Grammar Test (6) – UR GOOD!

The type of error is noted in brackets after the correct version of the sentence. If you are unsure of what that error is, please read the appropriate section on this link for an explanation and examples.

Television news shows get some of their highest ratings when they are covering a disaster. (mixed construction)
The crowd forced the door open to escape from the burning theatre. (dangling modifier)
A friend that many of us develop as we get a little older is a pet. (mixed construction)

As we get a little older, our pets become our friends. (mixed construction)

A large number of the trainees has exceptional sales potential. (subject-predicate agreement)
An unconscious person may be in danger of dying. (mixed construction)

The life of an unconscious person may be in danger.

A pet not only gives an elderly person something to care about, but also gives them a sense of usefulness.(parallelism)
A timid person, he was frightened by every little thing. (dangling modifier)
According to the psychologist Harry Levison, the five main types of bad bosses are the workaholic, the bully, the bad-communicator, the jellyfish, and the perfectionist. (parallelism)
According to the schedule, either mark or Esther is supposed to work late Thursday. (subject-predicate agreement)
Acquiescence is the act of giving in to your oppressor. (mixed construction)
After completing that part of the game, the leader, as well as his followers, takes off shoes and socks. (subject-predicate agreement)
After eating dinner, we cleared the table.(dangling modifier)
After reading newspapers in the library, patrons should put them back in their proper place.(dangling modifier)
After an evening at the play, patrons can enjoy a relaxing dinner in the theatre’s full-service restaurant. (dangling modifier)
Although a funny man, Steve harps on and banters about information that is in accordance with facts. (dangling modifer)
The fact that he is active in the men’s movement does not mean that he is a misogynist. (mixed construction)
He was an extroverted person, so talking was his pleasure. (dangling modifier)
I conducted an experiment to demonstrate the existence of carbon in organic matter.
An example of the continuing debate is the school board holding an open form about funding schools. (mixed construction)
As a way of getting ahead, of keeping self respect and for simple surviving, wise employees handle problem bosses with a variety of strategies.(parallelism)
As a young adult, you should make doing well at school your top priority. (dangling modifier)
As a young boy, he was given everything he wanted by his family. (dangling modiier)
As you read in the brochure, no one is required to join the stock plan unless he or she wants to. (pronoun reference)
Barbara had to keep reminding her aunt that her aunt had a dentist appointment. (pronoun reference)
The baseball players autographed baseballs for hospitalized children. (unnecessary passive)
Television’s first large-scale transmission included news programs which quickly became popular with the public. (mixed construction)
Because of the lake’s high bacteria level, officials prohibit boating, swimming, and fishing there. (apostrophe error)
Because I did not rinse last night’s dishes, the kitchen smells like a garbage can. (ambiguous reference)
Before going to South America, you should get a passport, have inoculations, and learn some Spanish phrases. (parallelism)
Betty was a master weaver, and she used her knowledge to teach Anna. (ambiguous reference)
He sent the burnt and foul-smelling meal back to the kitchen. (dangling modifier)
Being from a large family with six sisters and one brother, I knew that quarrels, battles and screams of “I hate you!” were not unusual in the least.(dangling modifier)
Being on a diet, I had no whipped cream on my pie. (dangling modifier)
We decided to take a taxi instead of a bus because the bus was very crowded.(dangling modifier)
Believing she had done the right thing, she could not be convinced that she was wrong.(dangling modifier)
Beside the barn stand a silo and several tractors. (subject-predicate agreement)
Bob said his chiropractor could help my sprained shoulder, but I don’t believe in chiropractors. (ambiguous reference)
Broud is an angry person whose hate for Alya increases as he grows older. (mixed construction)
Asking parents to put only certain things in their children’s lunches ensures all the children stay safe. (mixed construction)
Increasing the time allotment for network news to thirty minutes increased the prestige of network news programs. (mixed construction)
Bruce’s father-in-law or his partner is probably also going to invest in the new franchise. (subject – predicate agreement)
Coming back to school after several years in the outside world, a mature student can find the educational experience difficult. (dangling modifier)
Coming into the room, the curious visitor sees an ancient, moldy fish tank and a hat-rack covered with cobwebs. (dangling modifier)
Different expectations for marriage can lead not only to disappointment but also to anger. (parallelism)
During the early weeks of the term, the course reviews fundamentals, but places little emphasis on new material. (parallelism)
Each of his other daughters has made the same decision before. (subject-predicate agreement)
Each of our senior executives has their own private secretary.(subject-predicate agreement)
Each attendee whom we surveyed said that he or she enjoyed the conference and that he or she would attend our next annual meeting. (subject-predicate agreement)
Eating well is necessary to feel good and to have good health. (parallelism)
Economists are worried because the number of people in debt is very large.(subject-predicate agreement)
Edward Chan is the only one of the regional managers who has been trained to use the new computer. (subject-predicate agreement)
Either two foreign companies or the Alcon Chemical Company is going to get the contract. (subject-predicate agreement)
Eating huge meals, too many sweets, and snacks between meals can lead to obesity. (parallelism)
The boys either disliked or ignored him. (parallelism)
Employees aren’t happy with the existing contract. Their dissatisfaction has existed since 1998. (ambiguous reference)
Entering the party, we were afraid that the sound of hard rock music would blow out our eardrums. OR As we entered the party, the sound of hard rock music almost blew out our eardrums. (dangling modifier)
Everybody is free to express his or her own opinion. (subject-predicate agreement)
Her shoes filled with sand, Debbie took them off before going into the house.(misplaced modifier).

