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Grammar_fm_i-viii.qxd 11/12/07 4:09 PM Page i
GRAMMAR
SUCCESS
IN 20 MINUTES
A DAY
Grammar_fm_i-viii.qxd 11/12/07 4:09 PM Page ii
Grammar_fm_i-viii.qxd 11/12/07 4:09 PM Page iii
GRAMMAR
SUCCESS
IN 20 MINUTES
A DAY
NEW YORK
Grammar_fm_i-viii.qxd 11/12/07 4:09 PM Page iv
PE1112.G676 2008
428.2—dc22
2007038881
9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
ISBN: 978-1-57685-600-0
For information on LearningExpress, other LearningExpress products, or bulk sales, please write to us at:
LearningExpress
2 Rector Street
26th Floor
New York, NY 10006
Or visit us at:
www.learnatest.com
Grammar_fm_i-viii.qxd 11/12/07 4:09 PM Page v
Contents
INTRODUCTION vii
PRETEST 1
v
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– CONTENTS –
LESSON 8 Adverbs 63
Common adverbs, comparative adverbs, and how to distinguish adverbs
from adjectives
LESSON 9 Prepositions 69
Common prepositions and how to distinguish prepositions from adverbs
SENTENCE STRUCTURE
LESSON 13 Phrases 95
Prepositional, adjective, adverb, verbal, participial, infinitive, gerund, and
appositive phrases
LESSON 14 Clauses 99
Independent, subordinate, noun, adjective, and adverb clauses
vi
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Introduction
D o your grammar skills need some brushing up? Perhaps you have an exam on your horizon, or you
want to hone your grammar skills to help improve your writing or speech. Whatever the case may
be, this quick reference guide will help put you well on your way toward accomplishing your gram-
mar goals—no matter how big or small.
Because English is so complex, the rules and guidelines—called grammar and usage—are necessary to help
us better understand its many idiosyncrasies. While language is forever changing to meet our needs, the inner work-
ings of a sentence are, for the most part, as constant as the stars, and figuring out these dynamics is like putting
a puzzle together (or taking it apart, if you will). Understanding the inner workings of a sentence will ultimately
help you with your speech and writing—the essence of communication and language. And the benefits of your
efforts will always far outweigh the loss of about 20 or so minutes of your day.
Before you begin to progress through the book, take the time to determine what you know and what you
might need to focus more on by taking the pretest. You might be surprised just how much you remember!
vii
Grammar_fm_i-viii.qxd 11/12/07 4:09 PM Page viii
Grammar_Pre_001-010.qxd 11/12/07 4:10 PM Page 1
Pretest
B efore you start your study of grammar skills, you may want to get an idea of how much you already
know and how much you need to learn. If that’s the case, take the pretest that follows.
The pretest consists of 50 multiple-choice questions covering all the lessons in this book.
Naturally, 50 questions can’t cover every single concept or rule you will learn by working through these pages. So
even if you answer all of the questions on the pretest correctly, it’s almost guaranteed that you will find a few ideas
or rules in this book that you didn’t already know. On the other hand, if you get a lot of the answers wrong on
this pretest, don’t despair. This book will show you how to improve your grammar and writing, step by step.
So use this pretest for a general idea of how much of what’s in this book you already know. If you get a high
score, you may be able to spend less time with this book than you originally planned. If you get a low score, you
may find that you will need more than 20 minutes a day to get through each chapter and learn all the grammar
and mechanics concepts you need.
Record the answers in this book. If the book doesn’t belong to you, write the numbers 1–50 on a piece of
paper and write your answers there. Take as much time as you need to complete this short test. When you finish,
check your answers against the answer section that follows. Each answer tells you which lesson of this book teaches
you about the grammatical rule in that question.
1
Grammar_Pre_001-010.qxd 11/12/07 4:10 PM Page 2
– PRETEST –
2
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– PRETEST –
13. Circle the demonstrative pronouns and under- 19. Circle the correct tricky verb in each sentence.
line the relative pronouns. Sandy carefully (hanged, hung) her new cur-
That is the most annoying sound that I have tains on the window.
ever heard. Peter tried to (accept, except) his explanation,
Those are the boxes of blankets that Mom but it was difficult.
plans to take to the SPCA. You (can, may) take another glass of lemonade
Is this the channel that you were watching? if you like.
