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Adjectives, adverbs, and modifiers — SHSAT practice questions

On the SHSAT Revising/Editing — Stand-Alone section, Adjectives, adverbs, and modifiers covers form and placement of describing words. A student must distinguish an adjective from an adverb, attach a modifier to the intended word, and catch dangling or misplaced phrases. Items usually ask which numbered sentence should be revised, which edit corrects a given sentence, or which revision fixes sentence structure in a short paragraph. Choices are rival edits or full sentences, and a frequent trap is an informal wording that still uses the wrong form or points the modifier at the wrong noun.

  • Section: Revising/Editing — Stand-Alone 6 questions on the paper
  • 217 practice questions in the app

Sample questions

Question 1

Which revision corrects the error in sentence structure in the paragraph?

Before the new season opened, the seminar leader reviewed every proposal she recommended one change before the schedule was printed. Each presenter then received a marked copy of the agenda, and the printer held the job overnight. On Monday the revised schedule hung in the main hallway. In addition, copies were emailed to every department. Staff confirmed that the change prevented two overlapping sessions, which would have crowded the smaller rooms.

  1. Aproposal. She
  2. Bagenda; and
  3. Challway, in
  4. Dsessions. Which
Show answer

Answer: A — proposal. She

“Proposal. She” places a period between two independent clauses and corrects the fused sentence. “Agenda; and” needlessly replaces the correct comma before the coordinating conjunction, while “hallway, in” creates a comma splice. “Sessions. Which” turns the relative clause into a sentence fragment.

Question 2

Which sentence contains an error in its construction and should be revised?

(1) The science fair committee posted the judging rubric on the classroom door. (2) Students who practice their demos in advance usually answer judges' questions more calmly. (3) Hoping to invite finalists to the evening showcase after school, invitations were sent by the club. (4) Several teachers volunteered to help set up tables in the gym.

  1. Asentence 1
  2. Bsentence 2
  3. Csentence 3
  4. Dsentence 4
Show answer

Answer: C — sentence 3

In “sentence 3,” the opening phrase “Hoping to invite finalists” illogically modifies “invitations,” which cannot hope; the phrase should modify the club. The choices “sentence 1,” “sentence 2,” and “sentence 4” identify sentences with correctly placed modifiers and therefore do not fix the paragraph's single error.

Question 3

Which edit should be made to correct the sentence?

The stage crew moved the props quick so the next cast could rehearse without delay.

  1. AChange moved to moves.
  2. BInsert a comma after props.
  3. CChange cast to casts.
  4. DChange quick to quickly.
Show answer

Answer: D — Change quick to quickly.

The adverb "quickly" is needed to modify the verb "moved," so "Change quick to quickly." corrects the error. "Change moved to moves." changes a correct past-tense verb and leaves the adjective "quick" uncorrected. "Insert a comma after props." unnecessarily separates the object from the modifier "quick." "Change cast to casts." changes how many groups rehearse but leaves the adjective "quick" in place.

Practice 217 Adjectives, adverbs, and modifiers questions in the app

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Revising/Editing — Stand-Alone

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