PARCC Writing Practice Questions 3 — Questions and Answers

Question 1: A student wants to add a concluding sentence to the following paragraph about recycling. Which sentence best concludes the paragraph? 'Recycling reduces the amount of waste sent to landfills. It conserves natural resources and saves energy. Communities that recycle also spend less money on waste disposal.'

Landfills are very large and take up a lot of space.
By adopting recycling programs, communities can protect the environment while saving money. (Correct answer)
Recycling is something that many people do not understand very well.
Some materials are easier to recycle than others.

Correct answer: By adopting recycling programs, communities can protect the environment while saving money.

Option B ties together the paragraph's two main points (environmental protection and cost savings) in a single summary statement.

Writing effective conclusions is a key PARCC writing skill. A concluding sentence for a paragraph should: (1) restate or synthesize the main idea, (2) connect to the key points already made, and (3) not introduce new, unrelated information. The paragraph makes two main points: (1) recycling helps the environment (reduces landfill waste, conserves resources, saves energy) and (2) recycling saves money. Option B synthesizes both of these points in a single conclusion ('protect the environment while saving money'), which is exactly what a strong concluding sentence does. Option A introduces a new detail about landfill size that was not discussed in the paragraph and does not summarize anything. Option C introduces a new idea (that people don't understand recycling) that contradicts the purpose of the paragraph, which advocates for recycling. Option D introduces a new topic (some materials are harder to recycle) that is tangential to the paragraph's content. Test strategy: read the paragraph and identify its core argument, then find the answer choice that most concisely restates or synthesizes that argument.

Question 2: Which transition word or phrase best fills the blank? 'Maria studied biology for years. ______, she decided to pursue a career in marine science.'

In contrast
As a result (Correct answer)
On the other hand
Nevertheless

Correct answer: As a result

The second sentence is a logical consequence of the first. 'As a result' signals a cause-and-effect relationship.

Transitions signal the logical relationship between ideas in writing. This is a key concept on PARCC writing and language assessments. Students must identify what kind of relationship exists between two ideas before selecting a transition. In this example, the two sentences have a cause-and-effect relationship: because Maria studied biology for years (cause), she decided to pursue a career in marine science (effect). This calls for a cause-effect transition. 'As a result' (option B) is a cause-effect transition — the correct choice here. 'In contrast' and 'On the other hand' signal contrast — they would be used if the second sentence introduced an opposing or different idea. For example: 'Maria studied biology for years. In contrast, her brother focused on chemistry.' These do not fit the given sentences. 'Nevertheless' signals a concession — it would mean something like 'despite the obstacle, the result still happened.' It does not fit because there is no obstacle or contradiction in the passage. Transition categories to memorize for PARCC: cause-effect (as a result, therefore, consequently), contrast (however, in contrast, nevertheless), addition (furthermore, in addition, moreover), and sequence (first, next, finally).

Question 3: A student is writing a research essay about climate change. Which source would be MOST reliable to cite?

A blog post by a concerned citizen that links to news articles
A Wikipedia article on global warming
A peer-reviewed study published in the journal Nature (Correct answer)
A social media thread with thousands of likes discussing rising temperatures

Correct answer: A peer-reviewed study published in the journal Nature

A peer-reviewed journal article has been evaluated by scientific experts for accuracy and methodology, making it the most credible source.

Evaluating source credibility is a critical research and writing skill on PARCC assessments. Students must understand what makes a source reliable, especially for scientific or academic topics like climate change. A peer-reviewed journal article (option C) is the gold standard for academic research. Before publication, other experts in the field independently review the methods, data, and conclusions. Nature is one of the most prestigious scientific journals in the world. This is the strongest source. A blog post (option A) may link to credible sources, but the blog itself is not peer-reviewed. Anyone can write a blog, regardless of expertise. Wikipedia (option B) is a useful starting point but is explicitly not considered a citable source in academic writing. Anyone can edit Wikipedia, and while many articles are accurate, they can contain errors or bias. Wikipedia itself recommends using its listed references as the actual sources. Social media (option D) is generally the least reliable source for scientific claims. Popularity (likes/shares) does not equal accuracy, and there is no editorial review process. Test strategy: for academic research questions, always prefer: peer-reviewed journals > government agencies (.gov) > established universities > reputable news organizations > general websites > social media/blogs.

Question 4: Which revision improves the clarity of this sentence? 'After finishing her dinner, the movie started playing on the television.'

After finishing her dinner, she started the movie on the television. (Correct answer)
She finished her dinner and then the movie started playing on the television.
The movie started playing on the television after dinner was finished.
After the movie started, she finished her dinner on the television.

