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Quizzes > Quizzes for Business > Education

Take the Grammar and Style Knowledge Test

Improve Grammar, Style, and Writing Accuracy

Difficulty: Moderate
Questions: 20
Learning OutcomesStudy Material
Colorful paper art depicting elements related to a Grammar and Style Knowledge Test quiz

Ready to refine your writing skills with a fun grammar quiz? This Grammar and Style Knowledge Test offers multiple-choice questions on punctuation, syntax, and style nuances. Ideal for students brushing up on rules or instructors crafting lessons, it provides instant feedback to boost confidence. All questions can be freely modified in our editor to suit your needs. You might also explore English Grammar Quiz, try a Grammar Knowledge Quiz, or browse more quizzes.

Which sentence correctly demonstrates subject-verb agreement?
She walk to school every day.
They walks to school every day.
She walking to school every day.
She walks to school every day.
The singular subject "She" requires the singular verb form "walks." This ensures proper agreement between subject and verb.
Which sentence correctly uses commas in a list?
For breakfast, I had eggs bacon, toast and coffee.
For breakfast I had eggs bacon, toast, and coffee.
For breakfast I had eggs, bacon toast, and coffee.
For breakfast I had eggs, bacon, toast, and coffee.
This sentence correctly uses commas to separate each item and includes the serial comma before "and coffee." Proper comma placement in lists improves clarity.
Which sentence uses the correct plural possessive pronoun?
There going to the party tonight.
They're going to the party tonight.
Thier going to the party tonight.
Their going to the party tonight.
"They're" is the contraction of "they are," which correctly fits the sentence context. The other options misuse homophones.
Which sentence is written in active voice?
The ball was thrown by John.
The ball is thrown.
John threw the ball.
By John the ball was thrown.
In the active voice sentence, the subject (John) performs the action (threw) on the object (the ball). This structure is direct and clear.
Which of the following sentences demonstrates correct parallel structure?
She enjoys reading, to jog, and cooking.
She enjoys reading, jogging, and to cook.
She enjoys reading, jogging, and cooking.
She enjoys to read, jogging, and cooking.
All items in the list are gerunds (reading, jogging, cooking), creating a consistent parallel structure. Mixed forms break the parallelism.
Choose the sentence that correctly uses a semicolon to join two independent clauses.
I finished the report, I submitted it.
I finished the report; and I submitted it.
I finished the report; but I submitted it.
I finished the report; I submitted it.
A semicolon can join two related independent clauses without a conjunction. Adding a conjunction after a semicolon is incorrect punctuation.
Which word is the most formal substitute for "kids" in a professional context?
children
youths
toddlers
childish
"Children" is the standard formal term for "kids" when a neutral, professional tone is required. The other options are either specific age groups or unrelated adjectives.
Combine the following sentences using a subordinating conjunction: 'She studied all night. She still failed the exam.'
Although she studied all night, she still failed the exam.
She studied all night and she still failed the exam.
She studied all night, she still failed the exam.
She studied all night but still failed the exam.
"Although" introduces a subordinate clause and links contrasting ideas. Coordinating conjunctions or comma splices do not meet the requirement.
Identify the sentence with a misplaced modifier.
The lovely flowers smelled as I walked down the street.
Walking down the street, I smelled lovely flowers.
I smelled lovely flowers while walking down the street.
Walking down the street, the flowers smelled lovely.
The modifier "Walking down the street" wrongly seems to describe the flowers rather than the speaker. The correct version places the modifier next to the appropriate noun.
Which sentence corrects the dangling modifier: 'After reading the book, the movie was disappointing.'?
The movie was disappointing after reading the book.
After reading the book, the movie disappointed me.
After reading the book, I found the movie disappointing.
The movie I read was disappointing.
By introducing the correct subject "I," the sentence clarifies who read the book. The original left the actor unspecified, creating a dangling modifier.
Which phrase contains redundancy?
daily routine
end result
future prospects
silent whisper
"End result" is redundant because a result inherently implies an outcome. Eliminating the extra word improves clarity.
Which sentence contains a split infinitive that should be avoided in formal writing?
She decided to finish her work quickly.
She decided quickly to finish her work.
She quickly decided to finish her work.
She decided to quickly finish her work.
The split infinitive "to quickly finish" separates "to" from its verb, which is traditionally avoided in formal style. Repositioning the adverb maintains the infinitive intact.
Neither the teacher nor the students ____ prepared for the exam.
was
is
were
are
With "neither...nor," the verb agrees with the nearer subject. Here, "students" is plural, so "were" is correct.
Identify the sentence with a parallelism error.
She likes to jog, swimming, and biking.
She likes to jog, to swim, and to bike.
She likes jogging, swimming, and biking.
She likes to jog, swimming, and to bike.
The list mixes infinitives and gerunds, breaking parallelism. All items should share the same grammatical form for balance.
Which sentence correctly uses a comma before the coordinating conjunction in a compound sentence?
I wanted to go, but it was too late.
I wanted to go; but it was too late.
I wanted to go but, it was too late.
I wanted to go but it was too late.
In a compound sentence, a comma precedes the coordinating conjunction "but". This separates the two independent clauses correctly.
Which sentence correctly uses an em dash for emphasis?
She won the award-- which surprised everyone--in a stunning upset.
She won the award; which surprised everyone; in a stunning upset.
She won the award, which surprised everyone, in a stunning upset.
She won the award - which surprised everyone - in a stunning upset.
Em dashes set off the parenthetical phrase for strong emphasis without extra words. The other options misuse punctuation or offer weaker separation.
Which sentence is the most concise rewrite of: 'Due to the fact that the weather was bad, we postponed our meeting.'?
Because the weather was bad, we postponed our meeting.
Our meeting was postponed owing to the weather's badness.
Due to the fact of bad weather, our meeting was postponed.
The meeting was postponed because it was bad weather.
Replacing "Due to the fact that" with "Because" eliminates unnecessary wording while preserving meaning. Concise phrasing improves readability.
Identify the sentence with a misplaced modifier in a complex structure.
She served sandwiches on paper plates to the children.
On paper plates, she served the children sandwiches.
She served the children sandwiches on paper plates.
She served sandwiches to the children on paper plates.
"On paper plates" appears to modify "children" instead of "sandwiches," creating confusion. Placing modifiers next to the words they describe resolves the issue.
Choose the correctly punctuated sentence with a quotation within a quotation.
He said, "I heard her shout Stop! before the crash."
He said, "I heard her shout "Stop!" before the crash."
He said, "I heard her shout 'Stop!' before the crash."
He said, 'I heard her shout "Stop!" before the crash.'
In American style, double quotes are used for the main quotation and single quotes for the nested quote. This distinguishes the two levels clearly.
Which sentence uses "affect" or "effect" correctly?
The weather can greatly affect your mood.
His affect on the team was clear.
The new policy will effect change.
The weather can greatly effect your mood.
"Affect" as a verb means to influence, which fits the context. The other options misuse "effect" or confuse noun and verb forms.
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Learning Outcomes

