Grammar, Punctuation and Sentence Building Practice

Grammar, Punctuation and Sentence Building Practice

Written Practice 1

In each of the following simple sentences, label the subject (S), the verb (V), and the object(s) (O). The first one is done for you.

1. 
2. Late arrivals caused a stir.
3. On the stage, the main character, Bess, looked fleetingly at the audience.
4. She continued her dialogue.
5. The audience members regained their composure.

Written Practice 2

Correct each of the following sentences by adding a conjunction.

1. I use only unscented products, all my friends use scented detergents.
2. Meet me at 6 P.M., we'll have dinner together.
3. We've been recycling plastic, glass, and newspapers, our town says we need to do more.
4. I have to work at home tomorrow, my office is being painted.
5. I'm trying to save energy at home, we've lowered the thermostat and switched to energy-saving lightbulbs.

Written Practice 3

Choose any five transitional words from the preceding list, and write sentences that join independent clauses.

Written Practice 4

Correct the punctuation errors in the following sentences.

1. Luke reads the Times, his friend reads USA Today.
2. We will travel to Massachusetts or we'll stop in Connecticut.
3. The car's radiator overheated therefore we called a service mechanic.
4. Traffic was bumper-to-bumper, nevertheless we stayed on the road until we reached our destination.
5. I babysit twice a week, my friend babysits every day.

Written Practice 5

Create complex sentences by combining each of the following sets of dependent and independent clauses, using commas where necessary. Decide which clause is more important, and place it at the end of the sentence.

1. Because of my excellent advice

Marla and Darren had a great trip.



2. We read the book and saw the movie

Although many people advised against it



3. When you arrive

We'll have dinner



4. If Daria arrives on time

We'll have time to get to the late movie



5. The traffic began to flow

After we passed the construction site.

Written Practice 6

Read the following paragraphs. Eliminate the choppy sentences by creating compound or complex sentences. Insert a comma plus conjunction or just a semicolon where necessary.

1. We have always bought our baby educational toys. Manufacturers of those toys make extravagant claims about verbal skill building. Researchers have studied the toys. They concluded that the toys did not increase vocabulary. We buy expensive toys. We expect them to live up to their advertising.



2. Back problems are common. It's a result of our walking upright. It's also because of degenerative changes in the spine. That's because walking upright places a great deal of weight on the lower spine. In middle age, some changes can occur. Arthritis and other changes affect the disks.

Written Practice 7

Clarify each of the following sentences by inserting punctuation where needed.

1. Ani who plays the piano rarely listens to any other kind of music however Mal plays no instrument and listens to all kinds of music.
2. We knew the prize was hidden in the house somewhere nevertheless even with that knowledge we couldn't find it.
3. Jake and Leela never told us they were not coming so even though we had planned so carefully we had much too much food.
4. Halloween never ceases to amaze me for although it appears year after year both children and their parents exhibit unrelenting enthusiasm.
5. By the time he was fourteen he had begun a professional career from the Atlantic City Boardwalk to touring in vaudeville he rose by force of his extraordinary ability to star billing as W.C. Fields Tramp Juggler.
6. While Stephen Douglas maintained a popular sovereignty stance, Lincoln stated that the United States could not survive as half-slave and half-free states consequently the Lincoln–Douglas debates drew the attention of the entire nation.
7. Because of the delays we've experienced we are no longer using the U.S. mails hence you will receive our new catalog via e-mail.
8. When the contaminated water had finally drained out of the pool the special cleaning crew climbed in and began to scrub all surfaces.
9. As I've told you before I'm not perfect nevertheless I never turn down an opportunity to try something new even if I think I might not succeed.
10. Eighteenth-century cities were not models of cleanliness furthermore crime and poverty were rampant while public sanitation was clearly non-existent.