University Final Exam: Grammar, Writing Analysis, and Corrections

This document presents a final exam on grammar and writing, divided into three sections. Section A focuses on identifying and correcting common grammatical errors, including subject-verb agreement, sentence fragments, comma usage, apostrophe misuse, and parallel structure issues. Section B analyzes an essay, addressing its main aims, the author's arguments, and the use of statistics, along with the author's perspective on the impact of Osama bin Laden. Section C explores the topic of dishonesty through a personal essay, examining the complexities of honesty versus dishonesty in various situations, highlighting the potential consequences of both truth-telling and white lies in personal relationships. The assignment provides a comprehensive overview of grammar, writing, and critical thinking skills.

Running head: FINAL EXAM
Final Exam
Name of Student:
Name of the University:
Author note:

1FINAL EXAM
Section A:
1. Subject-verb agreement error – Professors have been an important part of my time in
school because they have supported my academic goals.
2. Problem with sentence fragment – In spite of everything, she gave her father an
expensive present after the argument.
3. No comma in the compound sentence – Before Bobby had time to reconsider his
decision, he jumped off the high diving board.
4. Misuse of the apostrophe with “it’s” – The dog was chasing its tail.
5. Problem with sentence fragment – The evening felt more exciting after the game of
cards had eventually started.
6. Missing comma after the introductory element – She walked through the forest as
quickly as she could, all the while rain had soaked her clothes.
7. Problem with sentence fragment – My brothers and I enjoy having beers together after
we have played a game of football.
8. Missing “the” before “great schools” – People more to Canada for: the geography, the
friendly people, and the great schools.
9. Problem with parallel structure – It is easier to think about cleaning your room than it
is to start to do so.
10. No comma usage in a compound sentence – The dorm room will be cleaned by Mary,
every Saturday.
Section B:
1. The main aim of this essay to express the helplessness feeling that citizens have about
their safety in the aftermath of a devastating terrorist act. Few of the main points of

2FINAL EXAM
this essay are the human nature’s incapability of responding to terrorism, and the
decision making dilemma that happens internally on the basis of emotions.
2. According to Taleb, human beings are essential emotional creatures that make the
decisions. This affects our behaviour in the way that we are more inclined to stop
riding a motorcycle if we know someone who has been badly injured from it rather
than by reading the statistics of deaths caused by motorcycles.
3. The one sentence question is meant for the readers to first evaluate an answer in their
heads and think of the possibility of what the answer could be, and the explanation
was given in the manner of statistics. This is to strengthen the argument in the essay
made by Taleb that says that humans respond quickly to anecdotal information, rather
than statistics.
4. The point that is supported by Stalin’s quote is that it is common and known
knowledge that 3500 people died in the September 11 attack, but the statistic of
increased deaths caused by car accidents after the incident has become a mere
statistic. It is ironic because Stalin removes the tragic situation from the deaths of
millions, but there is only emotion involved when there is a “concrete and proximate”
number of deaths during one event.
5. The author says that the wrath of Osama bin Laden continued after 9/11 because there
was a reduced usage of airplanes due to fear and increased using of cars for long
distance travel caused a numerous amount of casualties through car accidents. I agree
with the answer because the pre-emptive clause of the question was that Osama had
indirectly continued to cause devastation in America and Western Europe.
Section C:
Topic: Dishonesty is sometimes the best policy.

3FINAL EXAM
I usually always try to tell the truth, but I have realized that sometimes being truthful
may not always be the best idea. Usually, the reason why one lies, or does not say the whole
truth, is because telling the truth might hurt someone’s feelings or may even spark a conflict.
Honesty is a good intention to have, but in some situations, dishonesty may be the best
policy.
A common occurrence that happens with a lot of people is that when feelings are
starting to build up, it becomes frustrating for me to just sit on them and not do anything
about it. Of course it would feel great to be able to release all the feelings, however when we
dump our emotional turds on other people, we end up flushing our own relationships down
the toilet. School and life at home do not teach us how to deal with angry feelings and since it
is usually intimate relationships that cause such feeling, it means that a lot of end up creating
a lot of negativity by lashing out and verbally hurting the people that we care about the most.
Familial relationships are not as volatile as the ones with other people, and in that case
honesty can truly make or break a relationship. Usually, with family members lashing out is
usually forgotten in the matter of minutes but this cannot be translated to the friendships that
one has because these relationships are existent based on mutual goodwill from both sides of
the party. White lies can sometimes spare the other person some grief, however if one starts
making colouring the truth a habit, they can also damage the foundation of a relationship.