea—and it is a good one—was all Monique’s. [Dashes are used to 

show a break in speech or thought.] 

Use a dash to mean namely, that is, or in other words, or to otherwise introduce an explanation. 

Also, use a dash after the explanation if the sentence continues. 

EXAMPLES The summer camp counselors had planned many outdoor activities—rowing, 

hiking, swimming, and bird-watching. [A dash is used to mean namely 

and introduces the phrase rowing, hiking, swimming, and bird-watching.] 

The science fair—the largest one in the state—takes place on Saturday. 

[Dashes are placed before and after the phrase the largest one in the state 

because the sentence continues after the explanation.] 

EXERCISE C Add dashes where they are needed in each of the following sentences. 

Example 1. Mrs. Anderson assigned two projects—write a persuasive speech and read Chapter 

12. [A dash is used to mean namely and is needed between projects and write.] 

11. The tomatoes I grew them myself tasted delicious. [Which words show a break in thought and 

should have dashes before and after them?] 

12. Has the tennis match the one that Mark is playing in been postponed? 

13. It was very cold outside in the low 20’s last night. 

14. This summer I hope it is a warm one I am taking swimming lessons. 

15. The newspaper staff sold advertising space to several local businesses Stedman’s Photography, 

Flowers Galore, and Fantasy Miniature Golf. 






14o. 

Parentheses and Brackets 

Use parentheses to enclose informative or explanatory material of minor importance. 

Parentheses are used to tell the reader that the information enclosed is not important but 

might be interesting or useful to know. Do not enclose important information in parentheses. 

EXAMPLES My best friend (born in 1997) had a birthday today. [The words born in 

1997 offer more information, but the information is not necessary to 

understand the sentence.] 

The model volcano Jacob built (a scale model of Mauna Loa) won first 

place in the science fair. [The words a scale model of Mauna Loa offer extra 

information, but the information is not necessary to understand the 

main sentence.] 

EXERCISE A Add parentheses where they are needed in each of the following sentences. 

Examples 1. During our trip to Texas, we plan to visit Austin (it’s the capital of Texas)and San 

Antonio. [The sentence it’s the capital of Texas adds extra information but is not 

necessary to understand the sentence, so it should be set off by parentheses.] 

2. Your aunt(isn’t she from El Salvador?)is in this picture. [The question isn’t she from El 

Salvador? asks for more information but is not necessary to understand the sentence, so it 

is set off by parentheses.] 

1. My great-grandfather 1920–1999 was a general in the army. [What extra information is not 

necessary to understand the sentence?] 

2. I lived in Springdale that is in Virginia until I was twelve. [What extra information is not 

necessary to understand the sentence?] 

3. Will the test on Friday cover Chapter 27 the one about Vietnam and Chapter 28? 

4. My dog he’s a German shepherd is a great guard dog. 

5. Paul his full name is Paul Christopher McIntyre is my cousin. 

6. The gymnasium isn’t it left of the cafeteria? is where the play is being performed. 

7. Was the swimming pool the old one on Fifth Street closed for repairs last week? 

8. That bird I believe that it’s a mockingbird does not seem to like my cat. 

9. Ms. Garcia she has been principal for twenty-five years retired today. 

10. We planted the climbing rose bush aren’t the blooms beautiful? last year. 




14p. 

Use brackets to enclose an explanation or added information within quoted or parenthetical 

material. 

EXAMPLES “I’m not the one who broke it [the vase],” Dan said. [The information in 

brackets tell what it is. Dan did not speak the words the vase. The writer 

added the information.] 

Turn to page 13. (The chart [conjugation of verbs] is located there.) [The 

information in brackets adds extra information to the information 

already in parentheses.] 

EXERCISE B Add brackets where they are needed in each of the following sentences. 

Example 1. “The two fractions in this item [item 15] should be reduced,” said Mr. Batali. [The 

words item 15 were not part of Mr. Batali’s quoted statement. The writer added these 

words to explain which item.] 

11. “When you see her Karen, let her know that I am looking for her,” said Jane. [What word was 

added by the writer to explain who her is?] 

12. Use the map (page 12 Australia) to answer the questions. 

13. Leroy pointed to the globe and said, “My grandparents are from that country Nigeria.” 

14. “After the meeting, she the counselor encouraged everyone to apply for scholarships,” Louis 

said. 

15. The two kittens (Mittens and Smoke the ones on the left) are the cutest. 





for CHAPTER 15: SPELLING page 424 

15b. 

15c. 

Words with ie and ei 

Write ie when the sound is long e, except after c. 

EXAMPLES believe [The word believe has a long e sound, and ie doesn’t come after a 

c. Use ie.] 

reprieve [The word reprieve has a long e sound, and ie doesn’t come after 

a c. Use ie.] 

receive [The word receive has a long e sound, but the letters follow a c. 

Use ei when those letters come after a c.] 

perceive [The word perceive has a long e sound, but the letters follow a c. 

Use ei when those letters come after a c.] 

Some words do not follow Rule 15b. Here are a few exceptions. 

EXCEPTIONS either, neither, leisure, protein 

Write ei when the sound is not long e. 

EXAMPLES freight, height , weight 

Some words do not follow Rule 15c. Here are a few exceptions. 

EXCEPTIONS patience, mischief, ancient 

EXERCISE A Complete the following words by writing ie or ei on the lines provided. If you are not sure 

how to spell a word, look the word up in a dictionary. 

Example 1. v i 

e w [The word view is spelled with ie.] 

1. rel f [Do the i and the e follow c?] 

2. s ge 

3. n ghbor 

4. dec ve 

5. c ling 

REMINDER 

The rhyme “i before e except after c or when sounded like a as in neighbor and 

weigh” may help you to remember these spelling rules. There are exceptions to 

these rules, so check in a dictionary if you are uncertain about how to spell a word 

with an i and e combination. 



for CHAPTER 15: SPELLING page 424 continued 

EXERCISE B Read each of the following sentences. If a word has been misspelled, draw a line through 

the word. Then, write the word correctly on the line provided. If no words have been misspelled, then 

write C on the line. 

Examples achievement 1. Going to college is an acheivement. [The ie in achievement makes a 

C 

long e sound. Therefore, the use of ei was a misspelling.] 

2. A pier is a structure that stands over water and is supported by 

pillars. [No words are misspelled. Pier makes a long e sound, and the 

letter combination ie is correct.] 

6. Oh no, unless one more player arrives, we will have to forfeit the game! 

[Which word should follow the spelling rule that involves i, e, and the long e 

sound?] 

7. What is the hieght of the Empire State Building? [Which word should follow 

the spelling rule that involves i, e, in a word without the long e sound?] 

8. Dragons and lions were used as decorations on the sheild. 

9. A scale in the produce department wieghs fruits of all kinds. 

10. Draped over the couch was a quilt made from pieces of blue and pink fabric. 

11. Will Cousin Amy be wearing a viel with her wedding dress? 

12. At the beach, several large umbrellas provided some relief from the summer 

heat. 

13. Architecture is a feild that attracts creative workers. 

14. Many scientists beleive that this region’s plants and animals are unique. 

15. Make sure you get a receipt when you donate this bag of clothes to the shelter. 





for CHAPTER 15: SPELLING pages 425=428 

15e. 

15f. 

15g. 

15h. 

Prefixes and Suffixes 

A prefix is one or more letters added to the beginning of a word. A suffix is one or more letters 

added to the end of a word. 

When adding a prefix, do not change the spelling of the original word. 

EXAMPLE un usual unusual [The prefix un– has been added, but the spelling of 

usual has not changed.] 

When adding the suffix –ly or –ness, do not change the spelling of the original word. 

Words that end in y usually change the y to i before adding –ly and –ness. However, if an 

adjective with one syllable (such as shy) ends in y, leave the y before –ly and –ness. The words 

true, due, and whole drop the final e before adding –ly. 

EXAMPLES joyful ly joyfully [Do not change the spelling of joyful.] 

happy ness happiness [Happy ends in y, so the y is changed to i 

before adding –ness.] 

EXERCISE A Write each of the following words, adding the prefix or suffix given. 

Example 1. mis step misstep 

[A prefix is added without changing the spelling of the 

original word.] 

1. il legal [Does adding the prefix change the spelling of legal?] 

2. merry ly 4. whole ness 

3. sad ness 5. dis appear 

Drop the final silent e before adding a suffix beginning with a vowel. 

Keep the final silent e before adding a suffix beginning with a consonant. 

EXAMPLES fine ed fined [The suffix begins with the vowel e, so the silent e has 

been dropped.] 

brave ly bravely [The suffix begins with the consonant l, so the silent 

e has been kept.] 

EXERCISE B Write each of the following words, adding the suffix given. 



for CHAPTER 15: SPELLING pages 425=428 continued 

Example 1. pine ing pining [The suffix begins with a vowel, so the final silent e is dropped.] 

15i. 

15j. 

15k. 

6. pace ing [Does the suffix begin with a vowel or a consonant?] 

7. hope less 9. face ing 

8. smile ing 10. care ful 

For words ending in y preceded by a consonant, change the y to i before adding any suffix that 

does not begin with i. 

EXAMPLE furry est furriest [Furry ends in a y with a consonant before it. The y 

should be changed to an i before adding the suffix.] 

For words ending in y preceded by a vowel, keep the y when adding a suffix. 

EXAMPLE play ing playing [Play ends in a y with a vowel before it. The y 

should be kept before adding the suffix.] 

Double the final consonant before adding a suffix that begins with a vowel if the word (1) has 

only one syllable or has the accent on the final syllable and (2) ends in a single consonant 

preceded by a single vowel. 

EXAMPLES begin er beginner [Begin has an accent on the final syllable and 

ends in a single consonant with a single vowel before it. The final 

consonant is doubled.] 

finish ing finishing [Finish has two syllables and doesn’t have a 

single consonant with a single vowel before it. The final consonant 

should not be doubled.] 

EXERCISE C Write each of the following words, adding the suffix given. 

Example 1. cry ed cried [Cry ends in a y with a consonant before it. The suffix –ed does 

not begin with an i, so the y should be changed to i.] 

11. stay ing [Is the y preceded by a consonant or a vowel?] 

12. swim er 14. funny er 

13. supply ed 15. forget able 






15l. 

Plurals of Nouns 

The singular form of a noun names one person, place, thing, or idea. The plural form names more 

than one. Remembering the following rules will help you spell the plural forms of nouns. 

(1) For most nouns, add s. 

(2) For nouns ending in s, x, z, ch, or sh, add es. 

EXAMPLES boys cats erasers giraffes cars 

bosses foxes Schultzes churches fishes 

(3) For nouns ending in y preceded by a vowel, add s. 

(4) For nouns ending in y preceded by a consonant, change the y to i and add es. 

EXAMPLES Mondays [The y is preceded by a vowel. An s is added.] 

pennies [The y is preceded by a consonant. The y changes to i and es is 

added.] 

EXERCISE A Write the plural form of each of the following words. If you don’t know what the plural of a 

word is, look up the word in a dictionary. 

Example 1. turkey turkeys 

[The y is preceded by the vowel e. Only s should be added.] 

1. fly [Is the y preceded by a consonant or a vowel?] 

2. pen 4. box 

3. Tuesday 5. dress 

(5) For some nouns ending in f or fe, add s. For others, change the f or fe to v and add es. 

SINGULAR knife leaf roof belief 

PLURAL knives leaves roofs beliefs 

(6) For nouns ending in o preceded by a vowel, add s. 

(7) For most nouns ending in o preceded by a consonant, add es. 

For words that refer to music and end in o, add only an s. A few nouns ending in an o and 

preceded by a consonant have an es. 

SINGULAR ratio Romeo solo potato 

PLURAL ratios Romeos solos potatoes 

EXERCISE B Write the plural form of each of the following words. If you don’t know what the plural of a 


Example 1. cello cellos [A cello is a musical instrument. For words that refer to music and 

end in o, add only an s.] 

6. patio [Is the o preceded by a vowel or a consonant?] 




7. hero 9. wolf 

8. alto 10. echo 

(8) The plurals of a few nouns are formed irregularly. 

(9) For a few nouns, the singular and the plural forms are the same. 

SINGULAR man foot moose Japanese 

PLURAL men feet moose Japanese 

EXERCISE C Write the plural form of each of the following words. If you don’t know what the plural of a 


Example 1. tooth teeth [The plural of tooth is teeth.] 

11. Chinese [Is the word the same in the plural form as in the singular form?] 

12. child 14. deer 

13. woman 15. sheep 

(10) For most compound nouns, form the plural of only the last word of the compound. 

(11) For compound nouns in which one of the words is modified by the other word or words, form 

the plural of the word modified. 

Compound nouns are made up of more than one word. 

SINGULAR grandchild brother-in-law 

PLURAL grandchildren brothers-in-law [In-law modifies brother, so brother is 

the word that is plural.] 

EXERCISE D Write the plural form of each of the following words. If you don’t know what the plural of a 

word is, look the word up in the dictionary. 

Example 1. runner-up runners-up [Up modifies runner, so runner should be the word that is 

plural.] 

16. beekeeper [Should the s be added to the end of the word?] 

17. president-elect 19. football 

18. three-year-old 20. grandmother 






Words Often Confused A 

The following words are easily confused with one another because they sound alike but are 

spelled differently, or they are spelled the same or nearly the same. 

affect [verb] to influence 

I hope my advice didn’t affect her decision. 

effect [verb] to accomplish, to bring about; [noun] a consequence; a result 

That company’s new president will effect many changes. [verb] 

One effect of pollution is poor air quality. [noun] 

all ready [adjective] all prepared 

The Smiths were all ready by the time we got to their house. 

already [adverb] previously 

They were already at the museum by 3:00 P.M. 

