Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics
What the questions test
These items test sentence correctness: subject-verb agreement, pronoun agreement and case, verb tense consistency, modifiers, punctuation, and sentence structure. Many questions ask you to choose the revision that fixes an error while keeping the original meaning.
High-value rules
- Subject-verb agreement: find the true subject, ignoring phrases between it and the verb. "The box of tools is heavy." Indefinite pronouns like everyone, each, and nobody are singular.
- Pronoun agreement: a pronoun must match its antecedent in number. "Each student raised his or her hand."
- Pronoun case: use subject forms for subjects (he and I went) and object forms after prepositions (between you and me).
- Verb tense: keep tenses consistent unless the time frame genuinely shifts.
- Commas: separate items in a series, set off introductory phrases, and join an independent clause to a dependent clause. Do not use a comma to join two complete sentences (comma splice).
- Semicolons and colons: a semicolon joins two related complete sentences; a colon introduces a list or explanation after a complete sentence.
- Modifiers: place descriptive phrases next to the word they describe. "Running late, she missed the bus" is correct; "Running late, the bus was missed by her" is a dangling modifier.
Traps to watch for
- Fixing one error but creating another.
- Choosing the longest or most formal option.
- Changing the writer's meaning while correcting grammar.
- Missing errors in the unchanged part of a sentence.
Rule of thumb
Read the full sentence first and name the error before looking at choices. Then test each option by asking, "Is this grammatical, and does it keep the original meaning?"
Worked example
"The team of players were ready." The subject is team (singular), so the verb should be was. The phrase of players does not change the subject.