This is the fourth Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar pack for the ISEB Common Entrance English paper, complementing CE.E4, CE.E10 and CE.E14 with entirely new practice. Short spelling and punctuation questions come first, building to grammar, sentence construction and Standard English, and finishing with two questions on the effect of punctuation choices and a longer editing task. Write your answers clearly, using full sentences where asked.
1
For each pair, circle the word that is spelled correctly.
(a)suprise / surprise(1)
A) suprise
B) surprise
(b)dissapear / disappear(1)
A) dissapear
B) disappear
(c)gaurd / guard(1)
A) gaurd
B) guard
(Total for Question 1 is 3 marks)
2
Complete each sentence with the correct word from the brackets.
(a)Deepa had to slam on the _____ to avoid the fox in the road. (break / brake)(1)
(b)We are not _____ to use our phones during prep. (allowed / aloud)(1)
(c)Could I have another _____ of cake, please? (peace / piece)(1)
(d)From the top of the cliff we could _____ for miles across the bay. (sea / see)(1)
(Total for Question 2 is 4 marks)
3
Each word below is misspelled. Write the correct spelling.
(a)calender(1)
(b)similer(1)
(c)priviledge(1)
(d)restarant(1)
(e)vaccum(1)
(Total for Question 3 is 5 marks)
4
Rewrite each phrase using an apostrophe to show the missing letters.
(a)you will(1)
(b)we have(1)
(c)is not(1)
(Total for Question 4 is 3 marks)
5
Add the missing commas to this sentence: Before the school play we packed costumes scripts props and a torch.
(Total for Question 5 is 2 marks)
6
Add an apostrophe in the correct place in each sentence.
(a)The womens changing room was being refurbished.(1)
(b)The players kit bags were left by the pitch.(1)
(c)Idris essay won the writing competition.(1)
(Total for Question 6 is 3 marks)
7
In this sentence, identify the word class (noun, verb, adjective or adverb) of each word shown in asterisks: 'The *brilliant* scientist *explained* the results *confidently* to the *audience*.'
(a)brilliant(1)
(b)explained(1)
(c)confidently(1)
(d)audience(1)
(Total for Question 7 is 4 marks)
8
Circle the correct word in each sentence.
(a)You will need a fishing (licence / license) before you can join us at the lake.(1)
A) licence
B) license
(b)The council plans to (licence / license) three new market stalls this year.(1)
A) licence
B) license
(c)We agreed to discuss the plan (farther / further) at tomorrow's meeting.(1)
A) farther
B) further
(d)The runner (past / passed) the baton just before the final bend.(1)
A) past
B) passed
(Total for Question 8 is 4 marks)
9
Add the missing punctuation to this sentence: over here shouted zara as she waved at the returning bus
(Total for Question 9 is 3 marks)
10
Identify whether each sentence is simple, compound or complex.
(a)The bell echoed through the hall.(1)
(b)He locked his bike and he ran inside.(1)
(c)When the fire alarm sounded, the pupils lined up quietly.(1)
(Total for Question 10 is 3 marks)
11
Each sentence below contains a comma splice (two main clauses wrongly joined by a comma). Correct the punctuation and, in one sentence, explain why your correction is needed.
(a)The printer jammed, the whole office groaned.(2)
(b)She loved painting, she rarely had time to practise.(2)
(Total for Question 11 is 4 marks)
12
Add the suffix '-ed' to each word, spelling the new word correctly.
(a)stop + ed(1)
(b)hope + ed(1)
(c)carry + ed(1)
(d)play + ed(1)
(Total for Question 12 is 4 marks)
13
Add the missing capital letters and punctuation to this passage: last thursday our class visited the natural history museum we saw the dinosaur skeletons the blue whale and the volcano gallery my friend tariq said he couldnt believe how big the whale was
(Total for Question 13 is 6 marks)
14
Complete each sentence using a colon correctly.
(a)The choir had one goal impress the judges at the festival.(2)
(b)Pack your kit bag boots shin pads and a water bottle.(2)
(Total for Question 14 is 4 marks)
15
The extra information below needs to be added into the sentence as parenthesis. Rewrite the sentence three times, using (a) a pair of commas, (b) a pair of brackets, and (c) a pair of dashes. Base sentence: 'My uncle Mr Nkomo runs the community allotment every summer.' Extra information to insert: who grows prize-winning tomatoes
(a)Using a pair of commas.(1)
(b)Using a pair of brackets.(1)
(c)Using a pair of dashes.(1)
(Total for Question 15 is 3 marks)
16
Circle the correct verb in each sentence.
