Parallelism: Grammar Trivia! Quiz

1. Lying on the beach, swimming, and an occasional run are my plans for the week.

Remove "lying on the beach"

Change "an occasional run" to "running occasionally"

Change "plans" to "planning"

Change "swimming" to "a swim or two"

The correct answer suggests changing "an occasional run" to "running occasionally." This change improves the parallel structure of the sentence by using the gerund form ("running") for all three activities mentioned ("lying on the beach," "swimming," and "running occasionally"). It maintains consistency and clarity in the list of activities planned for the week.

Explanation

The correct answer suggests changing "an occasional run" to "running occasionally." This change improves the parallel structure of the sentence by using the gerund form ("running") for all three activities mentioned ("lying on the beach," "swimming," and "running occasionally"). It maintains consistency and clarity in the list of activities planned for the week.

2. When Angie plays tennis, she swings accurately and with power.

Change "swings" to "is swinging"

Change "plays" to "is playing"

Change "swings" to "will be swinging"

Change "with power" to "powerfully"

The correct answer is to change "with power" to "powerfully". This change is necessary to maintain parallelism in the sentence. The original sentence uses the adverb "accurately" to describe how Angie swings, so it is appropriate to use the adverb "powerfully" to describe her swing as well.

Explanation

The correct answer is to change "with power" to "powerfully". This change is necessary to maintain parallelism in the sentence. The original sentence uses the adverb "accurately" to describe how Angie swings, so it is appropriate to use the adverb "powerfully" to describe her swing as well.

3. Please remember to feed the puppy at one and putting him in his crate at two.

Change "to feed the puppy" to "the puppy needs fed"

Change "putting him in his crate at two" to "to put him in his crate at two"

Change "remember" to "be sure to remember"

Change "to feed the puppy at one and putting him in his crate at two" to "to feed the puppy and to put him in his crate at one and two"

The given answer suggests changing "putting him in his crate at two" to "to put him in his crate at two". This change improves the clarity and grammatical correctness of the sentence. By using the infinitive form "to put" instead of the gerund form "putting", the sentence follows a more standard grammatical structure. It also maintains parallelism with the previous phrase "to feed the puppy", creating a more balanced and cohesive sentence.

Explanation

The given answer suggests changing "putting him in his crate at two" to "to put him in his crate at two". This change improves the clarity and grammatical correctness of the sentence. By using the infinitive form "to put" instead of the gerund form "putting", the sentence follows a more standard grammatical structure. It also maintains parallelism with the previous phrase "to feed the puppy", creating a more balanced and cohesive sentence.

4. As Howard tried to concentrate, he heard Josie practicing the cello and a dog that barked at a cat.

Change "a dog that barked at a cat" to "a dog barking at a cat"

Change "tried" to "was trying"

Change "Josie practicing the cello" to "Josie practiced the cello"

Change "to concentrate" to "concentrating"

The correct answer is to change "a dog that barked at a cat" to "a dog barking at a cat." This modification makes the sentence more concise and uses the present participle form "barking" to describe the ongoing action of the dog.

Explanation

The correct answer is to change "a dog that barked at a cat" to "a dog barking at a cat." This modification makes the sentence more concise and uses the present participle form "barking" to describe the ongoing action of the dog.

5. Annie's hope was to find a steady job during the day, to paint in the evenings, and eventually that her paintings would sell.

Change "to find a steady job" to "finding a steady job"

Change "to find a steady job during the day, to paint in the evenings" to "finding a steady job during the day, painting in the evenings"

Change "eventually that her paintings would sell" to "eventually to sell her paintings"

Change "Annie's hope" to "Annie was hoping"

Annie was hoping to find a steady job during the day, painting in the evenings, and eventually to sell her paintings.

Explanation

Annie was hoping to find a steady job during the day, painting in the evenings, and eventually to sell her paintings.

6. To time a meal is often harder than cooking the food.

Change "cooking the food" to "cooked the food"

Change "to time a meal" to "meal timing"

Change "to time a meal" to "timing a meal"

Change "is often harder" to "harder than"

The original sentence states that timing a meal is often harder than cooking the food. The suggested change from "to time a meal" to "timing a meal" maintains the correct meaning and improves the sentence's clarity by using the gerund form of the verb. This change helps to convey that the difficulty lies in the act of timing the meal rather than the general concept of timing a meal.

Explanation

The original sentence states that timing a meal is often harder than cooking the food. The suggested change from "to time a meal" to "timing a meal" maintains the correct meaning and improves the sentence's clarity by using the gerund form of the verb. This change helps to convey that the difficulty lies in the act of timing the meal rather than the general concept of timing a meal.

7. Winning a scholarship is Kirby's dream but to fulfill it will not be easy.

Change "to fulfill" to "fulfilled"

Change the present tense "is" to the past tense "was"

Change "Winning a scholarship" to "To win a scholarship"

Change "to fulfill it will not be easy" to "it will not be easy to fulfill"

The correct answer suggests changing the phrase "Winning a scholarship" to "To win a scholarship." This change improves the sentence structure and makes it more concise. By using the infinitive form "To win," the sentence becomes more focused on Kirby's goal of achieving a scholarship.

Explanation

The correct answer suggests changing the phrase "Winning a scholarship" to "To win a scholarship." This change improves the sentence structure and makes it more concise. By using the infinitive form "To win," the sentence becomes more focused on Kirby's goal of achieving a scholarship.

8. The woman's dark hair had loose curls and blonde streaks.

Change "with blonde streaks" to "blonde streaks"

Change "dark hair had loose curls" to "dark, loose, blond-steaked curls"

Change "had loose curls" to "loose curls"

Change "loose curls and with blonde streaks" to "with loose curls and with blonde streaks"

The given correct answer suggests that the phrase "with blonde streaks" should be changed to simply "blonde streaks." This change eliminates the unnecessary use of the word "with" and makes the sentence more concise.

Explanation

The given correct answer suggests that the phrase "with blonde streaks" should be changed to simply "blonde streaks." This change eliminates the unnecessary use of the word "with" and makes the sentence more concise.

9. The BuzzFeed article was clear and strongly worded but without a point.

Change "clear" to "clearly"

Change "without a point" to "pointless"

Change "strongly worded" to "worded strongly"

Change "clear and strongly worded" to "easy to read"

The given correct answer suggests changing the phrase "without a point" to "pointless". This change accurately reflects the meaning of the original phrase and conveys that the BuzzFeed article was strongly worded but lacked a clear purpose or message.

Explanation

The given correct answer suggests changing the phrase "without a point" to "pointless". This change accurately reflects the meaning of the original phrase and conveys that the BuzzFeed article was strongly worded but lacked a clear purpose or message.

10. For her birthday, my little sister received a toy frog that jumped, a big doll that talked, and a real yipping puppy.

Change "a toy frog that jumped" to a "jumping frog"

Change "a big doll that talked" to "a big talking doll"

Change "a real yipping puppy" to "a yipping real puppy"

Change "a real yipping puppy" to "a puppy that yipped"

The correct answer is to change "a toy frog that jumped" to a "jumping frog". This revision simplifies the description by using the noun "jumping frog" instead of the phrase "a toy frog that jumped". It conveys the same meaning more concisely and effectively.

Explanation

The correct answer is to change "a toy frog that jumped" to a "jumping frog". This revision simplifies the description by using the noun "jumping frog" instead of the phrase "a toy frog that jumped". It conveys the same meaning more concisely and effectively.