✏️ Lesson 2.2: Grammar & Language
The second part of Language Arts asks you to fix and improve writing. You'll see sentences with an error — a run-on, a wrong verb, a missing comma — and choose the correction. The good news: a handful of common rules cover most of these questions. Learn them, trust your ear, and this becomes one of the most learnable parts of the whole test.
📚 What You'll Learn
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
- Recognize a complete sentence and fix fragments and run-ons
- Make the subject and verb agree and keep verb tense consistent
- Use pronouns clearly and correctly
- Apply the most common punctuation rules (commas, apostrophes)
⏱️ Estimated Time: 55–70 minutes (go at your own pace — there's no clock on you)
🎯 Project: Find five sentences with errors (from a worksheet, a draft of your own, or the examples here), fix each one, and name the rule you used.
In This Lesson
Fixing & Improving Writing
These questions usually show a sentence or short passage with something underlined or highlighted, and ask, "Which is the best way to write this?" One choice is often "no change" (sometimes the sentence is already correct). Your job is to spot the error — or confirm there isn't one — and pick the cleanest, correct version.
You already have a powerful tool for this: your ear. You speak English every day, so many wrong answers will simply sound off when you read them slowly. We'll pair that ear with a few clear rules so you know why, not just that something feels wrong. Your Reading & Writing sentence lessons are the foundation here.
🧠 Mindset
If grammar terms like "subject-verb agreement" sound intimidating, relax — you already use these rules correctly most of the time when you talk. This lesson just puts names to things you mostly know, and sharpens the few spots that trip everyone up. You don't need to memorize a grammar textbook; you need a handful of patterns and your own good ear. That's very doable. 🌱
Complete Sentences, Fragments & Run-ons
A complete sentence needs a subject (who/what) and a verb (the action or being), and it expresses a complete thought. Two of the most common errors break this:
| Error | Example | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Fragment (incomplete) | "Because she was late." | Add the rest: "She missed the bus because she was late." |
| Run-on (two joined wrong) | "I was tired I went to bed." | Separate or join: "I was tired, so I went to bed." |
| Comma splice (comma too weak) | "It rained, we stayed home." | "It rained, so we stayed home." (or a period) |
Two complete thoughts can't just be shoved together (run-on) or joined by a lonely comma (comma splice). Fix them by (1) a period, (2) a comma + a joining word (and, but, so, or, for, nor, yet), or (3) a semicolon.
Which is the best correction? "The store was closed we came back the next day."
- The store was closed we came back, the next day.
- The store was closed, so we came back the next day.
- The store was closed, we came back the next day.
- The store was closed we, came back the next day.
✅ See the reasoning
The original is a run-on — two complete thoughts ("the store was closed" / "we came back the next day") jammed together. The best fix joins them with a comma + joining word: "...closed, so we came back...". The comma-only version is a comma splice (still wrong); the others just move the comma to odd places.
Subject-Verb Agreement & Tense
Subject-verb agreement means a singular subject takes a singular verb, and a plural subject takes a plural verb — "she walks," "they walk." Your ear catches most of these, but two situations trip people up:
- Words between subject and verb: "The box of nails is heavy." (box is, not nails are)
- Each / everyone / one are singular: "Everyone is here." (not "are")
Verb tense should stay consistent unless the meaning calls for a change. Don't drift from past to present by accident:
| Wrong | Right |
|---|---|
| "She walked in and sits down." | "She walked in and sat down." (both past) |
| "They was ready." | "They were ready." (plural) |
Choose the correct verb: "The list of ingredients ______ on the counter."
- is
- are
- were
- have been
✅ See the reasoning
The subject is list (singular) — "of ingredients" is just a phrase in between. A singular subject takes is. The trap is matching the verb to "ingredients" (plural) right before it. Find the real subject: the list is on the counter.
Pronouns
A pronoun (he, she, it, they, this, who) stands in for a noun. Two things the test checks:
- Clear reference: a pronoun must clearly point to one noun. "When Ana met Bea, she smiled" — who smiled? Unclear. Rewrite to name her.
- Right form: subject vs. object — "She and I went" (subjects), "between you and me" (objects, after a preposition).
💡 The "drop the other person" trick
Unsure about "he and I" vs. "him and me"? Drop the other person and test each alone: "Me went to the store" sounds wrong → so "He and I went." "Give it to I" sounds wrong → so "Give it to him and me." Your ear decides once the sentence is simpler.
✅ Singular "they" is fine
Using they/them for a single person of unknown or unstated gender ("Someone left their coat") is widely accepted and often the cleanest choice on the test. Don't let anyone tell you it's an error.
Punctuation Essentials
You don't need every rule — just the common ones the test checks most:
| Mark | Main uses | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Comma , | In a list; before a joining word linking two full thoughts; after an intro phrase | "eggs, milk, and bread"; "I ran, but I was late"; "After work, I rested." |
| Apostrophe ' | Ownership; contractions | "Maria's car"; "don't" (do not) |
| Period / ? / ! | End a sentence | "Stop." "Ready?" "Great!" |
⚠️ its vs. it's · your vs. you're · there/their/they're
These are the most-tested mix-ups. Quick keys: it's = "it is" (the apostrophe replaces the i); its = belongs to it. you're = "you are"; your = belongs to you. they're = "they are"; their = belongs to them; there = a place. If the "is/are" version fits, use the apostrophe one.
Choose the correct sentence:
- Its going to rain, so bring you're umbrella.
- It's going to rain, so bring your umbrella.
- Its going to rain, so bring your umbrella.
- It's going to rain, so bring you're umbrella.
✅ See the reasoning
"It's going to rain, so bring your umbrella." Test each: "It is going to rain" fits → it's. "bring you are umbrella" does not fit → so it's your (belonging to you). Only the second option gets both right. (Note the comma + "so" correctly joins two complete thoughts, too.)
