EAP Grammar for Formal Writing 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which sentence correctly uses a restrictive relative clause?
- The students, who failed the exam, must retake it.
- The students who failed the exam must retake it. (Correct answer)
- The students that, failed the exam, must retake it.
- The students which failed the exam must retake it.
Correct answer: The students who failed the exam must retake it.
A restrictive relative clause defines which specific group is meant and uses no commas.
Question 2: In formal academic writing, which construction is preferred for expressing causation?
- Because of the rising costs, we couldn't do anything.
- The rising costs impeded progress due to financial constraints.
- The increase in costs resulted in a significant reduction in productivity. (Correct answer)
- Costs went up, so things got harder.
Correct answer: The increase in costs resulted in a significant reduction in productivity.
Formal academic writing favors precise, nominalized constructions that clearly show cause-effect relationships.
Question 3: Which sentence demonstrates correct parallel structure?
- The study aims to identify, analyzing, and to report findings.
- The study aims to identify, to analyze, and reporting findings.
- The study aims to identify, analyze, and report findings. (Correct answer)
- The study aims identifying, analyzing, and to report findings.
Correct answer: The study aims to identify, analyze, and report findings.
Parallel structure requires that all items in a series use the same grammatical form.
Question 4: What is the grammatical role of 'however' in academic writing?
- Coordinating conjunction
- Subordinating conjunction
- Conjunctive adverb (Correct answer)
- Preposition
Correct answer: Conjunctive adverb
'However' is a conjunctive adverb that connects two independent clauses and must be preceded by a semicolon or period.
Question 5: Which sentence avoids a dangling modifier?
- Having reviewed the data, the results were surprising.
- Having reviewed the data, the researchers found surprising results. (Correct answer)
- Reviewing the data, surprising results emerged.
- After reviewing the data, it was found to be surprising.
Correct answer: Having reviewed the data, the researchers found surprising results.
The participial phrase 'Having reviewed the data' must logically modify the subject 'the researchers.'
Question 6: Which sentence uses the subjunctive mood correctly in formal writing?
- The committee recommends that the proposal is reviewed.
- The committee recommends that the proposal be reviewed. (Correct answer)
- The committee recommends that the proposal will be reviewed.
- The committee recommends that the proposal was reviewed.
Correct answer: The committee recommends that the proposal be reviewed.
The subjunctive mood uses the base form of the verb after verbs like 'recommend,' 'suggest,' and 'require.'
Question 7: Which option correctly uses a non-restrictive appositive in an academic sentence?
- The scientist Marie Curie discovered radium.
- The scientist, Marie Curie, discovered radium. (Correct answer)
- Marie Curie the scientist discovered radium.
- Marie Curie, the scientist discovered radium.
Correct answer: The scientist, Marie Curie, discovered radium.
A non-restrictive appositive renames the noun and is set off by commas on both sides.
EAP Grammar for Formal Writing 2
Which sentence correctly uses a restrictive relative clause?