Test your grammar knowledge with this fun grammar quiz based on examples from Taylor Swift songs! Dazzle your friends with your musical grammaticality!

What parts of speech appear in Taylor Swift’s song title “Cruel Summer”?

adverb adjective

adverb noun

adjective pronoun

adjective noun

Incorrect, but never fear—an explanation is here!

“Summer” is a noun, and a word that modifies a noun—such as “cruel”—must be an adjective.

That’s correct! Here’s why:

“Summer” is a noun, and a word that modifies a noun—such as “cruel”—must be an adjective.

What option below best describes the grammar of the song title “Look What You Made Me Do”?

indicative

imperative

subjunctive

Incorrect, but never fear—an explanation is here!

The song title is a command. That is also known as imperative mood.

That’s correct! Here’s why:

The song title is a command. That is also known as imperative mood.

What is the grammatical structure of this line from the song “Picture to Burn”?

As far as I’m concerned, you’re just another picture to burn.

two independent clauses

two dependent clauses

independent clause followed by a dependent clause

dependent clause followed by an independent clause

Incorrect, but never fear—an explanation is here!

“As far as” is a subordinating conjunction that heads up the opening dependent clause: “As far as I’m concerned.” “You’re just another picture to burn” is an independent clause.

That’s correct! Here’s why:

“As far as” is a subordinating conjunction that heads up the opening dependent clause: “As far as I’m concerned.” “You’re just another picture to burn” is an independent clause.

How many prepositional phrases are there in this line from the song “Happiness?

Sorry, I can’t see facts through all of my fury.

zero

one

two

three

Incorrect, but never fear—an explanation is here!

The prepositional phrases are indicated with parentheses:

Sorry, I can’t see facts (through all) (of my fury).

That’s correct! Here’s why:

The prepositional phrases are indicated with parentheses:

Sorry, I can’t see facts (through all) (of my fury).

How many pronouns appear in the song title “You Belong with Me”?

zero

one

two

three

Incorrect, but never fear—an explanation is here!

The two pronouns are “you” and “me.”

That’s correct! Here’s why:

The two pronouns are “you” and “me.”

How many direct objects does this line from “All Too Well” contain?

You kept me like a secret, but I kept you like an oath.

zero

one

two

three

Incorrect, but never fear—an explanation is here!

The two direct objects are indicated in caps here:

You kept ME like a secret, but I kept YOU like an oath.

That’s correct! Here’s why:

The two direct objects are indicated in caps here:

You kept ME like a secret, but I kept YOU like an oath.

In the song title “I Knew You Were Trouble,” which option below describes the role of “Trouble”?

subject

subject complement

object

object complement

Incorrect, but never fear—an explanation is here!

To answer this question, focus on the clause ”[that] you were trouble,” where “you” is the subject and “trouble” is the subject complement. A subject complement is a noun or adjective that appears in the predicate after a linking verb. Here the subject complement tells us something about the subject—“you”—and what it tells us is that that “you” is trouble!

That’s correct! Here’s why:

How do you spell this Taylor Swift song title?

Should’ve Said No

Should of Said No

Incorrect, but never fear—an explanation is here!

This isn’t really a fair question, since Taylor Swift could’ve done whatever she wanted in that song title. But in any case, she used “should’ve,” which is what it almost always should be in real life whenever you see “should of.”

Note: In workplace writing, “should’ve” is typically written out—“should have”—rather than contracted. A Taylor Swift song and business memos do not abide by the same language conventions, however.

That’s correct! Here’s why:

For the purpose of this question, the line below from Swift’s song “Lover” has been stripped of all its commas. How many commas need to be added back in to restore it to its original (definitely correct) state?

I’ve loved you three summers now honey but I want ’em all.

zero

one

two

three

Incorrect, but never fear—an explanation is here!

“Honey” should be set off with commas. This is how the line was punctuated by Taylor Swift:

I’ve loved you three summers now, honey, but I want ’em all.

Taylor Swift knows how to punctuate direct address.

That’s correct! Here’s why:

“Honey” should be set off with commas. This is how the line was punctuated by Taylor Swift:

I’ve loved you three summers now, honey, but I want ’em all.

Taylor Swift knows how to punctuate direct address.

Grammar puzzle! Adding which of the following words to the song title “Shake It Off” would change it from imperative to indicative mood?

they

now

Incorrect, but never fear—an explanation is here!

Adding the word “they” to the beginning would make the sentence indicative instead: “They Shake It Off.” Oops, not a very sizzly song title.

The other two options would both preserve the imperative. “Shake It Off Now” would merely add urgency to the command, and “Shake It Off Me” would make it sound as though there were a spider involved!

That’s correct! Here’s why:

Adding the word “they” to the beginning would make the sentence indicative instead: “They Shake It Off.” Oops, not a very sizzly song title.