Correct answer: After finishing her dinner, she started the movie on the television.

Option A correctly establishes that 'she' (not the movie) was the one who finished dinner, fixing the dangling modifier.

This question tests dangling modifiers in the context of revision — a key writing skill for PARCC. The original sentence says 'After finishing her dinner, the movie started playing.' This creates the illogical reading that the movie finished eating dinner. Option A is CORRECT: 'After finishing her dinner, she started the movie' correctly places 'she' (the person who ate dinner) immediately after the participial phrase. The phrase and the subject now logically match. Option B creates a run-on-style compound sentence that is grammatically acceptable but awkward and less concise than option A. It also changes the meaning slightly (she 'started' the movie vs. the movie 'started playing'). Option C is a passive construction. While it avoids the dangling modifier, it buries the actor and is less direct. PARCC generally prefers active voice in written expression. Option D creates a new logical error: she cannot be 'on the television' while finishing dinner. Key writing skill: when revising, always check whether the subject after a comma matches the person/thing performing the action in an opening phrase.

Question 5: Which sentence uses precise, specific language most effectively?

The athlete did really well in the competition and everyone was impressed.
Sprinter Nia Thomas shattered the regional 100-meter record by 0.3 seconds, earning a standing ovation from the crowd. (Correct answer)
The runner ran fast and broke a record, which was very exciting for people there.
A very good athlete performed at the event and achieved something great.

Correct answer: Sprinter Nia Thomas shattered the regional 100-meter record by 0.3 seconds, earning a standing ovation from the crowd.

Option B uses a specific name, specific event, a precise measurement, and a strong verb ('shattered') to create a clear and vivid image.

Using precise, specific language is a core writing standard assessed on PARCC. Vague, imprecise language weakens writing and makes it harder for readers to understand or visualize events. Option B is the strongest sentence because it contains: a specific name ('Nia Thomas'), a specific event ('100-meter record'), a precise measurement ('by 0.3 seconds'), a strong verb ('shattered' instead of 'broke'), and a vivid detail ('standing ovation'). Every word contributes concrete, meaningful information. Option A is vague: 'did really well,' 'everyone,' and 'impressed' are general. The word 'really' is considered a weak intensifier in formal writing. Option C is imprecise: 'ran fast,' 'broke a record,' 'very exciting,' and 'people there' are all vague. The reader gets almost no specific information. Option D is the weakest: it relies entirely on vague terms ('very good,' 'something great,' 'achieved something') and gives no specific information at all. Writing revision strategy on PARCC: look for vague nouns (thing, stuff, people), weak intensifiers (very, really, so), and imprecise verbs (did, got, went). Replace them with specific names, numbers, and strong action verbs.

Question 6: A student wrote the following claim for a persuasive essay: 'Schools should have longer lunch periods.' Which piece of evidence BEST supports this claim?

Many students report that they enjoy talking with their friends at lunch.
A 2023 study found that students with lunch periods of at least 30 minutes consumed 25% more fruits and vegetables and reported higher afternoon concentration. (Correct answer)
Some schools already have longer lunch periods than others.
Lunch is an important part of the school day for most students.

Correct answer: A 2023 study found that students with lunch periods of at least 30 minutes consumed 25% more fruits and vegetables and reported higher afternoon concentration.

Option B provides specific, research-backed data that directly supports why longer lunch periods are beneficial, making it the strongest evidence.

Selecting appropriate evidence for a claim is a cornerstone of PARCC writing and reading standards, particularly in argumentative writing. Strong evidence must be: relevant (directly supports the claim), specific (includes data, facts, or expert opinion), and credible (from a reliable source). Option B is CORRECT: It cites a specific study (2023), provides precise data (at least 30 minutes, 25% more fruits and vegetables), and adds a secondary benefit (higher afternoon concentration). This directly supports the claim that longer lunch periods are beneficial — it gives concrete reasons why the policy should be adopted. Option A gives a student opinion about enjoyment. While relevant, it is a subjective preference, not data-driven evidence. It would be weak support. Option C merely states that some schools already do this. It does not explain why longer lunch periods are better — it just notes that they exist somewhere. Option D is a general statement that restates the obvious. It does not provide any specific reason or data to support the claim. Test strategy: when asked to select evidence, always look for specificity (numbers, studies, named experts) and direct relevance (does this evidence actually prove the claim, or just relate to the topic?).

PARCC Writing Practice Questions 3

A student wants to add a concluding sentence to the following paragraph about recycling.
Which sentence best concludes the paragraph? 'Recycling reduces the amount of waste sent to landfills.
It conserves natural resources and saves energy.
Communities that recycle also spend less money on waste disposal.'