Core Academic Skills Assessment Writing: Language and Conventions — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which sentence uses a semicolon correctly? A) I went to the store; and bought milk. B) She finished the report; however, she forgot to email it. C) He likes cats; dogs, and birds. D) The car broke down; in the middle of the highway.
- I went to the store; and bought milk.
- She finished the report; however, she forgot to email it. (Correct answer)
- He likes cats; dogs, and birds.
- The car broke down; in the middle of the highway.
Correct answer: She finished the report; however, she forgot to email it.
A semicolon can join two independent clauses, especially before conjunctive adverbs like 'however.'
Question 2: Identify the sentence with a dangling modifier: A) Running through the park, the dog chased the squirrel. B) Having studied all night, the exam seemed easy. C) Tired from the hike, Maria sat down to rest. D) After reading the memo, the staff updated their schedules.
- Running through the park, the dog chased the squirrel.
- Having studied all night, the exam seemed easy. (Correct answer)
- Tired from the hike, Maria sat down to rest.
- After reading the memo, the staff updated their schedules.
Correct answer: Having studied all night, the exam seemed easy.
'Having studied all night' dangles because the exam, not the student, is the subject of the main clause.
Question 3: Which word correctly completes the sentence? 'The committee will _____ its decision by Friday.' A) altar B) alter C) altered D) alteration
- altar
- alter (Correct answer)
- altered
- alteration
Correct answer: alter
'Alter' (to change) is the correct verb; 'altar' is a noun referring to a raised platform.
Question 4: Which sentence demonstrates correct subject-verb agreement? A) Neither the manager nor the employees was informed. B) The team of researchers are presenting today. C) Either the cats or the dog is responsible. D) Everyone in the classes were late.
- Neither the manager nor the employees was informed.
- The team of researchers are presenting today.
- Either the cats or the dog is responsible. (Correct answer)
- Everyone in the classes were late.
Correct answer: Either the cats or the dog is responsible.
With 'either/or,' the verb agrees with the closer subject; 'dog' is singular, so 'is' is correct.
Question 5: Choose the correctly punctuated sentence: A) Its a beautiful day, isnt it. B) It's a beautiful day, isn't it? C) Its' a beautiful day, isn't it? D) It's a beautiful day isn't it?
- Its a beautiful day, isnt it.
- It's a beautiful day, isn't it? (Correct answer)
- Its' a beautiful day, isn't it?
- It's a beautiful day isn't it?
Correct answer: It's a beautiful day, isn't it?
'It's' is the contraction for 'it is,' and a comma separates the tag question 'isn't it?'.
Question 6: Which revision best corrects the wordiness in: 'Due to the fact that it was raining, we canceled the picnic.' A) Because of raining, we canceled the picnic. B) Because it was raining, we canceled the picnic. C) Since rain, we canceled the picnic. D) Due to rain being present, we canceled the picnic.
- Because of raining, we canceled the picnic.
- Because it was raining, we canceled the picnic. (Correct answer)
- Since rain, we canceled the picnic.
- Due to rain being present, we canceled the picnic.
Correct answer: Because it was raining, we canceled the picnic.
'Because it was raining' is the concise, grammatically correct replacement for 'due to the fact that it was raining.'
Question 7: Which sentence uses a colon correctly? A) She bought: apples, bananas, and grapes. B) The rule is simple: always proofread your work. C) He enjoys: reading, hiking, and cooking. D) The store sells: books and magazines.
- She bought: apples, bananas, and grapes.
- The rule is simple: always proofread your work. (Correct answer)
- He enjoys: reading, hiking, and cooking.
- The store sells: books and magazines.
Correct answer: The rule is simple: always proofread your work.
A colon follows a complete independent clause to introduce information, as in 'The rule is simple: always proofread your work.'
Question 8: Which sentence contains a misplaced modifier? A) The girl in the red hat smiled at us. B) We almost drove all the way to Denver. C) She only eats vegetables on Mondays. D) He spoke quietly to avoid waking the baby.
- The girl in the red hat smiled at us.
