Sentence Structure and Syntax Flashcards

Which is an example of a cleft sentence used for emphasis?

Answer: It was John who broke the window.

A cleft sentence uses 'It is/was + focus + that/who' to highlight a specific element of the sentence.

Choose the sentence that uses fronting with correct inversion:

Answer: Never have I seen such a beautiful sunset.

When a negative adverb is fronted for emphasis, the auxiliary verb and subject must be inverted.

Which sentence contains an appositive phrase?

Answer: My sister, a doctor, works at the city hospital.

An appositive phrase renames or describes a noun without using a verb; 'a doctor' is an appositive for 'My sister'.

Identify the sentence with a dangling modifier:

Answer: Feeling tired, the bed felt very comfortable.

'Feeling tired' dangles because its implied subject is a person, but the main clause subject is 'the bed'.

Which sentence demonstrates correct use of ellipsis?

Answer: He can play guitar and she can too.

Ellipsis omits repeated elements that are already understood from context; 'she can too' ellipts 'play guitar'.

Choose the sentence with correct subject-verb agreement in a complex noun phrase:

Answer: The quality of the products has improved significantly.

The subject is 'quality' (singular), not 'products'; the prepositional phrase 'of the products' does not change the verb agreement.

Which sentence uses an embedded (indirect) question correctly?

Answer: I wonder if he will come.

Indirect questions use 'if/whether + subject + verb' in statement word order, not question word order.