Part A, B, C (Total 90 MCQs)

Part A, B, C (Total 90 MCQs)

Part-A
1. Which of the following is not a primary sentence pattern for asking questions in English?
A. Subject, action verb, direct object, helping verb
B. Adjective/pronoun, subject, interrogative verb
C. Helping verb, subject, main verb
D. Adverb, verb, subject

2. Which of the following is an antonym of the word happy?
A. Miserable
B. Joyful
C. Jovial
D. Blissful

3. Which of the following words would require the article a, instead of an?
A. Hotel
B. Elderly
C. Igloo
D. Honest

4. In the following sentence, identify the prepositional phrase, and tell whether it acts as an adjective or
adverb.
The children found the pictures in the book interesting.
A. the pictures in; adjective
B. in the book; adjective
C. The children; adjective
D. found the pictures; adverb

5. What is the conjunction in the following sentence?
I will take my sister to the concert, provided that she can buy a ticket.
A. concert, provided
B. that she
C. to the
D. provided that

6. Which of the following is not a way to succeed in college?
A. Be flexible with planning activities
B. establish realistic goals for yourself
C. organize a work space
D. avoid procrastination

7. Which of the following would you most often be able to find in a basic dictionary?
A. A list of newspapers that frequently use a word you don't already know
B. An illustrated picture of a word you don't already know
C. The pronunciation of a word you don't already know
D. A narrative story featuring a word you don't already know

8. All of the following exhibit scholastic integrity when best communicating with your instructors except
which one?
A. Don't be fearful of contacting the instructor.
B. Use only electronic communication if invited to do so.
C. Ask questions if you don't understand something.
D. If you don't agree with feedback, just ignore it.

9. In the following sentence, which words are used as adjectives?
The golden rays of the bright sun reflected off the clear waters of the calm lake.
A. The, golden, the, bright, the, clear, the, and calm
B. The, of, in, clear, and calm
C. The, rays, the, sun, the, waters, the, and lake
D. Golden, rays, clear, and waters

10. In the following sentence, which words are nouns?
During their vacation, Sarah and Matthew read the same book.
A. their and book
B. vacation, Sarah, Matthew, and book
C. Sarah, Matthew, the, and book
D. vacation and book

11. Which of the following is not a reason to read successfully?
A. Learn to read critically for better understanding
B. Adapt your reading to various materials
C. Avoid using visuals to accompany reading
D. Polish and improve your vocabulary

12. Which of the following contains a correct, standard use of a comma?
A. The warrior ran to safety but the soldier stood, and fought.
B. The warrior ran to safety but, the soldier stood and fought.
C. The warrior, ran to safety but the soldier stood and fought.
D. The warrior ran to safety, but the soldier stood and fought.

13. Three of the following statements about a verb are true. Which statement is false?
A. A verb makes a statement about the subject of a sentence.
B. A verb can express action.
C. A verb takes the place of adjectives.
D. A verb can express a state of being.

14. When developing strategies for writing, which of the following is not a good strategy?
A. Rely more on your own experience than on the readings assigned.
B. Focus on learning and the process of learning.
C. Use school support and guidance
D. Plan for more time than you think you'll need.

15. Which of the following is an example of a third-person pronoun?
A. Us
B. Ourselves
C. Them
D. Yourselves

16. A _______ is what you would write after you read an essay, analyze it, and write about some aspect of
it.
A. pattern of development
B. study guide
C. classification essay
D. response paper

17. The unique way each person approaches assignments, interprets instructor comments, and best devises
plans for completing coursework is known as
A. learning to discipline.
B. academic development.
C. learning style.
D. best student path.

18. Why do writers often strive to write using more active-voice verbs and fewer passive-voice verbs?
A. The passive voice is usually more emphatic.
B. The active voice often puts the actor in a phrase after the verb.
C. The active voice usually makes the writing more clear and concise.
D. The passive voice never omits the actor.

19. A common term for photographs, cartoons, advertisements, illustrations, drawings, PowerPoint slides,
and graphics used to help present information is
A. sight perks.
B. visuals.
C. ocular enhancements.
D. representers.

