Mohamed khiderUniversity-Biskra

Faculty of letters and languages

Department of letters and foreign languages
Branch of English

Module: Written Expression Student’s Full Name: ……………………………..

Level: First Year LMD Group Number: ………… Section: ……………
Date: January 10th, 2017 Allocated Time: 1 hour 30

FIRST TERM EXAMINATION

Activity One: Correct the errors in the following sentences. 6 pts (0.75 for each)

1- Risking his life over a frisbee, just didn't seem worth it.
 …no comma before just.
2- “Knowing that you can always go home relieves anxiety.” The underlined words represent
an independent noun clause.
 No it’s a dependent noun clause.
3- John Smith, who won the writing contest, is in my class.
 ……………………………………………………………………………………………….

4- “Either Mr. Philips Jones or Mrs. Suzan Mackey will win the majority of votes.” The
underlined words represent a complete subject.
 A compound subject.
5- Biology is my major, because the subject is challenging and interesting.
 …………………no comma before because
6- I tried to clean the house but I gave up, and watched soap operas instead.
 ……the comma should be before but
7- Vitamin C is good for colds because vitamin E keeps the skin in good conditions.
 ……because should be replaced by: whereas/while. Even ‘and’ can be acceptable.
8- The stock market finally rose, nevertheless; investors remained nervous.
 …………………;nevertheless,……………………………………….

Activity Two: Label the pattern of each sentence. 3.5 pts ( 0.25 for each element)

1- Professor Marble’s intelligent students/ completed /their homework. (S+V+DO)

2- The citizens/ considered/ the earthquake/ a disaster.(S+V+DO+OC)

3- The lady in the fur coat/ gave/ the children/ balloons in the shape of fantastic animals.

(S+V+IO+DO+ADJUNCT) if the word ‘adjunct’ is not mentioned, the answer remains correct.

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 4- The 12 years old girl/ looks/ very intelligent. (S+LV+PA)

Activity Three: Read carefully the paragraph then answer the questions below in the space
provided. 10.5 pts

Barefoot Boy

I had a scary experience when I was a young boy. One evening while my dearly loved parents were
eating dinner, I was playing barefoot in the yard with my toys. Even now I still remember the perfume of the
flowers and the moisture of the grass. While I was sitting on the grass and playing with a truck, I looked up
at the sky, and my attention was distracted by the beauty of the stars. Then I felt something cold and smooth
slide over my feet. I stayed perfectly still, but I looked down at my feet. Then I saw a snake slowly slithering
over my toes. I felt terrible and afraid, so my heart beat very fast. After the snake moved away, I screamed to
my parents for help, and they captured the snake and took it away. The experience frightened me, and I never
went outside barefoot again.

1- Pick out from the paragraph the following:

 Only one compound predicate. 0.5
 They captured the snake and took it away/ or: I was sitting on the grass & playing with a truck
 Only one complete subject and underline its simple subject. 1.
 My dearly loved parents
 Only one dependent clause 0.5
 When I was a young boy/ while my dearly…../while I was sitting…./after the snake….
 Only one phrase .0.5
 ………on the grass…
 Only one compound sentence 1 then turn it to a complex sentence. 1.5
 I stayed perfectly still, but I looked down at my feet. (although)
 I feel terrible & afraid, so my heart beat very fast. (because)
 Only one complex sentence 1 then turn it to a compound sentence. 1.5 (conjunction+ punc)
 While my dearly beloved ………….dinner, I was …………with my toys. (and or meanwhile)
 Only one compound complex sentence 1 and identify its parts (Main clause/Subordinate
clause/ linking words). 2
 After the snake moved away, I screamed to my parents for help, and they captured the snake and took
it away
 What is underlined= Main clause
 The yellow one=D CL
 Words in green= linking words

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BEST OF LUCK