ACCUPLACER Writing key terms

A group of words that contains a subject and a verb and expresses a complete thought, so it can stand alone as a sentence.

A group of words with a subject and a verb that cannot stand alone as a sentence because it begins with a subordinating word or lacks a complete thought.

A word such as because, although, or when that introduces a dependent clause and links it to an independent clause, showing how the two ideas relate.

One of the seven words-for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so-used to join two independent clauses or items of equal grammatical importance.

An error in which two independent clauses are joined with only a comma and no coordinating conjunction or other proper punctuation.

An error in which two or more independent clauses are written together without adequate punctuation or a conjunction to separate them.

A group of words punctuated as a sentence that lacks a subject, a verb, or a complete thought, so it cannot stand alone.

Using the same grammatical form for items in a list or for ideas joined by a conjunction, which makes the sentence balanced and easy to read.

A descriptive word or phrase placed too far from the word it describes, so the sentence seems to describe the wrong thing.

A descriptive phrase that has no clear word in the sentence to describe, often because the intended subject is missing or in the wrong place.

A dependent clause introduced by a pronoun such as who, which, or that, used to describe a noun in the main sentence.

A sentence made of two or more independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction, a semicolon, or a colon.

A sentence containing one independent clause and at least one dependent clause, which may come before or after the main clause.

A word such as however, therefore, or moreover that shows the relationship between two independent clauses but cannot join them with a comma alone.

A pair of words such as either...or or not only...but also that joins two grammatically equal elements in a sentence.

A group of related words that does not contain both a subject and a verb, so it works as a single unit within a sentence.

The rule that a verb must match its subject in number, so a singular subject takes a singular verb and a plural subject takes a plural verb.

The rule that a pronoun must match the noun it refers back to in number and gender, so a singular noun takes a singular pronoun.

The form of a pronoun that shows its job in the sentence, such as subject forms (I, he) and object forms (me, him).

Keeping verbs in the same or a logically related tense throughout a sentence or passage so the time order of events stays clear.

A verb that does not form its past tense and past participle by adding -ed, such as go/went/gone or take/took/taken.

The choice of words in writing, judged by whether the words are accurate, appropriate for the audience, and used correctly.

An expression whose meaning follows from conventional usage rather than literal logic, especially which preposition normally follows a particular word.

Repeating an idea unnecessarily with extra words, as in 'free gift' or 'past history,' which makes writing wordy and weaker.

A sentence construction in which the subject performs the action of the verb, as in 'The chef prepared the meal,' which is usually clearer and more direct.

A sentence construction in which the subject receives the action, as in 'The meal was prepared by the chef,' often used when the doer is unknown.

The adjective forms used to compare two things (-er, more) or three or more things (-est, most), such as faster and fastest.

Words that sound alike or look alike but have different meanings and spellings, such as their, there, and they're.

A punctuation mark used to separate items in a list, set off introductory or extra information, and join an independent clause to a following one with a conjunction.

A punctuation mark that joins two closely related independent clauses or separates items in a list that already contain commas.

A punctuation mark that introduces a list, an explanation, or a quotation and follows a complete independent clause.

A punctuation mark used to show possession (the dog's bowl) or to mark where letters have been left out in a contraction (don't).

Punctuation placed around a speaker's exact words or around the title of a short work such as an article or poem.

A clause that gives information needed to identify the noun it describes, so it is not set off with commas.

A clause that adds extra but nonessential information about a noun, so it is separated from the rest of the sentence with commas.

A short dash used to join parts of a compound word or adjective, as in well-known, and to divide a word at the end of a line.

The use of uppercase letters at the start of sentences and for proper nouns, titles, and other specific names.

The comma placed before the conjunction in a list of three or more items, as in 'bread, milk, and eggs.'