Semester One “Final” Exam Study Guide (Quarters 1 & 2 Combined)
You will need to know the following items/concepts:
1. Definition of “independent clause”
2. Definition of “dependent clause”
3. Definition of a “subject” of a sentence and be able to identify
4. Definition of a “verb” of a sentence and be able to identify
5. Know the different ways to write out the date (month, day, year)
6. What is the fancy word that means “verb”?
7. Definition of a “noun”
8. Definition of a “common noun”
9. Definition of a “proper noun”
10. Definition of a “pronoun” and be able to identify them
11. Definition of an “interrogative sentence”
12. Definition of an “imperative sentence”
13. Definition of a “declarative sentence”
14. Definition of an “exclamatory sentence”
15. Definition of a “complex sentence” (also known as a sentence beginning with “IDC”)
16. Definition of a “compound sentence”
17. Know the three (3) types of compound sentences and how to use them
18. Definition of “adjective” and be able to identify one
19. Know how to separate “double adjectives” from one another
20. Know what punctuation mark you NEVER use between an adjective and the noun it describes
21. Definition of “conjunction”
22. Know the five (5) basic conjunctions
23. Definition of “interjection” and be able to identify it
24. Definition of “aside”
25. Know the other two (2) names that we can call an “aside”
26. Know the four (4) styles/types of asides punctuation and how to identify/use them
27. Know which of the asides punctuation is used for “EMPHASIZING” the aside
28. Know what punctuation mark is used to separate a city from a state
29. Know why a comma is used AFTER the state in a sentence if city and state are used together (…Tulsa, Oklahoma, …)
30. Know what punctuation mark is used to separate the day from the date
31. Know what punctuation mark is used to separate the date from the year
32. Know what punctuation mark is used after the year in a sentence IF the day, date, and year are ALL used and why
33. Shortened words such as “Dr.”, “Mr.”, and “St.” are called what?
34. Definition of a “contraction” and how to use one/identify one
35. Words such as “Dr.”, “Mr.”, and “Mrs.” that come before a name are called what?
36. Be able to find the SUBJECT and VERB in sentences: basic sentences, compound sentences, imperative sentences
37. Definition of “compound subject” and how to identify one
38. Definition of “compound verb” and how to identify one
39. Know when to use “a” or “an” in a sentence
40. Definition of a “speaker tag” and be able to identify one
41. Know what four (4) punctuation marks can be used to separate the speaker tag from the quote ( , - ; - ? - !)
42. Know what punctuation mark CANNOT be used EVER to separate the speaker tag from a quote ( period )
43. Definition of “interrupted quote” and be able to identify/correct one (know what word(s) gets capitalized throughout)
