English Grammar Flashcards
(164 cards)
1
Q
What are transitive verbs?
A
(Verbs) that requires a DIRECT OBJECT to complete their meaning.
E.g., He (plays) GUITAR.
Tip: Beware indirect objects! These are not acted upon by the subject.
E.g., The teacher (gave) the students HOMEWORK.
2
Q
What are intransitive verbs?
A
Verbs that do not need a direct object to complete their meaning.
E.g., She smiled.
3
Q
What are linking verbs? Examples?
A
A type of intransitive verb that does not describe an action. Links a subject to descriptive information.
E.g., Sara (is) nice.
Examples: All forms of the infinitive “to be” and perception words such as “look,” “feel,” “seems,” and “appears.”
4
Q
What is a verb phrase?
A
A group of two or more words that act as a verb.
Must contain a verb and its auxiliary verbs (verbs that help form tense)
5
Q
What are auxiliary verbs?
A
Verbs that help form tense as part of a verb phrase.
E.g., I (will have been) studying French for three years.
6
Q
Do quantifiers (some, none, most, etc.) use single or plural verbs?
A
Depends on the object they quantify. E.g., Some of my (goals) ARE outlandish.
Tip: The qualified portion is still technically the subject!
7
Q
Singular or plural verbs?
“The number”
“A number”
A
“The number” = singular
E.g, The number of players IS odd.
“A number” = plural
E.g., A number of skiers ARE too cold to compete.
8
Q
Singular or plural verb?
Multiple subjects (singular or plural) connected by “and.”
A
Plural verb
E.g., John and his brothers are at the fair.
9
Q
Singular or plural verb?
Two singular subjects connected by “or.”
A
Singular verb
E.g., The president or the vice president IS speaking today.
10
Q
Singular or plural verb?
When a singular and a plural subject are connected by “or.”
A
Verb agrees with the subject closest to it.
11
Q
Singular or plural verb?
Two singular subjects connected by “either/or” or “neither/nor.”
A
Singular verb.
E.g, Neither the teacher nor her student knows the answer.
12
Q
Singular or plural verb?
When a singular and plural subject are connected by “either/or” or “neither/nor.”
A
The verb agrees with the subject closest to it.
E.g., Neither Amanda nor her sisters KNOW where their parents are.
13
Q
Is it incorrect to place a personal pronoun first in a multi-subject sentence?
E.g, I, my dad, and my step-mom are going to the movies.
A
Technically, no. But it is best practice to place the pronoun last unless it leads to awkward constructions.
14
Q
Problems with multi-subject sentences including the pronoun “I” and an infinitive verb, i.e., “go”.
A
In multi-subject sentences where the verb must match the closest subject, an infinitive paired with the personal pronoun “I” must take its irregular infinitive form (am).
Ex. Neither she or I am going.
Avoid this construction by rewriting when possible.
15
Q
Pronouns that are always singular: (17)
All Elephants Eat Navel Oranges
BOTs
A
Another
Each
Either/Neither (except when paired with or/nor)
One
Everybody, everything, everyone
Somebody, something, someone
Anybody, anything, anyone
Nobody, nothing, no one
16
Q
What does the subjunctive mood do?
A
Pairs singular subjects with plural verbs to express a hypothetical, wishful, or factually contradictory thought.
E.g., I wish it were Friday. If Joe were here, you’d be sorry.
17
Q
Singular or plural?
Collective nouns, e.g., family, staff, jury, etc.
Exceptions (2)?
Tip?
A
Singular.
E.g., “The flute ensemble is playing at the music festival.”
EXCEPTIONS (2):
When the group is not performing a collective action, especially if disagreement is implied.
E.g., The flute ensemble are tuning their instruments.”
E.g., “The jury disagree.” (Because it is impossible for a single entity to disagree with itself.)
When a relative clause is used, subtly changing the meaning.
E.g., A set of controls is within easy reach of the driver. (All of the controls are within reach.)
E.g., The car features a set of controls that change the station, adjust the volume, etc. (Each control has a different job.)
Tip: Look for words like “that” which add detail that effects meaning.
18
Q
Singular or plural verbs?
Distances, periods of time, money, etc.
A
Singular when considered as a unit.
E.g., Six dollars IS too much for gum.
Three miles is too far to walk. Five years is the maximum sentence.
19
Q
List all subject pronouns. (8)
A
I
He
She
They
We
Who
And SOMETIMES You and It
20
Q
What is a subject pronoun?
A
A pronoun that is the subject of a sentence or renames the sentence subject.
