NoRedInk Writing Style 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which sentence best demonstrates the 'show, don't tell' principle in writing?
- She was very nervous before the speech.
- Her hands trembled as she gripped the podium, sweat beading on her forehead. (Correct answer)
- The speaker felt anxiety.
- Being nervous is common when public speaking.
Correct answer: Her hands trembled as she gripped the podium, sweat beading on her forehead.
'Show, don't tell' means depicting emotions through sensory details and actions rather than stating them outright.
Question 2: When should a writer use a dash (—) instead of a comma to set off a phrase?
- When the phrase is a standard dependent clause
- When the phrase requires extra emphasis or dramatic effect (Correct answer)
- When the phrase contains a list of items
- When the phrase follows a coordinating conjunction
Correct answer: When the phrase requires extra emphasis or dramatic effect
Dashes create stronger emphasis and interrupt the flow more dramatically than commas, making them ideal for highlighted asides.
Question 3: Which revision best eliminates the redundancy in this sentence: 'The reason why she left was because she was tired'?
- The reason why she left was that she was tired.
- She left because she was tired. (Correct answer)
- The reason she left was due to the fact she was tired.
- She left for the reason of being tired.
Correct answer: She left because she was tired.
'The reason why... was because' is redundant; the concise version simply uses 'because' to state the cause.
Question 4: A writer wants to maintain a formal tone throughout an academic essay. Which sentence fits best?
- The results were kinda surprising to the researchers.
- The findings yielded unexpected conclusions that challenged prevailing assumptions. (Correct answer)
- Nobody really saw those results coming.
- Wow — the data totally flipped the script on earlier theories.
Correct answer: The findings yielded unexpected conclusions that challenged prevailing assumptions.
Formal academic writing uses precise, professional vocabulary and avoids colloquialisms or informal expressions.
Question 5: Which technique is most effective for varying sentence rhythm in a paragraph?
- Starting every sentence with the same subject
- Using only complex sentences throughout
- Mixing short declarative sentences with longer, more complex ones (Correct answer)
- Ensuring all sentences are the same length
Correct answer: Mixing short declarative sentences with longer, more complex ones
Alternating sentence lengths creates rhythm and prevents monotony, keeping readers engaged.
Question 6: Which sentence uses parallelism correctly?
- She likes hiking, to swim, and running on trails.
- She likes hiking, swimming, and running on trails. (Correct answer)
- She likes to hike, swimming, and runs on trails.
- She likes hikes, to swim, and to be running.
Correct answer: She likes hiking, swimming, and running on trails.
Parallel structure requires that items in a series use the same grammatical form — here, all gerunds (-ing forms).
Question 7: In which situation would a writer most appropriately use second-person ('you') point of view?
- A research paper analyzing climate change data
- A personal narrative about childhood memories
- A how-to guide explaining steps to bake bread (Correct answer)
- A literary analysis of a Shakespeare play
Correct answer: A how-to guide explaining steps to bake bread
Second-person 'you' is natural in instructional writing because it directly addresses and guides the reader.
NoRedInk Writing Style 2
Which sentence best demonstrates the 'show, don't tell' principle in writing?