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CLT (Classic Learning Test) Grammar and Writing Syllabus

The Grammar and Writing syllabus for CLT (Classic Learning Test) in full: 4 chapters, 16 topics and 34 sub-topics, every one listed below, plus 51 Grammar and Writing flashcards with answers.

4Chapters

16Topics

34Sub-topics

51Flashcards

Grammar and Writing syllabus: all 4 chapters

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics.

Section Overview and Approach
3 topics
- Format of the Grammar/Writing section
  - Four passages with embedded questions
  - 35 minutes for the section
  - Underlined or numbered portions tested in context
- Standard written English principles
  - Editing for correctness and clarity
  - Concision and effectiveness
- Reading the passage as an editor
  - Evaluating sentences within paragraph context
  - Choosing 'NO CHANGE' when appropriate
Sentence Structure and Mechanics
4 topics
- Complete sentences and fragments
  - Independent and dependent clauses
  - Repairing sentence fragments
- Run-ons and comma splices
  - Joining independent clauses correctly
  - Coordinating and subordinating conjunctions
- Punctuation
  - Commas, semicolons, and colons
  - Apostrophes and possessives
  - Dashes and parentheses
- Modifiers and word order
  - Misplaced and dangling modifiers
  - Clear placement of descriptive phrases
Usage and Agreement
5 topics
- Subject-verb agreement
  - Intervening phrases and inverted order
  - Collective and indefinite subjects
- Pronoun usage
  - Pronoun-antecedent agreement
  - Pronoun case and ambiguous reference
- Verb tense and form
  - Consistency of tense
  - Irregular verbs and verb mood
- Parallel structure
  - Parallelism in lists and comparisons
  - Correlative conjunction pairs
- Commonly confused words
  - Homophones and near-homophones
  - Idiomatic preposition usage
Rhetoric and Composition
4 topics
- Word choice and style
  - Diction appropriate to tone and audience
  - Eliminating wordiness and redundancy
- Organization and coherence
  - Logical sentence and paragraph order
  - Effective transitions
- Development and rhetorical effectiveness
  - Adding, deleting, or revising for purpose
  - Relevance of supporting information
- Maintaining authorial intent
  - Choosing revisions that fit the passage's goals
  - Preserving consistent voice

CLT (Classic Learning Test) Grammar and Writing flashcards — 51 questions with answers

How is the CLT Grammar and Writing section formatted in terms of passages and question style?
It presents passages with embedded underlined/numbered portions, and multiple-choice questions ask you to choose the best revision (or 'NO CHANGE') for that portion or for the passage's structure and rhetoric.
What two broad categories of skills does the CLT Grammar/Writing section test?
Standard English conventions (grammar, usage, punctuation, sentence structure) and expression of ideas (rhetoric: organization, development, word choice, and authorial intent).
What does the 'NO CHANGE' answer option mean, and when should you pick it?
It means the underlined portion is already correct as written; choose it only when every alternative introduces an error or makes the sentence worse.
What is 'Standard Written English'?
The conventional, formal set of grammar, usage, punctuation, and style rules expected in academic and professional writing, as opposed to casual spoken or dialectal English.
On the CLT, what mindset should you adopt when reading a Grammar/Writing passage?
Read as an editor: evaluate each sentence for correctness, clarity, concision, and consistency, and judge revisions by whether they improve the passage, not just whether they sound familiar.
When choosing between two grammatically correct answers, what principle usually decides the CLT answer?
Prefer the most concise, clear option that preserves meaning; avoid wordiness, redundancy, and awkward phrasing.
What three elements must a complete sentence (independent clause) contain?
A subject, a verb (predicate), and a complete thought that can stand alone.
What is a sentence fragment?
A group of words punctuated as a sentence but missing a subject, a verb, or a complete thought (often a dependent clause standing alone).
How can a dependent-clause fragment be fixed?
Attach it to a nearby independent clause, or remove/replace the subordinating word so it becomes a complete sentence.
What is a run-on (fused) sentence?
Two or more independent clauses joined with no punctuation or conjunction between them.
What is a comma splice?
The error of joining two independent clauses with only a comma.
List four ways to correctly join two independent clauses.
1) Period (two sentences); 2) Semicolon; 3) Comma + coordinating conjunction (FANBOYS); 4) Make one clause dependent with a subordinating conjunction.
What are the FANBOYS coordinating conjunctions?
For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So.
When do you use a comma before a coordinating conjunction?
When the conjunction joins two independent clauses; do not use a comma when it merely joins two words or phrases (a compound predicate).
What is the primary job of a semicolon?
To join two closely related independent clauses without a conjunction; it can also separate list items that already contain commas.
What are the two main uses of a colon?
To introduce a list, explanation, or quotation after a complete independent clause; the part before a colon must be a full sentence.
How are nonessential (nonrestrictive) elements punctuated?
They are set off with commas (or dashes/parentheses) on both sides because removing them does not change the core meaning.
How are essential (restrictive) elements punctuated?
They take no surrounding commas because they are needed to identify the noun and complete the meaning.
What is the rule for commas with introductory phrases or clauses?
Place a comma after an introductory word, phrase, or dependent clause before the main clause (e.g., 'After the storm, we left.').
How do dashes function in a sentence?
A pair of dashes sets off a nonessential interruption (like commas but with more emphasis); a single dash introduces an explanation or dramatic addition at the end of a clause.