3
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– PRETEST –
24. Determine whether the boldfaced word in each 28. Determine whether the boldfaced word in the
sentence is a possessive pronoun or a possessive sentence is an adjective or an adverb.
adjective. The accounting department ran at a fast but
His sneakers were worn, so he bought new friendly pace.
ones. Cory worked hard on improving his tennis
Marissa crossed her fingers and hoped the swing for the tournament.
winning ticket would be hers. Nora was sent straight to her room for dis-
My uncle showed me an autographed Babe obeying her parents.
Ruth baseball card and said it would one
day be mine. 29. Identify the prepositional phrases in the follow-
ing sentences.
25. Determine whether the boldfaced word in each Ferdinand Magellan was the first explorer to
sentence is a demonstrative pronoun or a sail around the world.
demonstrative adjective. Without a doubt, regular exercise is necessary
This is really over-the-top! for good health.
Take this money and buy yourself a treat. The little monkey ran around Mom’s living
Watch these carefully while they boil. room and climbed up the drapes.
26. Determine which form of comparative or superla- 30. Determine whether the boldfaced word is a
tive adjective best completes each sentence. preposition or an adverb.
Terry’s (most high, highest) jump in the high Holly was beside herself with fear when the
jump was four feet, six inches. child darted into the street.
Sean’s bank account was (larger, more large) If we can reach Hightstown by five, we may be
than mine. able to see the president’s motorcade go by.
Barbara was (best, better) at chess than her Use caution when you walk across busy
roommate Natalie. streets.
27. Circle the correct form of the comparative and 31. Rewrite each sentence so that the misplaced
superlative adverbs in the following sentences. modifiers are properly placed.
Joel was (less, least) active during the winter The woman was walking her dog with hair
than during the summer. curlers.
The store brand’s price was the (low, lower, Walking along the shore the sand burned my
lowest) of the three brands. feet.
This was the (long, longer, longest) day of the Tina bought a guinea pig for her brother they
year. call Butterscotch.
4
Grammar_Pre_001-010.qxd 11/12/07 4:10 PM Page 5
– PRETEST –
32. Using the clues, write the homonyms or 37. Identify the verb that correctly completes the fol-
homographs. lowing sentences.
school leader/integrity Neither Jessica nor Marty (like, likes) to do the
to crack/a short rest laundry.
carry on/curriculum vitae Spaghetti and meatballs (is, are) my favorite
rip/saline from the eye Italian meal.
good/underwater spring Sally or Zach (is, are) probably going to be the
wrapped/a boo-boo valedictorian this year.
33. Identify the simple subject in the following 38. Identify the verb that will agree with the indefi-
sentences. nite pronouns in the following sentences.
Next week, Scott and Jennifer will get married. Everything (go, goes) to the basement for
Shopping sprees can be fun, but very expensive. sorting.
It may be too soon to tell. Somebody (need, needs) to bring some milk
home.
34. Identify the simple predicate in the following While others (prefers, prefer) to eat salad first,
sentences. I prefer to eat it last.
Reading is good exercise for the brain.
Try again. 39. Determine which pronoun best fits for proper
The log, when turned over, revealed a whole pronoun/antecedent agreement in each sentence.
different world. The boys took ________ time walking home
from school.
35. Identify whether the boldfaced word is a direct or Nobody saw __________ name on the cast list.
an indirect object in the following sentences. The scared joey hopped to _________ mother
Brandy took the pot of flowers and brought it for security.
into the garden window.
Grumbling to himself, Stan dragged the heavy
40. Identify the adjective and adverb phrases in the
garbage cans out to the street.
following sentences.
He gave her a high-five to assure her that all
Books with weak spines need to be reinforced
was well.
to lengthen their shelf life.
The lizard scurried across the sidewalk and
36. Identify the verb that correctly agrees with the
disappeared into the bushes.
subject in each sentence.
The cashier with the red hair and braces was
Patty (fly, flies) frequently for work.
especially helpful.
All of us (watch, watches) out for one another.
Nobody (want, wants) to play croquet in the
the backyard with me.