EXERCISE A Underline the correct word or word group in parentheses that correctly completes each of 

the following sentences. 

Example 1. Did Tia’s good mood (affect, effect) you? [The word affect here is a verb meaning “to 

influence.”] 

1. Are you (all ready, already) to go now? [Which word or word group means “all prepared”?] 

2. He was (all ready, already) for the math exam. 

3. Hasn’t a cure for that disease (all ready, already) been found? 

4. The (affect, effect) of good study habits is good grades. 

5. Last night’s rainstorm (affected, effected) the behavior of several pet dogs in the neighborhood. 

all together [adjective] in the same place; [adverb] at the same time 

Several jets were all together in their formation in the air show. [adjective] 

Children, please stay all together as you walk to the bus. [adverb] 

altogether [adverb] entirely 

We were altogether tired when we got back from the park. 

brake [verb] to slow down or to stop; [noun] a device used to slow down or to stop 

Brake slowly and steadily to stop safely. [verb] 

We set the brake on the bicycle so that it wouldn’t roll down the hill. [noun] 

break [verb] to cause or to come apart, to fracture; [noun] a fracture 

Did the dog break that lamp? [verb] 

It is a clean break, so we should be able to fix it. [noun] 




EXERCISE B Underline the correct word or word group in parentheses that correctly completes each of 

the following sentences. 

Example 1. Stay (all together, altogether) in the lobby. [The words all together mean “at the same 

place.”] 

6. Was her injury a (brake, break) or a sprain? [Which word means “a fracture”?] 

7. As you approach the stop sign, press on the (brake, break). 

8. An unexpected champion, he was (all together, altogether) thrilled when he won the tournament. 

9. When you are on wet pavement, (brake, break) carefully. 

10. Oh, no! Did I just (brake, break) that water glass? 

choose [verb, rhymes with shoes] to select 

I choose you to help me with the decorations. 

chose [verb, past form of choose, rhymes with nose] selected 

Last week, the committee chose a new Nobel Prize winner. 

coarse [adjective] rough, crude 

Lava from a volcano formed these coarse rocks. 

course [noun] a part of a meal; a series of studies; a playing field; a path of action [also 

used after of to mean naturally or certainly] 

The first course of the meal was minestrone soup. 

Our course of action is practicing regularly. 

EXERCISE C Underline the correct word or word group in parentheses in each of the following 

sentences. 

Example 1. Who will (choose, chose) the next leader of the group? [Choose means “to select.”] 

11. He (choose, chose) the movie that we watched last evening. [Which word means “selected”?] 

12. Did you (choose, chose) that kitten from all the rest? 

13. My hair felt (coarse, course) after swimming in the pool. 

14. I love to swim, of (coarse, course). 

15. After it (choose, chose) a place to nap, the cat stayed there for an hour. 






Words Often Confused B 

complement [noun] that which makes something whole or complete; [verb] to make 

something whole or complete 

That color really complements the room. [verb] 

compliment [noun] praise, a courteous act or statement; [verb] to express praise or respect 

Mr. Garcia complimented me on improving my grades. [verb] 

desert [noun, pronounced des’ • ert] a dry region 

This summer felt as hot as a desert. 

desert [verb, pronounced de • sert’] to leave or abandon 

Don’t desert me in this line for the roller coaster! 

dessert [noun, pronounced des • sert’] the final, sweet course of a meal 

The guests enjoyed peaches and yogurt for dessert. 

EXERCISE A Underline the correct word or word group in parentheses for each of the following 

sentences. 

Example 1. Will this green shirt (complement, compliment) these red pants? [Complement means 

“that which makes whole or complete.”] 

1. The caravan made its way through the (desert, dessert). [Which word means “a dry region”?] 

2. Please do not (desert, dessert) your studies for television. 

3. After receiving many (complements, compliments) from her art teacher, Natalia started drawing 

in her free time. 

4. Are you going to eat your (desert, dessert)? 

5. Bold yellows in the famous painting (complement, compliment) the deep blue background. 

formally [adverb] in a proper or dignified manner, according to strict rules 

Several nervous students were formally introduced to the governor. 

formerly [adverb] previously, in the past 

Bianca’s family formerly lived in Maine. 

hear [verb] to receive sounds through the ears 

Can you hear my speech in the back of the room? 

here [adverb] at this place 

Are you going to sit here? 




EXERCISE B Underline the correct word or word group in parentheses in each of the following sentences. 

Example 1. Meet us (hear, here) after the football game. [Here means “at this place.”] 

6. The dance invitation says to dress (formally, formerly). [Which word means “in a proper or 

dignified manner”?] 

7. I couldn’t (hear, here) the speaker because I sat too far in the back of the auditorium. 

8. During practice, Coach usually stands (hear, here) when she gives us tips on shooting baskets. 

9. My mother was (formally, formerly) a detective for the police department. 

10. Aha! (Hear, Here) is the book we’ve been trying to find. 

its [possessive form of it] belonging to it 

The dog chewed on its plastic, toy bone. 

it’s [contraction of it is or it has] 

It’s (It is) a beautiful day today. 

May I say what a pleasure it’s (it has) been working with you. 

lead [verb, rhymes with need] to go first; to guide 

The director plans to lead the chorus in the song “Bye Bye Birdie.” 

led [verb, past form of lead] 

Through the castle, the tour guide slowly led the group. 

lead [noun, rhymes with red] graphite in a pencil; a heavy metal 

In the middle of writing my notes, I broke my pencil lead. 

loose [adjective, rhymes with goose] free; not close together; not firmly fastened 

Carla, is one of your baby teeth loose? 

lose [verb, rhymes with snooze] to suffer loss of 

Please don’t lose your backpack at the park! 

EXERCISE C Underline the correct word or word group in parentheses in each of the following sentences. 

Example 1. The kitten raised (its, it’s) paw and swatted at the yarn. [Which word means 

“belonging to it”?] 

11. Ben volunteered to (lead, led) the class in reciting the poem. [Which word means “to go first; to 

guide”?] 

12. Is the strap on this backpack (loose, lose) again? 

13. (Its, It’s) a good idea to stretch before you exercise. 

14. The kindergarten teacher (lead, led) the children to the playground. 

15. Give the tickets to me if you are afraid you will (loose, lose) them. 






Words Often Confused C 

passed [verb, past form of pass] went by, beyond, over, or through 

The bus passed several parks on the way to school. 

past [noun] time gone by; [adjective] of a former time; [preposition] beyond 

In the past, my grandfather was a firefighter. [noun] 

Years past were filled with good memories. [adjective] 

Walk past the shed, and you’ll find a small bridge that goes over the stream. 

[preposition] 

peace [noun] calmness (as opposed to strife or war) 

The two boys declared peace and shook hands. 

piece [noun] a part of something 

Please give me a piece of that bread. 

EXERCISE A Underline the correct word or word group in parentheses in each of the following 

sentences. 

Example 1. The baby crawled (passed, past) the chair. [Past is a preposition meaning “beyond.”] 

1. Write your address on that (peace, piece) of paper. [Which word means “a part of something”?] 

2. Aunt Sheila’s German shepherd galloped (passed, past) the boy. 

3. The host enjoyed the (peace, piece) and quiet after the party. 

4. All of the confusion I had about math is now in the (passed, past). 

5. The lost (peace, piece) of the puzzle was under the chair cushion. 

quiet [adjective] silent, still 

Walking through the park, the group found a quiet place to have their picnic. 

quite [adverb] completely, rather, very 

Well, isn’t that puppy quite playful? 

than [conjunction, used for comparisons] 

He practices the violin more than I practice. 

then [adverb] at that time; next 

The glacier made a cracking sound, and then a huge chunk of ice broke free. 

EXERCISE B Underline the correct word or word group in parentheses in each of the following 

sentences. 

Example 1. She packed lighter (than, then) I packed. [Than is a conjunction used for comparisons.] 

6. Please be (quiet, quite) in the library. [Which word means “silent, still”?] 

7. Jordan was (quiet, quite) happy with his new bicycle. 




8. Since (than, then), scientists have learned a great deal more about the human brain. 

9. Nighttime isn’t entirely (quiet, quite); crickets and frogs can be heard outside the window. 

10. Can a cheetah run faster (than, then) a tiger? 

their [possessive of they] belonging to them 

Their house is the blue one on the corner. 

there [adverb] at that place; [also used as an expletive to begin a sentence] 

Watch out! That sign says not to go over there. [adverb] 

There was a storm last night. [expletive] 

they’re [contraction of they are] 

They’re going to the museum this Saturday. 

to [preposition; also part of the infinitive form of a verb] 

He walked to the gymnasium. 

too [adverb] also; more than enough 

This species of frog faces possible extinction, too. 

two [adjective] the sum of one one; [noun] the number between one and three 

Finally, Mike decided he’d like a two on the back of his jersey. [noun] 

Mike scored two goals in that game. [adjective] 

EXERCISE C Underline the correct word or word group in parentheses in each of the following 

sentences. 

Example 1. Are you going (to, too) the talent show? [To is a preposition.] 

11. (Their, They’re) tennis rackets are sitting by the fence. [Which word means “belonging to them”?] 

12. (Too, Two) polar bear cubs were playing in the snow. 

13. Set your books on that table over (their, there). 

14. (Their, They’re) washing their father’s car. 

15. Jacob wanted to go to the movies, (to, too). 





for CHAPTER 16: CORRECTING COMMON ERRORS pages 156=453 

Common Errors Review 

Common Usage Errors 

Be sure to proofread your writing before you turn it in. Errors in your writing can confuse and 

distract your readers, and readers may form a poor impression of a writer who makes careless 

errors. Look for mistakes by asking yourself these questions: 

Do subjects and verbs agree? Are modifiers correct and placed correctly? 

Are verb forms and tenses correct? Are troublesome words correct? 

Are pronoun references clear? Is usage appropriate to audience and purpose? 

After you make corrections or changes to your writing, read your writing again. Sometimes a 

change you make will create a new problem in another part of your writing. 

EXERCISE A Use the list of questions above to help you find and correct the common errors in usage in 

the following items. Use proofreading symbols to make your corrections. 

gone our 

Examples 1. Members of my family have went to its family reunion every spring. [The past par- 

^ ^ 

ticiple of the verb go is have gone. Because the antecedent of the pronoun its is the plural 

noun members, the possessive pronoun should be plural.] 

s 

2. Planning the reunion takes months, and my cousin or my sister organize events 

I 

^ 

while my uncle andme call relatives. [The parts of the compound subject, cousin and 

^ 

sister, are joined by or, so the subject takes the singular verb organizes. The first person 

pronoun me is part of a compound subject, so it should be in the nominative case, I.] 

1. We met in a campground at the park near the river always. [Is met the correct verb tense? Is 

always misplaced?] 

2. The most oldest family member at the reunion is my great-grandmother, whose almost ninety 

years old. [Is there a double comparison? Is whose used correctly?] 

3. Their are usually new family members at every reunion, to. 

4. Some of my relatives travels long distances; last year, one of my uncles drived all the way 

from New York. 

5. I have many cousins, and we all got along good with each other. 

6. We usually play alot of softball games, and someone always bring a volleyball net. 

7. Us cousins gather at the picnic tables, tired and hungry, in the late afternoon. 



for CHAPTER 16: CORRECTING COMMON ERRORS pages 156=453 continued 

8. All of the food always looks deliciously, and we don’t ever have no leftovers. 

9. Each family prepare his or her specialty for the reunion. 

10. After the sun goes down, we set around a campfire while one of my aunts plays their guitar. 

Common Mechanics Errors 

Always check your capitalization, punctuation, and spelling. Use a dictionary if you are not 

sure of a spelling or of how to divide a word. Make sure you haven’t confused two words that 

sound alike but are spelled differently. These details make a big difference in your writing! Ask 

yourself these questions as you proofread your work: 

Does every sentence begin with a capital letter? 

Are words spelled and divided correctly? 

Are all proper nouns capitalized? 

Does every sentence end with an appropriate end mark? 

Have you placed commas and apostrophes where they are needed? 

Are direct quotations and titles capitalized and punctuated correctly? 

EXERCISE B Correct the errors in capitalization, punctuation, and spelling in the following items. Use 

proofreading symbols to make your corrections. 

Example 1. In 1863, a german military officer 

^, Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin took a 

^, 

momentous balloon flight. [German is used as a proper adjective and should be 

capitalized. Commas should set off the appositive Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin, and the 

sentence should end with a period.] 

11. Zeppelin’s name is associated with lighter then air flight, in fact, the word zeppelin is still used 

to refer to rigid airships. [Is the compound adjective hyphenated correctly? Is then spelled 

correctly? Is the compound sentence punctuated correctly? Is the word being used as a word 

italicized?] 

12. In 1900 count zeppelin’s first airship flew for 17 minutes over a lake. 

13. Later, improved models could fly for 1000s of miles without landing. 

14. Count Zeppelin who died in 1917 did not live to see his airships cross the atlantic ocean. 

15. One model, which was completed in 1928 crossed the atlantic and made an around the world 

flight in 1929. 



ANSWER KEY


Chapter 1: Parts of Speech 

Overview, pp. 1=26 

Nouns, pp. 1=2 

EXERCISE A 

1. My sister-in-law and my mother once 

studied with the professor. 

2. Happiness often results from hard work. 

3. A familiar voice broke through the darkness 

and called to Mr. Clark. 

4. Beams of light danced on the water. 

5. The results surprised even the scientist on 

the project. 

6. Behind the gates of the castle stood the 

well-dressed king and queen. 

7. Actually, good ideas cost more than a dime. 

8. The park was outside of the city near a 

creek. 

