Developmental Exercises for Hacker Handbooks
First Edition ©2018 Diana Hacker; Wanda Van Goor Formats: E-book, Print
As low as $9.99
As low as $9.99
Developmental exercises help sharpen students’ writing and revision skills.
Developmental Exercises for Hacker Handbooks offers more than 175 class-tested exercise sets in a wide variety of formats, all designed for developing college writers. The exercises in each set include cross-curricular content and are thematically linked, usually focusing on the achievements of a famous person or group, so that students are reading real prose on inspiring topics rather than unrelated drill sentences. Most sections include practice and review exercises that identify problem areas and direct students to sections in their handbook for explanations and revision strategies. An answer key, in the back of the workbook, provides answers and feedback for practice exercises.
Developmental Exercises for Hacker Handbooks supports the following handbook titles by Diana Hacker and Nancy Sommers: A Pocket Style Manual, Eighth Edition, A Writer’s Reference, Ninth Edition, and Rules for Writers, Ninth Edition.
Authors
-
Diana Hacker
Diana Hacker personally class-tested her handbooks with nearly four thousand students over thirty-five years at Prince George's Community College in Maryland, where she was a member of the English faculty. Hacker handbooks, built on innovation and on a keen understanding of the challenges facing student writers, are the most widely adopted in America. Hacker handbooks, all published by Bedford/St. Martin's, include A Writer's Reference, Eleventh Edition (2025); A Pocket Style Manual, Tenth Edition (2025); The Bedford Handbook, Twelfth Edition (2023); Rules for Writers, Tenth Edition (2022); and Writer’s Help 2.0, Hacker Version.
-
Wanda Van Goor
Table of Contents
Clarity (effective sentences)
Active verbs: Practice
Active verbs 1
Active verbs 2
Active verbs: Review
Parallelism: Practice
Parallelism 1
Parallelism 2
Parallelism: Review
Needed words: Practice
Needed words 1
Needed words 2
Needed words: Review
Misplaced and dangling modifiers: Practice
Misplaced and dangling modifiers 1
Misplaced and dangling modifiers 2
Misplaced and dangling modifiers: Review
Distracting shifts: Practice
Distracting shifts 1
Distracting shifts 2
Distracting shifts" Review
Emphasis: Practice
Emphasis 1
Emphasis 2
Emphasis: Review
Variety: Practice
Variety
Variety: Review
Review of Clarity (effective sentences)
Clarity (word choice)
Wordy sentences: Practice
Wordy sentences 1
Wordy sentences 2
Wordy sentences: Review
Appropriate language: Practice
Appropriate language 1
Appropriate language 2
Appropriate language: Review
Exact words: Practice
Exact words 1
Exact words 2
Exact words 3
Exact words: Review
Review of Clarity (word choice)
Grammar
Fragments: Practice
Fragments 1
Fragments 2
Fragments: Review
Run-on sentences: Practice
Run-on sentences 1
Run-on sentences 2
Run-on sentences 3
Run-on sentences: Review
Subject-verb agreement: Practice
Subject-verb agreement 1
Subject-verb agreement 2
Subject-verb agreement: Review
Pronoun-antecedent agreement: Practice
Pronoun-antecedent agreement 1
Pronoun-antecedent agreement 2
Pronoun-antecedent agreement: Review
Pronoun reference: Practice
Pronoun reference 1
Pronoun reference 2
Pronoun reference: Review
Pronoun and noun case: Practice
Pronoun and noun case 1
Pronoun and noun case 2
Pronoun and noun case: Review
Who and whom: Practice
Who and whom 1
Who and whom 2
Who and whom: Review
Adjectives and adverbs: Practice
Adjectives and adverbs 1
Adjectives and adverbs 2
Adjectives and adverbs: Review
Verb forms: Practice
Verb forms 1
Verb forms 2
Verb forms: Review
Verb tense and mood: Practice
Verb tense and mood 1
Verb tense and mood 2
Verb tense and mood: Review
Review of Grammar
Multilingual Writers and ESL Topics
Multilingual verb use: Practice
Verb forms 1 (multilingual)
Helping verbs, main verbs, and omitted verbs
Verb forms 2 (multilingual)
Passive verbs
Conditional verbs
Verbs followed by gerunds or infinitives 1
Verbs followed by gerunds or infinitives 2
Multilingual verb use: Review
Articles: Practice
Articles 1
Articles 2
Articles: Review
Sentence structure, prepositions, and idiomatic expressions: Practice
Omissions and needless repetitions
Present and past participles
Placement of adjectives
Sentence structure, prepositions, and idiomatic expressions: Review
