9th grade grammar

Example

Choose the option that keeps the sentence parallel. Our coach told us to arrive early, to bring water and ___.

1. Items joined in a list or with paired conjunctions must have the same grammatical form.
2. Read it through: "Our coach told us to arrive early, to bring water and to stretch before running."
3. So the answer is: to stretch before running

Answer: to stretch before running

Example

Choose the pronoun that agrees with its antecedent (formal written English). The team celebrated ___ victory.

1. A pronoun must agree in number with the noun it replaces.
2. The antecedent is a single group acting as one unit, so formal writing (and the SAT) uses 'its'. (UK English sometimes treats such groups as plural.)
3. Put it back into the sentence and read it aloud: "The team celebrated its victory."
4. So the answer is: its

Answer: its

Example

Choose the verb that agrees with the subject. The data from both experiments ___ that the theory holds.

1. The verb agrees with the head noun of the subject, wherever it is in the sentence.
2. In formal and scientific writing 'data' is plural (datum is the singular).
3. Put it back into the sentence and read it aloud: "The data from both experiments suggest that the theory holds."
4. So the answer is: suggest

Answer: suggest

Example

Choose the verb form that fits the context. The novelist, who ___ in a small village, wrote about city life.

1. The tense must fit the time clues and the other verbs in the sentence.
2. A finished event at a stated past time takes the simple past.
3. Put it back into the sentence and read it aloud: "The novelist, who grew up in a small village, wrote about city life."
4. So the answer is: grew up

Answer: grew up

Example

Which sentence uses parallel structure correctly? • The volunteers not only cleaned the beach but also the dune grass was planted. • The volunteers cleaned not only the beach but also planted dune grass. • The volunteers not only cleaned the beach but also planted dune grass. • Not only the volunteers cleaned the beach but also planted dune grass.

1. Correlative conjunctions must be followed by grammatically parallel elements.
2. Each correlative is followed by a verb phrase: cleaned… / planted…
3. So the answer is: The volunteers not only cleaned the beach but also planted dune grass.

Answer: The volunteers not only cleaned the beach but also planted dune grass.

Example

Choose the option that makes a logical comparison. The climate of Spain is warmer than ___.

1. Compare like with like: the climate of Spain vs that of Norway, not vs Norway itself.
2. Compare climate with climate: 'that of Norway'.
3. Put it back into the sentence and read it aloud: "The climate of Spain is warmer than that of Norway."
4. So the answer is: that of Norway

Answer: that of Norway

Example

Choose the pronoun that matches its antecedent in formal written English (SAT/ACT style). Each of the countries sent ___ own delegation.

1. In US formal style (and on the SAT/ACT), a singular collective noun takes 'its'; plural nouns take 'their'. British English often allows 'their' for groups, but tests expect 'its'.
2. 'Each' is singular, and a country is 'it'.
3. Put it back into the sentence and read it aloud: "Each of the countries sent its own delegation."
4. So the answer is: its

Answer: its

Example

Choose the verb that agrees with the subject. Here ___ the results of the survey.

1. In sentences beginning with There, Here, a question word or a place phrase, the subject follows the verb — but the verb must still agree with it.
2. Subject 'the results': plural.
3. Put it back into the sentence and read it aloud: "Here are the results of the survey."
4. So the answer is: are

Answer: are

Example

Choose the verb that agrees with the noun the relative pronoun refers to. The scientist who ___ the vaccine trials is giving a talk.

1. A verb in a relative clause agrees with the antecedent of who/that/which.
2. 'Who' refers to 'the scientist': singular.
3. Put it back into the sentence and read it aloud: "The scientist who leads the vaccine trials is giving a talk."
4. So the answer is: leads

Answer: leads

Example

What role does the noun clause in brackets play? She is worried about [what people will think].

1. A noun clause can do any job a noun can: subject, object, complement or object of a preposition.
2. It follows the preposition 'about'.
3. So the answer is: object of a preposition

Answer: object of a preposition