9. The difficulty of the task did not stop the 

programmers. 

10. Put on your life jacket, and then the boat 

can leave the dock. 

EXERCISE B 

11. What are the first few words of “The Star- 

Spangled Banner”? 

12. Meet the team at Cornerstone Grill on 

Saturday. 

13. China exports large quantities of goods to 

the United States. 

14. The invention of the automobile made 

possible a new way of life. 

15. The reporter from KZZZ held the 

microphone close to the man. 

16. Jesse enjoys reading books about chemistry 

and physics. 

17. Did Mayor Turner give a reason for her 

decision? 

18. Dr. Hans Parker will speak at the 

conference in the morning. 

19. Was Mrs. Malone really at the White House 

last winter, Mary? 

20. My mom and Carla have become good 

friends. 

Pronouns A, pp. 3=4 

EXERCISE A 

1. After Mr. Reed graduated from college, he 

entered the Peace Corps. 

2. An umbrella was found in the hallway, and 

it was mine. 

3. I hadn’t thought about the problem from 

his point of view. 

4. The tools needed to build the bookshelf are 

they. 

5. Teresa asked her dad about them. 

6. Did Eric and you get the ice for my cooler? 

7. Give me a chance at bat. 

8. It is a kind of wildlife that is common at 

this park. 

9. For us, physics class is interesting. 

10. Will she be the new manager on your shift? 

EXERCISE B 

11. themselves 

12. himself [or herself] 


14. myself 

15. himself or herself 

Pronouns B, pp. 5=6 

EXERCISE A 

1. Please give these a catalog number. 

2. What a day this was! 

3. Would you pay fifteen dollars for these? 

4. This is just one example of her brilliant use 

of symbolism. 

Developmental Language Skills Answer Key 1

5. That is an expression I’ve never heard 

before. 

6. As soon as the second relay runner hands 

you that, run! 

7. Deliver both these and those to Mr. 

Stephen’s office. 

8. Will our assignments be these on the list? 

9. We must make that our top priority. 

10. The only cups left are those in the 

storeroom, and the only napkins are these. 

EXERCISE B 

11. By whom were you contacted about the 

petition? 

12. Who was the author of the book Roots? 

13. What did Mr. Dolan say about the new 

schedule? 

14. With whom are you staying on your trip to 

Utah? 

15. What is the capital of Saudi Arabia? 

Pronouns C, pp. 7=8 

EXERCISE A 

1. The guitar strings that you wanted are here. 

2. Is that your friend whom you met at 

summer camp? 

3. Pistachios, which originated in Asia, are 

now grown in California. 

4. The Cheyenne, who fought at Little Bighorn, 

once lived near there. 

5. Anyone who signed up for drama class will 

be transferred to Room 215. 

6. Plants that require a great deal of water are 

not advisable in this area. 

7. Lawrence Douglas Wilder, who became the 

first African American governor in 1990, 

also ran for president. 

8. Did S. I. Hayakawa, who is an author, also 

serve as a senator? 

9. Salmon, which live in salt water but spawn 

in fresh water, flourished in the Northwest. 

10. The address will be given by Art Walker, 

whom the class has elected as their 

spokesperson. 

EXERCISE B 

11. Megan enjoys the lessons that she studies in 

geography class. 

12. People who like flowers often study each 

state’s official flower. 

13. My uncle, whom I visit often, lives near 

California’s Redwood National Park. 

14. At the party, please put the food on the 

table that has sturdy legs. 

15. New Mexico, which we call the Land of 

Enchantment, has some good ski hills. 

16. Some of the students who went to the 

museum missed the dinosaur exhibit. 

17. Birds covered the walkway that had been 

sprinkled with birdseed. 

18. Leaves that koalas eat come from the 

eucalyptus tree. 

19. All contestants whom we call up to the 

stage will receive a prize. 

20. One scientist who studied chimpanzees is 

Jane Goodall. 

Pronouns D, pp. 9=10 

EXERCISE A 

1. On the table were several of the latest 

magazines. 

2. Believe me, not just anyone can make 

deliveries! 

3. Neither of those rivers is as long as the Nile. 




4. Please show both of these gentlemen the 

way to the office. 

5. Of all of our applicants, only you can speak 

Spanish and English. 

EXERCISE B 

6. Rick can make friends with just about 

anyone. 

7. The solution must be something that 

involves everyone in the group. 

8. The meteorologist says this will be another 

of our rainiest weekends. 

9. We can do nothing about the problem, or 

we can pull together and accomplish 

something. 

10. The Ruiz twins decided to donate clothes to 

somebody who would need them. 

EXERCISE C 

Answers may vary slightly. Sample responses are 

provided. 

11. None of the performers forgot a line 

during the show, and the director was 

proud of them. 

12. Did Deb find someone to take her 

place in the softball game she’ll miss next 

week? 

13. Everybody who attends Jackson High 

School is allowed to try out for the soccer 

team. 

14. Take a bagel or a muffin, but please do not 

take both . 

15. Of the national parks on this list, 

have guided tours available. 

most 

Adjectives, pp. 11=12 

EXERCISE A 

Some students may also correctly underline 

possessive pronouns. 

1. Brilliant beams of bright sunlight dotted the 

trail. 

2. Over the years, the house had grown old 

and seemingly lonely. 

3. One of the fuses must be bad. 

4. Don’t worry; our dog is friendly. 

5. Soft lights illuminated the small stage. 

6. According to the newspaper, the movie was 

tedious, dull, and meaningless. 

7. The nubby bark of the hollow log was 

becoming uncomfortable. 

8. In the dusty trunk, we found photographs 

from the 1920s. 

9. Warm and clear were the waters of the 

Bahamas. 

10. An unfamiliar melody caught the attention 

of the walkers. 

EXERCISE B 

11. Little sisters can be troublesome but also 

can be enjoyable. 

12. Vegetarian cafes were experiencing a boom 

at that time. 

13. A wooden Kenyan statue sat on a small 

table in the hall. 

14. With a lurch, the door opened and revealed 

a huge space with bare walls. 

15. A Cuban dancer won the competition. 


Verbs A, pp. 13=14 

EXERCISE A 

1. Close the door, please. 

2. Is your mother home? 

3. We’re so happy about your good fortune. 

4. How wonderful your new home seems! 

5. Puffy, white clouds appeared in the sky 

above us. 

6. Never talk or laugh with your mouth full. 

7. Hand me those needle-nose pliers, Lucy. 

8. This calculator requires AA batteries. 

9. Crocodiles lounge on the muddy riverbank 

and watch for prey. 

10. Nancy considered her alternatives and 

chose a course of action. 

EXERCISE B 

11. Do not cross the solid white line on the road. 

12. Will these green apples turn red? 

13. Yes, sir, your order is being processed. 

14. Actually, the message must have never 

even been sent. 

15. Luke would have traveled to New York last 

summer. 

16. Oh, I must have been thinking of Istanbul. 

17. The young girl has placed all the horse 

figurines up on the windowsill. 

18. Hasn’t the teacher approved of your science 

project? 

19. Will you be the lead singer next year? 

20. Did anything about the book surprise you? 

Verbs B, pp. 15=16 

EXERCISE A 

1. All the bread had been baked by Friday 

afternoon. 

2. She had dreamed of snow on the dunes. 

3. Tall oak pillars supported the ceiling. 

4. The mother bird fed a worm to her babies. 

5. Name the principal port in Japan. 

6. In a tight tuck, the Olympic gymnast 

flipped backward on the beam. 

7. Will you call about the exhibit at the science 

museum? 

8. A swirl of mosquitoes buzzed near 

Christopher’s ankles. 

9. In Mrs. Burke’s neighborhood, airplanes fly 

overhead during the day. 

10. The school principal considered our idea 

very seriously. 

EXERCISE B 

11. Sound the alarm, Bobby! 

12. With a deep breath, she smelled the salt 

water from the ocean. 

13. A sailor on the deck had already sighted the 

mist of an island. 

14. The divers felt their way along the cave wall. 

15. Just taste this orange right from the tree in 

our own yard. 

EXERCISE C 

Answers will vary somewhat. Sample responses are 

provided. 

16. Darla, please close the door before a 

bug flies in here. 

17. After thinking about it for three days, 

Thomas decided that he would try out 

for the play. 

18. Did the wind howl loudly throughout 

the thunderstorm? 

19. Several of the passengers cheered when the 

airplane 

flight. 

landed safely after the long 




20. During the festival, hundreds of hot-air 

balloons floated through the sky. 

Verbs C, pp. 17=18 

EXERCISE A 

1. Did those trigonometry problems look hard 

to you? 

2. Hey, that tune sounds familiar to me. 

3. Diego became curious about the design of 

those bridges. 

4. Somehow, the restaurant’s enormous 

freezer did not seem cold enough. 

5. Wow! Some masks at the costume party 

looked rather festive. 

6. Yes, my dear, this sushi is raw fish, rice, and 

seaweed. 

7. Wow! That popcorn certainly smells good. 

8. To the sailors, the sight of land was a relief. 

9. Doesn’t this Egyptian cotton feel soft? 

10. Grandmother’s noodles always taste 

delicious. 

EXERCISE B 

11. The tabletop still feels rough, even after 

Jenna sanded it. 

12. After the storm, the lake finally looked calm. 

13. Does this van appear new to you? 

14. Public discussions about plans for the new 

highway will be controversial. 

15. Armadillos can sound loud when they 

move through brush. 

16. A famous painting can seem more 

impressive when viewed from up close. 

17. Most two-year-olds are happier after 

they’ve taken their daily nap. 

18. Make sure the tennis racket feels right 

before you buy it. 

19. Hey, the piano sounds out of tune. 

20. What will you have become ten years from 

now? 

Verbs D, pp. 19=20 

EXERCISE A 

1. Did you remember the mustard and catsup? 

2. Wow! That trash can smelled awful! 

3. Zack saw snow for the first time that night. 

4. A lone cello sounded sad and mysterious in 

the darkness. 

5. Nick hardened the special clay in the oven. 

6. At the sound of the electric can opener, 

three cats ran into the kitchen. 

7. Mr. Zolas drives a van with a purple 

pinstripe. 

8. That beagle can smell even the faintest 

scents. 

9. Last Saturday, we made an overseas call to 

Bianca. 

10. Would you please forward my mail? 

EXERCISE B 

11. T 16. I 

12. I 17. I 

13. T 18. I 

14. I 19. T 

15. T 20. I 

Adverbs, pp. 21=22 

EXERCISE A 

1. Proudly, he took the crown in his own 

hands. 

2. The lawn mower stopped working 

yesterday. 

3. Bald eagles are rarely sighted in this area. 

4. Six people around the table were staring 

intently at some graphs. 

5. You may begin the test now. 


EXERCISE B 

6. Everyone, please be especially quiet when 

we enter the museum. 

7. Our proposal, sir, met with an exceptionally 

good response. 

8. Extremely dangerous, this mountain range 

has claimed many lives. 

9. The most organized applicant will get this 

job. 

10. An especially colorful garden would 

improve our yard. 

EXERCISE C 

11. Can you believe we’re almost there, kids? 

12. Handle these slides more carefully in the 

future. 

13. Miss Turner is frequently away on business. 

14. The children danced rather merrily during 

the folk festival. 

15. Must you play those drums consistently 

loudly? 

EXERCISE D 

16. The twins watched the stranger curiously. 

17. Traffic is usually light at this time of day. 

18. She takes her art very seriously. 

19. Play with the dog outside. 

20. Would you explain the math formula again? 

Prepositions, pp. 23=24 

EXERCISE A 

1. A bicycle with five speeds would be best. 

2. Can that gecko jump over the stone, 

Richard? 

3. The store across the street sells art supplies 

and hardware. 

4. The winner will be the person with the 

lowest score. 

5. During the performance, no one will be 

admitted. 

6. A moray eel was hiding among the rocks. 

7. Palm trees, in addition to native flowers, 

were planted. 

8. Wait until dark. 

9. In spite of countless obstacles, Wilma 

Rudolph triumphed. 

10. Weren’t some of the slides usable? 

EXERCISE B 

11. Lisa just got a letter from Senator Lee. 

12. At that time, social changes affected Europe. 

13. Wow! Your little brother runs fast for a 

six-year-old. 

14. The shirts that have white tags go on the 

bottom shelf. 

15. Who is the girl standing between Barbara 

and Jean? 

16. The knight would encounter many 

adventures in faraway lands. 

17. According to Dad, we haven’t finished our 

chores. 

18. We were surprised because Dad sprinkled 

cinnamon on the carrots. 

19. Mrs. Shepard took the first exit off the 

interstate and then turned right. 

20. Just then, a red balloon floated by my 

window. 

Conjunctions and Interjections, pp. 25=26 

EXERCISE A 

1. The power was off, so the model train 

didn’t move. 

2. Push the plus key but not the equals key. 

3. Your role in the play is small yet important. 




4. Why not put some special effects or voiceovers 

on your video? 

5. An informal yet elegant restaurant opened 

at the airport. 

EXERCISE B 

6. Neither swamp buggies nor motorboats are 

allowed in this environmentally sensitive 

area. 

7. Both cars and speedboats will be on display 

at the convention center. 

8. His walls were covered not only with 

posters but also with photographs, news 

clippings, and other mementos. 

9. Decide whether you’ll paint houses or plant 

trees, then sign the volunteer sheet. 

10. She had been neither to Chicago nor out of 

the county. 

EXERCISE C 

11. It’s, oh, about five hundred miles from here 

to Miami. 

12. Ow! That was my toe under your foot. 

13. Whoa! The sun is brighter than usual today. 

14. The solution, well, is not that simple. 

15. My, the storm uprooted a tree at Valleyview 

Park. 


