Writing Ability Flashcards
7 cards from real NFST practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Writing Ability flashcards as text
Which sentence best demonstrates precise word choice in a government report?
Answer: The security situation deteriorated rapidly.
Precise, formal vocabulary like 'deteriorated' and 'rapidly' is preferred in official government writing.
Which of the following best describes the purpose of a topic sentence?
Answer: It states the main idea that the paragraph will develop.
A topic sentence introduces the central idea of a paragraph, guiding the reader about what will follow.
Which option corrects the comma splice in: 'The treaty was signed, both parties celebrated.'?
Answer: The treaty was signed; both parties celebrated.
A semicolon correctly joins two independent clauses that are closely related without a coordinating conjunction.
Which is the best example of using specific evidence to support a claim in writing?
Answer: The policy reduced border incidents by 40% in fiscal year 2025.
Specific, quantifiable evidence ('reduced by 40%') is far more persuasive and credible than vague generalizations.
Which version of the sentence correctly uses 'fewer' vs. 'less'?
Answer: There were fewer complaints after the new policy was implemented.
'Fewer' is used with countable nouns (complaints), while 'less' is used with uncountable quantities.
In formal writing, which phrase should generally be avoided?
Answer: It should be noted that
'It should be noted that' is a filler phrase that delays the real content and adds no meaning; it should be cut.
Which sentence best uses concrete language over abstract language?
Answer: The literacy program raised graduation rates by 15% in three counties.
Concrete language specifies exactly what happened (literacy program, 15% rise, three counties) rather than using abstractions like 'outcomes' or 'impact'.