Question 1

The following sentences form a paragraph. For each blank, select the correct verb form.
-The shaking __________ for forty-five seconds.

Accepted Answer

A)  last 
B)  lasted 
A)  last 
B)  lasted

Question 2

The following sentences form a paragraph. For each blank, select the correct verb form.
-Hunt quickly dressed, threw open his door, and __________ downstairs into the street.

Accepted Answer

A)  ran 
B)  runned 
A)  ran 
B)  runned

Question 3

The following sentences form a paragraph. For each blank, select the correct verb form.
-In all, Saint Bernards __________ more than two thousand lives.

Accepted Answer

A)  have saved 
B)  has save 
A)  have saved 
B)  has save

Question 4

Select the infinitive form of each of the following verbs.
-went

Accepted Answer

A)  to gone 
B)  to go 
A)  to gone 
B)  to go

Question 5

The following sentences form a paragraph. For each blank, select the correct verb form.
-Then fires __________ out and started to spread.

Accepted Answer

A)  breaked 
B)  broke 
A)  breaked 
B)  broke

Question 6

Select the infinitive form of each of the following verbs.
-said

Accepted Answer

A)  to says 
B)  to say 
A)  to says 
B)  to say

Question 7

The first sentence in each set contains a two-part verb (to have and a past participle).  The second sentence contains a fixed-form helping verb and a blank.  Select the correct form of the main verb for the second sentence.
-Ellen has practiced flips for hours. Ellen could ___________________ flips for hours.

Accepted Answer

A)  practice 
B)  practices 
C)  practiced 
A)  practice 
B)  practices 
C)  practiced

Question 8

The following sentences form a paragraph. For each blank, select the correct verb form.
-When a team of Saint Bernards ________ a hurt traveler, one of the dogs lies down next to the sufferer to keep him or her warm and licks the person's face to restore consciousness.

Accepted Answer

A)  find 
B)  finds 
A)  find 
B)  finds

Question 9

The first sentence in each set contains a two-part verb (to have and a past participle). The second sentence contains a fixed-form helping verb and a blank. Select the correct form of the main verb for the second sentence.
-We have picked the winners. We can __________________ the winners.

Accepted Answer

A)  Pick 
B)  picks 
C)  picked 
A)  Pick 
B)  picks 
C)  picked

Question 10

The following sentences form a paragraph. For each blank, select the correct verb form.
-The whole city _________ like breaking waves.

Accepted Answer

A)  looked 
B)  look 
A)  looked 
B)  look

Question 11

For each blank in the following sentences, select the present tense will or the past tense would.
-Before I register, I would like to know who __________ teach the class.

Accepted Answer

A)  will 
B)  would 
A)  will 
B)  would

Question 12

The following sentences form a paragraph. For each blank, select the correct verb form.
-It _____________ Hunt four hours to push through the four blocks from his hotel to the safety of the Oakland ferry.

Accepted Answer

A)  taked 
B)  took 
A)  taked 
B)  took

Question 13

For each blank in the following sentences, select the present tense helping verb can or the past tense could. To determine whether a sentence is in the present or past tense, look at other verbs in the sentence or look for a time word.
-Drew is busy, but he ____________ help at the shelter once a week.

Accepted Answer

A)  can 
B)  could 
A)  can 
B)  could

Question 14

The first sentence in each set contains a two-part verb (to have and a past participle).  The second sentence contains a fixed-form helping verb and a blank.  Select the correct form of the main verb for the second sentence.
-Ayash has plowed the field. Ayash may _________________ the field.

Accepted Answer

A)  plow 
B)  plowed 
A)  plow 
B)  plowed

Question 15

The following sentences form a paragraph. For each blank, select the correct verb form.
-Saint Bernards ________ legendary dogs famous for their many acts of bravery.

Accepted Answer

A)  is 
B)  are 
A)  is 
B)  are

Question 16

Select the correct past tense form of each verb. Some verbs are regular; others are irregular.
-Kim___________________ (feel) better after finishing his math project.

Accepted Answer

A)  feels 
B)  feeled 
C)  felt 
A)  feels 
B)  feeled 
C)  felt

Question 17

The first sentence in each set contains a two-part verb (to have and a past participle). The second sentence contains a fixed-form helping verb and a blank. Select the correct form of the main verb for the second sentence.
-Mr. Snow has paid his taxes. Mrs. Snow will _________________ his taxes.

