Card 0 of 447
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
Cal, with his good looks and smug tone, came off as arrogant to Sarah, she refused to speak with him for longer than necessary. No error
The clause, "she refused to speak with him for longer than necessary" is an independent clause and therefore must be separated from the sentence's initial independent clause ("Cal, with his good looks and smug tone, came off as arrogant to Sarah") with a semicolon, a comma followed by a conjunction, or a period, not just a comma.
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Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
Jane wanted to go parasailing over vacation but then, a fierce storm rolled in and flooded the harbor. No error
The placement of the comma in this sentence between "then" and "a" is incorrect. The comma should instead appear between "vacation" and "but" in order to correctly connect the compound sentence's two independent clauses using a comma followed by a conjunction.
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Select the underlined word or words that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences may contain no error at all.
“Above all you must remember to conjugate the verbs correctly on tomorrow’s test,” the French teacher said. No error
Here, “Above all” is an introductory phrase and a dependent clause, so it must be followed by a comma. The direct speech is correctly punctuated in the original sentence.
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Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
I don't remember many Saturday morning cartoons, but May and John can name pretty much all of them, they were such huge fans of those shows. No error
The clause following "them" ("they were such huge fans of those shows") is an independent clause. It therefore needs to be joined to the first part of the sentence, the compound independent clause "I don't remember many Saturday morning cartoons, but May and John can name pretty much all of them") using a semicolon, a comma followed by a conjunction, or a period, not just a comma. (Note the correct use of a comma followed by the conjunction "but" in the sentence's initial compound independent clause.)
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Select the underlined word or words that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences may contain no error at all.
Our friend, before calling the police, ensured that everyone at the scene of the accident was calm and unhurt. No error
Here, “before calling the police” is an interrupting or parenthetical (dependent) clause and can be removed from the sentence without making a sentence fragment. For this reason, it has to be set apart by commas. No comma is needed before the conjunction (“and”), since it is not breaking up two independent clauses. The sentence is correct as written.
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Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
The toughest subject for me has always been Spanish, I have struggled mightily to achieve any fluency in any language other than English. No error
This sentence features a common error of punctuation known as a comma splice. Both clauses, separated here by a comma, are independent. Independent clauses can be separated by a semicolon, a period, or a comma with a conjunction after it. Any of those three options would fix the comma splice error in this sentence, and all three options are equally grammatically correct in this instance.
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Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
Asking the kids for help filling the water balloons proved to be a bad idea, they couldn't resist the urge to throw them at each other and the floor was quickly covered in water. No error
This sentence contains a comma splice. Two independent clauses, like the two in the example, cannot be separated by just a comma. Instead, they should be linked using a period, a semicolon, or a comma with a conjunction.
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Select the underlined portion of the sentence that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
Molly's sister's apartment is quite spacious, the high ceilings give it a very comfortable feel. No error
This is an example of comma splice. The two clauses (separated here by a comma) are both independent clauses (each is a grammatically complete clause that could stand alone as a full sentence). If they are linked with a comma and no conjunction, as in this example, it is a comma splice. They should be linked with a comma and a conjunction, a period, or a semicolon.
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Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
Despite disinterest in school elections, the majority of the students voted Shindra the treasurer, president of the student government. No error
"The treasurer" here is an appositive: it renames or restates Shindra in different words, and it should be surrounded with commas. The correct sentence should be: "the students voted Shindra, the treasurer, president . . ."
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Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
It is nearly dawn, there is simply no way we will make it to Minnesota before noon. No error
There are several acceptable ways to separate independent clauses, but simply using a single comma by itself is not one of them. To do so is to make an error known as the comma splice. The sentence above contains such a splice, and it should be corrected. The options to make this correction would be to add a coordinating conjunction after the comma, replace the comma with a period, or replace the comma with a semicolon.
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Shortly the windows opened and a strong gust blew all the papers on the desk.
The underlined portion of the sentence contains just one error. The word "Shortly" is used as an introductory phrase, describing when the action of the sentence took place. Any introductory phrase needs to be set off by a comma. "Shortly, the windows opened" is the best choice to improve the sentence.
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Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
Even Mr. Williams, who had a great deal of experience working with all manner of students, was unable to help the young girl. No error
"Who had a great deal of experience working with all manner of students" here acts as an interrupting phrase, and, in this instance, is correctly separated from the rest of the sentence by commas. The sentence is correct as written.
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Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
I have traveled all over the world, England is my favorite place. No error
There are several acceptable ways to separate independent clauses, but simply using a single comma by itself is not one of them. That is an error known as the comma splice. The three options available to correct such an error are a period, a conjunction with a comma, or a semicolon. These three options are all equally grammatically correct, which one you choose is a matter of style. The example sentence contains two independent clauses, so rather than a comma after "world" one of those three options needs to be inserted.
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Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
Perdita the lost princess, was found and raised by a shepherd. No error
Commas should be used to set off the phrase "the lost princess," as it is in apposition to (gives a description of) the subject Perdita, but the sentence still makes sense without it. So, "Perdita the lost princess," contains the sentence's error, and the sentence should read, "Perdita, the lost princess, was found and raised by a shepherd."
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Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
My friend Matt is an incredible computer programmer, my friend Sally is the best dancer I know. No error
Both clauses in the example sentence are independent clauses (grammatically complete clauses that could stand on their own as sentences). When two independent clauses are connected into one sentence it is called a compound sentence. The correct ways to punctuate compound sentences are either a conjunction and a comma or a semicolon. The other option in this instance would be to simply replace the comma with a period.
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Select the underlined portion of the sentence below that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
Whenever I get depressed I try to think of things that make me happy, like my dog Sam. NO ERROR
In the sentence above, "Whenever I get depressed" acts as an introductory phrase. It should be separated from the rest of the sentence by a comma.
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Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
There are a lot of problems with the new dinosaur movie, it is riddled with factual inaccuracies. No error
There are several acceptable ways to separate independent clauses, but simply using a single comma by itself is not one of them. To do so creates an error known as the comma splice. The example sentence, by using a comma instead of a period, coordinating conjunction and a comma, or a semicolon, contains such an error.
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Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
Jordan had a terrifying dream in which he was attacked by piranhas, he decided to skip his swimming lesson the following day. No error
This is an example of a comma splice. The two clauses here are both independent clauses, meaning each could stand on its own as a full sentence. Commas cannot be used to separate such clauses. A semicolon would be appropriate here. Another alternative would be to add a conjunction after the comma, such as "...attacked by piranhas, so he decided..."
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Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
The brilliant surgeon had steady hands, she was an incredible pool player in her youth. No error
There are several acceptable ways to separate independent clauses, but simply using a single comma by itself is not one of them. To do so creates an error known as the comma splice. The sentence above features a comma splice after "hands." The first clause, "the brilliant surgeon had steady hands," is a grammatically complete independent clause, as is the second clause, "she was an incredible pool player." The options for separating these two clauses are to place a period, a semicolon, or a coordinating conjunction and a comma between them. All three of these options are equally grammatically correct, whichever you choose is a matter of style.
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Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
Car, bicycle, and bus are the only means of transportation in this city, there is no metro system available yet. No error
A comma should only be used to separate an independent clause from a dependent clause: here it is separating two independent clauses, so a period or semi-colon is more appropritate.
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