English Language Arts Flashcards

A student reads a passage about climate change and wants to identify the author's central claim. Which element best signals the central claim?

Answer: A repeated idea supported by evidence throughout the text

The central claim is the main argument the author consistently supports with evidence across the entire text.

Which sentence uses correct subject-verb agreement?

Answer: The list of items was checked twice.

'List' is the subject, which is singular, so it takes the singular verb 'was.'

In an argumentative essay, what is the primary purpose of acknowledging a counterclaim?

Answer: To demonstrate the writer has considered opposing views and can refute them

Addressing counterclaims shows critical thinking and strengthens the writer's credibility by demonstrating awareness of other perspectives.

Read this sentence: 'The old house, which had stood for over a century, was finally demolished.' What does the underlined clause tell the reader?

Answer: Additional information about the house's age

The nonrestrictive clause 'which had stood for over a century' adds descriptive detail about how long the house had existed.

A poet writes: 'The wind whispered secrets through the trees.' What literary device is used?

Answer: Personification

Personification gives the wind human qualities—specifically the ability to whisper and keep secrets.

When analyzing an informational text, a student should distinguish between facts and opinions. Which of the following is a fact?

Answer: Georgia receives an average of 50 inches of rain per year.

A measurable statistic like average rainfall is verifiable and therefore a fact, unlike the other statements which express judgments.

Which revision best improves the clarity of this sentence: 'Running to school, my backpack fell off.'?

Answer: While I was running to school, my backpack fell off.

The original is a dangling modifier; adding 'While I was' clarifies that the person was running, not the backpack.