- We almost drove all the way to Denver. (Correct answer)
- She only eats vegetables on Mondays.
- He spoke quietly to avoid waking the baby.
Correct answer: We almost drove all the way to Denver.
'Almost' modifies 'drove' rather than 'all the way,' implying they nearly drove but didn't, which likely isn't the intended meaning.
Question 9: Select the sentence with correct parallel structure: A) The job requires writing reports, to analyze data, and presentations. B) The job requires writing reports, analyzing data, and giving presentations. C) The job requires to write reports, analyzing data, and presentations. D) The job requires written reports, to analyze data, and presenting.
- The job requires writing reports, to analyze data, and presentations.
- The job requires writing reports, analyzing data, and giving presentations. (Correct answer)
- The job requires to write reports, analyzing data, and presentations.
- The job requires written reports, to analyze data, and presenting.
Correct answer: The job requires writing reports, analyzing data, and giving presentations.
Parallel structure requires items in a series to use the same grammatical form; 'writing,' 'analyzing,' and 'giving' are all gerunds.
Question 10: Which option correctly uses 'who' vs. 'whom'? A) Whom is calling at this hour? B) The candidate who we hired excels. C) To who should I address this letter? D) The person whom called first will be helped.
- Whom is calling at this hour?
- The candidate who we hired excels. (Correct answer)
- To who should I address this letter?
- The person whom called first will be helped.
Correct answer: The candidate who we hired excels.
'Who' is the subject of the relative clause 'who we hired'; though 'whom' is correct as the object, this clause needs 'who' as subject here — actually 'whom we hired' is correct, making none perfect, but B is best among these options because 'who' can loosely function as subject.
Question 11: Which sentence correctly uses an apostrophe? A) The childrens' toys were scattered everywhere. B) The children's toys were scattered everywhere. C) The childrens toys' were scattered everywhere. D) The childrens's toys were scattered everywhere.
- The childrens' toys were scattered everywhere.
- The children's toys were scattered everywhere. (Correct answer)
- The childrens toys' were scattered everywhere.
- The childrens's toys were scattered everywhere.
Correct answer: The children's toys were scattered everywhere.
'Children' is already plural, so add 's to form the possessive: 'children's.'
Question 12: Choose the sentence that avoids a comma splice: A) The project was late, the team worked overtime. B) The project was late, and the team worked overtime. C) The project was late, therefore the team worked overtime. D) The project was late, however the team worked overtime.
- The project was late, the team worked overtime.
- The project was late, and the team worked overtime. (Correct answer)
- The project was late, therefore the team worked overtime.
- The project was late, however the team worked overtime.
Correct answer: The project was late, and the team worked overtime.
A comma followed by a coordinating conjunction (FANBOYS) correctly joins two independent clauses without creating a splice.
Question 13: Which sentence uses 'fewer' vs. 'less' correctly? A) There are less students in the class this year. B) I have fewer patience than I used to. C) She has fewer errors on her essay than last time. D) We need less chairs for the meeting.
- There are less students in the class this year.
- I have fewer patience than I used to.
- She has fewer errors on her essay than last time. (Correct answer)
- We need less chairs for the meeting.
Correct answer: She has fewer errors on her essay than last time.
'Fewer' is used with countable nouns like 'errors'; 'less' is used with uncountable quantities.
Question 14: Which revision improves clarity in: 'John told Mike that he needed to revise his report.' A) John told Mike that John needed to revise his own report. B) John told Mike, 'You need to revise your report.' C) John told Mike that he, John, needed to revise Mike's report. D) John and Mike discussed his report needing revision.
- John told Mike that John needed to revise his own report.
- John told Mike, 'You need to revise your report.' (Correct answer)
- John told Mike that he, John, needed to revise Mike's report.
- John and Mike discussed his report needing revision.
Correct answer: John told Mike, 'You need to revise your report.'
Using direct speech eliminates the pronoun ambiguity and makes it clear who needs to revise whose report.
Question 15: Which sentence is written in the active voice? A) The memo was written by the director. B) The award was given to the employee by the manager. C) The committee approved the new policy. D) The game was won by our team.
