Compass Writing Skills Practice Test 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Determine whether the underlined portion of the sentence is correct or whether it needs to be revised. F̲o̲r̲ ̲h̲o̲m̲e̲s̲ ̲i̲n̲ ̲t̲y̲p̲i̲c̲a̲l̲l̲y̲ ̲c̲o̲l̲d̲e̲r̲ ̲g̲e̲o̲g̲r̲a̲p̲h̲i̲c̲ ̲r̲e̲g̲i̲o̲n̲s̲, it is particularly important to have effective and efficient heating systems.
- For homes in typically colder geographic regions
- For people in homes in typically colder geographic regions
- For homes in typically cold geographic regions (Correct answer)
- People in typically colder geographic regions
- Homes in typically colder geographic regions
Correct answer: For homes in typically cold geographic regions
The word 'colder' is a comparative adjective, implying a comparison to something else. However, the sentence describes regions that are inherently cold, not necessarily colder than some other implied region. Using the absolute adjective 'cold' is more appropriate and concise in this context, as 'typically cold' accurately describes the nature of the regions without an unnecessary comparison.
Question 2: Determine whether the underlined portion of the sentence below is correct or whether it needs to be revised. Inside the glove compartment were legal documents, pictures, a̲n̲d̲ ̲t̲h̲e̲r̲e̲ ̲w̲e̲r̲e̲ ̲a̲ ̲f̲e̲w̲ ̲n̲a̲p̲k̲i̲n̲s̲ ̲f̲r̲o̲m̲ ̲t̲h̲e̲ ̲c̲o̲f̲f̲e̲e̲ ̲s̲h̲o̲p̲, ̲b̲u̲t̲ ̲n̲o̲ ̲g̲l̲o̲v̲e̲s̲.
- and there were a few napkins from the coffee shop, but no gloves.
- and there were a few napkins from the coffee shop, but not any gloves.
- and napkins from the coffee shop, no gloves were there.
- and napkins from the coffee shop, but no gloves. (Correct answer)
- and napkins from the coffee shop, there were no gloves.
Correct answer: and napkins from the coffee shop, but no gloves.
The original sentence suffers from a lack of parallel structure and wordiness. The list begins with simple noun phrases ('legal documents, pictures'). To maintain parallelism, the third item should also be a concise noun phrase. 'And napkins from the coffee shop' achieves this, making the sentence more grammatically consistent and efficient.
Question 3: Determine whether the underlined portion of the sentence below is correct or whether it needs to be revised. Concerns about global warming have grown into actual efforts sanctioned by non-governmental organizations and governments that not only work to u̲n̲d̲e̲r̲s̲t̲a̲n̲d̲ ̲g̲l̲o̲b̲a̲l̲ ̲w̲a̲r̲m̲i̲n̲g̲ ̲a̲n̲d̲ ̲a̲l̲s̲o̲ ̲t̲o̲ ̲p̲r̲e̲v̲e̲n̲t̲ ̲i̲t̲.
- understand global warming and also to prevent it.
- understand global warming but also to prevent it.
- understand global warming yet also to prevent it.
- understand global warming but also to prevent its growth. (Correct answer)
- understand global warming yet also to prevent it’s growth.
Correct answer: understand global warming but also to prevent its growth.
The correlative conjunction 'not only... but also' is required for proper grammatical structure when presenting two parallel ideas. Additionally, 'prevent its growth' is more specific and accurate than 'prevent it,' as the efforts are aimed at preventing the *increase* or *worsening* of global warming, not its complete eradication. The possessive 'its' is correctly used here.
Question 4: Determine whether the underlined portion of the sentence below is correct or whether it needs to be revised. Even though I have seen the movie countless times, I still l̲a̲u̲g̲h̲e̲d̲ ̲w̲h̲e̲n̲ ̲t̲h̲e̲ ̲s̲h̲e̲r̲i̲f̲f̲ ̲t̲h̲r̲o̲w̲s̲ ̲h̲i̲s̲ ̲m̲u̲g̲.
- laughed when the sheriff throws his mug.
