Grade 11 Comprehensive English Grammar Workbook / 25 marks

Grade 11 Comprehensive English Grammar Workbook / 25 marks

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Nouns

1. Noun: Any person, place, or thing.

a. Andrew is eating a peach in the cafeteria. b. Chester flew a kite in the park. c. Michael is reading an exciting book about plants. d. Jake answered the question correctly.

2. Singular Nouns: Names one person, place, or thing.

a. Maria took the dogs to the beach. b. Have you seen my keys? c. The store will open tomorrow.

3. Plural Nouns: Names more than one person, place, or thing.

a. Those dogs chased each other through the pools. b. There are ten fish.

Directions: Make each of these singular nouns plural.

a. flower ____________________ b. wolf ____________________

c. wish ____________________ d. goose ____________________

e. child ____________________ f. half ____________________

g. mouse ____________________ h. woman ____________________

i. tooth ____________________ j. person ____________________

k. knife ____________________ l. man ____________________

m. loaf ____________________ n. sheep ____________________

1. Capital Nouns: Names of Persons and the word “I”, Names of particular places, names of planets,

street names.

For Example: Katie, I, Winnipeg, Lake Victoria, Earth, Windy Street, Ash Bay Directions: Circle the correct form of the noun in parenthesis.

a. Mama and I will go to the (lake or Lake) next month.

b. Aunt Jo went to (lake placid, Lake placid or Lake Placid) for the weekend.


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c. Ivy and Jan went to (florida or Florida).

d. We live in the (city or City) on (adam street, Adam street, or Adam Street).

e. My (teacher or Teacher) gave us a homework assignment.

f. My birthday is next (month or Month) but Dad's birthday is in (january or January).

g. I could see (jupiter or Jupiter) with my telescope. 2. Common Nouns: Names a general person, place, or thing.

For Example: man, girl, city, town, cereal, cat, office

List 4 common nouns: _____________________________________________________ 3. Proper Nouns: Names a specific person, place, or thing. The first letter is always capitalized.

For Example: Mr. Jetson, Winnipeg, Lilly, Camp Newbie, Blue Lake, Kellogg’s, September, Friday, McDonalds, Christmas

List 4 proper nouns: _______________________________________________________

Directions: Determine whether each noun is a common noun or a proper noun. If the noun is common, write “common” on the line. If the noun is proper, write “proper” on the line and capitalize the noun.

a. march ____________________ b. month ____________________

c. day ____________________ d. tuesday ____________________

e. holiday ____________________ f. christmas ____________________

g. cereal ____________________ h. cocoa puffs ____________________

i. dr. cube ____________________ j. doctor ____________________

k. city ____________________ l. winnipeg ____________________

m. street ____________________ n. main street ____________________

o. burger king ____________________ p. restaurant ____________________

4. Possessive Noun: Shows that someone has or owns something. An apostrophe and the letter “s” are added to show ownership.

For Example: Leslie’s knapsack Jessie’s dog Gail’s paper

The apostrophe shows that Leslie owns her knapsack.


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Directions: Circle all of the possessive nouns and underline the item it possesses in the narrative below.

My dog’s howl is very loud. Every time he howls, it is an eerie sound. Sometimes he jumps on my Mom’s couch. Sometimes he will lie on my Dad’s favourite chair. When I took him for a walk, he ate my neighbour’s food, and everyone laughed when he ate the girl’s food. I did not know how to control him. When my Dad saw him drinking the cat’s water outside, he yelled for him to stop and get away from there. My dog got scared and began to run very fast. He ran around the block and across my friend’s lawn. He leaped over the fence at Ms. William’s house, and then he crept through the alley behind Mr. Donald’s house too. When I called out to him, he just continued to run faster and faster until he came to a red car. It was Mrs. Jarrell’s car. She was kind enough to stop and get out of her car. She went over to my dog and walked him back to me.

Pronouns

1. Pronoun: Pronouns are words that take the place of nouns (persons, places, or things). Pronouns are shortcuts that keep you from repeating words in writing. Examples of pronouns: I, you, he, she, it, we, they, their, them, one, anyone, everyone, someone, nobody, anybody, everybody, somebody, each, either, and neither.

Jason is a painter. Jason wears a blue smock. (Sounds repetitive) Jason is a painter. He wears a blue smock. (This sentence, with a pronoun, sounds better)

Directions: Underline the pronoun in each sentence.

a. Martha shampooed her dog.

b. If anyone ask me how I did it, we will tell them the truth. Directions: Change the underlined word or words to a pronoun.

c. Rachel will go with Liz’s parents. ____________________

d. Benny and Mathew enjoy going to the beach. ____________________

e. Violet will join Kelly for dinner. ____________________

f. The reception will be after the ceremony. ____________________

g. Hailey and I will meet you at the theatre. ____________________

h. Marshall loves to sing karaoke. ____________________ 2. Pronouns “I” and “Me”: The word “I” is used in the subject of a sentence. The word “me” is used in

the predicate of the sentence. To determine which to choose, remove the other subject and the word “and” and see if the sentence makes sense.


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For Example: Charlie and (I/me) went fishing. (Remove “Charlie and” and then see which choice makes sense. I went fishing sounds correct. Me went fishing does not sound correct. So, the sentence should be: Charlie and I went fishing.

For Example: Henry helped Tanya and (I/me) set up the tent. (Remove “Tanya and” and then see which choice makes sense. Henry helped I set up the tent does not sound correct. Henry helped me set up the tent sounds correct. So, the sentence should be: Henry helped Tanya and me set up the tent.

Directions: Underline the correct word.

a. Nate and (I/me) went shopping yesterday.

b. He and (I/me) spent lots of money.

c. Rita chose (I/me) to accompany her.

d. The creature that crawled out of the deck scared Boris and (I/me) half to death.

e. Arlene asked (he, him) and (I, me) to complete the job.

f. (He, Him) and (I, me) completed the job for Arlene.

g. Jayden and (she, her) are playing tennis this afternoon.

h. Jayden and (I, me) are playing tennis this afternoon.

i. Neil gave his tickets to Nadine and (I, me).

j. Between you and (I, me), Jake won the prize.

k. A surprise party was thrown for (her, she) and (I, me). 3. Singular Pronouns: Takes the place of a singular noun.

Girl/Boy → She/ He Cat →It/ He/ She 4. Plural Pronouns: Takes the place of the plural noun.

Girls/Boys → They, Their Cats →They Directions: Circle the pronouns in the sentences below. Some sentences may have more than one pronoun. Then indicate if the pronoun is singular or plural on the line beside.

a. She went to the store with Angela. ____________________

b. Six of us had to squeeze in the tiny car. ____________________

c. Every Thursday, Kenny goes to Wal-Mart with them. ____________________

d. At the grocery store, the cashier gave me change. ____________________ 5. Reflexive Pronouns: Pronouns that refer to the subject of a sentence. In the plural –self becomes –

selves.


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For Example: Myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, themselves Directions: Underline the reflexive pronoun in each sentence.

a. Carly washes herself in bath oil.

b. They treated themselves to a Bermuda vacation. Directions: Use reflexive pronouns to complete the following sentences.

c. Do you kids think you can handle this _____________________________?

d. Brent dusted __________________________ off before entering the house.

e. Make sure you clean ______________________ up before dinner.

f. The alarm will turn __________________ off after 20 minutes.

g. I wondered about that ____________________________.

h. Sam and Molly did the project all by _________________________________. 6. Demonstrative Pronouns: Pronouns that point to or single out a person or thing.

