ESL Sentence Skills Practice Test for the ACCUPLACER® test

Question 1

What is the best version of the underlined part of this sentence? One of the choices involves leaving the sentence as it is written.New haircut and glasses despited<\/u>, she was recognized by people wherever she went.

Accepted Answer

In spite of her new haircut and glasses,

Answer

The original phrase 'New haircut and glasses despited' is grammatically incorrect because 'despited' is not a word. The correct idiomatic expression to introduce a contrasting element is 'in spite of' or 'despite'. Option B, 'In spite of her new haircut and glasses,' correctly uses this idiom to convey that she was recognized even with changes to her appearance.

Question 2

What is the best version of the underlined part of this sentence? One of the choices involves leaving the sentence as it is written. Daniel found that when it came to the need for 8 hours of sleep every night, he was an exception to the rule<\/u>.

Accepted Answer

he was an exception to the rule

Answer

The original phrase 'he was an exception to the rule' is grammatically correct and uses the standard idiom. It clearly conveys that Daniel did not conform to the general rule of needing 8 hours of sleep. Options A, B, and C introduce grammatical errors, change the meaning, or use incorrect verb forms ('excepted' or 'excepting').

Question 3

What is the best version of the underlined part of this sentence? One of the choices involves leaving the sentence as it is written. When my brother and I were children, we found five kittens hided under our porch<\/u>.

Accepted Answer

we found five kittens hidden under our porch

Answer

The original sentence uses the incorrect past participle 'hided.' The correct past participle of the verb 'to hide' is 'hidden.' Option D, 'we found five kittens hidden under our porch,' correctly uses 'hidden' to describe the state of the kittens, making the sentence grammatically sound and clear.

Question 4

We could find no one to look after our son, so my wife and I stayed home last night.  Keeping the meaning the same, rewrite this sentence beginning with:  Last night my wife and I stayed home,

Accepted Answer

because we could find no one to watch our son.

Answer

The original sentence establishes a cause-and-effect relationship: they stayed home *because* they couldn't find a babysitter. To maintain this meaning when starting with 'Last night my wife and I stayed home,' the rewritten sentence must clearly state the reason. Option C, 'because we could find no one to watch our son,' accurately preserves this causal link, explaining why they stayed home.

Question 5

We filled our garden with perennial plants so we don’t have to replant every year; we look forward to watching them grow for years to come.  Keeping the meaning the same, rewrite this sentence beginning with:  We want a garden that will grow for years to come without replanting,

Accepted Answer

so we filled it with perennial plants

Answer

The original sentence explains that they filled their garden with perennial plants *so that* they wouldn't have to replant every year. The rewritten sentence, 'We want a garden that will grow for years to come without replanting,' sets up this desire. Option D, 'so we filled it with perennial plants,' correctly uses 'so' to indicate that filling the garden with perennials was the action taken to achieve that desire, maintaining the original meaning of purpose or consequence.

Accuplacer Practice Test

Accuplacer Practice Test

ESL Sentence Skills Practice Test for the ACCUPLACER® test