20. Which of the following is an example of a proper noun?
A. Justice
B. John G. Roberts, Jr.
C. Him
D. Gavel

21. Of the following, which correctly describes the complete predicate of a sentence?
A. The verb
B. All of the sentence except the complete subject
C. The prepositional phrase
D. All of the sentence except the simple subject

22. Which of the following words has three syllables?
A. Division
B. Fraction
C. Multiplication
D. Exponential

23. Which of the following correctly describes connotation?
A. The meaning of a word that has never changed
B. A new word added to the dictionary
C. The pronunciation of a word
D. An implied meaning of word understood by language users

24. How can you tell the difference between a compound sentence and a complex sentence?
A. A compound sentence isn't made of stand-alone clauses.
B. Clauses in a complex sentence are always independent.
C. A compound sentence can be separated into two parts that can each stand alone.
D. Complex sentences contain coordinating conjunctions that separate the clauses.

25. In which of the following sentences is an adverb used correctly?
A. She sang beautifully.
B. She sang the song beautiful.
C. She is a beautifully singer.
D. She sang a beautiful song.

26. Which of the following is not a common sentence error?
A. Fragment
B. Prepositional phrase
C. Run-on
D. Mixed construction

27. What is the difference between abstract nouns and concrete nouns?
A. Abstract nouns are specific, but concrete nouns aren't.
B. Abstract nouns describe something, but concrete nouns don't.
C. There is no difference.
D. Concrete nouns can be identified by the senses, but abstract nouns can't.

28. Which of the following is an example of an infinitive phrase?
A. to run
B. having been running
C. which had been running
D. running

29. When determining whether or not to use a source for your research, which of the following is the best
choice?
A. If two opinions are similar about something, they must be right
B. Use statistical data from a credible source
C. Assume what you read is fact if it sounds factual
D. Use whatever you remember about the topic

30. Reading the title, evaluating the author, and determining prior knowledge about the topic are
characteristics of what kind of reading?
A. Passive reading
B. Active reading
C. Achievement reading
D. Highlighted reading







part B

1. Leila says that a thesis statement is like a promise to a reader. Lucas says a thesis statement expresses
the writer's point of view. Who is correct?
A. Neither Leila nor Lucas is correct.
B. Only Leila is correct.
C. Only Lucas is correct.
D. Both Leila and Lucas are correct.

2. As a general rule, where in your essay is it best to place your thesis statement?
A. At the end of the essay, as part of the conclusion
B. In the first, introductory paragraph of the essay
C. In the second or third paragraph of the body of the essay
D. Anywhere at all, because the best thesis statement is implied, not specified

3. What is the dominant pattern of development in this passage?
Having been raised on a dairy farm in rural Minnesota, Lorie Ann Kline was having trouble adjusting to life
in the city and to Central High School. In a conference with her parents, the school guidance counselor
explained that Lorie Ann avoided talking to her fellow students and sat by herself in the lunchroom.
Perhaps most disturbing, her grades were not what one would expect given her high scholastic aptitude
scores. Mrs. Kline agreed that Lorie Ann was often shy around strangers. A solemn Mr. Kline explained
that his daughter had been severely bullied by two older children who had lived at the farm for a short time.
The guidance counselor nodded in understanding.
A. Process
B. Comparison and contrast
C. Description
D. Narration

4. Karen asserts that a thesis statement is best developed as part of the prewriting process. Kyle claims that
a thesis statement should be completely developed before the writer is sure of the topic. Who is correct?
A. Only Kyle is correct.
B. Only Karen is correct.
C. Neither Karen nor Kyle is correct.
D. Both Karen and Kyle are correct.

5. Bette and Juan are choosing a topic for their writing assignment. In doing so, Bette will take the time necessary to choose a good topic. Juan will focus on narrowing his topic ideas. Who is using guidelines to
choose a successful topic?
A. Only Juan
B. Only Bette
C. Both Bette and Juan
D. Neither Better nor Juan

6. What type of expression would you use in an essay if you wanted to connect a new sentence to one that
precedes it?
A. Expressive
B. Tracking
C. Effective
D. Transitional

7. Paddy and Clare are writing effective conclusions. Paddy's conclusion will summarize his main point and
reaffirm his theses statement. Clare's conclusion will take the readers beyond the scope of her essay. Who
is writing an effective conclusion?
A. Only Care
B. Both Paddy and Clare
C. Only Paddy
D. Neither Paddy nor Clare

8. Which of the following is not a good suggestion for writing an introductory paragraph?
A. Describe a hypothetical situation.
B. Cite a surprising fact or statistic.
C. Use a quotation to help illustrate your thesis.
D. Never asks questions.

