EmSAT English Language 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which sentence correctly uses a semicolon?
- I wanted to go; but it was raining.
- She studied hard; and she passed the exam.
- The project is complete; however, revisions may be needed. (Correct answer)
- He enjoys football; playing every weekend.
Correct answer: The project is complete; however, revisions may be needed.
A semicolon correctly joins two independent clauses, especially when a conjunctive adverb like 'however' follows.
Question 2: Which rhetorical device is used in: 'The classroom was a battlefield of competing ideas'?
- Hyperbole
- Metaphor (Correct answer)
- Onomatopoeia
- Anaphora
Correct answer: Metaphor
A metaphor directly equates one thing to another without using 'like' or 'as'; the classroom is called a battlefield.
Question 3: Choose the sentence that best maintains a formal academic register.
- Kids need to get enough sleep to do well at school.
- Students require adequate sleep to perform optimally in academic settings. (Correct answer)
- You've gotta sleep enough if you want to do good in school.
- Sleeping well is super important for students.
Correct answer: Students require adequate sleep to perform optimally in academic settings.
Academic register avoids contractions, slang, and informal vocabulary, using precise and formal language instead.
Question 4: What is the function of a topic sentence in a paragraph?
- To provide evidence for the main argument
- To summarise the entire essay
- To introduce and state the central idea of the paragraph (Correct answer)
- To transition to the next paragraph
Correct answer: To introduce and state the central idea of the paragraph
A topic sentence states the main idea of a paragraph and guides the reader about what the paragraph will discuss.
Question 5: Which option correctly identifies the underlined word in: 'She arrived late, which disrupted the meeting.'
- Relative pronoun referring to 'she'
- Relative pronoun referring to 'late'
- Relative pronoun referring to the entire preceding clause (Correct answer)
- Indefinite pronoun
Correct answer: Relative pronoun referring to the entire preceding clause
'Which' here is a relative pronoun referring to the whole idea expressed in the main clause, not a single noun.
Question 6: In a reading passage, what does it mean when an author uses 'scare quotes' around a word?
- To show the word is a direct quotation from a source
- To signal irony, doubt, or that the term is being used loosely (Correct answer)
- To indicate the word is a technical term
- To emphasise the importance of the word
Correct answer: To signal irony, doubt, or that the term is being used loosely
Scare quotes signal that a term is being used critically, ironically, or with scepticism about its validity.
Question 7: Which sentence correctly uses 'affect' and 'effect'?
- The rain effected our plans greatly.
- Stress can affect your health and have lasting effects. (Correct answer)
- The medicine had no affect on the patient.
- Exercise effects the brain in positive ways.
Correct answer: Stress can affect your health and have lasting effects.
'Affect' is typically a verb (to influence) and 'effect' is typically a noun (a result); this sentence uses both correctly.
EmSAT English Language 5
Which sentence correctly uses a semicolon?