English Cheat Sheet

Question 1

Independent Clause

Answer 1

(simple sentence) expresses a complete thought

- subject + verb

Question 2

Dependent Clause

Answer 2

subordinate clause

• doesn’t express a complete thought
• usually introduced by a subordinate conjunction

Question 3

compound sentence

Answer 3

• 2 or more independent clauses
• 0 dependent clauses
• connected by a coordinating conjunction

Question 4

FANBOYS

Answer 4

coordinating conjunctions

For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So

Question 5

Complex sentence

Answer 5

• 1 independent clause AND
• 1 or more dependent clauses
  (I.C)Mary played the piano( )while Tom played the violin.
  (D.C.)While Tom played the violin(, )Mary played the piano.

Question 6

Sentence Fragment

Answer 6

No independent clause

e.g. The boy, sitting in the tree, throwing paper airplanes

Question 7

Run-on sentence

Answer 7

2 independent clauses not separated by punctuation or FANBOYS

Question 8

Comma splice

Answer 8

2 independent clauses separated by a comma
Fix:
1) Period
2) Semicolon
3) Comma and FANBOYS
4) make one a participle phrase (-ing phrase)

Question 9

Prepositional phrase

Answer 9

Includes a preposition, a (pro)noun, and any modifiers

• LONG prep. phrases or multiple prep phrases at beginning of sentence = 1 comma
  e. g. In the room under the stairs, Harry slept.
• Prep. phrases in the middle or at the end of a sentence = 0 comma

Question 10

Participle phrase

Answer 10

a participle (-ing, -ed) + modifiers. Serves as an adjective

• Introductory phrase or nonessential phrase = comma(s)
• Essential phrase = 0 commas

Question 11

Appositive phrase

Answer 11

Appositive (renames the noun) + modifiers
Introductory phrase or nonessential phrase = comma(s)
Essential phrase = no comma

Question 12

Verb Tenses

to walk

Answer 12

Past: he walked Past Perfect: had walked
Present: walk, walks Present Perfect: has walked
Future: will walk Future Perfect: will have walked

Past Progressive: was, were walking
Present Progressive: am, is, are walking
Future Progressive: will be walking

Question 13

Irregular Verb Tenses
begin 
do
eat
lay
lead
rise
swim
wear

Answer 13

Past Tense: began, did, ate, laid, led, rose, swam, wore

Past Participle: begun, done, eaten, laid, led, risen, swum, worn

Question 14

subject-verb agreement

Answer 14

must agree in number

Question 15

compound subjects joined by or/nor
both singular
one singular, one plural

Answer 15

two singular subjects take a singular verb

the verb agrees with the closest subject

Question 16

Who, whom, whose

Answer 16

Who - he, she, they
whom - him, her, them
whose, his, her, their

Question 17

singular indefinite pronouns

Answer 17

(anybody, anyone, anything, each, either, everybody, everyone, everything, neither, nobody, nothing, no one, one, somebody, someone, something)
get singular verbs and pronouns

Question 18

plural indefinite pronouns

Answer 18

(both, few, many, several)

get plural verbs and pronouns

Question 19

indefinite pronouns that depend on context

Answer 19

(all, any, more, most, none, some)

get either a plural or a singular verb and pronoun

Question 20

faulty modifiers

Answer 20

modifier most be placed next to the word it describes
Incorrect: the torn man’s umbrella did not shield him from the rain
Correct: The man’s torn umbrella did not shield him from the rain

Question 21

Commonly confused words
would have v. would of 
it's v. its 
than v. then
there v. their v. they're
who v. which v. that

Answer 21

would have(correct) v. would of (incorrect)
it’s(it is) v. its (belongs)
than v. then
there (location)v. their (belongs)v. they’re(they are)
who (people)v. which (things)v. that(people and things)

Question 22

Comma uses

Answer 22

• separate items in a series (Oxford comma not tested)
• separate two or more switchable adjectives
• before a FANBOYS coordinating conjunctions
• after mild exclamation
• after transitional word
• after an intro phrase/clause
• introductory infinitive phrase (if it is not the subject)
• sandwiches any kind of nonessential phrase
• words of direct address e.g. Susan, can you…
• separate items in date e.g.On Saturday August 5, 2017,

Question 23

Semicolon uses

Answer 23

• between independent clauses not joined by FANBOYS

- between independent clauses joined by a transitional word/expression

Question 24

Colon uses

Answer 24

• before a clarifying statement. needs more info
• before a list of items
  cannot separate a verb or preposition from its object
  the left side of the colon must be a complete thought

Question 25

Dash uses

Answer 25

indicates abrupt break in thought or speech
It can be one or two
single dash - Interchangeable with semicolon
double dash - Interchangeable with parenthesis and sandwich commas

Question 26

Wordiness

Answer 26

using too many words

Question 27

redundancy

Answer 27

saying the same idea more than once