Which technique best helps maintain consistency in writing style?

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: Establishing a style guide with agreed-upon terminology and formatting is the most effective technique to maintain consistency in writing style. A style guide ensures that writers adhere to specific guidelines regarding tone, terminology, and formatting, thereby creating a cohesive and uniform writing style across different pieces of writing. This consistency helps enhance readability and reinforces the brand or voice associated with the written content. Choices A, B, and D are incorrect because they do not promote consistency in writing style. Writing freely without structure can lead to inconsistency, using different vocabulary and sentence structures can create disjointed writing, and relying solely on thesaurus suggestions may result in awkward or inappropriate word choices that do not contribute to maintaining a consistent writing style.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: When proofreading your writing, the primary focus should be on checking for clarity, consistency, and overall flow. This involves ensuring that the content is clear, logical, and flows smoothly from one point to the next. While enhancing originality can be important, it is secondary to ensuring that the writing effectively communicates its message. Ignoring minor grammatical errors like typos can detract from the professionalism and impact of the writing. Replacing common words with thesaurus alternatives should be done sparingly and only when it enhances the clarity or impact of the text, rather than as a routine practice during proofreading.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: A verb is a word that expresses an action or state of being. In this sentence, 'chased' is the verb as it describes the action the dog is performing - chasing the fluffy squirrel. 'Around' is a preposition indicating location, 'squirrel' is a noun referring to the animal being chased, and 'the' is an article used to specify the squirrel. Therefore, the correct answer is 'chased.'

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: An adverb modifies verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. In this sentence, 'anxiously' describes how the patient 'waited'. Therefore, the adverb in the sentence is 'anxiously'. Choice A, 'waited', is a verb and not an adverb. Choice C, 'doctor's', is a possessive noun and not an adverb. Choice D, 'news', is a noun and not an adverb. The correct adverb that modifies the verb 'waited' in the sentence is 'anxiously'.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is 'C: her.' Pronouns replace nouns. In this sentence, 'her' is a pronoun that replaces a specific female person's name, indicating ownership of the homework. Pronouns like 'her,' 'he,' 'it,' and 'they' are commonly used to avoid repetition of nouns and make sentences less repetitive and more concise. Choices A, B, and D are not pronouns. 'Quickly' and 'before' are adverbs, while 'finished' is a verb. Therefore, they do not replace nouns and cannot function as pronouns in this context.