Use phrases and clauses to say it better

Grade 9 Reading Worksheet - Building Confidence

Circle the best answer.

1. 1.

   [Its sails snapping in the crosswind], the sloop heeled hard toward the buoy. Ari brackets the opening group in a sailing story. Which choice names the group and says what it tells about?

   • An absolute phrase: “sails” stands before “snapping,” and the group tells about the whole clause.
   • A relative clause: it describes the sloop and has its own subject, “sails,” and a verb.
   • An appositive: “Its sails snapping in the crosswind” is a noun phrase that renames “the sloop.”
   • A participial phrase: “snapping” describes the noun “the sloop” right after the comma.
2. 2.

   [1] The scholarship fund was created by Ms. Aguilar. [2] Her late husband taught at the school. Bo combines two sentences with a relative clause. Which sentence is correct and keeps every detail?

   • The scholarship fund was created by Ms. Aguilar, her late husband taught at the school.
   • The scholarship fund was created by Ms. Aguilar, who late husband taught at the school.
   • The scholarship fund, whose late husband taught at the school, was created by Ms. Aguilar.
   • The scholarship fund was created by Ms. Aguilar, whose late husband taught at the school.
3. 3.

   Hoping to finish before the storm, the roof was patched by the crew in one afternoon. Esme edits a roofing report. Which revision fixes the dangling opening phrase and keeps every detail?

   • Hoping to finish before the storm, the crew patched the roof in one afternoon.
   • Hoping to finish before the storm, the patching of the roof took the crew one afternoon.
   • Hoping to finish before the storm. The roof was patched by the crew in one afternoon.
   • Hoping to finish before the storm, the crew patched the roof in two afternoons.
4. 4.

   [1] The class read a novel. [2] In the novel, the narrator never gives a name. Kira combines two sentences with a relative clause. Which sentence is correct and keeps every detail?

   • The class, in which the narrator never gives a name, read a novel.
   • The class read a novel in which the narrator never gives a name.
   • The class read a novel in which the narrator seldom gives a name.
   • The class read a novel that the narrator never gives a name.
5. 5.

   Dr. Imani Okoro, [a marine geologist who maps the ocean floor], led the lecture. Milo brackets a group in a school-newsletter sentence. Which choice names the bracketed group and says what it tells about?

   • An absolute phrase: it tells about the whole clause, the lecture, and has its own noun.
   • A relative clause: it begins with “a marine geologist who” and describes Dr. Imani Okoro.
   • An appositive: it is a noun phrase built on “geologist” that renames Dr. Imani Okoro.
   • A participial phrase: “a marine geologist” tells what the doctor does as she leads the lecture.
6. 6.

   [1] Ms. Torres teaches the glassblowing elective. [2] She has exhibited her work in three states. Noah combines two sentences with a relative clause. Which sentence is correct and keeps every detail?

   • Ms. Torres, who has exhibited her work in four states, teaches the glassblowing elective.
   • Ms. Torres teaches the glassblowing elective, she has exhibited her work in three states.
   • Ms. Torres, which has exhibited her work in three states, teaches the glassblowing elective.
   • Ms. Torres, who has exhibited her work in three states, teaches the glassblowing elective.
7. 7.

   While cleaning out the old shed, a box of faded photographs was found by Mr. Abara. Pia edits a neighborhood-newsletter line. Which revision fixes the dangling opening clause and keeps every detail?

   • While cleaning out the old shed, Mr. Abara found a box of faded photographs.
   • While cleaning out the old shed. Mr. Abara found a box of faded photographs.
   • While cleaning out the old garage, Mr. Abara found a box of faded photographs.
   • While cleaning out the old shed, there was a box of faded photographs found by Mr. Abara.
8. 8.

   The ferry, [which the harbor board had repaired twice that year], still leaked. Ren brackets a group in a harbor-news sentence. Which choice names the bracketed group and says what it tells about?

   • An appositive: it is a noun phrase that renames “the ferry.”
   • A participial phrase: “repaired” describes “the ferry” and has no noun of its own.
   • An absolute phrase: it has its own subject, “the harbor board,” and tells about the whole clause.
   • A relative clause: it begins with “which,” has its own subject and verb, and describes “the ferry.”
9. 9.

   [1] Kelp is a fast-growing seaweed. [2] Kelp forms underwater forests along the coast. Tala combines two sentences with an appositive. Which sentence is correct and keeps every detail?

   • Kelp is a fast-growing seaweed, it forms underwater forests along the coast.
   • Kelp, a fast-growing seaweed, forms underwater forests along the coast.
   • Kelp, a slow-growing seaweed, forms underwater forests along the coast.
   • Kelp forms underwater forests, a fast-growing seaweed, along the coast.
10. 10.

    Disappointed by the slow start, the game plan was abandoned by the coach in the second quarter. Zee edits a game report. Which revision fixes the dangling opening phrase and keeps every detail?

    • Disappointed by the slow start, the coach abandoned the game plan in the third quarter.
    • Disappointed by the slow start, the coach abandoned the game plan in the second quarter.
    • Disappointed by the slow start. The coach abandoned the game plan in the second quarter.
    • Disappointed by the slow start, the game plan was dropped in the second quarter.