ISASP Writing and Language Conventions 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: On the ISASP Writing assessment, what is the primary purpose of a 'thesis statement'?
- To clearly state the main argument or central idea of an essay (Correct answer)
- To list all the sources used in the essay
- To describe the physical setting of the topic
- To provide a summary of what others have written
Correct answer: To clearly state the main argument or central idea of an essay
A thesis statement is a sentence that presents the writer's main argument or central claim, giving direction to the entire essay.
Question 2: Which sentence correctly uses a comma with a coordinating conjunction to join two independent clauses?
- She studied hard for the ISASP, so she felt confident on test day. (Correct answer)
- She studied hard for the ISASP so, she felt confident on test day.
- She studied hard for the ISASP so she felt confident, on test day.
- She studied hard, for the ISASP so she felt confident on test day.
Correct answer: She studied hard for the ISASP, so she felt confident on test day.
When joining two independent clauses with a coordinating conjunction (FANBOYS), a comma is placed before the conjunction.
Question 3: On the ISASP, what is the purpose of 'transitions' in writing?
- To smoothly connect ideas, sentences, or paragraphs and show relationships between them (Correct answer)
- To introduce new characters in a narrative
- To list sources at the end of an essay
- To repeat the thesis statement in every paragraph
Correct answer: To smoothly connect ideas, sentences, or paragraphs and show relationships between them
Transitions are words or phrases that connect ideas and guide the reader through the logic and flow of a piece of writing.
Question 4: Which of the following best describes 'precise language' as expected in ISASP writing tasks?
- Using specific, accurate words that clearly convey meaning rather than vague terms (Correct answer)
- Using the longest possible words to sound sophisticated
- Repeating key terms in every sentence
- Avoiding all descriptive adjectives
Correct answer: Using specific, accurate words that clearly convey meaning rather than vague terms
Precise language means choosing specific, accurate words that convey exactly the intended meaning, avoiding vague or general terms.
Question 5: On the ISASP, what does 'subject-verb agreement' mean?
- A singular subject takes a singular verb, and a plural subject takes a plural verb (Correct answer)
- The subject and verb must both be in the same paragraph
- A verb must always come directly before its subject
- All verbs in an essay must be in the same tense
Correct answer: A singular subject takes a singular verb, and a plural subject takes a plural verb
Subject-verb agreement is the grammatical rule that a singular subject requires a singular verb and a plural subject requires a plural verb.
Question 6: In ISASP writing, what is the function of a 'concluding paragraph'?
- To restate the main idea, synthesize key points, and leave the reader with a final thought (Correct answer)
- To introduce a brand-new argument not discussed in the essay
- To list all evidence used in the body paragraphs
- To ask the reader a series of open-ended questions
Correct answer: To restate the main idea, synthesize key points, and leave the reader with a final thought
A concluding paragraph wraps up the essay by restating the thesis in new words, synthesizing key points, and leaving the reader with a meaningful final thought.
ISASP Writing and Language Conventions 1
On the ISASP Writing assessment, what is the primary purpose of a 'thesis statement'?