COM 220 Grammar Exercise 1

This paperwork of COM 220 Grammar Exercise 1 shows the solutions to the following problems:

Adjectives and adverbs

1. A blowout, or a flat tire that occurs ____ while you are driving, can be frightening.

2. Blowouts happen less ____ than they used to.

3. Your ____ reaction to a blowout is very important.

4. A quick reaction can make the difference between stopping ____ and losing control of the car.

5. Most people slam on the brakes after a blowout, which is a ____ dangerous thing to do.

6. Instead, experts suggest that you ____ release pressure on the accelerator. gradual gradually 1 out

7. If you have both hands on the wheel, you will be able to correct the car’s ____ tendency to veer to one side after a blowout.

8. If you are ____, you will find a safe place to pull over. patient patiently 1 out

9. It is better to ride for a while on a flat tire than to worry ____ about damaging the tire or the wheel.

10. A ____ tragic accident may be avoided by planning properly for a blowout.

Good vs. well

1. It seems that some people always do ____ on tests.

2. Others, though, don’t have the same ____ luck.

3. Actually, those students who are ____ at taking tests generally don’t rely on luck.

4. The people who score ____ on tests are usually those who have prepared for them properly.

5. ____ skills for studying are easily learned, and they work in most high-pressure situations.

6. Many students can improve their memory simply by eating and sleeping ____.

7. If you don’t feel ____, it is difficult to concentrate and retain information.

8. If you listen ____ and take careful notes from the start, you will probably need to study less later on.

9. It is a ____ idea to join a study group and to let other students quiz you before the test.

10. A positive attitude and a thorough study plan are two ways to make sure your test scores are ____.

Comparative and superlative . . .

1. Most parents wish their children would eat ____ than they do.

2. Many children like sweets ____ than they like nutritious food.

3. They don’t know that a diet full of sweets is ____ for their health than a well-balanced diet.

4. The children who are the ____ eaters of all were not always born that way.

5. Parents who are the healthiest eaters themselves are the ____ examples for children.

6. Sometimes children who are the ____ eaters are those who enjoy meals but seem to eat too little.

7. Some people believe that putting too much food on a child’s plate can be ____ than offering too little.

8. When a child is a fussy eater, the ____ thing to do is to use food as a bribe or a reward.

9. Experts say it is ____ to praise children for eating something than to punish them for not eating everything.

10. Often, the ____ remedy of all for a fussy eater is to offer many small meals throughout the day.

Choosing the correct modifier completed

1. The ____ pirate William Kidd lived in the seventeenth century.

2. He was ____ born in Scotland in 1645.

3. Because Kidd chose a career as a sailor, he traveled ____ than most people of his time.

4. He sailed for Britain and fought ____ sea battles against ships from France, Britain’s enemy.

5. By the time he was in his 40s, he was ____ as a sea captain and ship owner.

6. Kidd married a wealthy woman and lived ____ in New York for several years.

7. He owned real estate that is now some of the ____ property in the world.

8. In 1696, Kidd, a ____ family man and churchgoer, returned to England and was paid to fight pirates in the South Seas.

9. He soon learned that he would make ____ money by fighting pirates than by becoming one himself.

10. Captain Kidd was not the ____ pirate in the world, for he was caught and hanged in 1701.

Dangling modifiers

1.

Stopped for speeding, the court decided against the driver.

Stopped for speeding, the ticket was not his first.

Stopped for speeding, a warning was all that was given.

Stopped for speeding, the driver paid his fine promptly.

2.

Received a day late, the payment was still accepted.

Received a day late, the editor did not print the article.

Received a day late, the insurance company honored the payment.

Received a day late, the secretary filed the outdated report.

3.

Rehearsing for the play, Julia read through her lines.

Rehearsing for the play, the lines were finally memorized.

Rehearsing for the play, the story was about a southern family.

Rehearsing for the play, the day of the performance arrived quickly.

4. Joking around, the itching powder was very popular on the fifth grade field trip.

Joking around, Miki made a careless remark.

Joking around, April Fool’s Day was a success.

Joking around, a prank phone call was made.

5.

Caught in traffic, the sun seemed to get hotter and hotter.

Caught in traffic, the sound of car horns was deafening.

Caught in traffic, the appointment was missed completely.

Caught in traffic, Jorge listened to music.

6.

Educated at Harvard, the newspaper announced her award.

Educated at Harvard, the test she was given was simple.

Educated at Harvard, Meredith was confident of her skills.

Educated at Harvard, the company hired her immediately.

7.

Holding on with both hands, the bicycle was ridden safely.