5
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– PRETEST –
41. Identify the participial phrases, infinitive 45. Identify the noun clause in each sentence.
phrases, and gerund phrases in the following I can see what you mean.
sentences. What Wendy said took everyone by surprise.
Hoping to win the lottery, Harriet bought 50 How it ends remains to be seen.
tickets for tonight’s drawing.
To help pass the time, Jake reads a book that 46. Identify the adverb clause in each sentence.
he takes along. Because it was getting late, Sonya got her
Caring for her ailing grandmother is Lori’s things ready to go.
focus right now. It will be an enjoyable gathering, provided it
doesn’t rain.
42. Identify the appositive phrases in the following Craig was going to try to reach the finish line,
sentences. even though it seemed so far off.
Ron, a referee and mentor, is a fair-minded
and friendly man. 47. Identify the coordinating conjunction(s) in each
Jeannine works for KTL, a telecommunica- sentence, and the word or group of words it is
tions company in Kansas City. connecting.
Molly, my student, has a very fanciful Logan or Melanie can go to the retreat if they
imagination. want to.
Karla wanted to visit longer with her friend, but
43. Determine whether each group of words is an
she had a long drive home and it was late.
independent or a subordinate clause.
We signed up for the early class so we could
Made to order
have the rest of the afternoon free.
Loosen up a little bit
Don’t make any assumptions
48. Identify the simple, compound, complex, and
We’ll just see about that
compound-complex sentences.
Before you go a. We can go to dinner now or we can go after
Have a nice day the concert.
b. When the judge announced the winner, the
44. Identify the adjective clause in each sentence. audience clapped loudly and gave him a
Now I remember the guy that you described to standing ovation.
me yesterday. c. All of the graduates will receive a degree.
The house at the end of the road is where my d. If you try harder, you will certainly achieve
father grew up. success.
The room next to the office is where the pro-
fessors meet.
6
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– PRETEST –
49. Add punctuation where necessary in the follow- 50. Correctly place quotation marks, commas, and
ing sentences. end marks in the following sentences.
Nathans birthday is May 21 1991 which fell on Are we almost there yet Jodi asked for the
a Monday this year ninth time.
Mr Roberts left a message asking me to pick And if you look to your left the tour guide
up these items staples printer paper correc- went on to say you’ll see Elvis’s home,
tion fluid and two boxes of paper clips I Graceland
guess the supply closet got raided
All of the girls dresses were pink with white
eyelet ruffles on the sleeves edges.
7
Grammar_Pre_001-010.qxd 11/12/07 4:10 PM Page 8
– PRETEST –
þ Answers
If you miss any of the following questions, you may refer to the designated lesson for further explanation.
1. soda, love, puppy, thoughtlessness, clapping, 14. wash, hold, cook, buy, pray, gnaw, put, write, loan,
sorrow (Lesson 1) marry (Lesson 4)
2. peace, livelihood, deceit, cheerfulness, patience 15. appear, become, feel, prove, grow, look (Lesson 4)
(Lesson 1) 16. forgive grow buy walk
3. Texas, Nancy, Mr. Klondike, Mexico City, IBM, wash hide sew pet
Spiderman, Mt. Everest (Lesson 1) sit hear play throw
4. stockings, deer, knots, cacti, mice, dresses, suit- (Lesson 5)
cases (Lesson 2) 17. lying, lain, lain (Lesson 5)
5. kilowatt-hours, forget-me-nots, follow-ups, sticks- 18. sat, sets, Sitting (Lesson 5)
in-the-mud (Lesson 2) 19. hung, accept, may (Lesson 5)
6. child’s, Jody’s, Congress’, tooth’s, cactus’s, puppies’, 20. will drive: future
moms’, Jason’s, women’s, dress’s (Lesson 2) had driven: past perfect
7. John/he, Mrs. Brown/she (Lesson 3) drive: present
8. fish/they, group/it, fish/it, each/he or she, both/they drives: present
(Lesson 3) am driving: present progressive
9. who, whose, which, whom, whomever (Lesson 3) drove: past