44. Definition of “quote within a quote (QWAQ)” and be able to identify/correct one
45. Know how to identify and be able to correct a “regular, direct quote”
46. Know what you must do with the first letter of the first word of the beginning of someone’s quote
47. Be able to tell what a word such as “dog(s)” means (what three (3) things could it mean and how to read it aloud)
48. Definition of a “comma splice” and be able to identify one – remember: it’s NOT allowed in writing!
49. Be able to use “whose” and “who’s” correctly
50. Be able to use “its” and “it’s” correctly
51. Know what two (2) things “it’s” could mean
52. Which one is correct? “a lot” or “alot”
53. Be able to use “your” and “you’re” correctly
54. Definition of a “preposition” and “prepositional phrase” and be able to identify/find them
55. Prepositional phrases work/used like what in a sentence but not usually punctuated the same?
56. Definition of “introductory dependent clause (IDC)” and be able to identify them
57. Definition of “singular”
58. Definition of “plural”
59. Be able to change a singular noun into its plural form & what you are NEVER allowed to do
60. Know how to write the plural form of letters, numbers, and symbols (usually add just “ ‘s”)
61. Be able to change a singular noun into its “singular possessive” form
62. What two (2) ways can an “s”-ending word have its singular possessive formed?
63. Definition of “singular possession”
64. Know the three (3) things that a word like “Tom’s” could mean?
65. Know how to properly leave out letters in a word with either an apostrophe or a hyphen
66. What does the word “fishin’” mean? What is happening?
67. What does the word “bas-ball” mean? What is happening?
68. Definition of “vowel”
69. Definition of “consonant”
70. Know the difference among “who”, “which”, and “that” and how to use each one
71. Know the difference between “between” and “among” and how to use each one
72. When writers choose to use some form of the “B-C-I-U”, they are doing what to the word or phrase?
73. What do the letters “B-C-I-U” mean/stand for?
74. What are writers supposed to do with numbers less than 11?
75. How do writers spell out numbers like 21? What has to happen between “twenty” and “one”?
76. What must a writer do to a number that begins a sentence? WHY????!!!!!
77. Is the following number format a required item in writing: “five (5)”?
78. Which term is correct? “different from” or “different than”
79. Know what “addressing someone” or “getting someone’s attention” means and how to do that in a sentence
80. Which is correct? “could of” or “could have”
81. Why do writers use “could of” instead of “could have”? Hint: contraction for “could have”
82. Definition of “simile” and be able to identify one
83. Definition of “metaphor” and be able to identify one
84. Definition of “personification” and be able to identify one
85. Definition of “onomatopoeia” and be able to identify one
86. Be able to identify a “double adjective” sentence & what punctuation mark separates them
87. Definition of “oxymoron” and be able to identify one
88. Definition of “hyperbole” and be able to identify one
89. Definition of “alliteration” and be able to identify one
90. Definition of “figurative language”
91. Definition of “literal language”
92. Definition of “idiom”
93. Definition of “theme” and be able to identify one
94. Definition of “plot” and be able to identify one
95. Definition of “conflict” and be able to identify/use it
96. Definition of “climax” and be able to identify/use it
97. Definition of “setting” and be able to identify one
98. Definition of character terms “protagonist” and “antagonist” and be able to identify them
99. Definition of “1st Person Point of View” & be able to identify it
100. Definition of “3rd Person Point of View” & be able to identify it
101. Definition of “imagery” and be able to identify/write one
102. Definition of “past tense” and be able to identify it
103. Definition of “present tense” and be able to identify it
104. Definition of “past participle tense” and be able to identify it
105. Definition of a “regular verb” and be able to identify it
106. Definition of an “irregular verb” and be able to identify it
107. Definition of a “helping verb” and be able to identify it
108. Definition of a “linking verb” and be able to identify it
109. Know what “restating the question in the answer” means in answering reading questions
110. Know how to punctuate a sentence that uses the aside “however” in the middle of only one
sentence but NOT between two sentences
111. Definition of “stutter effect” and be able to write/identify one
112. Know how to spell out a word “letter-by-letter” and how to read it aloud
113. Know what a word like “c-a-t” means
114. Know what a word like “c-c-c-ca-ca-cat” means
115. Know what the general rule for capitalizing a title is: “Capitalize the ______word, the ______word, and ______words in between. Prepositions and article adjectives are not capitalized in the middle of a title.
116. Remember to capitalize the first letter of the first word of a title’s subtitle (even if it is a prep. or article)
117. Which word is correct? “himself” or “hisself”
118. Which word is correct? “themselves” or “theirselves”
119. What kind of word is “Swiss”? It is a Proper ______
120. “A”, “an”, and “the” are articles, but they are really this part of speech: ______
