eng

Declarative Sentence

A declarative sentence states something. It always ends with a period. I went to the store.

2. According to the passage, a metamaterial that could bend microwaves was created by: (A) Victor Veselago (B) Scientists at Duke University (C) U.S. and British scientists (D) Vladimir Shalaev

C

Homophones: Affect and Effect

Affect (verb): To have an effect on Effect (noun): Something that is brought about by a cause

After sentence 12, the writer wants to illustrate Lee's quotation with a brief anecdote. Which choice best accomplishes this goal?

During an unusual blizzard in April, Dave was out on skis sweeping snow off of the plastic cover while Lee hooked up space heaters inside the tunnel to keep the plants warm

It's vs. Its

Of course, it's should be used as a contraction of it is, while its is only used to show possession.

Verbs as adjectives

When a verb is used as an adjective, it's called a participle and generally ends in -ed or -ing. The falling tree scared a lot of people. Mashed potatoes are one of my favorite foods

Subject-Verb Agreement

When writing or speaking, it's important that the verb and the subject agree. First, let's look at this chart for the English verb to be

Prepositions

express the relationship between the different words in a sentence. Changing the preposition can change the meaning of a sentence. The ball is on the box. The ball is in the box. I'll call you before dinner. I'll call you after dinner.

Throughout the early nineteenth century, saengerfests became popular with university students, who adopted the musical format: to promote social agendas, and with churches, which formed groups as part of worship

format

sentence 23 "then, miraculously, she got better" primarily serves to

mark Ruchira's transformation from a frustrated, unskilled painter to a serene, capable one

Which is the best version of the underlined portion of sentence 13 (reproduced below)? In 1950, the National Science Foundation was established with a mandate to fund basic science, it did indeed turn thousands of returning soldiers into scientists.

science. It did indeed turn

objective pronouns

replace the object of a sentence me, you, him, her, it, us ,and them Rebecca and I saw John on the way to school. → Rebecca and I saw him on the way to school. Jack and Kate didn't eat all of the pizza. → Jack and Kate didn't eat all of it.

Nonminative pronouns

replace the subject of a sentence I, you , she , he , it we and they

Verbs .

represent action, a state, or an occurrence. Jane runs to school every day. Sarah always studies at night. I always listen to you

proper nouns

require capitalization aka they refer to a specific place ex: George Washinton was the president.

A competent customer knowingly exclaimed, "You must have a high tunnel!"

savvy

3. It can be inferred from paragraph 2 of the passage tha : (A) U.S. and British scientists competed with each other to see who could create a metamaterial that could bend microwaves first. (B) There is currently a great deal of interest surrounding the creation of an invisibility cloak. (C) A metamaterial that can bend only red light waves is essentially useless. (D) Scientists and researchers aren't getting any closer to creating a metamaterial that can bend light waves.

B

Delegate most nearly means: (A) Delight (B) Assign (C) Decide (D) Manage

B

Favor most nearly means: (A) Award (B) Prefer ( C) Respect (D) Improve

B

what is misspelled (A) Regret (B) Unpleasent (C) Solemn (D) Cautious

B) spelling is unpleasant.

Select the best word to complete the sentence. The ant marched quickly back to ____ home. its it's their its'

Correct Sentence: The ant marched quickly back to its home. Explanation: In this case, the home belongs to the ant, so we need to express ownership. It's is a contraction, while its expresses ownership.

Which is the best version of the underlined portion of sentence 1 (reproduced below)? Standing in front of his high tunnel on a sunny June day, Virginia farmer Dave O'Neill said his family had started seeding tomatoes for that year's harvest back in December, when temperatures often dipped below freezing.

as it is now apostrophe to indicate the possessive: the harvest referred to is "that year's harvest." There is nothing that belongs to a tomato or the tomatoes, so no apostrophe is needed there (as in Choices B and C).

