English ACT
Future
the action will take place in the future. Pacey WILL WORK more hours at the mall next summer.
FANDBOYS
For And Nor But Or Yet So
simple past
an action or event that happened in the past. Example: We watched the parade yesterday.
Conclusion/Summary: Transition to a conclusion or summary of information that came before - "A. B. C. As was said, A, B, C."
in conclusion in summary in the end thus, in essence, finally,
Use a single dash to offset an unrelated idea that is tacked onto the end of a sentence.
After the terrible storm, a gorgeous rainbow lit up the sky—a sign, I hoped, of better things to come.
All ready vs already
All ready means "completely ready" or "everyone is ready." Example: The instructor asked the climber if he was all ready to begin. Already means "by or before a specified time." Example: The students were already late for the bus.
Identifying the Subject
Cross out any prepositional phrases between the subject and verb, and underline the subject of the bold verb in each of the following sentences. Margarita, with her sisters, currently runs a marketing firm. The way of all samurai is a strict path. The girls, with their dog Alfred, walk to school. The PTA, through generous donations, is building a new school building.
subject pronouns
I, you, he, she, it, we, you, they
Sentence Fragment Example
Swam into the ocean. (missing subject) The white plastic chair. (missing verb) As in the lives of many. (missing both subject and predicate)
Simple Past/Past Progressive
The accident OCCURED while the traffic light was CHANGING.
active voice
The subject of the sentence performs the action Elijah caught the ball.
Verbals
Verbals are verb forms that can function as nouns
Progressive tenses
describe actions that are ongoing; the verb ends in "-ing." She IS SETTING the timer. (present) She WAS SETTING the timer. (past) She WILL BE SETTING the timer. (future)
reflexive pronoun
pronoun that ends in -self or -selves
comma splice
two sentences joined incorrectly with only a comma Yesterday my mother prepared my favorite dinner, she even baked a cake. should be: Yesterday my mother prepared my favorite dinner; she even baked a cake.
contraction
two words combined with some letters taken out.
Coordinate clause
When a sentence contains more than one clause, each of which is considered equally as important as the other. They are typically joined by a comma + a coordinating conjunction (a FANBOYS word): for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so.
possessive pronoun
a pronoun that shows ownership (mine, his, hers, etc.)
possesive pronoun
shows ownership. (my,your,his,her,its,our,their)
past perfect
I had seen my best friend the day before.
Me vs I
"I" is a subject, which means it always performs the verb. (I did the verb.) "Me" is an object which means it always receives the verb. (the verb is done to me.)
Simple Present/Present Perfect:
Martha KNOWS that she has EARNED all of her promotions.
Future Perfect/Present Perfect (equivalent to future perfect/simple present):
Our cows WILL HAVE MOVED toward the barn by the time the bobcat has ENTERED the pasture.
Verb Tense Sequence
Some sentences follow a specific sequence, or order, of tenses. The order of the clauses is normally interchangeable. Hypothetical/Conditional: These sentences usually use a clause with if and a subjunctive verb phrase (were to walk, for example) in one clause, and a conditional (would) verb construction in the second clause.
Verb Agreement
The subject and verb must agree in number: both must be singular, or both must be plural.
relative pronoun
used to identify people, places, and objects in general. The relative pronouns who, whom, and whose refer to people. The relative pronouns which, what, that, and whose refer to places and objects.
Short; Concise
A piece of writing that is not too long and has no extra details or information EXAMPLE : Canadian currency usually looks and appears very different from its American counterpart. Because "looks" and "appears" mean the same thing, you can keep only one of them to make the sentence less wordy. Ergo, the shorter an answer choice, the fewer the opportunities for redundancy, wordiness, and awkwardness.
amount vs number
Amount is used to denote a quantity of something that cannot be divided into separate units. Example: There was a small amount of water in the glass. Number is used when the objects involved are discrete or can be counted. Example: A large number of students participated in the festivities.
verb
An action word
Assure vs. Ensure vs. Insure
Assure means "to convince," or "to guarantee" and usually takes a direct object. Example: I assure you that I will not be late. Ensure means "to make certain." Example: Ensure that the door is locked when you leave. Insure means "to guard against loss." Example: Please insure this package for $100.
Farther vs. Further
Farther refers to distance. Example: Matt traveled farther than all of the others. Further indicates "additional degree, time, or quantity." Example: The airline representative told us to expect further delays.
Contradiction/Contrast:
Is the author trying to indicate that there's been a contradiction or a change in idea? Is the author highlighting a contrast? Brian is funny, but sometimes he is tired and dull.
Precede vs. Proceed
Precede means "to go before." Example: Thea preceded Kahla as an intern at the law office. Proceed means "to move forward." Example: Please proceed to the testing center in an orderly fashion.
affect vs effect
affect is a verb: to influence effect is a noun: result of force The drug side effects affected her mental state. His opinion had a great effect on my decision.
Parenthesis
are used to enclose supplemental information that is not essential to the meaning of the sentence.
Dashes
are used to place special emphasis on a certain word or phrase within a sentence.
Common Cause-and-Effect Words
as a result in response to because of thanks to due to thus hence
Much of the businessman's early success was attributed from his (1) connections to the Harvard Business School. NO CHANGE attributed by attributed to attributed of
attributed to,
Heat-loving bacteria by flourishing (6) in temperatures over 150 degrees Celsius. NO CHANGE were flourishing having flourished flourish
flourish, The verb in this sentence must be in the simple present tense, as the action is currently happening. As it is written, the sentence is incomplete.
Riverbank erosion is a continue (4) source of anxiety for state environmental officials. NO CHANGE continual continuously continually
continual, Use the adjective "continual" to modify the noun "source."
Example/Explanation: Transition from general idea/topic to a specific example or added explanation - "A. For example, B."
for example for instance that is
Infinitive verb
he infinitive form of a verb, "to" (such as "to swim" and "to bike"), can be used with any verb tense. I want to bike. (Present) I wanted to bike. (Past) I will want to bike. (Future) If I had wanted to bike, I would have brought my bike. (Past Conditional) If I will want to bike, I will bring my bike. (Future Conditional)
While Kamila wants many expensive things, she (are saving, is saving) her graduation money to pay for college.
While Kamila wants many expensive things, she is saving her graduation money to pay for college. Kamila is a singular subject, so the auxiliary verb (a form of be in the progressive tenses) must also be singular: is.
The "s" is only added if the subject is singular and in the third person
a noun or "he," "she," or "it"); "s" is not added if the subject is "I" or "you."
Number
1st person, singular: I have a headache today. 2nd person, singular: You are my best friend in the entire world! 3rd person, singular: It/He/She was interesting today. 1st person, plural: We make amazing barbecue. 2nd person, plural: You are going to work in pairs for this assignment. 3rd person, plural: They enjoy suspense novels.
Possessive determiner
A determiner such as 'your' or 'my' that tells you who something belongs to. must match the person and number of the possessor and not the noun phrase to which they are linked. Example: Richard likes his hot dogs with lots of relish. (his is third-person singular to match with Richard, not third person plural [their] to match with hot dogs.)
Simple Present/Future Perfect:
By the time you AWAKEN , Dr. Smythe will have FINISHED stitching the incision
present progressive
My little sister is eating her breakfast quickly.
A comma used inside the quotation mark at the end of the spoken phrase, or before the quotation mark that begins the spoken phrase, except if you introduce a quotation with "that".
The article I read last night reported that the youth are rising up in protest.
-er vs. -est
-er is used at the end of an adjective when comparing two things. Example: She was the smarter of the two girls. -est is used when speaking of the singular highest or lowest in some category, when comparing more than 2 items Example: She was the smartest girl in the class.
Which one is correct? ADVERBS 1)As the race went on, the runners became increasing tired. 2)As the race went on, the runners became increasingly tired.
