6th grade grammar

Example

Which sentence is the passive version of this sentence? The children have planted the trees. • The trees has been planted by the children. • The trees have planted the children. • The trees have been planted by the children. • The children have been planted by the trees.

1. Move the object to the front, use be + past participle in the same tense, and put the doer after 'by' (or leave it out).
2. So the answer is: The trees have been planted by the children.

Answer: The trees have been planted by the children.

Example

Choose the correct pronoun. Mum made pancakes for my sister and ___.

1. Use the subject case for the doer and the object case after verbs and prepositions.
2. The pronoun receives the action, so use the object form.
3. Put it back into the sentence and read it aloud: "Mum made pancakes for my sister and me."
4. So the answer is: me

Answer: me

Example

Choose the correct pronoun ending in -self or -selves. The cat washed ___ in the sun.

1. Reflexive pronouns refer back to the subject; intensive pronouns add emphasis (the queen herself). 'Hisself' and 'theirselves' are not Standard English.
2. Put it back into the sentence and read it aloud: "The cat washed itself in the sun."
3. So the answer is: itself

Answer: itself

Example

Marco dropped the glass on the plate and broke it. Why is this sentence unclear?

1. A pronoun must point clearly to one noun (its antecedent).
2. So the answer is: We cannot tell whether the glass or the plate broke.

Answer: We cannot tell whether the glass or the plate broke.

Example

Choose the pronoun that stays consistent with the rest of the sentence. The museum asks visitors to leave ___ bags in the lockers.

1. A pronoun should match its antecedent in person and number; don't switch from 'they' to 'you' or from singular to plural mid-sentence.
2. 'Visitors' is third person plural: 'their'.
3. Put it back into the sentence and read it aloud: "The museum asks visitors to leave their bags in the lockers."
4. So the answer is: their

Answer: their

Example

Choose the verb that agrees with the subject. Neither the coach nor the players ___ the new rule.

1. Subjects joined by 'and' are usually plural. With or, either…or, neither…nor, the verb agrees with the nearer subject.
2. The nearer subject is 'the players' (plural).
3. Put it back into the sentence and read it aloud: "Neither the coach nor the players like the new rule."
4. So the answer is: like

Answer: like

Example

Choose the verb that agrees with the subject. The flowers in the vase ___ wilting.

1. The verb agrees with the subject, not with a noun in a phrase that comes between them.
2. The subject is 'flowers' (plural).
3. Put it back into the sentence and read it aloud: "The flowers in the vase are wilting."
4. So the answer is: are

Answer: are

Example

Choose the correct form of the verb in brackets. The pond has ___ solid. (freeze)

1. Irregular verbs have special past forms. Use the simple past alone and the past participle after has, have or had.
2. Past participle of freeze = frozen.
3. Put it back into the sentence and read it aloud: "The pond has frozen solid."
4. So the answer is: frozen

Answer: frozen

Example

Choose the correct word or words for the gap. ___ sure that ___ dog is over ___.

1. The apostrophe forms (they're, it's, you're, who's) are contractions; the possessive forms (their, its, your, whose) never take an apostrophe.
2. 'they're' = they are.
3. Put it back into the sentence and read it aloud: "They're sure that their dog is over there."
4. So the answer is: They're, their, there

Answer: They're, their, there

Example

Choose the correct word for the gap. If we ___ this match, we're out of the cup.

1. These pairs sound or look alike but have different meanings and jobs.
2. 'lose' (one o) = fail to win or misplace.
3. Put it back into the sentence and read it aloud: "If we lose this match, we're out of the cup."
4. So the answer is: lose

Answer: lose