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






2. 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]






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






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






6. 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]






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






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






9. 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]






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






22. 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.]






23. 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.]






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






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






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






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






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






29. 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.






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






39. 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].






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






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






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






43. 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.]






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






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






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






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






48. 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]






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






50. 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.]