THE SECOND SECTION OF THE TOEFL TEST IS THE

STRUCTURE & WRITTEN EXPRESSION SECTION.

You can follow 5 general strategies:

GENERAL STRATEGIES.

1. Be familiar with the directions. 2. Begin with questions 1 through 15.

(Structure) 3. Continue with questions 16 through 40 .

(written expression) 4.If you have time, return to question 1

through 15. 5. NEVER LEAVE ANY ANSWERS BLANK ON

YOUR ANSWER SHEET.

STRUCTURE QUESTIONS. 1 -15, TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF THE CORRECT STRUCTURE OF ENGLISH SENTENCES. THIS ARE MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTIONS.

EXAMPLE: ______________ is taking a trip to New York.

A)TheyB)WhenC)The WomanD)Her

STRATEGIES FOR THE STRUCTURE QUESTIONS.

1. First study the sentence. Your purpose is to determine what is needed to complete the sentence correctly.

2. Then study each answer based on how well it completes the sentence.

3. Do not try to eliminate incorrect answer by looking only at the answer.

4. Never leave any answers blank. Even if you are unsure.

5. Do not spend too much time on the structure questions. Leave space for the written.

SENTENCES WITH ONE CLAUSE.SKILL 1 BE SURE THE SENTENCE HAS A SUBJECT AND A VERB.

BE SURE the SENTENCE HAS SUBJECT AND VERB

Underline the subjects once and the verbs twice in each of the following sentences. Then indicate if the sentences are correct © or incorrect (i)

1-__i__last week went fishing for trout at the nearby mountain lake.

2-_____ A schedule of the day´s events can be obtained at the front desk.

3_____ A job on the day shift or the night shift at the plant available.

4_____ The new computer program has provides a variety of helpful applications.

5- ___The box can be opened only with a special screwdriver.

6-____ The assigned text for history class it contains more than twenty chapters.

7-_____ The papers in the wastebasket should be emptied into the trash can outside.

8. _____ Departure before dawn on a boat in the middle of the harbor.

9._____Yesterday found an interesting article on pollution.

10.- ____ The new machine is processes 50% more than previous machine.

1.- I missing subject (he) 8.-I missing verb (depart schedule

2.-C 9.-I missing subject (I) 3.-I missing verb (is available.10.- I 2 verbs (is-prov) 4.-I two verbs (has provide) 5.-c 6.-2 subjects 7.- c

SKILL 2 OBJECTS OF PREPOSITIONS An object of preposition is a noun or a pronoun

that comes after a preposition, such as PREPOSITIONS

About Behind Except On Under

Above Below For Onto Underneath

Across Beneath From Outside Unlike

After Beside In Over Until

Against Between Inside Past Up

Along Beyond Into Since Upon

Among By Like Through Versus

Around Despite Near Throughout With

As Down Of To Within

at during off toward without

AN OBJECT OF A PREPOSITION CAN CAUSE CONFUSION IN THE STRUCTURE SECTION OF THE TOEFL EXAM, IT CAN BE MISTAKEN FOR THE SUBJECT OF A SENTENCE

EXAMPLE:With his friend_______ found the movie theater.

a)Hasb)Hec)Laterd)WhenIF A WORD IS AN OBJECT OF A PREPOSITION IT

IS NOT THE SUBJECT

EXERCISE 2. EACH OF THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES CONTAINS ONE OR MORE PREPOSITIONAL PHRASES. UNDERLINE THE SUBJECT ONCE, THE VERB TWICE AND CIRCLE THE PREPOSITIONAL PHRASES THAT COME BEFORE THE VERB. THEN INDICATE IF THE SENTENCES ARE CORRECT OR INCORRECT

___ 1. The interviews by radiobroadcasters were carried live by the station.

___2. In the last possible moment before takeoff took his seat in the airplane.

___3. At the neighborhood flower shop, flowers in quantities of a dozen or a half dozen can be delivered for free.

___4. The progressive reading methods at this school are given credit for the improved test scores.

___5. For the last three years at various hospitals in the country has been practicing medicine.

SKILL 3 APPOSITIVESAN APPOSITIVE IS A NOUN OR PRONOUN — OFTEN WITH MODIFIERS — SET BESIDE ANOTHER NOUN OR PRONOUN TO EXPLAIN OR IDENTIFY IT. HERE ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF APPOSITIVES (THE NOUN OR PRONOUN

WILL BE IN BLUE, THE APPOSITIVE WILL BE IN RED).

Your friend Bill is in trouble. My brother's car, a sporty red convertible with

bucket seats, is the envy of my friends. The chief surgeon, an expert in organ-transplant

procedures, took her nephew on a hospital tour.An appositive phrase usually follows the word it

explains or identifies, but it may also precede it. A bold innovator, Wassily Kadinsky is known for

his colorful abstract paintings. The first state to ratify the U. S. Constitution,

Delaware is rich in history. A beautiful collie, Skip was my favorite dog.

