PARCC Sentence Flow 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which revision best combines these choppy sentences? "The storm hit. It flooded the streets. People stayed home."
- When the storm hit, it flooded the streets, so people stayed home. (Correct answer)
- The storm hit and it flooded the streets and people stayed home.
- The storm hit, it flooded the streets, people stayed home.
- The storm hit; flooding streets; people home.
Correct answer: When the storm hit, it flooded the streets, so people stayed home.
Subordinating and coordinating the ideas creates smooth, logical flow.
Question 2: Which transition best shows contrast between two sentences?
- however (Correct answer)
- therefore
- furthermore
- meanwhile
Correct answer: however
"However" signals a contrast or opposing idea.
Question 3: Identify the run-on sentence.
- I finished my homework I went to bed. (Correct answer)
- After I finished my homework, I went to bed.
- I finished my homework, so I went to bed.
- I finished my homework; then I went to bed.
Correct answer: I finished my homework I went to bed.
Two independent clauses are joined without punctuation or a conjunction.
Question 4: Which sentence uses parallel structure correctly?
- She likes hiking, swimming, and biking. (Correct answer)
- She likes hiking, to swim, and biking.
- She likes to hike, swimming, and biked.
- She likes hike, swim, and to bike.
Correct answer: She likes hiking, swimming, and biking.
All three items share the same -ing form, creating parallelism.
Question 5: Where should a comma go to fix this sentence? "While we waited the rain stopped."
- After "waited" (Correct answer)
- After "While"
- After "rain"
- No comma is needed
Correct answer: After "waited"
A comma follows an introductory dependent clause.
Question 6: Which revision removes the redundancy? "The final outcome of the game ended in a tie."
- The game ended in a tie. (Correct answer)
- The final outcome ended in a tie game.
- The final game outcome was a tie ending.
- The outcome of the final tie game ended.
Correct answer: The game ended in a tie.
"Final outcome" and "ended" repeat the same idea, so trimming improves flow.
Question 7: Which sentence flows best by varying its opening?
- Quietly, the cat slipped through the open door. (Correct answer)
- The cat the cat slipped through the door.
- The cat slipped the cat through the door.
- Slipped the cat quietly door open through.
Correct answer: Quietly, the cat slipped through the open door.
Beginning with an adverb varies the sentence opener and reads smoothly.
Which revision best combines these choppy sentences? "The storm hit.
It flooded the streets.
People stayed home."