  1. Identify common grammatical errors and usage issues
  2. Apply advanced style guidelines for clear communication
  3. Analyse sentence structures to improve readability
  4. Evaluate word choice for tone and precision
  5. Demonstrate correct punctuation in complex sentences
  6. Master subject-verb agreement and parallelism

Cheat Sheet

  1. Master Subject-Verb Agreement - Think of a subject and verb as dance partners: they must match in number to glide across the page smoothly. When "The dog barks" is on stage, it's a solo act, but "The dogs bark" invites the pack to join in harmony. Keeping them in sync prevents those awkward grammatical missteps! TAMU Writing Center: Common Grammar Errors
  2. Recognize and Correct Run-On Sentences - Run-on sentences are like marathon runaways: exciting but exhausting to read. Break them up with proper punctuation or conjunctions so each idea gets its own spotlight. Clear pauses ensure your writing feels like a smooth, well-paced adventure. WLU Writing Support: Grammar Errors
  3. Identify and Fix Comma Splices - A comma alone can't hold two independent clauses together - it's like using a paperclip instead of glue. Instead of "I was tired, I went to bed," try "I was tired, so I went to bed" or use a semicolon for extra flair. This small tweak gives your sentences the structure they deserve. TAMU Writing Center: Common Grammar Errors
  4. Avoid Misplaced Modifiers - Misplaced modifiers are like sneaky ninjas: they sneak up and change your meaning! "She almost drove her kids to school" sounds wacky until you move "almost" to clarify. Keep descriptors close to their targets so your message hits the bull's-eye every time. TED IELTS: 10 Grammar Mistakes
  5. Ensure Parallel Structure in Lists - Parallelism is the secret sauce that makes lists sizzle with clarity. "He enjoys hiking, swimming, and to bike" is an uneven mix - turn it into "He enjoys hiking, swimming, and biking" for a smooth, rhythmic read. Consistency here keeps your reader happily marching along. WLU Writing Support: Grammar Errors
  6. Distinguish Between Commonly Confused Words - Words like "affect" and "effect" are classic tricksters in English class. Remember: affect is an action (verb), effect is the end result (noun). Mastering these twins will save you from countless facepalms. ProWritingAid: Common Grammar Mistakes
  7. Use Correct Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement - Pronouns must play fair with their antecedents in number and gender. "Each student must submit their assignment" slips up on singular agreement - try "his or her" for formal precision. This attention to detail keeps your writing in tip-top shape. TAMU Writing Center: Common Grammar Errors
  8. Apply Proper Punctuation in Quotations - Quotation marks love company - periods and commas should snuggle inside them. So, "She said, 'I'll be there soon.'" is the way to go for polished punctuation. Keep your dialogue looking spiffy and rule-following! TAMU Writing Center: Common Grammar Errors
  9. Avoid Ending Sentences with Prepositions - Ending with a preposition can feel casual, but in formal writing it's best to rephrase. Instead of "Where is he at?" ask "Where is he?" to keep things neat and tidy. This little shift elevates your style from laid-back to top-tier. YourDictionary: Common Grammatical Mistakes
  10. Recognize and Correct Sentence Fragments - Fragments are like half-built bridges - they leave readers hanging without a complete thought. Change "Because I was late." to "I was late because I missed the bus." to finish the journey. Complete sentences build strong, clear connections! TED IELTS: 10 Grammar Mistakes
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