Sentence Structures and Grammar

Question 1

What is active voice? How does active voice improve writing?

Answer 1

When a sentence is written in a way where the subject of the sentence performs the action. It makes writing more direct and is the preferred form of writing in most cases

Question 2

What is passive voice? In what ways does it improve writing?

Answer 2

Passive voice is a sentence written in a way where the subject of the sentence receives the action instead of performing it. Passive voice can improve writing by cutting down on repetition or to show interest in the person/thing that experiences the action rather than doing the action

Question 3

“Anthony drove while Toni searched for the house” –> Is this in the active or passive voice?

Answer 3

Active –> Anthony/Toni are the subject of the sentence; Sentence is written in a way where these subjects are completing the action

Question 4

“The dog food bowl was refilled by Sarah” –> What voice is this in. Re-write in the other form

Answer 4

This sentence is in passive voice –> Uses the preposition “by”, the subject of the sentence is the “dog food bowl” which is receiving the action of being filled.
Rewritten: Sarah refilled the dog food bowl

Question 5

What is an antecedent? What would the antecedent be in, “Sally walked her dog” ?

Answer 5

An antecedent is a noun which a pronoun refers to. In the example, the pronoun “her” refers to the noun, “Sally”, making “Sally” the antecedent of the sentence.

Question 6

What is parallelism?
What word is parallel to the word “swept” in the sentence : “Cinderella swept the floor, dusted the mantle, and beat the rugs”

Answer 6

Parallelism is when the sentence structure places equal grammatical structure near each other, or repeats identical grammatical patterns. In the given example, the words “beat” and “dusted” are parallel to the word swept

Question 7

What is an anaphora? What is the point to using an anaphora in writing?

Answer 7

An anaphora is a repetition of a word, phrase, or clause at the beginning of two or more sentences/clauses in a row (it is a type of parallelism). For instance:” I came, I saw, I conquered” –> This helps to make the writer’s point more coherent and deliberate

Question 8

What is chiasmus? What is the purpose of using chiasmus?

Answer 8

Chiasmus is when a sentence utilizes inverted parallelism. For instance in “Fair is foul and foul is fair” , the same words are used, but in the second instance, the words are reversed. The purpose of chiasmus is to add more emphasis to the point and make a point more persuasive.

Question 9

What is antithesis? What is it’s purpose?

Answer 9

Antithesis is when two opposite or contrasting words, phases, or clauses, or ideas are in a parallel structure. For instance “One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind” –> the idea of one small step is juxtaposed with one giant leap. The purpose of antithesis is to make writing more powerful by highlighting stark contrasts.

Question 10

What is a Zuegma? What is the purpose of a zuegma?

Answer 10

A zuegma is when a single word governs/modifies two or more other words where the meaning of the first word must change for each of the other words it governs/modifies.
For instance : “ I quickly dressed myself and the salad” –> The word “dressed” has two different meanings for the words “myself” and “the salad”. The purpose is to use one word to refer to multiple ideas, and is sometimes used for comical style

Question 11

What is a parenthetical idea?

Answer 11

A parenthetical idea is when a sentence is interrupted by a set of parentheses containing additional knowledge.

Question 12

What is the difference between asyndeton and polysyndeton?

Answer 12

Asyndeton is a sentence in which any conjunctions are omitted due to parallel structure. However, polysyndeton is when conjunctions are placed in a way that creates a list of items.
For instance:
Asyndeton –> “The defendants responses were hasty, terse; superficial to the touch.
Polysyndeton –> “The Defendants responses were hasty and terse and superficial to the touch”

Question 13

What is an appositive? What is the point of using an appositive?

Answer 13

An appositive is an interrupter to the sentence to further clarify a noun. (Bob, the lumber yard worker, spoke with Judy, an accountant from the city). The point of using an appositive is to explain roles/background info on people/places/things used in the sentence and give further context.

Question 14

What is a clause? What is an independent clause? What is a dependent clause?

Answer 14

A clause is a grammatical unit that contains both a subject and a verb

An independent clause is a clause which expresses a complete thought and could be a stand alone sentence.

A dependent clause cannot stand alone and must be accompanied by an independent clause.

Question 15

What is the difference between a compound sentence and a complex sentence?

Answer 15

A compound sentence is a sentence which contains at least two independent clauses but NO dependent clauses

A complex sentence is a sentence which contains ONLY ONE independent clause at at least one dependent clause.

Question 16

What is a balanced sentence?

Answer 16

A sentence in which two parallel elements are set off against each other like equal weights on a scale and are parallel grammatically.
Example: “If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich” –> Both portions of the sentence share a parallel structure and compare each other. In this case, the balanced sentence uses aspects of antithesis to construct their sentence.

Question 17

What is the difference between a cumulative sentence (loose sentence) and a periodic sentence?

Answer 17

In a cumulative sentence, the main idea is expressed at the beginning of the sentence as an independent clause while adding on dependent clauses at the end.

In a periodic sentence, the main idea is not completed until the end of the sentence, while adding any extra thoughts at the end.

Question 18

Is the following sentence loose of periodic : His confidence broken, limbs shaking, his collar wet with perspiration, he doubted whether he could ever again appear before an audience”

Answer 18

Periodic. The main idea (the independent clause) is “he doubted whether he could ever again appear before an audience”, which appears at the end of the sentence.

Question 19

What are the three main sentence types? What are their purposes?

Answer 19

The three main sentence types are declarative sentences, imperative sentences, and interrogative sentence.

Declarative: States an idea (not in a way that asks a question or gives a command) –> “The ball is blue”

Imperative: Issues a command –> “Kick the ball”

Interrogative: Sentences incorporation interrogative pronouns ( what, which, who, whom, and whose)

Question 20

What is syntax? How should you examine syntax?

Answer 20

Syntax is the grammatical arrange of words and how this arrangement relate to tone and meaning. In order to examine syntax, you should determine the sentence structure types (simple, compound, etc.)

Question 21

What is a compound-complex sentence?

Answer 21

A compound-complex sentence is a sentence that contains at least two independent clauses and at least one dependent clause
Example: “The baby slept and dreamed, and the mom watched, while the rain fell”
–> Two independent clauses: The baby slept and dreamed, the mom watched
–> Dependent clause –> While the rain fell