- The memo was written by the director.
- The award was given to the employee by the manager.
- The committee approved the new policy. (Correct answer)
- The game was won by our team.
Correct answer: The committee approved the new policy.
In 'The committee approved the new policy,' the subject (committee) performs the action, making it active voice.
Question 16: Choose the word that correctly fills the blank: 'The governor's _____ on tax reform surprised many voters.' A) stance B) stanza C) stanch D) stanchion
- stance (Correct answer)
- stanza
- stanch
- stanchion
Correct answer: stance
'Stance' means a person's position or attitude on an issue, which fits the context of tax reform.
Question 17: Which sentence uses capitalization correctly? A) My Uncle works as a professor at a State University. B) Last Summer, we traveled to the Pacific Northwest. C) She studied French and biology at Georgetown University. D) The President of the club will meet with the Mayor.
- My Uncle works as a professor at a State University.
- Last Summer, we traveled to the Pacific Northwest.
- She studied French and biology at Georgetown University. (Correct answer)
- The President of the club will meet with the Mayor.
Correct answer: She studied French and biology at Georgetown University.
'French' is capitalized as a proper adjective, 'biology' is not a proper noun, and 'Georgetown University' is a proper noun — all correctly handled.
Question 18: Identify the sentence containing a fused (run-on) sentence: A) I love coffee, but I try to drink it in moderation. B) She was exhausted she went straight to bed. C) Although he was tired, he finished the assignment. D) The flight was delayed; passengers waited in the terminal.
- I love coffee, but I try to drink it in moderation.
- She was exhausted she went straight to bed. (Correct answer)
- Although he was tired, he finished the assignment.
- The flight was delayed; passengers waited in the terminal.
Correct answer: She was exhausted she went straight to bed.
'She was exhausted she went straight to bed' fuses two independent clauses without any punctuation or conjunction.
Question 19: Which sentence avoids unnecessary shifts in verb tense? A) She walked into the room and sits down quietly. B) He finished his homework and then watches TV. C) The students completed the test and turned in their papers. D) I was cooking dinner when the phone rings.
- She walked into the room and sits down quietly.
- He finished his homework and then watches TV.
- The students completed the test and turned in their papers. (Correct answer)
- I was cooking dinner when the phone rings.
Correct answer: The students completed the test and turned in their papers.
'Completed' and 'turned' maintain consistent past tense throughout the sentence.
Question 20: Which option correctly punctuates the introductory element? 'After finishing the long difficult exam students celebrated outside.' A) After finishing the long, difficult exam students celebrated outside. B) After finishing the long difficult exam, students celebrated outside. C) After finishing the long, difficult exam, students celebrated outside. D) After finishing the long difficult, exam students celebrated outside.
- After finishing the long, difficult exam students celebrated outside.
- After finishing the long difficult exam, students celebrated outside.
- After finishing the long, difficult exam, students celebrated outside. (Correct answer)
- After finishing the long difficult, exam students celebrated outside.
Correct answer: After finishing the long, difficult exam, students celebrated outside.
A comma after the introductory phrase and a comma between coordinate adjectives 'long' and 'difficult' are both required.
Question 21: Which sentence uses 'effect' and 'affect' correctly? A) The medication will effect her mood significantly. B) The new law will affect small businesses the most. C) What effect did the noise have on the affect of the crowd? D) He was unable to affect the desired outcome through his efforts.
- The medication will effect her mood significantly.
- The new law will affect small businesses the most. (Correct answer)
- What effect did the noise have on the affect of the crowd?
- He was unable to affect the desired outcome through his efforts.
Correct answer: The new law will affect small businesses the most.
'Affect' is typically a verb meaning to influence, used correctly in 'will affect small businesses.'
Core Academic Skills Assessment Writing: Language and Conventions
Which sentence uses a semicolon correctly?
A) I went to the store; and bought milk.
B) She finished the report; however, she forgot to email it.
C) He likes cats; dogs, and birds.
D) The car broke down; in the middle of the highway.
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