Chapter 2: The Parts of a Sentence, 

pp. 27=40 

The Subject, pp. 27=28 

EXERCISE A 

1. Earthworms have segmented bodies. 

2. When is Dena moving to Baltimore? 

3. The pillows on the couch were handmade. 

4. Every morning, my mother works in the 

garden. 

5. Those lanterns on the patio are very 

unusual. 

EXERCISE B 

6. Will Peter audition for the leading role in 

Death of a Salesman? 

7. The recipe for Aunt Rosa’s rosemary chicken 

has been passed down for generations. 

8. How long will the clearance sale last? 

9. High in the blue sky above us flew a lone 

eagle. 

10. A backpack with red stripes was left in the 

locker room. 

EXERCISE C 

11. Are you or Diego riding in the van with 

Mark? 

12. The art supplies and canvases are in the 

storage cabinet. 

13. Has Mrs. Edwards or her husband arrived 

yet? 

14. Butterflies and bees are attracted to these 

flowers. 

15. A monitor, speakers, and a printer came 

with the computer. 

The Predicate, pp. 29=30 

EXERCISE A 

2. The passengers were enjoying the train ride 

through the countryside. 

3. During the weekend, we canoed on Lake 

Austin. 

4. Have you read the review of the play in the 

school newspaper? 

5. The police officer was directing traffic. 

EXERCISE B 

6. My older brother will graduate from college 

in two weeks. 

7. The banana nut bread tasted wonderful. 

8. Is the debate tournament this weekend? 

9. After the award ceremony, a reception will 

be held in the cafeteria. 

10. On the top shelf in the pantry is the bag of 

cat food. 

EXERCISE C 

11. The architect reviewed the design for the 

new building and made a few corrections. 

12. Each contestant will be photographed and 

will receive a certificate of participation. 

13. Will the children’s parade start on Main 

Street and end on Fairview Avenue? 

14. The jury discussed the case for five hours 

and decided in favor of the defendant. 

15. Should I multiply or divide by three? 

Predicate Nominatives, pp. 31=32 

EXERCISE A 

1. teacher 

2. Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices 

3. she 

4. Machu Picchu 

5. Hattie Wyatt Caraway 

EXERCISE B 

6. That sailboat is The Dancing Dolphin. 

1. Our new puppy played with its toy for 

hours. 

7. Is Mount Fuji the highest mountain in 

Japan? 




8. The first day in the new building will be 

Monday. 

9. Was that necklace a gift from your 

grandmother? 

10. My uncle and my grandfather were 

firefighters. 

EXERCISE C 

11. she 

12. cello, saxophone 

13. fan 

14. champion 

15. captain, editor 

16. elms, oaks 

17. True, False 

18. Isabel, he 

19. Dalmatian 

20. Logan Hall, Logan Performing Arts Center 

Predicate Adjectives, pp. 33=34 

EXERCISE A 

1. sleepy 

2. sour 

3. nervous 

4. early 

5. long 

EXERCISE B 

6. The trees along the path were tall and thick. 

7. The glow from the kerosene lantern was 

soft and yellow. 

8. Isn’t Greg artistic and inventive? 

9. How lucky you are! 

10. That computer game about Egypt was 

difficult but fun. 

EXERCISE C 

11. thick, strong 

12. alert 

13. delicious 

14. bright 

15. beautiful 

16. talkative 

17. strange 

18. annoying 

19. old, unreliable 

20. hot, sweaty 

Direct Objects, pp. 35=36 

EXERCISE A 

1. pages 

2. fly 

3. bargain 

4. survey 

5. countertop 

EXERCISE B 

6. My younger sister has seen The Land Before 

Time several times. 

7. A large umbrella provided shade. 

8. Did the bee sting you? 

9. My grandmother’s dog follows her 

everywhere. 

10. He took a picture of the Washington sky. 

11. Should we unplug the computer? 

12. The squirrels were gathering acorns. 

13. Have you read To Kill a Mockingbird? 

14. I challenged them to a rematch. 

15. The man at the information desk gave me a 

map of the city. 

EXERCISE C 

16. patio, path 

17. Mr. Parker, her 

18. stories 

19. desk, boxes 

20. picture 

Indirect Objects, pp. 37=38 

EXERCISE A 

1. brother 

2. me 

3. us 


4. sister 

5. them 

EXERCISE B 

6. him 

7. me 

8. nephew 

9. department 

10. chick 

EXERCISE C 

11. county, state 

12. coaches, athletes 

13. Raul, Cindy 

14. birds 

15. Hank, Hillary 

16. manager 

17. me 

18. sister, me 

19. judge, jury 

20. dog 

Classifying Sentences by Purpose, pp. 39=40 

EXERCISE A 

1. DEC 

2. IMP 

3. DEC 

4. DEC 

5. IMP 

6. IMP 

7. DEC 

8. IMP 

9. DEC 

10. DEC 

EXERCISE B 

11. IMP—Pass the salad, please. 

12. INT—Were the first Olympic Games held in 

Greece? 

13. EXC—How creative you are! 

14. INT—Which bus should I take to get to the 

airport? 

15. IMP—Identify each bone in the leg and 

foot. 

16. DEC—The symbol for gold is Au. 

17. DEC—I finally figured out the riddle. 

18. INT—Where did you put my dictionary? 

19. DEC—Pedro won six tickets to the concert. 

20. DEC—The strawberry was covered with 

ants. 




Chapter 3: The Phrase, pp. 41=52 

Prepositional Phrases A, pp. 41=42 

EXERCISE A 

1. According to the study, a traffic signal 

should be installed next to the hospital. 

2. Set the orange cones along the edge of the 

field beside the track. 

3. After the trip, were the beach towels covered 

in sand and sunscreen? 

4. Electric current, during this experiment, 

will flow around a closed circuit. 

5. Jessica is riding a blue skateboard with 

long, red flames painted on its top. 

EXERCISE B 

6. Save our neighbors some of our apples and 

pears. 

7. The flags in the stadium fluttered as the 

breeze picked up. 

8. Everyone except Clara and me will be 

there. 

9. People in the audience laughed when the 

comedians began dancing. 

10. Bring me the notepad on the counter, please. 

11. Ants are amazing insects with clear 

divisions of labor. 

12. The benches near the bus stop are usually 

empty. 

13. It is the one with the gold label. 

14. Are you sure that this is the right park on 

Fourth Street? 

15. Mateo carefully vacuumed the edge of the 

carpet along the baseboards. 

Prepositional Phrases B, pp. 43=44 

EXERCISE A 

1. Hey, your little brother plays baseball well 

for a third-grader. 

2. Without a diagram, we knew where the 

battery was located. 

3. Five quarters are lying in front of that grate. 

4. The car is pretty dusty from that last 

sandstorm. 

5. Why don’t you sit next to me and Yoko? 

EXERCISE B 

6. The cattle wandered beyond the gate. 

7. Shouldn’t we return the toaster because of 

the scratch? 

8. My little sister sits between our parents on 

long rides. 

9. The swim team won the second freestyle 

race by one-quarter second. 

10. Along the pond’s edges, silvery minnows 

darted. 

11. Under the sofa we found my library book. 

12. The holiday decorations are in the storage 

room. 

13. Calm for such a young dog, Max watched 

us play catch. 

14. For luck, Chen kept the rusted horseshoe he 

found. 

15. Green against the plant’s leaves, the lizard 

cautiously waited. 

The Participle and the Participial Phrase, 

pp. 45=46 

EXERCISE A 

1. The smell of baking bread filled the house. 

2. The hiking group rested under a blazing sun. 

3. Should we add two beaten eggs to the 

simmering mixture? 

4. The purring cat sat lazily watching the lit 

candle. 

5. A budding friendship may be lost over a 

broken promise or betrayed confidence. 


EXERCISE B 

6. Most courses are open to anyone registered 

at our school. 

7. Following quietly, the wolf watched her 

cubs as they played. 

8. Won’t the person programming the video 

game have to work carefully with the 

artists? 

9. Because of a defect, CDs bearing this 

imprint must be sent back to the 

manufacturer. 

10. The newspaper received a number of letters 

from readers concerned about the issue. 

11. Celebrated on January 6, Three Kings’ Day 

means presents to the children of Puerto 

Rico. 

12. Do you know anyone acquainted with this 

neighborhood? 

13. Beside a stream filled with salmon, the 

bears took up their positions. 

14. Someone watching for the guest of honor’s 

arrival was at the door. 

15. The director’s experimental version of 

Romeo and Juliet will be staged on a set 

resembling a space station near Jupiter. 

The Gerund and the Gerund Phrase, pp. 47=48 

EXERCISE A 

1. Give baby-sitting your full attention. 

2. How easy diving looks! 

3. The field is so muddy that the halfbacks 

will have to really watch out for slipping. 

4. Cooking has become a popular activity 

around our house. 

5. When is Lio going to finish her exploring? 

6. The helicopter’s pilot wants to continue 

flying. 

7. On our scavenger hunt, what great 

scrounging we did! 

8. Soon after he took up the sport, his main 

interest became riding. 

9. Sometimes sleeping can be good for the 

soul. 

10. Try to take traveling less seriously. 

EXERCISE B 

11. Training your puppy may result in a 

better-behaved adult dog. 

12. By telling a mysterious tale, the librarian 

kept his visitors interested. 

13. Alexis is going to give listening to classical 

music another chance. 

14. Briefly, Stacy found herself disturbed by 

shouting from the stands. 

15. Maisie said, “I enjoyed talking to you and 

Mr. Wells.” 

16. Running for political office can be 

expensive. 

17. One bond between Mom and Chad has 

always been watching hockey games 

together. 

18. Now the mouse seems to be giving darting 

across the room a try. 

19. The frog outside my window enjoys 

croaking during the early evening. 

20. Isn’t your hobby trading baseball cards? 

The Infinitive and the Infinitive Phrase, 

pp. 49=50 

EXERCISE A 

1. Before beginning the experiment, there are 

a number of things to consider. 

2. Has it started to snow yet? 

3. To win is Lily’s only goal in today’s race. 




4. Carefully built to last, that old dock will be 

there for years to come. 

5. That may have been this summer’s movie 

to see. 

EXERCISE B 

6. To discover such a thing must be 

wonderful! 

7. The alternator belt has started to whine 

during acceleration. 

8. I just called to say hello. 

9. Do you want to play the inning or watch 

from the bench? 

10. Was this essay written to persuade readers, 

to entertain them, or to describe an event? 

11. The buds on these trees look ready to 

sprout into leaves. 

12. The children laughed to see the baby goats’ 

antics. 

13. It was easy to find the problem’s solution. 

14. My aunt always tells me, “It is better to 

begin the journey than put it off.” 

15. The water has begun to boil vigorously, so 

it’s time to start the spaghetti. 

The Appositive and the Appositive Phrase, 

pp. 51=52 

EXERCISE A 

1. The term Elysian Fields refers to classical 

mythology’s blissful afterlife. 

2. The movie stars’ gowns, originals, were 

worth a fortune. 

3. Antonio’s friend, “Brain,” knew the answer. 

4. Did the explorer Erik the Red discover 

Greenland? 

5. Here are our photographs from the 1950s, 

portraits. 

6. They were practicing on lutelike 

instruments, sitars 

7. Has he fed his cat Gershwin its dinner? 

8. The order will arrive tomorrow, Thursday, 

afternoon. 

9. Marla goes everywhere with her friend 

Gene. 

10. Today, we will see a film classic, The Red 

Balloon. 

EXERCISE B 

11. Hiram R. Revels, the first African American 

senator, took Jefferson Davis’s former seat 

in the Senate. 

12. Doesn’t Sonia Quintana, photographer for 

the yearbook, have a home darkroom? 

13. The restaurant serves a daily special, 

a vegetable medley with ranch dip. 

14. Right away, we fell in love with the house, 

a three-story fixer-upper with a wooden 

frame and gingerbread trim. 

15. The dormitory room was furnished with 

two chairs, both from a local flea market. 

16. She was Juana Inés de la Cruz, a woman of 

letters and a student of science in the 1600s. 

17. A gift from my grandmother, the Chinese 

vase is several hundred years old. 

18. The arctic region from Siberia to Greenland, 

the longest piece of land in the world with 

one language and culture, is unique. 

19. The song was written by my brother, 

a student of Irish folk music. 

20. A new perspective, a bird’s-eye view of the 

situation, might help. 


Chapter 4: The Clause, pp. 53=62 

The Adjective Clause, pp. 53=54 

EXERCISE A 

1. Draw the subject that interests you most. 

2. The candidate whom the committee chooses 

will get the job. 

3. Their band still needs someone who can 

play the guitar. 

4. I’ll introduce them to the teacher who 

sponsors the program. 

5. Yes, this is the one whose car design won 

an award. 

6. Isn’t that the man for whom those shoes 

were named? 

7. Green and tan are the colors that the 

designer suggested. 

8. Trees line the running trail that is next to 

Washington Lake. 

9. Follow the brown signs that lead to the 

campground. 

10. For first period, find the room to which you 

have been assigned. 

EXERCISE B 

11. Have you met Mr. Riley, who taught my 

shop class last year? 

12. For reasons that remain unknown, the king 

refused their simple requests. 

13. Did Sondra lend the book to the girl who is 

her lab partner? 

14. Where is the carpenter whom she has hired? 

15. Monterey, which features spectacular 

scenery, is a popular vacation spot. 

16. Would you buy a pair of socks that are 

striped with every color of the rainbow? 

17. Someone that Mr. Brown knows has an 

instruction manual for that program. 

18. Nicole remained the captain of the 

basketball team, which won the 

championship last year. 

