Exam 1: Writing Effective Paragraphs

Instructions: The following sentences form a passage. Select the correct adjective or adverb for each blank. Everyone thought that the ship was built ____.

Instructions: The following sentences form a paragraph. Select the correct word for each blank. First, ____ 77-inch-long blade scrapes the rough ice surface.

Instructions: Read each of the sentences below carefully. Then select the correct word in parentheses. On Mother s Day, Maura rented The Artist because it is ( her , hers ) mother s favorite movie.

Instructions: For each sentence below, choose the correct preposition to insert. Select the letter of the correct answer. Marianne is agoraphobic; she has a fear ____ open spaces.

Instructions: Read the paragraph below and answer the question(s) that follow. (1) Crime dramas are some of the most watched television shows today, and it s true that shows like the popular C.S.I . are interesting and entertaining. (2) However, C.S.I. is also producing some serious problems. (3) Some people say that C.S.I. is actually making real-life crimes harder to solve by giving criminals good tips for covering their tracks. (4) For example, crime experts have been noticing an increase in cases in which suspects have burned or bleached evidence to destroy DNA samples that can be traced back to them. (5) In other cases, criminals have planned their crimes using techniques they learned on C.S.I. for leaving no evidence behind them. (6) Another effect has been the reluctance of real-life juries to convict criminals in the absence of clear-cut evidence like the kind gathered by the fictional forensic scientists on the C.S.I. show. (7) Prosecutors say that the show distorts viewers impressions of the speed and accuracy of crime labs, technology, and gadgets. (8) Therefore, viewers form unrealistic expectations of actual criminal courtroom trials. (9) In fact, this phenomenon has been given a name: the C.S.I. effect. How many causes does the writer include to develop the topic sentence?

Instructions: Read the paragraph below and answer the question(s) that follow. (1) The average age of first marriage has been rising; in America, it is now 28.4 for men and 26.5 for women. (2) Why are people waiting longer to get married? (3) Americans are postponing marriage for a number of reasons. (4) One cause of this phenomenon is young people s desire to concentrate on their careers before taking on the additional responsibilities of a spouse and children. (5) Many people also want to enjoy the freedom and independence of the single life as long as possible. (6) Another reason for postponing marriage is the lack of pressure to marry. (7) Society now finds it acceptable for people in their twenties to be involved in intimate, long-term relationships without tying the knot. (8) Therefore, friends and family members are less likely to urge young people to formally commit to one another. (9) Yet another cause for the rising age of first marriage is the fear of divorce combined with high expectations for a marital relationship. (10) People want to wait to marry until they re sure they ve found their perfect soul mate. Select the number of the topic sentence in the paragraph above.

Instructions: Select the letter of the correct definition of the word. Contrast

Instructions: Find the complete subject and the complete verb in each of the following sentences. Then select the letter of the answer that contains both the subject and the verb. Laura could have scored that last run in the ninth inning.

Instructions: In each of the sentences below, select the letter for the word that most exactly and vividly completes the sentence. In her singing debut at Carnegie Hall, Constance gave a ____ performance.

Instructions: Read the paragraph below and answer the question(s) that follow. (1) At my Halloween party, my friend George showed up wearing on his head what looked like an ax embedded in his skull. (2) His hair was matted with fake blood. (3) On his face, he used rubber scars and gashes, makeup, and more fake blood to make it look as though he had been sliced and diced. (4) On one eye, he wore another prosthetic rubber device that made his eye appear slashed. (5) More bloody wounds covered his neck. (6) His tattered clothes were spattered with fake blood, and a fake knife protruded from his back. (7) George looked absolutely grotesque in that gory getup. How are the details arranged in this paragraph?

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. Most people like pizza, but he or she don t know it can be made at home.

Instructions: Read each of the sentences below carefully. Then select the correct word in parentheses. The committee nominated Sandra Jimenez, ( their , its ) favorite candidate.