PUNCTUATION OF APPOSITIVESIn some cases, the noun being explained is too general without the appositive; the

information is essential to the meaning of the sentence. When this is the case, do not place commas around the appositive; just leave it alone. If the sentence would be clear and complete without the appositive, then commas are necessary; place one before and one after the appositive.

Here are some examples. The popular US president John Kennedy was known for his eloquent and inspirational

speeches.Here we do not put commas around the appositive, because it is essential information.

Without the appositive, the sentence would be, "The popular US president was known for his eloquent and inspirational speeches." We wouldn't know which president was being referred to.

John Kennedy, the popular US president, was known for his eloquent and inspirational speeches.

Here we put commas around the appositive because it is not essential information. Without the appositive, the sentence would be, "John Kennedy was known for his eloquent and inspirational speeches." We still know who the subject of the sentence is without the appositive.

John Kennedy the popular US president was quite different from John Kennedy the unfaithful husband.

Here we do not put commas around either appositive because they are both essential to understanding the sentence. Without the appositives, the sentence would just be John Kennedy was quite different from John Kennedy. We wouldn't know what qualities of John Kennedy were being referred to without the appositive.

EXERCISE 3: EACH OF THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES CONTAINS AN APPOSITIVE. UNDERLINE THE SUBJECT ONCE AND THE VERBS TWICE. CIRCLE THE APPOSITIVE PHRASES. THEN, INDICATE IF THE SENTENCES ARE CORRECT ( C ) OR INCORRECT ( I )

1. The son of the previous owner, the new owner is undertaking some fairly broad changes in management policy.

2. Last semester, a friend, graduated cum laude from the university.

3. Valentine´s Day, February 14, is a special holiday for sweethearters.

4. At long last, the chief executive officer, has decided to step down.

5. Tonight´s supper, leftovers from last night, did not taste any better tonight than last night.

6.The only entrance to the closet, the door was kept locked at all times.

7. In the cold of winter, a wall heating unit, would not turn on.

8. The new tile pattern, yellow flowers on a white background, really brightens up the room.

9. The high-powered computer the most powerful machine of it´s type, was finally readied for use.

10. A logtime friend and confident, the psycologist was often invited over for Sunday dinner.

SKILL 4PRESENT PARTICIPLES. IS THE –ING FORM OF THE VERB. IT CAN BE PART OF THE VERB (WHEN IT IS ACCOMPANIED BY SOME FORM OF THE VERB BE) OR AN ADJECTIVE.

The man is talking to his friend.

The man talking to his friend has a beard.

EACH OF THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES CONTAINS ONE OR MORE PRESENT PARTICIPLES. UNDERLINE THE SUBJECTS ONCE, THE VERBS TWICE . CIRCLE THE PRESENT PARTICIPLES AND LABEL THEN AS ADJECTIVES OR VERBS. THEN INDICATE IF THE SENTENCES ARE CORRECT OR INCORRECT.

1.___ The companies offering lowest prices will have the most customers.

2.___ Those travelers are completing their trip on Delta should report to Gate Three.

3.___ The artisans were demonstrating various handicrafts at boths throughout the fair.

4.___ The fraternities are giving the wildest parties attract the most new pledges.

5.___ The first team winning four games is awarded the championship.

6.___ The speaker was trying to make his point was often interrupted vociferously.

7.___ The fruits were rotting because of moisture in the crates carrying them to market.

8.___ Any students desiring official transcripts should complete the appropiate form.

9.___ The advertisements were announcing the half-day sale recived a lot of attention.

10.___ The spices flavoring the meal were quite distinctive.

SKILL 5PAST PARTICIPLES OFTEN ENDS IN ED, BUT THERE ARE ALSO IRREGULAR PAST PARTICIPLES. THE –ED FORM OF THE VERB CAN BE- THE SIMPLE PAST, -THE PAST PARTICIPLE OF A VERB OR –AN ADJECTIVE

EXAMPLES:

The family has purchased a television.The poem was written by Paul.The television purchased yesterday was expensiveThe poem written by Paul appeared in the

magazine.

EACH OF THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES CONTAINS ONE OR MORE PAST PARTICIPLES. UNDERLINE THE SUBJECTS ONCE, THE VERBS TWICE . CIRCLE THE PAST PARTICIPLES AND LABEL THEM AS ADJECTIVES OR VERBS. THEN INDICATE IF THE SENTENCES ARE CORRECT OR INCORRECT.

1.___ The money was offered by the client was not accepted.

2.___ The car listed in the advertisement had already stalled.

3.___ The chapters were taught by the profesor this morning will be on next week´s exam.

4.___ The loaves of bread were baked in a brick oven at a low temperature for many hours.

5.___ The ports were reached by the sailors were under the control of a foreign nation.

6.___ Those suspected in the string of robberies were arrested by the police.

7.___ The pizza is served in this restaurant is the tastiest in the country.

8.___ The courses are listed on the second page of the brochure have several prerequisites.

9.___ All the tenants were invited to the Independence Day barbecue at the apartment complex.

10.___ Any bills paid by the first of the month will be credited to your account by the next day.