E.g. (I) hate baseball. This is (she) speaking. It is he/we who is/are responsible.
21
Q
What is an object pronoun? (3)
A
A pronoun representing the direct object being acted upon by the subject; the indirect object affected by the action; or the object of the preposition.
E.g., Sarah saw (her). (Direct)
E.g., Sarah gave (her) the book. (Indirect)
E.g., Are you talking to (me)? (object of the preposition)
22
Q
What is a preposition? Examples?
A
A word used before a noun or pronoun that provides greater detail by answering who, where, when, why, and how questions.
E.g., to, into, on, in, at, inside, below, over, above, under, off, toward, within, along, behind, in front, etc.
23
Q
List all object pronouns. (8)
A
Me, him, her, them, us, whom, and SOMETIMES you and it.
24
Q
Six sentence structures that might lead you to misidentify the sentence subject.
Happy People Never Pout In Public
A
Here/there sentences (passive)
Passive structure
Nonessential phrases
Parenthesis (nonessential)
Implied subjects
Prepositional objects
25
Don’t misidentify the verb!
Infinitives
If a verb follows “to” it is never the main verb. You will find the main verb just before or immediately after the infinitive.
26
How to recognize an indirect object:
An indirect object is the object affected by the verb. It always has a an implied “to” or “for” in front of it.
E.g., Give (to) her the book.
E.g., Do (for) me a favor.
27
What is a prepositional phrase?
A phrase that begins with a preposition and provides greater detail.
E.g. She is a friend (of mine).
28
What is the object of the preposition?
A noun (or word acting as a noun) that works with the preposition to create a prepositional phrase.
29
What two parts of speech can replace a noun in a prepositional phrase?
A pronoun
E.g., I gave the book to (her).
A gerund
E.g., my sister knows a lot about investing.
30
How do you determine whether to use the subject or object pronoun after the words “than” or “as.”
E.g., Bob is as smart as she/her.
E.g., Zoe is taller than I/me.
Mentally complete the sentence.
E.g. Bob is as smart as she is.
E.g., Zoe is taller than I am.
31
When “who” refers to a personal pronoun (I, you, he, she, we, or they), it must take the verb that…
E.g., It is I who…
Agrees with that pronoun.
E.g, It is (I) who (am) sorry.
32
What is an antecedent?
The subject to which a pronoun refers.
33
Do the pronouns “who,” “that,” and which use singular or plural verbs?
Depends on their antecedent.
Singular subject = singular verb
Plural subject = Plural verb
34
What should I look out for in “One” constructions containing the pronoun “who”?
Constructions that describe someone as being one of a group.
The pronoun “who” is neither singular or plural and depends on its antecedent to determine the verb.
Since people commonly mistake the subject in “one” constructions, it is easy to choose the wrong antecedent for “who.”
If “one” refers to a single person, it is the subject.
E.g., He is the ONE who (knows.)
E.g, He is the only ONE of those men who (knows).
If one is a member of a group, the group is the subject.
E.g., He is one of (those) men who knows all the answers.
35
“Each” is always singular, unless…
It comes AFTER the noun.
E.g., Each woman gave (her) approval.
E.g., The women each gave (their) approval.
36
Oneself or one’s self?
Oneself
37
When are reflexive pronouns used? (3)
When both the subject and the object of the verb are the same person or thing.
E.g., (Joe) helped (himself.)
When the object of the preposition refers back to the same noun or pronoun.
E.g., (Joe) bought it for (himself).
For emphasis.
E.g. He did the whole project himself
38
When should a reflexive pronoun not be used? (2)
In place of an object pronoun. (Unless the subject and object are the same person.)
E.g.,
Incorrect: Please give it to John or myself.
Correct: Please give it to John or me.
In place of a subject pronoun.
E.g.,
Incorrect: My brother and myself did it.
Correct: My brother and I did it.
39
Reflexive pronoun tip:
Never use a reflexive pronoun unless the corresponding subject pronoun appears earlier in the sentence.
40
Common mistakes with “one” constructions: (2)
1) Be wary of mistaking “one” as the subject when it comes after the noun.
E.g., NORA (is) one of the candidates (running).
2) Be wary of “one” when it identifies someone of something as a member of a group.
If “one” refers to a single person, it is a subject pronoun.
E.g., He is the ONE who (knows.)
E.g, He is the only ONE of those men who (knows).
If one is a member of a group, the group is acting like the subject.
E.g., He is one of (those) men who know all the answers.
