PERT Grammar Usage & Sentence Structure

Question 1

What is a complete sentence?

Accepted Answer

A sentence with subject and predicate

Answer

A complete sentence, also known as an independent clause, must contain at least two essential components: a subject and a predicate. The subject tells who or what the sentence is about, while the predicate contains the verb and provides information about the subject's action or state of being. Together, these elements form a complete thought that can stand alone.

Question 2

What is subject-verb agreement?

Accepted Answer

Subject and verb match in number

Answer

Subject-verb agreement is a fundamental grammatical rule stating that the verb in a sentence must correspond in number (singular or plural) with its subject. If the subject is singular, the verb must be singular; if the subject is plural, the verb must be plural. For example, "The dog runs" (singular) versus "The dogs run" (plural), ensuring grammatical correctness and clarity.

Question 3

What is a run-on sentence?

Accepted Answer

Two independent clauses without proper connection

Answer

A run-on sentence occurs when two or more independent clauses (complete thoughts that could stand alone as sentences) are joined together without correct punctuation or a coordinating conjunction. This creates confusion for the reader because the ideas are not clearly separated or related. Proper connection typically involves using a comma and a conjunction, a semicolon, or separating them into distinct sentences.

Question 4

What is a fragment?

Accepted Answer

An incomplete sentence

Answer

A sentence fragment is a group of words that looks like a sentence but is missing a subject, a verb, or both, or it expresses an incomplete thought. Unlike a complete sentence, a fragment cannot stand alone. It often leaves the reader wondering what happened or who performed an action, hindering clear communication.

Question 5

What is parallel structure?

Accepted Answer

Using the same grammatical form

Answer

Parallel structure, or parallelism, involves using the same grammatical form for items in a list, series, or comparison. This means that if you are listing nouns, all items should be nouns; if you are listing verbs, all should be verbs in the same tense, and so on. Maintaining parallel structure improves readability, creates a sense of rhythm, and emphasizes the equal importance of the ideas presented.

PERT Practice Test

PERT Practice Test

PERT Grammar Usage & Sentence Structure