19. The new soccer uniforms, which Sam likes 

better than the last ones, are dark blue. 

20. Kelly is the sister of the artist of whom you 

spoke. 

The Adverb Clause, pp. 55=56 

EXERCISE A 

1. If history had been different, how would 

you be different? 

2. Because it was in an unfamiliar place, the 

dog would not leave the pet carrier. 

3. As Juanita prepared for the math 

competition, her confidence grew. 

4. The orange juice container is empty, even 

though it had been full only yesterday. 

5. Even though few people knew the poem, 

most understood it right away. 

6. If you are tired, why don’t you take a nap? 

7. I painted my room green because that’s my 

favorite color. 

8. The mystery will remain unsolved until 

scientists interpret the lab results. 

9. Whenever there is a crisis, Martin 

immediately takes charge of the situation. 

10. Because the wildlife needs to be protected, 

no cars are allowed in the park. 

EXERCISE B 

11. When the plant gets too much water, the 

leaves turn yellow. 

12. The baby broke into smiles because her 

mother had walked in the room. 

13. Although many researchers have tried, no 

one has duplicated the scientists’ results. 




14. Because everyone else was asleep, we 

talked quietly. 

15. Will we take a walk as soon as David puts 

on his shoes? 

16. Whenever an important news story comes 

out, Marissa knows about it first. 

17. The train arrived sooner than we had 

expected. 

18. Oh, the computer has not run slowly since 

we installed more memory. 

19. Since one table leg was too short, the table 

wobbled easily. 

20. Unfortunately, the party was more 

expensive than we had expected. 

The Noun Clause, pp. 57=58 

EXERCISE A 

1. Did he say when the car will be ready? 

2. What the baby needs is a warmer blanket. 

3. Can you tell which one is the original 

photograph? 

4. Which path would lead home was the 

question. 

5. Did Grandma get what she wanted for her 

birthday? 

6. Each band member must remember where 

he or she should stand on the field. 

7. Choose whichever font looks best. 

8. Actually, they wrote a book about how the 

discovery was made. 

9. Rich natural resources are why they came 

to this area. 

10. Tell whoever comes in the store about our 

special. 

EXERCISE B 

11. Our first question is who will be the next 

editor of the school paper. 

12. The movie shows how the firefighter 

rescued the children. 

13. My mom said that this would happen. 

14. So, that was what the baby wanted! 

15. Are you satisfied with what you have 

accomplished so far? 

16. Sure, these brochures are for whoever 

wants one. 

17. The topic of our dinner conversation was 

whether or not Lee could go on the class trip. 

18. What gift to take to the housewarming 

party was the question of the day. 

19. They were talking about where the new 

railroad tracks will run. 

20. Give whoever is elected the keys to the file 

cabinets. 

Sentence Structure A, pp. 59=60 

EXERCISE A 

1. CD 6. S 

2. S 7. CD 

3. CD 8. S 

4. CD 9. S 

5. S 10. CD 

EXERCISE B 

Some answers may vary. 

11. The soccer coach and her team practiced 

, so 

every day for months. They won the 

^ 

championship. 

, or 

12. Can raccoons swim? 

^ 

Do they not know 

how? 

13. Our city’s Fourth of July parade was a 

, and 

massive project. Hundreds of floats were 

^ 

presented. 


14. Meet the class in this room at 8:00 A.M. on 

, and 

Friday for the field trip. We’ll leave the 

^ 

building by 8:30 A.M. 

, but 

15. Wilma used to spend money quicky. Now 

^ 

she prefers to save it. 

Sentence Structure B, pp. 61=62 

EXERCISE A 

1. When the train approached the railroad 

crossing, the train whistle blew loudly. 

2. I will visit you every day while you are in 

the hospital. 

3. While the electricity was out, did Carlton 

light some candles? 

4. If the ice in the cooler melts, move the 

water bottles into the refrigerator. 

5. Myra’s confidence grew as the third game 

of the tennis match progressed. 

EXERCISE B 

CD-CX 

6. Since Aunt Chi got her 

convertible, she drives it every 

day, yet she will not put the top 

down. 

CX 

CX 

CD-CX 

CX 

EXERCISE C 

11. CX 

12. CD-CX 

13. CX 

14. CX 

15. CD-CX 

7. If Ida washes the dishes this 

evening, Ken will dry them. 

8. Because she has been saving 

money all year, Nina is proud 

of her savings account. 

9. Hundreds of pigeons lived in 

the tower, and every one of 

them knew the lady who fed 

them every day. 

10. Eric has had little time for 

games since he opened his lawn 

business. 




Chapter 5: Agreement, pp. 63=70 

Agreement of Subject and Verb A, pp. 63=64 

EXERCISE A 

1. have 

2. have 

3. lies 

4. Does 

5. grow 

EXERCISE B 

6. The art paper and the charcoal pencils 

(belong, belongs) in the cabinet. 

7. Neither the box nor the drawers (contain, 

contains) the part we need. 

8. Jody or Monica (is, are) going to the store. 

9. Lewis and Clark (was, were) famous 

American explorers. 

10. The dog or the children (have, has) been 

playing with the garden hose again. 

11. Either a robin or a sparrow (occupies, occupy) 

the nest outside my window. 

12. Pasta or rice (is, are) part of Phoebe’s daily 

diet. 

13. On scheduled evenings, the students and 

Ms. Soyer (gazes, gaze) at stars through a 

telescope. 

14. Neither rain nor heavy winds (has, have) 

damaged the building. 

15. The trees and the stream (look, looks) 

peaceful in the morning sunlight. 

Agreement of Subject and Verb B, pp. 65=66 

EXERCISE A 

1. Neither of these computers (works, work) 

properly. 

2. (Has, Have) everyone signed the guest 

book? 

3. One of the cats always (scratches, scratch) the 

furniture. 

4. Each of the fruit salads (has, have) been 

eaten. 

5. (Does, Do) either of these CD players use 

batteries? 

EXERCISE B 

6. Many of the endangered giant pandas (live, 

lives) in China. 

7. Together, both of Ellen’s cousins (visits, 

visit) Maine in the fall. 

8. Only a few of the onion bulbs (has, have) 

sprouted. 

9. Due to their instincts, several (dig, digs) 

their own dens. 

10. After the thunderstorm, both of the phones 

(quit, quits) working. 

EXERCISE C 

11. None of that story (sounds, sound) believable. 

12. (Has, Have) any of the buses arrived yet? 

13. All of the orange (has, have) been eaten. 

14. Some of China’s natural resources (is, are) 

minerals, coal, tungsten, and tin. 

15. To help finish quickly, more of us (have, has) 

been assigned to the project. 

EXERCISE D 

16. (Don’t, Doesn’t) the actors work well with 

each other? 

17. Charlie (doesn’t, don’t) have a camera that 

we can use. 

18. I (doesn’t, don’t) raise parakeets any more. 

19. (Don’t, Doesn’t) tales of Viking visits to 

North America appear in Viking epic 

stories? 

20. The knife (doesn’t, don’t) require sharpening. 


Agreement of Pronoun and Antecedent A, 

pp. 67=68 

EXERCISE A 

1. Where will the Bartons spend (his, their) 

holiday? 

2. Camels store fat, rather than water, in (its, 

their) humps. 

3. Before (she, they) left the campsite, did 

Laurel put out the campfire? 

4. Lake Superior takes (its, their) name from a 

French term meaning “Upper Lake.” 

5. Council members discussed (his, their) plans 

for the coming year. 

EXERCISE B 

6. her 

7. it 

8. him 

9. she 

10. his 

EXERCISE C 

11. Either Greg or Jason needs help with (his, 

their) math assignment. 

12. Bottles and cans should be placed in (its, 

their) own recycling bin. 

13. Did Alex and Shane enter (his, their) sailboats 

in the race? 

14. Neither Julie nor Jane had (her, their) picture 

taken. 

15. Opossums and wombats carry (its, their) 

young inside pouches. 

Agreement of Pronoun and Antecedent B, 

pp. 69=70 

EXERCISE A 

1. Has either of your brothers taken (his, their) 

driving test? 

2. Why are so few of the band members 

wearing (his or her, their) uniforms? 

3. No one is wearing (his or her, their) watch 

today. 

4. Everything in the display case is priced 

according to (its, their) size. 

5. Because both of the boys knew the song, 

(he, they) sang it together. 

6. Many of our citizens exercise (his or her, 

their) right to vote. 

7. Is one of the skillets missing (its, their) lid? 

8. Several of the countries in Europe replaced 

(its, their) own currencies with the euro. 

9. If somebody calls, tell (him or her, them) that 

I’ll be home in an hour. 

10. Few of the dancers in the company missed 

(his or her, their) training session. 

EXERCISE B 

11. None of the casserole remains, so (it, they) 

must have been delicious. 

12. Some of the firm’s history is unknown 

because (it, they) was lost during the 1860s. 

13. If all of the apples are ripe, I will use (it, 

them) in the Waldorf salad. 

14. Do most of your neighbors sit on (his or her, 

their) front porches in the evening? 

15. Some of the tropical rain forests have been 

cleared for (its, their) lumber. 

16. All of the contestants in the art show may 

pick up (their, his or her) paintings on 

Monday. 

17. If you’re interested in buying (it, them), 

more of the tickets are available in the 

library. 




18. When any of the order arrives, (it, they) will 

need to be unpacked and checked for 

quality. 

19. Now, more of our visitors are satisfied with 

(his or her, their) tours of the museum. 

20. Because most of the tile has been shipped, 

(it, they) should arrive within a week. 


Chapter 6: Using Pronouns 

Correctly, pp. 71=82 

Case Forms of Personal Pronouns A, pp. 71=72 

EXERCISE A 

1. she 

2. I 

3. They 

4. we 

5. he, she 

6. she 

7. We 

8. they 

9. he 

10. they 

EXERCISE B 

11. she 

12. they 

13. we 

14. they 

15. she 

16. I 

17. they 

18. he 

19. we 

20. they 

Case Forms of Personal Pronouns B, pp. 73=74 

EXERCISE A 

1. us 

2. her, him 

3. them 

4. him, me 

5. us 

EXERCISE B 

6. them 

7. him, me 

8. me 

9. us 

10. her 

EXERCISE C 

11. us 

12. them 

13. him, me 

14. her, me 

15. him 

Case Forms of Personal Pronouns C, pp. 75=76 

EXERCISE A 

Answers may vary. Sample responses are provided. 

1. I brought my binoculars with me, but 

Gerald left his at home. 

2. My grandfather showed me 

collection of records. 

his 

3. Mine is the one with the stripes. 

4. Our teacher mailed a thank-you note to 

yours . 

5. His friends showed 

backgammon. 

ours how to play 

EXERCISE B 

Answers may vary. Sample responses are provided. 

6. Did Darren find his bicycle helmet? 

7. They hung 

by the door. 

their coats on the coat rack 

8. When will she pick up her photographs? 

9. I hope that my mother sends me a 

package soon. 

10. Have you finished your essay yet? 

EXERCISE C 

11. my 

12. his 

13. Her 

14. our 

15. Your 

Special Problems in Pronoun Usage, pp. 77=78 

EXERCISE A 

1. who 

2. who 

3. Whoever 

4. who 

5. who 




EXERCISE B 

6. whom 

7. whom 

8. whom 

9. whom 

10. whom 

EXERCISE C 

11. him 

12. me 

13. we 

14. I 

15. him 

Clear Reference A, pp. 79=80 

EXERCISE A 

1. Have the Hensons reserved their hotel 

room? 

2. Nina made a shopping list, and then she 

went to the store. 

3. After school, Charlene went shopping with 

her mother. 

4. Have we already passed our favorite 

restaurant? 

5. Gloria lent her CD to Beth so that Beth 

could listen to it. 

EXERCISE B 

Answers will vary. Sample responses are provided. 

6. Mrs. Gibson handed Amanda’s sweater to 

her. 

7. Gloria told Anna, “You are an hour early.” 

8. Fred and Jason went to the market to help 

out Jason’s aunt. 

9. While the boat was being repaired, we did 

not take it to the dock. 

10. When they receive their schedules, faculty 

members should post them on their doors. 

11. While Jane visited her grandmother, they 

looked at a photo of Jane as a child. 

12. Has Greg given Marty Marty’s car keys? 

13. Because fruits contain many nutrients, they 

are healthier than sugary snacks. 

14. Because the books were falling apart, she 

took them off the shelves. 

15. Maria wanted to put her ticket in her purse, 

but she couldn’t find the ticket. 

Clear Reference B, pp. 81=82 

EXERCISE A 

1. When Roy and Zachary ride their skateboards, 

they wear blue safety helmets. 

2. Isabella learned algebra from her aunt. 

3. The computer crashed, but the technicians 

repaired it right away. 

4. The cats that live there seem to think that 

the porch belongs to them. 

5. When Roger started working at the store, 

did he have to buy a uniform? 

EXERCISE B 


6. Because Caleb overslept this morning, he 

missed the bus. 

7. We had hoped to see some dolphins on our 

boat trip, but we didn’t see any. 

8. Because Nelda studied for her history quiz, 

she knew the answers. 

9. Because Grady found the keys inside the 

drawer, he was able to open the cabinet. 

10. We didn’t win the basketball game, but the 

score was close. 

11. Benjamin Franklin may have proven his 

theories about electricity by flying a kite 

during a thunderstorm. 

12. I am looking forward to studying genetics 

in biology class next semester. 

13. If everyone recycled, waste would be 

reduced substantially. 

14. Nadine left early because she had a dental 

appointment. 

15. Greater participation in neighborhood 

watch programs might reduce crime. 