41
Common mistakes when using singular pronouns like “everyone,” “anybody,” etc. (2)
1) Pronoun inconsistencies.
Do not use a plural pronoun to refer back to a singular pronoun.
E.g.,
Incorrect: Someone has to do it, and they have to do it well.
Correct: (Someone) has to do it, and (he) has to do it well.
2) Awkward constructions using “he or she.” Avoid and rewrite.
42
How to identify the correct pronoun when multiple subjects are joined by “and.”
E.g., Her/She and her boyfriend came over.
Mentally remove the “and + noun” and ensure the subject-verb agreement is grammatically correct.
E.g., She (and her boyfriend) came over.
43
Is it ever correct to link a subject pronoun to an object pronoun using “and” or “or”?
No, one of the pronouns will always be wrong.
44
If two people possess the same object and one of those people is expressed as a pronoun, how do you indicate the possessive?
Common mistake?
You must use the possessive form for both, pairing a possessive proper noun with a possessive adjective.
E.g., Maribel’s and my home.
E.g., Maribel’s and your home.
E.g., His and Maribel’s home.
Common mistake: Using possessive pronouns (mine, yours, his, her, ours, theirs) instead of possessive adjectives (my, your, her, our, their).
45
“I” Vs “Me”: 3 ways to determine the correct pronoun
1) Subject vs object: “I” is always the subject whereas “me” is always the object.
2) If you can replace “me” with “him,” it’s correct.
E.g., Do you want to go to the store with me (him)?
3) In “you and/or I/me” determinations, ignore the “you” and choose the pronoun that sounds grammatically correct.
E.g., When he’s finished reading the book, he’ll give it to (you or) I/me.
46
Who VS Whom: 4 ways to determine the correct pronoun.
1) Determine subject vs object:
“Who” is a subject pronoun. “Whom” is an object pronoun. The “who” does the action whereas the “whom” has the action done to it.
2) Replace “who” with “he”:
If “who” can be replaced with “he,” it is correct.
3) Fill in the blank:
If the question is best answered using “he,” the answer is “who.” If it is best answered using “him,” “whom” is the right answer.
E.g., Who is going to the store? HE is going to the store.
E.g., Whom did they give it to? They gave it to HIM.
4) “Whom” always follows the preposition “to.”
47
What is a possessive adjective?
A.K.A?
Examples?
A possessive adjective comes before a noun and describes that noun as belonging to someone or something.
E.g., (My) car is bigger than (her) car.
A possessive determiner.
Examples: my, your, her, his, our, their.
48
What are the three degrees of adjectives and adverbs?
Positive degree
Comparative degree
Superlative degree
49
What is a positive degree adjective or adverb?
An adjective or adverb under normal use.
E.g., The baby is (sweet).
E.g., He ran far.
50
What is a comparative degree adjective/adverb?
An adjective or adverb used to compare two things.
E.g., This orange is (sweeter) than the other.
E.g., He ran farther.
51
What is the superlative degree?
An adjective or adverb comparing three or more things.
E.g., This is the sweetest of the three oranges.
E.g., He ran the farthest.
52
When are “this,” “that,” “these,” and “those” determiners (sometimes referred to as adjectives) ? When are they pronouns?
When they are followed by a noun, they are determiners/adjectives. When they stand alone, they are pronouns.
E.g., (This house) is for sale. (Determiner/Adj.)
E.g., (This) is for sale. (Pronoun)
53
Why are prepositions or prepositional phrases often mistaken for adverbs?
Because they both tend to answer questions like how, when, where, why, and to what extent (how often or how much).
54
How to avoid mistaking a preposition or prepositional phrase for an adverb.
Look for the object of the preposition.
If there is no object, you are looking at an adverb.
55
How to avoid mistaking an adjective as part of a verb phrase following an infinitive.
A verb phrase only contains verbs. If the word following the infinitive is not a verb, it can only be an adjective.
E.g., He is (able) to come. (Adj.)
56
A common mistake following verbs that pertain to the senses (taste, look, feel, etc.), and two strategies for avoiding it.
Mistaking an adjective that follows a linking verb pertaining to senses for an adverb (and adding -ly).
Ask yourself:
1)Is the subject physically performing an action? If not, it’s a linking verb and will require an adjective.
2) If you insert the word “seem” in place of the verb, does the sentence still make sense? If so, it’s a linking verb and requires an adjective.
57
What is the difference between “bad” and “badly”?
Exception?
Common mistake?
“Bad” is an adjective used to modify nouns. (Bad dog!)
“Badly” is an adverb used to modify verbs. (Badly done!)
