HiSET Language Arts Writing Practice Test 1

Determine whether the underlined portion of the sentence below is correct or whether it needs to be revised.

have been increasingly effecting

has been increasingly effecting

have been increasingly affecting

will be increasingly effecting

will be increasingly affecting

Correct! Wrong!

Which option makes the following sentence better?

He regretted abruptly canceling the appointment, but there was no way he could arrive on time.

Change badly to bad.

Remove but.

Change canceling to cancelling.

Change at to in.

Correct! Wrong!

The most effective change is from badly to awful. Because "badly" is an adverb, feeling badly is doing a lousy job of feeling. The notion suggested here is that to feel awful is to have unpleasant emotions.

Which sentence or paragraph in the passage below needs to be modified for spelling, punctuation, word choice, or length?

At first the constant teasing

only mildly aggravated me,

but after a few months

it became truly irritating.

Correct! Wrong!

Making a bad condition much worse is the proper definition of the word "aggravate." In professional writing, it shouldn't be used to signify "to annoy."

Determine whether the underlined portion of the sentence below is correct or whether it needs to be revised.

For homes in typically colder geographic regions

For people in homes in typically colder geographic regions

For homes in typically cold geographic regions

People in typically colder geographic regions

Homes in typically colder geographic regions

Correct! Wrong!

Determine whether the underlined portion of the sentence below is correct or whether it needs to be revised.

and there were a few napkins from the coffee shop, but no gloves.

and there were a few napkins from the coffee shop, but not any gloves.

and napkins from the coffee shop, no gloves were there.

and napkins from the coffee shop, but no gloves.

and napkins from the coffee shop, there were no gloves.

Correct! Wrong!

Pick the solution that best rephrases the paragraph in italics. Select option A if you believe the original phrase is the strongest.

She attended public schools in Montana, and graduated from the University of Montana at Missoula in 1902 with a Bachelor of Science degree in biology.

She attended public schools in Montana, and

She attended public schools in Montana; and

She attended public schools in Montana and

She attended public schools in Montana. And

Correct! Wrong!

Typically, in phrases with two separate clauses, commas are placed before coordinating clauses like "and." Semicolons and periods should not be used with this sentence as punctuation. No punctuation is required before the conjunction since the clause after "and" cannot be read as a sentence on its own.

Which sentence or paragraph in the passage below needs to be modified for spelling, punctuation, word choice, or length?

Susan’s primary criteria

for choosing a new car

is low gas mileage;

she isn’t interested in aesthetics.

Correct! Wrong!

There are multiple requirements, yet only one prerequisite—poor gas mileage—is mentioned. To meet the requirement, the plural form must be transformed to the singular form.

Determine whether the underlined portion of the sentence below is correct or whether it needs to be revised.

Yesterday I fell down the stairs and then

Yesterday I fell down the stairs, I

I fell down the stairs yesterday, I

After I fell down the stairs yesterday; I

Falling down the stairs; I

Correct! Wrong!

Pick the solution that best rephrases the paragraph in italics. Select option A if you believe the original phrase is the strongest.

Although nectar plants that monarch butterflies depend on for sustenance have dried up due to the terrible drought conditions.

Although extreme drought conditions have

Although extreme drought conditions has

Extreme drought conditions have

Extreme drought conditions has

Correct! Wrong!

Despite being a subordinating conjunction, "although" appears at the start of a dependent clause (a clause that cannot stand alone as a sentence.) The dependent clause becomes an independent clause when the word "extreme" appears at the beginning of the sentence. "Have" agrees with the subject "conditions" as an auxiliary verb.

Determine whether the underlined portion of the sentence below is correct or whether it needs to be revised.

laughed when the sheriff throws his mug.

laugh when the sheriff throws his mug.

laugh when the sheriff threw his mug.

laughed whenever the sheriff throws his mug.

laugh when the sheriff will throw his mug.

Correct! Wrong!

Determine whether the underlined portion of the sentence below is correct or whether it needs to be revised.

understand global warming and also to prevent it.

understand global warming but also to prevent it.

understand global warming yet also to prevent it.

understand global warming but also to prevent its growth.

understand global warming yet also to prevent it’s growth.

Correct! Wrong!

