English business writing cheat sheet

____ are descriptive expressions that have lost their effectiveness because they are

Clichés (e)

____ are bits of information within a text that assist a reader in deciphering the meaning of unknown words.

Context clues (b)

Which of the following is NOT included in the elements that shape the content of a paragraph?

Critic's response (d)

____ is that stage in the writing process where a complete initial version of the piece of writing is developed.

Drafting

"Exercising twice a week helps to reduce obesity." Identify the controlling idea in the given sentence.

Exercising reduces obesity. (c)

"If a student wants to enter the school, they must have an ID card. " The given sentence does not have any pronoun agreement error.

False

A comma is used after the introductory' word to join that word with the main sentence.

False

A direct quotation is used to restate what has been said or written by someone

False

A group of words that begin with a preposition is called an adjective.

False

A misplaced modifier is a modifier that is placed close to the word it modifies.

False

A pronoun is a word that takes the place of (or refers back to) a noun or another pronoun. The word or words a pronoun refers to is called the precedent of the pronoun.

False

A semicolon is used to separate two independent clauses in a sentence.

False

Computer spell check programs are useful tools that help with homonyms.

False

Computer spell check programs catch all errors.

False

Synonyms refer to words which are opposite in meaning to a given word.

False

The brief definition or restatement of an unknown word is signaled by a word but not a punctuation mark.

False

When adding the suffixes —ness and —ly to a word, the spelling of the word changes.

False

____ is an exercise in which an individual writes about a topic for a given amount of time.

Freewriting

"He doesn't believe; racism." Identify the correct way to write the sentence.

He doesn't believe in racism. (d)

"He had an all-nighter." Identify the formal way to write the given sentence.

He had been studying all night. (d)

"He is an ace in chemistry" Identify the formal way to write the given sentence.

He is excellent in chemistry. (d)

"He may should join the college." Identify the correct way to write the sentence.

He may join the college. (e)

"History is a subject that is all Greek to me." Identify the formal way to write the given sentence.

History is a subject which is incomprehensible to me. (d)

____ are words that sound like one another but have different meanings.

Homonyms (d)

"I have a gross feeling about this." Identify the formal way to write the given sentence.

I have a disgusting feeling about this. (a)

"I may to finish my assignment on time." Identify the correct way to write the sentence.

I might finish my assignment on time. (e)

"I would going out on the weekend." Identify the correct way to write the sentence.

I will be going out on the weekend. (b)

____ allows you to visualize your ideas on paper using circles, lines, and arrows.

Idea mapping

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of a topic sentence?

Includes supporting details (d)

Which of the following is true about an evaluation paragraph?

It depends on the reader's prior knowledge. (d)

Which of the following is true about a summary?

It provides an overview of the original document. (e)

Which of the following is true for analysis?

It studies the relation between various points in a paragraph. (b)

Which of the following is true about synthesis?

It uses a variety of sources to create a new idea. (e)

"Me and Larry went for the game." Identify the correct way to write the sentence.

Larry and I went for the game (b)

Which of the following is a feature of a concluding sentence?

Makes predictions, suggestions or recommendations about the given information. (d)

"My favorite drink is the cold lemonade." Identify the correct way to write the sentence.

My favorite drink is cold lemonade. (d)

Which of the following purposes is NOT fulfilled by writing in an academic setting?

Mystification (e)

____ is the stage of the writing process during which abstract thoughts are transferred into more concrete ideas.

Prewriting

____ are the main points which are used to support the thesis.

Primary support

"She is shopaholic." Identify the formal way to write the given sentence.

She is addicted to shopping. (c)

"She have topped the class if she had studied harder." Identify the correct way to write the sentence.

She would have topped the class if she had studied harder. (a)

____ describes informal words that are considered nonstandard English.

Slang (d)

"Some people like to donate money for charity." Identify the negative of the given sentence.

Some people don't like to donate money for charity. (e)

____ are words that have the same, or almost the same, meaning as another word.

Synonyms (d)

"The dog would had barked, but it didn't see the robber." Identify the correct way to write the sentence.

The dog would have barked, but it didn't see the robber. (c)

____ to writing the introduction begins with generalities and gradually narrows your focus until you present your thesis.

The funnel technique

"The game was a piece of cake." Identify the formal way to write the given sentence.