2) Because "increasing" is being used to describe the word "tired," an adjective describing the word "runners," you should use the adverb "increasingly."
Subject/Verb Agreement - Watch For Prepositional Phrases
A prepositional phrase, such as "with several other interns," never counts as the subject. Prepositional phrases always begin with a preposition; a word that gives physical location, chronological location, direction, or position (Examples include: "on," "above," "below," "with," "by," "during," "until," ...just Google "prepositions" for a full list) and end with a noun, such as "interns." Here are a few more prepositional phrases: "of awards," "with six kids," or "on the table." So, when you are identifying the subject of an underlined verb, if there is a prepositional phrase, cross it out! Then subject/verb agreement is obvious, and a tricky question can seem clearer.
Gerund
A verb form ending in -ing that is used as a noun Swimming is my favorite sport. (In this sentence, "swimming" is a noun.)
person
A verb must have the same person as the subject. 1st person: I am eating lunch. 2nd person: You are eating lunch. 3rd person: He/She/It is eating lunch. or They are eating lunch. In addition to agreeing in person, subject and verb must agree in number, which is either singular or plural.
Appositive
A word or phrase that renames a nearby noun or pronoun. Dr.Mo, a well respected scientist, made an important discovery.
Idioms
An idiom is a common, everyday expression whose meaning can't be determined from its individual words. Idioms usually take the following form: (Verb) + (Preposition) Just like each preposition means something different, every English idiom uses a specific preposition, and it's wrong to use a different preposition to complete the idiom. Therefore, when a preposition is underlined on the English test, ask yourself if it's the correct preposition. How do you know? The correct one will make sense and sound smooth. The wrong one will sound weird or jarring. This is another great place to practice trusting your ear. If it sounds jarring, it's probably wrong.
Organization of Paragraphs
An introduction/topic sentence (general) This sentence, which often relates to the previous paragraph, prepares the reader for what follows. After reading the first sentence, the reader should know exactly what he or she is about to read in the rest of the paragraph. If you read the first sentence and have no clue as to the topic of the paragraph, chances are that the sentence doesn't belong at the beginning of the paragraph. Extremely detailed or specific sentences typically aren't found at the beginnings of paragraphs. Two to five detailed sentences (specific) This is the "meat" of the paragraph. These sentences provide details and supporting points that elaborate on the idea expressed in the topic sentence. Be aware that there is no place in a paragraph for random, extraneous, or irrelevant information. If a sentence doesn't relate directly to the topic, it doesn't belong in the paragraph and should be deleted. A conclusion/summary sentence (general) At the end of the paragraph is a sentence that often begins with "in summary," "in conclusion," "therefore," or "thus." These words are a clue that the sentence is summarizing the main idea presented in the paragraph. The last sentence of a paragraph is not the place to introduce new ideas or include specific evidence.
As of this coming Tuesday, Saskia (have worked, will have worked) at the ice cream shop for six years.
As of this coming Tuesday, Saskia will have worked at the ice cream shop for six years. This sentence refers to an action that began in the past and is ongoing relative to a time in the future (this coming Tuesday). Therefore, the future perfect tense is appropriate.
Use a comma to set off introductory words and phrases.
Before running, I laced my shoes up tightly.
Among vs between
Between = 2 things only, among = 3 or more Among is used to discuss multiple objects that are not distinct. It indicates the subject is in the vicinity of objects or people, but does not give the subject's exact location. Example: She was forced to choose among a myriad of science classes. Between is used to describe a set of distinct (countable), separately named objects. It also gives the precise location of the subject - the subject is between specific objects. It comes down to the number of objects being discussed, and how distinct those objects are. Example: The race between Amy and Emeril was very close.
Bring vs take
Bring should be used in situations where "something is being moved toward you," or towards the location of the sentence's origin. Example: Please bring me the book. (The book is moving towards the speaker, who is the central location of the sentence.) Take should be used in situations where something is being moved away from you, or away from the location of the sentence origin. Example: Did you take my book with you when you left? (The book is moving away from the speaker, who is the central location of the sentence.)
Capital vs capitol
Capital, when used as a noun, can refer to "the official seat of government of a state or nation." Example: The capital of Michigan is Lansing. Capital, when used as a noun, can also be used to mean "wealth or money." Example: He needed to raise investment capital to start his company. Capital, when used as an adjective, means "foremost," or "excellent." Example: "That is a capital idea," Steve said. Capitol refers to the "building where government meets, or when capitalized, refers to the building in which the U.S. Congress is housed." Example: Some members of the legislature have their offices in the capitol building downtown. Example: My stepfather and I visited the Capitol and met both of our state senators.
word choice
Choosing appropriate words in the context of each passage is another useful skill. This is definitely another "trust your ear" topic. If it sounds crazy, it is. Don't say, "That sounds kinda funny, but I must be wrong." Say, "That sounds weird, so let's see if the choices give something that sounds better." I remember staring at the man sitting there expectantly, the curious look on his face asking for an explanation, and then down at my hands, then at the Ministry exit doors. Which of the following would be an acceptable replacement for the underlined word? irate quizzical stormy questionable
Many of the girls in track are extremely fast runners: Only Claudia and four other girls could run a mile in (1) five minutes. NO CHANGE Claudia and only four other girls could run a mile in Claudia and four other girls could only run a mile in Claudia and four other girls could run a mile in only
Claudia and four other girls could run a mile in only, Without the hint provided by the first clause, you wouldn't know which of the choices is correct. The first clause makes it clear, however, that the rest of the sentence must be consistent with the idea that the track team has some very fast members.
Compare to vs. Compare with
Compare to means "assert a likeness." Example: My grandmother often compared me to my mother. Compare with means "analyze for similarities and differences." Example: The detective compared the photograph with the drawing.
Complement vs. Compliment
Complement is a noun or verb that implies "something that completes or adds to" something else. Example: The dessert was a tasty complement to my meal. Compliment is a noun or verb that implies "flattery or praise." Example: Nitin appreciated Suhani's compliment on his high test scores.
Congress (is, are) in emergency session this week.
Congress is in emergency session this week. In American English, nouns are considered singular or plural based on their morphology (how they appear, for example, with an s at the end). In other forms of English, nouns are considered singular or plural based on semantics, that is, whether they describe a single unit or a cumulative body of countable things. So, Congress is singular. Therefore, the singular verb form is is correct.
Topic Development:
Demonstrate an understanding of, and control over, the rhetorical aspects of texts. Identify the purposes of parts of texts, determine whether a text or part of a text has met its intended goal, and evaluate the relevance of material in terms of a text's focus.
Future/Simple Past:
Denisa will CRY if you lost her teddy bear.
Each of the Girl Scouts (has, have) a collection of patches representing different services.
Each of the Girl Scouts (has) a collection of patches representing different services. "Each of the Girl Scouts" refers to each individual Girl Scout, which makes the subject singular. Therefore, the verb must also be singular, which makes "has" the best choice.
Eager vs. Anxious
Eager implies "an intense desire" and usually has a positive connotation. Example: Keethri was eager to begin her new job. Anxious indicates "worry or apprehension" and has a negative connotation. Example: Simula waited anxiously for the plane to take off.
Every day, Mark (finds, have found) strange things in his desk.
Every day, Mark finds strange things in his desk. Mark is a third person, singular subject, so the verb must also be third person, singular: finds.
Good vs. Well
Good is an adjective and describes a noun. Example: The pie she baked was really good. ("good" describes the noun "pie." It describes the quality of the pie.) Well is an adverb and describes a verb Example: He can play baseball well. ("well" describes the verb "play." It describes how he played.)
