NeSA Writing 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which sentence contains a correctly placed comma in a compound sentence?
- She studied hard, and she passed the test. (Correct answer)
- She studied hard and, she passed the test.
- She studied, hard and she passed the test.
- She, studied hard and she passed the test.
Correct answer: She studied hard, and she passed the test.
In a compound sentence, a comma is placed before the coordinating conjunction (and, but, or) that joins two independent clauses.
Question 2: What is the purpose of a thesis statement in an essay?
- To summarize the body paragraphs
- To state the main argument or central idea (Correct answer)
- To introduce background information
- To provide a conclusion for the reader
Correct answer: To state the main argument or central idea
A thesis statement presents the writer's main argument or central idea, guiding the entire essay.
Question 3: Which type of writing primarily aims to convince the reader to adopt a viewpoint?
- Narrative writing
- Descriptive writing
- Persuasive writing (Correct answer)
- Expository writing
Correct answer: Persuasive writing
Persuasive writing uses arguments and evidence to convince the reader to agree with the writer's position.
Question 4: Which revision best improves this sentence? 'The dog was walked by Maria every morning.'
- Every morning, a dog was walked.
- Maria walked the dog every morning. (Correct answer)
- The dog walked by Maria every morning.
- Walking the dog was done by Maria every morning.
Correct answer: Maria walked the dog every morning.
Converting from passive voice to active voice makes the sentence clearer and more direct.
Question 5: In an expository essay, what is the role of a topic sentence in a body paragraph?
- To restate the thesis statement
- To introduce the main idea of that paragraph (Correct answer)
- To provide a concluding thought
- To list supporting evidence
Correct answer: To introduce the main idea of that paragraph
A topic sentence introduces and controls the main idea of its paragraph, keeping the paragraph focused.
Question 6: Which transition word best shows contrast between two ideas?
- Furthermore
- Therefore
- However (Correct answer)
- Similarly
Correct answer: However
'However' signals a contrast or shift in ideas, making it the appropriate transition for opposing information.
NeSA Writing 1
Which sentence contains a correctly placed comma in a compound sentence?