Parallel Structure
Follows the same pattern of wording in a phrase, sentence, and/or paragraph
Parallel Structure =
“I like drawing, painting, and knitting” OR “I like to draw, paint, and knit”
Logical Comparisons
It is important that two people, places or things are being compared correctly.
Use the phrase “that of” or “those of” to correct it.
Person = Person Art = Art Person ≠ Art
Logical Comparison =
Pablo Picasso’s abstract art is more widely known than that of Mark Rothko.
Correlative Conjunctions
are sets of words that connect parallel parts of a sentence: nouns w/ nouns, modifiers w/ modifiers.
Antecedents
the word that a pronoun takes the place of (in a sentence).
Antecedents in a sentence
The student liked his erasable pens because they wrote smoothly.
Reflexive Pronouns
The subject and object are the same. The doer of the action is also the receiver of the action
Reflexive Pronouns =
you/yourself, her/herself, me/myself
Being
this word is almost always wrong -as an answer choice- because it creates sentence fragments
Being → …
Best replaced with
because, a comma, an appositive phrase, a colon, or a simple present/past tense form of the verb to be (as is, was)
Who/Whoever
is subject of sentence, the person doing the action
Whom/Whomever
is the direct object, receiver of verb OR the (indirect) object of prepositions
Who’s
the contraction of who is.
Whose
the possessive form of who.
He/She =
Who
Him/Her =
Whom
His/Her =
Whose
He’s/She’s =
Who’s
If TWO successive adjectives some before a noun who may be asked to?
seperate them, with a comma OR and
Coordinate Adjectives
It was a cold, gloomy day.
It was a cold and gloomy day.
Cumulative Adjectives
Today I wore my purple cashmere sweater.
Comparative Adjectives
often end with -er, comparing 2 things.
Superlative Adjectives
often end with -est, comparing 3+ things.
Comparative Adj. =
Better, Older, Smarter
Superlative Adj. =
Best, Eldest, Smartest
Proper noun + Noun
Singer Norah Jones
Noun + Proper noun
Albert Einstein , an immigrant from Germany
Participial Phrases
usually begins with the word ending in -ing OR -ed
Adverbs
provide information on location, timing, reason, manner and intent. Also modify verbs and adjectives. End in -ly.
Adverb =
Downstairs, Strategically, Daily.
Linking verbs are modified by?
adjectives.
look beautiful, felt sad.
Misplaced Modifier can be fixed if?
the noun being modified is immediately before OR after the modifier.
Properly-placed Modifier
Featuring stunning photographs, the website was impressive.
Subject-Verb Agreement
To find a the subject, we have to find the verb (action word) in the sentence.
Place “to” in-front of the verb to see if it is logical.
Then ask “who is doing that verb?” to find the answer.
S/V Agreement =
His children want him to move to Florida.
“to want”
The children are the subject.
Singular or Plural?
If a word ends in -S, it is Singular.
The other words are Plural.
Singular
Is, Was, Has, Stops, Makes, Rewards.
Plural
Are, Were, Have, Stop, Make, Reward.