9. When you write your ideas quickly and don’t worry about punctuation, what writing strategy are you
using?
A. Mapping
B. Freewriting
C. Styling.
D. Narrowing

10. Which of the following methods is used to narrow a broad essay topic?
A. Branching and questioning
B. Brainstorming
C. Wikipedia
D. Polling classmates

11. Please read the following excerpt from an essay. The sentences are numbered to help you
respond to the question that follows.
(1) After Sean was arrested for breaking into a pawnshop, I began to wonder. (2) Why did some kids from my neighborhood end up in trouble while most of us didn't? (3) I started out with a question: What causes
young people to make bad choices? (4) Now, after two years of research, I've arrived at the conclusion
that there is no simple answer. (5) There is no one reason why good kids go bad, but there are typical
reasons.
(6) According to my research, teenagers are most likely to get into trouble if they hang out with a bad
crowd. (7) That's because people learn their values from the people they associate with. (8) So a very big
reason for bad behavior is imitating one's peers. (9) But there are other important factors as well. (10) Kids
who get in trouble are often school dropouts. (11) Also, kids being raised by a single mother are more likely
to get in trouble than kids raised in an intact family. (12) Substance abuse also plays a role, especially when
it comes to alcohol and legal or illegal drugs.
Sentence 7 of the excerpt is an example of
A. a supporting explanation.
B. an opinion.
C. a conclusion.
D. random evidence.

12. A _____________ should make clear what the paragraph is about and express a view about the subject
matter.
A. topic sentence
B. title
C. thesis statement
D. conclusion

13. Please read the following excerpt from an essay, and answer the question that follows.
I've never actually met a real live humorist. Well, not in person at any rate. However, one summer, having
a lot of time on my hands, I discovered unexpected treasures lurking in the local public library. Among the
nuggets I unearthed in those musty stacks was a book by humorist Robert Benchley. To this day I
remember one of his quips. He wrote, "There are two kinds of people in this world; those who divide the
world into two kinds of people and those who don't." After laughing out loud, I became pensive. I
wondered why the quip was so funny. A year or so later, I formed a theory. Humor is based on the
unexpected.
In the passage above, the topic sentence and the thesis are one and the same.
In the paragraph about Robert Benchley, what types of evidence does the writer use to support his thesis,
other than narration?
A. Comparison and contrast
B. Classification
C. Example
D. Historical background

14. When using pronouns such as you, your, and yours, you're writing in which point of view?
A. Second-person
B. Third-person
C. First-person
D. Compound-person

15. Lillian is looking for ideas to write about, and she decides to make a list of everything she can think of
that relates to the topic of teenage romance. Which concept best describes Lillian's strategy?
A. Mapping
B. Outlining
C. Brainstorming
D. Free association

16. Ron and Quincy are organizing the facts in their essays. Ron says putting details in spatial order means
to organize them according to the order in which they happened. Quincy says it means putting the details in
order according to their location. Who is correct?
A. Both are correct.
B. Only Ron is correct.
C. Neither is correct.
D. Only Quincy is correct.

17. Please read the following excerpt from an essay, and answer the question that follows.
I've never actually met a real live humorist. Well, not in person at any rate. However, one summer, having
a lot of time on my hands, I discovered unexpected treasures lurking in the local public library. Among the
nuggets I unearthed in those musty stacks was a book by humorist Robert Benchley. To this day I
remember one of his quips. He wrote, "There are two kinds of people in this world; those who divide the
world into two kinds of people and those who don't." After laughing out loud, I became pensive. I
wondered why the quip was so funny. A year or so later, I formed a theory. Humor is based on the
unexpected.
In the passage above, the topic sentence and the thesis are one and the same.
What makes the last sentence effective as a thesis statement?
A. Simplicity
B. Specific detail
C. Humor
D. Assertion

18. Which of the following is a common error in composing a thesis statement?
A. Your thesis statement contains two or more central points.
B. You offer an original perspective on a familiar theme.
C. Your thesis statement is specific as opposed to general.
D. You focus your thesis statement after you begin writing.

