Practice
45 Combined Mastery Tests
Fragments and Run-Ons
Combined Mastery Test 1
The word groups below are numbered 1 through 20. In the space provided for each, write C if a word group is a complete sentence, write F if it is a fragment, and write RO if it is a run-on. Then correct the errors.
1I had a frightening dream last night, I dreamed that I was walking high up on an old railroad trestle. 2It looked like the one I used to walk on recklessly. 3When I was about ten years old. 4At that height, my palms were sweating, just as they did when I was a boy. 5I could see the ground out of the corners of my eyes, I felt a swooning, sickening sensation. 6Suddenly, I realized there were rats below. 7Thousands upon thousands of rats. 8They knew I was up on the trestle, they were laughing. 9Because they were sure they would get me. 10Their teeth glinted in the moonlight, their red eyes were like thousands of small reflectors. 11That almost blinded my sight. 12Sensing that there was something even more hideous behind me. 13I kept moving forward. 14Then I realized that I was coming to a gap in the trestle. 15There was no way I could stop or go back I would have to cross over that empty gap. 16I leaped out in despair. 17Knowing I would never make it. 18And felt myself falling helplessly down to the swarm of rejoicing rats. 19I woke up bathed in sweat. 20Half expecting to find a rat in my bed.
Score Number correct ________ 3 5 5 ________ percent
Fragments and Run-Ons
Combined Mastery Test 2
The word groups below are numbered 1 through 20. In the space provided for each, write C if a word group is a complete sentence, write F if it is a fragment, and write RO if it a run-on. Then correct the errors.
1My sister asked my parents and me to give up television for two weeks. 2As an experiment for her psychology class. 3We were too embarrassed to refuse, we reluctantly agreed. 4The project began on Monday morning. 5To help us resist temptation. 6My sister unplugged the living room set. 7That evening the four of us sat around the dinner table much longer than usual, we found new things to talk about. 8Later we played board games for several hours, we all went to bed pleased with ourselves. 9Everything went well until Thursday evening of that first week. 10My sister went out after dinner. 11Explaining that she would be back about ten o'clock. 12The rest of us then decided to turn on the television. 13Just to watch the network news. 14We planned to unplug the set before my sister got home. 15And pretend nothing had happened. 16We were settled down comfortably in our respective chairs, unfortunately, my sister walked in at that point and burst out laughing. 17“Aha! I caught you,” she cried. 18She explained that part of the experiment was to see if we would stick to the agreement. 19Especially during her absence. 20She had predicted we would weaken, it turned out she was right.
Score Number correct ________ 3 5 5 ________ percent
Verbs
Combined Mastery Test 3
Each sentence contains a mistake involving (1) standard English or irregular verb forms, (2) subject-verb agreement, or (3) consistent verb tense. Circle the letter that identifies the mistake. Then cross out the incorrect verb and write the correct form in the space provided.
__________ 1. One of my apartment neighbors always keep the radio on all night.
Mistake in: a. Subject-verb agreement b. Verb tense
__________ 2. The more the instructor explained the material and the more he wroted on the board, the more confused I got.
Mistake in: a. Irregular verb form b. Verb tense
__________ 3. I grabbed the last carton of skim milk on the supermarket shelf, but when I checks the date on it, I realized it was not fresh.
Mistake in: a. Subject-verb agreement b. Verb tense
__________ 4. This morning my parents argued loudly, but later they apologized to each other and embrace.
Mistake in: a. Subject-verb agreement b. Verb tense
__________ 5. When the bell rang, Mike takes another bite of his sandwich and then prepared for class.
Mistake in: a. Irregular verb form b. Verb tense
__________ 6. Someone called Marion at the office to tell her that her son had been bit by a stray dog.
Mistake in: a. Irregular verb form b. Verb tense
__________ 7. Because I had throwed away the sales slip, I couldn't return the microwave.
Mistake in: a. Irregular verb form b. Verb tense
__________ 8. My dog and cat usually ignores each other, but once in a while they fight.
Mistake in: a. Subject-verb agreement b. Verb tense
__________ 9. From the back of our neighborhood bakery comes some of the best smells in the world.
Mistake in: a. Subject-verb agreement b. Verb tense
__________ 10. The cost of new soles and heels are more than those old shoes are worth.
Mistake in: a. Subject-verb agreement b. Verb tense
Score Number correct ________ 3 5 5 ________ percent
Verbs
Combined Mastery Test 4
Each sentence contains a mistake involving (1) standard English or irregular verb forms, (2) subject-verb agreement, or (3) consistent verb tense. Circle the letter that identifies the mistake. Then cross out the incorrect verb and write the correct form in the space provided.
__________ 1. My friend's bitter words had stinged me deeply.
Mistake in: a. Irregular verb form b. Verb tense
__________ 2. After she poured the ammonia into the bucket, Karen reels backward because the strong fumes made her eyes tear.
Mistake in: a. Subject-verb agreement b. Verb tense
__________ 3. Flying around in space is various pieces of debris from old space satellites.
Mistake in: a. Subject-verb agreement b. Verb tense
__________ 4. Eileen watched suspiciously as a strange car drived back and forth in front of her house.
Mistake in: a. Irregular verb form b. Verb tense
__________ 5. Both crying and laughing helps us get rid of tension.
Mistake in: a. Subject-verb agreement b. Verb tense
__________ 6. All my clothes were dirty, so I stayed up late and washes a load for tomorrow.
Mistake in: a. Subject-verb agreement b. Verb tense
__________ 7. McDonald's has selled enough hamburgers to reach to the moon.
Mistake in: a. Irregular verb form b. Verb tense
__________ 8. When Chen peeled back the bedroom wallpaper, he discovered another layer of wallpaper and uses a steamer to get that layer off.
