ELA Writing and Language Arts Flashcards

Read this paragraph opening: 'Arizona's Sonoran Desert receives less than 12 inches of rain per year. Despite this, it supports a surprisingly diverse ecosystem.' What is the FUNCTION of the second sentence?

Answer: It provides a counterpoint that introduces the paragraph's focus

The second sentence introduces a surprising contrast ('Despite this') that sets up the paragraph's main topic — the desert's biodiversity despite low rainfall.

A student writes a research paper and copies two sentences directly from a website without using quotation marks or citing the source. What has this student committed?

Answer: Plagiarism

Using someone else's exact words without proper attribution is plagiarism, which is academic dishonesty.

Which sentence uses a comma correctly?

Answer: Before leaving the house, he checked the weather.

A comma after an introductory dependent clause or phrase is correct. 'Before leaving the house' is an introductory phrase correctly followed by a comma.

Which revision makes this sentence more concise? 'Due to the fact that it was raining outside, we decided to stay indoors inside the house.'

Answer: Because it was raining, we stayed inside.

Answer B eliminates redundancy ('due to the fact that' → 'because'; 'indoors inside the house' → 'inside') to create the most concise version.

In a narrative essay, a student writes: 'The room was silent. My heart pounded. I opened the envelope.' What technique does this writing demonstrate?

Answer: Using short, varied sentences to create tension and suspense

Short, punchy sentences in sequence create a rapid, tense pace that builds suspense — a deliberate stylistic technique in narrative writing.

A student is writing an informative essay about volcanoes. Which organizational structure would BEST suit this topic?

Answer: Cause-and-effect structure explaining how and why volcanoes erupt

Cause-and-effect structure logically organizes how and why volcanoes form and erupt, which aligns with the goal of informing readers about volcanic science.