Climbing the metal stairs, the intern supervisor's cubicle (2) was two flights up. NO CHANGE the cubicle of the intern supervisor I made a beeline to the intern supervisor's cubicle which the intern supervisors cubicle which
I made a beeline to the intern supervisor's cubicle which, The way the sentence is set up, it seems that "Climbing the metal stairs" is describing the intern supervisor's cubicle. Of course it is not; you're smart and know that, but someone translating the sentence would be misled. That's the point of good grammar, to make writing completely clear. So "Climbing the metal stairs" should be as close to the thing that it describes ("I") as possible, and choice C is the best. Choice C also makes the sentence more clear and direct.
Simple Present/Future Progressive:
I will BE CLEANING the house when you RETURN from work.
Imply vs. Infer
Imply means "to suggest." The speaker or author "implies." Example: His pants and shirt colors imply that he is color blind. Infer means "to deduce," "to guess," or "to conclude." The listener or reader "infers." Example: He is not color blind, so we can infer that he simply has bad taste in clothes.
Simple Past/Simple Present:
In a recent poll, 7% of teens THOUGHT that Vietnam IS in North America
cause and effect
Indicate the first thought led to/caused the second thought - "A caused B" Example: Only the boys' bathroom had graffiti in it. Therefore, the girls were allowed to keep their recess privileges while the boys were punished. The second part results from the first part.
Continuation: Transition between similar ideas - "A. Also, B."
Is the author trying to continue with the same idea by adding additional examples or exploring a related idea? Example: Franco loved to help out at his local food pantry. In addition, he worked hard during all the food drives to make sure he could keep the shelves full.
Lay vs. Lie
Lay means "to put" and takes a direct object. Example: Please lay your scarf on the back of the chair. Lay means "to build" and takes a direct object. Example: The peacekeeping talks are laying the groundwork for a new form of government. Lay means "to produce" and takes a direct object. Example: The hens were laying eggs in the barn. Lie means "to recline, rest, or stay," or "to take a position of rest" and does not take a direct object. Example: Ioanna likes to lie down when she gets home from school. Lie means "to be located" and does not take a direct object. Example: The corn fields lie to the west. Both "lay" and "lie" have past tense forms—the past tense form of "lay" is "laid" (not so bad), while the past tense form of "lie" is "lay." (Yes, pay close attention to this!)
Lead vs. Led and Lead (the metal)
Lead (n) is a heavy, toxic metal. This form of "lead" used in metaphors and similes to describe something heavy. Example: My backpack, filled with 5 textbooks, a huge binder, and 6 notebooks, was a lead weight on my back as I walked home from school. Led (v) is the past tense of the verb to lead. Example: Samuel led the goat into the barn last night. Example: Samuel will lead the goat into the barn tomorrow.
Many and Fewer vs. Much and Less
Many and Fewer refer to countable items like units or individuals. Example: Fewer students went on the class trip this year. Example: I lost few pounds this year. Example: We rescued many beached sharks during our coast guard duty. Much and Less refer to uncountable collections, like mass or bulk. Example: There is less air in my bicycle's front tire than in its rear tire. Example: I weigh less this year than I did last year.
Here's a short list of some idiomatic phrases used in sentences:
Mary thought that the test was a piece of cake. The phrase piece of cake typically signifies the relative ease of a task. 2. During our winter break, my friends and I hit the slopes. The phrase hit the slopes is generally used to indicate snow-skiing. 3. My father insisted that I put my nose to the grindstone next semester. The phrase nose to the grindstone is used to suggest that one is working hard. 4. Throughout the summer I lived a stone's throw from a popular beach. The phrase stone's throw generally indicates a short distance. 5. Hector is often too bogged down with his studies to spend time with his friends. The phrase bogged down is most often used to mean overwhelmed. 6. I often sit across from my sister on the bus. Not: with, by, to 7. Darla's professor casually glanced at her. Not: to, upon Some Idiom Examples Correct Incorrect Zann went to the movies. Zann went onto the movies. Giancarlo sat on the couch. Giancarlo sat in the couch. Malaria is a threat to travelers. Malaria is a threat of travelers. Focusing on your studies will bring you success. Focusing with your studies will bring you success.
Misplaced Modifiers - Words
Misplaced modifiers can also cause confusion when modifying words, rather than phrases or clauses, are involved. In these cases, the placement of the word may not make a sentence grammatically incorrect, but it will alter its meaning. Examples: Just Megan worked for two hours on her homework. (Only Megan worked on it, but no one else.) Megan just worked for two hours on the homework. (She didn't do anything else during those two hours. OR She worked on her homework very recently.) Megan worked for just two hours on the homework. (I can't believe she finished so quickly!) Each of the sentences is grammatically correct, but the placement of the modifier "just" changes the meaning from one sentence to the next. In these instances, be sure to place the modifier so that the sentence expresses the meaning you intend.
What does a modifier help in following questions? what do they clarify
Modifiers are words, phrases, or clauses that provide description in sentences. Often, a modifier helps answer the following questions: Who? When? Where? Why? How? To what extent? A modifier should be placed near the word or phrase that it modifies (its antecedent). When a modifier is closer to another word or phrase than to its antecedent, it becomes a Misplaced Modifier. A misplaced modifier creates confusion in a sentence because it appears to modify some word or phrase other than the word or phrase it was intended to modify. This can inadvertently change the meaning of the sentence. In order to maintain clarity within a sentence, it is important to place a modifier very close to the object that it modifies.
Neither of the boys (has, have) any pets.
Neither of the boys has any pets. The indefinite pronoun neither is singular; therefore, the singular verb form has is appropriate.
3. The judges will choose the best singer (3) from among the fifty contestants. NO CHANGE a better singer the better singer the bestest singer
No change, The sentence is correct as it is written. Use the superlative "best" to describe one member of a group with three or more members.
Why is parallelism important?
Parallelism allows a writer to show order and clarity in a sentence or a paragraph by putting grammatical elements that have the same function in the same form. Parallelism creates a recognizable pattern within a sentence and adds unity, force, clarity, and balance to writing. Examples: Amy enjoyed running and to ride horses. (gerund form AND "infinitive form" = Not Parallel Forms) should be: Amy enjoyed running and horseback riding. (gerund form AND gerund form = Parallel Forms)
Sentence fragments
Phrases or incomplete sentences missing either a subject, predicate, or a complete thought.
subject-verb agreement
Plural subjects must have plural verbs. Singular subjects must have singular verbs
Principal vs. Principle
Principal is a noun meaning "the head of a school or an organization." Example: Mr. Bernstein is the principal of our high school. Principal, used as a noun, can also mean "a sum of money." Example: Only part of the payment will be applied to the principal of the loan. Principal can also be used as an adjective to mean "first, primary, leading," Example: Betty's principal concern was that Yuto would be late. Principle is a noun meaning "a basic truth or law." Example: We learned the principles of democracy in class today.
Future/Simple Present:
Sammy's Pizza will CLOSE this week if quarterly profits have not IMPROVED.
No subject sentence fragments
Sentence Fragment: John is a heavy eater. Two hot dogs for lunch and four for dinner. should be: John is a heavy eater; he normally eats two hot dogs for lunch and four for dinner.
Combining sentence fragments
Sentence Fragment: My car is difficult to start in the winter. Because of the cold weather. should be: My car is difficult to start in the winter because of the cold weather. Sentence Fragment: Michigan State University offers a variety of courses. Such as Psychology, Biology, Physics, and Music. should be: Michigan State University offers a variety of courses, such as Psychology, Biology, Physics, and Music.
no verb sentence fragments
Sentence fragments may lack a verb. Example: Sentence Fragment: Yesterday, the winning float in the parade. The sentence is incomplete; there is no main verb. It should be revised so that the winning float either performs an action or has an action performed upon it. should be: Yesterday, the winning float in the parade received its prize. Other times, a verb form can be used as a noun, instead of as a verb, leaving the sentence fragment without a functioning verb. Example: Sentence Fragment: Releasing personal information by many school districts to third parties. The sentence as it is written is incomplete; the gerund releasing is being used as a noun in this sentence. Add a verb with tense. should be: Many school districts prohibit releasing personal information to third parties.