- laugh when the sheriff throws his mug. (Correct answer)
- laugh when the sheriff threw his mug.
- laughed whenever the sheriff throws his mug.
- laugh when the sheriff will throw his mug.
Correct answer: laugh when the sheriff throws his mug.
The phrase 'Even though I have seen the movie countless times' indicates a recurring action or a present state of familiarity. Therefore, the main clause should use the present tense ('I still laugh') to reflect the ongoing nature of the reaction. The present tense 'throws' for the sheriff's action is also appropriate for describing a recurring event within the movie.
Question 5: Determine whether the underlined portion of the sentence below is correct or whether it needs to be revised. H̲i̲g̲h̲ ̲s̲c̲h̲o̲o̲l̲ ̲r̲e̲u̲n̲i̲o̲n̲s̲ ̲a̲r̲e̲ ̲u̲s̲u̲a̲l̲l̲y̲ ̲l̲o̲o̲k̲e̲d̲ ̲f̲o̲r̲w̲a̲r̲d̲ ̲t̲o̲ ̲b̲y̲ ̲a̲l̲u̲m̲n̲i̲ ̲t̲h̲a̲t̲ ̲h̲a̲v̲e̲ ̲w̲o̲r̲k̲e̲d̲ ̲h̲a̲r̲d̲ ̲s̲i̲n̲c̲e̲ ̲g̲r̲a̲d̲u̲a̲t̲i̲o̲n̲ ̲a̲n̲d̲ ̲n̲o̲w̲ ̲c̲o̲n̲s̲i̲d̲e̲r̲ ̲t̲h̲e̲m̲s̲e̲l̲v̲e̲s̲ ̲s̲u̲c̲c̲e̲s̲s̲f̲u̲l̲.
- High school reunions are usually looked forward to by alumni that have worked hard since graduation and now consider themselves successful.
- High school reunions are usually looked forward to by alumni who have worked hard since graduation and now consider themselves successful.
- Alumni who have worked hard since graduation and now consider themselves successful usually look forward to high school reunions. (Correct answer)
- Alumnus that have worked hard since graduation and now consider themselves successful usually look forward to high school reunions.
- High school reunions are usually looked forward to by alumni that have worked hard since graduation and now consider yourselves successful.
Correct answer: Alumni who have worked hard since graduation and now consider themselves successful usually look forward to high school reunions.
The original sentence uses the passive voice ('are usually looked forward to by'). Option C revises the sentence to the active voice, making it more direct and concise by placing the doers of the action ('Alumni who have worked hard...') as the subject. Additionally, 'who' is the correct relative pronoun for referring to people, not 'that'.
Question 6: Determine whether the underlined portion of the sentence below is correct or whether it needs to be revised. Y̲e̲s̲t̲e̲r̲d̲a̲y̲ ̲I̲ ̲f̲e̲l̲l̲ ̲d̲o̲w̲n̲ ̲t̲h̲e̲ ̲s̲t̲a̲i̲r̲s̲ ̲a̲n̲d̲ ̲t̲h̲e̲n̲ tried to act like I did so on purpose.
- Yesterday I fell down the stairs and then (Correct answer)
- Yesterday I fell down the stairs, I
- I fell down the stairs yesterday, I
- After I fell down the stairs yesterday; I
- Falling down the stairs; I
Correct answer: Yesterday I fell down the stairs and then
The original sentence is grammatically correct and clearly links two sequential actions: falling down the stairs and then trying to act like it was intentional. The conjunction 'and then' appropriately connects these two events in a chronological and logical manner. No revision is necessary as it maintains clarity and proper sentence structure.
Question 7: Determine whether the underlined portion of the sentence below is correct or whether it needs to be revised. Lockers in schools are often dilapidated, m̲a̲k̲i̲n̲g̲ ̲s̲t̲u̲d̲e̲n̲t̲’s̲ ̲v̲a̲l̲u̲a̲b̲l̲e̲s̲ ̲s̲u̲s̲c̲e̲p̲t̲i̲b̲l̲e̲ ̲t̲o̲ ̲t̲h̲e̲f̲t̲.
