Free Core Academic Skills (Writing) Questions and Answers

Question 1

Lack of punctuation following an independent clause

Accepted Answer

Run-on sentence

Answer

A run-on sentence occurs when two or more independent clauses (complete thoughts that could stand alone as sentences) are joined without proper punctuation or a coordinating conjunction. A lack of punctuation, such as a comma splice or no punctuation at all, is a defining characteristic of a run-on sentence, making it grammatically incorrect.

Question 2

Using the same word pattern might demonstrate the parity of importance between two or more topics.

Accepted Answer

Parallel structure

Answer

Parallel structure, or parallelism, involves using the same grammatical form or pattern for two or more ideas in a sentence or series. This technique emphasizes the equal importance of the ideas and creates a sense of balance and rhythm. It makes the writing clearer, more impactful, and demonstrates the parity of importance between the topics.

Question 3

An apostrophe that replaces the visible letters

Accepted Answer

Contraction

Answer

A contraction is a shortened form of a word or group of words, where an apostrophe replaces the omitted letters. For example, in 'don't,' the apostrophe stands in for the 'o' in 'not.' This grammatical device helps to make language more concise and conversational.

Question 4

Does not modify any words at all, thus it is unclear what it describes.

Accepted Answer

Dangling modifier

Answer

A dangling modifier is a word or phrase that modifies a word not clearly stated in the sentence, or that is grammatically disconnected from the word it is intended to modify. This results in confusion because it is unclear what the modifier is actually describing. To correct a dangling modifier, the sentence must be rewritten to ensure the modifier clearly refers to a specific noun or pronoun.

Question 5

A conjunction that connects one adverb or adjective to another

Accepted Answer

Correlative conjunction

Answer

Correlative conjunctions are pairs of conjunctions that work together to connect grammatically equal elements in a sentence. Examples include 'either...or,' 'neither...nor,' and 'not only...but also.' When connecting adverbs or adjectives, they ensure both elements are given equal emphasis and grammatical weight, creating a balanced sentence structure.

Core Academic Skills Assessment Practice Test

Core Academic Skills Assessment Practice Test

Free Core Academic Skills (Writing) Questions and Answers