FREE NWEA Language Usage Questions and Answers

Question 1

Read the phrase below and select the proper spelling for each word that is enclosed in brackets:

The morale of the film was very [sensible/sensible] and it was [incredible/incredible].

Accepted Answer

sensible/incredible

Answer

In the context of the sentence, 'sensible' (meaning practical or reasonable) is the correct spelling and fits the description of a film's morale. 'Incredible' (meaning extraordinary or amazing) is the correct spelling and accurately describes a film's quality. The other options contain common misspellings like 'sensabl,' 'sensable,' or 'incredable,' which are not standard English.

Question 2

A few people from my extended family, like ________, were chosen to give speeches at the celebration.

Which of the following answers correctly completes the sentence?

Accepted Answer

my mom and me

Answer

The phrase 'like my mom and me' functions as the object of the preposition 'like.' When pronouns are used as objects, they must be in the objective case. 'Me' is the objective case, whereas 'I' is the subjective case. If you remove 'my mom and,' the sentence would correctly read 'A few people... like me,' confirming that 'me' is the appropriate pronoun.

Question 3

Cris, you always leave your room in disarray. It would be kind of you to pick up after yourself once in a while.

Regarding the sentence on the left, which of the following is true?

There can be more than one right response.

Accepted Answer

The sentence is a run-on.

Answer

The sentence 'Cris, you always leave your room in disarray. It would be kind of you to pick up after yourself once in a while.' contains two complete thoughts, each with a subject and a verb, that could stand alone as sentences. These are 'Cris, you always leave your room in disarray' and 'It would be kind of you to pick up after yourself once in a while.' Since these two independent clauses are joined without proper punctuation (like a semicolon) or a coordinating conjunction, the sentence is a run-on. Therefore, it contains at least one independent clause (in fact, two) and is a run-on sentence.

Question 4

Which of the subsequent statements makes use of striking imagery?

Accepted Answer

Skipping smooth, flat stones on a lake creates rippling patterns.

Answer

Striking imagery uses vivid and descriptive language to appeal to the reader's senses, creating a strong mental picture. Option B, 'Skipping smooth, flat stones on a lake creates rippling patterns,' employs words like 'smooth,' 'flat,' and 'rippling patterns' to evoke clear visual and tactile sensations. This rich description allows the reader to easily visualize the scene and feel the action, making it the most image-rich sentence.

Question 5

Spend no time with Spencer's group of friends; they are the school's wolves and very impolite.

Which literary and lyrical device is employed in the sentence on the left?

Accepted Answer

Alliteration

Answer

Alliteration is a literary device characterized by the repetition of the same beginning consonant sound in words that are close together. In the sentence, the repeated 's' sound in 'Spencer's' and 'school's' (S-pencer's, S-chool's) creates a clear instance of alliteration. This repetition adds a rhythmic and memorable quality to the phrase.

NWEA - Northwest Evaluation Association Practice Test

NWEA - Northwest Evaluation Association Practice Test

FREE NWEA Language Usage Questions and Answers