Many people develop their first love when they are teenagers. (mixed construction)
Frowning, the swimming instructor said, “Your arms look fine, but you keep forgetting to kick.” (punctuation)
Give him and me all your money. (pronoun)
Given training, workers can acquire the skills for and interest in other jobs. (parallelism)
Having a solid marriage can be more satisfying than acquiring wealth. (parallelism)
His skis were waxed, his bindings were adjusted and his ski mask was in place. (parallelism)
Having burned the hamburger to cinders, I made scrambled eggs for dinner. (dangling modifier)
He is as strong as, if not stronger than, Bob. (parallelism)
He lived in a little village 5 hours north of the North Bay, but, at the age of 6, he moved to Kapuskasking, a little town situated about 20 minutes away from North Bay. (punctuation)
He wrote a few papers last year, and his professor gave him zeros for spelling, grammar, and punctuation, so he plans on improving his writing skills in this class. (punctuation)
Her parents could not decide what to name her, so they decided to put their names together to create her name. That was a clever solution, wasn’t it? (punctuation and sequence of tenses)
His 90-year old grandmother still has all her faculties. (word choice)
Harold put the leftover cheesecake (which we planned to eat later) in the fridge. (misplaced modifier)
I admire her more than I do Jane.(parallelism)
I can only be I. (pronoun choice)
I have lived in Regina, Saskatchewan; Calgary, Alberta; North Bay, Ontario; Edmonton, Alberta, and St. John’s, Newfoundland. (punctuation)
If either Maureen or Paula has the time to help, ask her to double-check these totals. (subject-predicate agreement)
In 1937, Lord Tweedsmuir, who was the Governor General at the time, sponsored the launching of the Governor General’s Literary Awards. (mixed construction)
In too much of a hurry, the workman painted the walls a streaky mess. (dangling modifier)
The emotional debate over money causes some citizens to lose sight of their real goal—improving education.
Instead of him and his friend from Calgary, we are inviting two members from Regina.
Is this book one of the two that were included in the “approved” list? (subject – predicate agreement)
It is easier to love humanity as a whole than to love one’s partner. OR It is easier loving humanity as a whole than loving one’s partner. (parallelism)
In Ms. Keating’s office are the diskette and the hard copy that you need. (subject-predicate agreement)
James stood up for his principles by not taking drugs and by leaving the group.(parallelism)
John wanted my partner and me to help him.(pronoun usage)
Just between you and me, the play was a disaster (pronoun usage).
Kirk, who is from Barrie, is very interested in astronomy, a subject which involves studying the stars; at least, that’s what he tells me. (punctuation)
You are probably one of the most important persons you could know. (mixed construction).

Like I, she probably grew up in a very small town. (pronoun usage).
Lillian takes karate with her two daughters on Saturday mornings. Karate is certainly a good way to exercise. All my children took martial arts too. (punctuation)
Lloyd Robertson is an outstanding, credible newscaster. (mixed construction)
Love and marriage go together. (parallelism)
Many a lawyer and accountant has protested the proposed new tax legislation. (subject-predicate agreement)
Make the outline that Paul Roberts might have used to prepare his essay “How to Say Nothing in 500 Words.” (punctuation)
Many successful advertising campaigns have used this message: the anxious seller is harder working and smarter than the competitor. (punctuation)
Measles still strikes many Americans. (subject-predicate agreement)
Meeting her only once, he was completely enchanted by her. (dangling modifer)
Mother smiled and said that she would never forget the incident. (punctuation)
Mount Everest is higher than any other Asian mountain. (mixed construction)
My cat never has eaten and never will eat fish. (parallelism)
My mother always has ironed and always will iron towels. (parallelism)
My parents told my sisters and me to learn a lesson from their experiences.(pronoun choice)
Upon hearing it was a member of the opposite sex I was dialing,

my father firmly hit the disconnect button. (dangling modifier)

