EnglishYear 10

Year 10 Writing – Sentence Boundaries 1

Practise closing paired dashes and commas, telling deliberate fragments from stranded clauses, and finding splices and fragments hidden in long sentences. 12 questions. 25 minutes.

Draft A: A power blackout across the whole city

(1) The city went dark at a quarter to eight, and for a moment nobody in our street moved. (2) Silence. (3) Then the dogs began to bark, and the whole neighbourhood seemed to exhale at once. (4) My brother Sam — who had boasted all week that he was never afraid of anything, grabbed the torch from the drawer and shone it under his chin. (5) Mum, who is a nurse and therefore calm in every crisis told us to find the candles. (6) We found three, but the matches were damp from the leak under the sink.

(7) Although the street outside was completely black, the candle on the kitchen table, which Mum had lit with a lighter from her work bag, threw a warm circle across the walls, we could see each other's faces again. (8) The things we needed most were: candles, blankets and the radio. (9) We sat on the lounge-room floor and listened to the radio. (10) Nobody spoke about the dark. (11) Until the announcer said the whole city was affected.

(12) The radio said power would return by midnight, however Sam insisted it would be days. (13) Mum, who had seen worse nights on the ward, simply handed out blankets. (14) Sam finally admitted that he was frightened. (15) Which surprised everyone, including Sam. (16) I fell asleep against the couch. (17) Dreaming of a city that glowed.

(18) The lights, which had flickered twice already, finally steadied, the fridge hummed back to life. (19) Sam clicked off his torch, and we all pretended he had been brave the whole time. (20) The neighbours cheered when the lights returned; Sam, who had boasted all night, cheered loudest. (21) I still keep the stub of that candle on my desk it reminds me how small a light can be.

Which version of Sentence 8 best improves the draft?

The things we needed most: were candles, blankets and the radio.The things we needed most were candles, blankets and the radio.The things we needed most were candles; blankets; and the radio.The things we needed most were: candles, blankets, and the radio.

What is the best way to revise Sentence 10 and Sentence 11 together?

Nobody spoke about the dark; until the announcer said the whole city was affected.Nobody spoke about the dark: until the announcer said the whole city was affected.No changeNobody spoke about the dark until the announcer said the whole city was affected.

Which option best replaces Sentence 2 and Sentence 3 together?

There was silence then the dogs began to bark, and the whole neighbourhood seemed to exhale at once.There was silence, then the dogs began to bark, and the whole neighbourhood seemed to exhale at once.No changeSilence: then the dogs began to bark, and the whole neighbourhood seemed to exhale at once.

Which revision of Sentence 14 and Sentence 15 reads best?

Sam finally admitted that he was frightened, which surprised everyone, including Sam.Sam finally admitted that he was frightened; which surprised everyone, including Sam.Sam finally admitted that he was frightened, it surprised everyone, including Sam.Sam finally admitted that he was frightened: which surprised everyone, including Sam.

Which option best revises Sentence 16 and Sentence 17?

I fell asleep against the couch; dreaming of a city that glowed.I fell asleep against the couch, I dreamed of a city that glowed.I fell asleep against the couch I dreamed of a city that glowed.I fell asleep against the couch, dreaming of a city that glowed.

Which version of Sentence 4 punctuates the interrupter correctly?

My brother Sam — who had boasted all week that he was never afraid of anything. Grabbed the torch from the drawer and shone it under his chin.My brother Sam — who had boasted all week that he was never afraid of anything — grabbed the torch from the drawer and shone it under his chin.My brother Sam — who had boasted all week that he was never afraid of anything; grabbed the torch from the drawer and shone it under his chin.My brother Sam, who had boasted all week that he was never afraid of anything — grabbed the torch from the drawer and shone it under his chin.

Which version of Sentence 12 joins its two clauses correctly?

The radio said power would return by midnight, however, Sam insisted it would be days.The radio said power would return by midnight however, Sam insisted it would be days.The radio said power would return by midnight; however, Sam insisted it would be days.The radio said power would return by midnight: however, Sam insisted it would be days.

Which version of Sentence 7 best fixes the boundary?

Although the street outside was completely black, the candle on the kitchen table, which Mum had lit with a lighter from her work bag, threw a warm circle across the walls; we could see each other's faces again.Although the street outside was completely black, the candle on the kitchen table, which Mum had lit with a lighter from her work bag, threw a warm circle across the walls we could see each other's faces again.Although the street outside was completely black, the candle on the kitchen table, which Mum had lit with a lighter from her work bag, threw a warm circle across the walls. Which meant we could see each other's faces again.Although the street outside was completely black, the candle on the kitchen table, which Mum had lit with a lighter from her work bag, threw a warm circle across the walls; because we could see each other's faces again.

Choose the punctuation that best completes Sentence 20.

The neighbours cheered when the lights returned₁ Sam, who had boasted all night, cheered loudest.

Blank 1: ; · , · (no mark)

10.

Circle 1 word in the sentence below.

Click the word after which a punctuation mark is missing.

Mum,whoisanurseandthereforecalmineverycrisistoldustofindthecandles.Wefoundthree,butthematchesweredampfromtheleakunderthesink.

11.

Circle 1 word in the sentence below.

Click the word after which the punctuation is wrong.

Thelights,whichhadflickeredtwicealready,finallysteadied,thefridgehummedbacktolife.Samclickedoffhistorch,andweallpretendedhehadbeenbravethewholetime.

12.

Circle 1 word in the sentence below.

Click the word where a boundary is missing.

Theneighbourscheeredwhenthelightsreturned;Sam,whohadboastedallnight,cheeredloudest.Istillkeepthestubofthatcandleonmydeskitremindsmehowsmallalightcanbe.

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Year 10 Writing – Sentence Boundaries 1

Draft A: A power blackout across the whole city