This is the fifth Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar pack for the ISEB Common Entrance English paper, complementing CE.E4, CE.E10, CE.E14 and CE.E19 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)occassion / occasion(1)
A) occassion
B) occasion
(b)immediatly / immediately(1)
A) immediatly
B) immediately
(c)nieghbour / neighbour(1)
A) nieghbour
B) neighbour
(Total for Question 1 is 3 marks)
2
Complete each sentence with the correct word from the brackets.
(a)Last week, the head teacher _____ the assembly herself. (led / lead)(1)
(b)It would be a _____ of good food to throw the leftovers away. (waist / waste)(1)
(c)The local _____ has agreed to repair the playground fence. (council / counsel)(1)
(d)Grandad added another cup of _____ to the bread mixture. (flower / flour)(1)
(Total for Question 2 is 4 marks)
3
Each word below is misspelled. Write the correct spelling.
(a)Febuary(1)
(b)temprature(1)
(c)vehical(1)
(d)succesful(1)
(e)interupt(1)
(Total for Question 3 is 5 marks)
4
Rewrite each phrase using an apostrophe to show the missing letters.
(a)cannot(1)
(b)there is(1)
(c)who would(1)
(Total for Question 4 is 3 marks)
5
Add the missing commas to this sentence: During the science fair we displayed posters models photographs and a working volcano.
(Total for Question 5 is 2 marks)
6
Add an apostrophe in the correct place in each sentence.
(a)The peoples opinions were varied.(1)
(b)The two schools netball match was postponed.(1)
(c)Priyankas project impressed the judges.(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 *elderly* librarian *whispered* *gently* to the *pupils*.'
(a)elderly(1)
(b)whispered(1)
(c)gently(1)
(d)pupils(1)
(Total for Question 7 is 4 marks)
8
Circle the correct word in each sentence.
(a)The commentator's voice grew (hoarse / horse) after the long match.(1)
A) hoarse
B) horse
(b)Amara was (born / borne) in Leeds but grew up in Bristol.(1)
A) born
B) borne
(c)The ball was (throne / thrown) high into the crowd at the final whistle.(1)
A) throne
B) thrown
(d)It was a (great / grate) achievement to reach the county final.(1)
A) great
B) grate
(Total for Question 8 is 4 marks)
9
Add the missing punctuation to this sentence: hurry up called deepak as the train pulled into the station
(Total for Question 9 is 3 marks)
10
Identify whether each sentence is simple, compound or complex.
(a)The kettle boiled noisily.(1)
(b)Nia fed the rabbits and she cleaned out their hutch.(1)
(c)Since the bridge was closed, the bus took a different route.(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 concert finished late, everyone missed the last bus.(2)
(b)Callum enjoyed drama club, he never missed a rehearsal.(2)
(Total for Question 11 is 4 marks)
12
Add the suffix shown to each word, spelling the new word correctly.
(a)silly + ness(1)
(b)safe + ly(1)
(c)due + ly(1)
(d)run + ing(1)
(Total for Question 12 is 4 marks)
13
Add the missing capital letters and punctuation to this passage: last wednesday our class visited the eden project we saw the rainforest biome the mediterranean biome and the outdoor gardens my friend nadia said it was the most amazing place shed ever seen
(Total for Question 13 is 6 marks)
14
Complete each sentence using a colon correctly.
(a)Callum had a simple excuse he had slept through his alarm.(2)
(b)Pack your art bag paintbrushes a smock and a water pot.(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 grandmother Mrs Chikwendu grows vegetables on her allotment every summer.' Extra information to insert: who used to be a chef
(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 band (was / were) practising for Saturday's festival.(1)
A) was
B) were
(b)Somebody (has / have) left their umbrella in the hall.(1)
A) has
B) have
(c)The panel (has / have) chosen the winning poster.(1)
A) has
B) have
(Total for Question 16 is 3 marks)
17
Rewrite each sentence in Standard English.
(a)The twins was arguing about whose turn it was.(1)
(b)We would of missed the bus if Grandad hadn't hurried us.(1)
(c)Aneesa and me are doing the reading at the carol service.(1)
(Total for Question 17 is 3 marks)
18
Each sentence contains one error. Name the type of error and correct the sentence.
(a)There isn't nobody in the library after four o'clock.(1)
(b)Next term, I started the violin.(1)
(c)The captains armband was bright yellow.(1)
(d)Where going to be early for the rehearsal.(1)
(Total for Question 18 is 4 marks)
19
Read this sentence from a student's account of a school sports day: 'The final lap began; Nia found one last burst of speed.' Explain why the writer has chosen to use a semicolon rather than a full stop between the two statements.
(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 tuesday, me and my friend zainab entered the school's sponsored walk. she dont usually enjoy long walks, but she trained every weekend. by the time we crossed the finish line, we was both aching all over, but we sung with relief and new every step had been worth it.'
(Total for Question 20 is 8 marks)
Mark scheme · CE.E24 Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar Set 5
Question 1
(a) B1 occasion circled
(a) Answer: occasion
(b) B1 immediately circled
(b) Answer: immediately
(c) B1 neighbour circled
(c) Answer: neighbour
Question 2
(a) B1 led
(a) Answer: led
(b) B1 waste
(b) Answer: waste
(c) B1 council
(c) Answer: council
(d) B1 flour
(d) Answer: flour
Question 3
(a) B1 February, exact spelling required
(a) Answer: February
(b) B1 temperature, exact spelling required
(b) Answer: temperature
(c) B1 vehicle, exact spelling required
(c) Answer: vehicle
(d) B1 successful, exact spelling required
(d) Answer: successful
(e) B1 interrupt, exact spelling required
(e) Answer: interrupt
Question 4
(a) B1 can't, apostrophe replacing the missing letters
(a) Answer: can't
(b) B1 there's, apostrophe replacing the i in is
(b) Answer: there's
(c) B1 who'd, apostrophe replacing woul in would
(c) Answer: who'd
Question 5
B1 comma after the fronted phrase: 'During the science fair,'
B1 commas correctly separating the list items posters, models, photographs (comma before 'and' optional)
Answer: During the science fair, we displayed posters, models, photographs and a working volcano.
