CHSPE Essay Writing 4

Question 1

Which revision corrects the dangling modifier in: 'Running to class, the bell rang'?

Accepted Answer

Running to class, students heard the bell ring.

Answer

The participial phrase 'Running to class' must be immediately followed by the noun it modifies — the students, not the bell.

Question 2

Which of the following is an example of an appeal to authority (ethos)?

Accepted Answer

The American Medical Association states that vaping poses serious health risks to teens.

Answer

Ethos appeals to credibility by citing a respected organization or expert to support a claim.

Question 3

A student is told her paragraph 'lacks unity.' What should she fix?

Accepted Answer

Remove or revise sentences that drift away from the paragraph's main idea.

Answer

Unity means every sentence in a paragraph directly supports the topic sentence; off-topic sentences must be removed or relocated.

Question 4

Which sentence uses parallel structure correctly?

Accepted Answer

She likes hiking, swimming, and riding bikes.

Answer

Parallel structure requires that items in a series use the same grammatical form — here, all gerunds (-ing).

Question 5

What is the best way to address a counterargument in a persuasive essay?

Accepted Answer

Acknowledge it fairly, then explain why your argument is still stronger.

Answer

Acknowledging and then refuting a counterargument shows intellectual honesty and strengthens your credibility.

California High School Proficiency Exam Practice Test