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Test your basic knowledge |
Elements Of Style Vocab
Start Test
Study First
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 group of words that is not grammatically a complete sentence but is punctuated as one: BECAUSE IT MATTERED GREATLY.
Transition
Sentence fragment
Phrase
Voice
2. A word that relates its object to another word in the sentence. [She is the leader OF our group.]
Auxiliary verb
Direct object
Preposition
Nonrestrictive modifier
3. 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].
Main clause
Modal auxiliaries
Case
Proper noun
4. A pronoun that refers to an unspecified person (ANYBODY) or thing (SOMETHING)
Indirect object
Indefinite pronoun
Compound subject
Case
5. A verb that does not take a direct object. [His nerve FAILED.]
Subject
Intransitive verb
Predicate
Subordinate clause
6. A sentence that expresses the main idea at the end.
Nonrestrictive modifier
Compound sentence
Possessive
Periodic sentence
7. A group of words that includes a subject and verb but is subordinate to an independent clause in a sentence. [IF - BECAUSE - SINCE - etc...]
Subordinate clause
Number
Dependent Clause
Verbal
8. A group of related words that functions as a unit but lacks a subject - verb - or both. WITHOUT THE RESOURCES TO CONTINUE.
Indefinite pronoun
Loose sentence
Phrase
Adjectival modifier
9. A feature of nouns - pronouns - and a few verbs referring to singular or plural.
Number
Relative pronoun
Appositive
Periodic sentence
10. The noun or pronoun that completes a prepositional phrase or the meaning of a transitive verb.
Gerund
Predicate
Compound sentence
Object
11. A noun or noun phrase that renames or adds identifying information to a noun it immediately follows. [His brother - AN ACCOUNTANT WITH ARTHUR ANDERSON - was recently promoted]
Appositive
Main clause
Modifier
Dependent Clause
12. A word or expression appropriate to informal conversation but not usually suitable for academic or business writing. [They wanted to GET EVEN.]
Proper noun
Direct object
Gerund
Colloquialism
13. The time of a verb's action or state of being - such as past - present - or future.
Principal verb
Relative clause
Voice
Tense
14. The order or arrangement of words in a sentence.
Modifier
Syntax
Dependent Clause
Number
15. A sentence that begins with the main idea and then attaches modifiers - qualifiers - and additional details.
Loose sentence
Noun
Participial phrase
Conjunction
16. A noun or pronoun that receives the action of a transitive verb. [Pearson publishes BOOKS.]
Adjective
Predicate
Direct object
Compound sentence
17. A clause introduced by a relative pronoun - such as WHO - WHICH - THAT - or by a relative adverb - such as WHERE - WHEN - WHY.
Main clause
Gerund
Syntax
Relative clause
18. A word that modifies or otherwise qualifies a verb - an adjective - or another adverb. [Gestures GRACEFULLY]
Modal auxiliaries
Adverbial phrase
Participle
Adverb
19. The form of a noun or pronoun that reflects its grammatical function in a sentence as subject (THEY) - object (THEM) - or possessor (THEIR).
Appositive
Compound sentence
Adjective
Case
20. A verb that requires a direct object to complete its meaning: they WASHED their new car.
Tense
Transitive verb
Possessive
Modal auxiliaries
21. A clause dependent on the main clause in a sentence. AFTER WE FINISH OUR WORK - we will go out for dinner.
Transitive verb
Subordinate clause
Auxiliary verb
Modal auxiliaries
22. A group of words with a subject and verb that can stand alone as a sentence. [RACCOONS STEAL FOOD.]
Direct object
Syntax
Independent Clause
Nominative pronoun
23. A word or group of words that expresses the action or indicates the state of being of the subject. Verbs ACTIVATE sentences.
Verb
Participial phrase
Infinitive/split infinitive
Main clause
24. A word or group of words that aids coherence in writing by showing the connections between ideas.
Object
Agreement
Transition
Compound sentence
25. A present or past participle with accompanying modifiers - objects or complements.
Pronominal possessive
Participial phrase
Auxiliary verb
Possessive
26. 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]
Antecedent
Predicate
Loose sentence
Independent Clause
27. A word that joins words - phrases - clauses - or sentences. [For - And - Nor - But - Or - Yet - So --> FANBOYS]
Conjunction
Subordinate clause
Linking verb
Auxiliary verb
28. A word - phrase - or clause that acts as an adjective in qualifying the meaning of a noun or pronoun. [YOUR country]
Adjectival modifier
Complement
Articles
Adverb
29. The predicating verb in a main clause or sentence.
Intransitive verb
Preposition
Voice
Principal verb
30. A verbal that functions as an adjective. Present participles end in -ING; past - -D - -ED; or -EN. Other forms: BROKEN
Relative pronoun
Participle
Independent Clause
Adverb
31. The noun or pronoun that indicates what a sentence is about - and which the principal verb of a sentence elaborates.
Independent Clause
Contraction
Subject
Clause
32. The case of nouns and pronouns that indicates ownership or possession.
Noun
Predicate
Indirect object
Possessive
33. Correlative conjunctions [BOTH - AND; EITHER - OR; NEITHER - NOR] join the same kinds of elements (as conjunctions)
Number
Antecedent
Correlative expression
Adjective
34. 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.]
Indirect object
Participial phrase
Pronominal possessive
Object
35. A group of words consisting of a preposition - its object -and any of the object's modifiers. [Georgia ON MY MIND.]
Compound subject
Adverb
Possessive
Prepositional phrase
36. The attribute of a verb that indicates whether its subject is active [Janet PLAYED the guitar]
Restrictive term - element - clause
Antecedent
Nominative pronoun
Voice
37. 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]
Relative pronoun
Infinitive/split infinitive
Subject
Appositive
38. A word that modifies - quantifies - or otherwise describes a noun or pronoun. [DRIZZLY November]
Colloquialism
Contraction
Direct object
Adjective
39. The name of a particular person - place or thing.
Noun
Participle
Proper noun
Independent Clause
40. 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.]
Restrictive term - element - clause
Nonrestrictive modifier
Conjunction
Relative clause
41. 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.]
Compound sentence
Intransitive verb
Case
Loose sentence
42. An independent clause which can stand alone as a grammatically complete sentence.
Appositive
Compound subject
Adverb
Main clause
43. 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]
Phrase
Subordinate clause
Object
Auxiliary verb
44. A word or phrase that qualifies - describes - or limits the meaning of a word - phrase - or clause. [FRAYED ribbon]
Periodic sentence
Subordinate clause
Correlative expression
Modifier
45. 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].
Adjective
Agreement
Auxiliary verb
Contraction
46. A word or phrase (especially a noun or adjective that completes the predicate. [Martha is my NEIGHBOUR.]
Complement
Adverb
Auxiliary verb
Transitive verb
47. A pronoun that functions as a subject or a subject complement.
Nominative pronoun
Linking verb
Main clause
Relative pronoun
48. A shortened form of a word or group of words: CAN'T for cannot; THEY'RE for they are.
Participial phrase
Contraction
Voice
Indirect object
49. Possessive pronouns such as HERS - ITS and THEIRS.
Adverb
Prepositional phrase
Nonrestrictive modifier
Pronominal possessive
50. A phrase of clause that does not limit or restrict the essential meaning of the element it modifies.
Modal auxiliaries
Relative clause
Nonrestrictive modifier
Main clause