Grammar-Quizzes.com

Conn. Diagnostic

Connector Diagnostic Quiz: a tool to help you identify specific points that need review

• Quiz 1: beginning – intermediate
• Quiz 2: intermediate – advanced 

FANBOYS

FANBOYS: joining independent clauses with coordinating conjunctions (Beg. – Adv. ESL, Native Speaker)

• FANBOYS — for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so
• Conjunction types
• Common Mistakes
• Punctuation
• Beginning a sentence — and, but
• Practice 1 – multiple choice
• Practice 2 – edit sent.

She danced and waved a fan.  (conjunction)

She danced, and he played the flute.  (coordinating conjunction)

 And / In addition

And/ In additions: joining sentence elements and sentences  (Int. – Adv. ESL, Native Speaker)

• Sentence Elements — acts and sings
• Related Sentences — In addition
• Introductory Phrases — Besides being…
• Common Mistakes
• Expressions – come and see
• Practice 1 – multiple choice
• Practice 2 – multiple choice

Anne is an actress.  Normally, she acts and sings.  
Anne acts, sings and dances.  In addition, she directs theater productions. adds information
You should see Anne. She acts, sings and dances. Moreover, she looks like the main character. adds a conclusive fact

Besides being funny, he is also young and smart.  adds information
Hire him because he is young and smart.  Besides, he is funny!   adds a conclusive fact or argument

 And so / too

And so / too: shortening a repeated verb in a joined clause (Beg. – Adv. ESL)

• And…so
• And…too
• But…not
• Common Mistakes
• Tag Questions
• Practice 1 – multiple choice
• Practice 2 – multiple choice

My brother has a new toy, and so do I.   (American English)
My brother has a new toy, and so have I.  (British English)

My bother got a new toy, and I did too.  
My brother got a new toy,  but I didn't. 

You got a new toy, didn't you?   Yes, I did.  / No, I didn't.

 Too / Either

Too/Either: adding a positive or negative comment (Beg. – Adv. ESL, Native Speaker)

• Too/Either
• Positive/Negative
• Short Responses
• Common Mistakes
• But not too
• Practice 1 – multiple choice
• Practice 2 – multiple choice

I am eight today, and my cousin is too.  
I am not a child, and my cousin isn't either.   

I am excited. Me too!  (informal) / I am too!
I am not worried.  Me either!  (informal) / I am not either!

Nobody helped me.  Me either.  (negative pronoun)
We barely understand it. Me either. (negative adverb)
 

 Both and

Both and: joining sentence elements with paired conjunctions (Beg. – Adv. ESL, Native Speaker)

• Addition — both…and, not only…but also
• Punctuation
• Negative Addition — neither…nor
• Neither…nor
• Either…or
• Common Mistakes
• Practice 1 – multiple choice
• Practice 2 – multiple choice

Both the movie and the play were good.  

Not only the movie but also the play was good.  

Neither the movie nor the play was good.  

Either the movie or the play was good. I can't remember.  

But / But still

But/But still:  stating contrast or contrary outcome (Beg. – Adv. ESL, Native Speaker)

• But/But still
• Contrast — but, while, whereas, on the other hand, in contrast to, however
• Contrary Outcome — but, still, yet, even so, nevertheless, regardless, in spite of, despite
• Punctuation
• Practice 1 – multiple choice
• Practice 2 – multiple choice
• Practice 3 – multiple choice

I like sugar in my coffee, whereas Edward likes black coffee.
I like sugar in my coffee in contrast to Edward who likes none.

One the one hand, I like sugar in my coffee.
On the other hand, Edgard does not!

I shouldn't eat sugar, but still I do.
Though I shouldn't eat sugar, I do.
I shouldn't eat sugar.  Nevertheless, I do.
 

But not / Except

But not / Except:  stating an exception (Beg. – Adv. ESL, Native Speaker)

• But not/Except
• Before verbs
• Common mistakes
• But expressions
• Nothing but
• All but
• But for
• Who but
• Cannot but
• Practice 1 – multiple choice
• Practice 2 – multiple choice

He likes vegetables but not carrots.
He likes vegetables except (for) carrots.

Jack does nothing all day except [to] eat and sleep. 
He isn't interested in anything except eating and sleeping.

Jack eats nothing but hamburgers.
Jack ate all but one hamburger. 

But / Though

But / Though: expressing defeat versus challenge (Beg. – Adv. ESL, Native Speakers)

• Implied meanings
• But/Though
• Practice – multiple choice

Brian planned on attending a job fair, but the line to get in wrapped around the block.   (It discouraged him..)

Brian planned on attending a job fair, though the line to get in wrapped around the block.   (He stood in it anyway.)