Practice & Project
🏋️ Exercise 1: Fragment, run-on, or complete?
Goal: Name the sentence problem.
- "While I was cooking dinner."
- "The dog barked the mail carrier left."
- "We finished the project on time."
✅ Answer
"While I was cooking dinner." → fragment (incomplete thought — while you were cooking, what happened?). "The dog barked the mail carrier left." → run-on (two thoughts jammed together; fix: "...barked, so the mail carrier left."). "We finished the project on time." → complete (subject + verb + complete thought).
Which sentence is correct?
- Each of the workers were given a raise.
- Each of the workers was given a raise.
- Each of the workers are given a raise yesterday.
- Each of the workers is given a raise yesterday.
✅ See the reasoning
"Each of the workers was given a raise." Each is singular, so it takes was (not "were" or "are"). And "yesterday" needs a past-tense verb, which rules out the present-tense "are/is given... yesterday" options. Singular subject + past tense = "was given."
🎯 Your Project: Be the Editor
Practice spotting and fixing errors — the exact skill the test rewards.
- (4 min) Gather five sentences with errors — from a grammar worksheet, a free site, the examples above, or a rough draft of your own writing.
- (6 min) Fix each one, writing the corrected version.
- (3 min) Next to each, name the rule you used (run-on, agreement, apostrophe, etc.).
- (2 min) Read your fixed sentences aloud — do they sound right now?
- (2 min) Note which error type is trickiest for you, for your journal.
✅ Project Completion Checklist
- ☐ I found five sentences with errors
- ☐ I corrected each one
- ☐ I named the rule behind each fix
- ☐ I read them aloud to check
👥 Working with a tutor or group?
Play "error hunt": someone writes a sentence with one planted mistake, and the group races to spot and fix it, then names the rule. Take turns being the writer. Explaining why a fix works — out loud, to each other — locks the rules in far better than silent worksheets do.
🎯 Quick Quiz
Question 1: Which sentence is a run-on that needs fixing?
Question 2: Choose the correct words: "____ going to love ____ new apartment."
Tips & Common Mix-Ups
✅ Do's
- Read the sentence in your head — many wrong answers simply sound off.
- Find the real subject before choosing the verb (ignore phrases in between).
- Test it's/its and you're/your by trying the "is/are" version.
❌ Common Mix-Ups
⚠️ Watch Out
- Comma splice: a comma alone can't join two complete thoughts — add a joining word or use a period.
- Agreement traps: a plural noun right before the verb can fool you; match the verb to the subject.
- "No change" is a real option: sometimes the sentence is already correct — don't fix what isn't broken.
- Over-correcting: pick the simplest correct version; the test rewards clear, standard writing, not fancy wording.
✅ Affirmation
You already know most of these rules from a lifetime of speaking. This lesson just names them and polishes the tricky few. Trust your ear, apply a rule when you're unsure, and you'll get most of these right.
📓 Learning Journal
Keep your study journal going. After this lesson, take five minutes to write down:
- Rules you learned or firmed up
- What clicked for you
- Your trickiest error type, to practice more
- A trick you'll keep (like "drop the other person")
- How you feel about your progress
✍️ This lesson's prompt: Write three sentences about your day, then read them back as an editor — did you catch any run-ons, agreement slips, or apostrophe mix-ups? Fix any you find. Editing your own writing is the same skill the test asks for.
📝 Lesson Summary
🎓 Key Takeaways
- A complete sentence has a subject + verb + complete thought; fix fragments and run-ons (period, comma + joining word, or semicolon).
- Match the verb to the real subject, and keep tense consistent.
- Keep pronouns clear and correct; the "drop the other person" trick settles he/I vs. him/me.
- Master the big punctuation mix-ups: it's/its, you're/your, there/their/they're — test the "is/are" version.
🎉 What You've Accomplished
You just turned a scary-sounding topic into a short, usable checklist. You can spot the common errors the test loves — run-ons, agreement slips, apostrophe mix-ups — and fix them with a clear reason. Paired with your ear, that covers the great majority of grammar questions. Be proud of it. 🎉
❓ Common Questions at This Stage
Do I need to memorize grammar terms?
Not really. You should recognize a few ideas (subject, verb, run-on), but the test doesn't quiz you on definitions — it asks you to pick the correct sentence. Knowing the patterns and trusting your ear matters far more than memorizing labels.
What if two answers both sound okay?
Apply a rule to break the tie: check subject-verb agreement, look for a comma splice, or test it's/its. And prefer the simplest, clearest version — the test favors standard, uncluttered writing over fancy phrasing.
Is "no change" often the answer?
Sometimes, yes — a sentence may already be correct. Don't force a fix. Read carefully; if you can't identify a real error, "no change" may well be right.
🔭 Looking Ahead
In Lesson 2.3, we take on the part many people dread and then conquer: the Extended-Response Essay. You'll learn to read two sources, take a position, and write a clear, organized essay under time — using the paragraph skills you already have.
✅ Before the Next Lesson
- Do the "Be the Editor" project — fix five sentences and name each rule.
- Practice the it's/its and you're/your test on real sentences you see.
- Write your Learning Journal entry.
🌟 Encouragement for the Journey
You just discovered that grammar isn't a wall of rules to fear — it's a short set of patterns you mostly already know. Name them, trust your ear, and edit with confidence. Every sentence you fix sharpens the exact skill the test rewards. See you in Lesson 2.3, where you'll write! 👋
Independent, unofficial study material. Not affiliated with or endorsed by GED Testing Service®, the American Council on Education, HiSET®/ETS, or TASC. GED® is a registered trademark of the American Council on Education. Practice questions are original. Verify current details with your state and official provider.