TSI Writing Practice Test #3 2

Question 1

Which sentence demonstrates strong word choice for academic writing?

Accepted Answer

The study revealed a significant correlation between sleep deprivation and decreased cognitive performance.

Answer

Option A uses precise academic vocabulary ("significant correlation," "cognitive performance," "sleep deprivation") and maintains a formal, objective tone appropriate for academic writing.

Question 2

A sentence reads: "The company, which was founded in 1998, and which quickly expanded into European markets, and which employed over 10,000 workers by 2005, was acquired last year." What is the primary writing problem?

Accepted Answer

Excessive use of "which" clauses makes the sentence awkward and hard to follow

Answer

Stacking multiple "which" clauses creates an unwieldy, difficult-to-read sentence. The content should be reorganized into shorter, clearer sentences.

Question 3

Which of the following is an example of an appeal to emotion (pathos)?

Accepted Answer

"Imagine a child going to bed hungry every night — this is the reality for 1 in 6 American children."

Answer

"Imagine a child going to bed hungry" uses vivid imagery to evoke empathy and compassion — a direct appeal to the reader's emotions (pathos).

Question 4

Identify the error in: "Neither the students or the teacher knows the answer."

Accepted Answer

Two errors: "or" should be "nor," and "knows" should be "know" since the subject closest to the verb is plural

Answer

"Neither…nor" is the correct correlative conjunction pair (not "neither…or"). With "neither…nor," the verb agrees with the nearest subject — "teacher" (singular) → "knows." Wait: nearest subject is teacher (singular), so "knows" is actually correct if we fix "or" to "nor." The error is only "or" → "nor."

Question 5

A writer finishes a body paragraph with: "This is why exercise is important." How could this concluding sentence be improved?

Accepted Answer

By connecting the paragraph's evidence back to the thesis more specifically

Answer

A strong paragraph conclusion should link back to the specific thesis claim rather than making a vague general statement. Specificity reinforces the essay's argument.

TSI Practice Test

TSI Practice Test

TSI Writing Practice Test #3 2