Clep: Composition And Modular

Front 1

Syntax

Back 1

The arrangement of words, phrases, and clauses to form a sentence.

Knowledge of syntax can give insight into a word’s meaning.

Front 2

Parallelism

Back 2

Parallel structure occurs when phrases or clauses within a sentence contain the same structure.

Front 3

Coordinating conjunction

Back 3

A junction that helps the two ideas in a sentence work together; it “coordinates” them. (Once ideas are joined by a conjunction, they are known as clauses.)

Fanboys: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so

Front 4

Subordinate clause

Back 4

This clause shows the reader which clause is most important.

Choose the word that best allows the sentence to support the writer’s argument.

Examples: Although, after, because, if, since, unless

Front 5

Independent clause

Back 5

A clause that can stand by itself, with a verb and subject, but without a coordinating/subordinating conjunction attached.

Front 6

Comma splice

Back 6

When a comma is used to join two independent clauses, without an appropriate conjunction.

Front 7

Dependent clause

Back 7

A sentence fragment that contains a subject and verb, but CAN’T stand by itself.

Front 8

Phrase

Back 8

A group of words without both a subject and a verb

Front 9

Sentence

Back 9

1. Must have a subject (noun or noun phrase) that tells what the sentence is addressing

2. Must have an action or state of being (a verb). Explains what the noun is doing

3. Must convey a complete thought

Front 10

Declarative sentence

Back 10

A simple statement that ends with a period

Most common type of sentence

Front 11

Imperative sentence

Back 11

A command, instruction, or request that ends with a period

Often seems to be missing a subject; “understood you”

Front 12

Interrogative sentence

Back 12

A question that ends with a question mark

Front 13

Exclamatory sentence

Back 13

A statement or command that expressed emotions like anger, urgency, or surprise and ends with an exclamation mark

Declarative and imperative sentences can both become exclamatory if an exclamation point is added

Front 14

Antecedent

Back 14

“The noun to which a pronoun refers; it needs to be written or spoken before the pronoun is used”.

Front 15

Pronoun reference

Back 15

The pronoun should refer clearly to one, clear, unmistakable noun (the antecedent)

Front 16

Pronoun-antecedent agreement

Back 16

The need for the antecedent and the corresponding pronoun to agree in gender, person, and number.

Front 17

Subjective pronouns

Back 17

I, you, he/she/it, we, they, who

Subjects of the sentence

Front 18

Possessive pronouns

Back 18

Mine, my, your, yours, his, hers, its, their, theirs, our, ours

Used to denote that something (or someone) belongs to someone (or something).

Front 19

Objective pronouns

Back 19

Me, you (singular), him/her, us, they, them, whom

Used when something is being done for or given to someone; objects of the action

Front 20

When to use “who” or “whom”?

Back 20

Who is going to the concert?

You are going to the concert with whom?

Who or whom = he or him

Front 21

Subject-verb agreement

Back 21

Whether the subject is singular or plural, the verb must follow suit.

Here and there are never subjects!

Front 22

Subject-verb agreement

Back 22

Whether the subject is singular or plural, the verb must follow suit.

Here and there are never subjects!

Front 23

What calls for a singular verb form?

Back 23

2 singular subjects joined by or, either/or, or neither/nor

Example:

Incorrect: Butter or syrup are acceptable.

Correct: Butter or syrup is acceptable.

Front 24

Subject-verb agreement

Back 24

Whether the subject is singular or plural, the verb must follow suit.

Here and there are never subjects! The subject will always follow the verb when a sentence begins with here or there!

Front 25

If one subject is singular and the other is plural…

Back 25

The verb should agree with the closest noun.

Correct: the chair or the boxes are being moved next.

Correct: the chairs or the box is being moved next.

Front 26

Words declaring degrees of quantity… how to use the noun?

Back 26

Many of, some of, most of- let the noun that follows “of” be the guide.

Incorrect: Most of the pie are on the table.

Correct: Most of the pie is on the table.

Front 27

Auxiliary (helping) verbs

Back 27

Have, do, be, can, may, should, must, will

These express tense, ability, possibility, permission, or obligation.

Front 28

Auxiliary (helping) verbs

Back 28

Have, do, be, can, may, should, must, will

These express tense, ability, possibility, permission, or obligation.

Front 29

Particles

Back 29

Minor function words like not, in, out, up, or down that become part of the verb itself.

Front 30

Participles

Back 30

Words formed from verbs that are often used to modify a noun, noun phrase, verb, or verb phrase. (Ing)

Front 31

Verb forms

Back 31

Base form, -s form, -ing form, past form, and the past participle.

Check book (page 19)