Rather than

Rather than: comparative preference (Int. – Adv. ESL, Native Speakers)

• Prefer X to Y
• Would rather…than
• Than v. Rather than
• Rather than
• Rather  than Verbs
• Diagrams
• Bare Infinitive v. Gerund
• Adjunct Clause
• Implied Meaning
• Common Mistakes
• Advanced Notes
• Practice 1
• Practice 2

We would rather walk to work than drive. (X and not Y)

We walk to work rather than drive. (X and not Y)

We walk to work rather than get caught in traffic.  (choosing X to avoid Y)

Because /  of

Because / Because of: indicating cause (reason) (Beg. – Adv. ESL, Native Speaker)

• Because/Because of
• Due to
• Noun phrases
• Common Mistakes
• Practice 1 – multiple choice
• Practice 2 – multiple choice

Because a gas pipeline exploded, several homes burned down.

Because of the gas explosion / an  exploding gas line, several homes burned down.

Because of / By

Because of / by : indicating cause vs. method ( Adv. ESL, Native Speaker)

• Because of/By
• Cause vs. Agent
• Common Mistakes
• Practice 1 – multiple choice
• Practice 2 – multiple choice

Demonstrators protested because of high unemployment. reason
Demonstrators protested by marching in the street. means

Progress was made because of the opposition leaders. reason
Progress was made by the opposition leaders.  agent

Cause & Effect

Cause / Effect: indicating a causal relationship (Int. – Adv. ESL, Native Speaker)

• Consequently/Because
• Cause/Result expressions
• Cause "cuz"
• If only because
• Punctuation
• Practice 1 – multiple choice
• Practice 2 – multiple choice
• Practice 3 – multiple choice

She married at the age of thirteen because she had no other options.
She had no other options. Consequently, she married at the age  of thirteen.

Illiteracy results from a poor childhood education.
A poor childhood education results in illiteracy.

Because / Though

Because/Though: expected and unexpected outcomes   (Int. – Adv. ESL, Native Speaker)

• Because/Though
• Sentence transition words
• Because/Though + NP
• Because/ Though + Clause
• Punctuation
• Common Mistakes
• Grammar Notes
• Practice 1 – multiple choice
• Practice 2 – multiple choice
• Practice 3 – edit
   

He wore his winter pants because it was snowing.
Schools were closed because of the snow.
It was snowing.  For this reason, the schools were closed.

He was biking in his shorts though it was snowing.
The schools were open in spite of the cold temperature.
It was snowing.  Nevertheless, the schools were open.

Because Clauses

Because Clauses: shortening a cause-effect clause (Beg.– Adv. ESL, Native Speaker)

• Beginning a sentence
• Ending a sentence
• Be verbs
• Common Mistakes
• Past Events
• Practice – multiple choice
   

Because Tom worked so hard, he earned a good salary. (same time)
Working so hard, Tom earned a good salary. (same time)

Because Tom had been working so hard, he needed a vacation.
Having worked so hard (earlier time), Tom needed a vacation.
 

So / Such that

So that / Such that: emphasizing qualities and characteristics (cause - effect)  (Int. ESL, Native Speaker)

• So-that v. Such that
• Sentence Structure
• Diagrams
• So – Emphasis v Effect
• So much v Such
• Common Mistakes
• Practice – multiple choice

The meteor storm was so beautiful that we watched it all night.
It was such a beautiful meteor storm that we watched it all night.

We will learn so much interesting information that it will take years to process it.  (quantity)
We will learn such interesting information that it will take years to process it.  (quality)

So phrases

"So" Phrases: expressing purpose, cause-effect, or result (Int.– Adv. ESL, Native Speaker)

• So that/so…that
• Because/So
• Punctuation
• so…could
• So expressions
• Practice 1 – multiple choice
• Practice 2 – multiple choice
• Practice 3 – multiple choice

The baby reached up so that he could get some candy.

He has to pull down on the lever in order to get some candy to come out.

The baby got nothing, so he cried.

 Cause-Effect Rev

Cause-Effect Review: expressing a cause and effect relationship (Beg. – Adv. ESL, Native Speaker)

• Cause/Effect Chart
• Practice 1 – multiple choice
• Practice 2 – correct/incorrect
• Practice 3 – edit sent.

His computer froze, so he hit it.
He hit it so hard that he damaged the keyboard.
He took it to a repair center because it needed a new keyboard.
He paid a lot to have it fixed.  As a consequence, he never hit his computer again.

After / Before

After/Before: joining time-relative clauses (Int. ESL, Native Speaker)

• Present & Future Time Frames
• When vs. when
• Common Mistakes
• Past Time Frames
• Punctuation
• Practice 1 – correct/incorrect
• Practice 2 – multiple choice
• Practice 3 – edit sentence
   

When I [will] call the dog, she comes.
After I [will] call the dog, she comes.
Before I [will] call the dog, I open the door.
After I [will] make popcorn, we'll watch a movie.