Mistake in: a. Subject-verb agreement b. Verb tense
__________ 9. Rosie searched for the fifty-dollar bill she had hid somewhere in her dresser.
Mistake in: a. Irregular verb form b. Verb tense
__________ 10. The realistic yellow tulips on the gravestone is made of a weather-resistant fabric.
Mistake in: a. Subject-verb agreement b. Verb tense
Score Number correct ________ 3 5 5 ________ percent
Capital Letters and Punctuation
Combined Mastery Test 5
Each of the following sentences contains an error in capitalization or punctuation. Refer to the box below and write, in the space provided, the letter identifying the error. Then correct the error.
a. missing capital letter c. missing quotation marks
b. missing apostrophe d. missing comma
__________ 1. Maggie's aerobics class has been canceled this week so she's decided to go running instead.
__________ 2. “One of the striking differences between a cat and a lie, wrote Mark Twain, “is that a cat has only nine lives.”
__________ 3. My uncles checks are printed to look like Monopoly money.
__________ 4. Did you know someone is turning the old school on ninth Street into a restaurant named Home Economics?
__________ 5. My parents always ask me where Im going and when I'll be home.
__________ 6. She doesn't talk about it much, but my aunt has been a member of alcoholics Anonymous for ten years.
__________ 7. The sweating straining horses neared the finish line.
__________ 8. Whenever he gave us the keys to the car, my father would say, Watch out for the other guy.”
__________ 9. If you're going to stay up late be sure to turn down the heat before going to bed.
__________ 10. I decided to have a glass of apple juice rather than order a pepsi.
Score Number correct ________ 3 5 5 ________ percent
Capital Letters and Punctuation
Combined Mastery Test 6
Each of the following sentences contains an error in capitalization or punctuation. Refer to the box below and write, in the space provided, the letter identifying the error. Then correct the error.
a. missing capital letter c. missing quotation marks
b. missing apostrophe d. missing comma
__________ 1. Even though I hadn't saved the receipt I was able to return the blender to Sears.
__________ 2. “The diners food is always reliable,” said Stan. “It's consistently bad.”
__________ 3. Some people are surprised to hear that manhattan is an island.
__________ 4. “To love oneself, said Oscar Wilde, “is the beginning of a lifelong romance.”
__________ 5. The airplane was delayed for more than three hours and the passengers were getting impatient.
__________ 6. Leslie said to the woman behind her in the theater, “will you stop talking, please?”
__________ 7. Walters arthritis is as good a predictor of the weather as the TV weather report.
__________ 8. “Before you can reach your goals,” says my grandfather, you have to believe you can reach them.”
__________ 9. There is little evidence that king Arthur, the legendary hero, really existed.
__________ 10. My cousin learned to cook when he was an Army cook during World war II.
Score Number correct ________ 3 5 5 ________ percent
Word Use
Combined Mastery Test 7
Each of the following sentences contains a mistake identified in the left-hand margin. Underline the mistake and then correct it in the space provided.
Slang 1. Because Nicole has a lot of pull at work, she always has first choice of vacation time.
Wordiness 2. Truthfully, I've been wishing that the final could be postponed to a much later date sometime next week.
Cliché 3. Kate hoped her friends would be green with envy when they saw her new boyfriend.
Pretentious 4. Harold utilizes old coffee cans to water his houseplants.
language
Adverb 5. The sled started slow and then picked up speed as the icy hill became steeper.
error
Error in 6. When the weather is dry, my sinus condition feels more better.
comparison
Confused 7. If you neglect your friends, their likely to become former friends.
word
Confused 8. She's the neighbor who's dog is courting my dog.
word
Confused 9. If you don't put cans, jars, and newspapers on the curb for recycling, the
word township won't pick up you're garbage.
Confused 10. “Its the most economical car you can buy,” the announcer said.
word
Score Number correct ________ 3 5 5 ________ percent
Word Use
Combined Mastery Test 8
Each of the following sentences contains a mistake identified in the left-hand margin. Underline the mistake and then correct it in the space provided.
Slang 1. After coming in to work late all last week, Sheila was canned.
Wordiness 2. At this point in time, I'm not really sure what my major will be.
Cliché 3. Jan and Alan knew they could depend on their son in their hour of need.
Pretentious 4. I plan to do a lot of comparison shopping before procuring a new dryer.
language
Adverb 5. The children sat very quiet as their mother read the next chapter of Charlie
error and the Chocolate Factory.
Error in 6. The respectfuller you treat people, the more they are likely to deserve your
comparison respect.
Confused 7. The dog has lost its' flea collar.
word
Confused 8. “My advise to you,” said my grandmother, “is to focus on your strengths,
word not your fears.”
Confused 9. The principle advantage of the school cafeteria is that it's three blocks from
word a Wendy's.
Confused 10. My parents mean well, but there goals for me aren't my goals.
word
Score Number correct ________ 3 5 5 ________ percent