Subject Verb Agreement 2 by Erica L. Meltzer | Jun 15, 2017 For each of the following questions, determine whether the verb should be singular (ending in -S) or plural (not ending in -S) in order to agree with its subject. 1. Each of the illuminated manuscripts in the library's collection (was/were) unique, although most contained similar groups of texts accompanied by vividly colored decorations. was were None 2. Along with the traditional colonial structures that are characteristic of New England, pioneering examples of modernist architecture (has/have) also been targeted by preservationists. has have None 3. One of The Tale of Genji's most extraordinary features (is/are) its ability to maintain internal coherency while describing the lives and actions of more than 400 characters. is are None 4. During the American Revolution, the political relationship between the British, the colonists, and members of the Cayuga tribe (was/were) shifting and complex, with most Native Americans electing to side with the British. was were None 5. A recent project undertaken by a group of naturalists (uses/use) color as a means of piecing together evidence of how genetic diversity occurs within animal populations. uses use None 6. The theme of conflict between social classes (has/have) inspired generations of writers from Elizabeth Gaskell in the nineteenth century to George Orwell in the twentieth. has have None 7. According to researchers, knowing two or more languages (increases/increase) one's ability to focus in the face of distraction and ignore irrelevant information. increases increase None 8. The isolated environment of a shipwreck can create conditions in which low temperatures and a lack of oxygen (preserves/preserve) organic matter for centuries. preserves preserve None 9. Caffeine is toxic at sufficiently high doses, but consumption of foods containing small amounts (poses/pose) few known risks to health and may even offer modest protection against some types of disease. poses pose None 10. Included among Annie Easley's energy experiments (was/were) studies to determine the life use of storage batteries, such as those used in electric utility vehicles. was were None Time's up
Verb Tense 1 by Erica L. Meltzer | Jun 15, 2017 Each sentence contains a bolded pair of verbs. Using the context of the sentence, select the option that presents the verb in the correct tense. 1. Native to South America, the cashew plant was brought by the Portuguese to India around 1560 and (spread/has spread) east into Asia and south into Africa during the seventeenth century. spread has spread None 2. The Russian Tea Room (is/has been) known as a gathering place for actors, musicians, and other members of the entertainment industry since it opened in 1927. was has been None 3. During the late 1950s, Frank Sinatra frequently criticized rock and roll because he (finds/found) its rhythms and attitudes alien to his musical sensibility. finds found None 4. The Manesse Codex, widely acknowledged as one of the most beautiful illuminated manuscripts ever produced, (became/had become a key source of Medieval poetry after it was completed in the mid-fourteenth century. became has become None 5. Modern conceptions of the Vikings as either violent brutes or intrepid adventurers owe much to the Viking myths that (predominated/have predominated) since the early years of the twentieth century. predominated have predominated None 6. The chemical processing plant, which suffered serious damage in last year's earthquake, was recently reported to have (sprang/sprung) a leak. sprang sprung None 7. Michael Phelps (became/has become) the most decorated Olympic athlete of all time when he won his twenty-second medal in 2012. became has become None 8. Many of the tales written by Aesop, who lived during the sixth century B.C., (are/were) characterized by animals and inanimate objects that speak, solve problems, and have other human characteristics. are were None 9. From its beginnings in the 1920s until its demise more than sixty years later, Bell Laboratories (was/has been) among the world's most innovative scientific organizations. was has been None 10. In the last twenty years, microbiologists (discover/have discovered) that very primitive organisms can survive by deriving energy from the rocks in which they live. discover have discovered None Time's up
Verb Tense 2 by Erica L. Meltzer | Jun 15, 2017 Each sentence contains a bolded pair of verbs. Using the context of the sentence, select the option that presents the verb in the correct tense. 1. Following the completion of renovations to Carnegie Hall’s main auditorium in 1986, concert-goers (complained/have complained) that the famous acoustics of the concert hall had been diminished. complained have complained None 2. After she was confirmed as Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere in 2009, Jane Lubchenco (declared/had declared) her expectation that science would play a key role in the development of a green economy. declared had declared None 3. Alexander the Great, who created the largest empire in the ancient world, (would/will) eventually be considered one of the greatest military commanders of all time. would will None 4. In 1917, the administration of Yellowstone National Park passed to the National Park Service, which (has been/had been) created by President Woodrow Wilson the previous year. has been had been None 5. In 1917, the administration of Yellowstone National Park passed from the military to the National Park Service, which (was/had been) created by President Woodrow Wilson the previous year. was had been None 6. The Great Comet of 1577 passed so close to the Earth that the inhabitants of countries across Europe (observed/had observed) it with their bare eyes. observed had observed None 7. Johannes Kepler, who (played/has played) a key role in the seventeenth century scientific revolution, is best known for his laws of planetary motion, which were codified by later astronomers. played has played None 8. Labor unions, which originated in Europe, (became/had become) internationally popular by time the Industrial Revolution began in the early nineteenth century. became had become None 9. Preliminary plans for space travel to Mars were/have been undertaken since the 1950s, with projected voyages typically taking place ten to thirty years in the future. were have been None 10. By the time Húgo Chavez was elected President of Venezuela in 1998, he (already served/had already served) as a military officer for many years and risen to national prominence as the leader of the Fifth Republic Movement political party. already served had already served None Time's up
Pronoun Agreement 1 by Erica L. Meltzer | Jun 15, 2017 Each of the following sentences contains a blank that must be filled with a pronoun. Identify the noun to which the pronoun refers, and then select the correctly written version of the pronoun. 1. The toothed whale has a larynx that extends all the way into the nasal passage, allowing it to open its mouth while hunting yet avoid inhaling water into __________ airway. its it's their they're None 2. To combat traffic problems in ancient Rome, Julius Caesar banned vehicles from the city center at certain times and forced drivers to stow __________ on the periphery. this it these them None 3. Adult locusts are powerful fliers that travel great distances and consume nearly all of the plant material wherever __________ swarms settle. its it's its' their None 4. Venus is believed to have contained Earth-like oceans at some point in __________ history, but they evaporated as the temperature rose. its it's their they're None 5. Cashews are considered an integral part of Indian cuisine because __________ used whole for garnishing sweets or ground into a paste that forms a base for many different types of sauce. it's its they're their None 6. Philosophers have long pondered the connection between metaphor and thought, sometimes doing __________ in ways that foreshadowed contemporary research. A. it B. this C. so D. them None 7. Because people tend to favor information that confirms their preconceptions, __________ evidence selectively and interpret it in a biased manner. he or she often gathers they often gather we often gather one often gathers None 8. The red-necked wallabee is a mostly solitary creature, but __________ will gather together when there is an abundance of resources such as food, water or shelter. it they one you None 9. Because they contains crystal oscillators and external sensors, electronic watches are much more accurate timekeepers than __________ mechanical counterparts are. its' its they're their None 10. Architect Frank Gehry's private residence has become a tourist attraction because the house's groundbreaking architecture makes __________ one of the most important works of contemporary architecture. it this them these None Time's up
Pronoun Agreement 2 by Erica L. Meltzer | Jun 15, 2017 The following questions test your understanding of relationships between sentences and parts of a sentence. Each sentence or pair of sentences contains a blank; select the transitional word or phrase that expresses the correct logical relationship. 1. The banana is native to tropical South and Southeast Asia and for many centuries was grown only in that region. __________, it is cultivated in hot climates throughout the world today. Consequently However Therefore Furthermore None 2. __________ it experienced an increasing number of territorial losses as it declined, the Roman Empire remained the most powerful economic, cultural, and military force in Europe until its collapse in the fifth century A.D. Although Because Despite Since None 3. George Orwell was insistent that no biography be written of him. __________ he actively discouraged an early attempt to complete one. Alternatively However On the other hand In fact None 4. Author Louise Erdrich was educated by her grandmother and aunts in the traditional stories of the Laguna tribe. __________, she identifies most strongly with the native part of her ancestry. However Consequently Nevertheless Meanwhile None 5. The state of California leads the United States in the production of vegetables; __________, it is also responsible for most of the country’s fresh fruit production. consequently indeed therefore moreover None 6. Some albino animals have skin that is too light to absorb sunlight during harsh winters; __________, these creatures have difficulty thriving in the wild. therefore in contrast nevertheless moreover None 7. The snakehead fish, a rapidly reproducing predator, has an extraordinarily voracious appetite. __________, it can wipe out entire schools of fish and destroy entire ecosystems when placed outside its native habitat. However Nevertheless Indeed Meanwhile None 8. __________ many beneficial health effects have been found from eating apples, several types of allergies have been linked to various proteins found in that fruit. Since Despite While Because None 9. __________ the soil on the Yucatan Peninsula was deficient in key nutrients, the Mayans suffered from high rates of disease that may have contributed to the collapse of their civilization. Although Because While Unless None 10. Thomas Edison relied heavily on assistants trained in math and science, __________ the theoretical basis for many of his inventions lay beyond his knowledge or interest. A. for B. so C. but D. whereas None Time's up