Grammar check: finished Grade 8?

For students who finished grade 8 grammar (Level 3, Year B Review), or who are starting grade 9.

15 items drawn from the English Grammar, Grade 8 (Units 21–24) year-end review (Level 3, Year B Review). About 30–40 minutes. Paper and pencil, with the book closed. Work every item first, then check each answer and mark it.

Print test with answer key

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1. Diagram the sentence.Running through the meadow, the colt kicked up its heels.

Answer: Subject: colt (the), with the participle Running on a bent line beneath it and the phrase through the meadow; verb: kicked, with the adverb up; direct object: heels (its)

Diagram: Running through the meadow, the colt kicked up its heels.

Running through the meadow, the colt kicked up its heels.

Lesson 17.2 Participles and Participial Phrases

2. Diagram the sentence.Because the river had risen, the ferry waited until noon.

Answer: Subject: ferry (the); verb: waited, with the phrase until noon; adverb clause below (subject river with the, verb had risen), joined to waited by Because on a dashed slanted line

Diagram: Because the river had risen, the ferry waited until noon.

Because the river had risen, the ferry waited until noon.

Lesson 18.3 Adverb Clauses

3. Diagram the sentence.Anna sang the hymn that her grandmother loved, and the whole family joined in the chorus.

Answer: First clause: subject Anna; verb sang; direct object hymn (the), with the adjective clause below (subject grandmother with her, verb loved, direct object that). Second clause: subject family (the, whole); verb joined, with the phrase in the chorus. The clauses are joined by and.

Diagram: Anna sang the hymn that her grandmother loved, and the whole family joined in the chorus.

Anna sang the hymn that her grandmother loved, and the whole family joined in the chorus.

Lesson 19.4 Diagramming Long Sentences

4. Diagram the sentence.After the long summer, the farmers found the old well dry.

Answer: Subject: farmers (the); verb: found, with the phrase After the long summer; direct object: well (the, old); objective complement: dry, after a backslash slanting toward well

Diagram: After the long summer, the farmers found the old well dry.

After the long summer, the farmers found the old well dry.

Lesson 20.1 Transitive and Intransitive Verbs; Objective Complements

5. What job does the pronoun whom do in its own clause?This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. (Matthew 3:17, KJV)

Answer: object of the preposition (in whom; the clause in statement order is I am well pleased in whom)
Lesson 21.1 Who and Whom

6. Diagram the sentence.Grandfather will give the colt to whoever trains it.

Answer: Subject: Grandfather; verb: will give; direct object: colt (the); phrase: to, whose object is the noun clause on a stilt (subject whoever, verb trains, direct object it)

Diagram: Grandfather will give the colt to whoever trains it.

Grandfather will give the colt to whoever trains it.

Lesson 21.1 Who and Whom

7. Which pronoun correctly completes the sentence in careful written English?Every member of the choir must bring ____ own hymnal.Choose: his · their

Answer: his (the antecedent, member, is singular; traditional English uses his for a mixed group)
Lesson 21.3 Agreement with Indefinite and Collective Antecedents

8. Which sentence correctly says that Henry ate one apple and nothing more?Choose: Only Henry ate one apple. · Henry only ate one apple. · Henry ate only one apple.

Answer: Henry ate only one apple. (Only belongs directly before the words it limits, one apple.)
Lesson 22.1 Misplaced Modifiers

9. Correct the misplaced phrase by moving it next to the word it modifies.The boy fed the calf in the blue coat.

Answer: The boy in the blue coat fed the calf.
Lesson 22.1 Misplaced Modifiers

10. Correct the illogical comparison by adding one word.Grandfather's oak is taller than any tree on the farm.

Answer: Grandfather's oak is taller than any other tree on the farm. (The oak is itself a tree on the farm, so it cannot be taller than itself.)
Lesson 22.3 Complete and Logical Comparisons

11. Add the three missing commas.Yes Martha the long cold winter is finally over.

Answer: Yes, Martha, the long, cold winter is finally over. (introductory word, direct address, coordinate adjectives)
Lesson 23.1 Comma Rules Reviewed

12. Is the sentence punctuated correctly or incorrectly?The old farmhouse at the end of the lane, needs a new roof.

Answer: incorrect (a comma must not separate the subject, farmhouse, from its verb, needs)
Lesson 23.1 Comma Rules Reviewed

13. Write the conjunctive adverb.The barn was old and drafty; nevertheless, the cows stayed warm in the straw.

Answer: nevertheless (it follows the semicolon and is followed by a comma)
Lesson 23.2 Semicolons and Colons

14. Which word correctly completes the sentence?This year our hens laid ____ eggs than last year.Choose: fewer · less

Answer: fewer (eggs can be counted)
Lesson 24.1 Words Often Confused I

15. This verse is built in two parallel halves. Write the verb in the second half that matches uttereth in the first half.Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. (Psalms 19:2, KJV)

Answer: sheweth (Day unto day uttereth … night unto night sheweth)
Lesson 24.3 Parallel Structure

4-week summer review path

Four short days a week, 30–45 minutes: the 16 English Grammar, Grade 8 (Units 21–24) lessons that appear most often on its exams and reviews, in course order. Do the lessons you missed on the test first.

Week 1

Day 1: Lesson 17.2 Participles and Participial Phrases · redo the lesson practice set
Day 2: Lesson 18.3 Adverb Clauses · redo the lesson practice set
Day 3: Lesson 21.1 Who and Whom · redo the lesson practice set
Day 4: Lesson 21.2 Pronouns in Comparisons and Compounds · redo the lesson practice set
Day 5: retake the items on this test from these lessons; correct every mistake.

Week 2

Day 1: Lesson 21.3 Agreement with Indefinite and Collective Antecedents · redo the lesson practice set
Day 2: Lesson 21.4 Clear Pronoun Reference · redo the lesson practice set
Day 3: Lesson 22.1 Misplaced Modifiers · redo the lesson practice set
Day 4: Lesson 22.2 Dangling Modifiers · redo the lesson practice set
Day 5: retake the items on this test from these lessons; correct every mistake.

Week 3

Day 1: Lesson 22.3 Complete and Logical Comparisons · redo the lesson practice set
Day 2: Lesson 22.4 Restrictive and Nonrestrictive Elements · redo the lesson practice set
Day 3: Lesson 23.1 Comma Rules Reviewed · redo the lesson practice set
Day 4: Lesson 23.2 Semicolons and Colons · redo the lesson practice set
Day 5: retake the items on this test from these lessons; correct every mistake.

Week 4

Day 1: Lesson 23.3 Dashes, Parentheses and Hyphens · redo the lesson practice set
Day 2: Lesson 23.4 Quotations Within Quotations; Long Quotations · redo the lesson practice set
Day 3: Lesson 24.3 Parallel Structure · redo the lesson practice set
Day 4: Lesson 24.4 Grammar and Good Writing · redo the lesson practice set
Day 5: retake the items on this test from these lessons; correct every mistake.