Note To Self: Tricky Writing Rules

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  • 1/13 Questions

    Finish this sentence:One of the puppies . . .

    • Have to be given away.
    • Has to be given away.
    • Has to be gave away.
    • Have to be gave away.
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About This Quiz


A quiz to diagnose weaknesses in grammar and punctuation. Covers the ten most common grammar and punctuation errors.

Note To Self: Tricky Writing Rules - Quiz

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  • 2. 

    Where does the comma go?Because it rained all morning we could not have a picnic.

    • Between "rained" and "all."

    • After "Because."

    • Between "morning" and "we."

    • No punctuation is needed.

    Correct Answer
    A. Between "morning" and "we."
    Explanation
    You always need a comma after an introductory phrase. "Because it rained all morning" is the introductory phrase. See pgs 738-740 in St. Martin's Handbook for more info on this rule.

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  • 3. 

    Which sentence is punctuated correctly?

    • I thought it was going to rain, so I brought my umbrella.

    • I thought, it was going to rain so I brought my umbrella.

    • I thought it was going to rain so I brought my umbrella.

    Correct Answer
    A. I thought it was going to rain, so I brought my umbrella.
    Explanation
    Just as before, two independent clauses must be linked with a comma plus a conjunction (or a semicolon or period).

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  • 4. 

    Which sentence is punctuated correctly?

    • I knew Congress would never produce the bill in just thirty days and I was right.

    • I knew Congress would never produce the bill in just thirty days, and I was right.

    • I knew, Congress would never produce the bill in just thirty days and I was right.

    Correct Answer
    A. I knew Congress would never produce the bill in just thirty days, and I was right.
    Explanation
    "I knew Congress would never produce the bill in just thirty days" and "I was right" are both independent clauses. They can be linked with the combination of a comma and a conjunction (, + and). See St. Martin's Handbook pgs 740-741 to read more about this rule.

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  • 5. 

    Which sentence is punctuated correctly?

    • My boyfriend who is almost seven feet tall, is a big Teddy bear.

    • My boyfriend, who is almost seven feet tall is a big Teddy bear.

    • My boyfriend who, is almost seven feet tall, is a big Teddy bear.

    • My boyfriend, who is almost seven feet tall, is a big Teddy bear.

    Correct Answer
    A. My boyfriend, who is almost seven feet tall, is a big Teddy bear.
    Explanation
    When you interject with extra information, that info is always surrounded by commas to set it off from the rest of the sentence. This deals with commas and nonrestrictive elements. For an in-depth breakdown of this rule see St. Martin's Handbook pgs 741-745.

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  • 6. 

    Which sentence uses the apostrophe correctly?

    • SCAD is moving its Innovative Learning department to the second floor of Jen Library.

    • SCAD is moving it's Innovative Learning department to the second floor of Jen Library.

    Correct Answer
    A. SCAD is moving its Innovative Learning department to the second floor of Jen Library.
    Explanation
    There are always exceptions in grammar, and this is one of them. "It's" is a contraction of "it is." "Its" shows that "it" possesses something even though there is no apostrophe.

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  • 7. 

    I had not ______ him up yet.

    • Woke

    • Wake

    • Waked

    • Woken

    Correct Answer
    A. Woken
    Explanation
    Past participles can be tricky. They are used to form the past perfect tense. They can take strange forms, like woken, and are always used with helping verbs. To review this grammar rule see the St. Martin's handbook, pg 616.

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  • 8. 

    Which sentence is punctuated correctly?

    • I have a cat, a dog, and a bird.

    • I have a cat, a dog and a bird.

    • I have a cat a dog and a bird.

    Correct Answer
    A. I have a cat, a dog, and a bird.
    Explanation
    Though "B" is often accepted, the best answer is "A." Sometimes omitting the comma after the last item in a list can cause confusion. It is best to have a comma after each item. See pgs 745-746 in St. Martin's Handbook to learn more about this rule.

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  • 9. 

    Which sentence is incorrect?

    • My phone rang, and it was her!

    • My phone rang, and it is her!

    • My phone rings, and it is her!

    Correct Answer
    A. My phone rang, and it is her!
    Explanation
    In this sentence, either past perfect or present perfect is fine, as long as you stay consistent. In "B," the speaker changes from past perfect to present perfect, making the sentence grammatically incorrect.

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  • 10. 

    Which sentence uses the apostrophe correctly?

    • Venus' beauty is legendary.

    • Venus's beauty is legendary.

    • Venus beauty is legendary.

    Correct Answer
    A. Venus's beauty is legendary.
    Explanation
    Even though it looks a little strange, "Venus's" is the correct way to show that Venus possesses something. "Venus'" is incorrect because an apostrophe only comes after the "s" when the word is plural and possessive. "Venus" is incorrect because it shows no possession. For clarification see St. Martin's Handbook, chapter 51.

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  • 11. 

    Which sentence is correct?

    • Everyone needs to know what they want before they get to the lunch line.

    • Everyone needs to know what you want before you get to the lunch line.

    • Everyone needs to know what he or she wants before he or she gets to the lunch line.

    • Everyone needs to know what he or she wants before they get to the lunch line.

    Correct Answer
    A. Everyone needs to know what he or she wants before he or she gets to the lunch line.
    Explanation
    This deals with pronoun-antecedent disagreement. "Everyone" is the antecedent, and it is third person singular. (Even though it indicates a group of people, it refers to each person in the group, making it singular.) Therefore, the pronoun that follows it must also be third person singular. "They" is third person plural, so it cannot be correct. "You" can be singular or plural but is second person, so it is incorrect. So, "C" must be the right answer, even though it sounds a bit awkward. To work on this writing rule, see St. Martin's Handbook, chapter 35.

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  • 12. 

    When the sun came up, he . . .(More than one may be correct.)

    • Is gone.

    • Was gone.

    • Had gone.

    • Has gone.

    Correct Answer(s)
    A. Was gone.
    A. Had gone.
    Explanation
    "When the sun came up" indicates past tense. Therefore, your verb must be in past tense. "Was" and "had" both indicate past events. For more help with this rule, see St. Martin's Handbook, pg. 628.

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  • 13. 

    Which of these sentences is punctuated correctly? (More than one may be correct.)

    • My dog is beautiful her eyes are her best feature.

    • My dog is beautiful, her eyes are her best feature.

    • My dog is beautiful; her eyes are her best feature.

    • My dog is beautiful. Her eyes are her best feature.

    Correct Answer(s)
    A. My dog is beautiful; her eyes are her best feature.
    A. My dog is beautiful. Her eyes are her best feature.
    Explanation
    "A" is incorrect because there are two independent clauses, so some punctuation is definitely needed. "B" is not right because a comma isn't strong enough to connect two independent clauses. In "C," the semicolon is used. This is a good answer because the idea expressed by "My dog is beautiful" is directly supported by "her eyes are her best feature." The two statements are inextricably linked, so the semicolon can be used. "D" is also correct because two independent clauses can always be linked by a period. For more info on these rules, see the St. Martin's Handbook, chapters 39, 49, and 50.

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  • Current Version
  • Mar 04, 2024
    Quiz Edited by
    ProProfs Editorial Team
  • Sep 08, 2009
    Quiz Created by
    Agatewood
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