Language Standards: Grammar and Usage with Conjunctions, Verb Tenses, and Sentence Clarity (CCSS.L.5.1)
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Common Core 5th Grade ELA › Language Standards: Grammar and Usage with Conjunctions, Verb Tenses, and Sentence Clarity (CCSS.L.5.1)
After placing the book on the high shelf, it suddenly fell open and startled me during quiet study hall today. Which option makes the sentence clear and correctly written?
After I placed the book on the high shelf, it suddenly fell open and startled me during quiet study hall today.
After placing the book on the high shelf, the book suddenly had fell open and startled me during quiet study hall today.
After placing the book on the high shelf, it suddenly falls open and startled me during quiet study hall today.
After placing the book on the high shelf, I am startled when it suddenly fell open during quiet study hall today.
Explanation
A fixes the dangling modifier by adding I as the one who placed the book and keeps consistent past tense. B keeps a dangling modifier and uses had fell (incorrect). C mixes tenses and keeps the modifier dangling. D fixes the modifier but mismatches am and fell.
Sam texted Alex after practice and said he lost the keys, so he would check the locker room. He hoped they were still there.
Which option makes the sentence clear by fixing the unclear pronouns?
After practice, Sam texted Alex to say that Sam had lost the keys, so Sam would check the locker room. Sam hoped they were still there.
Sam texted Alex after practice and said he lost the keys, so Alex would check the locker room. He hoped they were still there.
Sam texted Alex after practice and said Alex lost the keys, so he would check the locker room. He hoped they were still there.
After practice, Sam texted Alex and said he lost the keys, so he would check a locker room. They hoped it was still there.
Explanation
A replaces unclear he with Sam, making the meaning explicit. B and C still leave he ambiguous. D adds new confusion (a locker room) and mismatched pronouns (they/it).
By the time the gates opened, Maya eats her snack and had finished her drawing. Her friends arrived, and she forgets her markers on the bench.
Which revision uses verb tenses correctly to show the sequence of events?
By the time the gates opened, Maya ate her snack and finished her drawing. Her friends arrive, and she forgot her markers on the bench.
By the time the gates open, Maya had eaten her snack and had finished her drawing. Her friends arrived, and she forgot her markers on the bench.
By the time the gates opened, Maya eats her snack and finished her drawing. Her friends arrived, and she forgets her markers on the bench.
By the time the gates opened, Maya had eaten her snack and had finished her drawing. Her friends arrived, and she forgot her markers on the bench.
Explanation
D uses past perfect (had eaten, had finished) for actions before opened and simple past (arrived, forgot) for later actions. A misses past perfect and mixes tenses. B shifts opened to present. C mixes present and past.
By the time the rain started, we finished setting up the tents. Then we have forgot the stakes and have to go back. Which revision corrects the errors in verb tense and form?
By the time the rain starts, we finish setting up the tents. Then we had forgotten the stakes and have to go back.
By the time the rain started, we finished setting up the tents. Then we forgotten the stakes and had to go back.
By the time the rain had started, we have finished setting up the tents. Then we forgot the stakes and has to go back.
By the time the rain started, we had finished setting up the tents. Then we forgot the stakes and had to go back.
Explanation
D uses past perfect had finished for the earlier action and consistent simple past forgot and had to. A mixes present with past perfect. B uses forgotten without a helper and misses past perfect in the first clause. C mismatches had/has and mixes tenses.
By the time we reach the museum, we had finished our lunches on the bus, and Ms. Lee reminded us about the rules. Which revision best fixes the verb tenses to show the correct time and sequence?
By the time we reach the museum, we have finished our lunches on the bus, and Ms. Lee reminds us about the rules.
By the time we reach the museum, we will have finished our lunches on the bus, and Ms. Lee will remind us about the rules.
By the time we reached the museum, we finish our lunches on the bus, and Ms. Lee will have reminded us about the rules.
By the time we reach the museum, we finished our lunches on the bus, and Ms. Lee was reminding us about the rules.
