English and Language Usage Flashcards
What is a noun?
A noun is a part of speech that names a person, place, thing, or idea.
What are the main types of verbs in English?
The main types of verbs are action verbs, linking verbs, and helping (auxiliary) verbs.
What is an adjective?
An adjective is a word used to modify or describe a noun or pronoun, giving more detail about it.
Define a pronoun and give an example.
A pronoun is a word that takes the place of a noun. Examples include “he,” “she,” “it,” “they.”
What is the difference between ‘there,’ ‘their,’ and ‘they’re’?
‘There’ refers to a location, ‘their’ is a possessive adjective showing ownership, and ‘they’re’ is a contraction for ‘they are.’
What does ‘syntax’ refer to in English grammar?
Syntax refers to the arrangement of words and phrases to create well-formed sentences in a language.
What is a compound sentence?
A compound sentence is a sentence that contains at least two independent clauses joined by a comma and a conjunction, or by a semicolon.
Define ‘connotation’ and ‘denotation.’
‘Denotation’ refers to the literal meaning of a word, while ‘connotation’ refers to the emotional or cultural association with that word which is not part of the literal meaning.
What is a metaphor?
A metaphor is a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object or action to which it is not literally applicable, implying a resemblance, without using “like” or “as.”
What is the purpose of a thesis statement in an essay?
A thesis statement declares the main point or controlling idea of the entire essay and briefly answers the questions posed by the paper.
What are coordinating conjunctions? Give examples.
Coordinating conjunctions connect words, phrases, or clauses that are independent or of equal rank. Examples include “for,” “and,” “nor,” “but,” “or,” “yet,” “so.”
Define ‘passive voice’ and give an example.
Passive voice occurs when the subject of the sentence is acted upon by the verb. Example: “The cake was eaten by her.”
What is a synonym?
A synonym is a word that has the same or nearly the same meaning as another word.
What is an antonym?
An antonym is a word that has the opposite meaning of another word.
Explain the term ‘dangling modifier’ and provide an example.
A dangling modifier is a word or phrase that modifies a word not clearly stated in the sentence. Example: “Driving to the grocery store, the car’s tire went flat.” (It’s unclear who was driving.)
What is an expository essay?
An expository essay explores topics by providing information and facts, explaining ideas, or defining complex terms.
What does it mean to ‘paraphrase’ a text?
Paraphrasing means rewriting a text in your own words, simplifying or clarifying the original text while maintaining its meaning.
What is a preposition?
A preposition is a word used to express the relationship of a noun or pronoun to another word in the sentence, typically in terms of time, space, or direction, e.g., ‘in,’ ‘on,’ ‘at,’ ‘between.’
What is a clause in English grammar?
A clause is a group of words that contains a subject and a predicate. It can be independent or dependent.
What is a rhetorical question?
A rhetorical question is a question asked for effect or to make a point rather than to get an answer.
What is an idiom?
An idiom is a phrase or an expression that has a figurative, sometimes non-literal, meaning.
What is the purpose of a transition word in writing?
Transition words are used to link ideas in writing, helping to guide the reader through a document by connecting sentences and paragraphs.
Define ‘alliteration’ and provide an example.
Alliteration is the repetition of the same consonant sounds at the beginning of words that are in close proximity. Example: “She sells sea shells by the sea shore.”
What is a gerund?
A gerund is a verb form that ends in -ing and functions as a noun in a sentence.
Explain the difference between ‘affect’ and ‘effect.’
‘Affect’ is typically a verb meaning to influence something, while ‘effect’ is a noun meaning the result of a change.
What is a narrative essay?
A narrative essay tells a story from a particular point of view and includes characters, a plot, and a setting, typically with a climax and a resolution.
What is the difference between direct and indirect speech?
Direct speech quotes the exact words spoken by someone, typically placed inside quotation marks. Indirect speech, on the other hand, paraphrases the spoken words without quoting them exactly.
What is an infinitive?
An infinitive is the base form of a verb preceded by the word ‘to.’ For example, ‘to eat,’ ‘to see,’ and ‘to be.’
What is a simile?
A simile is a figure of speech that compares two different things using the words ‘like’ or ‘as.’
What are comparative and superlative adjectives?
Comparative adjectives compare two things (e.g., taller, smarter), while superlative adjectives are used to describe the highest degree among three or more things (e.g., tallest, smartest).
What does ‘personification’ mean? Give an example.
Personification is a figure of speech where human qualities are given to animals, objects or ideas. Example: “The wind whispered through the trees.”
What is a subjunctive mood?
The subjunctive mood is used to express wishes, proposals, suggestions, or imagined situations, often following words like ‘wish,’ ‘suggest,’ or ‘if.’
Define ‘onomatopoeia’ and provide an example.
Onomatopoeia is a word that phonetically imitates, resembles, or suggests the sound that it describes. Example: “buzz.”
What is the difference between ‘its’ and ‘it’s’?
‘Its’ is a possessive form of ‘it’ (indicating ownership), while ‘it’s’ is a contraction for ‘it is’ or ‘it has.’
What is a homophone? Provide examples.
Homophones are words that sound the same but have different meanings and/or spellings. Examples: ‘to,’ ‘too,’ ‘two’; ‘there,’ ‘their,’ ‘they’re.’
What is a thesis in academic writing?
A thesis is a statement or central argument that a writer proposes and will support in a paper.
What is an adverb?
An adverb is a word that modifies a verb, an adjective, or another adverb, often used to show time, manner, place, or degree.
Define ‘oxymoron’ and give an example.
An oxymoron is a figure of speech in which contradictory terms appear in conjunction. Example: “deafening silence.”
What is a dependent clause?
A dependent clause is a group of words that contains a subject and verb but does not express a complete thought and cannot stand alone as a sentence.
What is a predicate in English grammar?
The predicate is the part of a sentence or clause that tells what the subject does or is described as doing.