Show the other 31 Grammar and Writing flashcards

What is the difference between 'its' and "it's"?
'Its' is the possessive of 'it'; "it's" is the contraction of 'it is' or 'it has'.
How do you form the possessive of a plural noun ending in -s?
Add only an apostrophe after the s (e.g., 'the students' books').
What is a misplaced modifier?
A modifying word or phrase positioned so that it appears to describe the wrong word, creating confusion or unintended meaning.
What is a dangling modifier?
An introductory modifier whose intended subject is missing from the sentence, so it seems to modify the wrong subject (e.g., 'Walking home, the rain started').
How do you fix a dangling modifier?
Make the word being modified the subject of the main clause immediately after the modifier, or rewrite the modifier as a full clause.
Where should a modifier generally be placed?
As close as possible to the word it modifies to avoid ambiguity.
What is the basic rule of subject-verb agreement?
A verb must agree in number with its subject: singular subjects take singular verbs, plural subjects take plural verbs.
In subject-verb agreement, how do you handle words between the subject and verb?
Ignore intervening phrases (e.g., prepositional phrases); match the verb to the true subject, not to a noun in the modifier.
Do most indefinite pronouns like 'each,' 'everyone,' and 'neither' take singular or plural verbs?
Singular.
With 'neither...nor' or 'either...or,' which subject determines the verb?
The subject closer to the verb (the second one) determines whether the verb is singular or plural.
How do collective nouns (team, group, family) agree with verbs in standard usage?
They typically take a singular verb when acting as a single unit.
What is pronoun-antecedent agreement?
A pronoun must match its antecedent in number, person, and gender (e.g., a singular antecedent needs a singular pronoun).
What is an ambiguous pronoun reference, and why is it an error?
A pronoun that could refer to more than one antecedent, leaving the meaning unclear; the sentence must be revised so the reference is unmistakable.
When do you use 'who' versus 'whom'?
Use 'who' as a subject (he/she) and 'whom' as an object (him/her).
How do you choose between subjective and objective pronouns in compound phrases (e.g., 'he and I' vs 'him and me')?
Remove the other person and test the pronoun alone; use the case that sounds correct on its own (subject: he/I; object: him/me).
What is the difference between 'who' and 'which/that' as relative pronouns?
Use 'who' for people and 'which' or 'that' for things and animals.
What must be true of verb tense within a passage?
Tense should remain consistent and logical; shift tenses only when the timeline of events genuinely changes.
What is the difference between simple past and present perfect tense?
Simple past ('walked') describes a completed action at a specific past time; present perfect ('have walked') describes an action completed at an unspecified time or continuing relevance to the present.
What is parallel structure?
The principle that items in a series, comparison, or paired construction must share the same grammatical form.
Give an example of correcting faulty parallelism.
Change 'She likes reading, to write, and jogging' to 'She likes reading, writing, and jogging.'
With correlative conjunctions (not only...but also, either...or), what must be parallel?
The grammatical elements following each part of the pair must be parallel in form.
Distinguish 'affect' from 'effect.'
'Affect' is usually a verb meaning to influence; 'effect' is usually a noun meaning a result.
Distinguish 'their,' 'there,' and "they're."
'Their' = possessive; 'there' = place/existence; "they're" = 'they are.'
Distinguish 'then' from 'than.'
'Then' relates to time or sequence; 'than' is used for comparisons.
Distinguish 'fewer' from 'less.'
Use 'fewer' for countable items and 'less' for uncountable quantities or amounts.
Distinguish 'who's' from 'whose.'
"Who's" is the contraction of 'who is/has'; 'whose' is the possessive form.
What does the CLT reward in word choice and style?
Precise, concise diction with a tone appropriate to the passage; it penalizes redundancy, wordiness, vagueness, and overly casual or inflated language.
What is redundancy in writing, and how is it corrected?
Redundancy is unnecessarily repeating the same idea (e.g., 'past history'); correct it by deleting the repeated element to make the sentence concise.
What role do transition words play in organization and coherence?
They signal logical relationships between ideas (contrast, cause, addition, sequence); the correct transition must match the actual relationship between the surrounding sentences.
When a question asks where to add, move, or delete a sentence, what should guide your choice?
Logical flow and relevance: place the sentence where it best supports the paragraph's main idea, and keep only information that develops the passage's purpose.
What does 'maintaining authorial intent' mean when selecting an answer?
The best revision must preserve the writer's intended meaning, tone, and purpose; an answer that changes the passage's message is wrong even if grammatically correct.

CLT (Classic Learning Test) Grammar and Writing FAQ

What is in the CLT (Classic Learning Test) Grammar and Writing syllabus?

CLT (Classic Learning Test) Grammar and Writing is split into 4 chapters: Section Overview and Approach, Sentence Structure and Mechanics, Usage and Agreement and Rhetoric and Composition. Together they contain 16 topics and 34 sub-topics.

How many chapters are in CLT (Classic Learning Test) Grammar and Writing?

4 chapters, containing 16 topics and 34 sub-topics. The largest chapter is Usage and Agreement, with 5 topics.

Are there flashcards for CLT (Classic Learning Test) Grammar and Writing?

Yes — a 51-card Grammar and Writing deck, printed in full in the flashcards section of this page and available in the Examius app with spaced repetition. The free plan covers one exam of your choice, including its flashcards; Examius Pro, a one-time purchase, unlocks every other exam and deck.