Exception: Either “bad” or “badly” may be used as adverbs following expressions of want or need. (I want you so bad/badly.)
Common mistake: Beware linking verbs pertaining to senses! If the subject is not physically performing the action, then the verb is a linking verb and requires the adjective form “bad.”
E.g., I feel bad that you missed your plane. Vs I feel badly (with my fingers).
58
What’s the difference between “good” and “well”?
Which is used to describe a person’s health or well being?
“Good” is an adjective. Well is an adverb.
Well is always used in reference to someone’s health or well-being.
59
How do you tell if the word “very” is serving as an adjective or adverb?
If it’s being used to modify a verb, an adjective, or another adverb, it is an adverb. Typically used to emphasize something is of a high degree or intensity.
E.g., She plays very well.
If it modifies a noun, it is an adjective. Typically used to specify exactness or preciseness.
E.g., It happened at this very spot.
60
Can a preposition end a sentence?
Yes (the assertion that it can’t is a discredited myth.)
61
“I could have” or “I could of”?
I could have.
62
“Different from” or “different than”?
Different from
63
“The same applies to” or “the same applies for”?
The same applies to.
64
What should careful editors take care to look for and remove regarding prepositions?
Unnecessary prepositions.
E.g., Where did you get this (from).
E,g., Get off (of) my grass!
65
What is a “phrasal verb”?
An idiomatic verb phrase usually consisting of a verb and a preposition.
E.g., turn in, give in, log in, log on, grab on, etc.
66
Difference between “like” and “as.”
Trick?
“Like” is a preposition and should be followed by the object of that preposition (a noun, pronoun, or gerund).
-Used for comparisons.
E.g., She looks like her mom.
“As” is a conjunction and should be followed by a subject-verb construction.
E.g., When in Rome, do as the Romans do.
“As” can also be a preposition when used to describe a job, role, or function.
E.g., As your mother, I make the rules.
E.g., I work as a teacher.
Trick: Never use “like” if it is followed by a verb.
67
Can “like” be a conjunction?
E.g., No one does it like you do.
Formally, no. But it is accepted in informal speech.
68
“Into” vs “in to”
Typically, “into” unless a phrasal verb is involved.
E.g., “Log in”: Log in to the internet.
Use “into” to suggest insertion, inclusion, involvement, and transformation.
69
“Onto” vs “on to”?
Typically, “onto” unless a phrasal verb is involved.
E.g., “Log on”: Log on to the internet.
Use “onto” to suggest “on top of,” “to a position on,” or “upon,” or to suggest that someone is intellectually “onto” something or someone.
70
List all reflexive pronouns. (9)
Myself
Yourself
Himself
Herself
Itself
Oneself
Yourselves
Themselves
Ourselves
71
Reflexive pronouns: Ourself or ourselves?
Exceptions?
Ourselves
Except when using the Royal “we.”
72
Reflexive Pronouns: Themself or themselves?
Exception?
Themselves
Except when the sex of a singular subject is non-gendered.
73
List all possessive pronouns (6)
Mine
Yours
His
Hers
Theirs
Ours
74
List all possessive adjectives (A.K.A. possessive determiners) (7)
My
Your
His
Her
Its
Their
Our
75
What is “like” typically used for?
Comparisons
76
When is “as” used as a preposition?
When used to describe a job, role, or function.
E.g., As your mother, I make the rules.
E.g., I work as a teacher.
77
What is “into” used to suggest?
Use “into” to suggest insertion, inclusion, involvement, and transformation.
78
What is “onto” generally used to suggest?
Use “onto” to suggest “on top of,” “to a position on,” or “upon,” or to suggest that someone is intellectually “onto” something or someone.
79
What is a gerund?
A verb that acts like a noun by adding -ing.
80
List all the articles:
A
An
The
81
What is a definite article?
List them.
A definite article describes one specific noun.
E.g., Did you buy the car?
There is only one: “the”
82
What is an indefinite article?
List them.
An article that refers to a noun without specifying it or refers to a noun to introduce it for the first time.
E.g., I want (a) dog.
E.g., I saw (a) dog at the park.
A
An
83
What is a determiner?
What are the five types of determiners?
A word placed before a noun to provide information such as quantity, ownership, and specificity.
Articles
Demonstratives
Possessives
Quantifiers
Interrogatives
84
List all demonstrative determiners.
This
That
These
Those
85
What is an infinitive?
A special verb form that can be used as a noun, adjective, or adverb.
