Test your grammar skills with this fun 10-question quiz! If you like it, we have more quizzes waiting for you.

Please call Frank and ___ (I, me) tomorrow.

Incorrect, but never fear—an explanation is here!

You would say “Please call me,” so you should also use “me” even when there are names in front of that pronoun. A more technical explanation: “Me” is the direct object of “called,” so you use the object form. “I” is the subject form.

That’s correct! Here’s why:

How many hyphens should be added to this sentence?

The three year old girl dropped her doll out the bus window.

zero

one

two

three

Incorrect, but never fear—an explanation is here!

“Three-year-old” is acting as an adjective in front of the word “girl,” so package it up tidily with hyphens. This version would not use hyphens, though:

The girl, who was three years old, dropped her doll out the bus window.

That’s correct! Here’s why:

“Three-year-old” is acting as an adjective in front of the word “girl,” so package it up tidily with hyphens. This version would not use hyphens, though:

The girl, who was three years old, dropped her doll out the bus window.

______ (Tess’s, Tess’) phone fell into the pool at 3 p.m.

Tess’s

Tess’

Both options are broadly in use and accepted by large numbers of people.

Incorrect, but never fear—an explanation is here!

The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal do Tess’s. Associated Press style is Tess’.

That’s correct! Here’s why:

The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal do Tess’s. Associated Press style is Tess’.

Which of these sentences indicates that all the students received awards?

I gave awards to the students who had earned perfect scores.

I gave awards to the students, who had earned perfect scores.

Incorrect, but never fear—an explanation is here!

When there is a comma before the “who,” the “who”-clause contains nonessential information. With the comma, this sentence means essentially “I gave awards to all the students, and oh by the way they achieved perfect scores.”

That’s correct! Here’s why:

Amy saw ___ (a, an) UFO on Amsterdam Avenue.

Incorrect, but never fear—an explanation is here!

While it is true that you use “an” before vowels and “a” before consonants, this rule is based on sound, not spelling. If you say UFO, it sounds like this: yoo eff oh. The first sound is that y sound—a consonant.

That’s correct! Here’s why:

___ (A, An) FBI agent is knocking at my neighbor’s door.

Incorrect, but never fear—an explanation is here!

Although you would normally use “an” before a vowel and “a” before a consonant, the choice is based on sound rather than spelling. FBI is pronounced eff bee eye, and the first sound in that is a vowel: e.

That’s correct! Here’s why:

Is the following sentence grammatically correct?

Because it was raining, we held the annual company picnic inside.

yes

Incorrect, but never fear—an explanation is here!

It is fine to begin a sentence with “because.” It is a myth that it isn’t.

That’s correct! Here’s why:

It is fine to begin a sentence with “because.” It is a myth that it isn’t.

Does this sentence contain a dangling modifier?

Preferring etymology to entomology, it was time to change his major.

yes

Incorrect, but never fear—an explanation is here!

The element modified by “Preferring etymology to entomology”—the student—needs to appear right after it, but he never makes a showing. The following revision would solve the problem:

Preferring etymology to entomology, he realized it was time to change his major.

That’s correct! Here’s why:

The element modified by “Preferring etymology to entomology”—the student—needs to appear right after it, but he never makes a showing. The following revision would solve the problem:

Preferring etymology to entomology, he realized it was time to change his major.

Neither of my colleagues ____ (was, were) available to take the call.

was

were

Incorrect, but never fear—an explanation is here!

The subject is “neither,” which is singular.

That’s correct! Here’s why:

The subject is “neither,” which is singular.

How many errors does the following sentence contain?

You should of been their.

zero

one

two

Incorrect, but never fear—an explanation is here!

“Should of” should have been “should’ve” or “should have.” “Their” should be “there.”

That’s correct! Here’s why:

“Should of” should have been “should’ve” or “should have.” “Their” should be “there.”

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