Instructions: Select the answer that correct joins each pair of simple sentences with conjunctions or conjunctive adverbs and is punctuated correctly. You can wait here for your prescription to be filled. It will take fifteen minutes.

Instructions: For each of the following sentences, select the list of words that should include apostrophes. The television announcers always manage to mispronounce the ambassadors name.

Instructions: Read the paragraph below and answer the question(s) that follow. (1) The staff at the Shoe Barn is trained to use a very effective customer service procedure. (2) When a customer enters the store, a nearby salesperson first greets that person by saying, Hello, welcome to Shoe Barn. (3) Second, the salesperson asks the customer, Can I help you find something today? (4) Third, the employee listens carefully to the customer s description of the shoes he or she is looking for and leads the customer to the appropriate part of the store. (5) While helping the customer find what he or she needs, the salesperson also describes that day s specials and sales. (6) Finally, when the customer is ready to purchase an item or leave the store, the salesperson smiles and says, Thank you for shopping at Shoe Barn! Which of the following sentences in the paragraph does NOT contain a transitional expression that indicates time?

Instructions: Read the paragraph below and answer the question(s) that follow. (1) People who are interested in developing an artistic talent can now use their smart phones or computer tablets to tap into their creative potential. (2) For example, a budding artist can download sketchbook apps that turn a mobile device s screen into a canvas for sketching, drawing, or painting with either fingers or a stylus. (3) A musician who wants to practice or learn to play can get apps that turn a phone or tablet into a virtual piano, guitar, flute, or other instrument. (4) A poet will find apps that help with discovering ideas, finding the right words and rhymes, and composing stanzas. (5) A dancer can turn a mobile device into a tool for learning new steps or moves. Select the number of the topic sentence in the paragraph above.

Instructions: In each set below, choose the sentence in which all the apostrophes are used correctly. Select the letter of the correct answer. Which sentence uses apostrophes correctly?

Instructions: Read the following sentence(s) carefully. Then select the correct adjective or adverb in parentheses. At age eight, Tanya can play the drums ( more good , better ) than her teenage brother.

Instructions: Read the following paragraph. For each set of sentences below the paragraph, select the letter of the sentence that provides the best revision for consistency; parallel structure; sentence variety; and fresh, concise language. On December 4, 1872, the crew of the Dei Gratia discovered a ship named the Mary Celeste drifting in the Atlantic. Some of them rowed out to investigate. According to their account, the ship was seaworthy, but a lifeboat was missing, and not one single, solitary person was on board. It seemed that the Mary Celeste s crew simply vanished into thin air without a trace, leaving their oilskin boots and pipes behind. The Mary Celeste s captain recorded his last entry in the ship s log book on November 25 when the ship lands on an island in the Azores. An Admiral Court inquiry found no evidence of foul play or piracy, and praise for the crew of the Dei Gratia for safely bringing both vessels to harbor. The public didn t give a hoot about the incident until young Arthur Conan Doyle s fictional version of the event made them chomp at the bit to learn more in 1884. Conan Doyle described untouched breakfasts and still-warm cups of tea on the captain s table. The public began to confuse fiction with the facts. Obsessed with the mystery, many people developed theories about what happened; some suggested, for example, that the ship experienced a seaquake, and others wondering if the Dei Gratia s men slaughtered everyone. Which sentence provides the best revision for consistency; parallel structure; sentence variety; and fresh, concise language?

Instructions: Read the paragraph below and answer the question(s) that follow. (1) People who are interested in developing an artistic talent can now use their smart phones or computer tablets to tap into their creative potential. (2) For example, a budding artist can download sketchbook apps that turn a mobile device s screen into a canvas for sketching, drawing, or painting with either fingers or a stylus. (3) A musician who wants to practice or learn to play can get apps that turn a phone or tablet into a virtual piano, guitar, flute, or other instrument. (4) A poet will find apps that help with discovering ideas, finding the right words and rhymes, and composing stanzas. (5) A dancer can turn a mobile device into a tool for learning new steps or moves. Select the number of the sentence containing a transitional expression that introduces an illustration.