TSI Writing Practice Test #2 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which sentence is correct?
- Whoever finishes first may leave early. (Correct answer)
- Whomever finishes first may leave early.
- Whoever first finishes may leave early, correct.
- Who finishes first, they may leave early.
Correct answer: Whoever finishes first may leave early.
"Whoever" is used as the subject of the clause "whoever finishes first." "Whomever" is used as an object, which is incorrect here since the pronoun is the subject of "finishes."
Question 2: Which version of the sentence correctly uses a hyphen?
- She submitted a well-written report. (Correct answer)
- She submitted a well written report.
- She submitted a well-written-report.
- She submitted a wellwritten report.
Correct answer: She submitted a well-written report.
Compound modifiers before a noun are hyphenated. "Well-written" modifies "report" and comes before it, so it requires a hyphen. No hyphen is needed if the modifier comes after the noun (e.g., "the report was well written").
Question 3: Choose the sentence with correct modifier placement.
- She only eats vegetables on weekdays.
- She eats only vegetables on weekdays. (Correct answer)
- She eats vegetables only on weekdays.
- Only she eats vegetables on weekdays.
Correct answer: She eats only vegetables on weekdays.
The intended meaning is that she eats nothing but vegetables (not meat, etc.) on weekdays. Placing "only" directly before "vegetables" makes this meaning clear. Each placement changes the meaning.
Question 4: A student writes: "In today's society, many people use technology on a daily basis." What is wrong with this sentence?
- It uses several redundant and clichéd phrases that add no meaning (Correct answer)
- It has a subject-verb agreement error
- It contains a dangling modifier
- It is correctly written with no issues
Correct answer: It uses several redundant and clichéd phrases that add no meaning
"In today's society" and "on a daily basis" are padding clichés. "Daily" is simpler and more direct than "on a daily basis." Good academic writing avoids these empty phrases.
Question 5: Which sentence uses the correct form of the verb?
- The data show that temperatures are rising. (Correct answer)
- The data shows that temperatures are rising.
- The data is showing that temperatures are rising.
- The data shown that temperatures are rising.
Correct answer: The data show that temperatures are rising.
"Data" is technically a plural noun (singular: datum), so in formal academic writing it takes a plural verb: "data show." In informal usage "data shows" is common but not preferred in formal contexts.
Question 6: Which sentence most effectively opens a persuasive essay about reducing food waste?
- Each year, Americans discard 80 million tons of food — enough to feed every food-insecure family in the country. (Correct answer)
- Food waste is a problem that needs to be addressed in the United States.
- There are many reasons why food waste is bad for the environment.
- This essay will discuss the problem of food waste in America.
Correct answer: Each year, Americans discard 80 million tons of food — enough to feed every food-insecure family in the country.
A powerful opening engages readers with a striking statistic and its implication. Option A does this effectively; the others are vague, clichéd, or announce the essay's topic instead of capturing attention.
TSI Writing Practice Test #2 2
Which sentence is correct?