An Introductory Quiz: The Shadow Test

The Shadow Test

-Given to me at an AP seminar by Brenda Brown
-Taken from Paul B. Diedrich's Measuring Growth in English, NCTE, 1974.

Directions: Circle the number of the best answer to each question. The test is based on the following sentence:

I have a little shadow that goes in and out with me and what can be the use of him is more than I can see.

1. This sentence may be hard to read because one comma has been left out. Where would you put a comma to break up the sentence into two main parts?
a) after shadow b) after me c) after him d) after more
2. What kind of sentence is this?
a) simple b) complex c) compound d) compound complex
3. What is “I have a little shadow”?
a) the subject of the sentence b) the first independent clause c) the first subordinate clause d) the subject of “him”
4. What is “that goes in and out with me”?
a) the first independent clause b) a subordinate clause, object of have c) a subordinate clause modifying shadow d) a subordinate clause modifying goes
5. What is “and”?
a) a coordinating conjunction b) a subordinating conjunction c) a relative pronoun d) a preposition modifying what
6. What is “and what can be the use of him”?
a) the second independent clause b) a subordinate clause modifying shadow
c) a subordinate clause, subject of is d) a subordinate clause, subject of see
7. What is “than I can see”?
a) the second independent clause b) a subordinate clause, object of is
c) a subordinate clause, object of more d) a subordinate clause modifying more
8. What is “is”?
a) verb of second independent clause b) verb of second subordinate clause
c) verb modifying more d) a verb that does not have a subject
9. What is “more”?
a) a coordinating conjunction b) a subordinating conjunction
c) an adverb modifying “than I can see” d) a linking verb compliment
10. What is the subject of the first independent clause?
a) I b) shadow c) I have a little shadow d) that goes in and out with me
11. What is the subject of the second independent clause?
a) shadow b) that goes in and out with me c) what can be the use of him d) more than I can see
12. How many subordinate clauses are there in this sentence?
a) one b) two c) three d) four
13. What is the subject of the first subordinate clause?
a) shadow b) that c) what d) more
14. What is the subject of the second subordinate clause?
a) what b) use c) him d) more
15. What is the subject of the third subordinate clause?
a) there is no third subordinate clause b) what c) see d) I
16. What is the verb of the first subordinate clause?
a) have b) goes c) can be d) can see
17. What is the verb of the second subordinate clause?
a) does b) can be c) is d) can see
18. What is “shadow”?
a) subject of the whole sentence b) object of have c) a linking verb complement d) object of the preposition
19. What are “in” and “out”?
a) prepositions b) adverbs c) objects of “goes” d) adjectives modifying “with me”
20. What does “with me” modify?
a) shadow b) have c) goes d) in and out
21. What is “what”?
a) a relative pronoun b) an interrogative pronoun c) an indefinite pronoun d) a personal pronoun
22. What is “of him”?
a) object of the verb “use” b) prepositional phrase modifying “use”
c) prepositional phrase, subject of “is more” d) prepositional phrase modifying “can be”
23. What is “than”?
a) a coordinating conjunction b) a subordinating conjunction
c) an adverb modifying “can see” d) a relative pronoun, object of “can see”
24. “Can be” is a different form of the same verb as
a) have b) goes c) is d) can see
25. What is “can” in “can be” and “can see”?
a) an adverb b) an auxiliary c) the subject d) the object
26. The subordinate clauses in this sentence have three of the following functions. Which one do they not have?
a) noun b) verb c) adjective d) adverb: TOP
GRAMMAR ROCK