Question 6
(a) B1 people's (irregular plural not ending in s, so apostrophe plus s)
(a) Answer: The people's opinions were varied.
(b) B1 schools' (plural noun already ending in s)
(b) Answer: The two schools' netball match was postponed.
(c) B1 Priyanka's (singular name takes 's)
(c) Answer: Priyanka's project impressed the judges.
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 hoarse circled
(a) Answer: hoarse
(b) B1 born circled
(b) Answer: born
(c) B1 thrown circled
(c) Answer: thrown
(d) B1 great circled
(d) Answer: great
Question 9
B1 opening speech mark and capital letter starting the spoken words: 'Hurry
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 Deepak and a full stop at the end of the whole sentence
Answer: 'Hurry up!' called Deepak, as the train pulled into the station.
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 ('late; everyone') 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 concert finished late; everyone missed the last bus.
(b) B1 valid correction, e.g. adding a conjunction ('club, so he never') 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: Callum enjoyed drama club, so he never missed a rehearsal.
Question 12
(a) B1 silliness, y changed to i
(a) Answer: silliness
(b) B1 safely, e kept before a consonant-starting suffix
(b) Answer: safely
(c) B1 duly, e dropped as an exception
(c) Answer: duly
(d) B1 running, final consonant doubled
(d) Answer: running
Question 13
B1 capital letters for 'Last Wednesday' and a comma after the fronted time phrase
B1 capital letters for the proper noun Eden Project
B1 full stop after Eden Project and capital letter starting We
B1 commas correctly separating the three list items: the Rainforest Biome, the Mediterranean Biome and the outdoor gardens
B1 capital letters for the proper nouns Rainforest Biome and Mediterranean Biome
B1 full stop after gardens, capital letter starting My, capital letter for the name Nadia, and apostrophe inserted in she'd
Answer: Last Wednesday, our class visited the Eden Project. We saw the Rainforest Biome, the Mediterranean Biome and the outdoor gardens. My friend Nadia said it was the most amazing place she'd ever seen.
Question 14
(a) B1 colon inserted correctly after 'excuse' to introduce the explanation
(a) B1 wording after the colon correctly completes the explanation: 'he had slept through his alarm'
(a) Answer: Callum had a simple excuse: he had slept through his alarm.
(b) B1 colon placed correctly after 'art bag' to introduce the list
(b) B1 commas correctly placed between the list items: paintbrushes, a smock and a water pot
(b) Answer: Pack your art bag: paintbrushes, a smock and a water pot.
Question 15
(a) B1 a comma correctly placed both before and after the inserted clause
(a) Answer: My grandmother Mrs Chikwendu, who used to be a chef, grows vegetables on her allotment every summer.
(b) B1 an opening and a closing bracket correctly placed around the inserted clause
(b) Answer: My grandmother Mrs Chikwendu (who used to be a chef) grows vegetables on her allotment every summer.
(c) B1 a dash correctly placed both before and after the inserted clause
(c) Answer: My grandmother Mrs Chikwendu - who used to be a chef - grows vegetables on her allotment every summer.
Question 16
(a) B1 was circled
(a) Answer: was
(b) B1 has circled
(b) Answer: has
(c) B1 has circled
(c) Answer: has
Question 17
(a) B1 were, correct subject-verb agreement with the plural twins
(a) Answer: The twins were arguing about whose turn it was.
(b) B1 would have, correcting the non-standard 'would of'
(b) Answer: We would have missed the bus if Grandad hadn't hurried us.
(c) B1 Aneesa and I, correct subject pronoun
(c) Answer: Aneesa and I are doing the reading at the carol service.
Question 18
(a) B1 double negative identified; corrected to 'There isn't anybody in the library after four o'clock.'
(a) Answer: There isn't anybody in the library after four o'clock.
(b) B1 incorrect tense identified; corrected to 'Next term, I will start the violin.'
(b) Answer: Next term, I will start the violin.
(c) B1 missing possessive apostrophe identified; corrected to 'The captain's armband was bright yellow.'
(c) Answer: The captain's armband was bright yellow.
(d) B1 incorrect homophone identified; corrected to 'We're going to be early for the rehearsal.'
(d) Answer: We're going to be early for the rehearsal.
Question 19
B1 identifies that the semicolon shows the two statements are closely linked, with Nia's burst of speed following immediately from the start of the lap, rather than being fully separate ideas
B1 developed comment linking this to effect on the reader, e.g. the tighter link creates a faster, more dramatic pace and emphasises how instantly she reacted, giving more impact than the fuller pause of a full stop
Answer: The semicolon links the two statements more tightly than a full stop would, showing that Nia's burst of speed followed immediately from the start of the lap and creating a faster, more dramatic pace for the reader.
Question 20
B1 capital letter for the day: Tuesday
B1 capital letter for the name: Zainab
B1 pronoun order and case corrected: 'my friend Zainab and I' in place of 'me and my friend zainab'
B1 sentence-start capital 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 aching all over')
B1 correct past tense verb form: sang in place of sung
B1 homophone corrected: knew in place of new
Answer: On Tuesday, my friend Zainab and I entered the school's sponsored walk. She doesn't usually enjoy long walks, but she trained every weekend. By the time we crossed the finish line, we were both aching all over, but we sang with relief and knew every step had been worth it.