(a)The class (was / were) lining up quietly for lunch.(1)
A) was
B) were
(b)Either of the twins (is / are) allowed to go on the trip.(1)
A) is
B) are
(c)The family (has / have) booked their summer holiday.(1)
A) has
B) have
(Total for Question 16 is 3 marks)
17
Rewrite each sentence in Standard English.
(a)The dogs was barking all night.(1)
(b)I must of left my phone at home.(1)
(c)Amir and me are going to the cinema.(1)
(Total for Question 17 is 3 marks)
18
Each sentence contains one error. Name the type of error and correct the sentence.
(a)We never saw nothing unusual.(1)
(b)Last week, I finish my project.(1)
(c)The schools gates were locked early.(1)
(d)Whose coming to the barbecue on Saturday?(1)
(Total for Question 18 is 4 marks)
19
Read this sentence from a student's account of a swimming gala: 'She touched the wall first: gold.' Explain why the writer has chosen to use a colon rather than a comma before the final word.
(Total for Question 19 is 2 marks)
20
The paragraph below contains eight errors of spelling, punctuation and grammar. Find and correct all eight errors: 'On friday, me and my friend deepa entered the school talent show. she dont normally like performing, but she practised every day after school. by the time we walked on stage, we was both really nervous, but we sung our song perfectly and past the first round.'
(Total for Question 20 is 8 marks)
Mark scheme · CE.E19 Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar Set 4
Question 1
(a) B1 surprise circled
(a) Answer: surprise
(b) B1 disappear circled
(b) Answer: disappear
(c) B1 guard circled
(c) Answer: guard
Question 2
(a) B1 brake
(a) Answer: brake
(b) B1 allowed
(b) Answer: allowed
(c) B1 piece
(c) Answer: piece
(d) B1 see
(d) Answer: see
Question 3
(a) B1 calendar, exact spelling required
(a) Answer: calendar
(b) B1 similar, exact spelling required
(b) Answer: similar
(c) B1 privilege, exact spelling required
(c) Answer: privilege
(d) B1 restaurant, exact spelling required
(d) Answer: restaurant
(e) B1 vacuum, exact spelling required
(e) Answer: vacuum
Question 4
(a) B1 you'll, apostrophe replacing wi in will
(a) Answer: you'll
(b) B1 we've, apostrophe replacing ha in have
(b) Answer: we've
(c) B1 isn't, apostrophe replacing the o in not
(c) Answer: isn't
Question 5
B1 comma after the fronted phrase: 'Before the school play,'
B1 commas correctly separating the list items costumes, scripts, props (comma before 'and' optional)
Answer: Before the school play, we packed costumes, scripts, props and a torch.
Question 6
(a) B1 women's (irregular plural not ending in s, so apostrophe plus s)
(a) Answer: The women's changing room was being refurbished.
(b) B1 players' (plural noun already ending in s)
(b) Answer: The players' kit bags were left by the pitch.
(c) B1 Idris's (singular name ending in s takes 's)
(c) Answer: Idris's essay won the writing competition.
Question 7
(a) B1 adjective
(a) Answer: adjective
(b) B1 verb
(b) Answer: verb
(c) B1 adverb
(c) Answer: adverb
(d) B1 noun
(d) Answer: noun
Question 8
(a) B1 licence circled
(a) Answer: licence
(b) B1 license circled
(b) Answer: license
(c) B1 further circled
(c) Answer: further
(d) B1 passed circled
(d) Answer: passed
Question 9
B1 opening speech mark and capital letter starting the spoken words: 'Over
B1 exclamation mark and closing speech mark correctly placed before the reporting clause, with a comma after the reporting verb
B1 capital letter for the name Zara and a full stop at the end of the whole sentence
Answer: 'Over here!' shouted Zara, as she waved at the returning bus.
Question 10
(a) B1 simple
(a) Answer: simple
(b) B1 compound
(b) Answer: compound
(c) B1 complex
(c) Answer: complex
Question 11
(a) B1 valid correction, e.g. semicolon ('jammed; the whole office') or a full stop and capital letter or a conjunction such as so
(a) B1 reason given: a comma alone cannot join two complete main clauses / sentences (independent clauses need a semicolon, full stop or conjunction)
(a) Answer: The printer jammed; the whole office groaned.