Set vs. Sit
Set means "to place" or "to fix in place." It takes a direct object. Set is an action the subject performs on another object. Example: Please set the glass down on the table. Example: The first chapter set the tone for the rest of the novel. Example: Put the cheesecake in the refrigerator for at least two hours to set. Sit means "to rest with the body supported by the buttocks." It does not take a direct object. Sit is an action the subject performs for himself, herself, or itself. Example: Please sit in the chair next to mine. Sit also means "to be engaged in its business." It does not take a direct object. Example: Congress will sit until March 16.
Some Common English Idioms
Sometimes, additional prepositional phrases or other "filler" can distract you from the idiom in question. In this case, read the sentence without any of the filler, focusing only on the idiom that is being tested. Here is a partial list of common idioms that you should know: abide by blame for discriminate against accuse of care about excuse for
When verb tense changes
Sometimes, verb tense is allowed to change! You'll be able to tell when this happens, though, because there will be an obvious clue. One of two things will occur: A transition: Example: While I've enjoyed summer vacation, I'll be happy to go back to school. A phrase indicating a change in time period: Example: Years after she left home, Carrie wishes she had spent more time with her mother. You should be able to detect such clues when they appear. When no clue is present, be consistent with your verb tenses.
Than vs. Then
Than is a conjunction used in comparative constructions. Example: Misa would rather eat fruit than eat chocolate. Then is an adverb denoting time. Example: First, I will go for a run, then I will do my homework.
That vs. Which
That is used before necessary clauses. Do not use commas before that. You use "that" when the meaning of the sentence would change if you took out the clause that follows "that." For example: Example: Tables that have water damage are difficult to sell. Without "that have water damage" in the above sentence, the whole meaning of the sentence would change. Instead of only some tables being hard to sell, the new sentence would suggest that all tables are difficult to sell, clearly changing the original meaning. We call these necessary clauses restrictive clauses, and they require the word that. Example: This is the book that Jenny recommended I read. Which is used before unnecessary clauses. Commas are required before the word which, which is used before unnecessary clauses. While a which clause may offer more detail, the meaning of the sentence won't change if you remove it. Example: The towers, which were made of steel, glinted in the setting sun. Taking out "which were made of steel" wouldn't change the meaning of the sentence—the towers would still be glinting in the sun. These unnecessary clauses are called nonrestrictive clauses, and they go with "which." Example: That book, which is old and tattered, is a favorite of mine.
The author's poems (use, uses) a plethora of similes, metaphors, and personification.
The author's poems use a plethora of similes, metaphors, and personification. "Poems" is the plural subject, so the verb must also be plural, which makes "use" the correct choice.
Simple Past/Past Perfect:
The children HAD DRUNK all their milk before Ms. Phan DISMISSED them for recess.
The Prime Minister, accompanied by several of his Ministers, is (19) expected to travel to the United States next week. NO CHANGE will have been are were
The sentence is correct as written. The singular subject "Prime Minister" requires the singular verb "is."
The speaker sincerely thanked (9) the audience members for their steadfast attention and thoughtful questions. Which of the choices would NOT be acceptable? With sincerity the speaker thanked The speaker sincere thanked Sincerely the speaker thanked The speaker thanked with sincerity
The speaker sincere thanked, Each of the grammatically correct options (A, C, D) conveys the notion that the speaker is sincere in his thanks. Within the sentence, "thanked" is acting as a verb and must be modified by an adverb. Answer choice B improperly uses the adjective "sincere" instead of the adverb "sincerely," so B is the unacceptable choice asked for in the question. Remember, adjectives modify nouns, while adverbs modify verbs.
passive voice
The subject of the sentence receives the action. The ball was caught by Elijah.
past progressive
The winds were howling loudly as the vinyl siding began flying off the house.
There vs. Their vs. They're
There means "in that place." It is used to state the existence, or "to give the location," of something. It contrasts with the word "here," which means "in this place." Example: There is a dog. Example: There she goes! Example: My car is parked over there. Their is a possessive determiner indicating that more than one person has possession of an object: Example: They played their music loudly. Example: Their customs were very different. Example: Their studying led to the highest grades in their Spanish class. They're is a contraction of "they" and "are" and means "they are": Example: They think they're pretty smart. Example: They're great dancers. Example: They're never going to make it to the movie. Example: They're afraid of getting a ticket if the car is not moved.
To vs. Too vs. Two
To is a preposition. Example: Send the check to my office. Too is an adverb, and means "also." Example: It is important that you read the textbook, too. Too also means "excessively" or "prohibitively." Example: Asaad has been too sick to work this week. Two is a number that is 1 more than one. Example: There are only two tickets remaining for the game.
5. For years, cargo vessels were unwitting introduction (5) many exotic species to the St. Lawrence Seaway by discharging ballast water the ships had taken from faraway seas. NO CHANGE unwitting introducing unwittingly introduction unwittingly introducing
Unwittingly introducing, "Introduction" is a noun, and the sentence requires the verb "introducing." Verbs must be modified by adverbs; "unwitting" needs to be changed to its adverb form, "unwittingly."
When it comes to choosing a mayor, the public (play, plays) a key role.
When it comes to choosing a mayor, the public plays a key role. "The public" is the singular subject, so the verb must also be singular, which makes "plays" the correct choice.
Identifying and Fixing Misplaced Modifiers
When you encounter a potentially misplaced modifier, ask yourself, "What noun is being modified? Is this the noun that should be modified?" If the answer to the second question is yes, great! If not, figure out which noun should be modified and select the choice that pairs the modifier with that noun. should be: First, Cassie had trouble deciding which college to attend. Misplaced Modifier: A teacher, the school board hired Mrs. Smith to coach our team. Why? The school board is NOT a teacher. should be: The school board hired Mrs. Smith, a teacher, to coach our team.
Who vs. Whom
Who is the subject of a sentence. Example: Who is riding the bike over there? In the first sentence, "who" is the subject and "bike" is the object. Whom is the object of a sentence. For example: Example: Whom are you taking to the concert? In the second sentence, "you" is the subject and "whom" is the object. An easy way to remember this. If the question can be answered with "him," then the correct term is "whom." If the question can be answered with "he," the correct term is "who."Example: (Who/Whom) is riding the bike over there? He is riding (→ Who). (not: Him is riding.) Example: (Who/Whom) are you taking to the concert? I'm taking him (→ Whom). (not: I'm taking he.) Just remember that "him" and "whom" end with "m"—and take full advantage of the "he/him" subject/object test. You will answer "who vs. whom" questions with ease and confidence.
misplaced modifier
a phrase or clause placed awkwardly in a sentence so that it appears to modify or refer to an unintended word. Example : The young girl was walking her dog in pigtails. (Was her dog wearing pigtails?) should be: The young girl in pigtails was walking her dog.
Common Contradiction Words
although nevertheless as opposed to not but on the contrary conversely on the other hand despite rather however unlike in contrast while instead yet
Climbing the metal stairs, the intern supervisor's cubicle was two flights up. I remember staring at the man sitting there expectantly, the curious look on his face, and then down at my hands, then at the Ministry exit doors. I tried to will myself toward the glass doors. "Now," I thought. But I couldn't. Freedom was just twenty quick steps away, but I couldn't do it. I turned and walked back down the hall. (1) And so I continued my work, and I learned a lot that summer. It turned out I didn't know everything, in fact I knew barely anything of Bermuda's government. All I had known of local politics to that point had been gleaned from my parents' political banter, lopsided as it was. If the writer were to delete the underlined portion, the passage would lose: an important detail a transition from one sentence to the next some of its personal tone nothing at all, since this sentence is out of place
an important detail—No, it's not an important detail. a transition from one sentence to the next—No, it does not transition from one thing to another. some of its personal tone—Yes, he tells the reader his thoughts, very personal. nothing at all, since this sentence is out of place—No, the underlined sentence is not out of place. It fits into the flow of the paragraph very well. [
It's the end of the day, and most of my clothes will have been covering (13) with paint splotches from careless brush strokes. NO CHANGE had been covered are covering are covered
are covered, This sentence requires the simple present-tense verb "are covered" to agree with the verb "is" hidden in the contraction "it's"
future tense
describe an action or event that is going to happen in the future. She WILL set the timer.
