PARCC Grade 3 ELA Practice Questions 2 — Questions and Answers

Question 1: Read this sentence: 'The cat sat quietly on the soft, warm mat.' Which word is an adverb?

cat
quietly (Correct answer)
soft
warm

Correct answer: quietly

'Quietly' is an adverb because it describes how the cat sat (it modifies the verb 'sat'). Adverbs often end in -ly.

An adverb is a word that modifies (describes) a verb, an adjective, or another adverb. Adverbs answer questions like: How? When? Where? How often? To what extent? In the sentence 'The cat sat quietly on the soft, warm mat,' the word 'quietly' modifies the verb 'sat'—it tells us HOW the cat sat. This makes 'quietly' an adverb. The other words are different parts of speech: - 'Cat' is a noun (the subject of the sentence) - 'Soft' is an adjective (it describes the noun 'mat') - 'Warm' is an adjective (it also describes the noun 'mat') Many adverbs end in '-ly' (quietly, slowly, happily, carefully), which makes them easy to identify. However, not all adverbs end in '-ly' (fast, hard, well, very), and not all '-ly' words are adverbs (friendly, lovely, lively are adjectives). Identifying parts of speech is an important PARCC Grade 3 ELA skill. Practice by asking: what question does this word answer about another word in the sentence?

Question 2: Which sentence uses correct capitalization?

We visited the Washington monument last Summer.
We visited the Washington Monument last summer. (Correct answer)
we visited the washington monument last summer.
We Visited The Washington Monument Last Summer.

Correct answer: We visited the Washington Monument last summer.

'Washington Monument' is a proper noun (the name of a specific place) and must be capitalized. 'Summer' is a common noun (a season) and should not be capitalized.

Capitalization rules in English include: 1. Always capitalize the first word of a sentence. 2. Capitalize proper nouns — the specific names of people, places, organizations, and things. 3. Do NOT capitalize common nouns — general words that refer to a category rather than a specific item. In this sentence: - 'Washington Monument' is a proper noun (the name of a specific monument) → capitalize both words ✓ - 'summer' is a common noun (a season) → do NOT capitalize - 'We' is capitalized because it begins the sentence ✓ The seasons (spring, summer, fall/autumn, winter) are common nouns and are NOT capitalized, even though students often think they should be. Capitalize seasons only if they are part of a specific event name (e.g., 'Summer Olympics'). Capitalization is tested at Grade 3 on the PARCC ELA assessment. Key proper nouns to remember: names of people, specific places (cities, countries, landmarks), titles (when used as names), days of the week, months, and holidays.

Question 3: Which word correctly completes this sentence? 'She _____ her homework before dinner every night.'

done
do
does (Correct answer)
doing

Correct answer: does

'Does' is the correct present-tense, third-person singular verb form. 'She' is a third-person singular subject, which requires 'does,' not 'do.'

Subject-verb agreement means that the subject and verb must match in person (first, second, third) and number (singular, plural). For the verb 'to do' in the simple present tense: - First person singular: I do - Second person singular: you do - Third person singular: he/she/it DOES - First person plural: we do - Second person plural: you do - Third person plural: they do The subject 'She' is third-person singular, so the correct verb form is 'does.' 'Done' is a past participle used with helping verbs (has done, had done). 'Do' is correct for I, you, we, they — but not for he/she/it. 'Doing' is the present participle used with helping verbs (is doing, was doing). Subject-verb agreement is one of the most important grammar skills in Grade 3 ELA. Pay special attention to third-person singular subjects (he, she, it, and any singular noun), which require the 's' form of regular verbs (runs, talks, studies) or special forms like 'does,' 'has,' and 'is.'

Question 4: What is the main idea of a paragraph about how bees make honey?

Bees have stingers to protect themselves.
Bees collect nectar and turn it into honey through a multi-step process. (Correct answer)
Honey tastes sweet and can be used in cooking.
Bees live in hives with a queen bee.

Correct answer: Bees collect nectar and turn it into honey through a multi-step process.

The main idea is the central point of the paragraph. A paragraph about HOW bees make honey would have as its main idea the process of making honey.

The main idea of a paragraph is the central thought or most important point that the paragraph communicates. Every other sentence in a well-written paragraph provides details, examples, or explanations that support the main idea. For a paragraph specifically about HOW bees make honey: - The main idea would be about the process of making honey. - Supporting details would include steps like collecting nectar, storing it in the hive, evaporating water, and sealing cells with beeswax. The other options are details or tangentially related facts, but they are not the focus of a paragraph about the honey-making process: - Bee stingers are about defense, not honey-making. - How honey tastes is a separate topic. - Queen bees and hive structure relate to bee society, not the honey-making process. Identifying the main idea requires students to distinguish between broad, overarching statements (main idea) and specific, supporting details. This is one of the core reading comprehension skills assessed on the PARCC Grade 3 ELA exam, often tested with short passages followed by questions.

Question 5: Which sentence has correct end punctuation?

What a beautiful day.
What a beautiful day! (Correct answer)
What a beautiful day?
What a beautiful day

Correct answer: What a beautiful day!

'What a beautiful day' is an exclamation (expressing strong emotion). Exclamatory sentences end with an exclamation point (!), not a period or question mark.

Sentences are classified by their purpose, and each type uses different end punctuation: 1. Declarative sentence (makes a statement): ends with a period (.) Example: 'Today is a beautiful day.' 2. Interrogative sentence (asks a question): ends with a question mark (?) Example: 'Is today a beautiful day?' 3. Exclamatory sentence (expresses strong emotion): ends with an exclamation point (!) Example: 'What a beautiful day!' 4. Imperative sentence (gives a command or request): ends with a period or exclamation point Example: 'Enjoy this beautiful day!' or 'Please sit down.' 'What a beautiful day' is an exclamation expressing wonder or happiness about the weather. It requires an exclamation point to show the strong emotional response. A period would make it feel flat and robotic; a question mark would make no sense since nothing is being asked. Proper end punctuation is a fundamental writing skill tested in Grade 3 ELA on the PARCC exam. Students should practice classifying sentence types and matching them to the correct punctuation mark.

Question 6: Read this sentence: 'The tired, hungry puppy whimpered softly at the door.' Which TWO words are adjectives?

tired and softly
tired and hungry (Correct answer)
puppy and door
whimpered and hungry

Correct answer: tired and hungry

'Tired' and 'hungry' are both adjectives because they describe the noun 'puppy.' They tell what kind of puppy it is.

An adjective is a word that describes or modifies a noun. Adjectives answer questions like: What kind? Which one? How many? How much? In 'The tired, hungry puppy whimpered softly at the door': - 'Tired' describes the puppy (what kind of puppy? a tired puppy) → adjective ✓ - 'Hungry' describes the puppy (what kind of puppy? a hungry puppy) → adjective ✓ - 'Puppy' is a noun (the subject being described) - 'Whimpered' is a verb (the action) - 'Softly' is an adverb (it describes how the puppy whimpered) - 'Door' is a noun When two adjectives come before a noun and are separated by a comma (like 'tired, hungry puppy'), they are called coordinate adjectives. You can test if a comma is needed by inserting 'and' between them: 'tired and hungry puppy' sounds natural, confirming they are coordinate adjectives that need a comma. Distinguishing adjectives from adverbs is a key Grade 3 grammar skill. Remember: adjectives modify nouns; adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs.

PARCC Grade 3 ELA Practice Questions 2

Read this sentence: 'The cat sat quietly on the soft, warm mat.' Which word is an adverb?