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