Card 0 of 20
Adapted from “The Nose Tree” in German Fairy Tales and Popular Stories by Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm (trans. Taylor, ed. 1864)
Then the king made known to all his kingdom, that whomever would heal her of this dreadful disease should be richly rewarded. Many tried, but the princess got no relief. Now the old soldier dressed himself up very sprucely as a doctor, and said he could cure her. Therefore, he chopped up some of the apple, and, to punish her a little more, gave her a dose, saying he would call to-morrow and see her again. The morrow came, and, of course, instead of being better, the nose had been growing on all night as before; and the poor princess was in a dreadful fright. So the doctor then chopped up a very little of the pear and gave it to her. He said that he was sure that it would help, and he would call again the next day. Next day came, and the nose was to be sure a little smaller. However, it was bigger than when the doctor first began to meddle with it.
Then he thought to him, "I must frighten this cunning princess a little more before I am able to get what I want from her." Therefore, he gave her another dose of the apple and said he would call on the morrow. The morrow came, and the nose was ten times bad as before.
"My good lady," said the doctor, "Something works against my medicine and is to strong for it. However, I know by the force of my art that it is this, you have stolen goods about you. I am certain of it. If you do not give them back, I can do nothing for you."
The princess denied very stoutly that she had anything of the kind.
"Very well," said the doctor, "you may do as you please, but I am sure I am correct. You will die if you do not own it." Then he went to the king, and told him how the matter stood.
"Daughter," said he, "send back the cloak, the purse, and the horn, that you stole from the right owners."
Then she ordered her maid to fetch all three and gave them to the doctor, and begged him to give them back to the soldiers. The moment he had them safe, he gave her a whole pear to eat, and the nose came right. And as for the doctor, he put on the cloak, wished the king and all his court a good day and was soon with his two brothers. They lived from that time happily at home in their palace, except when they took an airing to see the world in their coach with their three dapple-grey horses.
Which is the best form of the underlined selection, "palace, except when they took an airing to see the world in their coach"?
The problem with the sentence is the confusing use of the prepositional phrase "in their coach." This is being used adverbially to describe where they would "take an airing." It is not an adjectival prepositional phrase demarcating a particular "world"—i.e. the one that is in their coach (whatever nonsense that might even mean)!
Compare your answer with the correct one above
Choose the answer that best corrects the underlined portion of the sentence. If the underlined portion is correct as written, choose "NO CHANGE."
Taller than a tree, we bought our house when I was five.
The phrase "taller than a tree" describes the house in this sentence, not the family or the author at five years old. To provide clarity, the modifier "taller than a tree" should be placed next to the noun it is modifying, the house.
Compare your answer with the correct one above
When I was little, my family lived far from my school, and I had to get up very early to catch the school bus. In the winter, I waited for the bus in the dark. Sometimes I looked up at the stars. One cold morning, waiting in the dark, a meteor left a bright trail in the black sky.
Choose the answer that best corrects the underlined portion of the sentence. If the underlined portion is correct as written, choose “NO CHANGE.”
The way this sentence is currently worded, the phrase “waiting in the dark” sounds like it is describing the meteor; however, from the context, we know that it is actually the narrator who was waiting in the dark. To better communicate this idea, we can rephrase the sentence to specify who was waiting: “as I waited in the dark, a meteor left a bright trail in the black sky.”
Compare your answer with the correct one above
Even now, I don't have a car. Instead, I take the bus. Every morning, after getting ready, the bus picks me up at a corner a few minutes' walk from my house.
Choose the answer that best corrects the underlined portion of the sentence. If the underlined portion is correct as written, choose “NO CHANGE.”
The way this sentence is currently written, it sounds like the bus “gets ready” and then picks up the narrator; however, given the context, it would make more sense that the narrator is the one “getting ready.” To fix this sentence, we should specify who is really getting ready. The best replacement for the underlined phrase is to say “after I get ready.”
Compare your answer with the correct one above
Choose the answer that best corrects the underlined portion of the sentence. If the underlined portion is correct as written, choose "NO CHANGE."
Once, leaving my house, a shooting star flashed across the sky at the exact, perfect second I looked up.
As the sentence is written, the modifying phrase "leaving my house" is ambiguous, and could refer to the shooting star, which, hopefully, was not leaving "my house." The best way to correct the sentence would be to clarify both the time sequence, and the subject who was leaving the house: "as I was leaving my house."
