ACCUPLACER ESL Language Use flashcards
ACCUPLACER ESL Language Use · Build recall with a focused review session.
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- Subject-verb agreement
- A singular subject takes a singular verb, and a plural subject takes a plural verb; compound subjects joined by and usually take a plural verb.
- Pronoun case
- Use subject pronouns for subjects and object pronouns for objects; after prepositions, use object pronouns such as me, him, her, us, and them.
- Tense consistency
- Keep verbs in the same tense within a sentence unless the meaning requires a time shift; use past perfect for an earlier past action.
- Comparative adjectives
- Comparative forms compare two items and use -er or more; superlative forms compare three or more and use -est or most; never combine both markers.
- Dangling modifier
- A dangling modifier lacks a clear noun to modify; revise it by naming the noun immediately after the modifier or by rewriting the sentence.
- Count and noncount nouns
- Count nouns have singular and plural forms and take many or few; noncount nouns take much or little and usually no indefinite article.
- Independent clause
- An independent clause contains a subject and a finite verb, expresses a complete thought, and can stand alone as a sentence.
- Sentence fragment
- A fragment is missing a subject, a finite verb, or a complete thought; attach it to a nearby independent clause or revise it into one.
- Comma splice
- A comma splice incorrectly joins two independent clauses with only a comma; repair it with a period, semicolon, conjunction, or subordination.
- Parallel structure
- Parallel structure requires items in a list or pair to share the same grammatical form, such as all nouns, all verbs, or all gerunds.
- Subordinating conjunction
- A subordinating conjunction such as because, although, when, or if turns an independent clause into a dependent clause that cannot stand alone.
- Relative clause
- A relative clause begins with who, whom, whose, which, or that, modifies a noun, and is nonrestrictive when set off by commas.
- Register
- Register is the level of formality in language; academic writing usually requires a formal register that avoids slang and conversational fillers.
- Connotation
- Connotation is a word's emotional or cultural association, while denotation is its literal dictionary meaning; choose words whose connotation fits the context.
- Collocation
- A collocation is a conventional word partnership, such as make a decision or take a break; replacing one word with a synonym can sound unnatural.
- Word form
- Word form refers to the grammatical category a sentence requires, such as noun, verb, adjective, or adverb; choose the form that fits the sentence slot.
- Redundancy
- Redundancy repeats an idea unnecessarily, as in repeat again or free gift; remove words that add no new meaning to the sentence.
- Topic sentence
- A topic sentence states the main idea of a paragraph and usually appears near the beginning, guiding the details that follow.
- Paragraph unity
- Paragraph unity means every sentence supports the paragraph's controlling idea; remove or relocate sentences that introduce unrelated topics.
- Logical order
- Logical order arranges details by time, space, importance, or general-to-specific sequence so readers can follow the writer's reasoning.
- Transition
- A transition is a word or phrase that signals the relationship between ideas, such as however for contrast or therefore for result.
- Clear pronoun reference
- Clear pronoun reference means a pronoun points to one unmistakable antecedent; repeat the noun when two possible antecedents could confuse readers.
- Comma before conjunction
- Place a comma before a coordinating conjunction when it joins two independent clauses, but omit the comma when it joins only words or phrases.
- Semicolon use
- A semicolon joins two closely related independent clauses not connected by a coordinating conjunction; it can also separate items in a complex series.
- Apostrophe for possessives
- Add 's to a singular noun to show possession and add only an apostrophe to a plural noun ending in s; its is possessive, but it's means it is.
- Colon use
- Use a colon after a complete clause to introduce a list, an explanation, or a quotation; do not place a colon between a verb and its object.
- Capitalization rule
- Capitalize the first word of a sentence, proper nouns, titles used with names, and the pronoun I; do not capitalize common nouns in general use.
- In, on, at for time
- Use in for months, years, and long periods; use on for days and dates; use at for specific clock times and points in time.
- For and since
- Use for with a length of time, such as for three years, and use since with a starting point, such as since 2020.
- By and until
- Use by for a deadline meaning no later than a time, and use until for an action or state that continues up to a specified time.
- Adjective plus preposition
- Many adjectives take fixed prepositions, such as interested in, good at, afraid of, and responsible for; memorize the whole phrase.
- Gerund after preposition
- A verb following a preposition must appear as a gerund ending in -ing, as in interested in learning or good at solving problems.