Grade: Grade 11 Subject: English Language Arts Unit: Advanced Grammar Lesson: 3 of 6 SAT: StandardEnglishConventions ACT: English

Text-Based Grammar Practice

Learn

In this lesson, you will apply grammar rules to authentic passages similar to those found on the SAT and ACT. Rather than isolated sentence corrections, you will analyze grammar in context, considering how sentences function within paragraphs and how grammatical choices affect meaning and flow.

Why Context Matters in Grammar

Standardized tests present grammar questions within passages for a reason: correct grammar depends on context. A sentence that seems grammatically correct in isolation may contain errors when considered alongside surrounding sentences. Key contextual factors include:

  • Pronoun reference clarity: Pronouns must clearly refer to specific antecedents, which may appear in previous sentences
  • Verb tense consistency: Tense shifts should be intentional and logical within the passage's timeline
  • Parallel structure: Lists and comparisons within and across sentences must maintain consistent grammatical forms
  • Modifier placement: Modifying phrases must clearly connect to what they describe, even when separated by other content

Reading for Grammar

When approaching a passage-based grammar question:

  1. Read the full paragraph first to understand the context and flow
  2. Identify the underlined portion's function in the sentence and paragraph
  3. Check surrounding sentences for clues about tense, number, and reference
  4. Eliminate clearly wrong answers before comparing remaining options
  5. Read your choice back into the passage to confirm it works in context

Common Passage-Level Grammar Issues

Sentence Boundaries: Run-on sentences and comma splices often span ideas that seem connected. Look for independent clauses that need proper separation.

Transition Logic: Conjunctive adverbs (however, therefore, moreover) and coordinating conjunctions must accurately reflect the relationship between ideas.

Subject-Verb Agreement Across Clauses: When subjects and verbs are separated by intervening phrases or clauses, agreement errors become more likely and harder to spot.

Examples

Example Passage 1: Historical Analysis

The development of the printing press in the 15th century revolutionized the spread of information across Europe. Johannes Gutenberg, who was a German blacksmith and inventor, they created a system of movable type that made book production faster and cheaper. Before this innovation, books were copied by hand, a process that could take months or even years.

Question: Which choice best corrects the underlined portion?

  1. who was a German blacksmith and inventor, they
  2. a German blacksmith and inventor,
  3. who was a German blacksmith and inventor, he
  4. being a German blacksmith and inventor, who

Answer: B

Explanation: The original creates a pronoun error ("they" has no clear antecedent and disagrees with the singular "Gutenberg"). Option B uses an appositive phrase to describe Gutenberg concisely without pronoun issues. Option C incorrectly uses "he" after the relative clause. Option D creates an unclear modifier.

Example Passage 2: Scientific Explanation

Climate scientists have documented significant changes in Arctic ice coverage over the past several decades. The extent of summer sea ice have decreased by approximately 13% per decade since satellite measurements began in 1979. This decline affects not only polar ecosystems but also global weather patterns, as the Arctic plays a crucial role in regulating Earth's temperature.

Question: Which choice maintains subject-verb agreement?

  1. have decreased
  2. has decreased
  3. are decreasing
  4. were decreased

Answer: B

Explanation: The subject is "extent" (singular), not "ice" or "decades." A singular subject requires the singular verb "has decreased." The intervening prepositional phrase "of summer sea ice" does not change the subject. The present perfect tense ("has decreased") correctly indicates an action that began in the past and continues to the present, matching the context of ongoing documentation.

Practice

Apply your grammar skills to these passage-based questions. Read each passage carefully before answering.

Passage A: Art History

The Impressionist movement emerged in France during the 1860s and 1870s, challenging the rigid conventions of academic painting. Artists like Claude Monet and Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1) sought to capture fleeting moments of light and color rather than creating highly polished, idealized images. (2) Their technique of using visible brushstrokes and emphasizing the changing qualities of natural light was initially rejected by critics. (3) However, the movement eventually gained widespread acceptance and profoundly influenced the development of modern art.