19. The principles for supplying evidence in support of a thesis could be represented
by an acronym: RSVSRA. According to the information in your text, the two "Rs"
could stand for
A. representative and revealing.
B. relevant and representative.
C. revealing and relevant.
D. respectful and revealing.

20. Most-to-least, spatial, and chronological are all
A. pattern of development.
B. thesis statement order.
C. methods of organization.
D. critical reading techniques.

21. Please read the following excerpt from an essay, and answer the question that follows.
After Sean was arrested for breaking into a pawnshop, I began to wonder. Why did some kids from my
neighborhood end up in trouble while most of us didn't? I started out with a question: What causes young
people to make bad choices? Now, after two years of research, I've arrived at the conclusion that there is
no simple answer. There is no one reason why good kids go bad, but there are typical reasons.
According to my research, teenagers are most likely to get into trouble if they hang out with a bad crowd.
That's because people learn their values from the people they associate with. So a very big reason for bad
behavior is imitating one's peers. But there are other important factors as well. Kids who get in trouble are
often school dropouts. Also, kids being raised by a single mother are more likely to get in trouble than kids
raised in an intact family. Substance abuse also plays a role, especially when it comes to alcohol and legal
or illegal drugs.
What method of organization is used by the writer?
A. Most-to-least
B. Spatial
C. Chronological
D. Least-to-most

22. Which of the following is a strong introductory sentence?
A. To carry or to not carry, that is the question.
B. Should each of the United States allow citizens to openly carry a weapon?
C. This essay will explain the open-carry laws in the United States.
D. I don’t agree with any open-carry laws.

23. When you write, the tone, vocabulary, and type of information you choose should vary depending on
your
A. audience.
B. values.
C. education.
D. biases.

24. The usual point of view when writing a formal academic essay is
A. third person.
B. second person.
C. personal.
D. subjective.

25. Cary and Vince are discussing titles for their essays. In developing a good title, Cary will create a title
using alliteration. Vince will use a vague, broad title. Who is using a better strategy to develop a good essay
title?
A. Both Cary and Vince
B. Only Cary
C. Only Vince
D. Neither Cary nor Vince

26. To narrow a general topic you've selected, which pair of techniques is most likely to be effective?
A. Freewriting and questioning
B. Questioning and choosing an issue that interests you
C. Branching diagram and questioning
D. Using a branching diagram and consulting your journal

27. Which of the following is not an example of a transition word or phrase?
A. Or
B. For instance
C. Beyond
D. Consequently

28. If you're creating an opening paragraph and you present supporting details in the beginning, where in
the paragraph is your topic sentence, most likely?
A. In the second sentence
B. In the first sentence
C. At the end of the paragraph
D. In the next paragraph

29. Suppose you're writing an essay about the process of changing a tire on your car. Which of the
following is the best example of evidence to support your thesis?
A. Remove the hub cap and loosen the nuts by turning counterclockwise.
B. The first rubber tires appeared in the mid-1800s.
C. Sometimes a flat tire is just a tire that has run over a nail.
D. The first tires were bands of iron that were fitted by wheelwrights onto the rims of wooden cart and wagon wheels.

30. What is the most likely purpose of the essay from which the following passage was taken?
Having been raised on a dairy farm in rural Minnesota, Lorie Ann Kline was having trouble adjusting to life
in the city and to Central High School. In a conference with her parents, the school guidance counselor
explained that Lorie Ann avoided talking to her fellow students and sat by herself in the lunchroom.
Perhaps most disturbing, her grades were not what one would expect given her high scholastic aptitude
scores. Mrs. Kline agreed that Lorie Ann was often shy around strangers. A solemn Mr. Kline explained
that his daughter had been severely bullied by two older children who had lived at the farm for a short time.
The guidance counselor nodded in understanding.
A. To point out the harm done by bullies
B. To tell the life story of Lorie Ann Kline
C. To inform people about the work of guidance counselors
D. To argue for urban over rural life










PART c

1. A student who regularly tracks mistakes in spelling, verb forms, and parallelism is probably
A. analyzing the essays' organization.
B. focusing on learning style.
C. keeping an error log.
D. using a flowchart.

