Grammar, style, and spelling are critical skills needed by contemporary writers, editors, and other communication professionals. Throughout the semester, you will participate in a series of diagnostic exercises designed to identify any weaknesses you may have in language mechanics.
Readings and Resources
TBA
Instructions
Grammar, style, and spelling diagnostic quizzes will be conducted throughout the semester. These quizzes are based on the 20 most common errors made by writers as identified by composition experts. Information regarding these quizzes and subsequent exercises is as follows:
- Each diagnostic quiz has 10 questions and is worth five points.
- To pass the quiz and get the maximum amount of points, you must score at least eight out of 10 correct answers.
- If you miss more than two questions on the quiz, you are required to do the following:
- You must go to the LWC Writing Center and do the prescribed online exercises that correspond to the quiz you were unable to pass (see Exercise section below).
- Once you’ve completed the exercises, you are required to meet with a writing consultant to discuss and review your exercises. Following your meeting, you will be given a slip that verifies your visit to the Writing Center. It is your responsibility to show your slip to the professor so proper credit may be awarded.
- If you do not pass a diagnostic quiz and follow the above guidelines, you will be awarded five points for the assignment. Failure to follow the above guidelines after failing a diagnostic quiz will result in getting no points for the assignment.
- Makeup quizzes are scheduled each Friday, 2:30 p.m., in the Slider 201 Computer Lab. This will be the only time makeup quizzes can be administered. Makeup quizzes are only administered in the case of an excused absence. Makeup quizzes will not be administered for unexcused absences.
It is important for you to follow these instructions carefully. You should identify the grammar and style areas where you need help. This is necessary to become a better writer and communication professional.
Exercises
For each of the categories listed below
- Diagnostic Quiz 1: Missing comma after an introductory element
- Exercise 176: Commas with introductory elements
- Exercise 257: Commas with introductory elements
- Exercise 389: Commas with introductory elements
- Diagnostic Quiz 2: Vague Pronoun reference
- Exercise 1000: Using clear pronoun reference
- Exercise 164: Vague pronouns
- Exercise 507: Pronoun reference
- Diagnostic Quiz 3: Missing comma in a compound sentence
- Exercise 311: Using commas with connecting words
- Exercise 256: Commas with coordinating conjunctions
- Exercise 390: Commas with compound sentences
- Diagnostic Quiz 4: Appropriate word references
- Exercise 539: Avoiding word-choice problems
- Exercise 812: Word choice
- Exercise 121: Verb/noun combinations
- Diagnostic Quiz 5: Missing comma(s) with a nonrestrictive element
- Exercise 549: Commas with appositives and interrupters
- Exercise 391: Commas with restrictive and nonrestrictive elements
- Diagnostic Quiz 6: Wrong or missing verb ending
- Exercise 492: Using irregular past-tense verb forms
- Exercise 493: Using irregular past-tense verb forms
- Exercise 648: Using the past tense of be
- Diagnostic Quiz 7: Wrong or missing preposition
- Exercise 937: Identifying prepositions and conjunctions
- Exercise 76: Conjunctions and prepositions
- Diagnostic Quiz 8: Comma splice
- Exercise 963: Correcting run-ons and comma splices
- Exercise 964: Correcting run-ons and comma splices 2
- Exercise 563: Correcting comma splices and run-on sentences
- Diagnostic Quiz 9: Missing or misplaced possessive apostrophe
- Exercise 63: Apostrophes in contractions and possessives
- Exercise 204: Apostrophes showing possession
- Exercise 100: Apostrophes
- Diagnostic Quiz 10: Unnecessary shift in tense
- Exercise 305: Correcting shifts in person
- Exercise 511: Making pronouns consistent in person
- Exercise 641: Avoiding illogical shifts in voice
- Diagnostic Quiz 11: Unnecessary shift in pronoun
- Diagnostic Quiz 12: Sentence fragment
- Diagnostic Quiz 13: Wrong tense or verb form
- Diagnostic Quiz 14: Lack of subject-verb agreement
- Diagnostic Quiz 15: Missing comma in a series
- Diagnostic Quiz 16: Lack of agreement between pronoun and antecedent
- Diagnostic Quiz 17: Unnecessary comma(s) with a restrictive element
- Diagnostic Quiz 18: Fused sentence
- Diagnostic Quiz 19: Misplaced or dangling modifier
- Diagnostic Quiz 20: Its/It’s confusion
