Use phrases and clauses to say it better

Grade 9 Reading Worksheet - Challenge Me

Circle the best answer.

1. Read this first

   Sentences

   [1] Dr. Alvarez studied the glacier for a decade. [2] She mapped its retreat. [3] The retreat exposed the lake that now supplies the town's water.

2. 1.

   Ari combines three sentences into one with a participial phrase and a relative clause. Which sentence is correct and keeps every detail?

   • Having studied the glacier for a decade, Dr. Alvarez mapped its retreat that now supplies the town's water, which exposed the lake.
   • Having studied the glacier for a decade, its retreat was mapped by Dr. Alvarez, which exposed the lake that now supplies the town's water.
   • Having studied the glacier for a decade, Dr. Alvarez mapped its retreat, which exposed the lake that now supplies the town's water.
   • Having studied the glacier for a decade, Dr. Alvarez mapped its retreat, which exposed the lake that once supplied the town's water.

3. Draft

   Hoping to impress the judges, the prototype was finished two weeks early by the team. The mentor handed a wrench to the student with a crooked handle.

4. 2.

   Esme edits a robotics-club report. The draft has two modifier slips. Which revision fixes both and keeps every detail?

   • Hoping to impress the judges, the team finished the prototype two weeks early. The mentor handed a wrench to the student with a crooked handle.
   • Hoping to impress the judges, the team finished the prototype one week early. The mentor handed the student a wrench with a crooked handle.
   • Hoping to impress the judges, the team finished the prototype two weeks early. The mentor handed the student a wrench with a crooked handle.
   • Hoping to impress the judges, the prototype was finished two weeks early by the team. The mentor handed the student a wrench with a crooked handle.
5. 3.

   [1] The drummer kept the beat. [2] His sticks blurred in the lights. Kira edits a concert review. The writer wants a vivid detail after the main clause, with no conjunction and no who or which. Which sentence does that?

   • The drummer kept the beat, his sticks blurring in the lights.
   • The drummer, whose sticks blurred in the lights, kept the beat.
   • The drummer kept the beat. His sticks blurring in the lights.
   • The drummer kept the beat, his sticks were blurring in the lights.
6. 4.

   Having read the instructions once, the experiment was started by the students, which were new to the lab. Luz edits a lab report. The draft has two modifier slips. Which revision fixes both and keeps every detail?

   • Having read the instructions once, the students, which were new to the lab, started the experiment.
   • Having read the instructions twice, the students, who were new to the lab, started the experiment.
   • Having read the instructions once, the experiment was started by the students, who were new to the lab.
   • Having read the instructions once, the students, who were new to the lab, started the experiment.

7. Sentences

   [1] The relay team ran drills on the frozen track all winter. [2] The relay team gained speed. [3] The relay team qualified for the state meet in March.

8. 5.

   Milo combines three sentences into one with a participial phrase. Which sentence is correct and keeps every detail?

   • Running drills on the frozen track all winter, the relay team gained speed and qualified for the state meet in April.
   • Running drills on the frozen track all winter, the relay team gained speed and qualified for the state meet in March.
   • Running drills on the frozen track all winter, the state meet in March was qualified for by a faster relay team.
   • The relay team ran drills on the frozen track all winter, it gained speed and qualified for the state meet in March.
9. 6.

   [1] The late bus delayed the track team. [2] The bus runs to the airport. Noah edits a school notice. The writer wants the words that say which bus inside the noun phrase, with no commas. Which sentence does that?

   • The bus that runs to the airport delayed the track team.
   • The bus that runs to the airport. It delayed the track team.
   • Running to the airport, the track team was delayed by the bus.
   • The bus, running to the airport, delayed the track team.
10. 7.

    Walking through the gallery, a painting caught Ms. Ito's eye, she paused to read the label. Pia edits a museum blog post. The draft has two slips. Which revision fixes both and keeps every detail?

    • Walking through the gallery, Ms. Ito noticed a statue and paused to read the label.
    • Walking through the gallery, Ms. Ito noticed a painting and paused to read the label.
    • Walking through the gallery, Ms. Ito noticed a painting, she paused to read the label.
    • Walking through the gallery, a painting caught Ms. Ito's eye and she paused to read the label.

11. Sentences

    [1] Mr. Haddad repairs vintage clocks. [2] He works in a shop on Maple Street. [3] The shop smells of oil and cedar.

12. 8.

    Ren combines three sentences into one with a relative clause. Which sentence is correct and keeps every detail?

    • Mr. Haddad works in a shop on Maple Street, which repairs vintage clocks and smells of oil and cedar.
    • Mr. Haddad, who repairs vintage clocks, works in a shop on Maple Street that smells of oil and varnish.
    • Mr. Haddad repairs vintage clocks in a shop on Maple Street, the shop smells of oil and cedar.
    • Mr. Haddad, who repairs vintage clocks, works in a shop on Maple Street that smells of oil and cedar.
13. 9.

    [1] The downpour soaked the cyclists. [2] The cyclists took shelter under the bridge. Tala edits a cycling-club story. The writer wants the cause first, in a phrase built on a past-tense verb form. Which sentence does that?

    • Soaked by the downpour, the cyclists took shelter under the bridge.
    • The cyclists were soaked by the downpour, they took shelter under the bridge.
    • Soaked by the downpour, shelter was taken under the bridge.
    • Because the downpour soaked them, the cyclists took shelter under the bridge.

14. Draft

    To prepare for the audit, every receipt was sorted by the clerk, who handed the folder to the manager that was stamped urgent.

15. 10.

    Zee edits a school-office memo. The draft has two modifier slips. Which revision fixes both and keeps every detail?

    • To prepare for the audit, the clerk sorted every receipt and handed the manager the folder that was stamped urgent.
    • To prepare for the audit, the clerk sorted every receipt and handed the manager the folder that was stamped confidential.
    • To prepare for the audit, the clerk sorted every receipt and handed the folder to the manager that was stamped urgent.
    • To prepare for the audit, every receipt was sorted by the clerk, who handed the manager the folder that was stamped urgent.