Determine whether the underlined portion of the sentence below is correct or whether it needs to be revised. Choose the correct option. McCarthyism was an ideology and an applied pursuit that arose in the middle of the twentieth century and targeted communists in the United States state department.
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McCarthyism was an ideology and an applied pursuit that arose in the middle of the twentieth century and targeted communists in the United States state department
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McCarthyism was an ideology, an applied pursuit that arose in the middle of the twentieth century, targeted communists in the United States state department
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McCarthyism was an ideology and an applied pursuit that arose in the middle of the twentieth century and targeted Communists in the United States state department
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McCarthyism will be an ideology and an applied pursuit that arose in the middle of the twentieth century and targeted communists in the United States
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McCarthyism was an ideology and an applied pursuit that arose in the middle of the twentieth century and targeted communists in the United States State department
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Correct answerE
ExplanationExplanation: The original choice is wrong strictly for the lack of capitalization of "State Department." Choice
"McCarthyism was an ideology, an applied pursuit that arose in the middle of the twentieth century, targeted communists in the United States state department" complicates problems more than "McCarthyism was an ideology and an applied pursuit that arose in the middle of the twentieth century and targeted communists in the United States state department" by deleting certain words that turn the sentence into a run-on sentence. Choice "McCarthyism was an ideology and an applied pursuit that arose in the middle of the twentieth century and targeted Communists in the United States state department" fails to capitalize "State Department" (it needs to be capitalized because it is a proper noun -- the United States State Department, not just "a state department"). Although choice "McCarthyism will be an ideology and an applied pursuit that arose in the middle of the twentieth century and targeted communists in the United States" corrects the capitalization error, it changes "was" to "will be," which is an illogical verb tense (i.e. future) because later in the sentence it is stated that the ideology arose "in the middle of the twentieth century," which has already passed. Choice "McCarthyism was an ideology and an applied pursuit that arose in the middle of the twentieth century and targeted communists in the United States State department" corrects the capitalization error and leaves the sentence as it is. Sometimes just minor changes are needed.
Identify the error in the following sentence: Asking for directions when you are lost is the properly course of action.
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Correct answerD
ExplanationExplanation: The adjectival form rather than the adverbial form should be used here.
Determine whether the underlined portion of the sentence below is correct or whether it needs to be revised. Choose the correct option. Fleeing the horde of zombies on foot, an apparently safe building became visible to the terrified couple.
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an apparently safe building became visible to the terrified couple.
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the terrified couple spotted a building that looked safe.
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a safe looking building was spotted by the terrified couple.
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the terrified couple's luck changed when they spotted a safe looking building.
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their fear subsided somewhat when the terrified couple would spot a safe looking building.
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Correct answerB
ExplanationExplanation: "an apparently safe building became visible to the terrified couple", "a safe looking building was spotted by the terrified couple", "the terrified couple's luck changed when they spotted a safe looking building", and "their fear subsided somewhat when the terrified couple would spot a safe looking building" are all dangling modifiers. Who was fleeing the horde? The terrified couple was.
Identify the error in the following sentence: As Titus looked at the full shelves of his clock shop, he realized that it would take hours to find the clock who lost the tiny spring he found on the floor.
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Correct answerD
ExplanationExplanation: The correct answer is "who" because "who" should only be used to describe people, not things. Since a clock is clearly a thing, this sentence would be correct if "who" were changed to "that." Note that "who" can sometimes be used to refer to personified things to emphasize their human qualities. For example, that cartoon features a clock named Frank who sings, dances, and talks to the people in the village. In this case, the writer uses "who" to convey the clock's similarity to a person. By comparison, the clock in Titus' clock shop is just a clock.
Identify the error in the following sentence: If he weren't so mean, Jamal would have agreed to loan his car to his twin brother weeks ago.
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Correct answerA
ExplanationThe correct answer is "he" because the pronoun "he" has no clear antecedent. In other words, the reader cannot be sure if Jamal or his twin brother is mean. A simple way to correct this problem would be to replace the first "he" with either "Jamal" or "Jamal's twin brother," depending on the writer's intent.
Identify the error in the following sentence: Although the lion's share of oil wells is owned by large oil companies, there are individuals who earn their living by selling the oil from their own, private wells.
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Correct answerE
ExplanationExplanation: The correct answer is "No error" because this sentence contains no errors. Although the phrase "lion's share of oil wells is" may sound strange because "is" doesn't agree with "wells," it is grammatically correct. The true subject of the sentence is not the plural "wells": it's the singular "share."
"Of oil wells" is simply a prepositional phrase that modifies "lion's share."
Identify the error in the following sentence: "You know how I feel" he said quietly.
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Correct answerB
ExplanationExplanation: There should be a comma after the word feel but before the quotation marks.
