PMS Compulsory Papers English Essay Flashcards

24 sample cards from the English Essay deck

Sampled from the end of the deck, so these are different cards from the ones shown on the syllabus page.

1. How can the 5W1H method aid brainstorming for an essay?

   By prompting answers to Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How about the topic, it systematically surfaces dimensions and angles the writer might otherwise miss.

2. What is the cardinal rule of the brainstorming stage?

   Defer judgment: generate ideas without filtering or criticizing them; evaluation and selection come later during outlining.

3. What is the purpose of constructing a comprehensive outline?

   To organize brainstormed ideas into a logical sequence, allocate them to introduction/body/conclusion, ensure balanced coverage, and provide a roadmap that keeps writing focused and coherent.

4. What are the main components of a standard essay outline?

   Introduction (hook, background, thesis), body sections each with a main point and supporting sub-points/evidence, and a conclusion (restated thesis and synthesis).

5. What is the difference between a topic outline and a sentence outline?

   A topic outline uses short words/phrases for each point; a sentence outline writes each point as a full sentence, giving more detail and clarity about the intended argument.

6. How does an outline help maintain coherence?

   By fixing the order and logical relationship of points in advance, it ensures ideas progress sensibly and prevents digression or repetition during drafting.

7. What is the "central argument" (thesis) of an essay?

   The single controlling idea or claim that the entire essay sets out to prove or explore; every paragraph should support or relate to it.

8. What are the qualities of a strong thesis/central argument?

   It is clear, specific, debatable/arguable, focused (one main idea), and directly responsive to the essay question.

9. Why must the central argument be "arguable" rather than a statement of fact?

   A purely factual statement leaves nothing to develop or defend, whereas an arguable thesis invites reasoning, evidence, and engagement with alternative views.

10. How should every body paragraph relate to the central argument?

    Each paragraph should advance, support, or qualify the thesis; any paragraph not tied to the central argument is a digression and should be cut.

11. What does "balancing breadth and depth" mean in an essay?

    Breadth is covering enough relevant dimensions of the topic; depth is exploring each point with sufficient analysis and evidence. Balance avoids both superficial listing and narrow over-focus.

12. What is the risk of too much breadth and too little depth?

    The essay becomes a superficial survey that lists many points without analyzing any, lacking persuasive force and substance.

13. What is the risk of too much depth and too little breadth?

    The essay over-focuses on a few points, ignoring other important dimensions, so it fails to address the question comprehensively.

14. How does an outline help balance breadth and depth?

    By letting the writer select the most important points (breadth) and allocate adequate space/evidence to each (depth) before drafting, preventing imbalance.

15. What is the difference between "diction" and "vocabulary"?

    Vocabulary is the stock of words a writer knows; diction is the deliberate CHOICE and use of words for precision, clarity, and appropriateness to context.

16. What makes diction "appropriate" in formal essay writing?

    Word choices that match the formal register, are precise and unambiguous, avoid slang/clichés, and convey exact shades of meaning to the intended audience.

17. What is the difference between a word's denotation and connotation?

    Denotation is a word's literal dictionary meaning; connotation is the emotional or associative meaning it carries, which good diction exploits for tone and nuance.

18. Why should an essayist prefer precise words over vague or general ones?

    Precise words convey exact meaning, strengthen arguments, and demonstrate command of language, whereas vague words weaken clarity and persuasiveness.

19. What is "sentence variety" and why does it matter?

    Sentence variety is the deliberate mixing of sentence lengths and structures (simple, compound, complex, compound-complex). It improves rhythm, sustains reader interest, and emphasizes ideas effectively.

20. Name the four sentence structures a writer should vary.

    Simple (one independent clause), compound (two+ independent clauses), complex (one independent + one+ dependent clause), and compound-complex (two+ independent + one+ dependent clause).

21. What is the difference between "tone" and "register" in writing?

    Tone is the writer's attitude toward the subject or audience (e.g., serious, ironic, optimistic); register is the level of formality of the language (formal, neutral, informal) suited to context.

22. What register is expected in a PMS competitive exam essay?

    A formal register: objective, impersonal, avoiding contractions, slang, and colloquialisms, using precise standard English throughout.

23. Define "redundancy" and "verbosity" as faults in writing.

    Redundancy is needless repetition of the same idea in different words (e.g., "true fact"); verbosity (prolixity) is using more words than necessary, padding sentences and obscuring meaning.

24. How can a writer avoid redundancy and verbosity?

    Cut tautologies and filler phrases, replace wordy expressions with concise ones (e.g., "because" for "due to the fact that"), remove repeated ideas, and prefer strong verbs over noun-heavy padding to achieve concise, economical prose.

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