Adjectives are used to
describe nouns Examples: The roof was blue. Kenzie is a talented singer
My aunt said that she would have checked (3) with my parents, who had each agreed that if I wanted to take responsibility for the puppy, I could take him home with me. NO CHANGE had checked would check will be checking
had checked, Since the sentence states that the speaker's parents had "had agreed," you must mirror the same verb tense in the underlined portion of the sentence using the past perfect tense "had checked."
The clock keeps (4) precise time for the last seventy years. NO CHANGE has kept keeping still keeps
has kept, The phrase "the last seventy years" implies that the clock started keeping precise time seventy years ago and has continued doing so since that time. Use the past perfect form "has kept."
With four brothers and three sisters, your family have (17) never been able to agree on anything. NO CHANGE would will has
has, The singular subject "family" requires the singular auxiliary verb "has." The verb "been" requires an auxiliary verb, so neither answer choice A nor answer choice B is correct.
Based on the performance evaluations from his department, it is clear that it's the courses he teaches, not Mr. Kennedy himself, that has (20) received poor reviews. NO CHANGE having have will have
have, The plural subject "courses" requires the plural verb "have."
When one of the European Union's twenty official languages are used (11) at a meeting, translation services must be available for all of the other languages. NO CHANGE is used are being used are in use
is used, the singular subject "one" requires the singular present-tense verb "is."
What was once hidden away behind the mountains are (15) now out in the open for everyone to observe. NO CHANGE is were have been
is, The singular pronoun subject "what" requires the singular present-tense verb "is." The "mountains" are not out in the open; "what was once hidden" is.
The test on mathematics are (16) tomorrow during third period so we are having a review session at Toriann's house tonight. NO CHANGE was is were
is, The singular subject "test" requires the singular verb "is."
I just feel better to have known (7) that a pencil is handy. NO CHANGE to knew known knowing
knowing , The gerund form of the verb, "knowing," is most appropriate in the context of the sentence, and the only choice that matches the tense of "feel."
run-on sentence
made up of two or more sentences that are incorrectly run together as a single sentence
Plural
more than one
I can't remember what I said to my neighbor intern who worked next to me (2), NO CHANGE neighbor intern next to me, neighbor intern neighbor, the intern next to me
neighbor intern, he word "neighbor" implies the person "who worked next to me," so the other words are redundant and unneeded. Choose the answer that is most clear, concise, direct, non-redundant, and of course grammatically correc
It takes a great degree of focus to hit (8) a golf ball cleanly on your first swing. NO CHANGE for hitting to hitting that hit
no change, The sentence is correct as written. It is appropriate to use the infinitive form of a verb in a sentence when the verb ("takes") is conjugated in the third person.
Parallelism
or parallel construction puts grammatical elements that have the same function in the same form. This helps the writer show order and clarity in a sentence or a paragraph. example, when two adjectives modify the same noun, the adjectives should have similar forms. When providing a list, each element of the list should have the same form. Also, when the first half of a sentence has a certain structure, the second half should maintain that structure. With FANBOYS conjunctions (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) the words or phrases being linked by the conjunction need to be parallel in structure. See the lesson Good Commas for more about the use of FANBOYS conjunctions to create compound sentences. Finally, all words, phrases, and clauses used in parallel construction must share the same grammatical form and function. This means adjectives must be paired with adjectives, nouns with nouns, verbs with verbs, adverbs with adverbs, gerund verb forms with gerund verb forms, infinitive verb forms with infinitive verb forms, etc. We rode to school on the bus and started our first class at 9:00 A.M. not: We ride to school on the bus and started our first class at 9:00 A.M. His brother walks to school and often arrives ahead of us. not: His brother walks to school and often arrived ahead of us.
According to the city charter, the mayor may only adjourn the meeting after the committee set (18) the agenda for the following month. NO CHANGE sat setting sets
sets, The singular subject "committee" requires the singular present-tense verb "sets." There are several words in the English language that, although they may represent a body made up of many members, are singular; "committee" is one such word.
comparative adjective
show the comparison of 2 nouns. It is usually constructed by adding "-er" to the end of the adjective. EXAMPLE Her dog was bigger than mine. Tyler ran fast, but Scott ran faster.
Danielle, it turns out, is a Siamese cat whom my grandfather had started raising (2) over twenty years ago. Which of the following alternatives to the underlined portion would NOT be acceptable? begun to raise started to raise started up raising begun raising
started up raising, All of the options except for "started up raising" are appropriate usages of the past tense with the auxiliary verb "had." This selection is awkward and not appropriate in standard written English.
Well constructed sentence
subjects and verbs are linked and must agree; they must match in form, according to person (first, second, or third) and number (singular or plural). The key to proper subject/verb agreement is to identify the verb, then identify the subject of the verb, and make sure they agree in person and number.
Future Perfect
the action took place before another specified action or point in time in the future. Obrecht WILL HAVE WORKED over three years at the mall when he graduates next spring.
past perfect
the action took place before another specified point in time or action in the past. Karsa HAD WORKED at the mall before she went to college.
Simple past
the action took place in the past and is completed. Jenny WORKED a double shift at the mall yesterday.
Habitual actions in the past using would and used to
the action took place on a regular basis in the past. Examples: When I was a boy, I would buy a root beer float every chance I could. or: When I was a boy, I used to buy a root beer float every chance I could.
Past progressive
the action was taking place in the past when some other action took place. Yousef WAS WORKING at the mall last night when the fire alarm sounded.
Future Progressive
the action will be taking place in the future when some other action will take place. Tadashi WILL BE WORKING at the mall when his friends begin gathering for his surprise party.
use parenthesis when
the sentence can stand on its own without the certain statement
if the subject of a sentence is singular the verb should be?
the verb should be singular too, and plural verbs should be with plural nouns
verb of a sentence
the verb tells you what the subject is doing , what is being done to the subject, or something about the state of being of the subject
Norm Bruce is best remembered for making it possible for generations of baseball players taking batting practice concentrated (9) on their swings without worrying about wild pitches. NO CHANGE concentrating concentrate to concentrate
to concentrate, The infinitive form of the verb "to concentrate" should be used in this sentence to clearly indicate the action taking place.
redundancy
unnecessary repetition
1. "You did that work very beautiful," (1) said my mother about how I had arranged the bouquets for the dinner party. NO CHANGE well beautiful very beautifully very, beautiful
very beautifully ,since a verb ("did") must be modified by an adverb ("beautifully").
The glasses constructed according to his designs fit so well and so comfortably that the satisfaction of his patients are being (14) measurably improved. NO CHANGE was are were
was, he singular subject "satisfaction" requires the singular past-tense verb "was."
subject of a sentence
who or what the sentence is about
Parenthetical/nonrestrictive clause
A clause that adds additional information to a sentence. EXAMPLE: My sisters dog, forever annoying, barks at me whenever I visit.
