NCDAP Writing Skills 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which sentence demonstrates correct parallel structure?
- She likes hiking, to swim, and running.
- She likes hiking, swimming, and running. (Correct answer)
- She likes to hike, swimming, and to run.
- She likes hiking, to swim, and she runs.
Correct answer: She likes hiking, swimming, and running.
Parallel structure requires all items in a list to use the same grammatical form—here, all gerunds (-ing).
Question 2: What type of error appears in this sentence: 'I went to the store, I bought milk.'
- Fragment
- Comma splice (Correct answer)
- Dangling modifier
- Incorrect pronoun case
Correct answer: Comma splice
A comma splice occurs when two independent clauses are joined only by a comma without a coordinating conjunction.
Question 3: Which option correctly rewrites the following fragment: 'Because the storm knocked out the power.'
- Because the storm knocked out the power, the game was cancelled. (Correct answer)
- Because the storm, it knocked out the power.
- The storm, because it knocked out the power.
- The power was knocked out. Because of storm.
Correct answer: Because the storm knocked out the power, the game was cancelled.
A subordinate clause beginning with 'because' must be attached to an independent clause to form a complete sentence.
Question 4: Choose the sentence with correct pronoun-antecedent agreement: 'Each student must submit _______ essay by Friday.'
- their
- our
- his or her (Correct answer)
- its
Correct answer: his or her
When the antecedent is a singular indefinite pronoun like 'each,' traditional grammar uses 'his or her' for formal agreement.
Question 5: Which sentence avoids redundancy?
- The final conclusion was reached at the end.
- We must cooperate together on this project.
- The committee reached a conclusion after deliberation. (Correct answer)
- She repeated the same mistake again.
Correct answer: The committee reached a conclusion after deliberation.
'Final conclusion,' 'cooperate together,' and 'repeated the same mistake again' all contain redundant words that repeat meaning.
Question 6: Which version of the underlined portion best improves this sentence: 'The scientist, who had studied the virus for decades, and she made a breakthrough.'
- for decades, and she made
- for decades, she made
- for decades; she made
- for decades made (Correct answer)
Correct answer: for decades made
Removing the extra subject 'she' eliminates the double-subject error and makes 'The scientist…made' the clean main clause.
Question 7: Which sentence uses a colon correctly?
- My favorite colors are: red, blue, and green.
- I need: to study more often.
- She brought everything we needed: sunscreen, water, and snacks. (Correct answer)
- The colon: is a useful punctuation mark.
Correct answer: She brought everything we needed: sunscreen, water, and snacks.
A colon should follow a complete independent clause before introducing a list or explanation.
NCDAP Writing Skills 3
Which sentence demonstrates correct parallel structure?