Chapter 7: Using Verbs Correctly, 

pp. 83=98 

The Principal Parts of Verbs A, pp. 83=84 

EXERCISE A 

1. earn [is] earning earned 

[have] earned 

2. claim [is] claiming claimed 

[have] claimed 

3. prevail [is] prevailing prevailed 

[have] prevailed 

4. challenge [is] challenging 

[have] challenged 

challenged 

5. live [is] living lived 

[have] lived 

EXERCISE B 

6. scored 

7. turned 

8. closed 

9. shattered 

10. meant 

11. reached 

12. hiked 

13. gathered 

14. trimmed 

15. typed 

The Principal Parts of Verbs B, pp. 85=86 

EXERCISE A 

1. make made [have] 

2. freeze froze [have] 

3. know knew [have] 

4. forgive forgave [have] 

5. say said [have] 

6. burst burst [have] 

7. choose chose [have] 

8. sell sold [have] 

9. grow grew [have] 

10. sleep slept [have] 

made 

frozen 

known 

forgiven 

said 

burst 

chosen 

sold 

grown 

slept 

EXERCISE B 

11. become 

12. drew 

13. left 

14. ridden 

15. taught 

16. written 

17. flew 

18. run 

19. found 

20. come 

Lie and Lay; Sit and Set; Rise and Raise, pp. 87=88 

EXERCISE A 

1. laid 

2. lying 

3. Lay 

4. lay 

5. lying 

EXERCISE B 

6. sitting 

7. set 

8. set 

9. sitting 

10. sit 

EXERCISE C 

11. rises 

12. risen 

13. raised 

14. rose 

15. raise 

Tense, pp. 89=90 

EXERCISE A 

1. present 

2. future 

3. past 

4. present perfect 

5. future perfect 

6. past perfect 

7. present 





9. past 

10. present perfect 

EXERCISE B 

11. will host 

12. has stood 

13. will bring 

14. covered 

15. sang 

16. will return 

17. printed 

18. has studied 

19. will have been 

20. had used 

EXERCISE A 

Answers may vary. Sample answers are given. 

1. has been leaning 

2. were streaking 

3. has been lying 

4. was waiting 

5. Is repeating 

EXERCISE B 

Answers may vary. Sample answers are given. 

6. Has been producing 

7. will be playing 

8. will have been participating 

9. will be serving 

10. had been researching 

EXERCISE C 

11. future progressive 

12. present progressive 

13. present perfect progressive 

14. past perfect progressive 

15. present perfect progressive 

EXERCISE A 

1. future 

2. past 

3. present 

4. future 

5. past 

EXERCISE B 

6. past 

7. future 

8. past perfect 

9. past perfect progressive 

10. past progressive 

11. past 

12. present progressive 


14. past 

15. future 

The Progressive Form, pp. 91=92 Consistency of Tense, pp. 95=96 

The Uses of the Tenses, pp. 93=94 

EXERCISE A 

Answers may vary slightly, but verb tense must be 

consistent within each sentence. 

1. Tomorrow, we will order the flowers and 

meet with the caterer. 

2. Last summer, Anthony played soccer and 

joined the swim team. 

3. Most people live and work in the same 

town. 

4. During the game, the fans cheered and 

waved banners. 

5. Jean reads German and speaks Italian. 

6. The council members meet only when there 

is a problem. 

7. Eileen always takes her cell phone with her 

when she goes to the store. 

8. Did you see which way my dog ran? 

9. The balloon made a loud noise when it 

burst. 

10. Is Jesse sick, or is he just tired? 

EXERCISE B 

11. The building inspector found a fracture that 

will worsen 

worsened if it isn’t repaired. 

12. Next week, our history teacher will tell us 

what happened 

happens during World War II. 

13. I will mop the floor after I sweep 

swept it. 


14. Dale works at the mall, but after tomorrow 

will be working (or will work) 

he will have been working at the 

supermarket. 

15. Will you tell Evan that Brad moved 

was moving to 

Portland two weeks ago? 

Active and Passive Voice, pp. 97=98 

EXERCISE A 

1. passive 

2. active 

3. passive 

4. passive 

5. active 

6. active 

7. passive 

8. active 

9. active 

10. passive 

EXERCISE B 

11. active—Was the film developed by Pattie? 

12. active—The children are helped across the 

street by crossing guards. 

13. passive—Billboards line many highways. 

14. passive—In the Civil War, the Union army 

defeated the Confederate army. 

15. active—Those seedlings were planted by 

conservationists. 




Chapter 8: Using Modifiers Correctly, 

pp. 99=104 

Degrees of Comparison, pp. 99=100 

EXERCISE A 

1. increasing degrees of helpful 

more helpful most helpful 

2. increasing degrees of complicated 

more complicated most complicated 

3. decreasing degrees of lucky 

less lucky 

4. increasing degrees of alert 

more alert 

5. increasing degrees of high 

higher 

EXERCISE B 

6. more 

7. best 

8. most 

9. less 

10. farther 

EXERCISE C 

11. longer 

12. funniest 

13. largest 

14. less 

15. Placement more of Modifiers A: Dangling Modifiers, 

pp. 101=102 

EXERCISE A 

least lucky 

most alert 

highest 

1. Shifting his weight suddenly, the canoe 

tipped over. 

2. While delivering newspapers, the two 

Great Danes barked. 

3. Having lived near the cliffs for several years, 

the area was quite familiar. 

4. Although nervous, Ms. Oakley’s speech 

was a success. 

5. Climbing to the top of the stairs, the 

toddler’s shoe fell off his foot. 

6. Having asked for assistance, the computer 

was quickly repaired. 

7. Cracked after a fall, Christy used glue for 

her repairs. 

8. Having sold us new umbrellas, the rain 

didn’t bother us at all. 

9. Hungry after so much work, a well-cooked 

meal was wanted. 

10. After marching for so long, a brief rest was 

called for. 

EXERCISE B 

Answers will vary. The following are examples of the 

types of sentences students may write. 

11. While exploring the cave, some ancient 

writings were discovered. 

While exploring the cave, we discovered some 

ancient writing. 

12. After receiving a catalog, five dollars was 

sent to the company’s headquarters. 

After receiving a catalog, we sent five dollars 

to the company’s headquarters. 

13. Completing several spacewalks, the 

damaged satellite was repaired. 

Completing several spacewalks, the 

astronauts repaired the damaged satellite. 

14. Visiting Mackinac Island in Lake Huron, a 

boat can be taken. 

You can visit Mackinac Island in Lake Huron 

by taking a boat. 

15. After running around with muddy paws, 

the rug had to be vacuumed. 

After the dog ran around with muddy paws, 

the rug had to be vacuumed. 


Placement of Modifiers B: Misplaced Modifiers, 

pp. 103=104 

EXERCISE A 

1. Lost, the ranger station was a welcome 

sight to the campers. 

2. I have almost visited every state in the 

Union. 

3. Imaginative, the art kit entertained the child 

for hours. 

4. Because Karen wasn’t staying long, she 

only brought one suitcase. 

5. Sturdy, the copiers nearly worked for 

twenty-three hours a day. 

EXERCISE B 

Answers may vary. 

6. The research assistant sifted through stacks 

of papers working late into the evening. 

7. Kristie couldn’t hear the speaker who made 

the announcements because she was sitting 

in the back row. 

8. Albert Einstein made many scientific 

advances developing new theories. 

9. We stored the bicycle in the garage 

with the broken handlebars. 

10. Penicillin was discovered by Alexander 

Fleming, which is still prescribed by doctors 

today. 

11. The computer is making strange noises 

on the left. 

12. Did the detective find any clues to the 

mystery who took the case? 

13. Niagara Falls attracts many tourists 

lying on the border between Canada and 

New York State. 

14. The car stopped just in time that was 

skidding on the icy bridge. 

15. Redwoods grow on the West Coast of the 

United States, which are the tallest living 

trees. 




Chapter 9: A Glossary of Usage, 

pp. 105=112 Glossary of Usage A, 

pp. 105=106 

EXERCISE A 

1. accept 

2. a great deal 

3. isn’t 

4. a large number 

5. Isn’t 

6. accept 

7. much 

8. excepted 

9. except 

10. aren’t 

EXERCISE B 

11. between 

12. take 

13. could have 

14. among 

15. Take 

16. located 

17. between 

18. bring 

19. should have 

20. is 

Glossary of Usage B, pp. 107=108 

EXERCISE A 

1. good 

2. less 

3. fewer 

4. well 

5. less 

6. good 

7. fewer 

8. good 

9. less 

10. well 

EXERCISE B 

11. its 

12. rather 


14. its 

15. somewhat 

16. it’s 

17. rather 


19. himself 

20. it’s 

Glossary of Usage C, pp. 109=110 

EXERCISE A 

1. their 

2. then 

3. They’re 

4. than 

5. There 

EXERCISE B 

6. This 

7. try to 

8. those 

9. that 

10. try to 

11. this 

12. those 

13. That 

14. those 

15. try to 

EXERCISE C 

16. You’re 

17. who’s 

18. whose 

19. Your 

20. Who’s 

Glossary of Usage D, pp. 111=112 

EXERCISE A 

1. Has 

2. any 

3. could 

4. anyone 

5. ever 

6. ever 

7. any 


8. could 

9. had 

10. any 

EXERCISE B 


11. The salesperson showed us the latest stereo 

equipment. 

12. Although the meteorologists predicted rain, 

the day was bright and sunny. 

13. Isn’t your mother a U.S. representative? 

14. On the job, firefighters often risk their lives. 

15. Please tell a flight attendant if you have any 

special dietary restrictions. 




Chapter 10: Capitalization, 

pp. 113=126 

Capitalization A, pp. 113=114 

EXERCISE A 

1. the capital of California is Sacramento. 

2. Chi said, “my poem is about homework.” 

3. a small, new village developed rather 

quickly along the river. 

4. Paul said, “my grandfather is training for 

the marathon.” 

5. “this CD is on sale,” said the salesclerk. 

EXERCISE B 

6. when may i announce the winner? 

7. my friend said,“ i know your favorite 

subject is math, but i like history.” 

8. Mr. Nelson announced, “ now i’m ready for 

breakfast.” 

9. The person i admire the most is my father, 

so i wrote a poem about him that began “o 

Father, my champion.” 

10. since snow is already covering the ground, 

i hope the city doesn’t get any more tonight. 

EXERCISE C 

11. best wishes, 

12. sincerely yours, 

13. dear President Polanski, 

14. yours truly, 

15. dear Jane, 

Capitalization B, pp. 115=116 

EXERCISE A 

1. Rhode Island 

2. Chinese art 

3. Sears Tower 

4. Tiger Woods 

5. Kenyan athlete 

6. John Philip Sousa 

7. Rosa Parks 

8. Peruvian weaving 

9. Rocky Mountains 

10. Windham Wildcats 

EXERCISE B 

11. My teacher is mrs. lin. 

12. The goalie for our soccer team is dan. 

13. The sixth-graders enjoyed watching the 

movie about the dog named beethoven. 

14. Our teacher read the class a poem by robert 

f rost. 

15. The class hamster, bucky, likes sunflower 

seeds. 

16. The photograph shows a scientist, sam c. 

garcia, cleaning mud from artifacts. 

17. How many countries in africa border the 

Atlantic Ocean? 

18. An astronomer, gabrielle p. f reeman, spoke 

at the observatory today. 

19. The family members agreed that fluffy 

would be a good name for their new cat. 

20. Last week, stephen j. jones was elected 

mayor. 

EXERCISE C 


21. city 

22. country 

23. holiday 

24. weekday 

25. professional athlete 

EXERCISE A 

New York 

Ireland 

Easter 

Tuesday 

Capitalization C, pp. 117=118 

Mia Hamm 

1. The crew set sail on the atlantic ocean. 

2. The United States is on the continent of 

north america. 

3. Doesn’t your pen pal Julian live in jamaica? 


4. Turn left on brentwood street and look for 

signs to the museum. 

5. The new road that the city council members 

voted on will start here and go all the way 

to hennepin county. 

EXERCISE B 

6. Chandra’s mother once lived in the area of 

the country sometimes known as the corn 

belt. 

7. The coffee shop is on twenty-fourth Street. 

8. The route of this year’s 10-kilometer race 

will begin near the picnic area at valleydale 

pond. 

9. The state of vermont borders canada. 

10. C 

EXERCISE C 

11. The Ruiz family stopped at silver city on 

their vacation last year. 

12. At the elementary school’s carnival in 

highland park, activities included a 

dunking booth and a face-painting station. 

13. C 

14. A popular tourist spot in louisiana is lake 

pontchartrain. 

15. What kinds of birds are native to the 

hawaiian islands? 

Capitalization D, pp. 119=120 

EXERCISE A 

1. My youngest sister is a pitcher for a team 

called the little cougars. 

2. An officer in the united states marines 

spoke to our class today. 

3. The main branch of the university of texas 

is located in Austin. 

4. Dr. Bledsoe is a member of the american 

medical association. 

5. Isn’t memorial general hospital well 

known throughout the state for its 

architectural design? 

EXERCISE B 

6. A f ord explorer was pictured in the 

magazine ad. 

7. My aunt’s new business is called f ood flair. 

8. The antique computer at the library is a 

compaq presario. 

9. Dave gave me a kleenex tissue after I 

sneezed. 

10. My dad invented a new labor-saving 

device, the vacuumeister. 

EXERCISE C 

11. Next year I am going to dewey high school. 

12. The repair shop is located in the clark 

building. 

13. Mr. Feldman is a volunteer at baptist 

memorial hospital. 

14. That big building over there is the trump 

tower. 

15. The famous golden gate bridge is one of 

the many landmarks of San Francisco. 