Possessive determiner
A determiner such as 'your' or 'my' that tells you who something belongs to.
common noun
A general name for a person, place, or thing
Subject vs. Object
A subject pronoun replaces the subject of a sentence (the noun that performs the verb of the sentence). An object pronoun replaces the object of a sentence (the noun that receives the verb of the sentence or has the verb performed on it) or the object of a preposition
Adverb
A word that modifies a verb, an adjective, or another adverb
object pronoun
An object pronoun shows the object of a sentence Ex. me, you, him, her, it, us, you, them
Colons may also precede direct quotations and should be used in business salutations and titles.
Captain John Paul Jones said: "I have not yet begun to fight."
Coordinating conjunction
Connects words, phrases, or clauses that are of equal importance in a sentence. FANBOYS EXAMPLE: Amanda enjoys her job, but she is looking forward to her vacation.
Add an apostrophe to form the plural of single letters and numbers.
Did you dot your i's and cross your t's? There are a total of four 7's in my phone number.
Use dashes in place of parentheses to place special emphasis on certain words or phrases.
Dr. Baykara—a noted scientist and educator—spoke at our commencement ceremony. The coyote's yipping—a harsh, guttural sound—could be heard throughout the valley that night.
Use a semicolon to join two complete and closely related sentences
Each sentence has to be able to stand on its own, and the two sentences should pertain to the same subject or be otherwise related. My mother has been knitting all her life; I don't think she'll ever stop.
Use commas to seperate items in a series.
Ex: Andrew enjoys playing soccer, video games, and the violin. There should be a comma after the second to last item in the list before the conjunction.
Don't use a semicolon to connect two dependent clauses.
Example: My older sister, who is in college; went to the park. should be: My older sister, who is in college, went to the park.
Use a colon before a list - if the information before the list is a complete sentence
Example: We are required to bring the following items to camp: a sleeping bag, a pillow, an alarm clock, clothes, and personal-care items.
Add an apostrophe to all nouns to indicate individual possession.
Examples: Brian's, Justin's, and Michael's computers were all stolen.
Add an apostrophe to form the possessive of plural nouns ending in "s".
Examples: The horses' stalls were filled with straw. I did not enjoy the two brothers' rendition of my favorite song.
Add an apostrophe to the last noun to indicate joint possession.
Examples: Vera and Ruth's anniversary is in September.
For two possessors of a single item, use an apostrophe + "s" only after the second possessor
Examples: the boys and girls' home Umair and Peter's bedroom
Use dashes and parentheses to offset parenthetical phrases. Parenthetical phrases can't stand alone as complete sentences.
He thought, as soon as he woke up, that he'd like to go back to sleep. He thought—as soon as he woke up—that he'd like to go back to sleep. He thought (as soon as he woke up) that he'd like to go back to sleep. In all these examples, the phrase "as soon as he woke up" is dependent—it would not be a complete sentence alone. Therefore it is separated by commas, dashes, or parentheses.
ambiguous pronoun
Is a pronoun that does not clearly refer to a specific noun. Examples: Matt and Kadir left rehearsal early to get his sewing machine repaired. It is unclear whose machine is getting repaired. should be: Matt and Kadir left rehearsal early to get Kadir's sewing machine repaired. Some foods are dangerous for your pets, so they should be placed out of reach. It is unclear what should be placed out of reach: the potentially dangerous foods or your pets. should be: Some foods are dangerous for your pets; these foods should be placed out of reach.
Don't use a semicolon to connect an incomplete phrase or clause to a complete sentence.
It is a common error to place a semicolon between a sentence and a related phrase. If the phrase on either side of the semicolon cannot stand by itself, the two elements need to be joined with a comma, not a semicolon. Example: The dancer twirled and twirled; beautiful and breathtaking as he leapt across the stage. should be: The dancer twirled and twirled, beautiful and breathtaking as he leapt across the stage. "Beautiful and breathtaking" is not a sentence. Therefore, you can not use a semicolon to join it to "The dancer twirled and twirled."
Use a semicolon with conjunctive adverbs (transition words) to join independent clauses.
Jo Dee is interested in taking the class; however, it does not fit in her schedule. My brother seems short compared to his friends; nevertheless, he is the tallest person in our family.
using an apostrophe to indicate plural possession
Make the noun plural and put the apostrophe after it, the same goes with family names. EXAMPLE The four cats' toys for plural nouns that dont end in "s", you add the apostrophe then the "s" the women's book club the children's games
Use a semicolon to separate items in a list where at least one item contains a comma.
My first meal at college consisted of cold, dry toast; runny, undercooked eggs; and very strong, acidic coffee. Without semicolons to separate the items in these two examples, you wouldn't know where each item began and ended due to the commas already used within the items.
Add an apostrophe and an "s" to form the possessive of singular nouns, plural nouns, or indefinite pronouns that do not end in "s".
My friend's house is at the end of the street. The Women's Society meets every Thursday at the high school.
Use a semicolon to separate coordinate clauses when they are joined by transition words or phrases.
My sister and I enjoyed the play; afterward, we stopped for an ice cream cone.
Use a colon after an independent clause that is followed by information that directly modifies, exemplifies, or adds to the clause.
My sister suggested a great location: the park down the street from our house. A whale is not a fish: it is a warm-blooded mammal.
Don't use an apostrophe to pluralize a "collection" of numbers
My stepfather was born in the 1960s. Not: My stepfather was born in the 1960's.
Pronoun Agreement
Pronoun agreement means that the pronoun has to agree with the noun that it's replacing, For nouns and pronouns to agree in number, you have to make sure that you match up singular pronouns with singular nouns, and plural with plural.Example: A small child should always be with his or her parent or guardian. not: A small child should always be with their parent or guardian.
relative pronoun, subject, object and possessive
Subject Non-human: which/that Bob likes popsicles that are grape-flavored. (Some popsicles are grape-flavored.) Human: who Anita is looking for a mechanic who has experience with carburetors. (Some mechanic has experience with carburetors.) Object Non-human: which/that I finally got back the DVD that John borrowed. (John borrowed the DVD.) Human: whom Vada has not yet been paid by the client whom she billed last week. (Vada billed the client.) Possessive Non-human or human: whose Mrs. Ianthe loves Edgar Allan Poe, whose poems and stories give her chills. (Edgar Allan Poe's poems and stories give her chills.)
Do not use a colon to connect two dependent clauses.
The parts of Yakov's car that broke in the accident were: a window, a door, and a muffler. "The parts of Yakov's car that broke in the accident were" is not a sentence, so you can't use a colon after it. should be: Three parts of Yakov's car were broken: a window, a door, and the muffler.
Don't use an apostrophe with a possessive pronoun.
The pronouns already show possession, so there's no need to add an apostrophe. Possessive pronouns include "yours," "his," "hers," "its," "ours," "theirs," and "whose."
present perfect
They have already passed Calculus II.
Use commas in dates, addresses, place names, numbers, and quotations.
Ursula is leaving for Jamaica on January 7, 2004.
When to use a comma
Use a comma with a coordinating conjunction to separate independent clauses within a sentence.
Use a comma to set off a interjection
Well, its about time you got here.
Use a comma to seperate elements that introduce and modify a sentence. EXAMPLE
Yesterday, I painted the entire garage.
indefinite pronoun
a pronoun that does not refer to a specific, person, place, thing, or idea; examples: everyone, everything, everybody, anybody, many, most, few, each, some, someone, all, nothing, nobody, and no one
A well-formed sentence contains?
a subject and a verb and expresses a complete thought
Where to use commas when using a appositive
before and after the appositive
Parentheses and Dashes can enclose nonessential, irrelevant, or redundant information
but remember: non-essential information isn't required to stay in the sentence! If the parenthetical material is irrelevant or redundant within the context of a paragraph or passage, mark the DELETE/OMIT answer choice.
simple future
describe an action or event that is going to happen in the future.Example: We will watch the championship match next week.
present participle
describe an action that is currently happening. Example: We are watching boats go by.
independent clause
expresses a complete thought and can stand alone as a sentence. Has both a subject and a verb. EXAMPLE: Jim studied in the library for his chemistry quiz.
