Clarity and Precise Language Flashcards
7 cards from real AWA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Clarity and Precise Language flashcards as text
Which revision best eliminates the vague pronoun reference in: 'The committee reviewed the proposal, but they rejected it because it was unclear'?
Answer: The committee reviewed the proposal but rejected it because the proposal's scope was unclear.
Replacing vague 'it' with the explicit noun 'the proposal's scope' eliminates ambiguity about what was unclear.
In AWA writing, what does 'hedging language' refer to?
Answer: Words like 'perhaps,' 'might,' or 'could' that qualify a claim's certainty
Hedging language uses qualifiers like 'perhaps' or 'might' to acknowledge uncertainty without abandoning the argument.
Which sentence most precisely conveys the intended meaning?
Answer: The new policy will negatively impact approximately 400 employees in the sales division.
Specific numbers and named groups ('400 employees in the sales division') replace vague quantifiers and make the claim verifiable.
What is the primary problem with nominalizations (e.g., 'make an assumption' instead of 'assume') in analytical writing?
Answer: They make sentences longer and weaker by hiding action in nouns instead of verbs.
Nominalizations bury the action in a noun phrase, adding words and reducing directness and impact.
Which of the following is an example of a mixed metaphor that hurts clarity?
Answer: We must iron out the wrinkles before this ship sinks.
Mixing 'iron out wrinkles' (clothing) with 'ship sinks' (nautical) creates an illogical and confusing image.
In the sentence 'The results were significant,' what makes this language imprecise for an AWA essay?
Answer: 'Significant' is vague without specifying in what way or to what degree the results matter.
'Significant' is a weasel word unless qualified by explaining the nature and magnitude of the significance.
Which revision best corrects the dangling modifier: 'Walking through the data, the conclusion became obvious'?
Answer: Walking through the data, we found the conclusion obvious.
Adding the subject 'we' makes clear who is performing the action of 'walking through the data.'