4. Why does the author MOST likely provide the statistic in the final sentence? (A) To point out that U.S. coastal waters are safer than those of other countries. (B) To illustrate that relatively few fatal shark attacks have occurred in U.S. waters. (C) To show that the period 1990- 2000 marked a decrease in the number of fatal shark attacks. (D) To caution swimmers and surfers against dangers.

b

Apostrophe

Use an apostrophe + S ('s) to show that one person/thing owns or is a member of something. Amy's ballet class, Lisa's car, Robert's car, Ross's room, Ross's sports teams Yes, even if the name ends in "s," it's still correct to add another "'s" to create the possessive form. It is also acceptable to add only an apostrophe to the end of singular nouns that end in "s" to make them possessive. In this case, you can show possession for Ross either way: Ross' Ross's if a plural noun doesn't end in "s," add an apostrophe + "s" to create the possessive form. The children's rooms Remember, a possessive noun needs an apostrophe and an "s" at the end. If there's already an "s" there, you can just add the apostrophe. If there's no "s," you have to add both - first the apostrophe, and then the "s."

Questions 5- 6 are based on the following passage. Although much about dolphin communication remains a mystery, scientists have discovered three distinct sounds that dolphins frequently make: chirps, clicks, and whistles. Scientists have learned that dolphins use clicks to create a sonar map, which allows them to navigate and hunt. But, apart from possibly transmitting location, the clicks do not appear to serve any communication purpose. Rather, research indicates that dolphins communicate with each other by whistling. This discovery has necessitated further investigation, as scientists are not yet sure whether the whistles comprise a complex system of linguistic communication or a simple set of sonic cues like the ones used by other animal species. 5. Why does the author mention whistles in the passage? (A) To show that dolphins are capable of expressing emotion. (B) To prompt questions about the complexity of dolphin communication. (C) To illustrate how they aid dolphins in navigating and hunting. (D) To continue to spur research into their unknown purpose. Which is implied about dolphins in the passage? (A) They are not the only animal species that communicates sonically. (B) They never use clicks for communication. (C) They are more intelligent than other animal species. D. They use a system of communication similar to that of other animal species.

5.B 6.A

Still, she came back from work every evening and painted furiously furiously" most nearly means

A intensely

Benevolence Insomnia Inscribe Conspire Verify

Bene- means "good"; somn- has to do with sleep; scribe has to do with writing; con- means "doing something together"; and ver- has to do with truth. So, for example, if you were looking for a synonym for benevolence, you'd definitely want to choose a positive, or "good" word.

who's vs. whose

Here's another misunderstood contraction. Here, we have who's, contraction of who is, and whose, a personal pronoun. Who's (who is) going to love me if I can't get my apostrophes right? Whose apostrophe is this? If you can use "who is" instead of who's in the sentence the apostrophe stays. If there's an E on the end of "whose" do NOT use an apostrophe

that analysis showed fatty lipid molecules lining up in regular rows and columns, perpendicular to the scales. This, apparently, is why the snake's outer lipid layer is so tough. It acts like the nylon layer of a down jacket, preventing friction-inducing particles from touching the underlying skin, while still being flexible enough not to break.

The fatty lipid molecules that coat the California king snake's skin offer more assistance reducing friction on the snake's underbelly than on its back.

Colons

a punctuation mark (:) used to precede a list of items, a quotation, or an expansion or explanation. Lists/series example: We covered many of the fundamentals in our writing class: grammar, punctuation, style, and voice. Noun/noun phrase example: My roommate gave me the things I needed most: companionship and quiet. Quotation example: Shakespeare said it best: "To thine own self be true." using a colon after "such as," "including," "especially," and similar phrases. This violates the rule

Which is the best version of the underlined portion of sentence 1 (reproduced below)? During World War II, the United States government funded scientific research on an unprecedented scale that had never been done before.

an unprecedented scale. not a never-been-done-before, unprecedented scale.

Adjectives

are used to give us more information about nouns and pronouns. They are describing words like colors, sizes, quantities, numbers, nationalities, etc. Adjectives help us answer the following questions: What Kind? I could eat Mexican food every day. How many? Yesterday, I studied for three hours. Which one? Could you pass me the blue book? How much? I just want a little coffee before I go to work.

The _____ didn't stop meowing until they were fed. cats' cats cat's kitten's

b Correct Sentence: The cats didn't stop meowing until they were fed. Explanation: Because we're talking about more than one cat, we need to make the noun plural. All of the other options contain apostrophes, which show ownership. Apostrophes are never used to make a noun plural.

