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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. 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].






2. A word or group of words that expresses the action or indicates the state of being of the subject. Verbs ACTIVATE sentences.






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].






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






5. 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.]






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






7. 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]






8. The -ING form of a verb that functions as a noun: HIKING - PLAYING - etc...






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






10. A word or group of words that aids coherence in writing by showing the connections between ideas.






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






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






13. The form of a noun or pronoun that reflects its grammatical function in a sentence as subject (THEY) - object (THEM) - or possessor (THEIR).






14. A phrase of clause that does not limit or restrict the essential meaning of the element it modifies.






15. 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]






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






17. 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.]






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






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






20. The case of nouns and pronouns that indicates ownership or possession.






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






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






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






24. A noun or pronoun that receives the action of a transitive verb. [Pearson publishes BOOKS.]






25. 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]






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






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






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






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






30. 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.]






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






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






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






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






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. 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]






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






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






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






40. 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.]






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






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






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






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






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






46. A group of related words that contains a subject and predicate. [MOTHS SWARM around a burning candle.]






47. A pronoun that connects a dependent clause to a main clause in a sentence: WHO - WHOM - WHOSE - WHICH - etc...






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






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






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