For Example: This, these, that, those Directions: Circle the demonstrative pronoun in each sentence.

a. (Those, That) tires are badly worn.

b. (This, These) book looks hard to read.

c. (That, These) cupcakes are tasty and (these, that) candy is delicious.

d. (These, This) watch on my wrist says it is noon.

e. Whose skates are (this, those)by the stairs?

f. Did you eat (those, that) cookies on the table?

g. Remember (that, those) movie we watched yesterday?

h. (These, This) trees are growing very tall.

i. (Those, That) storm we had last night kept me awake.

j. How many of (these, this) napkins do you need?

7. A sentence may be confusing and unclear if a pronoun appears to refer to more than one word.

a. We never buy fresh vegetables at that store because they charge too much. (Who charges too much? Be specific and clear)

b. We never buy fresh vegetables at that store because the owners charge too much.


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Verbs

1. Verb: A word which expresses action or being.

For Example: cook, jump, appear, taste, sleep, think, go, is Directions: Underline the verb(s) in the following sentences.

a. Tanya thinks her paper needs revising.

b. Edward goes grocery shopping on Saturday. 2. Action Verb: A word that shows what someone or something is doing.

Directions: Underline the action verb(s) in the following sentences.

a. Carl spilled the milk on the carpet. b. Gary eats cold pizza for breakfast.

c. The wind howled all night long. d. The rocket blasts into the sky.

e. The big, black bear growled. f. The picture hung on the wall.

g. I searched for my missing sock. h. Katie’s brother grilled a steak.

i. Ken clicked the computer mouse. j. Dr. Kip examines his patient.

k. My red shirt shrank in the wash. l. Kate’s dog jumped over the fence.

3. Linking Verbs: Joins the subject and predicate of a sentence.

For Example: am, is, are, was, were, be, being, been Directions: Underline the linking verb(s) in the following sentences.

a. The dishes are on the top shelf. b. That was an entertaining movie.

c. I am excited today. d. We were tired after the bike ride.

e. The sandwich in my bag smells rotten. f. My new shoes are red.

g. January is the coldest month of the year. h. The pages in the old book looked yellow.

i. Mrs. Williams is an author. j. That was the best birthday party ever!

k. My brother’s favourite colour is orange. l. Lemons are sour.


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4. Helping Verbs (aka. Auxiliary verbs): Many verbs consist of more than one word. Helping verbs have no meaning on their own (e.g. The Earth will. – this makes no sense) but are necessary for the grammatical structure of a sentence.

For Example: may, might, must, be, being, been, am, are, is, will, was, were, do, does, did, should, would, could, have, had, has, will, can, shall.

Directions: Circle the main verb in each sentence and then underline the helping verb.

a. The children should come inside before it rains.

b. They are watching a movie tonight.

c. Sally could have arrived on time. d. Nick will eat spaghetti and meatballs for dinner tonight.

e. Mallory is walking to the park. f. The dogs are sleeping on the bed.

g. Elizabeth and Chelsea had gone to the library.

h. Those quick squirrels have run up the maple tree.

i. The girls are making colourful collages for their assignment.

j. I am going away for the weekend.

k. Nelson has built a huge sculpture in his backyard.

l. Mary can swim in the pool after dinner.

5. Regular Verbs and Past Tense: Many past tense verbs end in –d or –ed.

For Example: Jerry cooks lasagne. → Jerry cooked lasagne. (add –ed) a. I ____________________________ (complete) the paper an hour before class. (add –d)

6. Past, Present, and Future Tense Verbs: To form the past tense of most verbs, add –d or –ed. To

form the present tense of most verbs, add –s or –es. To form the future tense of most verbs, add the helping verb will before the main verb.

Verb Past Tense Present Tense Future Tense

Read Reads Will read

Decide Decided Will decide

Complete Completed Completes

Directions: Underline the verb(s) in each sentence. On the line, tell whether the verb is past tense, present tense, or future tense.

a. Daniel will choose a baseball bat. ___________Future_____________

b. He steps up to the plate. ______________________________

c. The pitcher tossed the ball. ______________________________


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d. Daniel will swing hard. ______________________________

e. The ball struck the bat. ______________________________

f. The ball flies through the air. ______________________________

g. It landed over the fence. ______________________________

h. Daniel will run around the bases. ______________________________

i. The crowd screams loudly. ______________________________

j. He will slide into home plate. ______________________________ 7. Irregular Verbs: These verbs are a bit more difficult because you do not add –d or –ed to make

them past tense. The whole word changes depending on its tense.

Verb Present Tense Past Tense Future Tense

Be I am, you are, he/she/it is

I was, you were, he/she/it was I will be, you will be, he/she/it will be

Have I have, you have, he/she/it has

I had, you had, he/she/it had I will have, you will have, he/she/it will have

Do I do, you do, he/she/it does

I did, you did, he/she/it did I will do, you will do, he/she/it will do

Directions: Circle the correct irregular past verb tense in each sentence.

a. I (do, did) all my homework at the library.

b. She (thought, think) of a better way to do it.

c. We never (know, knew) his real name.

d. Anna (broke, break) her arm when she fell down the stairs.

e. The dog (dig, dug) a hole in the back yard.

f. My sister (make, made) cupcakes for my birthday.

g. When the phone (rang, ring), it woke the baby.

h. There was gum (stick, stuck) to the bottom of my shoe. 8. Irregular Past and Present Participle Verbs: The past participle is the form of the verb used with

the helping verbs have, has, or had. The present participle is formed by adding –ing to the present.

Present Verb Past Tense Past Participle Tense Present Participle Tense

Fly Flew Had Flown Flying

Hide Hid Had Hidden Hiding

Know Knew Had Known Knowing


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Directions: Circle the past participle of the verbs for each sentence.

a. She has never (driven, drove) a speed boat before.

b. Ella had (ate, eaten) all of the vegetables on her plate.

c. We have (knew, known) each other since we were very young.

d. Peter has (written, wrote) a letter to his favourite author.

e. While on a camping trip, Kara was (bitten, bit) by mosquitoes.

f. Thomas has (grown, grew) the most delicious tomatoes in town.

g. Have you (rode, ridden) on a horse without a saddle before?

h. The thief had (took, taken) all of the expensive jewelry. 9. Subject – Verb Agreement: A verb must agree with its subject in number. A singular subject takes a

singular verb (e.g. My sister is a musician). A plural subject takes a plural verb (e.g. my brothers are artists).

Directions: Circle the past participle of the verbs for each sentence.

a. The breakfast cereals in the pantry (is, are) made mostly of sugar.

b. A basket of fancy fruits and nuts (was, were) delivered to my house.

c. Inside the storage shed (is, are) the garden tools.

d. Where (is, are) the instructions for the printer. 10. Verbs Lay and Lie: The verb “lay” means to put something down. The verb “lie” means to rest or

recline.

Present Verb Past Tense Past Participle Tense Present Participle Tense

Lay (s) Laid Had Laid (is) laying

Lie (s) Lay Had lain (is) lying

Directions: Circle the correct form of “lay” or “lie” in each sentence below.

a. Christy (lays, lies) her books on the table.

b. He (is laying, is lying) on the couch.

c. This morning he (lay, lied) in the tub.

d. As soon as she enters the room, Mrs. Johnston (lies, lays) an eraser on her desk.

e. When Kieran saw the beach, he thought he had (lain, laid) his eyes on paradise.

f. I (lie, lay) here thinking of all the things I have to do before going on vacation.

g. The dog (lies, lays) her paws all over the furniture when we go out.