Use dashes to:
indicate an abrupt change in thought signal the inclusion of an explanation or an afterthought.
singular possessive
my, your, his, her, its, mine, yours. Add a apostrophe or an S
The correct use of English language pronouns takes into consideration:
pronoun type noun/pronoun agreement masculine vs. feminine vs. neuter number pronoun case
Using an apostrophe to indicate singular possession
singular possession is when a singular noun shows possession of something, for singular possession the apostrophe is placed after the possessive noun and followed by "S" EXAMPLE the boy's shoes the cat's meow
simple present
state facts and to describe habitual actions. Example: We watch TV every night.
Use commas to set off quoted text
"Wait," Alisha said. "Please bring me a napkin," she said imperiously , " and a glass of soda."
Are vs our
Are is the plural present tense form of the verb "to be." Example: The chinchillas are cute. Our is a possessive adjective Example: That is our truck.
How to correct a run on sentence ?
Either use a coordinating or subordinating conjunction to join the clauses, connect them with a semicolon, or separate them into two sentences. The following are examples of run-on sentences along with suggested corrections: Run-on Sentence: Emma loves to eat cake Olivia loves to eat cake. should be: Emma loves to eat cake. Olivia loves to eat cake. or: Emma and Olivia love to eat cake. or: Emma loves to eat cake; Olivia loves to eat cake. or: Emma loves to eat cake, and Olivia loves to eat cake.
From what I understand, people can (win, wins) only by completely eliminating their opponents.
From what I understand, people can win only by completely eliminating their opponents. The verb can must be followed by the bare form of a verb.
Use parentheses to enclose explanatory or secondary supporting details.
In addition to serving as Class Treasurer (during her junior year), Marte was also a National Merit Scholar. Alan visited the Football Hall of Fame (on a guided tour) during his summer vacation.
Simple Present/Present Progressive (suggests the future):
I am WATCHING a movie when John LEAVES the living room.
Sentence fragment example questions
I have a hard time meeting new people. Because I am shy. I have a hard time meeting new people because I am shy. The phrase "because I am shy" is a dependent clause and cannot stand alone.
Don't use an apostrophe where there is no possession or contraction To avoid this costly and embarrassing mistake, ask yourself these questions every time you use an apostrophe: "Am I showing possession?" "Am I using a contraction?"
I just got back from the movie's! (incorrect) Sister's are so annoying. (incorrect) My brother's drive me crazy sometimes. (incorrect)
Learn vs. Teach
Learn means to "gain knowledge." Example: I have always wanted to learn how to cook. Teach means to "impart, or give knowledge." Example: My uncle agreed to teach me to cook.
Lend vs. Borrow
Lend means to "give or loan something" to someone else. Example: Will you lend me your jacket for the evening? Borrow means to "obtain or receive something temporarily" from someone else. Example: May I borrow your jacket for the evening?
Add an apostrophe to replace one or more letters in a contraction
It's raining outside again. (It is raining again.)
Its vs. It's
Its is the possessive form of "it" - something owned by an object Example: The TV is missing its remote. It's is the contraction of "it is" or "it has" or "it was" Example: It's too bad that your dog ran away.
When a name ends in "s" (or with an "s" sound, like /z/), the second "s" is not required but is usually preferred:
Ms. James's briefcase Mr. Sanchez's breakfast
proper nouns
Name specific People, animals, places, and things. They always begin with a capital letter. Ex. John, New York, Mt. Rushmore
subject vs object test
One effective way to test whether a subject (I or who) or an object (me or whom) is necessary in sentence is by replacing the pronoun in question with "he" (a subject pronoun) or "him" (an object pronoun) and see which one is correct in the sentence. If the subject pronoun "he" is correct, use "I." If the object pronoun "him" is correct, use "me."
Tense
Verb tense provides you with information about when the action took place. Actions take place in the present, in the past, or in the future.
Who vs. Whom
Who is a subject pronoun (Who did the verb?) Whom is an object pronoun. (The verb was done to whom?)
transition words
Words and devices that bring unity and coherence to a piece of writing. Examples: however, in addition, and on the other hand. to start (with), to begin (with), initially, primarily, first and foremost,
Organization of Sentences
Your goal is to make sure that the sentence reads clearly and that it's easy to understand which adjectives and adverbs go with which nouns and verbs. Modifiers should be next to the words they modify, and the sentence should flow logically.
Interjection
a word thrown into a sentence or conversation
Superlative adjective
an adjective used to compare three or more items; example: This is the HOTTEST day of the year. Usually has "est" at the end.
singular indefinite pronouns
anybody, anyone, anything, each, either, everybody, everyone, everything, neither, nobody, no one, nothing, one, somebody, someone, something
Chronological Order: Sort the ideas based on time - "Monday, A. Tuesday, B. Wednesday, C."
before after first then last finally
Some mammals sleep in ancient caverns, waking after months to feed and to bred (5). NO CHANGE for breeding breed breeding
breed, The first verb in the sentence is in the infinitive form "to feed" so the second verb must also be in the infinitive, "to breed." The "to" can be implied from the first verb, so you need not repeat it.
what to do with a complex sentence?
complex sentences can conceal the subject, making identification of proper subject/verb agreement more of a challenge. Putting modifiers and extra words between the subject and the verb can cause you to forget the subject by the time you get to the verb. Example: The final minute of the race, the last of many grueling minutes, was/were a time when I felt my resolve was about to break. Even though the plural noun "minutes" comes right before the verb, the subject is really the third word of the sentence ("minute"), and therefore the correct verb is "was." You can avoid mistakes like this by ignoring the "filler" and isolating the subject and verb from the rest of the sentence.
Goal Questions
dentify the requirement of the question (this is the author's goal) — what will the correct answer choice do? Get more information about the requirement's components. Compare the answer choices to all the components of the requirement. Eliminate any answer choices that don't include all the components of the requirement. Eliminate any answer choices that are not relevant in the context of the paragraph/passage. Choose the one that aligns most strongly with the requirement.One suggested approach Look at the 1st portion (Yes/No) of the answer choices: Ask yourself "Is this what the passage does?" Answer yes/no. Eliminate the answer choices with the wrong yes/no answer. Look at the 2nd portion (the "reason why") of the remaining answers: Ask yourself, "Is this a reasonable summary of the essay?" - Yes/No
past tense
describe an action or event that happened in the past. She SET the timer.
Misplaced modifier - places
is a misplaced descriptive phrase - a group of words that add descriptive information to a noun. A descriptive phrase should always be very close to the thing that it describes. If it gets too close to a different noun, however, a descriptive phrase can cause confusion for the reader. Examples: Misplaced Modifier 1: Able to speak Spanish fluently, the professor praised Gabe. The new sentence doesn't mean the same thing at all. If we hadn't read the first sentence, we would think that the professor, not Gabe, was the one who could speak Spanish. To be in the correct position, a modifier needs to be either directly in front of or behind the noun it modifies.
parenthetical expression
is a word or words added to a sentence without changing the meaning or grammar of the original sentence. ... When nonessential information is added parenthetically to a sentence, it is usually separated from the main sentence by commas or other punctuation.
singular noun
names only one person, place, or thing
Horace must have heard (1) us talking, because he began to walk toward us. NO CHANGE have heard of of heard about of heard
no change , It is correct to use the past perfect form of the verb "to hear," which is "heard." It is a common mistake to say "must of," because the written contraction "must've" ("must have") sounds like "must of" in spoken English. However, this is never correct.
