In order to answer these questions students need a thorough understanding of subjects and verbs, sentence types (simple, compound, complex, compound/complex), dependent (subordinate) and independent clauses, subjects and verbs, prepositions and prepositional phrases and infinitives.
Scrooge was better than his word (1). He did it all, and infinitely more. (2) and to Tiny Tim, who did not die, he was a second father (3). He became as good a friend, as good a master, and as good a man as the good old City knew, or any other good old city, town, or borough in the good old world (4). Some people laughed to see the alteration in him, but he let them laugh, and little heeded them, for he was wise enough to know that nothing ever happened on this globe, for good, at which some people did not have their fill of laughter in the onset; and knowing that such as these would be blind anyway, he thought it quite as well that they should wrinkle up their eyes in grins, as have a malady in the less attractive forms (5). His own heart laughed and that was quite enough for him (6).
1. ___The first five sentences in this paragraph:
a: become increasingly complicated;
b: become increasingly simple;
c: are very similar to one another in structure;
d: are different but in no particular order.
2. ___True or false: none of the sentences in this paragraph begin with a
dependent clause.
3. ___True or false: in the second half of sentence four (after the semi-colon,
beginning "and knowing) a dependent clause comes before an independent
clause.
4. ___The first four sentences:
a: become increasingly complicated;
b: become increasingly simple;
c: are very similar to one another in structure;
d: are different but in no particular order.
Sentence types (Use the appropriate letter in filling in the blanks to
the questions)
Scrooge was better than his word.
5. ___ This sentence is a) simple b) compound. c) complex. d) complex &
compound.
6. ___The simple subject of this sentence is a) Scrooge. b) was. c) better.
d) word.
He did it all, and infinitely more.
7. ___This sentence a. simple b) compound. c) complex. d) complex & compound.
8. ___The verb of this sentence is a) did. b) did it. c) did more. e) infinitely.
And to Tiny Tim, who did not die, he was a second father.
9. ___This sentence is: a. simple b. compound. c. complex. d. complex &
compound.
10. ___The simple subject of this sentence is: a) Tiny Tim. b) who. c) he.
d) father.
True or false
11. ___ To Tiny Tim is a prepositional phrase.
12. ___ "who did not die" is an adjective clause.
13 ___ “who” is the subject of the clause.
14. ___ “did die” is the verb of the clause.
He became as good a friend, as good a master, and as good a man as the good
old City knew, or any other good old city, town, or borough in the good old
world.
15. ___ This sentence is: a) simple b) compound. c) complex. d). complex &
compound.
Some people laughed to see the alteration in him, but he let them laugh, and
little heeded them, for he was wise enough to know that nothing ever happened
on this globe, for good, at which some people did not have their fill of laughter
in the onset; and knowing that such as these would be blind anyway, he thought
it quite as well that they should wrinkle up their eyes in grins, as have
a malady in the less attractive forms.
16. ___ This sentence is: a) simple b) compound. c) complex. d). complex &
compound.
17. ___ True or false: in the second half of sentence four (after the semi-colon,
beginning "and knowing) a dependent clause comes before an independent
clause.
His own heart laughed and that was quite enough for him.
18. ___ This sentence is: a) simple b) compound. c) complex. d). complex &
compound.
19. The verbs in this sentence are a)____________ b)____________
20. The subjects in this sentence are a)____________ _b)____________
21. Underline at least five prepositional phrases in the following
sentence (there are more – be careful not to underline infinitives):
Some people laughed to see the alteration in him, but he let them laugh,
and little heeded them, for he was wise enough to know that nothing ever happened
on this globe, for good, at which some people did not have their fill of laughter
in the onset; and knowing that such as these would be blind anyway, he thought
it quite as well that they should wrinkle up their eyes in grins, as have
a malady in the less attractive forms.
Bonus: there is a compound verb in the above sentence. Underline both
verbs parts twice.
Bonus: there are two infinitives in the above sentences. They are ___________and
__________.
Least
Tern