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h. Garrett, please (lie, lay) down before you faint from exhaustion!

i. The factory will dismiss employees if they (lie, lay) down on the job.

j. The factory will dismiss employees if they (lie, lay) down their tools.

Adjectives

1. Adjectives: Adjectives describe nouns (people, places, things) or pronouns. Adjectives make the meanings of the words they describe more specific.

Directions: Circle the adjective in each sentence. Draw a line under the noun it describes.

Example: Jason painted a beautiful picture.

a. Charlotte is a kind woman. b. He is tired.

c. That wooden desk is heavy. d. Tyler is silly.

e. Four turtles climbed on the log. f. Mr. Henderson’s oldest son goes to college.

g. There is a squirrel on our back porch. h. We sat beneath a shady umbrella.

i. Sally picked up four rocks by the creek. j. Have you seen my striped shirt?

k. A sidewalk leads to the back door. l. The jacket I bought has two pockets.

m. Polly fixed the broken car. n. How do my new shoes look?

2. Adjectives with “er” and “est”: For most short adjectives, add –er when comparing two things and –est when comparing three or more things.

For Example: I am taller than my brother, but my father is the tallest person in the house. Directions: Circle the correct adjective in parenthesis to complete each sentence.

a. Martin is (old, older, oldest) than Marcia.

b. That is a very (small, smaller, smallest) car.

c. Mount Everest is the (high, higher, highest) mountain in the world.

d. This is the (warm, warmer, warmest) blanket in the house.

e. Maria is (happy, happier, happiest) than Jan right now.

f. That was the (big, bigger, biggest) sundae I’ve ever eaten.

g. Katrina ran even (fast, faster, fastest) than I did.

h. January is the (cold, colder, coldest) month of the year.


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i. That is a very (long, longer, longest) fishing pole.

j. Mr. Jones is the (nice, nicer, nicest) teacher in the school. 3. Using “More” and “Most” with Adjectives: For most longer adjectives (two or more syllables), add

more when comparing two things and most when comparing three or more things.

For Example: Volleyball is more enjoyable to me than hockey, but basketball is the most enjoyable games of all.

Directions: Circle the correct words in parenthesis to complete each sentence.

a. This is the (more delicious, most delicious) chicken I’ve ever eaten.

b. Football is the (more exciting, most exciting) sport of all.

c. The weather is (more beautiful, most beautiful) today than yesterday.

d. Penny is (more excited, most excited) than her sister.

e. That’s the (more difficult, most difficult) spelling word we have been assigned.

f. Basketball is a (more physical, most physical) sport than fishing.

g. Winter is the (more wonderful, most wonderful) season of all.

h. Bobby is a (more well-behaved, most well-behaved) child than Jimmy.

Adverbs

1. Adverbs: An adverb is a word that describes verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. An adverb usually ends in –ly. To find the adverb, ask how, when, or where something happens.

For Example: Jessie spoke kindly to the confused man. (kindly describes the verb spoke)

For Example: The man was completely alone in the world. (completely describes the adjective alone)

Directions: Circle the correct words in parenthesis to complete each sentence.

a. The snow swirled fiercely in the wind.

b. She learned quickly.

c. I rest comfortably in that chair.

d. Tony became a good swimmer. (NOTE: this one doesn’t use –ly ending)

e. Roxanne did well on the exam. (NOTE: this one doesn’t use –ly ending) Directions: An action verb is underlined in each sentence. Circle the adverb that describes the verb.

a. I carefully glued the last piece onto the model.

b. Francis played on the beach yesterday.


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c. I will visit my friend tomorrow.

d. George, will you come here?

e. They swam lazily in the pool.

f. Neil slowly placed a card on the card house.

g. They cheerfully sing songs.

h. Nathan stamped his feet angrily.

i. My father snored loudly on the couch.

j. Sam accidentally slipped on the ice.

k. Yesterday, they played a game.

l. The truck grumbled loudly.

m. We will go to the concert soon.

n. The boy waited patiently for the computer to load.

o. Kayla finally arrived at the park.

p. My mother nicely reminded me to do my homework.

q. The kitten walked there.

r. I usually lock the car door.

s. My dog always barks.

t. Peter neatly wrote a shopping list.

*** To find the adverb, ask: HOW? or WHEN? or WHERE?

Subjects and Predicates

1. Subject: tells who or what the sentence is about.

a. The woman with the green hat ate lunch.

b. The cook with the big, white hat made a delicious meal for us. Complete Subject: tells, descriptively, who or what the sentence is about.

c. A red ladybug landed on my shoulder.

d. The kind man held the door open. 2. Simple Subject: tells who or what the sentence is about. It is usually just one word without any

description.

a. A red ladybug landed on my shoulder.


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b. The kind man held the door open. Directions: Read each sentence and underline the complete subject of each sentence. Then, circle the simple subject.

c. Everybody went to the beach.

d. The creaky old door slammed shut.

e. The bird’s feathers were yellow.

f. The sun shines across the ocean.

g. The carrot sticks were delicious.

h. Jamie, Curt, and Ed played golf in the afternoon.

i. Pizza is my favourite food.

j. The paper bag was full of groceries.

k. My next-door neighbour makes the best stew in the world.

l. Kim’s favourite breakfast cereal was on sale this week at Safeway. 3. Predicate: tells what the subject does or is.

a. The woman with the green hat ate lunch.

b. The black cat crossed the street. 4. Complete Predicate: tells what the subject does and includes the verb and the other details that

help describe what is going on. a. My mother raked the leaves in the backyard.

b. This weekend, two of my friends are coming over for a barbeque. 5. Simple Predicate: is the main verb in the predicate that tells what the subject does.

a. My sister raked the leaves in the backyard.

b. Kyle is going to school in September. Directions: Read each sentence and underline the complete predicate of each sentence. Then, circle the simple predicate.

c. Jordon slept on the old sofa.

d. A tiny mosquito landed on my arm.

e. The window in my bedroom blew open.

f. My friends and I play baseball every other night of the week.

g. Sara picked up a rock from the ground and tossed it in the air.

h. The candles on the birthday cake burned brightly.


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i. Isabella opened up her umbrella when it began to rain.

j. We played darts in the garage.

k. Marcy baked a chocolate cake in the oven for dessert.

l. Edward’s youngest brother plays the guitar very well. 6. Complete Subjects and Complete Predicates

a. The small squirrel scampered across the yard.

b. The microwave beeped.

c. Orange is my favourite colour.

d. Ben, Nick, and Fran played Scrabble with Alex. Directions: Draw a line between the complete subject and complete predicate of each sentence.

For Example: The dusty old car / will not start anymore.

e. The letter was written by Max.

f. The farmers are ploughing the field.

g. Billy Reynolds is an amazing baseball player.

h. The storm clouds are getting darker.

i. Dogs, cats, and turtles make the best pets.

j. The stern judge ruled that the defendant was not guilty.

k. Only I am able to know what I am thinking.

l. All of the townspeople ran from the burning building.

m. His broken leg will heal in three months.

n. The sabre-toothed tiger is a good example of an extinct predator.