Compare your answer with the correct one above
Choose the answer that best corrects the underlined portion of the sentence. If the underlined portion is correct as written, choose "NO CHANGE."
My mother and sister, who said she had found the wallet—not to mention the money inside—had to have a serious conversation about what exactly constitutes theft.
In the original sentence, the word "she" in the relative clause creates a certain ambiguity. The relative clause, as a modifying phrase, should not be ambiguous as regards the noun being described. In this case, the most effective way of re-writing the sentence is to separate the compound subject "My mother and sister," instead placing sister as an indirect object and putting the modifying phrase directly after the noun to which it refers.
Compare your answer with the correct one above
Choose the answer that best corrects the underlined portion of the sentence. If the underlined portion is correct as written, choose "NO CHANGE."
While running, the tree branch tripped me.
As it reads, the sentence implies that the tree branch itself tripped while running, which makes no sense. "I" was running and the tree branch tripped "me." This is a misplaced modifier error.
Compare your answer with the correct one above
Choose the answer that best corrects the underlined portion of the sentence. If the underlined portion is correct as written, choose "NO CHANGE."
One summer evening, fishing at the lake, rain began to pour from the sky.
The sentence as written makes it unclear who was "fishing at the lake," was it the rain? That doesn't make sense, rain can't fish! The correct answer clarifies that "I" was fishing while rain began to pour.
Compare your answer with the correct one above
Choose the answer that best corrects the underlined portion of the sentence. If the underlined portion is correct as written, choose "NO CHANGE."
Sarah Bell was elected to City Council six times after her initial defeat, which was a source of great pride for her immediate family and close friends.
The singular pronouns in the second clause ("which" "it", "this") all have ambiguity issues since it is unclear what exactly her family is proud of. Two of the answer choices also create comma splices. The correct answer corrects the ambiguity by stating that it was Sarah's record of successful elections that is the source of her family's pride.
Compare your answer with the correct one above
Choose the answer that best corrects the underlined portion of the sentence. If the underlined portion is correct as written, choose "NO CHANGE."
I only bought my dad socks for Christmas; I should have purchased a scarf as well.
"Only" is a type of modifier called an adverb of degree, along with words such as "just," "almost," and "nearly." These adverbs of degree refer to the word directly following them, so in this case it seems like the author "only bought" socks, say, instead of renting them or borrowing them. It is clear from the context, however, that the author means to say that she bought socks and nothing else, so the appropriate placement for the modifier is directly before the word "socks."
Compare your answer with the correct one above
Choose the answer that best corrects the underlined portion of the sentence. If the underlined portion is correct as written, choose "NO CHANGE."
The Teapot Dome scandal of 1923 involved several members of President Harding's inner circle, which ultimately tarnished his legacy.
Which is ambiguous since there are several possible antecedents in the first clause that could have tarnished President Harding's legacy.
This and It are also ambiguous and also create comma splices.
They creates a comma splice.
The noun phrase a fact that eliminates the possibility of an ambiguous pronoun.
Compare your answer with the correct one above
Choose the answer that best corrects the underlined portion of the sentence. If the underlined portion is correct as written, choose "NO CHANGE."
Excited to move into her new apartment, Anna's furniture was quickly removed from the truck and assembled.
As it reads, the sentence sounds as though Anna's furniture was excited to move into a new home when it was Anna who was excited, and as such, Anna should be the one performing the action in the underlined portion of the sentence. Only two of the answer choices correct this error, but one of them is still incorrect and confusing in the order it places the actions that Anna performs-who or what did she quickly remove from the truck? "Anna quickly removed the furniture from the truck and assembled it" is the most clear and grammatically correct answer.
Compare your answer with the correct one above
“Mathematics and Learning”
What subject should be learned first? The question rightly troubles anyone who’s interest is in education. Of course, young children often must learn in a very basic and rote fashion, applying their apt memorization skills to simple tasks that will serve them very well in later years when they go one to apply such knowledge to more complex topics. However, when the time comes to designing curricula, an important question must be answered for older students, namely “What is most important first topic in these students’s education?”
An argument can be made for the use of mathematics as a tool for teaching students how to reason more clearly. This is not because mathematics is the basis of all knowledge. Indeed not. There are many important subjects including not only the humanities like poetry and history but sciences like biology and physiology too. These topics are not strictly speaking mathematical in nature, even though mathematics can be used in it in many ways.
