WPS Written Test flashcards

33 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Comma splice

Two independent clauses joined by only a comma. Repair with a period, a semicolon, or a comma plus a coordinating conjunction such as and, but, or so.

Nonrestrictive clause commas

A clause giving extra, nonessential information about a noun is set off by paired commas. Removing the commas makes the clause essential and changes the sentence's meaning.

Semicolon versus colon

A semicolon links two independent clauses without a conjunction; a colon follows a complete clause and introduces a list, explanation, or quotation.

Compound modifier hyphenation

Hyphenate a compound modifier placed before its noun, as in a well-written report. Do not hyphenate it after the noun, as in the report is well written.

Apostrophe plural rule

Apostrophes show possession or contraction, never a simple plural. Write 1990s and PDFs without an apostrophe; write the manager's plan and the managers' plan.

Subject-verb agreement with phrases

The verb agrees with the grammatical subject, not a noun inside a prepositional phrase. In the list of items is long, list is the singular subject.

Dangling modifier

An introductory participial phrase must describe the subject of the main clause. Having reviewed the report, the errors were obvious is wrong because errors did not review.

Parallel structure requirement

Items joined by and, or, but, not only...but also, or both...and must share grammatical form, including lists following a colon.

Past perfect tense use

Use past perfect for the earlier of two past events. Use simple past with a definite finished time marker such as yesterday or in 2023.

Collective noun agreement

Collective nouns such as team, committee, and company take singular verbs when acting as one unit; plural verbs only when members act individually. Business writing defaults to singular.

Affect versus effect

Affect is normally a verb meaning to influence. Effect is normally a noun meaning a result, and a verb only meaning to bring about, as in effect change.

Fewer versus less

Fewer modifies countable nouns; less modifies mass nouns. Number of pairs with countable nouns, amount of with mass nouns such as funding or time.

Imply versus infer

A speaker or writer implies, meaning suggests indirectly. A listener or reader infers, meaning draws a conclusion from evidence.

Between versus among

Between applies to two entities and to pairwise relationships even within larger groups; among applies to three or more entities considered collectively.

Preposition idiom: comply

Fixed business collocations include comply with, consist of, depend on, differ from, responsible for, capable of, and in accordance with. These prepositions do not vary by context.

Lie versus lay

Lie is intransitive and means to recline, with forms lay and lain. Lay is transitive and means to put down, with forms laid and laid.

Main-idea item rule

The correct main-idea answer covers the whole passage. Distractors restate a single supporting detail or overstate the passage's scope.

Inference item standard

An inference answer must be necessarily supported by the text. An option that is merely plausible or likely is wrong unless the passage guarantees it.

Vocabulary-in-context method

Substitute each option into the original sentence and check coherence with surrounding sentences. Do not rely on the word's most common dictionary meaning.

Contrast signal words

However, nevertheless, and yet mark contrast. Therefore, thus, and consequently mark conclusion. For example and such as mark illustration.

EXCEPT question strategy

Verify each option separately against the passage. Three options will have textual support; select the one with no support, which is the required answer.

Direct versus indirect approach

Direct approach states the main point first, suited to routine and good-news messages. Indirect approach gives context first, suited to bad news and persuasion.

Bad-news message pattern

Neutral buffer, factual explanation, clear statement of the decision, constructive alternative, courteous close. Avoid apologizing for a policy the writer cannot change.

Memo versus letter format

Memos use TO, FROM, DATE, and SUBJECT headings with no salutation or signature. Letters include inside address, salutation, body, complimentary close, and signature block.

Email subject line standard

State topic plus action or deadline, as in Q3 Budget Approval Needed by Friday. Vague subjects such as Update are nonstandard in formal correspondence.

Active voice default

Use active voice for clarity, as in the team approved the plan. Use passive when the actor is unknown, unimportant, or when diplomacy requires softening blame.

Meeting minutes content

Minutes record decisions, action items with owners and due dates, and attendance. Verbatim dialogue and personal commentary are excluded from formal minutes.

Underlined-segment error items

One lettered segment contains the error, and the corrected sentence must read naturally without changing meaning. Identify the decision point before comparing options.

Elimination rule for options

Reject options that are grammatical but change the original meaning, and reject options requiring information absent from the stem. Prefer conventional usage when two options are grammatical.

Time allocation rule

Allow roughly 40 to 50 seconds per objective item and reserve the final 15 to 20 percent of total time for production tasks and review.

Reading set item order

Reading sets move from passage to questions, including detail, inference, main-idea, and vocabulary items. Answer detail items by locating the exact sentence.

Executive summary content

A self-contained document readable alone: state purpose, key findings, and recommendation, keeping length to roughly 10 percent of the full document.

Redundancy deletion rule

Delete redundant pairs such as each and every and basic fundamentals, and replace empty phrases: in order to becomes to, due to the fact that becomes because.