Completers: Review & Practice

Review and Practice
Instructions A completer answers the question "(Subject + verb) whom or what. . .?" In the spaces that follow the review statements below, write the completer in the space provided. 1. Her daring style will make or break the business.
2. She moved my couch all by herself yesterday.
3. I was nursing my weak ankle
4. She obviously enjoys physical effort.
5. She was doing pull-ups in the gym yesterday.
The role of completer may be played by a noun, a pronoun, or a word that describes the subject. In the space after each sentence, identify the completer (using a single word) and then identify the type of the completer: noun, pronoun, modifier. 6. Carmela has admired that singer for two years.
7. Last night during intermission he noticed her.
8. Now she's even more crazy about him.
9. She has spent all her money on records and posters.
10. Her room is too small for all that stuff.
A modifier adds to or limits another word's meaning. Sometimes several single words, each one acting separately, can modify the same word. In the following sentences, a word will appear in bold. In the space provided, write the word or words that modify that particular word. If there is more than one modifying word, write those words exactly as they appear in the sentence. 11. These pictures capture our honeymoon beautifully.
12. I have an even better set.
13. A camera specialty shop made free reprints.
14. The new pictures are less clear, but the color is more black.
15. Bob's purple velvet tie certainly makes its mark.
16. Jeff will climb that dangerous glacier tomorrow.
17. He will take his agile Aunt Sally.
18. The whole family is worrying unreasonably.
19. Nobody trusts his mountaineering skills.
20. However, this trip will change their minds.
A prepositional phrase contains a preposition and its object. Sometimes the phrase includes one or more modifiers. In the following sentences, some prepositional phrases (but not all) are highlighted in bold type. In the space provided after each sentence, identify the word that is modified by that highlighted phrase. 21. Arnold keeps a jar of coins on his refrigerator.
21. He finds loose change at the bottom of the laundry basket.
23. Over several months, the jar fills up slowly.
24. Eventually, Arnold carries it to the grocery store.
25. To the check-out clerk's dismay, he pays for a whole week's food with all that small change.
A prepositional phrase always acts as a modifier. Identify the word (sometimes a verb string consisting of more than one word) modified by the highlighted phrase. 26. Jeff will climb that glacier at dawn.
27. He will take his Aunt Sally with him.
28. Everyone in the family is worried about it.
29. Nobody trusts his skills in mountaineering.
30. However, he'll change their minds with this trip.
Completers and modifiers may be compounded by any of these conjunctions: and, but, yet, or, nor. After each of these last five sentences, write the compounded units with the conjunction that connects them. 31. My old yellow dog scratches his ear and his jaw.
32. He lives lazily and happily on that mat you gave him.
33. He wants some attention but not much petting.
34. After eating, he curls up either in his corner or at my feet.
35. For twelve years he's been my friend and my best audience.

CONTENTS MAIN PAGE 4.1 Writing 4.2 "(Subject + Verb) Whom or What?" 4.3 Words That Act as Completers 4.4 Recognizing the Difference 4.5 How Modifiers Work 4.6 Single Word Modifiers 4.7 Prepositional Phrase Modifiers 4.8 Combining Sentences 4.9 Review and Practice 4.10 Fun With Grammar 4.11 Return to Your Writing 4.12 Mastery Test