Keep the tense, the voice and the pronoun steady

Grade 9 Reading Worksheet - Building Confidence

Circle the best answer.

1. 1.

   The harbor lights [had been replaced] before the town council reviewed [its] repair budget. Ari frames a sentence. Which labels fit the bracketed verb and pronoun?

   • had been replaced: past perfect, passive · its → the town council
   • had been replaced: past perfect, active · its → the town council
   • had been replaced: past, passive · its → the town council
   • had been replaced: past perfect, passive · its → the harbor lights

2. Read this first

   Draft

   Early on the day of the regatta, the crew raised the sail and checked each line. A gust catches the boat, and the skipper steers toward the nearest buoy before the sail tore.

3. 2.

   Luz edits a short report. Which revision keeps the tense the draft starts in and keeps every detail?

   • Early on the day of the regatta, the crew raises the sail and checks each line. A gust catches the boat, and the skipper steers toward the nearest buoy before the sail tears.
   • Early on the day of the regatta, the crew raised the sail and checked each line. A gust caught the boat, and the skipper steered toward the nearest dock before the sail tore.
   • Early on the day of the regatta, the crew raised the sail and checked each line. A gust caught the boat, and the skipper steers toward the nearest buoy before the sail tore.
   • Early on the day of the regatta, the crew raised the sail and checked each line. A gust caught the boat, and the skipper steered toward the nearest buoy before the sail tore.

4. Draft

   Each team in the tournament must submit their roster by Friday, and the organizers will post the rosters on the gym door.

5. 3.

   Tala proofreads a notice. Which revision fixes the pronoun problem and keeps every detail?

   • Each team in the tournament must submit it's roster by Friday, and the organizers will post the rosters on the gym door.
   • Each team in the tournament must submit its roster by Friday, and they will post the rosters on the gym door.
   • Each team in the tournament must submit its roster by Friday, and the organizers will post the rosters on the gym door.
   • Each team in the tournament must submit its roster by Thursday, and the organizers will post the rosters on the gym door.
6. 4.

   The science club [has been testing] rainwater since March, and [it] now posts each result online. Jun frames a sentence. Which labels fit the bracketed verb and pronoun?

   • has been testing: present progressive, active · it → the science club
   • has been testing: present perfect progressive, active · it → rainwater
   • has been testing: present perfect progressive, passive · it → the science club
   • has been testing: present perfect progressive, active · it → the science club

7. Draft

   Before Mr. Whitlock handed out the essay prompt, the class had read three chapters. Then he asks for volunteers, and two students describe the ending they had predicted.

8. 5.

   Pia edits a short report. Which revision keeps the tense the draft starts in and keeps every detail?

   • Before Mr. Whitlock handed out the essay prompt, the class had read three chapters. Then he asked for volunteers, and two students describe the ending they had predicted.
   • Before Mr. Whitlock hands out the essay prompt, the class has read three chapters. Then he asks for volunteers, and two students describe the ending they have predicted.
   • Before Mr. Whitlock handed out the essay prompt, the class had read three chapters. Then he asked for volunteers, and three students described the ending they had predicted.
   • Before Mr. Whitlock handed out the essay prompt, the class had read three chapters. Then he asked for volunteers, and two students described the ending they had predicted.
9. 6.

   By June, the library [will have lent] more than five thousand books, and [its] staff will report the total. Milo frames a sentence. Which labels fit the bracketed verb and pronoun?

   • will have lent: future, active · its → the library
   • will have lent: future perfect, passive · its → the library
   • will have lent: future perfect, active · its → the books
   • will have lent: future perfect, active · its → the library

10. Draft

    When the tide pool survey began, volunteers counted twelve species of snails. By noon, they find two more, and the leader logs each new sighting before the water rose.

11. 7.

    Zee edits a short report. Which revision keeps the tense the draft starts in and keeps every detail?

    • When the tide pool survey began, volunteers counted twelve species of snails. By noon, they found two more, and the leader logs each new sighting before the water rose.
    • When the tide pool survey began, volunteers counted twelve species of snails. By noon, they found three more, and the leader logged each new sighting before the water rose.
    • When the tide pool survey began, volunteers counted twelve species of snails. By noon, they found two more, and the leader logged each new sighting before the water rose.
    • When the tide pool survey begins, volunteers count twelve species of snails. By noon, they find two more, and the leader logs each new sighting before the water rises.
12. 8.

    While the bridge [is being repaired], the city keeps [its] ferry running late into the evening. Ren frames a sentence. Which labels fit the bracketed verb and pronoun?

    • is being repaired: present progressive, active · its → the city
    • is being repaired: present progressive, passive · its → the city
    • is being repaired: present perfect, passive · its → the city
    • is being repaired: present progressive, passive · its → the bridge

13. Draft

    By the time the painters arrived, the janitor had already taped the edges of the wall. The art teacher handed out brushes while the first coat of blue dries, and the painters start at the left corner.

14. 9.

    Esme edits a short report. Which revision keeps the tense the draft starts in and keeps every detail?

    • By the time the painters arrived, the janitor had already taped the edges of the wall. The art teacher handed out brushes while the first coat of blue dried, and the painters start at the left corner.
    • By the time the painters arrive, the janitor has already taped the edges of the wall. The art teacher hands out brushes while the first coat of blue dries, and the painters start at the left corner.
    • By the time the painters arrived, the janitor had already taped the edges of the wall. The art teacher handed out brushes while the first coat of blue dried, and the painters started at the left corner.
    • By the time the painters arrived, the janitor had already taped the edges of the wall. The art teacher handed out brushes while the first coat of blue dried, and the painters started at the right corner.
15. 10.

    Ms. Lang and her sister rode to the match together, and she drove. Noah edits a team newsletter. The writer means Ms. Lang drove. Which revision makes that clear and keeps the other details?

    • Ms. Lang and her sister rode to the match together, and the driver was her.
    • Ms. Lang and her sister rode to the match together, and she drove the whole way.
    • Ms. Lang and her sister rode to the match together, and Ms. Lang's sister drove.
    • Ms. Lang and her sister rode to the match together, and Ms. Lang drove.