BCA Writing Skills 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which sentence correctly uses a semicolon?
- I enjoy reading; especially science fiction.
- She finished her homework; she then watched a movie. (Correct answer)
- He ate lunch; because he was hungry.
- They went to the park; and played soccer.
Correct answer: She finished her homework; she then watched a movie.
A semicolon correctly joins two independent clauses without a coordinating conjunction.
Question 2: Which of the following is an example of an appeal to ethos in persuasive writing?
- Statistics show that 80% of students benefit from tutoring.
- As a licensed physician with 20 years of experience, I recommend this treatment. (Correct answer)
- Imagine feeling healthy and energetic every morning.
- Many people suffer from this condition, so we must act now.
Correct answer: As a licensed physician with 20 years of experience, I recommend this treatment.
Ethos establishes the writer's credibility and authority, as demonstrated by citing professional credentials.
Question 3: Which revision eliminates the dangling modifier in: 'Running through the park, the trees looked beautiful.'?
- The trees, running through the park, looked beautiful.
- Running through the park, I thought the trees looked beautiful. (Correct answer)
- Beautiful trees were seen running through the park.
- Through the park, running made the trees look beautiful.
Correct answer: Running through the park, I thought the trees looked beautiful.
Adding 'I' gives the participial phrase 'running through the park' a logical subject to modify.
Question 4: What is the purpose of a counterargument paragraph in an essay?
- To introduce a new topic unrelated to the thesis
- To acknowledge and then refute an opposing view (Correct answer)
- To summarize the main points of the essay
- To provide background information on the subject
Correct answer: To acknowledge and then refute an opposing view
Acknowledging and refuting opposing views strengthens an argument by demonstrating awareness of alternative perspectives.
Question 5: Which sentence uses parallel structure correctly?
- She likes hiking, to swim, and running on trails.
- She likes hiking, swimming, and running on trails. (Correct answer)
- She likes to hike, swimming, and runs on trails.
- She likes hiking, to swim, and trail runs.
Correct answer: She likes hiking, swimming, and running on trails.
Parallel structure requires that all items in a list use the same grammatical form—here, gerunds (hiking, swimming, running).
Question 6: In formal academic writing, which of the following should generally be avoided?
- Passive voice in scientific contexts
- Contractions like 'don't' and 'isn't' (Correct answer)
- Citations from peer-reviewed sources
- Complex sentence structures
Correct answer: Contractions like 'don't' and 'isn't'
Contractions are considered informal and are typically avoided in formal academic essays and reports.
Question 7: Which sentence best demonstrates precise, specific word choice?
- The animal moved across the field.
- The creature went somewhere outside.
- The red-tailed hawk glided across the open meadow. (Correct answer)
- Something flew over the big green area.
Correct answer: The red-tailed hawk glided across the open meadow.
Naming the specific species, action, and location ('red-tailed hawk,' 'glided,' 'open meadow') creates vivid, precise imagery.
BCA Writing Skills 3
Which sentence correctly uses a semicolon?