Sidestepped by progress and frozen (10) in time, Mackinaw City is now a living historical museum. NO CHANGE froze freezed frozed
no change, The sentence is correct as written. The correct past-tense form of the verb "to freeze" is the irregular verb "frozen."
misleading pronouns
that is, one with that implies a match to the wrong noun. Examples: Despite the controversy surrounding the candidates, the committee made their decision very quickly. In this sentence, the plural pronoun their incorrectly refers to the singular noun committee. To correct this sentence, replace their with its: should be: Despite the controversy surrounding the candidates, the committee made its decision very quickly.
present perfect
the action began in the past and is ongoing. Gable has WORKED at the mall for the last two years.
present progressive
the action is taking place now. Dabria IS WORKING at the mall until 9 o'clock tonight.
Near future with progressive tenses of go
the action is upcoming relative to past or present. Examples: I was going to call you, but I could not find my phone. or: The girls are going to have dinner before the movie tonight.
simple present
the action takes place regularly or repeatedly. Vadim WORKS at the mall after school. (He works there regularly.)
When to use apostrophes
to indicate possession, to replace one or more letters in a contraction, to form the plural of single numbers and letters
A semicolon is used:
to join closely related independent clauses when a coordinate conjunction is not used with conjunctive adverbs to join main clauses to separate items in a series that contains commas to separate coordinate clauses when they are joined by transitional words or phrases
conjuctive adverbs
transition words, act as adverbs and conjunctions (ex: futhermore, neverthelesss)
coordinate adjectives
two adjectives that are modify a noun in the same way (comma between them)
past participle
used as an adjective or as the main verb in a clause when paired with a form of the auxiliary verb "have" (as in the perfect tenses) or "be" (as in passive-voice). Past Participle Example 1: I had seen my best friend the day before. not: I had saw my best friend the day before. not: I sawed my best friend the day before.
perfect tense
used to describe an action that started in the past but may continue into the present or future (present), a past action that was completed before another past action happened (past), and a future action that will have been completed before another future action is completed (future). She HAS SET the timer. (present) She HAD SET the timer. (past) She will HAVE SET the timer. (future)
Colon
used to join an independent clause with information that directly modifies or adds to the clause. Also, make sure that the phrase on at least one side of the colon is an independent clause (can stand alone as a sentence).
present tense
used to state facts and to describe constant actions. She SETS the timer.
Parrallelism
using the same or related verb tenses within the same clause. Examples: (Non-Parallel Verbs) John was going to get milk when he will have gotten eggs, too. should be: While John got milk, he got eggs, too.
adjective
A word that describes a noun
Accept vs. Except
Accept means to receive. Except means to exclude.
Organization, Unity, and Cohesion
Use various strategies to ensure that a text is logically organized, flows smoothly, and has an effective introduction and conclusion.
Conjunctive adverbs
are used to transition between or introduce new clauses and sentences EXAMPLES: Additionally,Equally,In contrast,Next,Therefore,Also,Finally,Incidentally,NoThus
possessive
"Ownership" case - shows possession) — mine, ours, yours, his/hers, theirs Use the possessive case before a gerund. A gerund is an ing verb ending, which can function as a noun. Examples: Her singing has often been admired. The class was shocked by his studying for the exam.
Nominative
"Subject" case - renames the noun) — I, you, he, she, it, they, we Use the nominative case of a personal pronoun with a compound subject. If the subject consists of one or more nouns it is a compound subject. Examples: Pace and I worked together on the project. She and Dacia have been friends for a long time. Use the nominative case for pronouns that are the subject of an incomplete clause (a silent verb will complete the clause) Completing the clause will lead you to the correct pronoun case. Examples: No one in the classroom was as surprised as I (was). He worked longer today than she (worked). Use the nominative case for pronouns that directly rename the subject previously named in a sentence or paragraph. Examples: Padma recently graduated from college; she now has a degree in nursing Zahra and I went on vacation with our families. Afterwards, we met to discuss all the fun we had. Possessive
in the present tense singular nouns are accompanied by verbs that end in what?
"s", he runs, she plays ,the man cries,while plural nouns accompany verbs without an added "s" ("we run," "they play," "the men cry").
objective
("Object" case: acts as direct or indirect object of the action in the sentence) — me, us, you, him, her, it, them Use the objective case when the pronoun is the object of a verb. Example: A large dog chased me down the road. (What/who was chased? Me.) The teacher gave them passing grades. (To what/whom did the teacher give passing grades? To them.) Use the objective case when the pronoun is the object of a preposition. Example: Galadriel gave the letter to me. (To whom did Galadriel give the letter? To me. Me is the object of the preposition to).
Your vs. You're
Your is a possessive determiner that indicates an item belongs to "you." Example: Your brother is going to be late for school. You're is a contraction of you are. Example: You're going to be late as well.
avoid ambiguity
Your writing and the writing you see in the English test passages should be as clear and specific as possible. Avoid general, vague terms. Especially avoid using "this," "that," and "very." incorrect: This shows that Bill is very upset. This sentence fails to demonstrate the how the author knows that Bill is upset. What, exactly, shows that Bill is very upset? Instead of using the general term "this," specify the subject in illustrious detail. correct: Bill's caustic tone and accusatory glare show that he's upset. After reading the second sentence, you have a much better idea of what's actually going on. Be as clear and specific in your writing as possible; using general terms makes your writing less accurate and harder to understand. Some Vague/Ambiguous Words to Avoid: goodbadhappysadthisthatimportantspecialstuffthinga lotkind of Wherever possible, replace these words with accurate, specific counterparts.
We ultimately decided that waiting out the traffic jam would be the best (8) course of action than exiting the Interstate to take a detour. NO CHANGE the most better a better a best
a better, The sentence offers you two courses of action: waiting out the traffic jam, or exiting the Interstate to take a detour. When choosing between two different things, use the comparative "better." "Best" is appropriate when there are three or more items, and "most better" is not grammatically correct.
Common Continuation Words and Phrases
along the same lines in other words also in the same way and likewise by the same token moreover further similarly furthermore that is in addition then additionally
perfect progressive tense
are a combination of the perfect and progressive tenses; they convey the same idea as the perfect tenses but with an ongoing action. She HAS BEEN SETTING the timer. (present) She HAD BEEN SETTING the timer. (past) She WILL HAVE BEEN SETTING the timer. (future)
2. The campers glimpsed the arresting beautiful (2) sunset from the top of the hill. NO CHANGE arrestingly beautiful arresting beautifully arrestingly beautifully
arrestingly beautiful, The adjective "beautiful" is being modified; therefore you must use an adverb. Add "-ly" to create the adverb "arrestingly."
Organization of Passages
ask you to confirm the order of the paragraphs within the passage, to suggest a new order, or to determine where to place a specific paragraph in the passage. The key to solving a passage reorganization question is to focus on the topic sentence of each paragraph. By reading only the first sentence of each paragraph, you should see a natural and logical sequence of information. The topic sentences should indicate which paragraph belongs at the beginning of the passage and which belongs at the end. Much like sentences in a paragraph, paragraphs in a passage tend to begin with a general introduction, go to specific details, and end with a general conclusion. Detailed topics tend to be sandwiched in the middle, with broad, general statements or arguments being made at the beginning or end.
The equipment for both types of boats are (12) similar, and fairly simple. Which of the following alternatives to the underlined portion would NOT be acceptable? is were was will be
were, The singular subject "equipment" does not agree with the plural verb "were."
Preposition
word such as "from" or "before" that establishes a relationship between an object and some other part of the sentence, often expressing a location in place or time.Examples: Bach received the greatest support from you and me. The paper fluttered to the ground before him. The monkey made faces at him through the bars of the cage.
adjectives
word used to modify or describe a noun or pronoun, such as "happy," "sad," or "pretty."
Idioms
words and phrases that mean something different from the literal meanings of the words
Adverbs
words used to describe adjectives, verbs, and other adverbs. Many adverbs end in " -ly." Example: The girl ran quickly out the door.