EXERCISE D 


16. Rubbermaid trash can 

17. Houston Comets 

18. Express Scripts 

19. Empire State Building 

20. Sierra Club 

Capitalization E, pp. 121=122 

EXERCISE A 

1. The children’s bookstore nearby has a 

window display of newbery medal 

winners. 




2. Tourists can learn a lot at the national 

civil rights museum in Memphis, 

Tennessee. 

3. Who do you think will win an academy 

award this year? 

4. Seamus Heaney won the nobel prize. 

5. I am going to visit the lincoln memorial in 

Washington, D.C. 

EXERCISE B 

6. Soldiers will be honored during a service 

on memorial day. 

7. Large signs at the park are advertising this 

year’s concert series, which is called blues 

on the green. 

8. Were Shanti’s grandparents alive during the 

great depression? 

9. The athletes have been training for the 

winter olympics for many years. 

10. Please turn in all completed applications by 

f ebruary 15. 

11. What are your plans for labor day? 

12. The renaissance was a period of great 

achievements in science and literature. 

13. What a surprise you’ll get on wednesday! 

14. In march the weather is usually warm 

enough for gardening. 

15. Will there be a fireworks display this f ourth 

of july? 

EXERCISE C 

16. Our new neighbor is japanese. 

17. We saw many beautiful paintings by a 

sioux artist. 

18. The choir sang a few austrian songs. 

19. On the Batemans’ coffee table is a book 

with colorful photos of australian animals. 

20. The patient is a caucasian female. 

Capitalization F, pp. 123=124 

EXERCISE A 

1. I attended a christmas service at my 

church. 

2. The first book of the bible is genesis. 

3. A jewish holiday called passover observes 

the release of ancient Hebrews from slavery. 

4. Will Mia’s cousin get married at the baptist 

church on Burnet Street? 

5. The primary religion of India is hinduism. 

EXERCISE B 

6. We saw a replica of the first airplane, the 

f lyer I, at the museum. 

7. Is skylab the name of the space station that 

fell to earth? 

8. Mr. Lawless has owned his car, bertha, for 

five years. 

9. Tickets for the special trip on the train 

round rock express were available last weekend. 

10. My aunt and uncle took a cruise on the 

neptune princess. 

EXERCISE C 

11. Catherine looked up at the sky and pointed 

out andromeda. 

12. The one constellation I can always identify 

is orion. 

13. One of Jupiter’s moons is named io. 

14. C 

15. Is the planet m ercury the nearest to the 

sun? 


EXERCISE D 

16. Lee’s favorite class is art 101. 

17. C 

18. If you need help with algebra II homework, 

please meet with one of the tutors. 

19. The latin classes at Jefferson High School 

have had three different teachers in four 

years. 

20. C 

Capitalization G, pp. 125=126 

EXERCISE A 

1. Before the meeting, president Ames spoke 

to the committee. 

2. Didn’t Willis say that his favorite teacher is 

professor Donaldson? 

3. There’s an emergency at the skating rink, 

doctor! 

4. Our next-door neighbor, mr. dawson, has a 

lovely flower garden. 

5. C 

EXERCISE B 

6. Will you tell us a story about Ireland, 

grandma? 

7. Tomorrow, uncle Thomas will be 

volunteering at a home-building site. 


8. C 

9. Your most recent art show went quite well, 

mom. 

10. C 

EXERCISE C 

11. A reproduction of the painting mona lisa had 

been on display at the Riverdale Gallery. 

12. Isn’t his favorite TV show drake and j osh? 

13. A class activity that kept everyone’s 

attention was Matt’s reading of the poem 

“jabberwocky.” 

14. Tyra’s younger sister receives nickelodeon 

magazine. 

15. Mr. Ramirez told his students to read 

Chapter 13, “the revolutionary war.” 



Chapter 11: Punctuation, pp. 127=138 

End Marks and Abbreviations, pp. 127=128 

EXERCISE A 

1. The science test isn’t on Friday. 

2. Look out, there’s a rock falling from the cliff 

above us! 

3. Which of these books is your favorite? 

4. No running is allowed at the pool; slow 

down right now! 

5. What did Simira think of the art exhibit? 

6. Over the years, many immigrants have 

been inspired by the Statue of Liberty. 

7. How many times per minute do 

hummingbirds flap their wings? 

8. I think I just sprained my ankle—ouch! 

9. As summer progressed, lawns across the 

city turned brown. 

10. Does Aunt Nancy like her new apartment? 

EXERCISE B 

11. Fred McIntyre, Sr., is a popular professor. 

12. The winner of this year’s poetry contest is 

A. M. Castile! 

13. Many historians believe that famous epic 

was created around 800 B.C. 

14. Look in the Yellow Pages for a surgeon 

named F. J. Dominguez. 

15. C 

Commas A, pp. 129=130 

EXERCISE A 

Optional commas have been underscored. 

1. Carter has lived in Memphis, Houston, and 

Boston. 

2. Which friend of Jenny’s has the three dogs 

named Bingo, Lucky, and Lottie? 

3. We packed pasta salad, potato salad, and 

fruit salad for our picnic. 

4. C 

5. My mother planted roses, marigolds, and 

daisies. 

6. C 

7. Please bring an easel, paintbrush, and paint 

to art class. 

8. Rhode Island, California, and Iowa are all 

states. 

9. Please get milk, cereal, and bread at the 

grocery store. 

10. Engineers need to notice details, enjoy math, 

and solve problems. 

EXERCISE B 

11. We saw a long, suspenseful movie at the 

theater today. 

12. Who were the most talented, creative artists 

at the show? 

13. C 

14. Puff is a white, fluffy, friendly cat. 

15. The radio was playing soft, peaceful music. 

Commas B, pp. 131=132 

EXERCISE A 

1. Paul did not paint the garage, nor did he 

clean the attic. 

2. Alan wants a mouse as a pet, but Teresa 

wants a hamster. 

3. The sophomore class will hold a car wash, 

or they will organize a bake sale. 

4. The tour guide told us about the history of 

the city, yet we still had many questions. 

5. I am studying for the math test, but I will 

be reading my novel next. 

6. I can bring charcoal to the pool party, or 

you can bring it. 

7. Pedro is drawing the design, and Sean is 

writing the story. 

8. We watched a show about interior design, 

so we have many good ideas for this room. 

9. Mrs. Karon bought a keyboard, for she is 

taking piano lessons. 

10. Don’t forget your homework, and don’t be 

late for school. 

EXERCISE B 

11. C 

12. C 

13. My little sister blew out the candles, so 

everyone at the party clapped their hands. 

14. My mother built the treehouse, and Mrs. 

Tan planted the garden. 


15. C 

EXERCISE C 


16. Turn down the television, or turn it off 

entirely. 

17. Kendra won the 100-meter dash, so she got 

a blue ribbon. 

18. The football soared through the air, and it 

finally went through the goal posts. 

19. Friday was supposed to be rainy, but it was 

sunny all day. 

20. Should we cook spaghetti, or should we 

make sandwiches? 

Commas C, pp. 133=134 

EXERCISE A 

1. Dad, energized by his morning jog, made 

us breakfast this morning. 

2. Our two puppies, which like to play, 

tumble over their own feet sometimes. 

3. The sun, which was shining brightly, 

improved our moods. 

4. The telephone woke Mr. Grady, who was 

snoring softly. 

5. His shoes, shined and polished, went well 

with his uniform. 

6. That blue chair, which is rather old, has 

been on the balcony all summer. 

7. The tree, shedding leaves and branches, 

looked as if it would fall. 

8. Grandma, smiling widely, stepped off the 

airplane. 

9. Jacob, breathing heavily, finished the 

marathon. 

10. The bee, buzzing incredibly loudly, 

followed us. 

EXERCISE B 

11. C 

12. Gracie’s science project, which was on the 

blue table, won the prize. 

13. C 

14. C 

15. C 

16. Uncle Joe, who grew up in Texas, says the 

hot weather doesn’t bother him. 

17. C 

18. C 

19. Jamie’s horse, which lives in a stable near 

her house, is nine years old. 

20. David, cleaning out his desk, found the 

missing book. 

Commas D, pp. 135=136 

EXERCISE A 

1. Yes, I do like your new haircut. 

2. Weaving from side to side, the skateboarder 

went through the obstacle course. 

3. Slowly, a large stingray swam along the reef. 

4. Formed by a glacier, this valley has fertile 

farm land. 

5. Waiting patiently, Chris was ready for his 

driver’s test. 

6. Appearing quickly, the digital image 

brightened the computer screen. 

7. Why, that was the funniest show I have 

ever seen! 

8. Shining brightly, the lighthouse beam can 

be seen for miles. 

9. Smiling, Gary showed us his “Best Actor” 

trophy. 

10. Looking at her work again, Lena decided to 

revise her layout. 

EXERCISE B 

11. On top of mom’s suitcase in the closet, you 

will find her hat. 

12. After I finish my homework, I am going for 

a walk. 

13. For last year’s Fourth of July holiday, 

didn’t the neighbors decorate their yard 

with tiny flags? 

14. As the train pulled away from the station, 

my sister waved goodbye. 

15. From the lush mountains to the rugged 

valley, the view was beautiful. 

16. On a hill in the center of town, that castle is 

a noticeable landmark. 




17. When you go into the kitchen, please take 

this plate with you. 

18. As soon as Terrell turned six years old, he 

joined the Little League team. 

19. Before you get started on your essay, please 

read the guidelines. 

20. Because the wind is blowing steadily, the 

blades of the windmill are spinning. 

Commas E, pp. 137=138 

EXERCISE A 

1. My paternal grandfather, Sean Ward, is a 

firefighter. 

2. This bike, the blue one, is mine. 

3. C 

4. Her math textbook, a heavy book, is sitting 

on the table. 

5. C 

EXERCISE B 

6. Come inside the house, Rover. 

7. If you practice more, Sarah, you will soon 

learn to play the guitar. 

8. This amusement park, Sir, is the best one I 

have ever seen! 

9. How many pages is your English essay, 

Julie? 

10. I am so glad you are visiting us, Grandma. 

EXERCISE C 

11. This wood, for instance, is the correct type 

for a bird feeder. 

12. Meanwhile, the two boys had broken the 

secret code. 

13. Golden retrievers are, generally speaking, 

smart and friendly dogs. 

14. We are meeting at the gym at 3:00 P.M., I 

believe. 

15. Is this new camera, in fact, more lightweight 

than last year’s model? 



Semicolons, pp. 139=140 

EXERCISE A 

1. Today, the sun was shining the cat went for 

^; 

a walk outside. 

2. The thermostat broke, consequently, the car 

^; 

overheated. 

3. It was not an easy test nevertheless, she 

^; 

thinks she passed it. 

4. Zack likes his new bicycle after all, it has 

^; 

fifteen speeds. or Zack likes his new bicycle 

after all, it has fifteen speeds. 

^; 

5. The press has to be level, otherwise, the drill 

^; 

holes will be at the wrong angle. 

6. There was a brief flurry of snow, then, it 

^; 

began to drizzle. 

7. Tom is trying out for the basketball team 

^; he 

plays well. 

8. The ’32 sedan should win the car show, 

^; on 

the other hand, so should the ’31 coupe. 

9. I like bright colors for instance, my room is 

^; 

bright blue. 

10. A light on that radio tower is out, 

^; someone 

needs to call in the repair crew. 

EXERCISE B 

11. The package was routed through Memphis, 

12. C 

Tennessee, ^; New Orleans, Louisiana, ^; and 

Houston, Texas. 

13. The scheduled meeting dates are Friday, 

14. C 

January 26, 

^; Saturday, January 27, and Friday, 

^; 

February 2. 

15. This file cabinet contains paper clips, both 

large and small, highlighters in assorted 

^; 

colors, pens, including red, blue, green and 

^; 

black ballpoints, and several types of file 

^; 

folders. 

Colons, pp. 141=142 

EXERCISE A 

1. Vivette’s locker has a few decorations 

similar to yours; ^: 

a small poster, an origami 

swan, a couple of family photographs, and 

a superhero action figure. 

2. Tomorrow, each of you is expected to bring 

the raw materials that you’ll need in order 

to build a simple electric motor, ^: three 

strands of wire, a magnet, two large paper 

clips, and a battery. 

3. In a letter to M. Standford, Lien Sing 

wrote; ^: 

“The necessary data has been 

gathered. Now we await funding before we 

can begin the process of discovering what 

that data actually means.” 

4. Speaking directly to the play’s audience, 

the character Anne Benson reveals the 

following: “That puddle of water, so far 

from any stream or river, seemed to be a 

quiet gift dropped to Earth, a shimmering 

and muddy pool of life-giving moisture 

with which I might survive the desert’s 

noonday sun.” 

5. Today, City Manager Manuela Mora 

announced new water restrictions—^: 

“Due to 

unusually dry conditions, we are asking citizens 

to further decrease their levels of 

water consumption. We are requiring that 

local residents suspend the use of sprinklers 

and sprinkler systems.” 




EXERCISE B 

6. Marguerite finally cleaned out her book 

pack, ^: 

A pair of running shoes, two overdue 

library books, and an old bottle of water 

had made it heavy. 

7. “Easy Answers—^: 

Three Simple Steps 

toward Healthier Living” 

8. To get to the bus terminal on time, you’ll 

have to get up by 7:15 a.m. 

9. Dear President Reid—^: 

10. The Bible verse Proverbs 19—^: 

inspirational. 

Developmental Language Skills Answer Key 37 

8 is


Italics, pp. 143=144 

EXERCISE A 

1. Antonio Vivaldi’s long musical work, 

The Four Seasons, includes musical 

representations of the sounds of nature. 

2. My sister is reading the book Charlie and 

the Chocolate Factory for the second time. 

