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Quiz about The Pain in the Neck English Teacher Returns

The Pain in the Neck English Teacher Returns Quiz

The English language is difficult and merciless. So am I. I have returned to see what, if anything, you have learned from my previous quiz.

A multiple-choice quiz by DonTozzi. Estimated time: 6 mins.

Author
DonTozzi

Time
6 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
375,670

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
7 / 10

Plays
664

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. The following was taken, more or less verbatim, from a public document that was filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. What is wrong with it?

"The Series IV Stock Certificates, as described in the Second Supplemental and Amended Registration Statement on Form 8-K, in agreement with the several underwriters, including foreign underwriters, as prepared by the independent public accounting firms noted in the sections entitled 'Management's Discussion and Analysis of the Financial Condition of the Corporation' and 'Financial Results of Operation' herein." Hint

It is a run-on sentence

It is a sentence fragment

There is a split infinitive

There are several verb tense disagreements

NEXT>

Question 2 of 10

2. Here's a sentence that one of my students wrote. (Apparently, I'm not that good a teacher.) What is wrong with the following sentence? "The sheer thought that my parents would publically humiliate me in front of a crowd of my peers had never occurred to me." Hint

The sentence should end with a question mark

The word "sheer" should be "shear"

There is no such word as "publically"

The word "parents" should have an apostrophe ("parent's")

NEXT>

Question 3 of 10

3. Here's a frequent cause of headaches for yours truly. What's wrong with the following?

It's at a time like this that I want to scream out loud, What is happening to my world? Hint

It's should be Its

"What is happening to my world?" should be in quotation marks to make it clear that it is what is being screamed

The question mark should be a period

"that" should be "in which"

NEXT>

Question 4 of 10

4. I was walking along Lexington Avenue when someone handed me this advertisement. What was it about the message that had me laughing derisively? "Free trial offer to Joe's Gymnasium: loose ten pounds in 30 days or your money back!" Hint

"days" should be "day's" [with an apostrophe]

"loose" should be "lose"

"your" should be "you're"

there should be a comma before "or"

NEXT>

Question 5 of 10

5. The Pain in the Neck English Teacher was shopping for red pens the other day. He saw the following sign: "On sale from Monday through Friday - All pens, notepads, and other stationary items are marked down 20%." What was wrong with this advertisement? Hint

"stationary" should be "stationery"

"through" should be "thru"

The percent sign should be after the period

The colon should be a period

NEXT>

Question 6 of 10

6. The next statement contains a common error that always has me sharpening my fangs. "At 12 years old, my older brother took me to my first rock concert." Hint

There is a misplaced modifier

There is a verb tense disagreement

It should have read "took myself" not "took me"

There is a comma splice

NEXT>

Question 7 of 10

7. The architect Mies van der Rohe has often been quoted as saying "Less is more." I wish he had told that to the student who wrote the following incorrect sentence. "Baseball players, I'm convinced, should not be paid more than other valuable people in society, like, English teachers." What was wrong with that statement? Hint

There is a dangling modifier

There are too many commas

There are too many adjectives

There are too many adverbs

NEXT>

Question 8 of 10

8. The Pain in the Neck English Teacher loves baseball. Sports writers, on the other hand... grr. Here's a common error (pun intended): "When one thinks about baseball's greatest teams, the team with the most championships, the most impressive tradition, and most colorful history are the New York Yankees." Hint

There is a misplaced modifier

There is nothing wrong with this statement. The Pain in the Neck English Teacher is trying to trick me

It should be "is" not "are"

It should be "team's" not "teams"

NEXT>

Question 9 of 10

9. The Pain in the Neck English Teacher admits to being a purist. Where is the mistake in the next comment? "I'm uncertain whether it was the undercooked hamburger or the warm beer that made me nauseating at the barbeque for English teachers." Hint

"teachers" should have an apostrophe ["teacher's"]

It should be "not certain" not "uncertain"

It should be "nauseated me" not "made me nauseating"

"undercooked" should be hyphenated ["under-cooked"]

NEXT>

Question 10 of 10

10. Here is something I received from a former student. "I'm sorry I haven't been able to write to you sooner, but I am presently seeking work as an English teacher. Unfortunately, I have had no success. Someday, I hope to be as great an English teacher as you." Can you see why this former student has not found work as an English teacher? Hint

No one can be as great an English teacher as The Pain-in-the-Neck English Teacher

He means "currently" not "presently"

"Unfortunately, I have had no success" is a fragment

He means "aspire" not "hope"

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. The following was taken, more or less verbatim, from a public document that was filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. What is wrong with it? "The Series IV Stock Certificates, as described in the Second Supplemental and Amended Registration Statement on Form 8-K, in agreement with the several underwriters, including foreign underwriters, as prepared by the independent public accounting firms noted in the sections entitled 'Management's Discussion and Analysis of the Financial Condition of the Corporation' and 'Financial Results of Operation' herein."