Review of Multilingual Writers and ESL Topics
Punctuation
The comma and unnecessary commas: Practice
The comma 1
The comma 2
The comma 3
Unnecessary commas 1
Unnecessary commas 2
The comma and unnecessary commas: Review
The semicolon: Practice
The semicolon 1
The semicolon 2
The semicolon: Review
The colon: Practice
The colon 1
The colon 2
The colon: Review
The apostrophe: Practice
The apostrophe 1
The apostrophe 2
The apostrophe: Review
Quotation marks: Practice
Quotation marks 1
Quotation marks 2
Quotation marks: Review
End punctuation: Practice
End punctuation
End punctuation: Review
Other punctuation marks: Practice
Other punctuation marks 1
Other punctuation marks 2
Other punctuation marks: Review
Review of Punctuation
Mechanics
Abbreviations, numbers, and italics: Practice
Abbreviations and numbers
Italics (underlining)
Abbreviations, numbers, and italics: Review
Spelling, the hyphen, and capitalization: Practice
Spelling
The hyphen
Capitalization
Spelling, the hyphen, and capitalization: Review
Review of Mechanics
Grammar Basics
Parts of speech: Preview
Nouns and noun/adjectives 1
Nouns and noun/Adjectives 2
Pronouns and pronoun/adjectives
Verbs
Adjectives and adverbs
Prepositions
Prepositions and conjunctions
Parts of speech: Review
Sentence patterns: Preview
Subjects
Direct objects and subject complements
Indirect objects and object complements
Direct objects, indirect objects, and object complements
Sentence patters: Review
Subordinate word groups: Preview
Prepositional phrases
Prepositional and verbal phrases
Verbal phrases
Subordinate clauses
Subordinate word groups: Review
Sentence types: Preview
Sentence types
Sentence types: Review
Answers to Practice and Preview Exercises
Product Updates
Instructor Resources
Instructor Resources
Download Resources
You need to sign in to unlock your resources.
Answer Key for Developmental Exercises for Hacker Handbooks (Online Only)
You've selected:
Click the E-mail Download Link button and we'll send you an e-mail at with links to download your instructor resources. Please note there may be a delay in delivering your e-mail depending on the size of the files.
Warning! These materials are owned by Macmillan Learning or its licensors and are protected by copyright laws in the United States and other jurisdictions. Such materials may include a digital watermark that is linked to your name and email address in your Macmillan Learning account to identify the source of any materials used in an unauthorised way and prevent online piracy. These materials are being provided solely for instructional use by instructors who have adopted Macmillan Learning’s accompanying textbooks or online products for use by students in their courses. These materials may not be copied, distributed, sold, shared, posted online, or used, in print or electronic format, except in the limited circumstances set forth in the Macmillan Learning Terms of Use and any other reproduction or distribution is illegal. These materials may not be made publicly available under any circumstances. All other rights reserved. For more information about the use of your personal data including for the purposes of anti-piracy enforcement, please refer to Macmillan Learning's.Privacy Notice
Thank you!
Your download request has been received and your download link will be sent to .
Please note you could wait up to 30 to 60 minutes to receive your download e-mail depending on the number and size of the files. We appreciate your patience while we process your request.
Check your inbox, trash, and spam folders for an e-mail from InstructorResources@macmillan.com.
If you do not receive your e-mail, please visit macmillanlearning.com/support.
Authors
-
Diana Hacker
Diana Hacker personally class-tested her handbooks with nearly four thousand students over thirty-five years at Prince George's Community College in Maryland, where she was a member of the English faculty. Hacker handbooks, built on innovation and on a keen understanding of the challenges facing student writers, are the most widely adopted in America. Hacker handbooks, all published by Bedford/St. Martin's, include A Writer's Reference, Eleventh Edition (2025); A Pocket Style Manual, Tenth Edition (2025); The Bedford Handbook, Twelfth Edition (2023); Rules for Writers, Tenth Edition (2022); and Writer’s Help 2.0, Hacker Version.
