Which sentence contains a subject-verb agreement error?

Everyone in the classes have completed their assignments.. "Everyone" is a singular indefinite pronoun and requires a singular verb. The correct sentence should be "Everyone in the classes has completed their assignments."

Which sentence uses correct pronoun case?

The teacher asked Maria and me to stay after class.. When a pronoun is the object of a verb (in this case, "asked"), it should be in the objective case. "Me" is the objective form of "I." Options A and B incorrectly use "I" where "me" is needed. Option C should use "he" as the subject complement.

Which sentence is punctuated correctly?

The students who passed the exam celebrated together.. The clause "who passed the exam" is essential (restrictive) because it identifies which specific students celebrated—only those who passed, not all students. Essential clauses should not be set off by commas. Option A incorrectly adds commas around an essential clause.

Which of the following is a complete sentence, not a fragment?

The study revealed surprising conclusions about student performance.. A complete sentence needs a subject, verb, and complete thought. Option D has all three: "The study" (subject), "revealed" (verb), and expresses a complete thought. Options A and C begin with subordinating words but never complete the thought. Option B has no main verb (presenting is a participle).

Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics — Free Study Guide 2026

Quick Answer: The Praxis Core Writing exam tests your knowledge of standard written English conventions. The most commonly tested areas include subject-verb agreement, pronoun usage, punctuation rules, and sentence structure. Expect 28-34 questions on language and research skills.

Grammar, usage, and mechanics questions make up the majority of the selected-response portion of the Writing subtest. These questions assess your ability to recognize and correct errors in standard written English.

Subject-Verb Agreement

The subject and verb in a sentence must agree in number (singular or plural).

Common Agreement Traps

Trap	Incorrect Example	Correct Example
Words between subject and verb	The box of chocolates were delicious.	The box of chocolates was delicious.
Compound subjects with "or"	Either the students or the teacher are responsible.	Either the students or the teacher is responsible.
Inverted sentences	There is many reasons to study.	There are many reasons to study.
Collective nouns	The committee have made their decision.	The committee has made its decision.
Indefinite pronouns	Everyone have finished.	Everyone has finished.

Indefinite Pronoun Agreement Chart

Always Singular	Always Plural	Singular or Plural
anyone, anyone, each	both, few	all, any
either, neither	many, several	more, most
everyone, everybody	others	none, some
no one, nobody
someone, somebody

Pronoun Usage

Pronouns must agree with their antecedents and be in the correct case.

Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement

Issue	Incorrect	Correct
Number agreement	A student should bring their textbook.	A student should bring his or her textbook. / Students should bring their textbooks.
Gender agreement	The nurse gave his report. (if nurse is female)	The nurse gave her report.
Unclear antecedent	When John met Bill, he was nervous.	When John met Bill, John was nervous. / John was nervous when he met Bill.

Pronoun Case

Case	Use	Pronouns
Subjective	Subject of verb	I, we, you, he, she, it, they, who
Objective	Object of verb or preposition	me, us, you, him, her, it, them, whom
Possessive	Shows ownership	my/mine, our/ours, your/yours, his, her/hers, its, their/theirs, whose

Common Case Errors

Incorrect	Correct	Rule
Him and me went to class.	He and I went to class.	Subject position requires subjective case
Between you and I	Between you and me	Object of preposition requires objective case
It's John who I met.	It's John whom I met.	Object of verb requires objective case

Punctuation Rules

Comma Usage

Rule	Example
Before coordinating conjunction joining independent clauses	I studied hard, and I passed the test.
After introductory elements	After the lecture, students asked questions.
Around nonessential information	My sister, who lives in Boston, is a teacher.
In a series	Bring your pencil, paper, and calculator.
With coordinate adjectives	She is a dedicated, hardworking teacher.

Semicolon Usage

Rule	Example
Between independent clauses without a conjunction	I studied hard; I passed the test.
Before conjunctive adverbs	I studied; however, I still struggled.
In complex lists	Speakers from Boston, MA; Albany, NY; and Portland, ME.

Colon Usage

Rule	Example
Introduce a list after complete sentence	You need three items: paper, pencil, and eraser.
Introduce an explanation	The reason is clear: practice makes perfect.
After salutation in business letters	Dear Dr. Smith:

Apostrophe Usage

Rule	Example
Singular possessive	The teacher's desk
Plural possessive	The teachers' lounge
Contractions	don't, it's (it is), who's (who is)
It's vs. Its	It's raining. / The dog wagged its tail.

Sentence Structure Errors

Fragments

A fragment is an incomplete sentence missing a subject, verb, or complete thought.

Fragment	Correction
Because the test was hard.	The test was hard. / I struggled because the test was hard.
Running through the park.	She was running through the park.
The book that I read yesterday.	The book that I read yesterday was excellent.

Run-On Sentences and Comma Splices

Error Type	Example	Correction
Run-on	I studied hard I passed the test	I studied hard. I passed the test. / I studied hard; I passed the test.
Comma splice	I studied hard, I passed the test	I studied hard, and I passed the test. / I studied hard; I passed the test.

Ways to Correct Run-Ons

Add a period and create two sentences
Add a semicolon
Add a comma and coordinating conjunction (FANBOYS: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so)
Add a subordinating conjunction

Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers

Error	Incorrect	Correct
Misplaced modifier	She served sandwiches to the guests on paper plates.	She served sandwiches on paper plates to the guests.
Dangling modifier	Walking to school, the rain started.	Walking to school, I noticed the rain started.
Squinting modifier	Students who study often pass exams.	Students who often study pass exams. / Students who study pass exams often.

Praxis Core

Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics

Key Takeaways