They are usually made by adding the word “to” before the base verb, and are useful for discussing actions without actually doing the action.
E.g., I want (to go )home.
86
What are the two types of infinitives?
Full infinitives
Bare infinitives
87
What are “full infinitives”?
An infinitive that is formed by taking the base form of a verb and adding “to” in front of it.
88
What is a “bare infinitive?”
A.K.A.?
A.K.A. “zero infinitives,”
An infinitive formed without “to” that simply uses the base form of a verb.
89
What are relative pronouns?
List them. (10)
Relative pronouns are used to refer back to previously mentioned nouns in order to add detail.
E.g., The girl, WHO looked surprised, thanked the man.
Relative Pronouns:
Who, whom, whoever, whomever, whose, which, that, and SOMETIMES what, where, or when
E.g., The store on the corner, where we usually buy all of our art supplies, burned to the ground.
90
What is an “impersonal verb”?
A verb whose subject (usually “it”) doesn’t specify who or what performs the action. The action just happens on its own.
E.g., It is raining.
91
What is a “determinate subject”?
A subject that specifies the person or thing doing an action.
92
What is valency?
The “valence” of a verb. In other words, how many elements in a sentence depend on that verb.
E.g., With an intransitive verb like sleep, only the subject is connected to the verb, so the verb has a valency of one. With a transitive verb like give, both the subject and the direct object are connected to the verb, so the verb has a valency of two, and when there’s also an indirect object, it has a valency of three.
Impersonal verbs, however, have a valency of zero.
93
What are “modal verbs”?
PINA
Examples?
A type of auxiliary verb that shows possibility, intent, ability, or necessity.
E.g., will, won’t, would, can, can’t, cannot, should, may, must, have to, need to
94
Are determiners ever considered adjectives?
Determiners, especially possessive and demonstrative determiners, are sometimes referred to as adjectives, but contemporary grammar is moving away from these terms to embrace the more specific term “determiner.”
95
What are the interrogative adjectives/determiners?
Which, what, whose
96
What are indefinite determiners?
A type of quantifier that does not denote a specific amount.
E.g., Some, all, none, many, etc.
97
What is a “split infinitive”?
Is their use acceptable?
A full infinitive that contains an adverb or adverbial phrase between “to” and the base verb.
E.g., to hungrily eat.
Split infinitives are a debated topic among grammatists. There’s no official answer on whether or not they’re correct, but they can lead to awkward constructions and should be avoided when possible.
98
What is an “infinitive phrase”?
A tip for identifying an infinitive phrase?
What is an “actor”?
Does every infinitive phrase have an actor?
A phrase consisting of an infinitive and any additional words needed to modify or further describe the main infinitive.
E.g., The students wanted the teacher (to cancel class).
Tip: Infinitive phrases sometimes take direct objects.
E.g., My parents wanted me to watch (my sister).
An actor is the doer of the action within the phrase. They are not always needed.
E.g., My parents wanted (me) to watch my sister.
99
What is a common mistake in identifying infinitive phrases?
How can it be avoided?
Mistaking a prepositional phrase as an infinitive or part of an infinitive phrase.
In a prepositional phrase, the preposition “to” is always followed by a noun, pronoun, or gerund (the object of the preposition); whereas, the “to” in an infinitive is always followed by a verb.
E.g., My mother wants me TO GO (to the store).
100
What is a participle?
A participle is a “verbal” (a word derived from a verb) that functions as an adjective to express a state of being in the present or past tense.
E.g., the hidden treasure
It is also used to form certain verb tenses.
101
What is an “interjection”?
A word or phrase used to express a feeling or to request or demand something.
E.g., Oh boy! Ouch! Eww!
102
What is an “imperative verb”?
Tip?
A verb used to create an imperative sentence that gives a command to the person being addressed.
Tip: Imperative verbs usually have implied subjects.
103
What is a participle phrase?
A group of words headed by a participle that act like an adjective phrase in order to describe a noun.
E.g., (KNOWN for his kindness), Keanu Reeves usually returns compliments.
E.g., Our parents found us (WALKING the dog at midnight).
104
What are the two types of participles and how are they formed?
Present Participles: Formed by adding -ing to the base verb. Eg., a running joke
Past Participles: Formed by adding -ed, -d, -t, -n, or -en to the base verb. E.g., a hidden agenda
105
Which verb tenses are formed using a participle? (6)
The Progressive Tenses:
Present Progressive
E.g., I am going.
Present Perfect Progressive
E.g., I have been going.
Past Progressive
E.g., I was going.
Past Perfect Progressive
E.g., I had been going.