Grave most nearly means: (A) Regrettable (B) Unpleasant (C) Serious (D) Careful

c

one of the sentences contains a misspelled or misused word. This question type can be tricky. Take a look at the following example to find out why. (A) I was genuinely surprised to hear the good news . (B) The girl was upset when she was asked to meet with the principle of the school. (C) My favorite cuisine is Mexican food. (D) Growing up, my brother was extremely timid and shy.

correct answer is (B). You may say to yourself that every word is spelled correctly, which is partially true. In this case, the word principle is spelled correctly. However, it is the wrong word for the sentence. The head of a school is a principal, so (B) contains the misspelled word.

1 This passage is primarily about (A) The science behind invisibility cloaks (B) The importance of Victor Veselago's idea to the creation of an invisibility cloak (C) Why scientists have yet to create a true invisibility cloak (D) Scientists' efforts to create a real invisibility cloak

d

Linking Verbs

don't represent action. Instead, they connect the subject with the rest of the sentence. Those shoes are amazing. In this case, the shoes aren't doing anything, but are links shoes (the subject) to amazing. Freddy looks sick today. Freddy isn't doing anything, but looks serves as the verb and connects Freddy (the subject) to sick

When to use apostrophes

in contraction, show ownership or possession

In 1854, members of this saengerfest wrote and passed several resolutions regarding important issues of significance of the contemporary time then, including the abolition of slavery and the separation of church and state.

issues of the time,

common pronouns

person, place or things, animals

Which is the best version of the underlined portion of sentence 14 (reproduced below)? It takes me up a steep bluff, and then I am able to walk along the river, enjoying majestic views of rippling tallgrass prairies, cliffs, capped with creamy limestone, and circling bald eagles.

prairies, cliffs capped with creamy limestone, and

Which is the best version of the underlined portion of sentence 5 (reproduced below)? The man in charge of the 6,000 wartime scientists on the federal payroll was an electrical engineering professor and an inventor, Vannevar Bush.

(as it is now)

Questions 13- 15 are based on the following passage. On a stormy June day in 1752, Benjamin Franklin carried out the famous experiment in which he channeled lightning down a kite string and stored the electric charge in a Leyden jar, the precursor to the modern capacitor. The consequences could not have been more pronounced. Franklin proved that electricity was a force of nature, like Newton's gravity, and the subsequent invention of the lightning rod (based on Franklin's theories) sharply reduced risk of fire to tall buildings. Franklin's experiment had cultural repercussions as well. It showed that scientific research could have practical benefits, and it impugned the superstitious belief— widespread at the time— that lightning resulted from divine displeasure. 13. For which purpose does the author include the sentence, "The consequences could not have been more pronounced"? (A) To show that it was difficult to describe the results of the experiment. (B) To suggest that Franklin became famous because of the experiment. (C) To illustrate the importance of conducting experiments. (D) To stress that Franklin's experiment had far-reaching effects. 14. Based on the passage, in which of these did Franklin's kite experiment play a part? (A) Promoting superstitious beliefs. (B) Explaining the force of gravity. (C) Developing the Leyden jar. (D) Illustrating the utility of scientific research. 15. Which answer option best defines the word impugned as it is used in the passage? (A) Reinforced. (B) Cast doubt upon. (C) Popularized. (D) Called attention to. . .

13.D 14.A 15. B

Accept vs. Except

Accept - to agree or take what is offered We can accept the terms of the agreement. Except - left out, other than, excluding We agree to everything except the last requirement.

independent clause

An independent clause can be a sentence on its own. On the other hand, a dependent clause doesn't express a complete thought and cannot stand alone. When Sandy woke up, it was still dark outside. When Sandy woke up is a dependent clause, because the thought is incomplete. It was still dark outside is an independent clause.

Indirect Objects

An indirect object answers the questions to whom? or for whom?. It differs from the direct object because it's affected by the action but it doesn't receivethe action. My dog brought me her toy. Me is the indirect object while toy is the direct object.

Select the best group of words to complete the sentence. Mississippi is ______ of here. South SOUTH SouthEast south Incorrect

Correct Sentence: Mississippi is south of here. Explanation: We only capitalize the directions (north, south, east, and west) when we're referring to a specific region (e.g. I've never been to the South). Since we're just speaking about a general direction in this case, it's incorrect to capitalize i

Which is the best version of the underlined portion of sentence 7 (reproduced below)? Although I can fill my car instead of carrying all of the equipment, I'm also free to bring a comfortable chair, my favorite camping snacks, and a stack of books to read.

