Exam 1: Writing Effective Paragraphs

Instructions: The following sentences form a paragraph. Select the correct word for each blank. Before the Zamboni was invented, a tractor shaved the ice. Then ____ cleaned away the slush; sprayed water over the new, smooth ice; and waited for it to freeze, a process that took up to an hour.

Instructions: In each of the following sentences, a blank space appears where a verb should be. Select the letter of the verb that agrees with the subject of the sentence. One of the car s six cylinders ____ not working.

Instructions: Proofread the following sentences, which form an essay, for errors in the past participle. If the sentence contains a past participle error, select Past participle error. If the sentence is correct, select Correct. These living blankets have growed on top of dead layers of water-soaked vegetation, thus creating historical treasure troves.

Instructions: The following sentences form an essay. Select the correct verb for each blank. Of course, we learn as much as our children and certainly ____ not mind spending extra hours at the museum with them.

Instructions: Select True if the statement is true or False if the statement is false. Proofreading should occur immediately after you complete a draft of a paper.

Instructions: Read the paragraph below and answer the question(s) that follow. (1) Houseguests can be classified according to their level of self-sufficiency as independent, semidependent, or completely dependent. (2) Independent guests make an effort to fit their routines to yours; they make their own beds, cook breakfast if they get up early, and know how to entertain themselves if you have other things to do. (3) These usually are the guests you want to invite back. (4) Semidependent guests demand more of your attention and companionship; they may want to be driven around town or may urge you to play pool with them even though you hate pool or have a term paper due. (5) Still, the guests in this category may have charming qualities that make their visit worthwhile. (6) Most infuriating are the helplessly dependent guests, who enter your house as if it were a hospital or spa, expecting to be taken care of. (7) My friend George, for example, sprawls on a chair, his feet on my coffee table, complaining about his love life while I cook dinner, set the table, and change the CDs. (8) After two days of waiting on George while I try to solve his problems, I m exhausted. (9) As these categories show, houseguests are a mixed blessing some more mixed than others. Give the number of the topic sentence in the paragraph above.

Instructions: Select the letter of the answer that correctly identifies each of the types of prewriting illustrated below. The prewriting below is an example of Feb. 3. Yesterday at work a man brought a wallet to the counter. He d found it on the ground and wanted to return it to its owner. It was filled with $20 bills I don t know how many, but it was a lot of money. I found a driver s license and called the person who had dropped the wallet. When he came in to pick it up, he said everything was there. Credit cards, money nothing was missing. It made me think about honesty and wonder how many people who found such a wallet would turn it in, as the man who found it did, and how many people would take the money. Feb. 4. I just read a Time magazine article about Bono, the leader singer of the Irish rock band U2. I really admire him because he s not only talented but also works hard on charitable causes. He is especially interested in helping the people of Africa. Most rock stars are selfish and self-centered, but he s making it cool to care.

Instructions: For each of the following sentences, select correct if the sentence is punctuated correctly, fragment if it is a fragment, run-on if it is a run-on, and comma splice if it is a comma splice. John Calloway was elected governor of Oklahoma in 1923, he had a large barbecue.

Instructions: In each of the following sentences, a blank space appears where a verb should be. Select the letter of the verb that agrees with the subject of the sentence. Whenever my family ____ to a baseball game, we all ____ hot dogs and pretzels.

Instructions: Proofread the following sentence(s) for inconsistent tense and person. In addition, check for faulty parallelism. Select the type of error each sentence contains. Claude occasionally drops by my dorm room for a visit, but you don t expect him to visit every time he s in my neighborhood.

Instructions: The following sentences form a paragraph. For each item, select the underlined part that contains an error. A third kind of stress is cause by conflict. Being forced to choose between two things can be very stressful, even if the two things are good.

Instructions: In each set of sentences below, select the letter of the sentence that includes an error. Which sentence includes an error?

Instructions: The following sentences form a paragraph. Select the correct word or phrase for each blank. Each month, a committee decides who is in and who is out of the collections. A celebrity is chosen for ____ fame, recognizability, and publicity potential.

Instructions: Read the paragraph below and then answer the question(s) that follow by selecting the letter of the correct response. Playing video games can be a fun and relaxing hobby. For some players, though, this activity can become an addiction that s as harmful as gambling. That s why gamers who play two or more hours a day should be aware of the signs of addiction. One of these signs is abandonment of other hobbies. Someone who stops participating in all other leisure time activities or social events to play video games may be in the grip of a harmful addiction. Another sign of possible addiction is constantly thinking or talking about a game even while doing other things. If thoughts about the next gaming session prevent someone from paying attention to other tasks or people, that player could be addicted. A final warning sign is fighting with or lying to loved ones about the amount of time spent playing. Neglecting relationships with family members and friends is a classic sign of video game addiction. The purpose of this paragraph is to

Instructions: For each of the following statements, select the answer that correctly identifies the cause and effect. The high rate of divorce has increased the number of single-parent families in America.

Instructions: The following sentences form an essay. If the sentence contains a pronoun error, select Pronoun error. If the sentence is free of pronoun errors, select Correct. Me, I blended the other ingredients and added the dissolved yeast.

Instructions: Each question below is a topic sentence followed by supporting details. The steps in each set are not in correct chronological order. Select the letter of the answer that arranges each group of details according to the proper time sequence. Changing the oil in your car will require you to follow several steps. ____ When the oil stops draining, screw the plug back on and lower the car. ____ Next, place a plastic catch pan under the drain hole, and remove the drain hole plug so all the old oil can pour out. ____ Finally, check the oil level and add more oil if the car needs it. ____ To drain the old oil, first set the hand brake and jack up the front end of the car. ____ Now pour in the fresh oil, and then start the engine and check for leaks. ____ When the front end is back on the ground, remove the dirty oil filter and replace it with a clean one.

Instructions: The following sentences form a paragraph. Select the correct word or phrase for each blank. Visitors can see and have ____ photograph taken with more than 400 eerily lifelike statues of such people as Barack Obama, Joan of Arc, Elvis Presley, David Beckham, the Dalai Lama, and Jennifer Lopez.

Instructions: Read the paragraph below and answer the question(s) that follow. (1) Do you know what happens when you fall asleep? (2) After studying brain-wave patterns, neuroscientists identified five distinct stages of human sleep. (3) In stage 1, you feel drowsy and your muscles begin to relax. (4) This stage between waking and sleep only lasts five to ten minutes. (5) During the second stage, you experience light sleep. (6) Your heart rate, brain activity, and breathing slow down, and your body temperature decreases. (7) In the third stage, you transition between light sleep and the fourth stage of deep sleep. (8) It is during stages 3 and 4, which are known as slow-wave sleep, that your body rests, replenishes its energy, and repairs itself. (9) Finally, about 90 minutes after you first fall asleep, the fifth stage of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep occurs. (10) Your brain is very active, but your muscles are paralyzed. (11) During REM sleep, you dream. (12) Throughout an average night, you move constantly from one stage to another in recurring cycles. (13) These sleep cycles last about 70 to 90 minutes and are repeated four or five times a night. (14) While you do not go through all five stages of sleep consecutively, you will experience each stage at least once during a full sleep cycle. How many stages are in the process?

Instructions: The following sentences form a paragraph. For each item, select the underlined part that contains an error. However, experts say that by learning to recognize the major stresses in our lives, we can begin to balance stress with exercise time with loved ones and just plain fun.