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Elements Of Style Vocab

Subjects : english, grammar
Instructions:
  • Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
  • If you are not ready to take this test, you can study here.
  • Match each statement with the correct term.
  • Don't refresh. All questions and answers are randomly picked and ordered every time you load a test.

This is a study tool. The 3 wrong answers for each question are randomly chosen from answers to other questions. So, you might find at times the answers obvious, but you will see it re-enforces your understanding as you take the test each time.
1. A word or group of words that expresses the action or indicates the state of being of the subject. Verbs ACTIVATE sentences.






2. Any of the verbs that combine with the main verb to express necessity [MUST] - obligation [SHOULD] - permission [MAY] - probability [MIGHT] - possibility [COULD] - ability [CAN] - or tentativeness [WOULD].






3. A noun or pronoun that indicates to whom or for whom - to what or for what the action of a transitive verb is performed. [I asked HER a question.]






4. A group of words consisting of a preposition - its object -and any of the object's modifiers. [Georgia ON MY MIND.]






5. Correlative conjunctions [BOTH - AND; EITHER - OR; NEITHER - NOR] join the same kinds of elements (as conjunctions)






6. A clause dependent on the main clause in a sentence. AFTER WE FINISH OUR WORK - we will go out for dinner.






7. A group of related words that functions as a unit but lacks a subject - verb - or both. WITHOUT THE RESOURCES TO CONTINUE.






8. The noun or pronoun that completes a prepositional phrase or the meaning of a transitive verb.






9. A sentence that expresses the main idea at the end.






10. A verb that combines with the main verb to show differences in tense - person - and voice. The most common auxiliaries are forms of BE - DO and HAVE. [I AM going; we DID not go]






11. A group of words with a subject and verb that can stand alone as a sentence. [RACCOONS STEAL FOOD.]






12. A verb that joins the subject of a sentence to its complement. [They WERE ecstatic.]






13. A word that modifies or otherwise qualifies a verb - an adjective - or another adverb. [Gestures GRACEFULLY]






14. Possessive pronouns such as HERS - ITS and THEIRS.






15. A word or phrase (especially a noun or adjective that completes the predicate. [Martha is my NEIGHBOUR.]






16. A word that relates its object to another word in the sentence. [She is the leader OF our group.]






17. A group of words that includes a subject and verb but is subordinate to an independent clause in a sentence. [IF - BECAUSE - SINCE - etc...]






18. A word that names a person - place - or thing.






19. A phrase that functions as an adverb. [Landon laughs WITH ABANDON]






20. The noun to which a pronoun refers. A pronoun and its antecedent must agree in person - number - and gender. [Michael and HIS teammates moved off campus]






21. The noun or pronoun that indicates what a sentence is about - and which the principal verb of a sentence elaborates.






22. A word - phrase - or clause that acts as an adjective in qualifying the meaning of a noun or pronoun. [YOUR country]






23. A shortened form of a word or group of words: CAN'T for cannot; THEY'RE for they are.






24. The order or arrangement of words in a sentence.






25. A pronoun that functions as a subject or a subject complement.






26. A word or expression appropriate to informal conversation but not usually suitable for academic or business writing. [They wanted to GET EVEN.]






27. Two or more independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction - a correlative conjunction - or a semicolon. [Caesar conquered Gaul - but Alexander the Great conquered the world.]






28. A verbal that functions as an adjective. Present participles end in -ING; past - -D - -ED; or -EN. Other forms: BROKEN






29. A clause introduced by a relative pronoun - such as WHO - WHICH - THAT - or by a relative adverb - such as WHERE - WHEN - WHY.






30. A verb that requires a direct object to complete its meaning: they WASHED their new car.






31. A verb form that functions in a sentence as a noun - an adjective - or an adverb rather than as a principal verb. [THINKING can be fun.]






32. The attribute of a verb that indicates whether its subject is active [Janet PLAYED the guitar]






33. A pronoun that refers to an unspecified person (ANYBODY) or thing (SOMETHING)






34. A word that joins words - phrases - clauses - or sentences. [For - And - Nor - But - Or - Yet - So --> FANBOYS]






35. The words - A - AN - and THE - which signal or introduce nouns. THE refers to a particular item - whereas A and AN refer to a general item.






36. A phrase or clause that limits the essential meaning of the sentence element it modifies or identifies. [Professional athletes WHO PERFORM EXCEPTIONALLY should earn stratospheric salaries.]






37. A feature of nouns - pronouns - and a few verbs referring to singular or plural.






38. The time of a verb's action or state of being - such as past - present - or future.






39. The verb and its related words in a clause or sentence. The predicate expresses what the subject does - experiences - or is. [Birds FLY.]






40. A sentence that begins with the main idea and then attaches modifiers - qualifiers - and additional details.






41. The predicating verb in a main clause or sentence.






42. A verb that does not take a direct object. [His nerve FAILED.]






43. A word or phrase that qualifies - describes - or limits the meaning of a word - phrase - or clause. [FRAYED ribbon]






44. A present or past participle with accompanying modifiers - objects or complements.






45. In the present tense - a verb phrase consisting of TO followed by the base form of the verb (TO WRITE). A split infinitive occurs when one or more words separate TO and the verb [TO BOLDLY GO]






46. Two or more simple subjects joined by a coordinating or correlative conjunction. [HEMINGWAY AND FITZGERALD had little in common.]






47. The name of a particular person - place or thing.






48. An independent clause which can stand alone as a grammatically complete sentence.






49. A group of words that is not grammatically a complete sentence but is punctuated as one: BECAUSE IT MATTERED GREATLY.






50. The correspondence of a verb with its subject in person and number [Karen GOES to Cal Tech; her sister GO to Ucla] - and a pronoun with its antecedent in person - number - and gender [as soon as Karen finished the exam - SHE picked up HER books].