Grammar Style and Conventions Flashcards

Which sentence demonstrates correct use of a semicolon?

Answer: The report was thorough; it covered every major issue.

A semicolon correctly joins two independent clauses without a coordinating conjunction.

In the AP Lang free-response essays, which grammatical error most significantly undermines a writer's credibility?

Answer: Comma splices that create run-on sentences throughout the essay

Frequent comma splices indicate a pattern of grammatical error that disrupts readability and undermines the writer's ethos.

Which of the following correctly uses an appositive phrase?

Answer: Maya Angelou, a renowned poet and memoirist, advocated for civil rights.

An appositive renames or describes a noun using a noun phrase set off by commas, as correctly done in this sentence.

Which revision best eliminates the dangling modifier in: 'Running down the street, the ice cream truck was spotted'?

Answer: Running down the street, the children spotted the ice cream truck.

The modifier 'running down the street' must be placed next to the noun performing the action — the children, not the truck.

Which sentence uses parallel structure correctly?

Answer: She likes hiking, swimming, and running.

Parallel structure requires all items in a series to use the same grammatical form — here, all gerunds.

In formal AP Lang writing, which pronoun-antecedent agreement error is most common?

Answer: Using 'they' for a singular indefinite pronoun like 'everyone'

Using 'they' with a singular antecedent like 'everyone' or 'a student' is a common agreement error in formal academic writing, though it is increasingly accepted.