Grammar exercises in news reporting

Here are some grammar exercises in news reporting:

Exercise 1: Subject-Verb Agreement

Read the following news article:

"The new policy, announced yesterday, will affect thousands of employees. The policy, which takes effect next month, will require all employees to work an additional hour a day."

Identify the subject and verb in each sentence. Do the subjects and verbs agree in number? If not, rewrite the sentences to correct the error.

Exercise 2: Tense Consistency

Read the following news article:

"The police department has been investigating the robbery that occurred last week. The suspect, who was arrested yesterday, is expected to be charged today."

Identify the tense used in each sentence. Are the tenses consistent throughout the article? If not, rewrite the sentences to maintain consistency.

Exercise 3: Modality

Read the following news article:

"The new study suggests that the city's air quality is improving. However, experts warn that the air is still not safe to breathe."

Identify the modal verbs used in each sentence. Are they used correctly to express possibility, necessity, or obligation? If not, rewrite the sentences to correct the error.

Exercise 4: Parallel Structure

Read the following news article:

"The new hospital wing will feature state-of-the-art equipment, including MRI machines and surgical robots. The wing will also have a new cafeteria and a patient lounge."

Identify the parallel structures used in each sentence. Are they used correctly to list items? If not, rewrite the sentences to correct the error.

Exercise 5: Clauses and Phrases

Read the following news article:

"The city council voted to approve the new development plan, which includes a shopping center and a residential complex. The plan, which was proposed by a local developer, has been met with mixed reactions from residents."

Identify the independent and dependent clauses in each sentence. Are they used correctly to express relationships between ideas? If not, rewrite the sentences to correct the error.

Exercise 6: Active and Passive Voice

Read the following news article:

"The new smartphone was released by Apple yesterday. The company's latest device has been praised for its advanced camera features."

Identify the voice used in each sentence. Are they used correctly to convey the focus of the sentence? If not, rewrite the sentences to correct the error.

Exercise 7: Modifiers

Read the following news article:

"The new restaurant, which is located on Main Street, serves a variety of international cuisine. The chef, who has worked in several top-rated restaurants, has created a menu that is sure to please."

Identify the modifiers used in each sentence. Are they used correctly to describe the nouns they modify? If not, rewrite the sentences to correct the error.

Exercise 8: Commas

Read the following news article:

"The mayor, along with several city council members, attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new community center. The center, which was funded by a private donation, will provide a safe space for local youth."

Identify the commas used in each sentence. Are they used correctly to separate items in a list or to set off nonessential clauses? If not, rewrite the sentences to correct the error.

Exercise 9: Apostrophes

Read the following news article:

"The city's new budget, which was approved last week, includes funding for several new projects. The mayor's office has announced that the budget will be available online soon."

Identify the apostrophes used in each sentence. Are they used correctly to indicate possession or to form contractions? If not, rewrite the sentences to correct the error.

Exercise 10: Punctuation

Read the following news article:

"The new study found that the city's air quality is improving. However, experts warn that the air is still not safe to breathe; in fact, it's getting worse."

Identify the punctuation used in each sentence. Are they used correctly to separate clauses or to indicate pauses in the text? If not, rewrite the sentences to correct the error.

I hope these exercises help you improve your grammar skills in news reporting!