Identify the error in the following sentence: The brutally cold days of winter in Minnesota makes Marty consider moving to Florida every year.
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Correct answerC
ExplanationExplanation: The correct answer is "makes" because the verb "makes" doesn't agree with the plural subject of the sentence, "days." While "Minnesota" is singular and seems to agree with "makes," it is not the subject of the sentence. Remember that the subject and verb of the sentence must agree, even if they are separated by words that make that agreement sound odd to your ear. If the subject is plural, the verb must agree with a plural noun regardless of the tense of any modifiers between those words. When in doubt, say the subject and verb together without any words in between. In this case, it becomes clear that "days makes" is the problem in this sentence.
Determine whether the underlined portion of the sentence below is correct or whether it needs to be revised. Choose the correct option. Lockers in schools are often dilapidated, making student's valuables susceptible to theft.
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making student's valuables susceptible to theft
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which makes student's valuables susceptible to theft
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that makes student's valuables susceptible to theft
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Question 10
Single choice
Identify the error in the following sentence: Driving to school is one of the special privileges of being an upperclassman in high school; however,
concerns many parents and teachers who fear the dangers of the road.
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Correct answerC
ExplanationExplanation: This sentence is flawed because the sentence clause following "however" is not independent.
If a sentence is separated by a semi-colon, then both "sides" of the sentence must be independent (which means they could be sentences on their own). When a transition such as "however" is used as it is here (preceded by a semi-colon and followed by a comma) it is created a division that demands two separate, independent clauses. The second clause has a verb (i.e. concerns) but it lacks a subject like "it" or "teen driving" before "concerns." What concerns people? Whatever it is, MUST be properly identified. Choice "concerns" must be modified, so it is the right answer.
Question 11
Single choice
Determine whether the underlined portion of the sentence below is correct or whether it needs to be revised. Choose the correct option. Sports commentators often provide informative and witty insight during games that enhance the sports-watching experience.
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enhance the sports-watching experience.
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enhances the sports-watching experience.
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enhances the sports-watching experience for fans.
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have enhanced the sports-watching experiences for fans.
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Correct answerC
ExplanationExplanation: The problem with this sentence is that the second action verb (i.e. enhance) needs to be singular (i.e. enhances) because this verb refers to "insight." Some readers may believe that because there are two characteristics to the insight (i.e. informative and witty) there should be a plural form of the verb. Choice "enhances the sports-watching experience" and choice "enhances the sports-watching experience for fans" correct this agreement error of the verb; however, choice "enhances the sports-
watching experience for fans" is wordy. Obviously, fans are the ones who watch sports, so why restate this. Choice "enhances the sports-watching experience" therefore is most direct and grammatically sound.
Question 12
Single choice
Determine whether the underlined portion of the sentence below is correct or whether it needs to be revised. Choose the correct option. A consummate gentleman, Stefan's etiquette and social grace was unmatched.
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Stefan's etiquette and social grace was unmatched.
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Stefan's etiquette and social grace were unmatched.
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Stefan's etiquette as well as his social grace were unmatched.
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Stefan possessed unmatched etiquette and social grace.
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Stefan's social grace was matched only by his etiquette.
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Correct answerD
ExplanationExplanation: "Stefan's etiquette and social grace was unmatched", "Stefan's etiquette and social grace were unmatched", "Stefan's etiquette as well as his social grace were unmatched", and "Stefan's social grace was matched only by his etiquette" are all dangling modifiers. Choice "Stefan's etiquette and social grace was unmatched" has a verb agreement problem, too.
Question 13
Single choice
Identify the error in the following sentence: Him and his sister ran and ran, but they could not seem to get away from the pack of dogs.
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Correct answerA
ExplanationExplanation: The correct form would be he and his sister.
Question 14
Single choice
Determine whether the underlined portion of the sentence below is correct or whether it needs to be revised. Choose the correct option. When began the snow he was asleep.
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Correct answerC
ExplanationExplanation: The word order should be altered to remove awkwardness.
Question 15
Single choice
Identify the error in the following sentence: Even though I worked all day to clean the house and leave it in immaculate condition, my mother was not satisfied about the job that I completed diligently.
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Correct answerC
ExplanationExplanation: The proper idiom is "to be satisfied with" and not "to be satisfied about." Knowing this proper idiom, one can see why choice "about" is erroneous. It is okay to say, "leave it..." because it is in the same infinitive form as "to clean" so pick choice "about".
Question 16
Single choice
Determine whether the underlined portion of the sentence below is correct or whether it needs to be revised. Choose the correct option. At seventeen he shipped as a cabin boy, bound for Liverpool.
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Correct answerA
ExplanationExplanation: Comma is required to separate the clause.
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