1. Which choice best maintains the passage's formal tone?

  1. sought to capture (NO CHANGE)
  2. were trying to get
  3. wanted to grab
  4. attempted at capturing

2. The underlined pronoun refers to:

  1. The Impressionist movement
  2. Claude Monet and Pierre-Auguste Renoir
  3. fleeting moments
  4. rigid conventions

3. Is the transition word "However" appropriate in this context?

  1. Yes, because it signals a contrast between initial rejection and eventual acceptance
  2. No, it should be "Therefore" to show cause and effect
  3. No, it should be "Meanwhile" to show simultaneous events
  4. No, it should be "Furthermore" to add supporting information

Passage B: Technology and Society

The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence has sparked debates about its potential impact on employment. Some economists predict that automation (4) will eliminate millions of jobs in manufacturing, transportation, and customer service. Others argue that new technologies (5) has always created more jobs than they destroy, pointing to historical examples like the Industrial Revolution. (6) The truth probably lies somewhere between these extremes, with significant job displacement in some sectors balanced by job creation in others.

4. Which verb tense is most appropriate for the underlined portion?

  1. will eliminate (NO CHANGE)
  2. eliminates
  3. had eliminated
  4. would have eliminated

5. Which choice corrects the subject-verb agreement error?

  1. has always created (NO CHANGE)
  2. have always created
  3. always creates
  4. were always creating

6. The underlined portion functions as:

  1. A complete sentence with proper structure
  2. A sentence fragment that needs revision
  3. A run-on sentence that needs separation
  4. A comma splice that needs correction

Passage C: Environmental Science

Coral reefs, often called the rainforests of the sea, (7) supports approximately 25% of all marine species despite covering less than 1% of the ocean floor. Rising ocean temperatures and acidification (8) threatens these delicate ecosystems. When water temperatures exceed normal ranges, corals expel the symbiotic algae that provide them with nutrients and color, (9) a process known as bleaching that can lead to coral death. Conservation efforts, (10) including marine protected areas and coral restoration projects, is essential for preserving these biodiversity hotspots.

7. Which choice maintains correct subject-verb agreement?

  1. supports (NO CHANGE)
  2. support
  3. is supporting
  4. has supported

8. Which choice corrects the error in the underlined portion?

  1. threatens (NO CHANGE)
  2. threaten
  3. is threatening
  4. has threatened

9. The underlined portion is:

  1. Correctly punctuated as an appositive phrase
  2. A comma splice that needs correction
  3. Missing a comma before "that"
  4. A dangling modifier

10. Which choice corrects the subject-verb agreement error?

  1. including marine protected areas and coral restoration projects, is
  2. including marine protected areas and coral restoration projects, are
  3. that include marine protected areas and coral restoration projects, is
  4. which includes marine protected areas and coral restoration projects, are

Check Your Understanding

Practice Answers

  1. A - "Sought to capture" maintains formal academic tone appropriate for the passage.
  2. B - "Their" refers to the artists mentioned (Monet and Renoir), as they are the ones using the technique.
  3. A - "However" correctly signals the contrast between initial rejection and eventual acceptance.
  4. A - Future tense "will eliminate" is appropriate for predictions about what may happen.
  5. B - "Technologies" is plural, requiring the plural verb "have."
  6. A - The sentence is complete with subject ("truth") and verb ("lies") plus a modifying phrase.
  7. B - "Coral reefs" is plural, requiring plural verb "support." The parenthetical phrase doesn't change the subject.
  8. B - Compound subject "temperatures and acidification" requires plural verb "threaten."
  9. A - The phrase correctly explains "bleaching" as an appositive.
  10. B - "Conservation efforts" is the subject (plural), requiring "are." The parenthetical phrase describes what the efforts include.

Self-Assessment

Review your answers and consider:

  • Did you correctly identify the subject in sentences with intervening phrases?
  • Were you able to maintain awareness of context while answering individual questions?
  • Did you read your chosen answers back into the passage to verify they worked?

Next Steps

  • Practice identifying subjects separated from their verbs by parenthetical phrases
  • Review pronoun-antecedent agreement rules with complex sentences
  • Move on to the next lesson to apply grammar skills in your own writing
  • Return to practice problems periodically for review