SPIRAL GRAMMAR 3
EIGHTH GRADE
A. Review your PREPOSITION and HELPING VERB SONG! You never know when
you might be quizzed on this...
B. Write the plural form of each noun.
1. cactus_________________
2. child_________________
3. deer_________________
4. datum_________________
5. goose_________________
6. moose_________________
7. salmon_________________ 8. loaf_________________
9. louse_________________
10. ox_________________
11. woman_________________ 12. quiz_________________
13. self_________________
14. sheep_________________
C. Pronoun Usage (who=subject, whom=direct object, whose-shows ownership,
who’s=contraction for who is)
1. (Who, Whom) invented the term “OK”?
2. (Who, Whom) knows what the initials stand for?
3. (Who, Whom) do you know with the same initials?
4. (Who, Whom) can you suggest as a word expert?
5. (Whose, Who’s) political supporters were called the O.K. Club?
6. (Whose, Who’s) interested in researching the term?
7. (Whose, Who’s) name is on Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary?
8. (Whose, Who’s) your very best friend?
D. Eliminate prepositional phrases. Underline the simple/compound subject once and
the simple/compound predicate twice.
1. She proposed a plan for a new park.
2. A large tract of land will be needed.
3. There is a note on the ground.
4. How are you going to lose the weight, Jack?
5. People in the audience began to mutter.
6. Do not give me a blank paper.
7. Where are the keys to the car?
8. A gaggle of geese flew toward the forest.
9. Will Scott play football for the Eagles?
10. Mary and Elizabeth found and returned the lost necklace.
11. Marvin kissed and hugged the girls.
12. Will Tony or Rocco win the boxing match?
13. There is the book you need.
14. He seemed quite proud.
E. Fill in the missing punctuation.
1. My classmates are from Milwaukee Wisconsin St. Paul Minnesota Des Moines Iowa and Detroit, Michigan.
2. I don’t have time to practice fiddling my school work is too demanding.
3. It looks like it is going to rain I better bring my umbrella.
4. When going to school in St. Paul Minnesota I lived in an off-campus apartment complex my nextdoor neighbor became my best friend.
5. It looks like it might rain however the weather report suggests sunshine all day.
6. I don’t have time to practice before the concert in fact I hardly have enough time to change into my
concert outfit.
7. Our girls softball team will play the following rivals Aberdeen Fort Hays State Arkansas-Monticello
and Southwestern Oklahoma State.
8. There was only one priority left for me to see to finishing my homework.
9. My baseball coach loves to use the same phrase before every practice and game
Shut up and play baseball.
10. Dear Sir or Madam
11. To Whom It May Concern
12. She has one favorite hobby cake decorating.
13. Chocolate includes milk dark and double-double-dark.
14. Watching the movie was a real treat however I do not think the sequel will be very good.
15. “I’m not sure” Sally began “that I like your tone of voice Eric”
16. “He is an honor student” the teacher explained.
17. He is an intelligent young man moreover he is kind.
18. Dear Uncle Bill
F.
Figurative Language Pretest
Directions: Print the correct answer for the following questions. Do your best. Use process of elimination for the ones you are unsure of. 1. What is the correct definition of a simile? __________ a. Giving human characteristics to inanimate objects. b. A phrase that contrasts two objects. c. A comparison using the words “like” or “as”. d. A comparison NOT using the words “like” or “as”. 2. What is the correct definition of a metaphor? __________ a. Giving human characteristics to inanimate objects. b. A phrase that contrasts two objects. c. A comparison using the words “like” or “as”. d. A comparison NOT using the words “like” or “as”. 3. What is the correct definition of personification? __________ a. Making reference to a character from another text in order to show a comparison. b. Giving human characteristics to inanimate objects. c. A phrase that contrasts two objects. d. All of the above. 4. What is the correct definition of hyperbole? __________ a. A word that imitates a sound. b. Giving human characteristics to inanimate objects. c. A comparison NOT using the words “like” or “as”. d. An extreme exaggeration. 5. What is the correct definition of onomatopoeia? a. A word that imitates a sound. b. Giving human characteristics to inanimate objects. c. A comparison using the words “like” or “as”. d. None of the above. 6. What is the correct definition of an idiom? __________ a. An expression that means more than it is. b. A word that imitates a sound. c. An extreme exaggeration d. None of the above 7. What is the correct definition of alliteration? __________ a. A word that imitates a sound. b. An extreme exaggeration. c. The repetition of beginning sounds. d. Giving human characteristics of inanimate objects. 8. What is the correct definition of irony? __________ a. A comparison using the words “like” or “as”. b. Giving human characteristics of inanimate objects. c. Making reference to a character from another text in order to show a comparison. d. When the opposite of what you expect occurs. 9. What is the correct definition of allusion? __________ a. Making reference to a character from another text in order to show a comparison. b. A word that imitates a sound. c. An extreme exaggeration d. None of the above 10. What is the correct definition of a symbol? __________ a.
b.
c.
d.
Something that represents something else. Giving human characteristics to inanimate objects. A phrase that contrasts two objects. None of the above. Directions: Match the type of figurative language with its correct example. ____ 11. onomatopoeia A. When pigs fly. ____ 12. idiom B. A firehouse burning down. ____ 13. hyperbole C. Boom! ____ 14. alliteration D. Her eyes were like two sparkling emeralds. ____ 15. simile E. The story compared the main character to a mythological goddess. ____ 16. metaphor F. Her eyes were two sparkling emeralds. ____ 17. personification G. Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. ____ 18. allusion H. My backpack weighed a million pounds. ____ 19. irony I. A heart represents love. ____ 20. symbol J. The sun’s rays wrapped its warm arms around my body.