PERT Writing flashcards
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32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.
- Subject-verb agreement
- A singular subject takes a singular verb (add -s in present tense), and a plural subject takes a plural verb (no -s).
- Pronoun-antecedent agreement
- A pronoun must agree with its antecedent in number and gender. Indefinite pronouns like everyone, each, and neither are singular.
- Who vs. whom
- Use who as a subject (who called?) and whom as an object (to whom, for whom).
- Affect vs. effect
- Affect is usually a verb meaning to influence; effect is usually a noun meaning result.
- Lie vs. lay
- Lie (recline) is intransitive and takes no object; lay (put) is transitive and takes an object.
- Dangling modifier
- An introductory phrase that does not logically modify the subject of the main clause, creating an unintended meaning.
- Parallel structure
- Items in a list, series, or comparison must share the same grammatical form (e.g., all nouns, all infinitives, all -ing phrases).
- Independent clause
- A group of words with a subject and verb that expresses a complete thought and can stand alone as a sentence.
- Dependent clause
- A group of words with a subject and verb that cannot stand alone as a sentence because it does not express a complete thought.
- Compound sentence
- A sentence with two or more independent clauses joined by a comma and coordinating conjunction or by a semicolon.
- Complex sentence
- A sentence with one independent clause and at least one dependent clause.
- Run-on sentence
- Two independent clauses joined with no punctuation or with only a comma (comma splice).
- Sentence fragment
- A group of words punctuated as a sentence but missing a subject, a verb, or a complete thought.
- Coordinating conjunctions
- The seven conjunctions for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so (FANBOYS) that join words or independent clauses of equal rank.
- Comma splice
- An error in which two independent clauses are joined only by a comma without a coordinating conjunction.
- Comma rules
- Use commas to separate items in a series, set off introductory elements and nonessential clauses, join independent clauses with a conjunction, and separate coordinate adjectives.
- Semicolon use
- A semicolon joins two independent clauses without a conjunction or separates items in a series when the items themselves contain commas.
- Colon use
- A colon introduces a list, explanation, or quotation after an independent clause and must follow a complete sentence.
- Apostrophe rules
- Add 's for singular possessive, add only an apostrophe for plural possessive ending in s, and add 's for plural of letters or numbers.
- Quotation mark punctuation
- Periods and commas go inside closing quotation marks; semicolons and colons go outside; question marks and exclamation points go inside if part of the quotation.
- Italics vs. quotation marks
- Use italics for titles of long works (books, movies, newspapers) and quotation marks for titles of short works (articles, poems, songs).
- Dash vs. hyphen
- A dash sets off an abrupt break or parenthetical thought; a hyphen joins compound words or divides words at line breaks.
- Paragraph unity
- Every sentence in a paragraph supports the main idea stated in the topic sentence; irrelevant sentences should be removed.
- Coherence
- The quality of ideas flowing logically and smoothly, often achieved with transitions that show relationships between sentences and paragraphs.
- Topic sentence
- The sentence that states the main idea of a paragraph, usually placed first, with supporting sentences providing evidence and explanation.
- Transitions
- Words or phrases that show relationships between ideas, such as addition (also), contrast (however), cause-effect (therefore), and example (for instance).
- Essay structure
- An introduction with a thesis, body paragraphs each with a topic sentence and support, and a conclusion that restates the thesis and summarizes.
- Development
- Supporting general statements with specific details, facts, examples, or statistics to make writing convincing and clear.
- Revision vs. editing
- Revision focuses on content, organization, and clarity; editing focuses on grammar, punctuation, and mechanics.
- Wordiness
- Using more words than necessary, such as redundant pairs (each and every) or empty phrases (due to the fact that); cut these for conciseness.
- Active vs. passive voice
- Active voice has the subject perform the action; passive voice has the subject receive the action. Prefer active for directness.
- Tone consistency
- Maintaining the same formal or informal tone and point of view throughout an essay unless a shift is intentional.