HESI A2 Grammar flashcards
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How to tell which job a word is doing in a sentence
- Name the eight parts of speech.
- Noun, pronoun, verb, adjective, adverb, preposition, conjunction and interjection.
- What decides a word's part of speech?
- Its job in the sentence. Sign is a noun in "Read the sign" and a verb in "Sign the form."
- How do adjectives and adverbs differ?
- Adjectives describe nouns and pronouns. Adverbs describe verbs, adjectives and other adverbs, often telling how, when, where or why.
- List the seven coordinating conjunctions.
- For, and, nor, but, or, yet, so.
- How does a clause differ from a phrase?
- A clause has a subject and a verb. A phrase does not: "on the top shelf" is a phrase.
- When is after a preposition, and when a conjunction?
- A preposition when only a noun follows (after lunch). A conjunction when a whole clause follows (after the storm passed).
How to build and fix a complete sentence
- What is a sentence fragment?
- A word group punctuated as a sentence that lacks a subject, a verb, or a complete thought. "Because the lab was closed." is a fragment.
- Name the four sentence types by their clauses.
- Simple: one independent. Compound: two or more independent. Complex: one independent plus at least one dependent. Compound-complex: two or more independent plus at least one dependent.
- What is the difference between a run-on and a comma splice?
- A run-on has nothing between two independent clauses. A comma splice has only a comma between them. Both need a stronger joint.
- What do because, although, when, and if signal at the start of a clause?
- A dependent clause. It has a subject and verb but cannot stand alone. On its own it is a fragment.
- Is "The aide checked and restocked the shelf" a compound sentence?
- No. Two verbs that share one subject make one clause, so the sentence is simple, not compound.
How to spot the grammar mistakes your ear misses
- Fix and explain: The list of supplies are on the cart.
- The list of supplies is on the cart. The subject is list, which is singular; ignore the phrase "of supplies."
- Choose the pronoun: between you and (I / me).
- Me. "You and me" is an object here, and objects take me, him, her, us and them.
- What are the past participles of go, see and write?
- Gone, seen and written. They need has, have or had, so "has went" and "had wrote" are wrong.
- Which is standard in writing: I feel bad or I feel badly?
- I feel bad. After a linking verb such as feel, use an adjective.
- Fix: We can't hardly wait for the results.
- We can hardly wait for the results, or We can't wait. Hardly already counts as a negative, so it does not pair with can't.
- Why is "more easier" wrong?
- Never combine more with -er. Use one comparison form: easier.
How to fix unclear sentences with rules, not by ear
- Fix: "The list of supplies are on the cart."
- "The list of supplies is on the cart." The true subject is list. Cross out the phrase "of supplies" and say list is.
- Do each, everyone, and nobody take a singular or plural verb?
- Singular. Example: "Everyone on the night shift has a badge."
- How can you choose between who and whom?
- Answer the question with he or him. He means who; him means whom. "Whom did the manager call?" works because the manager called him.
- Fix the unclear pronoun: "Mia told Rosa that she passed the exam."
- If Mia passed: Mia told Rosa, "I passed the exam." She could mean either woman, and a pronoun must point to one clear noun.
- Keep the opening phrase and fix: "Rushing to the bus, my coffee spilled."
- "Rushing to the bus, I spilled my coffee." An opening phrase describes the noun right after the comma, and a coffee cannot rush.
- Fix: "The job involves lifting boxes, to answer phones, and data entry."
- "The job involves lifting boxes, answering phones, and entering data." Items joined by and or or must share one grammatical form.
- Was or were: "Neither the aides nor the supervisor ___ told."
- Was. With neither/nor, the verb agrees with the closer subject, supervisor. It is correct even if it sounds odd.
- Fix: "There is two forms to sign."
- "There are two forms to sign." The real subject, forms, comes after the verb, so look ahead to choose is or are.
- Fix: "Yesterday the visitor walked to the lobby and asks for a map."
- "Yesterday the visitor walked to the lobby and asked for a map." Verbs stay in one tense unless the time really changes.
How to choose between words that sound alike
- Its or it's: which one means "it is" or "it has"?
- It's. Its shows ownership and never takes an apostrophe. Expand any apostrophe word to check.
- Their, there or they're: which one means "they are"?
- They're. Their shows ownership; there means a place or "there is."
- Your or you're: which one means "you are"?