Subjects and Verbs

1. The basic building blocks are subjects and verbs. Every sentence has a subject and a verb.

Who or what the sentence speaks about is the subject. o To find the subject, ask who or what the sentence is about.

What the sentence says about the subject is the verb. o To find a verb, ask what the sentence says about the subject.

People gossip.

She waved at me.

Canada contains the largest wilderness area in North America.


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That man is a millionaire. Directions: For each of the following sentences, decide whether the word in bold is the subject or the verb. Write an S if it is the subject or a V if it is the verb.

a. __________An owl shrieked.

b. __________The moon disappeared behind the clouds.

c. __________We waited.

d. __________For a moment, nobody even breathed.

e. __________A light rain fell on our heads.

f. __________The leaves trembled.

g. __________Our hearts beat faster.

h. __________Then the black sky opened up.

i. __________Furious flames lit up the night.

j. __________His outward features reflect the delightful character within.

k. __________His hair is red and frizzy, like Orphan Annie's.

l. __________His head is fat and round.

m. __________He has small, dark, hamster-like eyes.

n. __________His small mouth is always formed into a friendly grin.

o. __________On one of these fingers is a diamond-studded gold ring.

p. __________The gleam of the ring matches the brilliance of Mr. Lee’s smile.

q. __________Mr. Bill's shoes, however, are invisible beneath his trousers.

r. __________In fact, he seems to roll rather than walk.

s. __________He rolls to the rhythm of his own laughter.

t. __________His students roll right along with him.

Sentence Fragments

1. Every sentence (S) must have a subject and a verb and must express a complete thought. A word or group that lacks a subject or a verb and that does not express a complete thought is a fragment (F).

Children. (F) Children cry. (S) Dances. (F) Larry dances. (S) Staring through the window. (F) Bigfoot was staring through the window. (S)


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2. Common dependant words:

after, although, as, because, how, in order, that, even though, since, that, so that, unless, until, that, whatever, when, whenever, where, wherever, while, who, whose

3. Dependant word fragments are a group of words that do not express a complete thought and

often contain a subject and a verb.

a. After I stopped drinking coffee. I began sleeping better at night.

b. Benny sat nervously in the dental clinic. While waiting to have his wisdom teeth pulled. 4. -ing to Fragments. When a word ending in –ing or the word to appears at or near the start of a

word group, a fragment may result. Such fragments often lack a subject and part of the verb.

a. I spent all day in the employment office. Trying to find a job that suited me. The prospects looked bleak.

5. Adding-detail: Fragments lack a subject and a verb. They often begin with one of the following

words: also, except, including, especially, for example, such as.

a. My apartment has its drawbacks. For example, no hot water in the morning.

b. I’ve worked at many jobs while in school. Among them, busboy, painter, and security guard. Directions: Each group of words below is a fragment. Tell whether the subject or predicate is missing.

a. Sat in the front row. What’s missing? ___________________

b. The man in the house across the street. What’s missing? ___________________

c. The computer screen. What’s missing? ___________________

d. Found the screwdriver in the garage. What’s missing? ___________________

e. Three young children. What’s missing? ___________________ Directions: Are the following group of words sentences or fragments? Write S if the group of words is a complete sentence. Write F if the group of words is a fragment. Remember: A sentence expresses a complete thought. No sense = no sentence!

a. If Mr. Benson or Ms. Ryan requests more information about this policy. __________

b. Jamie plans to be in Ottawa tomorrow evening. __________

c. When we receive funding for the new computer equipment. __________

d. Several of our clients in northern New Brunswick. __________

e. Mr. Massy shipped all the packages to our Winnipeg district. __________

f. Whenever an order cannot be shipped at once. __________

g. Robert is very interested in improving his keyboarding skills. __________


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h. None of the applicants whom we interviewed this morning. __________

i. Most of our employees voted for the benefit package. __________

j. To understand the conclusion of this report. __________

k. Our branch office in Edmonton is looking for two new agents. __________

l. Ms. Jackson and Mr. Duck developed the advertising campaign. __________

m. If all the proposals are ready by the time we return. __________

n. Has Ellen requested funding for the workshop on August 3rd? __________

o. Sherry and Mel manage a real estate agency. __________

p. Mark works for the Payless Grocery Company. __________

q. Many of the customers whom we surveyed last month. __________

r. Mr. Rogers will meet with the designers next month. __________

s. Karen and Michael now work in our Winnipeg branch. __________

t. Since the company was founded in March 1987. __________

Run-on Sentences and Comma Splices

1. A run-on occurs when two sentences or complete thoughts are run together with no adequate sign given to mark the break between them.

For Example: A man coughed in the movie theatre the result was a chain reaction of copycat coughing.

2. A comma splice occurs when two sentences or complete thoughts are just separated by a comma.

Comma Splice: I heard the laughter inside the house, no one answered the bell. No Comma splice: I heard the laughter inside the house, but no one answered the bell. Comma Splice: A car sped around the corner, it sprayed slush all over the pedestrians. No Comma splice: A car sped around the corner; it sprayed slush all over the pedestrians. Comma Splice: I had a campus map I still could not find my classroom building. No Comma splice: Although I had a campus map, I still could not find my classroom building.

Four Common Methods of Correcting a Run-On or Comma Splice

Run on: The exam was postponed the class was cancelled as well. Comma Splice: The exam was postponed, the class was cancelled as well. 1. Use a period and a capital letter to separate the two complete thoughts. (In other words, make

two separate sentences of the two complete thoughts.


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For Example: The exam was postponed. The class was cancelled as well. 2. Use a comma plus a joining word, or FANBOYS (and, but, for, or, nor, so, yet) to connect the two

complete thoughts.

For Example: The exam was postponed, and the class was cancelled as well. 3. Use a semicolon to connect the two complete thoughts.

For Example: The exam was postponed; the class was cancelled as well. 4. Use subordination. Subordination is words, phrases, and clauses that make one element of a

sentence dependent on (subordinate to) another.

For Example: When the exam was postponed, the class was cancelled as well.

Methods to Fix a Comma Splice or Run-on Sentence

1. Use a period and a capital letter.

The exam was postponed. The class was cancelled as well. 2. Use a comma plus FANBOYS (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so).

The exam was postponed, and the class was cancelled as well. 3. Use a semicolon.

The exam was postponed; the class was cancelled as well. 4. Use subordination.

When the exam was postponed, the class was cancelled as well.

Directions: Insert punctuation and/or words to correct the following run-on sentences or comma splices. Fix the following sentences using the method indicated in parentheses.

a. I washed the dishes then I did the laundry. (method 2)

b. Those skirts are nice I will buy one. (method 1)

c. There was no heat consequently, we froze all night. (method 3)

d. It was my best friend’s birthday I gave her a present. (method 2)

e. He asked for a raise, she got it. (method 4)

f. She is a good mother she pays attention to her children. (method 1)

g. My paper is late thus it will lose marks. (method 3)

h. Students write essays, teachers correct them. (method 3)


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i. The teacher raised his voice he was frustrated. (method 2)

j. The movie was hilarious I saw it three times. (method 3)

k. Writing an essay is hard work, it is satisfying. (method 1)

l. I wanted to book a tutoring appointment, the tutor is fully booked. (method 2)

m. She wanted to be a nurse, she is interested in helping other people. (method 2)

n. I want to buy a new car, it is too expensive. (method 1)

Standard English Verbs

1. Standard English verbs help to ensure clear communication among English-speaking people everywhere, and it is especially important in the world of work. Many people have grown up in communities where nonstandard verb forms (slang) are used in everyday life (they be, it done, we has, you was, she don’t, and it ain’t).

