Free CLEP English Exam MCQ Question and Answers — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the best method to change the first part of sentence 17?
- finishing school and going into accounting
- completing my degree in business and beginning to work as an accountant
- starting to be an accountant
- completing my business degree and working as an accountant (Correct answer)
Correct answer: completing my business degree and working as an accountant
Option D is the most concise and grammatically parallel choice. 'Completing my business degree' and 'working as an accountant' are both gerund phrases that clearly and directly state the two intended actions. The other options are either slightly wordier or use less professional and direct phrasing.
Question 2: Which of the following best describes the primary tactic employed to promote the passage's core idea?
- narrating incidents
- comparing similar situations
- analyzing causes
- providing examples (Correct answer)
Correct answer: providing examples
The preceding questions (Q5-Q12) involve revising sentences that describe specific, concrete experiences related to difficult jobs, such as 'picking up garbage,' 'spilled drinks,' and 'rudest people.' These detailed descriptions serve as vivid illustrations of the main idea. Therefore, the passage primarily uses specific examples to support its core message.
Question 3: Choose the appropriate error. No sentence contains more than one error. If <u>No Error</u> exists, then select the no error <br> <br> His method (1) of doing business is (2) hardly appreciated; he (3) feels inferior (4) than others
- of
- hardly
- feels
- than (Correct answer)
- no error
Correct answer: than
The adjective 'inferior' requires the preposition 'to' when making a comparison, not 'than.' The correct idiom is 'inferior to.' Therefore, the phrase 'he feels inferior than others' should be corrected to 'he feels inferior to others.'
Question 4: Choose the appropriate error. No sentence contains more than one error. If <u>No Error</u> exists, then select the no error <br> <br> (1)It was the (2)worse storm (3) that the inhabitants of the island (4)could remember.
- It
- worse (Correct answer)
- that
- could
- no error
Correct answer: worse
The sentence uses the definite article 'the' and implies a comparison among all storms the inhabitants could remember, indicating the superlative degree is needed. The superlative form of 'bad' is 'worst,' not 'worse.' 'Worse' is the comparative form (e.g., 'worse than').
Question 5: Choose the appropriate error. No sentence contains more than one error. If <u>No Error</u> exists, then select the no error <br> <br> He had no interest (1)toward music, art, or the theater, (2) since his time (3) was spent (4) in making money.
- toward (Correct answer)
- since
- was spent
- in making
- no error
Correct answer: toward
The correct preposition to use with the noun 'interest' when referring to a subject or activity is 'in,' not 'toward.' One has 'interest in music,' not 'interest toward music.' This is a common idiomatic error.
Question 6: Choose the appropriate error. No sentence contains more than one error. If <u>No Error</u> exists, then select the no error <br> <br> Gabriel (1)has (2) no equal as a salesman; his commissions are (3) larger than those made by almost any other (4) salesman.
- has
- no (Correct answer)
- larger than
- salesman
- no error
Correct answer: no
The phrase 'no equal as a salesman' implies Gabriel is unsurpassed. However, the second part of the sentence, 'his commissions are larger than those made by almost any other salesman,' contradicts this absolute statement. If he truly had 'no equal,' his commissions would be larger than *all* other salesmen, not 'almost any other.' To maintain logical consistency, 'no' is the error, as it creates a contradiction with the subsequent comparison.
Question 7: Choose the appropriate error. No sentence contains more than one error. If <u>No Error</u> exists, then select the no error <br> <br> The actors (1) were (2) already to perform long (3) before the curtain (4) went up.
- were
- already (Correct answer)
- before
- went
- no error
Correct answer: already
The phrase 'already to perform' is grammatically incorrect. The correct idiom is 'ready to perform,' meaning prepared. 'Already' is an adverb indicating something has happened by a certain time, while 'ready' is an adjective describing a state of preparedness.
Free CLEP English Exam MCQ Question and Answers
What is the best method to change the first part of sentence 17?