My aunt, who lives in Kingston, will spend Christmas with me.(punctuation)
Myles is one of those handymen who always find plenty to do.(subject-predicate agreement)
Neither the building blocks nor the teddy bear is of any interest to this television-obsessed child. (subject-predicate agreement)
Not all the side-effects of drugs are minor; some drugs leave the patient quite ill. (punctuation)
Of course, I knew immediately that it was he when I heard his voice. (pronoun choice)
On the table in the reception area are the various forms that you wanted. (subject-predicate agreement)
On occasions, my girlfriend, as well as my roommate, has participated in these pranks. (subject-predicate agreement)
Pedaling as fast as possible, Todd pulled his bike away from the snapping dog.(dangling modifier)

Perhaps even the daily newspaper may someday be delivered by coaxial cable rather than by a paper-carrier. (parallelism)
People adopt roles in life which they are most comfortable with, or which they will benefit from the most. (parallelism)
Dexter mended his water bed with a plastic bandage after it had been punctured by a pin. (dangling modifier)
From her front-porch swing, Rachael watched the moon rise. (dangling modifier).
She has been married for 14 years and has 2 children. She loves a challenge, so she has even climbed mountains in far-distant countries. (punctuation)
She also taught you and me that history has an important place in our life. (pronoun choice).
She is taking 2 courses this spring: one being this class; the other is a second-year statistics class that she needs for her major. (punctuation)
She wanted to be a pirate when she was little; she didn’t want to be Tinkerbell. However, she is a sweet girl, so somehow I can’t see her being a pirate. (punctuation)
She was a good cook and housekeeper. (parallelism)
She wrote a smart, funny paper. (punctuation)
In the morning, Sonny said that he would look for the missing dog. OR Sonny said that he would look for the missing dog in the morning.(misplaced modifier)
Stephen said, “My little girls are the apples of my eye!” He dotes on them. I bet they know how to tie daddy around their little fingers! (punctuation)
Soldiers have to cope with obsolete equipment or with two few pieces of new equipment (parallelism)
The automatic settings on these video cameras make them very easy to use. Better: The automatic settings on these video cameras make the cameras very easy to use. (pronoun antecedent reference)
The baby was soft, cuddly, and sweet-smelling. (parallelism)
The Blue Jays is the name of Toronto’s baseball team. (subject-predicate agreement)
The credit is hers not theirs. (punctuation)
The cameraman spent months in primitive areas, in African heat, in Alaskan blizzards, and in South American jungles. (parallelism)
The cat, as well as four new kittens, was on the doorstep in the morning.(subject-predicate agreement)
The doctor on duty, not to mention the nurses who were also working in emergency that night, says that it was the worst accident in years. (subject-predicate agreement)
The dog had a ribbon tied in a bow around his neck. (misplaced modifier)
Alcohol is easy to access—I say easy, because of all the local bars in town, and on campus who promote many events to encourage students to attend. (sentence fragment due to lack of verb)
The fact that at first, only books in English were eligible for the awards, was a situation that many believed to be a serious oversight. (sentence fragment due to a lack of verb)
The Governor General’s Awards that he helped establish have become the most desirable of any literary awards in Canada, and as a result, the categories of works for which they are awarded have undergone frequent expansion and revision.(sentence fragment due to a lack of a verb)
The automobile was certainly one of the most important creations of our time. (mixed construction and colloquial expression)
The last one over the finish line was he.(pronoun choice)
The major cause for the delays in the past few weeks was the transportation strike. (subject-predicate agreement)
Living in sin is now more positively viewed than failing at a marriage. (mixed construction)
The old teacher said, “I’ve rarely met a more charming, optimistic person than Kim. Of course, that girl from Huntsville is a sweetie too.” (punctuation)
The order either has not arrived or has been misplaced. (parallelism)
After the station wagon was abandoned, the police towed it to the city garage. (misplaced modifier)
The politicians’ objections to the new school building created a serious controversy. (mixed construction)
The prize went to him and me.(pronoun choice)
Governor General Lord Tweedsmuir is better known in some quarters as John Buchan because under that name he wrote The Thirty-Nine Steps, a spy novel that was filmed by Alfred Hitchcock. (mixed construction)
The robber was described as a 185-cm-tall mustached man weighing 70 kilos. (misplaced modifier)
The supervisor asked Nadine and me to design a new logo. (pronoun choice)
The teacher gave Jacob and me a lecture about getting to class on time. (pronoun choice)
A doctor should listen carefully to his or her patients. (gender neutral pronoun reference)
The Tylers’ new television set was mistakenly delivered t our house. (punctuation)
The weather was wonderful; we decided to spend the day outdoors. (comma splice)