3. Back issues of the magazine The Sciences 

are available in the library. 

4. My brother is playing the role of Stage 

Manager in Thornton Wilder’s play 

Our Town. 

5. Do you like the painting Irises by Vincent 

van Gogh? 

6. Where the Lilies Bloom is a book about a 

family’s struggle to stay together. 

7. He went home to watch the television show 

Deal or No Deal. 

8. Does Sarah really think that Shrek, a movie 

about a nasty, green ogre, is romantic? 

9. My English teacher said that reading 

The Waste Land, a long poem by T. S. Eliot, 

is a challenge. 

10. Because the movie is about scientific 

exploration, Teresa’s science class is going 

to watch Galapagos. 

EXERCISE B 

11. The Orient-Express was a luxury train that 

once traveled along a 1,700 mile route. 

12. Air Force One is the jet used to provide 

transportation for the president of the 

United States. 

13. Was Luna 9, an unmanned Soviet probe, 

the first spacecraft to make a soft landing 

on the moon? 

14. One of the first steamboats, the 

Charlotte Dundas, was put to commercial 

use in 1802. 

15. After six years in orbit, the U.S. space 

station Skylab re-entered the Earth’s 

atmosphere on July 11, 1979. 

EXERCISE C 

16. Please write either yes or no as your answer 

to each question. 

17. The word for potato, in French is pomme , 

de terre and in Spanish it is potata. 

18. Write the numeral 52 after the equal sign. 

19. Does the word canceled have one l or two? 

20. The chalk is smudged, but it looks like 

there is a ∑ in front of the in the equation. 

Quotation Marks A, pp. 145=146 

EXERCISE A 

^ 

1.“I like your new bicycle. Did you get it for 

^ 

your birthday?”asked Jane. 

2. C 

^ 

3.“We should go outside and get some fresh 

^ 

air,”Tom said. 

^ 

4. A Chinese philosopher remarked,“I have 

just three things to teach: simplicity, 

^ 

patience, and compassion.” 

^ 

^ 

5.“The fireflies look pretty on this starry night,” 

said Monique. 

6. C 

7. C 

8. During the ceremony Ben gasped,“Quit 

making me laugh!” ^ 

^ 




9. In Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, an angry 

^ 

Brutus asks,“Was that done like Cassius? 

^ 

Should I have answered Caius Cassius so?” 

10. C 

EXERCISE B 

^ 

^ 

11.“When you go to the library,” said Yvonne, 

^ 

^ 

“please take this book with you.” 

^ 

^ 

^ 

12.“I miss my aunt in Boston,”said Paul. “She is a 

^ 

funny person.” 

^ 

^ 

13.“May I borrow your blue sweater?”asked my 

little sister. 

^ 

^ 

14.“Thanks for finding my lost math book!” 

I exclaimed. 

^ ^ 

^ 

15.“When you get home,”said Dad, “we’ll leave 

^ 

for the soccer game.” 

Quotation Marks B, pp. 147=148 

EXERCISE A 

^ 

^ 

1. My favorite short story is“Two Kinds.” 

2. When I read Doris Lessing’s story 

^ 

^ 

“Through the Tunnel,”I found myself 

holding my breath! 

3. Mr. Minard assigned pages 479–84 of the 

^ 

^ 

chapter“Making a Point.” 

^ 

^ 

4. The article“Recycling and You”discusses the 

importance of recycling. 

5. The headline in today’s newspaper was this: 

^ 

^ 

“Pollution Levels Decrease.” 

^ ^ 

6. I like Anne Sexton’s poem “Courage.” 

^ ^ 

7. We danced to the song“Telstar”at my 

cousin’s wedding reception. 

8. Frankie Muniz stars in tonight’s episode of 

^ ^ 

Malcolm in the Middle,“Robbery.” 

9. Shamika can play an arrangement of the 

^ ^ 

song“Take Five”on the piano. 

^ 

^ 

10. Was the short story“The First Seven Years” 

written by Bernard Malamud? 

EXERCISE B 

Answers will vary. Sample answers are provided. 

11. Everyone in class watched 

“Looking Glass ,” the show’s latest 

episode, last night. 

12. I absolutely love the song “Heroes” ! 

13. This magazine article, 

“Money on Nothing ,” discusses 

an average teenager’s spending habits. 

14. “Taller Tower ,” the fourth chapter in our 

history book, discusses the growth of cities. 

15. Does Sheila think that everyone over 

eighteen years of age should read the short 

story “With All Flags Flying” ? 

Ellipsis Points, pp. 149=150 

EXERCISE A 

1. It’s a very long way from here at the edge 

of the forest to the meadow. 

2. The greatest moment thus far in her life 

was when she won an Olympic medal. 

3. If you have lost a brown, spotted dog, 

please come to the entrance gate. 

4. We sang so many songs, such as “Row, 

Row, Row Your Boat,” that the bus driver 

suggested that we listen to the radio 

instead. 

5. When the detectives arrived at the 

#.#.#.# 

abandoned warehouse, the counterfeiters 

had already gone, taking the evidence with 

them. 

EXERCISE B 

#.#.#.# 

#.#.#.# 

#.#.#.# 

#.#.#.# 

6. The new art gallery will be of interest to 

#.#.#.# 

students. Many colorful, interesting exhibits 

are housed there. 

[I] 

7. The cat silently stalked the green-and-blue 

#.#.#.# 

butterfly fluttering outside the window. 


8. How exciting can a movie be? This week’s 

#.#.#.# 

hottest new release offers an answer. It can 

be very exciting! Deliveries, an epic 

adventure film, is the most fast-paced, 

must-see movie of the summer. 

#.#.#.# 

9. “We found an answer that had been buried 

in historical detail,” said Carl Pierce. 

#.#.#.# 

10. Who said, “Remember that time is 

money”? 

[T] 




Chapter 14: Punctuation, 

pp. 151=56 

Apostrophes, pp. 151=52 

EXERCISE A 

1. shepherd’s 

2. Dena’s 

3. children’s 

4. kangaroos’ 

5. pantry’s 

EXERCISE B 

6. its 

7. No one’s 

8. hers 

9. anybody’s 

10. Their 

EXERCISE C 

11. Penguins and ostriches can’t fly. 

12. Don’t forget to cross your t’s and dot your 

i’s. 

13. It’s amazing! 

14. How many 7’s are in your phone number? 

15. Wasn’t there a bird’s nest in this tree? 

Hyphens and Dashes, pp. 153=54 

EXERCISE A 

Answers may vary depending on dictionary used. 

1. self / esteem 

2. ap / ple 

3. NH 

4. house / boat 

5. con / tinue 

EXERCISE B 

6. great-grandmother 

7. governor-elect 

8. tax-free 

9. C 

10. self-propelled 

EXERCISE C 

11. The tomatoes—I grew them myself— 

tasted delicious. 

12. Has the tennis match—the one that Mark 

is playing in—been postponed? 

13. It was very cold outside—in the low 

20’s—last night. 

14. This summer—I hope it is a warm one—I 

am taking swimming lessons. 

15. The newspaper staff sold advertising space 

to several local businesses—Stedman’s 

Photography, Flowers Galore, and Fantasy 

Miniature Golf. 

Parentheses and Brackets, pp. 155=56 

EXERCISE A 

1. My great-grandfather(1920–1999)was a 

general in the army. 

2. I lived in Springdale(that is in Virginia) 

until I was twelve. 

3. Will the test on Friday cover Chapter 27 

(the one about Vietnam)and Chapter 28? 

4. My dog(he’s a German shepherd)is a great 

guard dog. 

5. Paul(his full name is Paul Christopher 

McIntyre)is my cousin. 

6. The gymnasium(isn’t it left of the 

cafeteria?)is where the play is being performed. 

7. Was the swimming pool (the old one on 

Fifth Street)closed for repairs last week? 

8. That bird(I believe that it’s a mockingbird) 

does not seem to like my cat. 

9. Ms. Garcia(she has been principal for 

twenty-five years)retired today. 

10. We planted the climbing rose bush(aren’t 

the blooms beautiful?)last year. 

EXERCISE B 

11. “When you see her[Karen], let her know 

that I am looking for her,” said Jane. 

12. Use the map (page 12[Australia]) to 

answer the questions. 

13. Leroy pointed to the globe and said, “My 

grandparents are from that country 

[Nigeria].” 

14. “After the meeting, she [the counselor] 

encouraged everyone to apply for 

scholarships,” Louis said. 

15. The two kittens (Mittens and Smoke [the 

ones on the left]) are the cutest. 


Chapter 15: Spelling, pp. 157=168 

Words with ie and ei, pp. 157=158 

EXERCISE A 

1. rel i e f 

2. s i e ge 

3. n e i ghbor 

4. dec e i ve 

5. c e i ling 

EXERCISE B 

C 

height 

shield 

weighs 

C 

veil 

C 

field 

believe 

C 

6. Oh no, unless one more player 

arrives, we will have to forfeit 

the game! 

7. What is the hieght of the 

Empire State Building? 

8. Dragons and lions were used as 

decorations on the sheild. 

9. A scale in the produce 

department wieghs fruits of all 

kinds. 

10. Draped over the couch was a 

quilt made from pieces of blue 

and pink fabric. 

11. Will Cousin Amy be wearing a 

viel with her wedding dress? 

12. At the beach, several large 

umbrellas provided some relief 

from the summer heat. 

13. Architecture is a feild that 

attracts creative workers. 

14. Many scientists beleive that this 

region’s plants and animals are 

unique. 

15. Make sure you get a receipt 

when you donate this bag of 

clothes to the shelter. 

Prefixes and Suffixes, pp. 159=160 

EXERCISE A 

1. il legal 

2. merry ly 

3. sad ness 

4. whole ness 

5. dis appear 

EXERCISE B 

6. pace ing 

7. hope less 

8. smile ing 

9. face ing 

10. care ful 

EXERCISE C 

11. stay ing 

12. swim er 

13. supply ed 

14. funny er 

15. forget able 

EXERCISE A 

1. fly 

2. pen 

3. Tuesday 

4. box 

5. dress 

EXERCISE B 

6. patio 

7. hero 

8. alto 

9. wolf 

10. echo 

EXERCISE C 

11. Chinese 

flies 

pens 

boxes 

dresses 

patios 

heroes 

altos 

Tuesdays 

wolves 

echoes 

illegal 

merrily 

sadness 

pacing 

hopeless 

facing 

careful 

staying 

swimmer 

funnier 

forgettable 

Chinese 

wholeness 

disappear 

smiling 

supplied 

Plurals of Nouns, pp. 161=162 




12. child 

13. woman 

14. deer 

15. sheep 

EXERCISE D 

16. beekeeper 

17. president-elect 

18. three-year-old 

19. football 

20. grandmother 

EXERCISE A 

1. all ready 

2. all ready 

3. already 

4. effect 

5. affected 

EXERCISE B 

6. break 

7. brake 

8. altogether 

9. brake 

10. break 

EXERCISE C 

11. chose 

12. choose 

13. coarse 

14. course 

15. chose 

EXERCISE A 

1. desert 

2. desert 

3. compliments 

children 

women 

deer 

sheep 

beekeepers 

presidents-elect 

three-year-olds 

footballs 

grandmothers 

Words Often Confused A, pp. 163=164 

Words Often Confused B, pp. 165=166 

4. dessert 

5. complement 

EXERCISE B 

6. formally 

7. hear 

8. here 

9. formerly 

10. Here 

EXERCISE C 

11. lead 

12. loose 

13. It’s 

14. led 

15. lose 

Words Often Confused C, pp. 167=168 

EXERCISE A 

1. piece 

2. past 

3. peace 

4. past 

5. piece 

EXERCISE B 

6. quiet 

7. quite 

8. then 

9. quiet 

10. than 

EXERCISE C 

11. Their 

12. Two 

13. there 

14. They’re 

15. too 


EXERCISE A 

Some answers may vary. 

e 

tr 1. We met in a campground at the park near 

^ ^ 

the river always . 

tr 

Chapter 16: Correcting Common 

Errors, pp. 169=170 

Common Errors Review, pp. 169=170 

2. The most oldest family member at the 

who’s 

reunion is my great-grandmother, whose 

^ 

almost ninety years old. 

There 

3. Their are usually new family members at 

^ 

o 

every reunion, to. ^ 

4. Some of my relatives travels long distances; 

o 

last year, one of my uncles drived all the 

^ 

way from New York. 

5. I have many cousins, and we all go ^ e t along 

well 

good with each other. 

^ 

# 

6. We usually play alot of softball games, and 

^ s 

someone always bring a volleyball net. 

We 

^ 

7. Us cousins gather at the picnic tables, tired 

^ ^ 

and hungry, in the late afternoon. 

8. All of the food always looks deliciously, 

and we don’t ever have any 

no leftovers. 

s ^its 9. Each family prepare his or her specialty for 

^^ 

the reunion. 

10. After the sun goes down, we se ^ i t around a 

campfire while one of my aunts plays 

her 

their guitar. 

^ 

EXERCISE B 

11. Zeppelin’s name is associated with 

lighter=the ^ a n=air flight, in fact, the word 

^; 

zeppelin is still used to refer to rigid 

airships. 

12. In 1900 count zeppelin’s first airship flew for 

seventeen ^, 

17 minutes over a lake. 

^ thousands 

13. Later, improved models could fly for 

^ 1000s 

of miles without landing. 

14. Count Zeppelin 

^, who died in 1917 did not 

^, 

live to see his airships cross the atlantic 

ocean. 

15. One model, which was completed in 1928 ^, 

crossed the atlantic and made an around= 

the=world flight in 1929.

Developmental Language Skills

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