When / While

When/While: joining clauses with same-time activity (Int. ESL, Native Speaker)

• Same-time Events — when, while
• Punctuation
• Common Mistake
• Grammar Notes
• Practice – multiple choice
   

When you called, he picked up his cell phone.
While he was talking on the phone, the baby slept.

By the time

By the time: "possibly before but no later than when" (Int.– Adv. ESL, Native Speaker)

• By the time v. When
• Future
• Present
• Past
• Common Mistake
• Practice 1 – multiple choice
   

By the time I leave work, the sun will be setting. (ongoing)
By the time I leave work, the sun will have set. (completed)

Time-related Clauses

Adverbial Clauses: shortening clauses (Int.– Adv. ESL, Native Speaker)

• Shortening a Clause
• While
• When
• Before
• After
• Since
• Sentence Transformation
• "Be" Verbs
• Common Mistakes
• Practice 1 – multiple choice
• Practice 2 – multiple choice
  

While John was walking home, he came across a skunk.
While walking home, he came across a skunk.  

Connector Review

Connector Review: conjunctions, adverbs and transition words  (Int.–Adv. ESL, Native Speaker)

• Connector Chart — addition, alternative, cause and effect, comparison, condition, contrast, emphasis, place, time
• Practice 1– multiple choice
• Practice 2– edit sentences in paragraph

The day was cold and windy.
They day was cloudy, windy and also cold.
It was cloudy and windy.  Also, it was cold.
The wind was strong as well as cold.
Besides being windy, it was also cold.
The day was windy  and cold. In addition, it was bright and clear.
It was bright, clear and windy. Moreover, it was cold.
It was bright, clear and windy.  Furthermore, it was cold

Connector Edit

Connector Edit: finding conjunction, adverb and transition word errors (Int.–Adv. ESL)

• Review Links
• Practice – multiple choice

* We had to go home even we hadn't found what we were looking for.

Connector Parang

Connector Paragraph: using cause-effect and other connectors (Adv. ESL, Native Speaker)

• Connector Options
• Paragraph 1– multiple choice
• Paragraph 2– multiple choice
• Paragraph 3– multiple choice
• Paragraph 4– multiple choice

________, it seems to me that the reasons for her behavior are more complex.

Parallel Phrasing

Parallel Phrasing:  joining like items with and and but   (Adv. ESL, Native Speaker)

• Parallel Modifiers
• Parallel Verbs
• Parallel Phrases
• Practice 1– multiple choice
• Practice 2– multiple choice

Also see:  Parallel Gerund Prac

*My English is improving slow but surely.

My English is improving slowly but surely.

Sentence Editing

Sentence Editing: correcting connector use (Int.– Adv. ESL, Native Speaker)

• Review link – adding punctuation, removing wordiness, adding capitalization
• Practice – edit sent.

*Because I needed to miss a board meeting, so I notified the speaker.

Indeed / Even

Indeed / Even:  emphasizing unexpected or extraordinary details (Int.–Adv. ESL, Native Speaker)

• Indeed
• In Fact
• Even/Even though
• Even if/Even though
• Common Mistakes
• Punctuation
• Practice 1 – multiple choice
• Practice 2 – multiple choice
• Practice 3 – multiple choice
   

His work is indeed more amazing than before.
His work is in fact more amazing than before.
His work is even more amazing than before.

Clause/ Fragment

Clauses: identifying larger parts of a sentence (Int.– Adv. ESL, Native Speaker)

• Sentence Parts
• Phrase
• Clause – independent/ dependent
• Sentence– spoken/ written
• Common Mistakes
• Practice 1 – identify
• Practice 2 – edit sent.

*Each year, millions of people travel to the U.S. In fact, eighty-six million.   (fragment)

Put your suitcase down.  *Over there. (fragment)
*How about a visa? (fragment)

Run-on Sentences

Run-on Sentences: identifying simple and compound sentences (Int.– Adv. ESL, Native Speaker)

• Simple Sentence
• Compound Sentence with conjunctions or semicolons 
• Exceptions
• Practice 1 – identify
• Practice 2– edit sent.

My friend and I blogged and read over his shoulder.
My friend blogged, and I read over his shoulder.

For example

For Example / That is to say: adding examples or clarification (Int. ESL, Native Speakers)

• For Example
• List Examples
• Technical List e.g.
• That is
• Clarification
• Technical i.e.
• Common Mistakes
• Punctuation
• Resources
• Practice – correct/incorrect

Calcium is in green leafy vegetables, for example, broccoli, kale, arugula, and spinach.

There is calcium in vegetables such as broccoli, kale, arugula, and spinach.

Cruciferous vegetables (i.e., Brassicaceae) have flowers shaped like a cross.