Answer: It is a sentence fragment

Believe it or not, this is a sentence fragment. It is a l-o-o-o-n-g sentence fragment but a fragment nonetheless. It is a string of dependent clauses that lacks an independent clause and a verb that would make the sentence a complete idea. Instead, we are left wondering, "Well, what about these Series IV Stock Certificates, as described...blah, blah, blah?" Got it? Okay, now consult your financial advisor before investing in these stocks, and stop using sentence fragments.

Answer: There is no such word as "publically"

Do you know how often I come across the word "publically" when the writer meant "publicly"? (Yes, that's a rhetorical question.) Now stop inventing words before I publicly humiliate you.

3. Here's a frequent cause of headaches for yours truly. What's wrong with the following? It's at a time like this that I want to scream out loud, What is happening to my world?

Answer: "What is happening to my world?" should be in quotation marks to make it clear that it is what is being screamed

Even though the statement has not been expressed out loud, and the author isn't quoting anyone, "What is happening to my world?" is a statement which can or may be said in the future or under another circumstance. Just the fact that the writer capitalized the "W" in "What" indicates that the author intended us to view it as a new sentence which might be expressed.

In any event, it is language, representing speech, that needs to be set off from the rest of the sentence. Therefore, it merits quotation marks. Now use quotation marks properly or you will make me scream out loud.

Answer: "loose" should be "lose"

"Loose" is an adjective that describes something the opposite of tight or something extra, as in "loose change." "Lose" is a verb which means, as in this case, to be rid of or to shed. I already have 10 loose pounds and don't need any more. Now, do those sit-ups before I lose my temper.

Answer: "stationary" should be "stationery"

"Stationery" is a noun meaning items relating to ink and paper. "Stationary" is an adjective meaning something that is not moving or standing still. If I could have gotten 20% off everything in the store that wasn't moving, I would have saved myself a ton of money!

6. The next statement contains a common error that always has me sharpening my fangs. "At 12 years old, my older brother took me to my first rock concert."

Answer: There is a misplaced modifier

It is unclear who was 12 years old in this sentence -- "me" or "my older brother". A better way to have written this sentence would have been, "My older brother took me to my first rock concert when I was 12 years old" or "When he was 12 years old, my older brother took me to my first rock concert." In other words, the modifier "12 years old" should have immediately followed or preceded the person whom it was describing or modifying: "me". Now, stop misplacing your modifiers or I won't let you go to that rock concert.

Answer: There are too many commas

While I whole-heartedly agree that English teachers are more valuable to society than baseball players (and, therefore, should be paid as much), the comma after "like" is superfluous. It bogs down the sentence, making it difficult to read. Now, stop, using, too, many, commas, when, they, are, not, needed.

Answer: It should be "is" not "are"

Whether or not you agree with the author's assessment of the Yankees, the sentence is grammatically incorrect. The antecedent in this sentence is "team" which is singular and, therefore, makes "is" the correct verb. Kill the ump, and some sports writers, too!

Answer: It should be "nauseated me" not "made me nauseating"

"Nauseating" means having the capability of making someone else sick to their stomachs. In this case, either the hamburger or beer was nauseating. "Nauseated" means to be made ill by an element that sickened you - it makes you feel nauseous. Therefore, this person was nauseated.

This is a purist thing, I know, but that's me. Now, learn the difference between these words before I... hurl.

Answer: He means "currently" not "presently"

Speaking in grammatically purist terminology, "presently" means "soon" or "some time around the present". "Currently," means "as of this (current) time". So, technically, my former student (who is an embarrassment to my teaching legacy) is going to "soon" look for work as an English teacher. I know, I know, "presently" is a commonly accepted term for "now", but smoking cigarettes is commonly acceptable, too. Does that make it right or contribute to one's well-being? The Pain in the Neck English Teacher thinks not! Now, learn the distinction between these two words or I will presently fail you!

Source: Author DonTozzi

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