2. The following is an example of what kind of sentence?
Because it had rained earlier in the week, the game was cancelled.
A. Compound
B. Complex
C. Compound-complex
D. Simple

3. Which of the following correctly uses a transitional word or phrase?
A. Sadly, Mark broke his leg during the performance. The director regretted casting him in the part.
B. First impressions are so important in both personal and professional life. Addison shaved off his beard.
C. The floodwaters receded. The bridge could be inspected.
D. Kara has been happily trying lots of new activities lately. For example, she took up needlepoint on the
advice of her counselor.

4. Which of the following sentences uses parallelism effectively?
A. Laura spent all her time gardening and arranging flowers, when she wasn't in a shoe store to shop.
B. The report was good because it was factual and offered many details.
C. The large plant-eating dinosaurs were quite slow, rather stupid, and extremely hungry.
D. The Red Sox fans screamed, yelled, and were applauding wildly.

5. Which of the following sentences contains one or more strong, active verbs?
A. Conrad trembled with anxiety and anticipation as he pressed Denise's doorbell.
B. Having been away in London for two years, Conrad was happy to see Denise.
C. The phone directory was hastily searched by Conrad.
D. It was believed by some that Conrad's father had been a war hero.

6. Which of the following sentences uses concrete language?
A. When I saw Susan, she was reading a book.
B. Danny's Labrador retriever eagerly chases tennis balls.
C. Jerry saw that the glass was really dirty.
D. I met Cathy at a store on a street near the bridge.

7. Both Ada and Phil are evaluating their thesis statements, topic sentences, and evidence. If Ada finds that
her essay doesn't have a thesis statement identifying the topic of the essay, Ada will reread the essay and
decide what the main point of the essay. If Phil finds that her essay lacks evidence to support her thesis
statement, she'll do additional research to find substantial evidence. Who is correctly evaluating and revising
their essays?
A. Only Phil
B. Only Ada
C. Both Ada and Phil
D. Neither Ada nor Phil

8. What is the sequence of components in the following sentence?
Listless and depressed by vistas of snow and gray skies, Dieter left the cabin and walked toward the frozen
pond.
A. Modifier, subject, verb
B. Modifier, subject, modifier, verb
C. Subject, verb, modifier
D. Subject, modifier, verb

9. Choosing a good reviewer for your writing means finding someone who
A. is a close friend and will give you a positive review.
B. concentrates on correcting your spelling and grammar errors.
C. knows everything about writing and will find every mistake.
D. will concentrate on your ideas and how well you support them.

10. Which of the following is a simple sentence?
A. I got to the airport late because the traffic was so terrible.
B. Karen and David arrived at the airport at 3:35 P.M. and took a taxi to their hotel.
C. When I realized I was too late, I called David's cell phone and made arrangements to meet them in town.
D. I went to the airport, but I was too late to meet them.

11. As you're revising an essay, you write down several sentences to describe your intended readers. Why
should you do this?
A. To make sure you're writing what you know, not what you believe
B. To ensure that your essay will entertain the audience
C. To ensure that you're instructing your audience adequately
D. To see if your essay is directed toward its intended audience

12. Which of the following sentences shows an example of parallel verbs?
A. Once the game was over, Jim had to run home and then eat his dinner.
B. Once the game was over, Jim had to run home and dinner was ready.
C. Once the game was over, Jim had to be running home and eat dinner.
D. Once the game was over, Jim had to run home and eat dinner.

13. Which of the following sentences is without any surface errors?
A. I reluctantly gave the hamster to my cousin because I was afraid Teddy, my cat, would attack it.
B. It's up to Georgia and I who drives the car, whether Celine likes it or not.
C. The town is located near just a few miles from lake Ontario.
D. Mr. Campbell gave copies of his novel to Ruth and me.

