Skill Mastery Flashcards

Which sentence correctly uses 'lay' versus 'lie'?

Answer: She decided to lie down for a nap.

'Lie' (to recline) is intransitive and does not take a direct object; 'lay' requires a direct object (to place something).

What distinguishes a phrase from a clause?

Answer: A clause contains a subject and verb; a phrase does not.

The key distinction is that a clause has both a subject and a predicate, while a phrase lacks one or both.

Which option best describes subjunctive mood in English?

Answer: Used to express wishes, hypotheticals, or conditions contrary to fact

The subjunctive expresses non-real situations: wishes ('I wish he were here'), hypotheticals ('if I were you'), and formal demands ('I insist that she be present').

Which sentence avoids a vague pronoun reference?

Answer: The teacher told the student that the student's essay needed revision.

Repeating 'the student' instead of using a pronoun eliminates ambiguity about whose essay needed revision.

In terms of writing development, what does NoRedInk's 'revision history' feature allow students to see?

Answer: Changes made across multiple drafts of their own writing over time

NoRedInk's revision history lets students view how their writing has evolved across drafts, supporting reflective revision practice.

Which example demonstrates correct subject-verb agreement with a collective noun?

Answer: The jury is debating the verdict.

In American English, collective nouns like 'jury' acting as a single unit take a singular verb.

What does it mean to achieve 'mastery' on a skill in NoRedInk's certification framework?

Answer: Consistently demonstrating correct application of a skill across multiple questions at or above the mastery threshold

NoRedInk's mastery model requires students to show sustained accuracy across multiple questions, not just a single perfect attempt.