Effective Sentences Exam Review

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Questions and Answers

What is a misplaced modifier?

A modifier that is correctly placed
A structure used for emotional expression
A word or phrase modifying an unintended word (correct)
A type of grammatical fallacy

What is a dangling modifier?

A modifier used in poetry
A modifier that does not have a clear subject (correct)
A type of correct grammatical structure
A phrase describing an intended action

What is faulty predication?

The error that results when subject and verb do not go together logically.

What is an example of incomplete comparison?

A type of grammatical fallacy where the point of comparison is missing. Signup and view all the answers

What does lack of parallelism refer to?

Construction in which two or more parts of a sentence are equivalent in meaning but not grammatically similar. Signup and view all the answers

What is voice/subject shift?

When a sentence contains two or more verbs, both verbs maintain the same voice. Signup and view all the answers

What does shift in number mean?

Inappropriate shifts from singular to plural. Signup and view all the answers

What does shift in mood occur with?

Directions where the mood shifts from indicative to imperative or vice versa. Signup and view all the answers

What is a shift in person?

Mixing first, second, or third person within a sentence. Signup and view all the answers

What does shift in tense refer to?

Shift from past tense to present tense to enhance vividness. Signup and view all the answers

What is jargon?

Special words or expressions used by a particular profession that are hard for others to understand. Signup and view all the answers

What is a euphemism?

An indirect, less offensive way of saying something unpleasant. Signup and view all the answers

Define slang.

An informal, often short-lived kind of language used in place of standard words. Signup and view all the answers

What is a cliche?

A phrase or opinion that is overused and lacks original thought. Signup and view all the answers

What does coordination refer to in grammar?

Grammatical equivalence between parts of a sentence using coordinating conjunctions. Signup and view all the answers

What is subordination in a sentence?

Linking two clauses in a way that one clause depends on the other. Signup and view all the answers

Define personification.

The attribution of human characteristics to something nonhuman. Signup and view all the answers

What is a dependent clause?

A clause that cannot stand alone as a complete sentence. Signup and view all the answers

What is an independent clause?

A clause that can stand alone as a complete sentence. Signup and view all the answers

Define object in grammatical terms.

Anything that is visible, tangible, and stable in form. Signup and view all the answers

What is a subject in a sentence?

Who or what the sentence is about. Signup and view all the answers

Define noun.

A person, place, thing, or idea. Signup and view all the answers

What is a verb?

An action word. Signup and view all the answers

Define pronoun.

A word that takes the place of a noun. Signup and view all the answers

What does concise mean?

Brief and to the point. Signup and view all the answers

What is a conjunction?

A word that joins two phrases or sentences. Signup and view all the answers

Define adjective.

A word that describes a noun. Signup and view all the answers

What is an adverb?

A word that modifies a verb, an adjective, or another adverb. Signup and view all the answers

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Study Notes

Grammatical Errors and Modifiers

Misplaced Modifier: Modifies an unintended word due to poor placement; e.g., "She saw the house being built in her mind."
Dangling Modifier: Similar error where the modifying phrase is improperly placed; e.g., "With fifty pages left to read, War and Peace was absorbing."
Faulty Predication: Occurs when subject and verb do not logically connect; e.g., "The purpose of cinema was invented to entertain people."
Incomplete Comparison: Lacks clear identification of what is being compared, leading to ambiguity.

Sentence Structure Issues

Lack of Parallelism: Involves sentences where similar parts lack grammatical consistency; e.g., "Annie likes to rap, nap, and eating snacks."
Voice/Subject Shift: Verbs should maintain the same voice within a sentence; e.g., "When the children turned on the TV, a buzzing sound was heard."
Shift in Number: Inconsistent shifts from singular to plural; e.g., "When someone calls, tell them I'm not at home."
Shift in Mood: Occurs in directions where the mood improperly changes; e.g., "Take two aspirins, and then you should call me in the morning."
Shift in Person: Mixing first, second, or third person within a sentence; e.g., "I stayed at the house, but the others left."
Shift in Discourse: Includes both direct (exact words in quotation marks) and indirect (paraphrased) citations.

Language and Style Elements

Shift in Tense: Fluctuation between past and present tense to enhance narratives.
Jargon: Technical language peculiar to a specific profession that may confuse outsiders; e.g., "We sociologists have identified the need for perspective thinking."
Euphemism: A softer, less offensive way of expressing something unpleasant; e.g., "General Motors faced work stoppage when they didn't pay workers more."
Slang: Informal language replacing standard words; e.g., "American Beauty was a cool movie."
Cliché: Overused phrases that lack originality; e.g., "The grass is greener on the other side."

Sentence Components

Coordination: Achieves grammatical equivalence through coordinating conjunctions; e.g., "I went to the buffet six times, and still saved room for dessert."
Subordination: Links clauses such that one relies on another; e.g., "Since I was hungry again in an hour, I drove through the Whataburger drive-thru."
Personification: Assigning human characteristics to nonhuman elements; e.g., "The stars danced playfully in the moonlit sky."
Dependent Clause: Cannot stand alone as a complete sentence, functioning as a noun, adjective, or adverb.
Independent Clause: A complete sentence that can stand alone.
Object: Anything visible, tangible, and stable.
Subject: The main focus of the sentence, defining what it’s about.
Noun: A person, place, thing, or idea.
Verb: An action word defining what is happening.
Pronoun: A word that substitutes for a noun.
Concise: Expression that is brief and straight to the point.
Conjunction: A word used to connect phrases or sentences.
Adjective: A word that describes a noun.
Adverb: A word modifying a verb, adjective, or another adverb.