Test your basic knowledge |

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






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






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






4. 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]






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






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






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






8. 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].






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






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






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






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






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






14. 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].






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






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






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






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






19. 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.]






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






21. 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]






22. 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.






23. A word that modifies - quantifies - or otherwise describes a noun or pronoun. [DRIZZLY November]






24. 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.]






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






40. 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]






41. 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.]






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






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






44. 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]






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






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






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






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






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






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