AWA Clarity and Precise Language 2

Question 1

Which revision best eliminates the vague pronoun reference in: 'The committee reviewed the proposal, but they rejected it because it was unclear'?

Accepted Answer

The committee reviewed the proposal but rejected it because the proposal's scope was unclear.

Answer

They reviewed the proposal, but it was rejected due to its unclear nature.

Answer

The proposal was reviewed by the committee, but it was rejected.

Answer

The committee rejected the proposal, which they found unclear.

Question 2

In AWA writing, what does 'hedging language' refer to?

Accepted Answer

Words like 'perhaps,' 'might,' or 'could' that qualify a claim's certainty

Answer

Repetitive phrasing used to fill space in an essay

Answer

Technical jargon borrowed from academic sources

Answer

Transition words used between paragraphs

Question 3

Which sentence most precisely conveys the intended meaning?

Accepted Answer

The new policy will negatively impact approximately 400 employees in the sales division.

Answer

The new policy will affect a large number of employees in a negative manner.

Answer

A lot of people will be affected by what the company decides to do.

Answer

Many employees could possibly face challenges due to policy changes.

Question 4

What is the primary problem with nominalizations (e.g., 'make an assumption' instead of 'assume') in analytical writing?

Accepted Answer

They make sentences longer and weaker by hiding action in nouns instead of verbs.

Answer

They introduce factual errors into an argument.

Answer

They create unclear pronoun references.

Answer

They are grammatically incorrect in formal writing.

Question 5

Which of the following is an example of a mixed metaphor that hurts clarity?

Accepted Answer

We must iron out the wrinkles before this ship sinks.

Answer

The argument is fundamentally flawed.

Answer

This evidence directly supports the claim.

Answer

The policy created unintended consequences.

Question 6

In the sentence 'The results were significant,' what makes this language imprecise for an AWA essay?

Accepted Answer

'Significant' is vague without specifying in what way or to what degree the results matter.

Answer

'Significant' is an adjective and adjectives weaken arguments.

Answer

The passive construction obscures the subject.

Answer

The sentence is too short to convey meaning.

Question 7

Which revision best corrects the dangling modifier: 'Walking through the data, the conclusion became obvious'?

Accepted Answer

Walking through the data, we found the conclusion obvious.

Answer

The conclusion, walking through the data, became obvious.

Answer

Through the data walking, the conclusion was obvious.

Answer

The conclusion became obvious when data was walked through.