2. Examples adding –s or –es

a. Our washing machine always _________________ (get/ gets) stuck on the rinse cycle.

b. Whenever I serve meat loaf, my roommate _____________ (make) a peanut butter sandwich.

c. My father _______________ (brush) his teeth with bakin+g soda.

d. My little sister ______________ (watch) fireworks with her hands over her ears. 3. Examples adding –d or –ed

a. Nicole ________________________(insist) she had turned in her paper until she saw it sticking out of her notebook.

b. Frank wrapped the gag gift in waxed paper and____________________ (tie) it with straw.

Irregular Verbs

4. Examples of standard forms of irregular verbs

a. All she (have, has) to do is send in a tape recording of her lecture.

b. My conference call (be, is) very dull. Directions: Conjugate each of the following verbs to complete each sentence.

a. The moon ___________________ (to come) out late last night.

b. Jessica ___________________ (to lose) her first tooth this morning.

c. My entire family ___________________ (to catch) the flu last winter.

d. The employees ___________________ (to do) a lot of work today.


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e. The swimmers ___________________ (to hold) their breath and jumped in the water.

f. The baker ___________________ (to make) a cake for my birthday.

g. They ___________________ (to take) a picture of the mountain.

h. The teacher ___________________ (to teach) the students chemistry last year.

i. I ___________________ (to wear) my jacket to work yesterday.

j. We ___________________ (to go) to the zoo last weekend.

k. Tom ___________________ (to write) his family a letter.

l. I ___________________ (to see) a movie last night.

Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers

1. Misplaced modifiers are words that, because of awkward placement, do not describe the words the writer intended them to describe. Misplaced modifiers often confuse the meaning of a sentence. To avoid them, place words as close as possible to what they describe.

a. We could see the Goodyear blimp sitting on the front lawn. (The Goodyear blimp was sitting on the front lawn????)

____________________________________________________________________________________

b. We had a hamburger after the movie, which was too greasy for my taste. (The movie was too greasy for your taste????)

____________________________________________________________________________________ 2. A dangling modifier is a word or phrase that modifies a word not clearly stated in the sentence. A

modifier describes, clarifies, or gives more detail about a concept.

a. While sleeping in his backyard, a Frisbee hit Bill on the head. (the Frisbee was sleeping in the backyard?)

____________________________________________________________________________________

b. Having almost no money, my survival depended on my parents. (Who had almost no money? The answer is not survival but I)

____________________________________________________________________________________ Directions: Rewrite each sentence to eliminate any misplaced or dangling modifiers.

a. While riding my bike to the library, the dog began to bark.

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________


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b. She observed the monstrous skyscraper with binoculars.

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

c. Donna served hot dogs, fries, and potato salad to her guests on paper plates.

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

d. Did you see a guy cross the bridge with a beard?

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

e. The red sports car was reported stolen by the police officer.

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

f. While fixing my bicycle chain, the ice cream man drove by.

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

g. Buddy sat in the chair with a broken leg.

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

h. Shaken, not stirred, James likes his martinis.

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

i. Staring up at the tall buildings, the wallet fell from Jasmine’s purse.

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________


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j. Walking barefoot through the tall grass, dew drops felt good between my toes.

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Capitalization

1. First words in a sentence or direct quotation

The doctor said, “This may hurt a bit.” “My husband,” said Sherry, “is a light eater. During every meal, he takes so long to eat.”

2. Names of persons and the word I

At the picnic, I met Shelly Davis and Mark Tassel. 3. Names of particular places

After graduating from Gilbert High School in Ontario, I worked for a summer at a nearby Holiday Inn on Reese Avenue.

After graduating from high school in my hometown, I worked at a nearby hotel on one of the main shopping streets.

*NOTE: a specific name of a place is not given 4. Names of the days of the week, months, and holidays

This year Valentine’s Day falls on the second Thursday in February. In the early summer and fall, my sinuses bother me.

*NOTE: use small letters for seasons 5. Names of commercial products

The magazine gave high ratings to Cheerio’s breakfast cereal, Breyer’s ice cream, and Jif peanut butter.

*NOTE: use small letters for types of products – cereal, ice cream, etc. 6. Titles of books, magazines, articles, films, television shows, songs, poems, stories, papers you

write

My oral report was on The Diary of a Young Girl, by Anne Frank. While watching The Simpsons, I thumbed through National Geographic magazine and The

Winnipeg Free Press. 7. Names of companies, associations, unions, clubs, religious and political groups, and other

organizations

My wife is Jewish; I am Roman Catholic. We are both members of the Democratic Party.


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Tom has life insurance with Prudential, auto insurance with Ranger, and medical insurance with Red Cross.

8. Names that show family relationships

Aunt Judy and Uncle Jim are selling their house. I asked Grandfather to start the fire. I asked my grandfather to start the fire.

*NOTE: do not capitalize when preceded by my or another possessive word

Is Mother feeling better? Is my mother feeling better?

*NOTE: do not capitalize when preceded by my or another possessive word 9. Title of persons when used with their names

I went to see Dr. Stiles in the morning. I went to see the doctor in the morning. We asked Professor Walsh about his attendance policy. We asked our professor about his attendance policy.

10. Specific school courses

My courses this semester include English and Consumer Math. This semester I’m taking mostly business courses, but I have a psychology course and a math

course as well. 11. Languages

Willy speaks English and French equally well. 12. Geographical Locations

I lived in the South for many years and then moved to the West Coast. Go south for about five miles and then turn west.

*NOTE: use small letters for giving directions 13. Historical periods and events

One essay question dealt with World War II. 14. Races, nations, and nationalities

The census form asked whether I was African American, Native American, Hispanic, or Asian. Last summer, I hitchhiked through Italy, France, and Germany.

15. Opening and closing of a letter


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Dear Sir: Dear Madam: Sincerely yours, Truly yours,

Directions: Cross out and/or fix any capitalization errors.

a. Does aunt barbara still live in montreal, quebec?

b. i grew up in the west coast but went to school in the east.

c. The directions said to drive west for three miles then turn east for another two.

d. My friend, darius, lives in beautiful british columbia in the okanagan valley.

e. Jerome, a professor at the university of Winnipeg says that a lot of northerners come south to go to school.

f. When i earn my diploma, i’ll look for a job.

g. I really want to learn how to speak spanish.

h. My favourite holiday is thanksgiving because it is in the fall.

i. that new show is good. there should be more like it!

j. Did you know that caesar milan, the famous dog trainer, is stopping in winnipeg on his cross-country tour?

k. Why have i got so many bills to pay? I owe money to my doctor, lawyer, and dentist!

l. Your aunt, uncle, and grandpa joe are here.

m. That restaurant has a great chinese chef.

n. The golden boy, found at the upmost tip of the legislative building, is lit up at night.

o. Kelly thinks it would be neat to live in the middle ages.

p. Next year, I plan on taking all psychology and english courses.

q. I’m planning on going to red river college in the fall. Are you going to college next september?

r. mr. g. pattinson lives on 625 elmwood avenue in toronto, ontario.