-
Wanda Van Goor
Table of Contents
Clarity (effective sentences)
Active verbs: Practice
Active verbs 1
Active verbs 2
Active verbs: Review
Parallelism: Practice
Parallelism 1
Parallelism 2
Parallelism: Review
Needed words: Practice
Needed words 1
Needed words 2
Needed words: Review
Misplaced and dangling modifiers: Practice
Misplaced and dangling modifiers 1
Misplaced and dangling modifiers 2
Misplaced and dangling modifiers: Review
Distracting shifts: Practice
Distracting shifts 1
Distracting shifts 2
Distracting shifts" Review
Emphasis: Practice
Emphasis 1
Emphasis 2
Emphasis: Review
Variety: Practice
Variety
Variety: Review
Review of Clarity (effective sentences)
Clarity (word choice)
Wordy sentences: Practice
Wordy sentences 1
Wordy sentences 2
Wordy sentences: Review
Appropriate language: Practice
Appropriate language 1
Appropriate language 2
Appropriate language: Review
Exact words: Practice
Exact words 1
Exact words 2
Exact words 3
Exact words: Review
Review of Clarity (word choice)
Grammar
Fragments: Practice
Fragments 1
Fragments 2
Fragments: Review
Run-on sentences: Practice
Run-on sentences 1
Run-on sentences 2
Run-on sentences 3
Run-on sentences: Review
Subject-verb agreement: Practice
Subject-verb agreement 1
Subject-verb agreement 2
Subject-verb agreement: Review
Pronoun-antecedent agreement: Practice
Pronoun-antecedent agreement 1
Pronoun-antecedent agreement 2
Pronoun-antecedent agreement: Review
Pronoun reference: Practice
Pronoun reference 1
Pronoun reference 2
Pronoun reference: Review
Pronoun and noun case: Practice
Pronoun and noun case 1
Pronoun and noun case 2
Pronoun and noun case: Review
Who and whom: Practice
Who and whom 1
Who and whom 2
Who and whom: Review
Adjectives and adverbs: Practice
Adjectives and adverbs 1
Adjectives and adverbs 2
Adjectives and adverbs: Review
Verb forms: Practice
Verb forms 1
Verb forms 2
Verb forms: Review
Verb tense and mood: Practice
Verb tense and mood 1
Verb tense and mood 2
Verb tense and mood: Review
Review of Grammar
Multilingual Writers and ESL Topics
Multilingual verb use: Practice
Verb forms 1 (multilingual)
Helping verbs, main verbs, and omitted verbs
Verb forms 2 (multilingual)
Passive verbs
Conditional verbs
Verbs followed by gerunds or infinitives 1
Verbs followed by gerunds or infinitives 2
Multilingual verb use: Review
Articles: Practice
Articles 1
Articles 2
Articles: Review
Sentence structure, prepositions, and idiomatic expressions: Practice
Omissions and needless repetitions
Present and past participles
Placement of adjectives
Sentence structure, prepositions, and idiomatic expressions: Review
Review of Multilingual Writers and ESL Topics
Punctuation
The comma and unnecessary commas: Practice
The comma 1
The comma 2
The comma 3
Unnecessary commas 1
Unnecessary commas 2
The comma and unnecessary commas: Review
The semicolon: Practice
The semicolon 1
The semicolon 2
The semicolon: Review
The colon: Practice
The colon 1
The colon 2
The colon: Review
The apostrophe: Practice
The apostrophe 1
The apostrophe 2
The apostrophe: Review
Quotation marks: Practice
Quotation marks 1
Quotation marks 2
Quotation marks: Review
End punctuation: Practice
End punctuation
End punctuation: Review
Other punctuation marks: Practice
Other punctuation marks 1
Other punctuation marks 2
Other punctuation marks: Review
Review of Punctuation
Mechanics
Abbreviations, numbers, and italics: Practice
Abbreviations and numbers
Italics (underlining)
Abbreviations, numbers, and italics: Review
Spelling, the hyphen, and capitalization: Practice
Spelling
The hyphen
Capitalization
Spelling, the hyphen, and capitalization: Review
Review of Mechanics
Grammar Basics
Parts of speech: Preview
Nouns and noun/adjectives 1
Nouns and noun/Adjectives 2
Pronouns and pronoun/adjectives
Verbs
Adjectives and adverbs
Prepositions
Prepositions and conjunctions
Parts of speech: Review
Sentence patterns: Preview
Subjects
Direct objects and subject complements
Indirect objects and object complements
Direct objects, indirect objects, and object complements
Sentence patters: Review
Subordinate word groups: Preview
Prepositional phrases
Prepositional and verbal phrases
Verbal phrases
Subordinate clauses
Subordinate word groups: Review
Sentence types: Preview
Sentence types
Sentence types: Review
Answers to Practice and Preview Exercises
Product Updates
FAQs
-
-
Are you a campus bookstore looking for ordering information?