Determine whether the underlined portion of the sentence below is correct or whether it needs to be revised.

High school reunions are usually looked forward to by alumni that have worked hard since graduation and now consider themselves successful.

High school reunions are usually looked forward to by alumni who have worked hard since graduation and now consider themselves successful.

Alumni who have worked hard since graduation and now consider themselves successful usually look forward to high school reunions.

Alumnus that have worked hard since graduation and now consider themselves successful usually look forward to high school reunions.

High school reunions are usually looked forward to by alumni that have worked hard since graduation and now consider yourselves successful.

Correct! Wrong!

Which option makes the following sentence better?

The SEC sent an auditor to scrutinize the company's records after it became apparent that the hedge fund had been involved in some shady transactions.

Change pour to pore.

Change auditor to adjudicator.

Capitalize hedge fund.

Change the comma to a semicolon.

Correct! Wrong!

The most effective change is from pour to pore. Pouring something means making it run; poring over anything means looking very attentively at it, as when seeking for accounting tricks, for example.

Determine whether the underlined portion of the sentence below is correct or whether it needs to be revised.

the terrified couple spotted a building that looked safe.

a safe looking building was spotted by the terrified couple.

the terrified couple's luck changed when they spotted a safe looking building.

their fear subsided somewhat when the terrified couple would spot a safe looking building.

Correct! Wrong!

Determine whether the underlined portion of the sentence below is correct or whether it needs to be revised.

however

therefore

nevertheless

and

yet

Correct! Wrong!

Determine whether the underlined portion of the sentence below is correct or whether it needs to be revised.

making student’s valuables susceptible to theft

which makes student’s valuables susceptible to theft

that makes student’s valuables susceptible to theft

that makes students’ valuables susceptible to theft

making students’ valuables susceptible to theft

Correct! Wrong!

HiSET Language Arts Writing Practice Test 1

Determine whether the underlined portion of the sentence below is correct or whether it needs to be revised.

Which option makes the following sentence better? He regretted abruptly canceling the appointment, but there was no way he could arrive on time.

Which sentence or paragraph in the passage below needs to be modified for spelling, punctuation, word choice, or length?

Determine whether the underlined portion of the sentence below is correct or whether it needs to be revised.

Determine whether the underlined portion of the sentence below is correct or whether it needs to be revised.

Pick the solution that best rephrases the paragraph in italics. Select option A if you believe the original phrase is the strongest. She attended public schools in Montana, and graduated from the University of Montana at Missoula in 1902 with a Bachelor of Science degree in biology.

Which sentence or paragraph in the passage below needs to be modified for spelling, punctuation, word choice, or length?

Determine whether the underlined portion of the sentence below is correct or whether it needs to be revised.

Pick the solution that best rephrases the paragraph in italics. Select option A if you believe the original phrase is the strongest. Although nectar plants that monarch butterflies depend on for sustenance have dried up due to the terrible drought conditions.

Determine whether the underlined portion of the sentence below is correct or whether it needs to be revised.

Determine whether the underlined portion of the sentence below is correct or whether it needs to be revised.

Determine whether the underlined portion of the sentence below is correct or whether it needs to be revised.

Which option makes the following sentence better? The SEC sent an auditor to scrutinize the company's records after it became apparent that the hedge fund had been involved in some shady transactions.

Determine whether the underlined portion of the sentence below is correct or whether it needs to be revised.

Determine whether the underlined portion of the sentence below is correct or whether it needs to be revised.

Determine whether the underlined portion of the sentence below is correct or whether it needs to be revised.

Related Post

Which option makes the following sentence better?

He regretted abruptly canceling the appointment, but there was no way he could arrive on time.

Pick the solution that best rephrases the paragraph in italics. Select option A if you believe the original phrase is the strongest.

She attended public schools in Montana, and graduated from the University of Montana at Missoula in 1902 with a Bachelor of Science degree in biology.

Pick the solution that best rephrases the paragraph in italics. Select option A if you believe the original phrase is the strongest.

Although nectar plants that monarch butterflies depend on for sustenance have dried up due to the terrible drought conditions.

Which option makes the following sentence better?

The SEC sent an auditor to scrutinize the company's records after it became apparent that the hedge fund had been involved in some shady transactions.