Accepted Answer

A)  pay 
B)  pays 
C)  paid 
A)  pay 
B)  pays 
C)  paid

Question 18

Select the letter of the verb that agrees with the subject.
-My car (need, needs) a tune-up.

Accepted Answer

A)  need 
B)  needs 
A)  need 
B)  needs

Question 19

The following sentences form a paragraph. For each blank, select the correct verb form.
-Hunt, watching in terror, could ________ believe his eyes.

Accepted Answer

A)  not hardly 
B)  hardly 
A)  not hardly 
B)  hardly

Question 20

The following sentences form a paragraph. For each blank, select the correct verb form.
-She explained to Muriel how to care for the bird while it healed and _______ her that it would be two or three weeks before the bird flew again.

Accepted Answer

A)  telled 
B)  told 
A)  telled 
B)  told

Exam 15: Fixed-Form Helping Verbs and Verb Problems

The following sentences form a paragraph. For each blank, select the correct verb form. -The shaking __________ for forty-five seconds.

The following sentences form a paragraph. For each blank, select the correct verb form. -Hunt quickly dressed, threw open his door, and __________ downstairs into the street.

The following sentences form a paragraph. For each blank, select the correct verb form. -In all, Saint Bernards __________ more than two thousand lives.

Select the infinitive form of each of the following verbs. -went

The following sentences form a paragraph. For each blank, select the correct verb form. -Then fires __________ out and started to spread.

Select the infinitive form of each of the following verbs. -said

The following sentences form a paragraph. For each blank, select the correct verb form. -When a team of Saint Bernards ________ a hurt traveler, one of the dogs lies down next to the sufferer to keep him or her warm and licks the person's face to restore consciousness.

The first sentence in each set contains a two-part verb (to have and a past participle). The second sentence contains a fixed-form helping verb and a blank. Select the correct form of the main verb for the second sentence. -We have picked the winners. We can __________________ the winners.

The following sentences form a paragraph. For each blank, select the correct verb form. -The whole city _________ like breaking waves.

For each blank in the following sentences, select the present tense will or the past tense would. -Before I register, I would like to know who __________ teach the class.

The following sentences form a paragraph. For each blank, select the correct verb form. -It _____________ Hunt four hours to push through the four blocks from his hotel to the safety of the Oakland ferry.

The first sentence in each set contains a two-part verb (to have and a past participle). The second sentence contains a fixed-form helping verb and a blank. Select the correct form of the main verb for the second sentence. -Ayash has plowed the field. Ayash may _________________ the field.

The following sentences form a paragraph. For each blank, select the correct verb form. -Saint Bernards ________ legendary dogs famous for their many acts of bravery.

Select the correct past tense form of each verb. Some verbs are regular; others are irregular. -Kim___________________ (feel) better after finishing his math project.

The first sentence in each set contains a two-part verb (to have and a past participle). The second sentence contains a fixed-form helping verb and a blank. Select the correct form of the main verb for the second sentence. -Mr. Snow has paid his taxes. Mrs. Snow will _________________ his taxes.

Select the letter of the verb that agrees with the subject. -My car (need, needs) a tune-up.

The following sentences form a paragraph. For each blank, select the correct verb form. -Hunt, watching in terror, could ________ believe his eyes.

The following sentences form a paragraph. For each blank, select the correct verb form. -She explained to Muriel how to care for the bird while it healed and _______ her that it would be two or three weeks before the bird flew again.

Exploring the Writing Process

Prewriting to Generate Ideas

Developing Effective Paragraphs

Improving Your Paragraphs

Thinking Through Paragraph Patterns

Thinking Through Paragraph Patterns

Moving From Paragraph to Essay

Proofreading to Correct Your Personal Error Patterns

Subjects and Verbs

Avoiding Sentence Fragments

Present Tense Agreement

Past Tense

The Past Participle in Action

Progressive Tenses to Be -Ing Verb Form

Coordination

Subordination

Avoiding Run-Ons and Comma Splices

Semicolons and Conjunctive Adverbs

Relative Pronouns

Ing Modifiers

Nouns

Pronouns

Adjectives and Adverbs

Prepositions

Consistent Tense

Consistent Person

Parallelism

Capitalization

Commas

Apostrophes

Direct and Indirect Quotations

Putting Your Proofreading Skills to Work

Spelling

Look-Alikes-Sound-Alikes

Filters