Our minds are best geared for learning things that we can sense, things that are visible and tangible. Although mathematics is abstract, it can begin with this kind of sense derived experience. Beginning with simple everyday examples, children can be taught the more abstract and difficult skills that must be learned for the sake of the development of mathematical skills. In the process of learning these topics, the children will begin to learn important rules about reasoning. He or she will learn how several propositions can serve as the basis for conclusions. They will learn how certain properties are related to various geometric figures and arithmetical rules. Although much of this will be memorized at first, with time, they will have the opportunity to see that human reasoning in mathematical subjects is orderly and logical. On the basis of such “logical experience,” young learners can then begin to be taught the rules of logic that they have been using all along. As the medievals used to say, they could go from logica utens, logic used in other subjects, to logica docens logic taught, as a unique, and separate subject.
Choose the answer that best corrects the underlined portion of the sentence. If the underlined portion is correct as written, choose "NO CHANGE."
There are two errors in this sentence. One is rather minor. Before a quotation like the one found at the end of the sentence, you need a comma. Now, there is another issue as well. The prepositional phrase "for older students" really makes more sense modifying the curricula in question, not the question being asked. The question is not asked for the students. It is the potential curricula that are being designed for them. Therefore, you should move this prepositional phrase to the appropriate location for clarity.
Compare your answer with the correct one above
Over winter break, our AP Spanish class took a trip to South America to practice the language and learn more about different Spanish-speaking cultures. Before we left, every student had to get their vaccinations for yellow fever and typhoid. Our first stop was Bolivia. When we landed at El Alto airport the highest in the world, we could see the city of La Paz sprawling up the hillsides in the shadow of the Andes. The first day in La Paz, we went to the Witches’s Market,run by local yatiri. The yatiri are medical practitioners who perform healing rituals in they’re communities. At the market, we saw dried frogs, llama fetuses, herbs, and seeds, used in various rituals. After we visited La Paz, we traveled to Cochabamba. Cochabamba is Bolivia’s culinary capital, with delicious specialties such as salteñas and rellenos. In Cochabamba, we also climbed 1400 steps to see the Cristo de La Concordia statue, the tallest of it’s kind in South America. Next, we visited the salt flats of Uyuni. Several lagoons dotted the high desert landscape, some of who were full of flamingos!
On our way out of Bolivia, we stopped at Lake Titicaca on the Peruvian border. Because the lake’s elevation is over 12,000 feet, some of my classmates experienced a bit of altitude sickness. Despite the altitude sickness, everyone said they loved seeing the beautiful scenery and visiting the mysterious “floating islands” made of reeds. When we crossed the border into Peru, one of my classmates thought she had lost her passport. I would of had a panic attack! She ended up finding it buried in a pocket of her backpack and we were on our way.
My favorite part of Peru was our trek to the ancient Incan ruins of Machu Picchu. We spent four days hiking in the Andes on a trail to the ruins. Our guides, whom spoke Spanish, English, and Quechua, were very knowledgeable about the history, flora, and fauna in the region. Upon waking up the next morning, a beautiful sunrise greeted us and cast the mountains in its soft pink glow. After we explored the ruins, we took a train ride back to Cuzco. The next day, we flew to Lima and prepared to return home. I was sad to leave, but I know I would be back some day!
Select the answer choice that best corrects the bolded underlined portion of the passage. If the sentence is correct as written, select NO CHANGE.
The sentence as written implies that the sunrise was waking up, not the students. To correct this ambiguous modifier, you need an answer choice that makes it clear that the students woke up and saw the sunrise (it wouldn't make any sense for the sunrise to be the one doing the waking up!). You could also have said "we were greeted by a sunrise...." but this uses passive voice (we were greeted) rather than active voice, so the active voice "we saw...." is preferable.
Compare your answer with the correct one above
On the weekends, I enjoy hiking, baking, dancing, and to spend time with my friends. Most of all, however, I love to run. I never thought of myself as a talented runner. However, when Jenna moved to my neighborhood, she inspired me to join the track team and find my stride. We met when we were both walking to class, and when I asked Jenna about her elective classes, she enthusiastically began talking about the track team. “You should join”! she exclaimed. I told her I’m not a very good runner, and she responded that anybody could be a decent runner with enough practice and the right attitude.
We started practicing after school and on weekends, and eventually I decided to try out for the team. To my surprise, I made the cut. Even though everybody else had a faster finish time than me, I enjoyed being part of the first race of the semester.
