Unit 7 Test on Modifiers

- Sample Test -

* note: these are actual test questions. If you do not understand something, please see me ASAP or send me a personal note (you don't need email to do this).

Directions: Choose the correct form of the adjective to complete each sentence.

1) Hartford received _____ snow than Chicago.

The answer has to be "less" because we are comparing only two cities: Hartford and Chicago. Thus, we use the comparative form of the word, which is "less."

2) That was the _____ blizzard in years.

While it would make sense to choose "most worse" the answer is actually "worst." This is because the word "worse" is an exception to the rule, one of the irregulars. As a result, the answer is "worst." (see page 238 in your book)

Directions: Decide which word in each sentence is the adjective.

3) Melissa rode her new bike to school today.

Adjectives modify (describe) nouns. Rode is a verb, so it can't be the answer. Her is a pronoun, so it can't be the answer either. Bike is a noun, so it can't be the answer. New tells us what kind of a bike Melissa rode (a new one) so since the word new describes a noun, it is the adjective in the sentence.

4) The loon is famous for its unusual cry.

As we know, adjectives modify nouns. Loon is a noun (a loon is a bird) so it can't be the answer. Famous looks like a logical choice, but its being used as an adverb here (its telling us what the loon is [famous]). The word unusual is telling us what kind of cry (a noun) the bird has. So, the answer is unusual.

Directions: Choose the correct form of the ADVERB to complete each sentence.

5) Out of all the students, Sara presented her report the _____.

This is an example of the superlative form. We are comparing Sara to ALL of the other students, which is that "3 or more" part. The answer cannot be cleariest because we only add "iest" if the word ends in "y" ; clear ends with a "r".

6) Sunrise occurs _____ in May than in April.

In this question we are again using the comparative form. We are comparing two months only, May and April. Hence, the comparative form of early needs to be used. Earliest is the superlative form.

Directions: Choose the word in each sentence that is an ADVERB.

7) Rene became very involved in her research.

Adverbs can modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. In this sentence, the word very is telling us how involved Rene became. She became what? She became very involved. Rene is a noun, became is a verb, and involved is a predicate adjective.

8) Sally is a naturally curious person.

Remember, most adverbs end with -ly. Here, we have one of those kinds of adverbs: naturally. That word is also telling us to what extent Sally is curious, which is what adverbs tell us (to what extent). Person is a noun, curious an adjective, is a verb.

Directions: Choose the sentence in each set that IS NOT a double negative.

9) Which sentence below is correct? (do not count spelling mistakes)

Each of these sentences has two negavtive words in it except for sentence #2. That sentence has the word wrong but the word "wrong" doesn't mean "no" or "not." The word wrong is also not being used to convey the idea of nothing. Remember, a double negative uses two negative words to convey one idea. In this case, the word wrong is functioning as a predicate adjective.

10) Which sentence below is correct? (do not count spelling mistakes)

Each of these sentences has a double negative. Our book says that barely is a negative word. Hasn't has the word not in it, so choice #1 is out. Same with choice #2, nothing is a negative, and so is barely. Choice #2 is out. In choice #3, can't is a negative (after all, it contains the word not. Hardly is negative, so choice #3 is out. The book tells us that we can correct a negative by changing one of the two negative words to a positive. In Choice #4, can't is a negative, but anything is a positive (positive form of nothing). So it's right.

Directions: Choose the sentence that uses the adjective/adverb correctly.

11) Which sentence below is correct? (do not count spelling mistakes)

In choice #1, bad is telling us how Elaine sees. So, we need the adverb form, which would be badly. In sentence # 2 we have just the opposite. The word badly is going back to describe movie (a noun) so we want the adjective form (bad), not the adverb form (badly). In sentence #3, good (which is always an adjective) is telling us how the actor spoke (which is a verb). Since the word good is modifying spoke, we want to use the adverb well instead. The sentence is wrong. Choice #4 uses good as an adjective, because good is telling us what kind of speech Dan gave (a good one). Choice #4 is correct.

12) Which sentence below is correct? (do not count spelling mistakes)

In sentence #1, the word real is being used to descibe the word "did," as in, what kind of a job was done. We need to use really instead, so it's not correct. In sentence #2, really is modifying truth. Truth is a noun, so we need to use the adjective "real" instead. Sentence #4 uses the word real to describe the verb "has been." It tells to what degree (to what extent) the weather has been hot. Since adverbs tell "to what extent" we would need the adverb form here: really. Choice #3 is correct.

Directions: Choose the one best answer to each question.

13) A word that you use to describe another word is a

The definition of modifier, as written in our book, is answer choice #1.

14) Adjectives tell us

Answer choice #1 are the questions that journalists must answer when writing an article (the 6 "wh" words and the "h"). Answer choice #3 is what adverbs tell us. Answer choice #4 are the questions we ask to find a direct object. So, answer choice #2 is correct.

15) Adverbs tell us

Answer choice #1 are the questions that journalists must answer when writing an article (the 6 "wh" words and the "h"). Answer choice #2 is what adjectives tell us. Answer choice #4 are the questions we ask to find a direct object. So, answer choice #3 is correct.

Directions: Read each statement, then decide if the statement is ALWAYS true, SOMETIMES true, or NEVER true. Read each sentence as a statement only. hint: think, "how often is this statement true?"

16) Adjectives can only modify nouns or pronouns.

According to our book, adjectives only modify nouns or other pronouns. Adjectives can never modify anything else, so the answer is "always."

17) All adverbs end in -ly.

We know that most (not all) adverbs end in -ly. So, since there are adverbs out there such as "very" (which does not end in -ly) the answer to this question must be sometimes.

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