Spring Writing Test

Spring Writing Test

I.      Correct the faulty parallel construction in the sentences below.  (2 pt. each)

1.           Today I will tidy up the bedroom, the living room, and wallpaper the cat.

2.           Mary likes to hike, swimming, and her bicycle.

3.           The production manager was asked to write his report quickly, accurately, and in a detailed manner.

4.           The dictionary can be used to find these: word meanings, pronunciations, correct spellings, and looking up irregular verbs.

5.           To write well and listening well are important communication skills. 

6.           Remind Mark to go to the store, the bank, and see if the laundry is ready.

7.           If we ever have another snow day, I will bake cookies, bread, build a fire in the fireplace, and read.

II.   Fix the following incomplete, run-on or comma splice sentences.  Some sentences may need to be split, and some may need combining.  (2 pt. each)

1.      When the fisherman looked up.  He nodded and smiled pleasantly.

2.      Jim did not know the man.  Fishing on the end of the pier.

3.      The old man replied.  His eyes beaning kindly.

4.      However, he was curious.  Which was only natural.

5.      Everyone looked up in the sky above us was an airplane.

6.      If you follow directions will go far with your writing.

7.      Those in Minnesota want spring to come the Narnians were also waiting for the snow to leave.

III.             Rewrite the following sentences to get rid of the passive “there is/are/will be/was, etc.” construction. (3 pt. each)

1.       There are some cookies in the kitchen.  My mother made them because there will be a meeting at our house tonight.

2.      Last year there were five students in the class who wanted to be class president.  Not all of them were qualified.

3.      Because there is ice cream in the freezer, we had milk shakes after school.

4.      There is another storm coming.  We must get to the store to stock up on junk food.