(b) B1 valid correction, e.g. adding a conjunction ('painting, but she rarely') or a semicolon
(b) B1 reason given: the comma alone cannot join two independent clauses; a conjunction, semicolon or full stop is needed to link or separate them correctly
(b) Answer: She loved painting, but she rarely had time to practise.
Question 12
(a) B1 stopped, final consonant doubled
(a) Answer: stopped
(b) B1 hoped, silent e dropped
(b) Answer: hoped
(c) B1 carried, y changed to i
(c) Answer: carried
(d) B1 played, y unchanged
(d) Answer: played
Question 13
B1 capital letters for 'Last Thursday' and a comma after the fronted time phrase
B1 capital letters for the proper noun Natural History Museum
B1 full stop after Natural History Museum and capital letter starting We
B1 commas correctly separating the three list items: the dinosaur skeletons, the blue whale and the volcano gallery
B1 full stop after gallery, capital letter starting My, and capital letter for the name Tariq
B1 apostrophe correctly inserted in couldn't
Answer: Last Thursday, our class visited the Natural History Museum. We saw the dinosaur skeletons, the blue whale and the volcano gallery. My friend Tariq said he couldn't believe how big the whale was.
Question 14
(a) B1 colon inserted correctly after 'goal' to introduce the explanation
(a) B1 wording after the colon correctly completes the explanation: 'impress the judges at the festival'
(a) Answer: The choir had one goal: impress the judges at the festival.
(b) B1 colon placed correctly after 'kit bag' to introduce the list
(b) B1 commas correctly placed between the list items: boots, shin pads and a water bottle
(b) Answer: Pack your kit bag: boots, shin pads and a water bottle.
Question 15
(a) B1 a comma correctly placed both before and after the inserted clause
(a) Answer: My uncle Mr Nkomo, who grows prize-winning tomatoes, runs the community allotment every summer.
(b) B1 an opening and a closing bracket correctly placed around the inserted clause
(b) Answer: My uncle Mr Nkomo (who grows prize-winning tomatoes) runs the community allotment every summer.
(c) B1 a dash correctly placed both before and after the inserted clause
(c) Answer: My uncle Mr Nkomo - who grows prize-winning tomatoes - runs the community allotment every summer.
Question 16
(a) B1 was circled
(a) Answer: was
(b) B1 is circled
(b) Answer: is
(c) B1 has circled
(c) Answer: has
Question 17
(a) B1 were, correct subject-verb agreement with the plural dogs
(a) Answer: The dogs were barking all night.
(b) B1 must have, correcting the non-standard 'must of'
(b) Answer: I must have left my phone at home.
(c) B1 Amir and I, correct subject pronoun
(c) Answer: Amir and I are going to the cinema.
Question 18
(a) B1 double negative identified; corrected to 'We never saw anything unusual.'
(a) Answer: We never saw anything unusual.
(b) B1 incorrect tense identified; corrected to 'Last week, I finished my project.'
(b) Answer: Last week, I finished my project.
(c) B1 missing possessive apostrophe identified; corrected to 'The school's gates were locked early.'
(c) Answer: The school's gates were locked early.
(d) B1 incorrect homophone identified; corrected to 'Who's coming to the barbecue on Saturday?'
(d) Answer: Who's coming to the barbecue on Saturday?
Question 19
B1 identifies that the colon creates a pause that builds anticipation before delivering the single result, marking it off as important
B1 developed comment linking this to effect on the reader, e.g. isolating the single word gold gives the result far more drama and emphasis than a comma would, making the achievement feel more triumphant
Answer: The colon creates a dramatic pause before the single word gold, building anticipation and giving the result far more emphasis and impact for the reader than a comma would allow.
Question 20
B1 capital letter for the day: Friday
B1 capital letter for the name: Deepa
B1 pronoun order and case corrected: 'my friend Deepa and I' in place of 'me and my friend deepa'
B1 capital letter starting the new sentence and correct verb form corrected: 'She doesn't' in place of 'she dont'
B1 capital letter starting the new sentence: By in place of by
B1 subject-verb agreement corrected: were in place of was ('we were both really nervous')
B1 correct past tense verb form: sang in place of sung
B1 homophone corrected: passed in place of past
Answer: On Friday, my friend Deepa and I entered the school talent show. She doesn't normally like performing, but she practised every day after school. By the time we walked on stage, we were both really nervous, but we sang our song perfectly and passed the first round.