Partial Practice Exam 3 (with explanations)

1.     There was four cookies on this place just a minute ago, and now they are all gone. I think Jack, a known cookie lover, ate them.

A.     were four 
B.     ago; and
C.    gone, I
D.    Cookie Lover ate
E.     No change necessary

A. Correct. The subject cookies should take a plural verb were.

B. IC; and IC.  You may not use a semicolon with an and (fanboys) IC.

C. IC, IC is a comma splice.

D. Capitalize only proper nouns and adjectives.

2. When a bird got into the house through the chimney, we had to catch it before our cat did, otherwise, the cat would have eaten the bird for lunch.

A. chimney. We
B. did; otherwise,
C. otherwise the
D. No change necessary

A. DC. IC creates a fragment.

B. IC; otherwise, IC corrects the comma splice.

C. You need the comma after otherwise.

3. Because my eyes have been watering all day I can tell the pollen count is high; however, I have no idea why my skin is dry.                                                                       

 A. DC, IC is correct. You should have a comma after an introductory DC.

B. IC, however, IC creates a comma splice.

4. I stopped by the bank, and I dropped off the laundry after I got off work. On my way home.                             

A. bank and
B. laundry, after
C. work on
D. No change necessary

A. IC FANBOYS IC is incorrect because you need a comma before the fanboys.

B. IC, DC. Use a comma only when the DC comes first.

C. Corrects the fragment.

5. Between you and I, a hamburger with French fries sounds good for lunch.

A. you and me,
B. french
C. sound
D. No change necessary

A. Correct. You need to use the objective case pronoun. Use the subjective case only when the pronoun is a subject or follows a linking verb.

B. Capitalize proper adjectives. Words with a national or ethnic origin are capitalized.

C. The subject hamburger is singular. Because the verb is already singular it is correct. With French fries is a prepositional phrase and not part of the subject.