Writing Skills & Essay Organization Flashcards

Which sentence uses the correct subject-verb agreement?

Answer: The team of researchers is presenting its findings.

"Team" is a singular collective noun, so it takes the singular verb "is" and pronoun "its."

Where should a thesis statement typically appear in a standard academic essay?

Answer: At the end of the introduction

A thesis usually appears at the end of the introduction to guide the rest of the essay.

Which transition word best signals a contrast between two ideas?

Answer: However

"However" introduces a contrasting idea, while the others show addition, result, or similarity.

Choose the sentence with correct comma usage.

Answer: After the storm passed, we cleaned the yard.

An introductory dependent clause is followed by a comma before the main clause.

What is the primary purpose of a topic sentence?

Answer: To state the main idea of a paragraph

A topic sentence states the central idea that the rest of the paragraph develops.

Which revision corrects the run-on sentence: "The exam was difficult I studied for hours"?

Answer: The exam was difficult; I studied for hours.

A semicolon correctly joins two related independent clauses.

Which word is the most precise replacement for "good" in "a good explanation"?

Answer: clear

"Clear" conveys a specific, meaningful quality, while the others are vague.