Future Progressive
E.g., I will be going.
Future Perfect Progressive
E.g., I will have been going,
106
How many verb tenses are there in total?
What three main tense categories are verbs broken down into?
What are the four forms of each tense?
12 Verb Tenses
Main Tense Categories: Past, Present, and Future.
Tense Forms:
Simple
Progressive/Continuous
Perfect
Perfect Progressive/Continuous
107
What is Simple Present Tense used for?
Example?
Used to indicate a current action or an action that takes place regularly.
E.g., I walk.
108
What is present progressive/continuous tense used for?
Example?
Used to denote an action that is continuing at the present moment.
E.g., I am walking.
109
What is the present perfect tense used for?
Example?
Used to represent an action that just happened in the recent past and still has an effect in the present.
I have walked.
110
What is the present perfect progressive/continuous tense used for?
Example?
Used to represent an action that began in the recent past and is still continuing.
E.g., I have been walking.
111
What is simple past tense used for?
Example?
Used to indicate an action or event that happened in the past.
E.g., I walked.
112
What is the past continuous/progressive tense used for?
Example?
Used to depict an action or event that was continuing in the past.
E.g., I was walking.
113
What is past perfect tense used for?
Example?
Used to represent an event or action that happened in the past before another event or action that happened in the past.
E.g., I had walked.
114
What is past perfect progressive/continuous tense used for?
Example?
Used to describe an action or event that was taking place in the past until another action or event happened in the past.
E.g., I had been walking.
115
What is simple future tense used for?
Example?
Used to denote an action that will happen in the future.
E.g., I will walk.
116
What is future progressive/continuous tense used for?
Example?
Used to indicate an action that will be taking place in the future.
E.g., I will be walking.
117
What is the future perfect tense used for?
Example?
Used to describe an action that starts in the present and will happen in the future.
E.g., I will have walked.
118
What is future perfect progressive/continuous tense for?
Example?
Used to describe an action that is happening in the present and will complete at some point in the future.
E.g. I will have been walking.
119
What is a participle phrase?
What is a dangling participle?
A modifying phrase that uses the participle form of a verb (often ending in -ing) to describe the subject).
E.g., Falling from a great height, the waters of Niagara Falls roared.
A type of dangling modifier consisting of a participle phrase that is failing to modify its intended subject.
E.g., Plunging hundreds of feet into the gorge, we saw Yosemite Falls.
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What is a misplaced modifier?
A modifier that appears to be modifying the wrong noun.
E.g., After rotting in the cellar for weeks, my brother finally brought up the onions.
(The onions were supposed to have been rotting in the cellar, not the brother.)
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What is a dangling modifier?
A modifier that is intended to modify a missing subject.
E.g., While talking over the phone, the train left.
122
What is a squinting modifier?
A modifier that appears to modify multiple subjects, thus changing the meaning of the sentence depending on the subject chosen.
E.g., Whatever she cooks quickly changes my mood.
123
Is “otherwise” and adjective or an adverb?
It is almost always an adverb except when it is used as a synonym for “different.”
E.g., If conditions were otherwise…
124
How do you determine whether to use the article "a" or "an" before an abbreviation or initialism?
Use “a” when the first letter of an abbreviation sounds like a consonant, regardless of whether or not it is one.
E.g., We are calling for a U.N. resolution. (Here, the "u" in "U.N." is making the "yew" sound rather than an "uh" sound.)
Use “an” when the first letter of an abbreviation sounds like a vowel, regardless of whether or not it is one.
E.g., Raoul was talking to an FBI agent. (Here, the "f" in "FBI" is making an "eff" sound.)
125
Which word means "to recline":
Lay or lie?
Lie
126
Which word means "to set down":
Lay or lie?
Lay
127
What are the four tenses of the word "lay"?
Present: Lay
Past: Laid
Present Participle: Laying
Past Participle: Laid
128
What are the four tenses of the word "lie"?
Present: Lie
Past: Lay
Present Participle: Lying
Past Participle: Lain
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What is a common mistake with regard to lay vs. lie?
Confusing the subject and object of the sentence when talking about laying others (or your own body) down to sleep. They might be lying down, but you laid them there!
E.g., I laid the baby down to sleep.
(You are the subject performing the verb. The baby is the object.)
E.g., When I lay me down to sleep.
You are the subject performing the verb. Your body is the object.
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What should writers be careful about regarding phrases like “here is,” “there is,” “there are,” “it is,” “it was,”etc.?
