Dr. Kristi Siegel
Associate Professor and Chair, English Department

Mount Mary College - Milwaukee, WIsconsin
siegelkr@mtmary.edu
Test Your Grammar Know-How!
Submit Your Answers to See How You've Done ...
Grammar Assessment
FIRST, type in Your Name
Complete the following test (make sure to enter your name in the text box above and then press SUBMIT; to see your results and e-mail them to me. Print the results' page. If you are completing this test for another instructor, select File, Send from the browser command bar to e-mail your teacher your results or print the results' page and turn it in.


I. Usage. Homonyms and Other Easily Confused Word Pairs
- Choose the correct word choice in each of the sentences below.
1. He can except accept a compliment fairly well.
2. She loves every dance except accept the polka
3. The affect effect of the drug was apparent immediately.
4. The drug could affect effect her breathing.
5. I could of have died.
6.You should of have seen it.
7. Will you tell me when its it's midnight?
8.The statue fell off its it's base.
9. They're Their hearts were heavy.
10. Put the pizza over there their.
11. I wonder how there they're planning on getting here.
12. Who's Whose afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?
13. Your You're becoming increasingly difficult.
14. You're Your salad is perfect.
15. The school's principle principal is new.
16. She believes in the principle principal of fair play.
17. The principle principal reason she left was because of the noise.
II. Pronouns - Select the correct pronoun:  
18. I doubt he's smarter than I. me
19.When my mother-in-law and I me get together, we have a wonderful time.
20.The Joneses and us we used to live right next door to each other.
21.Every one of the men took off his their hat.
22. It's important to Charlene and I me.
23.One of the puppies lost its their collar.
24.Both of the boys brought his their book.
III. Sentences - In the drop-down menus below select C for a complete sentence, F for a fragment, and R for a run-on.
25. Turning the corner on two wheels without tipping over.
26.Determined to win his approval.
27. I like to watch all the soap operas its so stimulating.
28.She grabbed a fly swatter.
29.By carrying away waste products efficiently and effectively.
30.To study harder than ever before.
31.She married him, when Percival heard the news, he fainted.
32.We had planned an all-day picnic in a pasture near the river.
33.Where are Riff and Raff those cats won't come when I call them.
IV. Correct modification - Check D for any sentence containing a dangling or misplaced modifier, or check C if the sentence is correct.
D
34. Walking to school this morning, the wisteria vines were blooming
C
D
35. After scratching his fleas for a while, Fido took a nap.
C
D
36. Encouraged by the coach, the team won the game.
C
D
37. To gain weight quickly, doughnuts are a good bedtime snack.
C
D
38. Just after eating my lunch, the telephone rang.
C
D
39. After having a serious heart attack, the mayor was concerned.
C
D
40. Louise yearned to see the Mississippi River while in Arizona.
C
D
41. I read about the kidnappers who were found in this morning's paper.
C
D
42. The thief was arrested after the store had been robbed by the police.
C
V. Punctuation - Decide what punctuation belongs in the blanks and select the appropriate letter from the dropdown menu.
A = comma ( ,)
B = semicolon (;)
C = colon(: )
D = quotation marks (")
E = no punctuation
43. The best months of the year are September, May and June.
the phone rings several times.
44, 45. In the morning regardless of how early it is
46. I have three hobbies sewing, cooking, and painting.
47. Hank made a touchdown during the last quarter we won by a score of 6 to 0.
48, 49. "I  believe,
said Nell, "that you can save this dress.
50. I like roses however, impatiens require less care.
51. "Out of my way! John yelled.
52. Yesterday morning I washed the dishes and swept the kitchen
then I went to the grocery store.
53. We visited the following states Wisconsin, Minnesota, Maine, and New Hampshire.
VI. Parallel Structure - Select I for Incorrect parallel structure, and P for correct parallel structure in the sentences below:  
54. When it comes to basketball, Chicago's Michael Jordan does almost everything well: runs,
       shoots, gets rebounds, and can pass.
55. There's something special about people who are interested in the printed word. They are         learned, kind, knowledgeable, and humane.
56. Baseball is like chamber music, a comparison can be made between football and a  symphony,        and jazz is the music that most closely resembles basketball.
57.Runners should warm up properly, following a safe route, to vary their speed, and a soft
      surface like grass or sand is preferable to the pavement.  
VII. Subject-Verb Agreement - Select the correct verb from the drop-down menu.
58. The topic of gender differences
always controversial.
59. The patterns of performance in math a longer history.
60. In fact, the effects of birth order been studied.
61. Both birth order and its impact important in his study.
the right to succeed.
62. Everybody
the right answer.
63. Each of the boys
64.
any of the new members arrived yet?
65. Some of the books to be mended.
good voice control.
66. Each of the speakers
VIII. Apostrophes -  Select the correct word in each of drop-down menus below.
67.Two (girls girls' girl's) coats are hanging in the hall.
68.(Its Its' It's) been a long day for everyone.
69. The (athletes athletes' athlete's) meetings will be held in the assembly. (athletes is plural)
70. After (schools school's schools') out we go to the store.
71.
71, 72. The canary didn't know (its its' it's) name; (it's its its') still learning.
72.
73. The (sheeps sheep's sheeps')'wool is warm.
74.The (babies babies') toys were in the attic.
'75. The (students student's students') absences are mounting. (students
'       is singular)
76.
76, 77. (Its It's Its') easy to forget (its it's its') purpose.
77.
Assessing your results: 73 - 77 correct - Congratulations! You're a grammar whiz! 
68 - 72 correct - Very good - check on areas where you have more than two answers wrong
63 - 67 - Good - brush up on areas where you have two or more errors.
Below 62 - Time for a grammar brush up!
Homepage