Choice C is the best answer because it effectively uses a subordinating conjunction (because) to indicate a logical relationship between the sentence's clauses. Choices A, B, and D result in illogical and/or ungrammatical sentences.

Which of the following sentences contains a predicate nominative? .

Climate change is a threat. Climate change is scary. Climate change is rapid. Climate change is dangerous. Correct Sentence: Climate change is a threat. Explanation: The correct answer is option A, because it's the only one that contains a predicate nominative. The rest of the options contain predicate adjectives. The best way to identify a predicate nominative is by looking for the article (a, an, the) that appears before it.

coordinating Conjunctions

Coordinating conjunctions join words, phrases, or clauses together. The coordinating conjunctions can be remembered by remembering FANBOYS. For And Nor But Or Yet So I felt sick, so I didn't go to school.

The following sentence contains which type of phrase? The day I wake up before 7 A.M. is the day that pigs fly. Cliché Euphemism TextSpeak Profanity

Correct Answer: Cliché Explanation: "When pigs fly" is a cliché, because it's an overused expression that essentially means "never

Which of the following sentences is grammatically incorrect? I wouldn't like to live in Miami. It's far too hot. I wouldn't like to live in Miami it's far too hot. I wouldn't like to live in Miami, because it's far too hot. I wouldn't like to live in Miami; it's far too hot. Incorrect

Corrected Sentence: I wouldn't like to live in Miami; it's far too hot. Explanation: "I wouldn't like to live in Miami it's far too hot." is a run-on sentence, which means that we need to break it up in some way. This could be with a period, a semicolon, or by adding a conjunction and a comma. One correct possibility is noted above.

Which of the following sentences is grammatically incorrect? William gave her his last piece of chocolate. William gave him his last piece of chocolate. William gave they his last piece of chocolate. William gave us his last piece of chocolate.

Corrected Sentence: William gave them his last piece of chocolate. Explanation: In this sentence, the object pronoun is incorrect. Instead of using "they", we should "them". The corrected form is noted above.

Which word is used incorrectly in the following sentence? With who can I speak about my problem? with who my speak Incorrect

Corrected Sentence: With whom can I speak about my problem? Explanation: Since "who" is functioning as the indirect object, not the subject, the correct form is "whom". The corrected form is noted above.

Which of the following sentences is grammatically incorrect? I can't believe that it's already raining! You never know until its too late! The wheel fell off its axis. It's been snowing all week! Incorrect

Corrected Sentence: You never know until it's too late! Explanation: "Its" represents possession, but we need to use a contraction in this case. The corrected form is noted above.

Clandestine most nearly means: (A) Amicable (B) Spirited (C) Auspicious D) Secret

D

Rankle most nearly means: (A) Exhort (B) Impress (C) Relieve (D) Irk

D

which of the following sentences contains a linking verb? Amanda drinks water as soon as she wakes up. Michael drove to school despite the snow. Linda eats a sandwich every day for lunch. Donna seemed a little sad today.

D Correct Sentence: Donna seemed a little sad today. Explanation: "Seems" is a linking verb because it links the subject to the other words, but it doesn't express action. The other options contain only action verbs.

Which of the following sentences is grammatically incorrect? I never liked wrestling; it always seemed so violent to me. Sam didn't study for the test; he felt like he already knew the material well enough. The river was freezing cold; there had been more snow than usual in the mountains that year. Harry wanted to tell her the truth; and he knew exactly how to do it.

D Corrected Sentence: Harry wanted to tell her the truth; he knew exactly how to do it. Explanation: This sentence is incorrect, because we can't use a conjunction when using a semicolon to separate two independent clauses. The corrected form is noted above.

Direct Objects

In a sentence, the direct object is what receives the action. It differs from the subject, which performs the action. Zachary threw the ball over the fence. Ursula drove the car to the store.

It's vs Its

It's - it is It's not too late to join the team. Its - the possessive form of it Its first practice is next week.

Possessive Adjectives

Like possessive pronouns, possessive adjectives express ownership. The possessive adjectives are my, your, his, her, its, our, and their. That blue car belongs to me. → That's my blue car. We bought that couch together. → That's our couch. John's idea is really great. → His idea is really great.

Which of the following conclusions can most logically be drawn from Davis's claims as they are presented in Passage 1?