14. Which statement about sentence lengths in a written piece is true?
A. Short sentences tend to move ideas quickly.
B. Regardless of the sentence type, the audience tends to read at its own pace.
C. In spite of their name, compound-complex sentences are usually shorter than compound or complex sentences.
D. Varying sentence type has no appreciable effect on relative sentence length.

15. In which sentence does the italicized word have a negative connotation?
A. Jenna's green eyes and dark eyelashes gave her an exotic look.
B. Matthew was a scrawny kid, but he grew up strong.
C. Although she had worked hard in high school, Ruth found the college courses challenging.
D. Jack, who is the most outspoken member of the group, led the opposition to the new rule.

16. Which sentence should be edited to eliminate its cliché?
A. I wanted to hire Dave, but a chain is only as strong as its weakest link.
B. Striding toward the barn in her red coverall and bucket hat, Gloria–tall and round–gave the impression of a charging silo.
C. The texture of the burlap was a cross between woven straw and a three-day beard.
D. The family was immensely relieved when Great-Aunt Martha's condition progressed from "critical" to "it looks like she'll live another 10 years."

17. In the process of revision, your main objective should be to
A. clarify your ideas.
B. establish proper tone.
C. demonstrate correct grammar.
D. explain your essay's purposes.

18. To compose strong, compelling sentences, avoid using
A. short, simple sentences.
B. clauses as modifiers.
C. forms of the verb to be.
D. dependent clauses.

19. Which of the following is not a type of sentence?
A. Compound-complex
B. Simple
C. Complex
D. Simple-compound

20. A judicial decision handed down in court uses the _______ level of diction.
A. popular
B. informal
C. formal
D. colloquial

21. Nathan argues that each paragraph in a narrative should support the author's thesis. Nan says that
paragraphs in a narrative should illuminate some part of the action. Which one is correct?
A. Both Nathan and Nan are correct.
B. Neither Nathan nor Nan is correct.
C. Only Nan is correct.
D. Only Nathan is correct.

22. A passive verb is the better choice if you wish to
A. emphasize the subject.
B. deemphasize the subject.
C. establish a casual tone.
D. establish a formal tone.

23. Which punctuation mark should you use in a compound sentence that includes a conjunction?
A. Semi-colon
B. Colon
C. Comma
D. Period

24. Which of the following is an evaluation tool using questions and answers that lead to effective
strategies?
A. Graphic organizer
B. Outline
C. Thesis
D. Flowchart

25. Which of the following is a compound sentence?
A. Because Viceroy butterflies migrate over very great distances, tracking them is a challenge to entomologists.
B. Butterflies and hummingbirds feed on the nectar of flowering plants.
C. Corporate fraud is becoming more common in the United States, and the civil courts are being stretched to their limits.
D. Because fraud is so common in some corporations, regulatory agencies are overworked.

26. Which of the following sentences contains a redundancy?
A. Emily's sister gave birth to a pair of twins.
B. Chris had trouble working up even mild enthusiasm for Mike's plan.
C. Steve admired the partially completed stadium.
D. At no time did Tony indicate a willingness to admit defeat.

27. Which of the following statements is true about an independent clause?
A. It contains only a verb, not a subject.
B. It begins with a subordinating conjunction.
C. It can stand alone as a complete sentence.
D. It can't stand alone.

28. Reading your draft aloud, using peer review, and using a typed and printed copy are all examples of
A. patterns of development.
B. points of view.
C. graphic organizers.
D. useful techniques for revision.

29. Which of the following sentences contains an error in subject-verb agreement?
A. Each of the 14 groups are going to contribute an item to the auction.
B. Either Dennis or Susan is going to pick you up.
C. Kristy, Molly, and Kate attend the same university and ride the bus together.
D. Which one of these shirts is your favorite?

30. Which of the following sentences contains a dependent clause?
A. Kicking and leaping, the three deer behaved like rambunctious rabbits.
B. Please clear the table and wash the dishes.
C. The red sports car that was parked under the tree belongs to Alan.
D. Jared eagerly climbed into the boxing ring; he was on his back and out for the count in less than ten seconds.