Numbers

1. Spell out numbers that take no more than two words. Otherwise, use numerals – the numbers themselves.

a) Last year Larry bought (9, nine) new records. b) Ray struck out (15, fifteen) batters in Sunday’s softball game. c) (150, One hundred fifty) accidents were reported last year. (spell out a number that begins a

sentence) d) Kelly now has (25, twenty-five) records in her collection.


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2. Always be consistent when you use a series of numbers. If some numbers in a sentence or paragraph require more than two words, then use numbers themselves throughout the selection.

This past spring, we planted 5 tulips, 15 azaleas, 50 myrtles, and 120 Baby Breath. 3. Use numbers to show dates, times, addresses, percentages, exact sums of money, and parts of a

book.

Marie Thomas was born on November 3, 1968. My job interview was set for 10:15. The time was then changed to eleven o’clock. Olivia’s new address is 188 Newberry Avenue. Almost (40, forty) (%, percent) of my meals include milk. The cashier rang up a total of $18.34. The movie has a five-dollar admission charge. Read chapter 6 in your textbook and answer questions 1-7 on page 211.

Directions: Circle the correct way to use numbers when writing.

a. This past summer, we bought 10 tables, (2, two) benches, and (21, twenty-one) chairs for the rendezvous.

b. Thomas was born on June (eighth, 8th), 1994.

c. (450, Four hundred and fifty) people came to the work function last night.

d. In the (80s, eighties), I went to a huge outdoor concert.

e. Perry found (15, fifteen) people to play baseball on Saturday.

f. Heather bought (6, six) new sweaters for winter.

g. It says to read Act (1, one, I) over and discuss scene (5, five, v) with a partner.

h. John received (37, thirty-seven) cards for his birthday.

i. Read chapter (10, ten) in your textbook and answer question (1-3, one to three) on page (89, eighty-nine).

j. Ursula’s groceries cost ($20.45, twenty dollars and forty-five cents).

k. We went to a really big garage sale on (3, three) Quail Cresent.

l. Almost (10, ten) (%, percent) of children take karate.

m. The recipe calls for (2, two) cups of flour and a dash of salt.

n. There are only (53, fifty-three) guest invited to the gala.

o. Only (60, sixty) (%, percent) of the students came to the open house.


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Abbreviations

1. Abbreviations are a helpful time-saver in note-taking, you should avoid most abbreviations in formal writing. Some abbreviations are acceptable in compositions. Note that a period is used after most abbreviations.

Mr. Mrs. Ms. Jr. Sr. Dr. when used with proper names: Mr. Roller Dr. Coleman Tom Peter, Jr.

Time references: A.M. or a.m. P.M. or p.m. B.C. or A. D.

First or middle initial in a name: T. Alan Parker Linda M. Evans

Organizations, technical words, and trade names known primarily by their initials: ABC CBC GM DNA

Directions: What does each abbreviation stand for? Write the full word or words on each line.

a. Rd.

_______________________

b. Hwy.

_____________________

c. Mon.

_______________________

d. tsp.

_______________________

e. min.

_____________________

f. Tbsp.

________________________

g. Dr.

_______________________

h. Dec.

_____________________

i. etc.

________________________

j. Mr.

_______________________

k. Fri.

_____________________

l. Sun.

________________________

m. Nov.

_______________________

n. sec.

_____________________

o. Sat.

________________________

p. Mrs.

_______________________

q. cm

_____________________

r. m

________________________

s. ft.

_______________________

t. sq.

_____________________

u. i.e.

________________________

End Marks

A sentence always begins with a capital letter. It always ends with a period, question mark, or an exclamation point. 1. Period – Use a period after a sentence that makes a statement and after most abbreviations.


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It has rained for most of the week. Mr. Peters B.A. Dr. Ballard A.M.

2. Question Mark – Use a question mark after a direct question. Do not use a question mark after an

indirect question.

When is your exam Brad asked, “When are you leaving ” Brad asked when I was leaving

3. Exclamation Point - Use an exclamation point after a word or sentence that expresses strong

feeling. Be careful after use.

Ouch! This pizza is hot! Oh no! Come here!

Apostrophe

1. The two main uses of the apostrophe are:

1. To show the omission of one or more letters in a contraction. 2. To show ownership or possession.

2. Contractions are formed when two words are combined to make one word. An apostrophe is

used to show where letters are omitted in forming the contraction.

I + am = _____________ I + have = _____________ I + had = _____________

I + will = _____________ I + would = _____________ it + is = _____________

it + has = _____________ is + not = _____________ who + is = _____________

do + not = _____________ did + not = _____________ are + not = _____________

could+ not = _____________ have + not = _____________ they + are = _____________

she + will = _____________ would + not = _____________ must + not = _____________

we + are = _____________ had + not = _____________ I + am = _____________

there + is = _____________ should + have = _____________ will + not = _____________ 3. To show ownership or possession:

Directions: Complete the following sentences using the possessive form of the word in parentheses. (Singular possessive)

For Example: Leanne’s bag

a. My _______________ house. (father)


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b. The _____________ sore arm is finally healing. (boy)

c. My __________________ office is in Elmwood. (doctor)

d. The ________________ paw was as big as a dinner plate. (bear)

e. I took _________________ jacket by mistake. (John)

f. We knocked on ___________________ front door, but no one was home. (Peggy)

g. We looked at the _________________ exterior and decided to paint it. (house)

h. The _______________________ strap was broken. (backpack) 4. Apostrophe verses Possessive Pronouns: Do not use an apostrophe with possessive pronouns (his,

hers, its, yours, ours, theirs). They already show ownership.

Incorrect Correct The bookstore lost its’ lease. The bookstore lost its lease. The racing bikes were theirs’. The racing bikes were theirs. His’ problems are ours’, too. His problems are ours, too.

5. Apostrophe with plural words ending in –s: Plurals that end in –s show possession simply by

adding the apostrophe, instead of adding an apostrophe plus –s.

For Example: Both of my neighbours’ homes have been burglarized recently.

Directions: Complete each sentence. Write the possessive form of each plural word. (Plural possessive)

a. The many _________________________ complaints were ignored by the boss. (workers)

b. All of the __________________________ tents were damaged by the hailstorm. (campers)

c. The photo album that was lost contained my __________________wedding pictures. (parents)

d. The ______________________ clothes were all wet after the dolphin splashed them. (kids)

e. Four ______________________________ tails were wagging. (puppies)

f. The _______________________________ stories were true. (elders)

g. My ____________________________ husbands are all playing poker tonight. (friends)

h. My _________________________________ house burned down. (parents)

i. The ________________________________ math tests were very good. (students) Directions: Complete each sentence. Write the correct form of the noun in parentheses to show

ownership. Be careful – some are possessive and others are plural possessive.

a. This is ________________ homework. (Allan)

b. The _____________ shirts are black. (boys)

c. That ______________ feathers are green. (bird)


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d. This is _______________ jacket. (Olivia)

e. The ___________ toy is wet. (dog)

f. Your ______________ house is very charming. (family)

g. Are these _______________ quarters? (Grandpa)

h. The _____________ stalls are clean now. (horses)

i. __________ uniform needs to be washed. (Robert)

j. The _________ stuffed animals are pink. (babies) Directions: Circle the correct contraction or possessive word in each sentence.

a. (It’s, Its) going to be a long time before (you’re, your) going to get any help from him.

b. I don’t know (who’s, whose) fault it is that the car battery is dead, but I know (who’s, whose) the primary suspect.

c. (You’re, Your) feeling ill because you did not open any windows while painting (you’re, your) living room walls.

d. (They’re, There, Their) are some people who insist on acting gloomy no matter how well (they’re, there, their) lives are going.

e. (It’s, Its) hard to be pleasant to neighbours who always keep (they’re, there, their) stereo on too loud.

f. (Who’s, whose) turn is it to bring snacks? I think (it’s, its) Charlie’s turn.

g. That tree has overgrown and (it’s, its) branches now scratch the room of (they’re, there, their) house.