Be careful to avoid overuse. These phrases tend to be wordy and unnecessary. Remove when possible.
Wordy: It is a shame there are so many holidays that go uncelebrated.
Better: It is a shame that so many holidays go uncelebrated.
131
When does a comma appear before “so”?
Tip?
Exception?
Only when it is being used as a coordinating conjunction.
TIP: If you can replace “so” with “therefor” without changing the meaning of the sentence, then you are looking at a coordinating conjunction that will require a comma. If “so” is better replaced with “so that,” you are looking at a subordinating conjunction and no comma is necessary.
Exception: As with all compound, independent sentences, a comma before the coordinating conjunction is not always necessary if the two independent clauses are very short and closely related, e.g., “It’s my turn so I’ll go.”
132
When is a comma necessary before “such as”?
Only when it sets off nonessential information.
E.g., “In this forest, you’ll see many types of coniferous trees, such as pine and spruce.” (The given examples of “pine” and “spruce” are nonessential because they are not necessary to understand the sentence.)
E.g., “Trees such as oaks and elms don’t grow at this altitude.” (In this case, the given examples are essential to the meaning of the sentence. Remove them, and you have a false statement.
133
When is a comma necessary before “while”?
When “while” means “whereas” or “although.”
While is a subordinating conjunction meaning “during the same time” and typically does not require a comma. But when used in place or “whereas” or “although,” it indicates a contrast, and contrasting clauses typically require commas.
134
When is a comma necessary before “as”?
Tip?
Only when “as” means “because.”
“As” is a subordinating conjunction and would not typically require a comma, but in such cases, a comma is used as an indication of meaning.
E.g., George cleaned the house, (as) his wife had asked him to. (because)
TIP: Do not use a comma when “as” is used in the sense of “while” or “in the way that.” (Source.)
E.g., George cleaned the house (as) his wife had asked him to. (In the way that)
E.g., George cleaned the house (as) he listened to the radio. (while)
135
Is it “anymore” or “any more”?
Depends on your meaning. “Anymore” means “any longer.”
E.g., “She doesn’t work here anymore.”
“Any more” refers to an indefinite quantifier.
E.g., “I don’t want any more candy.”
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How do you determine whether to use “what” or “which” when forming an interrogative?
Use “what” when there are lots of possible options or when you don’t know how many options there are (as when asking abstract questions, such as, “What is love?”).
E.g., “What is your name?”
Use “which” when the pool of options is limited.
E.g., “Which of Sarah’s books do you want to read?”
137
What are the 5 “adverbs of concession”?
What are used for, and how are they punctuated?
“Whereas,” “although,” “though,” “even though” and sometimes “while” (when used in the sense of “whereas”)
Adverbs of concession are used when a dependent clause contrasts from the main clause. They are introduced with a comma.
E.g., I waited at the door, whereas Katy waited in the street.
138
What should never follow prepositions like “except” and “besides”? Why?
A subject pronoun.
Prepositions must be followed by the object of the preposition. Since the object of the preposition can never be a subject pronoun, you must use a noun, a gerund, an object pronoun, or (provided the object of the preposition is the same as the sentence subject) a reflexive pronoun.
139
True or false? Two subjects joined by the word “and” always require a plural verb, regardless of whether they come first or last in the construction.
True.
E.g., How are your little fish and your cute hamster? Vs. Your little fish and cute hamster are sweet.
140
Is it affect change or effect change?
“Effect change” is a verb phrase that means “to bring about change.” “Affect change” is a common mistake based on the normal parts of speech of affect and effect.
141
How do you know when to use a comma with a relative pronoun like which, where, and who and when not to?
If the information that follows the relative pronoun is essential to the sentence, you should not use a comma. But if the information is nonessential and the sentence can stand alone without it, you should use a comma.
142
What are two examples of collective nouns that are always assigned plural verbs?
1) Adjectives used as collective nouns. E.g., The rich ARE always complaining about taxes.
2) Police - ALWAYS treated as a plural noun.
143
Should phrases like "types of," "kinds of," and "varieties of" be followed with a singular or plural noun?
Use a plural form when using a countable noun (e.g. You use many kinds of nouns).
Use a singular form for uncountable nouns (e.g. You produce many types of writing).
144
Identify and correct the error below.
Duncan likes dancing and to sing.
Faulty parallelism.
Infinitives and gerunds should not be mixed in a single clause.
Edit: Duncan likes to dance and to sing. or Duncan likes dancing and singing.
145
Identify and correct the error below.
Previous managerial techniques were expensive and a waste.