Many nonnative species die out quickly before they can do any harm to a native ecosystem.

Based on the information in the two passages, on which of the following points about nonnative species are Davis and Simberloff most likely to agree?

Some nonnative species can cause harm to the native ecosystems they inhabit.

Nouns as Adjectives.

Sometimes, we can use nouns as a way to describe other nouns. We're going to be late for history class. History is a noun, but in this case it's acting as an adjective. It gives us more information about the class by answering the questions "which one?" and "what kind?"

The arches are covered with a durable plastic that allows sunlight to filter inside and warm the soil to a temperature higher than those of the ground temperature outside

That of the ground

Based on the passage, which of the following best characterizes the outlook of Ruchira's parents on their daughter's interest in painting?

They were unaware of it.

As Ruchira is packing her apartment while preparing to move in with her new husband, Biren, she reflects on the first time he saw her artwork. (1) He'd moved close to the wall and was standing very still. (2) It took her a moment to figure out that he was examining her brushstrokes. (3) (But only artists did that. (4) Was he a closet artist, too?) (5) Finally he moved back and let out a long, incredulous breath, and it struck her that she had been holding hers as well. (6)"Tell me about your work," he said. (7) This was hard. (8) She had started painting two years ago, and had never talked to anyone about it. (9) Even her parents didn't know. (10) When they came for dinner, she removed the canvases from the wall and hid them in her closet. (11) She sprayed the room with Eucalyptus Mist and lit incense sticks so they wouldn't smell the turpentine. (12) The act of painting was the first really risky thing she had done in her life. (13) Being at the gallery, she knew how different her work was from everything in there, or in the glossy art journals. (14) Her technique was crude—she hadn't taken classes and didn't intend to. (15) She would probably never amount to much. (16) Still, she came back from work every evening and painted furiously. (17) She worked late into the night, light-headed with the effort to remember. (18) She stopped inviting people over. (19) She made excuses when her friends wanted her to go out. (20) She had to force herself to return their calls, and often she didn't. (21) She ruined canvas after canvas, slashed them in frustration and threw them into the Dumpster behind the building. (22) She wept till she saw a blurry brightness, like sunspots, wherever she looked. (23) Then, miraculously, she got better. (24) Sometimes now, at 2:00 or 3:00, her back muscles tight and burning, a stillness would rise around her, warm and vaporous. (25) Held within it, she would hear, word for word, the stories her grandmother used to tell.

Which of the following best describes what is happening in sentence 5 when Biren releases "a long, incredulous breath" and Ruchira notices "that she had been holding hers as well"? A Biren is shocked by the artwork, and Ruchira is surprised by this unexpected response. B Biren is bored by the display, and Ruchira is disappointed in his reaction . C Biren discovers Ruchira's secret, and Ruchira is upset it has been discovered. D Biren admires the artwork, and Ruchira realizes she has been nervous about his reaction. answer d

whose vs. who's

Whose - the possessive form of who The person whose coat you found will probably be looking for it. Who's - who is Who's willing to return the coat?

your vs you're

Your: Possession You're: You are

Which is the most logical placement for sentence 9 (reproduced below)? In March, they replaced the plastic on the arches to begin the process of warming the soil so that the tomato plants could be transferred there by April. (7) The process of sowing tomatoes in winter began not in the tunnel but in the sunroom inside the O'Neills' home. (8) The O'Neills sowed tomato seeds in flats filled with soil and then, once the seedlings were big enough, potted them and moved the plants into their greenhouse, which would warm to over eighty degrees on sunny days. (9) In March, they replaced the plastic on the arches to begin the process of warming the soil so that the tomato plants could be transferred there by April. (10)In February, it was time to prepare the high tunnel for planting. (11) The O'Neills drove a no-till tractor through the tunnel's uncovered arches to loosen the soil and then applied vitamin-rich compost.

after 11

Which of the following is the most logical placement of sentence 10 (reproduced below)? Even new telescopes, like the James Webb Space Telescope, cannot examine them all. 6) Examining these life-sustaining planets, known as "potentially habitable planets," involve extensive, targeted work. (7) Many potentially habitable planets have been discovered. (8) However, there are too many—at such vast distances from Earth—to feasibly explore every one. (9) This work needs to be prioritized, and Shields has turned to climate models to do just that. (10) Even new telescopes, like the James Webb Space Telescope, cannot examine them all. (11) Using climate models, Shields has found a way to home in on the most likely habitable planets.

after 8

Which is the most logical placement for sentence 12 (reproduced below)? Among the trees, campers have set up outdoor living rooms with chairs, tables, and fire pits.

after sentence 10 Choice C is the best answer because it results in the most logical placement of the sentence, which describes a scene that the writer observes after arriving at the campsite but before going hiking. None of the other suggested placements makes sense in the chronology of the paragraph.