10. I went to his house and saw him. has driven: present perfect
She brought me an apple and I thanked her. will have driven: future perfect
They went to Pat’s and called me. (Lesson 6)
(Lesson 3) 21. community, perfect, good, new (Lesson 7)
11. He threw it toward me . 22. a house, a unicorn, a one-way street, an underdog,
Pass me the salt. an unopened gift, an hour, a wrist, an upper level,
We made them sandwiches. an elephant, a yellow flower, an honor, a loafer, an
(Lesson 3) orange, an occasion, an admirer
12. She helped herself to the apple pie her mom (Lesson 7)
made this afternoon. 23. Italian, Bahamian, African, Texan, French, Hawai-
Drew’s headache was so bad he couldn’t bring ian, American, Virginian, Danish, Californian,
himself to finish paying his bills. Belgian, Chinese, Japanese, Incan, English
We ourselves are responsible for our own (Lesson 7)
happiness. 24. His: possessive adjective; her: possessive adjec-
(Lesson 3) tive; hers: possessive pronoun; My: possessive
13. That is the most annoying sound that I have ever adjective (Lesson 7)
heard. 25. This: demonstrative pronoun; this: demonstrative
Those are the boxes of blankets that Mom plans adjective; these: demonstrative pronoun
to take to the SPCA. (Lesson 7)
Is this the channel that you were watching? 26. highest, larger, better (Lesson 7)
(Lesson 3) 27. less, lowest, longest (Lesson 8)
8
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– PRETEST –
28. fast: adjective; hard: adverb; straight: adverb 43. Made to order: subordinate clause
(Lessons 7 and 8) Loosen up a little bit: independent clause
29. around the world; Without a doubt; for good Don’t make any assumptions: independent clause
health; around Mom’s living room; up the drapes We’ll just see about that: independent clause
(Lesson 9) Before you go: subordinate clause
30. beside herself: preposition; by five: preposition; Have a nice day: independent clause
by: adverb; across busy streets: preposition (Lesson 14)
(Lesson 9) 44. that you described
31. The woman with hair curlers was walking her dog. where my father grew up
The sand burned my feet while I was walking where the professors meet
along the shore. (Lesson 14)
Tina bought a guinea pig they call Butterscotch for 45. what you mean
her brother. What Wendy said
(Lesson 10) How it ends
32. principal/principle tear/tear (Lesson 14)
break/break well/well 46. Because it was getting late
resume/resume wound/wound provided it doesn’t rain
(Lesson 10) even though it seemed so far off
33. Scott and Jennifer; Shopping sprees; It (Lesson 11) (Lesson 14)
34. is; Try; revealed (Lesson 11) 47. Logan or Melanie
35. pot: direct object; it: direct object; garbage cans: Karla wanted to visit longer with her friend, but
direct object; her: indirect object; high-five: direct she had a long drive home and it was late.
object (Lesson 11) We signed up for the early class so we could have
36. flies, watch, wants (Lesson 12) the rest of the afternoon free.
37. likes, is, is (Lesson 12) (Lesson 15)
38. goes, needs, prefer (Lesson 12) 48. a. compound; b. compound-complex; c. simple;
39. their, his or her, its (Lesson 12) d. complex
40. with weak spines: adjective phrase (Lesson 16)
across the sidewalk: adverb phrase; into the 49. Nathan’s birthday is May 21, 1991, which fell on
bushes: adverb phrase a Monday this year.
with the red hair and braces: adjective phrase Mr. Roberts left a message asking me to pick up
(Lesson 13) these items: staples, printer paper, correction fluid,
41. Hoping to win the lottery: participial phrase and two boxes of paper clips; I guess the supply
To help pass the time: infinitive phrase closet got raided.
Caring for her ailing grandmother: gerund phrase All of the girls’ dresses were pink with white eye-
(Lesson 13) let ruffles on the sleeves’ edges.
42. a referee and mentor (Lessons 17–20)
a telecommunications company in Kansas City 50. “Are we almost there yet?” Jodi asked for the ninth
my student time.
(Lesson 13) “And if you look to your left,” the tour guide went
on to say, “you’ll see Elvis’s home, Graceland.”
