CAASPP Writing 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A student wants to add a counterargument to her persuasive essay. Where should this appear?
- In the introduction before the thesis
- Only in the conclusion after all main points
- Acknowledged and then refuted within the body of the essay (Correct answer)
- Removed entirely since counterarguments weaken an essay
Correct answer: Acknowledged and then refuted within the body of the essay
Effective argumentative writing acknowledges opposing viewpoints and then refutes them to demonstrate thorough analysis.
Question 2: Which sentence uses a comma correctly?
- She wanted to go to the park, but it was raining. (Correct answer)
- The dog barked, at the mail carrier.
- After school I, went home to study.
- We ate pizza, and salad for dinner.
Correct answer: She wanted to go to the park, but it was raining.
A comma is correctly placed before a coordinating conjunction (but) that joins two independent clauses.
Question 3: A writer is revising for 'word choice.' Which sentence demonstrates the STRONGEST word choice?
- The weather was bad and made people feel bad.
- The fierce storm left residents feeling anxious and displaced. (Correct answer)
- It was a really big storm that was very bad for everyone.
- The storm happened and people were not happy about it.
Correct answer: The fierce storm left residents feeling anxious and displaced.
Precise, vivid words like 'fierce,' 'anxious,' and 'displaced' paint a clear picture and convey specific meaning.
Question 4: When writing a narrative, what does 'pacing' refer to?
- The number of characters introduced in the story
- The speed at which events unfold and how time is managed (Correct answer)
- The physical setting described at the beginning
- The order in which the narrator tells events
Correct answer: The speed at which events unfold and how time is managed
Pacing controls how quickly or slowly the story moves, using techniques like summary for fast pacing and scene-building for slow pacing.
Question 5: Which of the following is an example of a compound sentence?
- Although it was cold, she wore a light jacket.
- The student studied, and she passed the exam. (Correct answer)
- Running through the park, the boy tripped.
- The teacher who gave the assignment was absent.
Correct answer: The student studied, and she passed the exam.
A compound sentence joins two independent clauses with a coordinating conjunction (and, but, or, so, yet, for, nor).
Question 6: A student is asked to cite a source in her research paper. What information is MOST important to include?
- The color and font used on the source's website
- The author, title, publication, and date (Correct answer)
- Only the URL where the information was found
- A summary of everything the source said
Correct answer: The author, title, publication, and date
Citations must include the author, title, publication, and date so readers can locate and verify the original source.
Question 7: Which revision BEST corrects this run-on sentence: 'The sun was setting the sky turned orange and pink it was beautiful'?
- The sun was setting, the sky turned orange and pink, it was beautiful.
- As the sun was setting, the sky turned orange and pink; it was beautiful. (Correct answer)
- The sun was setting and turning the sky orange and pink and it was beautiful.
- The sun was setting. The sky turned. Orange and pink was beautiful.
Correct answer: As the sun was setting, the sky turned orange and pink; it was beautiful.
Using a subordinating conjunction and a semicolon correctly divides the run-on into properly structured clauses.
CAASPP Writing 3
A student wants to add a counterargument to her persuasive essay.
Where should this appear?