The game was very easy. (c)

"A goal is to submit the assignments on time." Identify the correct way to write the given sentence.

The goal is to submit the assignments on time. (c)

"The kids hoped to going out for the weekend." Identify the correct way to write the sentence.

The kids hoped to go out for the weekend. (d)

"The man he parked his car in the wrong place." Identify the correct way to write the sentence.

The man parked his car in the wrong place. (a)

"Tom was disappointing in his luck as his chance didn't come." Identify the correct way to write the sentence.

Tom was not disappointed in his luck as his chance didn't come. (c)

____ words and phrases effectively make writing more coherent.

Transitional

10. The first letter of a word within quotes has to be capitalized even though it is not the beginning of the sentence.

True

A comma is used after every noun in a list.

True

A comma is used to join interrupting words with the rest of the sentence.

True

A coordinating conjunction acts as a link between two independent clauses.

True

A dangling modifier is a word or phrase which describes something that has been left out of the sentence.

True

A prefix is a word part added to the beginning of a word to create a new meaning.

True

A punctuation mark is used to set off information in a sentence for emphasis.

True

A subject usually appears at the beginning of a sentence as a noun or a pronoun.

True

According to the rules of capitalization, the names of streets should be capitalized.

True

All complete sentences have at least one independent clause.

True

An "i" is supposed to be written before an "e" except after "c" or when pronounced "ay".

True

Colons are used to introduce a list or an example.

True

Context clues are bits of information within a text that assists in deciphering the meaning of unknown words.

True

Long quotations having forty or more words are called block quotations.

True

Selecting the correct word improves the writer's vocabulary, writing, and helps make a good impression on his readers.

True

Single quotation marks are used to enclose a quote within a quotation.

True

The etymology section in a dictionary gives the history of the word.

True

Verb tense identifies the time of action described in a sentence.

True

"With the submission date of the assignment approaching, he was going bonkers." Identify the formal way to write the given sentence.

With the submission date of the assignment approaching, he was going crazy. (c)

"You can't never lie to yourself." Which is the correct way to write the given sentence in a negative manner?

You can never lie to yourself. (c)

A(n) ____ deconstructs the study into different parts to study the relation between them.

analysis (b)

The ____ order is used to explain the history of an event and is most commonly used in expository writing.

chronological

Idea mapping is also known as ____ because it involves breaking down ideas and grouping them together.

clustering

A ____ is the dictionary definition of a word.

denotation (c)

A(n) ____ assesses the value of something and determines its worth.

elaboration (c)

In dictionaries, the ____ gives the histoty of the word.

etymology (b)

A(n) ____ is a detailed guide which shows how all the supporting ideas relate to each other.

formal outline

A good ____ engages people's emotions or logic, questions or explains the subject, or provides a striking image or quotation.

introduction

The ____ is the main structural component of an essay as well as other forms of writing.

paragraph

Restating the given information in one's own words is known as

paraphrasing

In dictionaries, the ____ gives the function of the word.

part of speech (a)

A ____ is a word part added to the beginning of a word to create a new meaning.

prefix (d)

A good topic interests the writer, appeals to the audience, and fits the ____ of the assignment.

purpose

The ____ order arranges ideas according to physical characteristics.

spatial

"The teacher told the students a story." Identify the indirect object in the given sentence.

students

A ____ is a word part added to the end of a word to create a new meaning.

suffix (e)

A(n) ____ condenses a long piece of writing into a smaller paragraph by extracting only the vital information.

summary (a)

A(n) ____ sentence helps to enhance the topic sentence.

supporting (a)

The ____ sentence helps to explain, testify, or enhance the topic sentence.

supporting (b)

A(n) ____ merge two or more items to create an entirely new item.

synthesis (e)

A(n) ____ presents the controlling idea of an essay.

thesis statement

The big idea, or controlling idea, which has to be presented in an essay is expressed in a(n)

thesis statement

A ____ outline uses words and phrases to express the ideas.

topic

"Trouble is around the corner." Identify the noncount noun from the given sentence.

trouble (a)

Eliminating ____ helps all readers because it makes the ideas clear, direct, and straightforward.

wordiness

Which of the following is NOT true about paragraphs?

A paragraph merges various ideas. (a)

____ are words that have the opposite meaning of a given word.

Antonyms (e)

"Tom kicked the ball and scored a goal." Identify the direct object in the given sentence.

Ball (c)