Quotation Marks

1. Use quotation marks when you want to show the exact words of a speaker or writer. A comma usually comes before or after the actual words spoken. The ending punctuation is usually inside the quotation marks.

For Example: “Who left the cap off of the toothpaste?” Rebecca asked.

For Example: “There is nothing I’d rather do,” she said, “than go sailing on a day like today.”

For Example: Martha asked, “Why don’t you go see your sister?”

Directions: Put quotation marks, commas, and ending punctuation in the correct places.

a. Benjamin Frank wrote Keep your eyes wide open before marriage, half shut afterwards

b. You’re never too young Aunt Betty told me to have a heart attack

c. I’d like a cheeseburger she said with no onions


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d. Why can’t we go to the store with Kookum asked Chelsea 2. Articles, chapters, short stories, songs

The article “The Toxic Ocean” The song “The River” The chapter “Connecting with Time” The poem “Happy Little” The short story “Red Light”

Underline books, newspapers, magazine, television shows, albums, movies

In the book A Good Life In the newspaper The Winnipeg Free Press In the album Going South The television show Worst Week The movie Benny and Joon

3. To set off special words or phrases from the rest of a sentence:

I have trouble telling the differences between “principal” and “principle.” 6. To mark off a quote within a quote.

“If you want to have a scary experience,” Matt told Carman, “read Stephen King’s story ‘The Mangler’ in his book Night Shift.”

Directions: Choose whether you use quotation marks or underlining when referring to various titles.

a. You use (quotation marks, underlining) when referring to the title of a book.

b. You use (quotation marks, underlining) when referring to an album.

c. You use (quotation marks, underlining) when referring to the title of a chapter.

d. You use (quotation marks, underlining) when referring to a song.

e. You use (quotation marks, underlining) when referring to the title of a newspaper.

f. You use (quotation marks, underlining) when referring to exact words of a speaker.

g. You use (quotation marks, underlining) when referring to the title of a short story.

h. You use (quotation marks, underlining) when referring to the title of a movie.

i. You use (quotation marks, underlining) when referring to the title of a poem.

Directions: Insert quotation, underline, and other punctuation marks as needed in the following sentences.

a. I like the short story Number by Pat Hutchins.

b. Who is coming to dinner tonight George asked as he saw his wife put a large roast in the oven.

c. As a matter of fact, she said, I am mad at you for leaving early.


31

d. Come here, quick! she yelled at him loudly.

e. I read an article called How to Knit in the magazine Craftworld.

f. Lily’s favourite song is Just Give it Away by George Straight.

g. The instructions say to read chapter 6 Multiculturalism in Canada in our World Geography textbook.

h. Who is coming to the movie with us? asked Violet.

i. Have you seen the movie Paranormal State yet?

j. Once in a while, Julie explained, I get a craving for ice-cream.

k. Don’t forget your swimsuit, he reminded her.

l. Ben’s favourite episode of The Simpson’s is Bart’s Big Bet.

m. Tanya likes the song America the Beautiful from the Big Texas album.

n. Harry asked, How was school today?

o. Karen’s favourite book is Where the Red Fern Grows.

Comma

Commas often (though not always) signal a minor break or pause in a sentence. Commas are used to:

1. To separate items in a series.

a. Magazines novels and textbooks crowded the shelves. b. Heather bit into the ripe juicy apple.

2. To set off introductory material.

a. As a result Alice became more confident by the end of the novel. b. Just to annoy Lisa he let it crawl along her arm.

3. On both sides of words that interrupt the flow of thought in a sentence.

a. The car cleaned and repaired is ready to be sold. b. Taking long walks especially after dark helps me sort out my thoughts.

4. Between two complete thoughts connected by and, but, for, or, nor, so, yet.

a. My roommate threatened to throw me out of the house so I had to stop playing the drums. b. The polyester bed sheets had a gorgeous design but they didn’t feel as comfortable as plain

cotton sheets. c. Harry relaxed but Bob kept working. (optional when thoughts are short)


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5. To set off a direct quotation from the rest of a sentence.

a. “Please take a seat ” said the secretary. b. “Reading this book ” complained Sara “ is about as interesting as watching paint dry.”

6. For certain everyday material.

a. I think Andrew that you should go to bed. b. Please turn down the volume Mark. c. Please sir can you spare a dollar? d. Our house was sold on April 5th 1997. e. We live in Winnipeg Manitoba. f. Dear Courtney g. It is estimated that the average child spends 7000 hours in school and 15 000 hours watching

television. Directions: Insert commas as necessary.

a. A jar of chicken noodle soup which was all there was in the refrigerator did not make a very satisfying meal.

b. Godzilla lives for revenge violence and destruction.

c. On Friday my day off I went to get a haircut.

d. Janet with your help I passed the test.

e. Harry appeared at the door and called out “Welcome to my home!”

f. Luigi added white wine mushrooms salt pepper and oregano to his spaghetti sauce.

g. The new computers for the software design program were purchased on March 12 2007 and cost the college $15 000.

h. When the movie started the theatre quieted down.

i. “My stomach hurts” Bruce said “and I don’t know whether it was the hamburger or the math test.”

j. While I was eating my tuna sandwich the cats circled my chair like vultures.

k. I expect you to set a better example for the others Mike.

l. On December 5 2004 I went to Dr. Jones a specialist to have my allergies tested. I found out that I’m allergic to strawberries peanuts and peas but I’m not allergic to cats dogs or horses. However I’m allergic to dust so I should avoid going into barns.


33

m. My neighbour lives in the house at the corner. Every day he jogs swiftly confidently and effortlessly around the neighbourhood. A person who exercises so frequently must be in good health. Jill and Lucy are the names of his dogs and they like to jog with him.

Other Punctuation

1. Colon ( : ): The colon is a mark of introduction. Use the colon at the end of a complete statement to do the following:

Introduce a list: a. My little sister has three hobbies playing video games, reading novels, and playing checkers.

Introduce a long quotation:

b. Janice’s paper was based on a passage from George Eliot’s novel Middle March “If we had a keen vision and feeling of all ordinary human life, it would be like hearing the grass grow and the squirrel’s heartbeat, and we should die of that roar which lies on the other side of silence. As it is, the quickest of us walk about well wadded with stupidity.”

Introduce and explanation:

c. There are two ways to do this project the easy way and the right way. 2. Semicolon ( ; ): The semicolon signals more of a pause than the comma alone but not quite the full

pause of a period. Use a semicolon to do the following:

Join two complete thoughts that are not already connected by a joining word such as and, but, for, or so

a. The chemistry lab blew up Professor Taylor was hospitalized. Join two complete thoughts that include a transitional word such as however, otherwise, moreover, furthermore, therefore, or consequently.

b. Sally finished writing her essay however, she forgot to bring it to class. 3. Dash ( - ): A dash signals a degree of pause longer than a comma but not as complete as a period.