MPS Order Search Tool (MOST) is a web-based purchase order tracking program that allows customers to view and track their purchases. No registration or special codes needed! Just enter your BILL-TO ACCT # and your ZIP CODE to track orders.
Canadian Stores: Please use only the first five digits/letters in your zip code on MOST.
Visit MOST, our online ordering system for booksellers: https://tracking.mpsvirginia.com/Login.aspx
Learn more about our Bookstore programs here: https://www.macmillanlearning.com/college/us/contact-us/booksellers
-
-
-
Our courses currently integrate with Canvas, Blackboard (Learn and Ultra), Brightspace, D2L, and Moodle. Click on the support documentation below to find out more details about the integration with each LMS.
Integrate Macmillan courses with Blackboard
Integrate Macmillan courses with Canvas
-
-
-
If you’re a verified instructor, you can request a free sample of our courseware, e-book, or print textbook to consider for use in your courses. Only registered and verified instructors can receive free print and digital samples, and they should not be sold to bookstores or book resellers. If you don't yet have an existing account with Macmillan Learning, it can take up to two business days to verify your status as an instructor. You can request a free sample from the right side of this product page by clicking on the "Request Instructor Sample" button or by contacting your rep. Learn more.
-
-
-
Sometimes also referred to as a spiral-bound or binder-ready textbook, loose-leaf textbooks are available to purchase. This three-hole punched, unbound version of the book costs less than a hardcover or paperback book.
-
-
-
We can help! Contact your representative to discuss your specific needs for your course. If our off-the-shelf course materials don’t quite hit the mark, we also offer custom solutions made to fit your needs.
-
FAQs
-
-
Are you a campus bookstore looking for ordering information?
MPS Order Search Tool (MOST) is a web-based purchase order tracking program that allows customers to view and track their purchases. No registration or special codes needed! Just enter your BILL-TO ACCT # and your ZIP CODE to track orders.
Canadian Stores: Please use only the first five digits/letters in your zip code on MOST.
Visit MOST, our online ordering system for booksellers: https://tracking.mpsvirginia.com/Login.aspx
Learn more about our Bookstore programs here: https://www.macmillanlearning.com/college/us/contact-us/booksellers
-
-
-
Our courses currently integrate with Canvas, Blackboard (Learn and Ultra), Brightspace, D2L, and Moodle. Click on the support documentation below to find out more details about the integration with each LMS.
Integrate Macmillan courses with Blackboard
Integrate Macmillan courses with Canvas
-
-
-
If you’re a verified instructor, you can request a free sample of our courseware, e-book, or print textbook to consider for use in your courses. Only registered and verified instructors can receive free print and digital samples, and they should not be sold to bookstores or book resellers. If you don't yet have an existing account with Macmillan Learning, it can take up to two business days to verify your status as an instructor. You can request a free sample from the right side of this product page by clicking on the "Request Instructor Sample" button or by contacting your rep. Learn more.
-
-
-
Sometimes also referred to as a spiral-bound or binder-ready textbook, loose-leaf textbooks are available to purchase. This three-hole punched, unbound version of the book costs less than a hardcover or paperback book.
-
-
-
We can help! Contact your representative to discuss your specific needs for your course. If our off-the-shelf course materials don’t quite hit the mark, we also offer custom solutions made to fit your needs.
-
Developmental Exercises for Hacker Handbooks
Developmental Exercises for Hacker Handbooks offers more than 175 class-tested exercise sets in a wide variety of formats, all designed for developing college writers. The exercises in each set include cross-curricular content and are thematically linked, usually focusing on the achievements of a famous person or group, so that students are reading real prose on inspiring topics rather than unrelated drill sentences. Most sections include practice and review exercises that identify problem areas and direct students to sections in their handbook for explanations and revision strategies. An answer key, in the back of the workbook, provides answers and feedback for practice exercises.
Developmental Exercises for Hacker Handbooks supports the following handbook titles by Diana Hacker and Nancy Sommers: A Pocket Style Manual, Eighth Edition, A Writer’s Reference, Ninth Edition, and Rules for Writers, Ninth Edition.
Select a demo to view:
Sample Achieve