The workers removed all the furniture from the room and cleaned the room. (ambiguous reference)
The Big Dipper, as well as many other constellations, is easy to learn to find. (subject-predicate agreement)
There are several different coats you can try on in that size. (subject-predicate agreement)
They are dedicated medical students. (punctuation)
They say in Arizona that men tear down nature’s mountains, run them through mills and smelters, and build new mountains out of the waste. (parallelism)
There, beside the barn, are the hen and her chickens. (subject-predicate agreement)
There are only a few models left with all these special features. (subject-predicate agreement)
This is the only chocolate chip cookie in a bag that tastes like Mom’s. (misplaced modifier)
Thomas’s committee recommends that he examine one writer in depth rather than examine three writers superficially. (parallelism)
Thumbing through the magazine, I automatically noticed the perfume ads. or As I thumbed through the magazine, my eyes automatically noticed the perfume ads. (dangling modifier)
Three reasons why steel companies keep losing money are that their plans re inefficient, their labour costs are high, and foreign competition is increasing. (parallelism)
To assign unanswered letters their proper weight, to free us from the expectations of others, and to give us back to ourselves—here lies the great, the singular power of self-respect. (parallelism and punctuation)
To become a barber, an apprentice must pass a difficult written examination. (dangling modifier)
To get the job, he had to complete revise his resume. (dangling modifier)
To treat various aches and paint following any type of workout and to bring good pain relief to the affected area, apply heat and massage.(dangling modifier)
To understand the causes, researchers have extensively investigated vandalism. (dangling modifier)
To work efficiently, the machine must receive frequent oiling as required. (misplaced modifier)
To you and me, the long walk to her front door might have seemed daunting. (pronoun choice)
Two people work at a helicopter company and the two are both from Kapuskasing; that’s why they are such good buddies! (run on)
Unlike my other classes, this one forces me to be a n active learner rather than a passive watcher. (parallelism)
Violence, which stems from fear and ignorance, is a growing problem in modern society. (misplaced modifier)
What is the theme of “The Painted Door”? (punctuation)
We are told that w e should eat more protein, consume less fate, and exercise regularly. (parallelism)
We share a home province; however, I was born in the capital city, and he was born in the city with the river running through it. (run on)
We’ll move to a town near the ocean or near (in) Mexico. (parallelism)
When the meat is ready, take it out of the oven immediately. (dangling modifier)
When she became a parent, she was determined not to be like her mother; however, when she had twins, she inevitably needed to parent as her mother had. (punctuation)
When we are skiing, the snow has to be just right. (dangling modifier)
Whenever the wind is blowing, with the trees rustling and the stars twinkling between the dark branches, I feel spiritually refreshed.(sentence fragment)
We decided that we should stay the night in Cache Creek and leave early the next morning for Kamploops. (parallelism)
When we examine this list of writers, the writers stand up well against the winners of any literary award. (mixed construction)
When finding research on the internet, a person can find information in a matter of minutes.(mixed construction)
Where are the agenda and the minutes of the last meeting? (subject-predicate agreement)
While we were hiking in the desert, a mirage appeared in the distance.(dangling modifier)
While I was looking for bargains at Sears, an exercise bike caught my eye. (dangling modifier)
While waiting for the doctor, you can read any of the numerous magazines in the room. (dangling modifier)
The drinking age being raised will decrease the number of deaths. (mixed construction)
With the abolition of authority and the isolation of the individual, liberty becomes a universal fetish. (parallelism)
You can prepare meals in a microwave oven twice as fast as in a conventional stove. (parallelism)
You should try to remember the difference between its and it’s. (punctuation and word usage
The secretary completed the letter by saying, “Respectfully yours,” (word usage)
Unlike previous classes, this class is not so much about writing but about reading. (parallelism)
At every turn someone affronts the dignity that tony believes he has rightfully earned. (word usage)
In the most recent episode Tony sits at night in his car outside the civic auditorium as the rain blackens the street around his black vehicle. (word usage)
His mood is equally black as he contemplates the contentious factions within his own mob.(word usage)
There are mediators, but the disputes never seem to be resolved. (word usage)
The failure of the movie was attributed to its being badly directed. (word usage)
Faust pledged his soul to the devil in exchange for power and knowledge. (word usage- incorrect homonym)
The citations in his research paper did not comply with MLA guidelines. (incorrect preposition for idiom)
This spring I am going to study chemistry at a western university. (capitalization)