121. Know how to punctuate a sentence with a list of items
122. Know what the word “a(n)” means
123. Know what a word like “coach(es)” or “box(es)” means & also a word like “pony(ies)”
124. Know what “showing” is in writing
125. Which one is very descriptive in writing: SHOWING or TELLING?
126. Descriptive writing: what is “sentence description”?
127. Descriptive writing: what is “strong/lively word choice”?
128. Know when to capitalize the words “mom” and “dad”
129. Know where to put a comma with the word “because” if you decide to use it; it’s optional!
130. Be able to determine if a group of words is a complete sentence
131. Definition of “future verb tense” and be able to identify it
132. Know what an “opener” in writing is & be able to identify the types (look at your “Openers Notes”)
133. Know what a “transition” in writing is (definition) and be able to identify one or a problem area in a sentence
134. Be able to write a transition sentence
135. Know what else a “like” simile can be called (a ______phrase)
136. What else can a prepositional phrase be called? (It is a(n) ______clause) if it acts like an adverb.
137. Know the definition of “adverb” and be able to find one
138. Know how to change a “y”-ending adjective into its “adverb” (“ily”)
139. Know what the four (4) questions adverbs use to answer the words they describe
140. What three (3) parts of speech can adverbs describe/modify (the words the “arrow” draws back to)?
141. What letters do most adverbs tend to end in?
142. How many words at a time can an adverb be?
143. Be able to find the subjects and verbs of the following types of sentences: IDC, prep. phrases, questions
144. Be able to use PRONOUNS properly (“He and she went.” “Joe and I…”, “Give the ball to Jenny and me.”)
145. Know what uses a hyphen has
146. Know the four (4) uses of an apostrophe (plurals, contractions, possessives, & leaving out letters)
147. Definition of “plural possession” and be able to form one from a singular noun
148. Know the difference between a “plural” word and a “plural possessive” word
149. Know two (2) uses of a semicolon (list & compound sentence)
150. What is the specific reason writers use a semicolon for a list?
151. Definition of “comma overload” and be able to identify when one is used
152. Know how to change words when two people/things compared: either use “er” or “more + the word”)
153. What happens to short “y”-ending words when you add an “er”? Change “y” to? Add what?
154. Know how to change words when more than two people/things compared: either use “est” or “most + the word”)
155. What happens to short “y”-ending words when you add an “est”? Change “y” to? Add what?
156. How do you actually say/write something that makes a comparison using “one of the…”? It’s a two-item comparison! (Is it “John is one of the most handsome, nicest guys.” or “John is one of the more handsome, nicer guys.”?)
157. Definition of “symbolism” and be able to identify it
158. Definition of “compare/contrast” and be able to identify it
159. Know specifically what “compare” means
160. Know specifically what “contrast” means
161. Know the three (3) different ways you can punctuate a “list of sentences”
162. What’s the maximum number of sentences allowed in a sentence?
163. Be able to label each word in a sentence for each word’s part of speech (adj., adv., n, pro, prep, con, v, int.)
164. Know how to identify whether a sentence is really an “interrupted quote”
165. Know how to identify a “false interrupted quote”
166. Where does the semicolon go in a “semicolon compound sentence interrupted quote”?
167. Know what punctuation mark usually follows the interjections “Yes”, “No”, & “Well” at beginning of sentence
168. What two (2) punctuation marks usually follow an interjection at beginning of a sentence?
169. Know the difference between “let’s” and “lets”
170. Know the difference between “than” and “then”
171. Know which shortened word is allowed for “because”: “ cause “ or “ ‘cause”
172. Know what MUST occur for a compound sentence to end with a question mark (?)
173. Know some general “paragraphing” concepts: openers, closing, ideas, “Bring it to ______”
174. Know a little bit about “paragraph planning” (organizing your writing)
175. Know what “expository” writing is : “informational” & “full of explanation”
176. Know that the word “I” is the only PROPER PRONOUN
177. Know that “although” is NEVER allowed in a semicolon-comma compound sentence
178. Know what punctuation marks ARE allowed to begin the new line of writing in a paper ( ) [ ] “ ‘ … -
179. Know what punctuation mark(s) is NOT allowed to begin the new line of writing in a paper : , ; ? !
180. Know what a “rhetorical” question is
181. For every idea/reason you have for informational/expository, how many paragraphs per reason or idea?
182. If I ask you to write 5 reasons/ideas about a topic, how many paragraphs would that be for a longer paper?
183. With longer papers, you always have what two (2) things?
184. Know what styles of planning can be used for “compare/contrast”: Venn Diagram and a “T-Chart”