NES EAS Writing (NT002) key terms

The rule that a verb must match its subject in number and person, so singular subjects take singular verbs and plural subjects take plural verbs, even when words come between them.

The requirement that a pronoun match the noun it refers to in number and gender, so a singular antecedent takes a singular pronoun and a plural antecedent takes a plural pronoun.

The convention that pronouns such as everyone, each, somebody, and neither are usually singular and take singular verbs and pronouns, while both, few, many, and several are plural.

A word naming a group, such as team, committee, or family, that takes a singular verb when the group acts as one unit and a plural verb when members act separately.

A word group placed between a subject and its verb, often beginning with of, along with, or as well as, that does not change the number of the subject.

The form a pronoun takes to show its job in a sentence: subjective for subjects, objective for objects, and possessive for ownership, as in I, me, and my.

The pronoun form used for sentence subjects and for subject complements after linking verbs, as in she in "She won" or "It was she who called."

The pronoun form used as a direct object, indirect object, or object of a preposition, as in him, whom, and us.

A flaw in which a pronoun such as it, this, or they does not point clearly to one antecedent, forcing readers to guess what the writer means.

A pronoun problem in which two or more possible antecedents exist, so a sentence like "Marta told Lena that she had won" can be read in more than one way.

A descriptive word or phrase placed too far from the word it describes, creating confusion or unintended meaning in the sentence.

An introductory descriptive phrase whose intended subject never appears in the main clause, as in "Walking home, the rain began," where the rain is not walking.

A modifier positioned so it could describe either the word before it or the word after it, leaving readers unsure which meaning the writer intends.

The practice of putting adjectives, adverbs, and phrases next to the words they describe so that meaning is clear and no unintended reading is possible.

The use of matching grammatical forms for items in a series, in paired elements, or in lists, so that ideas balance and read smoothly.

A break in balance when items that should share a grammatical form do not, as in mixing a noun, a verb phrase, and a clause in one list.

A paired connector such as either/or, neither/nor, or not only/but also that should join grammatically equal elements for balance and clarity.

A group of words punctuated as a sentence but lacking a subject, a complete verb, or an independent clause, so it cannot stand alone.

Two or more independent clauses joined without correct punctuation or a coordinating conjunction, so the sentence's parts blur together.

A specific run-on error in which a comma alone joins two independent clauses, a job the comma cannot do without a conjunction.

A word group with a subject and a complete verb that expresses a complete thought and can stand alone as a sentence.

A word group with a subject and verb that begins with a subordinating word and cannot stand alone, so it must attach to an independent clause.

One of the seven connectors for, and, nor, but, or, yet, and so, used to join words, phrases, or independent clauses of equal rank.

A word such as because, although, when, or if that introduces a dependent clause and shows how it relates to the main clause.

A sentence with one independent clause and no dependent clauses, though it may contain compound subjects, compound verbs, or phrases.

A sentence made of two or more independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction, a semicolon, or a conjunctive adverb with punctuation.

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

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

A transition such as however, therefore, or moreover that shows the relationship between clauses and needs a semicolon or period before it, not a comma alone.

Information that adds detail but is not essential to identifying the word it describes, so it is set off with commas, dashes, or parentheses.

A word, phrase, or clause essential to identifying the noun it modifies; it is not set off by commas, and omitting it changes the meaning.

A noun or noun phrase placed beside another noun to rename or explain it, set off with commas when the information is nonessential.

The recursive stage of writing in which a writer reconsiders content, organization, and wording, making substantial changes rather than only correcting surface errors.

The stage focused on sentence-level concerns such as grammar, punctuation, word choice, and clarity, usually after larger structural revisions are complete.

The final careful read to catch typos, spelling slips, and punctuation errors before a piece is submitted or published.

Feedback on a draft from another reader who comments on clarity, organization, and support so the writer can see the text from a fresh perspective.

A single sentence that states the main claim of an essay and previews the reasoning, usually appearing near the end of the introduction.

A sentence, usually first in a body paragraph, that names the paragraph's main idea and connects it to the essay's thesis.

Evidence, examples, facts, or explanations that develop a paragraph's main idea and make an abstract claim concrete for readers.

The quality of a paragraph or essay in which every sentence serves one central idea, with nothing irrelevant left in.

The quality that makes ideas flow logically, achieved through clear organization, transitions, and repetition of key terms so readers can follow the reasoning.

A word, phrase, or sentence that signals how one idea connects to the next, guiding readers through shifts in time, cause, contrast, or addition.

The development of an idea through explanation, illustration, or analysis so that a claim is fully supported rather than merely stated.

Specific facts, examples, quotations, or observations a writer uses to support a claim and persuade readers that the reasoning is sound.

The arrangement of ideas into a purposeful order, such as chronological, spatial, or order of importance, so the essay's structure reflects its argument.

The opening section of an essay that engages readers, provides needed background, and presents the thesis that the rest of the piece will develop.

The closing section that reinforces the essay's main point, often by restating the thesis in fresh words and offering a final insight without new evidence.

A writing task in which the test taker produces an original essay or extended answer rather than selecting from choices, scored with a rubric.

The test question or writing task that states the topic, the purpose, and the audience, and often specifies what the response must address.

A scoring guide that lists criteria such as focus, development, organization, and language use, with descriptions of performance levels for each.

An essay written under a fixed time limit, requiring quick planning, a clear thesis, organized paragraphs, and time reserved for review.

Planning activities such as brainstorming, outlining, and listing that generate and arrange ideas before drafting begins.

A brief plan that lists the thesis, main points, and supporting details in order, giving a draft a structure to follow.