Use the dash to set off words for a dramatic effect.

a. I suggest no, I insist that you stay for dinner. b. The prisoner walked toward the electric chair grinning.

4. Hyphen ( - ): Use a hyphen in the following ways.

With two or more words that act as a single unit describing a noun. a. Jerry’s favourite foods are deep fried.

b. A white gloved waiter then put the main course on the table.

To divide a word at the end of a line of writing or typing.


34

c. Although it had begun to drizzle, the teams played the champion- ship game that day.

5. Parentheses ( ): Use parentheses to do the following:

Set off extra or incidental information from the rest of a sentence. a. The chapter on obesity in our textbook pages 78-97 contains some frightening statistics.

Enclose letters or numbers that signal items in a series.

b. Three steps in previewing a textbook are to 1 study the title, 2 read the first and last paragraphs, and 3 study the table of contents.

Directions: Insert a colon or a semicolon as necessary into each of the following sentences.

a. Leanne is American however, she lives in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

b. Bailey drives a Honda Jan drives a Ford.

c. I’ll tell you what I’m going to do I’m going to quit!

d. It was pouring rain all day there are puddles everywhere.

e. She works all day in the store in addition, she takes classes in the evening.

f. You need to bring three things to the party some food, something to drink, and a small gift for the hostess.

g. Madeline brought these three things for dinner chicken pot pies, lemonade, and cheesecake.

h. Madeline brought chicken pot pies, lemonade, and cheesecake for dinner.

i. I know how I’m going to handle this I’m going to hide!

j. I will bring two pies to dinner one my mother made the other my father made.

Directions: Insert a dash or hyphen as necessary into the following sentences.

a. Paul sang his song terribly and he thought it was brilliant!

b. Alice Walker is a well known author.

c. It’s only rock and roll but I like it!

d. Bread making machines imagine that!

e. Even though Rachel didn’t make it to the rehearsal, she still arrived early to play the out standing part of Belle.

f. His favourite song much to my embarrassment was actually “Macarena”.

g. Gail was searching all weekend for a part time job.

h. She won the election granted no one else participated but she won!


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Directions: Insert parentheses ( ) as necessary into the following sentences.

a. We need emergency room physicians who can 1 think quickly, 2 treat patients respectfully, and 3 handle complaints from the public.

b. Please read the analysis Attachment A.

c. Thirty-five years after his death, Robert Frost do you remember him? remains America's favourite poet.

d. Donna said the temperature 35 degrees outside is almost unbearable.

Spelling Improvement

1. Change y to i: When a word ends in a consonant plus y, change y to i when you add an ending.

a. try + ed = worry+ es = luck +ly = 2. Final silent e. Drop a final e before an ending that starts with a vowel (a e i o u)

a. hope + ing= sense + ible = fine+est= 3. Keep the final e before an ending that starts with a consonant.

a. use + ful = care + less = life + like = 4. Double the final consonant of a word when ALL the following are true.

a. The word is one syllable or is accented on the last syllable. sob + ing = sobbing

b. The word ends in a single consonant preceded by a single vowel. drop + ed = dropped admit + ing =

c. The ending you are adding starts with a vowel. big + est =biggest omit+ed= begin+ing=

5. Most words form their plurals by adding –s to the singular.

a. blanket= pencil= street=

6. Words ending in –s, -ss, -z, -x, -sh, or –ch form their plurals by adding –es

a. kiss= inch= box= dish=

7. Words ending in a consonant plus y form the plural by changing y to I and adding –es.

a. party = country= baby= city=

8. Some word ending in f change f to v and add –es in the plural.


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a. leaf= life= wife= yourself=

9. Some words ending in o form their plurals by adding –es.

a. potato= hero= tomato=

10. Some words of a foreign origin have irregular plurals.

a. crisis= medium=

11. Some words form their plurals by changing letters within the word.

a. man= foot= tooth= goose=

12. Combined words (words made up of two or more words) form their plurals by adding –s to the main word.

a. brother(s)-in-law passer(s)by

Homonyms

1. Homonyms are words that have the same sounds but different meanings

all ready: completely prepared already: previously; before We were all ready to go, for we had eaten and packed already that morning.

hole: empty spot whole: entire knew: past tense of know new: not old hear: perceived with the ear here: in this place brake: device to stop a moving vehicle break: to separate into pieces pair: a set of two things pear: green fruit coarse: rough in textrue course: a rout or direction peace: free from disturbance piece: a part of a whole know: to be aware of no: to give a negative response rite: a religious ceremony or act right: morally good threw: past tense of throw through: moving in one side and out the other passed: to move in a specific direction past: gone by in time principal: person in charge of a school principle: a law or standard

Directions: Circle the correct word in the parenthesis to complete the sentence.

a. We usually go to bed at (ate, eight) o’clock.

b. My (ant, aunt) stayed up late with us last night.

c. We (ate, eight) strawberries with chocolate sauce.

d. I have (no, know) lunch today.


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e. There is a (hole, whole) in my jeans.

f. I won the game (by, buy) two points.

g. I would like (to, two) have cookies with my milk.

b. Billy (one, won) the race.

c. Please make sure to (wear, where)a jacket outside.

d. My favourite short story is the “Tortoise and the (Hair, Hare)”.

Synonyms

1. Synonyms are words that have similar meanings to another word.

a. creek: stream, brook

b. beautiful: gorgeous, pretty

c. huge: big, large

d. What is a synonym for hot? __________________

e. What is a synonym for walk? __________________

f. What is a synonym for said? __________________

g. What is a synonym for sick? __________________

h. What is a synonym for great? __________________

i. What is a synonym for good? __________________

j. What is a synonym for bad? __________________

k. What is a synonym for amazing? __________________

Antonyms

1. Antonyms are words that have opposite meanings.

a. antonym: synonym pass: fail life: death b. love: hate quiet: loud buy: sell

Directions: Read each sentence. Write an antonym to replace the underlined word.

a. That book was too short. ____________________________________

b. There are many flowers in the garden. ____________________________________

c. My dad has a new car. ____________________________________

d. The best book I’ve ever read is Superfudge. ____________________________________


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e. The doors are always open. ____________________________________

f. This strawberry is the biggest I’ve ever seen. ____________________________________

g. My sister likes cold weather. ____________________________________

h. Tommy always finishes his duties at work. ____________________________________

i. My clothes are very clean. ____________________________________

j. I must check the book in at the library. ____________________________________

Directions: Indicate whether the underlined words in the following sentences are using homonyms, synonyms, or antonyms.

a. I hope the pharmacist brews up some good medicine to put on my bruise. Homonyms

b. What makes you think that I can repair the broken bike that you couldn’t fix? __________

c. Sylvia’s fast new car beat my slow one in the race. __________

d. I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry when I heard the news. __________

e. We planted a pair of pear trees in the yard. __________

f. If you think about cause and effect, you'll know what the result of your decision will be. __________

g. I hired a fine lawyer to defend me, but he charged me more than the fine I would have had to pay. __________

h. Her knight in shining armor rides a horse that is as black as night. __________

i. The fire took seconds to destroy a painting that took weeks to create. __________

j. He may be innocent of all the charges, but he acted like he was guilty when he ran away. __________

k. Irma thinks you are very well informed, but Shelly believes you don’t know what you're talking about. __________

l. That beautiful pen (female swan) should not be imprisoned in a pen! __________

Documents

Grade 11 Comprehensive English Grammar Workbook / 25 marks