- You're. Your means belonging to you.
- Affect or effect: which is usually the verb?
- Affect is usually a verb meaning to influence. Effect is usually a noun meaning a result.
- What is the difference between accept and except?
- Accept means to receive or agree to. Except means excluding.
- What is the difference between advice and advise?
- Advice is a noun. Advise is a verb: I advise you to take her advice.
- What is the difference between principal and principle?
- Principal means head of a school, or main. Principle means a basic rule or truth.
- What is the difference between lose and loose?
- Lose means to misplace or fail to win. Loose means not tight.
- Who implies and who infers?
- The speaker or writer implies (suggests). The listener or reader infers (concludes).
- Lie or lay: which verb takes an object?
- Lay (put) takes an object: lay, laid, laid. Lie (recline) does not: lie, lay, lain. Yesterday I lay down is correct.
- Which verbs take an object: sit or set, rise or raise?
- Set and raise take an object (set the tray down, raise your hand). Sit and rise do not.
- Fewer or less: which goes with things you can count?
- Fewer, as in fewer forms. Less goes with amounts you cannot count, as in less water.
- Between or among: which is used for three or more?
- Among, as in among the five volunteers. Ordinarily, between is for two.
- Farther or further: which is for physical distance?
- Farther. Further means more or additional, as in further questions.
- Than or then: which one compares?
- Than compares. Then means at that time or next.
How to punctuate by rule, not by pause
- What are the correct ways to join two complete sentences?
- A period, a semicolon, or a comma plus for, and, nor, but, or, yet, or so. A comma alone makes a comma splice.
- Fix with a semicolon: "The test was long, however most students finished."
- "The test was long; however, most students finished." Put a semicolon before however and a comma after it.
- When is a colon correct?
- Only after a complete sentence. "Bring two things: your badge and a pen" is right. "Bring: your badge and a pen" is wrong.
- Write the possessive: the lounge belonging to the nurses.
- The nurses' lounge. A plural ending in s adds only an apostrophe. A plural not ending in s adds 's, as in the children's ward.
- Add commas? "Patients who miss two visits must reschedule."
- No. Delete the clause: the meaning changes, so it is essential and takes no commas. Nonessential information gets a pair of commas.
- In US English, where do periods and commas go with closing quotation marks?
- Inside the quotation marks. Colons and semicolons go outside. Example: "Take a seat," the clerk said.
- When do you put a comma before a word like and, but, or so?
- When the word joins two independent clauses. Example: "The lab closed early, so the samples went downstairs."
- Comma or not: "The aide washed her hands and put on gloves."
- No comma. The two verbs share one subject, so the second part has no subject of its own.
- When do you use commas in a series?
- Between items in a series of three or more: "We need gloves, gowns, and masks." The comma before the final and is a style choice.
How to spell by rule instead of by eye
- What is the ie/ei spelling rule?
- Use ie for the long-e sound (believe), except after c (receipt). Use ei for the long-a sound (weight). Memorize the exceptions.
- Name the common ie/ei exceptions to memorize.
- Either, neither, seize, weird, protein, caffeine, and leisure. Words like science are outside the rule because they lack the long-e sound.
- What happens to a silent e when you add an ending?
- Drop it before a vowel ending (hope, hoping). Keep it before a consonant ending (care, careful).
- When do you double the final consonant before a vowel ending?
- When the word ends in one vowel plus one consonant and has one syllable or stress on the last syllable: planning, referred. Profited does not double.
- How do you add -ed or -ing to a word ending in consonant plus y?
- Change y to i before -ed (carry, carried). Keep the y before -ing (carrying). After a vowel, keep y (stayed).
- Its or it's: "The clinic changed ___ hours."
- Its. Its shows ownership. It's always means it is or it has. Swap in it is to test.
- How do you make an ordinary plural?
- Add -s to most words, as in two nurses, with no apostrophe. Add -es after s, ss, sh, ch, x, or z (boxes).
- How do you make a word ending in y plural?
- Consonant plus y changes to -ies (injuries). Vowel plus y just adds -s (days).
- Affect or effect: "Caffeine can ___ sleep."
- Affect. Affect is usually the verb and effect is usually the noun. The blank needs a verb.
- Than or then: "The pill worked faster ___ the syrup."
- Than. Than compares; then tells time or what comes next.
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