FREE ATB Writing Questions and Answers

Question 1

What correction should be made to this sentence:

After Orville and Wilbur Wright have flown their first airplane in 1903, the age of flying slowly began.

Accepted Answer

Change “have flown” to “flew”

Answer

The sentence describes a completed action in the past ("in 1903"), which requires the simple past tense. "Have flown" is the present perfect tense, implying an action that started in the past and continues to the present or has present relevance, which is incorrect for a specific past date. Changing "have flown" to "flew" correctly places the action in the simple past tense, aligning with the historical context.

Question 2

Which is the best way to combine sentences (A) and (B):

(A) In the years after the war and through the Roaring Twenties, America's pilots found themselves without jobs. (B) Some of them gave up flying altogether.

Accepted Answer

In the years after the war and through the Roaring Twenties, America's pilots found themselves without jobs; thus some of them gave up flying altogether.

Answer

This option effectively combines the two sentences by using a semicolon and the conjunctive adverb "thus" to show a cause-and-effect relationship. The pilots being jobless was the reason ("thus") some of them gave up flying altogether. This structure creates a clear, grammatically correct, and logically flowing compound sentence.

Question 3

What correction should be made to this sentence:

Another pilot, Roscoe Turner traveled around the country with a lion cub in his plane.

Accepted Answer

Answer

The phrase "Roscoe Turner" functions as an appositive, providing additional information about "Another pilot." Appositives should be set off by commas if they are non-essential. In this sentence, "Roscoe Turner" is a non-essential appositive, so a comma is needed after "Turner" to properly punctuate the phrase.

Question 4

What correction should be made to this sentence:

Before airmail, the post traveled on trains and can take weeks to reach a destination.

Accepted Answer

Change “can” to “could”

Answer

The sentence describes events in the past ("Before airmail," "traveled"). Therefore, the modal verb "can" (present tense) should be changed to its past tense form, "could," to maintain consistent past tense throughout the sentence. This ensures grammatical agreement and accurately reflects the historical context of the statement.

Question 5

Which is the best way to combine sentences (A) and (B):

(A) Flying for the post office was dangerous work. (B) Early pilots didn't have sophisticated instruments and safety equipment on their planes.

Accepted Answer

Early pilots didn't have sophisticated instruments and safety equipment on their planes which made flying for the post office dangerous work.

Answer

This option effectively combines the two sentences by clearly establishing a cause-and-effect relationship. The lack of sophisticated instruments and safety equipment is presented as the direct reason ("which made") that flying for the post office was dangerous work. This structure creates a concise and logically connected sentence.

ATB - Ability to Benefit Practice Test

ATB - Ability to Benefit Practice Test

FREE ATB Writing Questions and Answers