Holding on with both hands, the important folder was not lost.

Holding on with both hands, the computer was not stolen on the subway.

Holding on with both hands, the child refused to give up his toy.

8. Timing it just right, Wael reached his sister’s house at six o’clock.

Timing it just right, the classroom filled with students before the test began.

Timing it just right, the plane was boarding when Wael arrived.

Timing it just right, the yellow light turned red after she went through the intersection.

9.

Anchored offshore, the sailors grew restless.

Anchored offshore, the ship was not damaged by the storm.

Anchored offshore, the passengers enjoyed a panoramic view.

Anchored offshore, seagulls kept the crew company.

10.

Running like the wind, Juan was soon out of breath.

Running like the wind, the race did not last long.

Running like the wind, the gold medal went to Carl Lewis.

Running like the wind, the record was broken.

Misplaced modifiers

1. Tyrese, the newest host of MTV Jams, only appeared for a few seconds in the Coca-Cola ad that launched his career.

2. Despite the fact that he appeared hardly in the commercial, the ad led to a recording deal and featured roles in ads for Tommy Hilfiger.

3. His first album, which he titled Tyrese, went recently platinum.

4. The album’s release was soon followed by MTV’s offering him the position on MTV Jams.

5. The kind of success Tyrese has enjoyed goes often to a young star’s head, but Tyrese has stayed very modest.

6. With his engaging personality, Tyrese doesn’t demand attention; he naturally commands it.

7. Tyrese says that being just himself has been one of the keys to his success.

8. Tyrese says he wants to act in movies, and he is already reading over scripts.

9. Even though many record companies pursued him, Tyrese signed with RCA ultimately.

10. If he had not been cast in that first Coca-Cola commercial, Tyrese says he would still be doing music as a hobby and working at a regular job.

Correcting dangling or misplaced modifiers

1.

Hot air ballooning, although expensive, has become a popular hobby for Americans in recent years.

Hot air ballooning has become a popular hobby for Americans, although expensive, in recent years.

2.

Modern balloons are fueled by hot air, often colorfully decorated.

Modern balloons, often colorfully decorated, are fueled by hot air.

3.

Available in a variety of sizes, hobbyists often have fun-shaped balloons.

Hobbyists often have fun-shaped balloons available in a variety of sizes.

4.

It is not unusual to find a favorite cartoon character from television riding in a balloon basket.

It is not unusual to find a favorite cartoon character riding in a balloon basket from television.

5.

When trained properly, ballooning is a relatively safe hobby.

When trained properly, pilots can ensure that ballooning is a relatively safe hobby.

6.

Balloon enthusiasts get a different perspective of the earth floating above the ground below.

Floating above the ground below, balloon enthusiasts get a different perspective of the earth.

7.

Requiring expanses of flat land for takeoffs and landings, ballooning is especially popular in the Southwest.

Ballooning is especially popular in the Southwest, requiring expanses of flat land for takeoffs and landings.

8.

Using radios, support personnel ensure a safe landing.

Using radios, a safe landing is ensured by support personnel.

9.

Because ballooning requires lots of hot air, pilots must constantly adjust the balloon’s propane heaters.

Requiring lots of hot air, pilots must constantly adjust the balloon’s propane heaters.

10.

The balloons with their rattan baskets look gorgeous against the backdrop of Southwest sunrises.

The balloons look gorgeous against the backdrop of Southwest sunrises with their rattan baskets.

Correcting misplaced and dangling modifiers

Read the sentence in each box below and determine if it contains any misplaced or dangling modifiers. Then, edit the text provided to correct any errors you find. Because items can have more than one correct answer, when you submit your answers you will see only a suggested answer for each item, and you will not receive a score for this exercise.

For help with this exercise, see about correcting misplaced and dangling modifiers.

1. Filling out an application for college, many schools require an admissions essay.

2. Every student nearly struggles to write a convincing essay.

3. At some schools, admissions officers have begun to ask students to describe the writing help they received, wondering if the essays are actually written by applicants.

4. At one prominent university, the essay form says that “all good writers seek feedback, advice, or editing” that all students must complete.

5. A few students write their essays without help who are very confident of their writing skills.

6. If those students report that they did not get any assistance truthfully, will admissions committees think that they are lying?

7. Of course, seeking input is always a good idea before submitting written work.

8. Not wanting to give the wrong impression, anyone from a friend to a professional may be consulted for help with an important piece of writing.

9. Admissions officers say that they need to know how much is a student’s own work of the admissions essay.

10. While trying to make the admissions process fair to students who play by the rules, students continue to feel that they are under tremendous pressure when they apply to colleges.