Faulty parallelism.
It would be better to swap the noun "waste" for the adjective "wasteful" so that it matches the adjective "expensive."
Edit: Previous managerial techniques were expensive and wasteful.
146
Identify and correct the error below.
Side effects may include twitches and a headache.
Exemption?
Faulty parallelism.
It is best practice not to mix plural and singular nouns in a series of words.
Edit: Side effects may include twitches and headaches
Exemption: It is OK to mix mass (uncountable) nouns with plural nouns. E.g., Side effects may include twitches, headaches, and nausea.
147
Identify and correct the error below.
Respondents were asked if they prefer to run, to walk, or swimming as a form of exercise.
Faulty parallelism.
Infinitives and gerunds should not be mixed in a list.
Edit:
Respondents were asked if they prefer to run, walk, or swim as a form of exercise.
148
What is the standard adjective order in English?
Quantity → Quality/Opinion → Size → Shape → Age → Color → Nationality → Material → Type/Purpose
E.g., The big round red ball. (i.e. size → shape → color).
149
Are "quicker" and "quickest" adjectives or adverbs?
What is the correct adverb form of "quick"?
What is the comparative and superlative form of the adverb?
Adjectives
E.g., That dog is quicker than the other.
Quickly
more quickly, most quickly
150
When can a colon be used with a title?
When should it not be used?
A colon can be used to separate a title and a subtitle (e.g. Bird Brains: A Study in Sparrow Intelligence).
However, no title should ever end in a colon, such as when a subtitle appears in the main body of an essay.
E.g.,
1.2 Sparrow Neurobiology:
Research into the structure of sparrow brains is limited due to the delicacy of the tissues…
151
What are “scare quotes”?
What potential problems do they cause?
How should they be used?
Scare quotes highlight particular words, even when they are not direct quotations either to signify that the author has borrowed the term from somewhere or because they consider the term dubious and are using it ironically.
E.g.,The “fresh” bread I bought today turned out to be mouldy.
Overuse of scare quotes can make text hard to follow. Use scare quotes to introduce a term but leave them out on subsequent uses of the same term.
152
How do you add an endash manually on a Mac?
Emdash?
Endash:
Hold down Option and press - simultaneously.
Emdash:
Hold down Option, shift, and - simultaneously.
153
What should editors look out for when acronyms and initialisms are used in a document?
Redundancies
These occur when the word at the end of the abbreviation is repeated immediately afterwards.
E.g., ATM machine
154
What are diacritics?
Tip?
Accent marks used to indicate how a word is pronounced.
With established English words originally borrowed from another language, use of diacritics is often optional.
155
What is nominalization?
Should it be avoided?
When a longer noun form is used in place of a verb.
E.g., "bring about the destruction of" Vs. "destroy"
Eliminate when possible, but use when necessary to prevent repetition.
156
What are padding words and unnecessary modifiers?
Examples?
Unnecessary words and cliche phrases that can be eliminated without changing the meaning of a sentence.
E.g., "In my opinion," “for the most part,” “actually,” “basically,” “definitely,” “absolutely,” etc.
157
Passive Vs. active voice?
The passive voice emphasizes the recipient of a verb (i.e. the thing being acted upon), while the active voice emphasizes the performer of an action.
Eg., The winner of the contest was Janet. (Passive)
Janet won the contest. (Active)
158
What does the term elegant variation refer to?
Should it be avoided?
Excessive use of synonyms to avoid repetition of terms.
Yes.
159
What do BC and AD refer to?
Does the date come before or after the abbreviation?
BC is an abbreviation for "before Christ" and indicates the era before Christ's birth.
AD is an abbreviation for the Latin Phrase "anno Domini," which means "in the year of our Lord." It indicates the era after Christ's birth.
BC comes after; AD comes before
160
What do BCE and CE refer to?
Do they come before or after the date?
BCE is an abbreviation for "before the common era."
CE is an abbreviation for "common era."
Both terms follow the date.
161
When is it appropriate to use a block quote?
For long quotes. How long depends on the stylebook used.
AP: When quoted material exceeds 40 words.
Chicago: When quoted material exceeds four lines.
162
How is a block quote formatted?
Depends on the stylebook.
All are set on a new line and indented.
Spacing and the question of whether or not to use quotes depend on the style used.
Chicago: No quotation marks, single-spaced.
AP:
APA: No quotation marks, double-spaced.
163
What punctuation is used if a quote follows a full sentence?
A colon.
164
Is a comma used to introduce a partial quote inserted into a full sentence?
No.