All ready vs already

all ready - completely prepared The family is all ready to go. Already - by this time By now they already should have left.

Semicolons and colons

always go outside the closing quotation marks To help separate items in a list, when some of those items already contain commas. ex: Now suppose that the three items I want to list are described in phrases that already contain some commas: shiny, ripe applessmall, sweet, juicy grapesfirm pears If I use commas to separate these items, my sentence looks like this: I bought shiny, ripe apples, small, sweet, juicy grapes, and firm pears. To join two sentences. I went to the grocery store today; I bought a ton of fruit. Apples, grapes, and pears were all on sale. OR I went to the grocery store today. I bought a ton of fruit; apples, grapes, and pears were all on sale. not went to the grocery store today; I bought a ton of fruit; apples, grapes, and pears were all on sale.

3. According to the author, which of the following has NOT increased over time? (A) The total number of shark attacks in U.S. waters. (B) The popularity of aquatic sports. (C) The number of fatal shark attacks in U.S. coastal waters. (D) The rate of shark attacks per number of people in the water.

b he specifically says they have.

Which choice best describes the relationship between Passage 1 and Passage 2? A Passage 1 introduces a new approach to a problem that is further supported in Passage 2. B Passage 1 describes a long-standing debate that Passage 2 seeks to resolve. C Passage 2 presents responses to assertions that Passage 1 makes about an issue. D Passage 2 offers a plan of action to address a concern that Passage 1 raises

c

(6) I pack up my basic camping gear: tent and sleeping bag, lightweight backpack, toiletries, and a lot of sunscreen. (7) Although I can fill my car instead of carrying all of the equipment, I'm also free to bring a comfortable chair, Which is the best version of the underlined portion of sentence 7 (reproduced below)? Although I can fill my car instead of carrying all of the equipment, I'm also free to bring a comfortable chair, my favorite camping snacks, and a stack of books to read.

because

Illegible most nearly means: (A) Illegal (B) Twisted (C) Unreadable (D) Eligible

c

The word "envisaged" in paragraph 2 most likely means: (A) produced (B) seen (C) imagined ( D) criticized

c

adverb

ch like an adjective describes a noun, an adverb describes a verb, an adjective, or another adverb. Adverbs answer the following questions: When? Sam arrived late to the party. Where? I placed the book under the desk. How?/In What Way? Mark whispered his thoughts softly to himself. To What Extent? Nick is very tired today. Most words that end in -ly, such as fairly, slowly, quickly, etc., are adverbs. You can tell the difference between adjectives and adverbs by identifying which part of the sentence they modify.

Which choice most effectively combines sentences 13 and 14 (reproduced below) at the underlined portion? Shields inputs information about a planet's atmospheric makeup into the model. Doing this helps her figure out what the temperature on the planet's surface would be.

model to figure

passive pronouns

re used to express possession. In other words, we use possessive pronouns when we want to show that something belongs to someone or something. The possessive pronouns are mine, yours, his, hers, its, ours, and theirs. That pencil belongs to me. → That pencil is mine. That book belongs to Cheryl. → That book is hers. We bought the couch together. → The couch is ours.

Interjections

re words that express an emotion or feeling. They can be used as part of a sentence or alone and are often followed by an exclamation point (!). jeez ewww wow oops

subject-verb agreement

subject stays the same; verb must be singular or plural to match the subject Usage - Subject-Verb Agreement Subjects and verbs must AGREE with one another in number (singular or plural). Thus, if a subject is singular, its verb must also be singular; if a subject is plural, its verb must also be plural. In present tenses, nouns and verbs form plurals in opposite ways: nouns ADD an s to the singular form, BUT verbs REMOVE an s from the singular form.

Homographs -

words spelled the same but with different meanings (e.g., bat - a winged animal or a piece of sporting equipment)