- which makes student’s valuables susceptible to theft
- that makes student’s valuables susceptible to theft
- that makes students’ valuables susceptible to theft
- making students’ valuables susceptible to theft (Correct answer)
Correct answer: making students’ valuables susceptible to theft
The original sentence contains a possessive error: 'student’s' implies a single student, but the context of 'lockers in schools' suggests multiple students. The correct possessive form for multiple students is 'students''. Option D correctly uses 'students'' and maintains the concise participial phrase 'making,' which effectively describes the consequence of the dilapidated lockers.
Question 8: Determine whether the underlined portion of the sentence below is correct or whether it needs to be revised. Fleeing the horde of zombies on foot,a̲n̲ ̲a̲p̲p̲a̲r̲e̲n̲t̲l̲y̲ ̲s̲a̲f̲e̲ ̲b̲u̲i̲l̲d̲i̲n̲g̲ ̲b̲e̲c̲a̲m̲e̲ ̲v̲i̲s̲i̲b̲l̲e̲ ̲t̲o̲ ̲t̲h̲e̲ ̲t̲e̲r̲r̲i̲f̲i̲e̲d̲ ̲c̲o̲u̲p̲l̲e̲.
- an apparently safe building became visible to the terrified couple.
- the terrified couple spotted a building that looked safe. (Correct answer)
- a safe looking building was spotted by the terrified couple.
- the terrified couple's luck changed when they spotted a safe looking building.
- their fear subsided somewhat when the terrified couple would spot a safe looking building.
Correct answer: the terrified couple spotted a building that looked safe.
The original sentence contains a dangling modifier. The participial phrase 'Fleeing the horde of zombies on foot' describes the couple, but the subject of the main clause is 'an apparently safe building.' Option B corrects this by making 'the terrified couple' the subject of the main clause, ensuring that the modifier clearly refers to the correct noun.
Question 9: Determine whether the underlined portion of the sentence below is correct or whether it needs to be revised. Natural disasters h̲a̲v̲e̲ ̲b̲e̲e̲n̲ ̲i̲n̲c̲r̲e̲a̲s̲i̲n̲g̲l̲y̲ ̲e̲f̲f̲e̲c̲t̲i̲n̲g̲ nearly every part of the world in the past decade with catastrophic tornadoes, hurricanes and tsunamis.
- have been increasingly effecting
- has been increasingly effecting
- have been increasingly affecting (Correct answer)
- will be increasingly effecting
- will be increasingly affecting
Correct answer: have been increasingly affecting
The word 'effecting' is incorrect here; 'effect' is primarily a noun meaning result, while 'affect' is a verb meaning to influence or impact. Natural disasters *affect* parts of the world. Additionally, 'Natural disasters' is plural, so the verb 'have' is correct for subject-verb agreement.
Question 10: Determine whether the underlined portion of the sentence below is correct or whether it needs to be revised. For every song that is a hit, it is critical to have a quality “beat” and quality lyrics; h̲o̲w̲e̲v̲e̲r̲ music companies hire professional producers and song writers.
- however
- therefore (Correct answer)
- nevertheless
- and
- yet
Correct answer: therefore
The first part of the sentence states that quality beat and lyrics are critical for a hit song. The second part describes music companies hiring professionals. This relationship is one of cause and effect: because quality is critical, companies *therefore* hire professionals to achieve it. 'However' implies a contrast, which is not present here.
Compass Writing Skills Practice Test 1
Determine whether the underlined portion of the sentence is correct or whether it needs to be revised.
F̲o̲r̲ ̲h̲o̲m̲e̲s̲ ̲i̲n̲ ̲t̲y̲p̲i̲c̲a̲l̲l̲y̲ ̲c̲o̲l̲d̲e̲r̲ ̲g̲e̲o̲g̲r̲a̲p̲h̲i̲c̲ ̲r̲e̲g̲i̲o̲n̲s̲, it is particularly important to have effective and efficient heating systems.
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