Because she is both dedicated and naturally talented, Jenna is the better runner on the entire team. Despite her success, she is never arrogant and always willing to help others develop their athletic skills. When all of the high schools in the state send they’re top three runners to the championship, everyone on the team travel to support Jenna.
Choose the answer that best corrects the bolded and underlined portion of the passage. If the bolded and underlined portion is correct as written, choose "NO CHANGE."
The two things being compared are everybody else's finish times and the narrator's finish time. As written, the sentence is comparing finish times to the narrator herself. The correct answer choice clarifies that it is the narrator's finish time that is being compared (and also correctly uses the comparative "than" instead of then). "A faster finish time than mine" would also be grammatically correct.
Compare your answer with the correct one above
Adapted from The Origin of Species by Charles Darwin (ed. 1896)
Look at a plant in the midst of it’s range. Why does it not double or quadruple its numbers? We know that it can perfectly well withstand a little more heat or cold, dampness or dryness, for elsewhere it ranges into slightly hotter or colder, damper or drier districts. In this case, we can clearly see that if we wish in imagination to give the plant the power of increasing in number, we should have to give it some advantage over its competitors, or over the animals of the wild that prey on it. On the confines of its geographical range, a change of constitution with respect to climate would clearly be an advantage to our plant; but we have reason to believe that only a few plants or animals range so far, that they are destroyed exclusively by the rigor of the climate. Not until we reach the extreme confines of life, in the Arctic regions or on the borders of an utter desert, will competition cease. The land may be extremely cold or dry, yet their will be competition between some few species, or between the individuals of the same species, for the warmest or dampest spots.
Hence we can see that when a plant or animal is placed in a new country amongst new competitors, the conditions of its life will generally be changed in an essential manner, although the climate may be exactly the same as in its former home. If it’s average numbers are to increase in its new home, we should have to modify it in a different way to what we should have had to do in its native country; for we should have to give it some advantage over a different set of competitors or enemies.
It is good thus to try in imagination to give to any one species an advantage over another. Probably in no single instance should we know what to do. This ought to convince us of our ignorance on the mutual relations of all organic beings; a conviction as necessary, as it is difficult to acquire. All that we can do is to keep steadily in mind that each organic being is striving to increase in a geometrical ratio; that each at some period of its life, during some season of the year, during each generation or at intervals, has to struggle for life and to suffer great destruction. When we reflect on this struggle, we may console ourselves with the full belief that the war of nature is not incessant, that no fear is felt, that death is generally prompt, and that the vigorous, the healthy, and the happy survive and multiply.
Which is the best form of "its'" in the boldfaced and underlined selection?
The word "its" is being used as a possessive adjective. It answers the question, "Whose new home?" In the case of nouns, we use "'s" to indicate possession: "Mike's," "the dog's," etc. However, for "it," the apostrophe is used for the contraction "it is."
Compare your answer with the correct one above
Choose the answer that best corrects the underlined portion of the sentence. If the underlined portion is correct as written, choose "NO CHANGE."
Panicked, Daniel quickly ran away from the angry bee's.
"Bees" is a plural noun and does not show possession. Therefore, an apostrophe is not necessary.
Compare your answer with the correct one above
Choose the answer that best corrects the underlined portion of the sentence. If the underlined portion is correct as written, choose "NO CHANGE."
Elizabeths hats were blown away by a quick, forceful wind.
"Elizabeth" is a singular noun and the hats belong to Elizabeth. To show possession with a singular noun, add an apostrophe and an "s." Because "hats" is plural and not showing possession, no apostrophe is necessary.
Compare your answer with the correct one above
Choose the answer that best corrects the underlined portion of the sentence. If the underlined portion is correct as written, choose "NO CHANGE."
Dan and Stewart's recital was well-received by the city's most well-respected critics.
When two people possess the same item (in this case, "recital") the apostrophe + s are placed after the second name. No "s" is needed after the first name when singular possession is being indicated.
Compare your answer with the correct one above
Choose the answer that best corrects the underlined portion of the sentence. If the underlined portion is correct as written, choose "NO CHANGE."
Ronald's aunts and uncles all attended Columbia University, and they often travel to New York to attend their class reunions.
"Their"is the appropriate form of the possessive in this sentence. The antecedent "aunts and uncles" is plural so the singular "his or hers" does not fit. "There's" means "There is"and is thus not possessive.
Compare your answer with the correct one above