Explanation
B uses the future perfect to show sequence: when we reach the museum, lunch will already be finished; it also makes Ms. Lee's action future. A, C, and D mix tenses or show the sequence incorrectly.
Either Mia or the twins is bringing snacks, and neither her coach or her teammates were ready to choose. It made the plan confusing. Which revision uses correlative conjunctions and subject-verb agreement correctly?
Either Mia nor the twins are bringing snacks, and neither her coach or her teammates was ready to choose.
Either Mia or the twins is bringing snacks, and neither her coach nor her teammates were ready to choose.
Either Mia or the twins are bringing snacks, and neither her coach nor her teammates were ready to choose.
Either Mia or the twins are bringing snacks, and neither her coach or her teammates were ready to choose.
Explanation
C matches the verb to the nearer subject (twins → are) and correctly uses neither/nor. A mixes either/nor and or/was incorrectly. B keeps is with plural twins. D uses or instead of nor in the second pair.
Neither my sister or my cousins is bringing their tents to the campout, so I will borrow one from the shed. Which revision corrects the correlative conjunction and subject-verb agreement?
Either my sister nor my cousins are bringing their tents to the campout, so I will borrow one from the shed.
Neither my sister or my cousins are bringing their tents to the campout, so I will borrow one from the shed.
Neither my sister nor my cousins are bringing their tents to the campout, so I will borrow one from the shed.
Neither my sister nor my cousins is bringing their tents to the campout, so I will borrow one from the shed.
Explanation
C correctly uses the correlative pair neither/nor and makes the verb agree with the nearer subject cousins (plural), so are is correct. A mispairs either/nor, B keeps or, and D uses a singular verb with a plural subject.
Hurrying to the bus stop, the backpack straps were flapping wildly, and it nearly fell off my shoulder. I tighten them when I catch my breath.
Which revision corrects the misplaced modifier and the verb tense shift?
Hurrying to the bus stop, I felt my backpack straps flapping wildly, and it nearly fell off my shoulder. I tighten them when I catch my breath.
Hurrying to the bus stop, the backpack straps were flapping wildly, and it nearly fell off my shoulder. I tightened them when I caught my breath.
Hurrying to the bus stop, I felt my backpack straps flapping wildly, and it nearly fell off my shoulder. I tightened them when I caught my breath.
Hurrying to the bus stop, the backpack straps flap wildly, and it nearly falls off my shoulder. I tighten them when I catch my breath.
Explanation
C gives the modifier a clear subject (I) and keeps past tense consistent. A fixes the modifier but keeps present-tense verbs. B keeps the dangling modifier. D uses present tense and still dangles the modifier.
Neither the book or the movie were interesting to us, and we was bored halfway through. We decided to play a game instead.
Which revision corrects the errors?
Neither the book nor the movie were interesting to us, and we were bored halfway through. We decided to play a game instead.
Neither the book nor the movie was interesting to us, and we were bored halfway through. We decided to play a game instead.
Neither the book nor the movie were interesting to us, and we was bored halfway through. We decided to play a game instead.
Either the book nor the movie was interesting to us, and we were bored halfway through. We decided to play a game instead.
Explanation
B correctly uses the correlative pair neither/nor, matches the singular subject with was, and fixes we were. A keeps the plural verb were. C keeps both errors. D uses the wrong correlative pair.
Either the trophies or the banner were hanging crooked, and it don't look right during the game. Which revision corrects the error?
Neither the trophies or the banner was hanging crooked, and it didn't look right during the game.
Either the trophies or the banner was hanging crooked, and it didn't look right during the game.
Either the trophies or the banner were hanging crooked, and it didn't look right during the game.
Either the trophies or the banner was hanging crooked, and it don't look right during the game.
Explanation
B fixes subject-verb agreement with banner was and makes the second clause past tense with didn't look. A uses the incorrect pair neither/or. C keeps were with singular banner. D keeps the incorrect don't look.