(Lessons 17–20)
9
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Grammar_les01_011-018.qxd 11/12/07 4:12 PM Page 11
Fleshy neck, thick mane and tail, lymphatic constitution, profuse perspiration,
lack of cleanliness, alkaline soaps, plethora, foul stable, pus microbes. Symptoms:
itching or tenderness, shedding hair, thinning of mane and tail, skin thickened,
ridges and folds, tenderness, moisture, crusts raise hairs from follicles, fœtor, sores
and ulcers, matted hairs. Treatment: remove general and local causes, cleanse,
cool, pure stable, clip, reduce grain; cooling, laxative food, soothing or stimulating
applications, zinc oxide, talc, olive oil and diachylon plaster, iodoform, silver
nitrate, oil of cade, or of white birch, sulphur iodide, Canada balsam and sulphur,
green soap, dusting powders, ointments.
The skin of cattle seems to suffer more than that of other animals
in connection with the ingestion of poisons. In starved or very low
conditioned animals, eruptions are met with which may be in the
form of a simple erythema, a hæmorrhagic extravasation in spots, or
an eruption on the end of the tail in the form of epidermic
concretions or pustules (impetigo). Among the vineyards it is
common to find an eruption with papules and vesicles on the lips,
fore legs and udder of cows which were fed on the succulent young
shoots and leaves of the grape vine. In cases of this disease, Railliet
and Moreau have found a great number of the silky trombidium
larvæ (harvest bug), and accordingly attribute the affection
exclusively to their attacks. The growth of the vine on the warmest
and sunniest exposures, the most favorable to the propagation of this
acarus, gives much support to this conclusion.
Malt or Potato Eczema. On the continent of Europe where
potatoes are largely used for distillation and the production of starch,
herds of cattle are fed often almost exclusively on the refuse or marc,
and in such herds an eczematous eruption of the legs and
exceptionally of the body is a familiar occurrence.
Causes. The disease has been definitely traced to an exclusive
dietary on potato marc, and still more so to the skins, to tubers
rendered green by exposure to the sun, and to the distillery potato
refuse which has undergone fermentation. Thus 80 litres of the pulp
daily without dry food will determine a violent attack in the animal
consuming it, while the animal consuming 40 litres has it much
milder (Friedberger and Fröhner). It attacks animals living in the
best conditions of cleanliness and pure air, and the essentially toxic
quality of the cause may be deduced from the fact that newly bought
animals, which are not yet habituated to it suffer the most, that
fattening cattle are the common victims, while work oxen which
perspire more freely and milch cows escape, yet calves fed upon their
milk may suffer from diarrhœa and infants from a cutaneous
eruption (Johné). The poison it is to be inferred is eliminated in the
milk. Similar examples of the protecting of the milch animal by
elimination of the poison through the milk are found in bean trefoil
(cytisus) which poisons the milk while proving harmless to the goat
which yields it, and the poison of milk sickness which is deadly to
cattle which are not giving milk, and harmless to the milch cow, yet
deadly to those that consume her milk.
The exact nature of the poison is as yet uncertain, and as solanin is
the only toxic principle so far discovered in potato, this has been held
tentatively to be the essential cause. The amount of solanin in young
and germinated potatoes has been given by Cornevin as follows:
Causes: hot season, foul stables, streptococcus. Symptoms: sudden attack, red,
swollen, warm, tender pastern, vesicles, crusts, scabs, lameness, foot rested on toe,
cracks, fissures, interdigital foot rot, shedding hoof, scaly chronic form. Treatment:
clean stables and yards, cleanse feet, lead lotion or zinc, phenol, iron or copper. Tar
water, tar, creolin, creosote, iodol.
Definition. Causes: in work oxen, winter, foul stables; dairy cows on spoiled
fodder or maize, wheat, buckwheat, cotton seed, etc. Contagion. Symptoms: skin
hot, thick, tender, exuding, matted hair, vesicles, itching, excoriation, ulceration,
bleeding, sloughing. Treatment: Soothing. Cleanliness. Pure air. Tepid sponging.
Dusting powder. Clip or shave. Calomel with care. Phenol. Creolin. Silver or copper
salts. Tannic or boric acid.
Summer disease. Depilation. Scaly. Itchy at first. Lesions of bones, red zones
representing successive attacks. Alterative tonics indicated.