Exam 1: Writing Effective Paragraphs

Instructions: The following sentences form a paragraph. For each item, select the underlined part that contains an error. The East, for example, where the sun rises , is the source of all life, truth, and new ideas it is represented by a white wolf.

Instructions: The following sentences form a passage. Select the correct noun for each blank. Most ____ remember that Robinson led the Brooklyn Dodgers to victory in the 1955 World Series.

Instructions: In each sentence below, select the letter of the correctly punctuated sentence. Which sentence is correctly punctuated?

Instructions: Select the letter of the correct verb or verbs for each sentence. Experts maintain a careful watch for tsunamis along the Pacific coastline, but sadly, technology still ( does , do ) not guarantee the public safety.

Instructions: Select the letter of the word in the sentence that is a look-alike/sound-alike error. Joel hoped that his new job on Sundays would not effect his grade-point average.

Instructions: Each group of sentences below could be unscrambled and written as a paragraph. Read each group, and select the letter of the topic sentence for each. Choose the topic sentence.

Instructions: In each sentence below, a blank space appears where the verb should be. Decide which verb agrees with the subject of the sentence. Select the letter of the correct answer. Where is the driver who usually ____ this route?

Instructions: In each set below, select the letter of the sentence in which capital letters and punctuation have been used correctly. Which sentence uses capital letters and punctuation correctly?

Instructions: Select the letter of the writing process step in which the task is completed. Arranging ideas in a plan or outline

Instructions: Below is a source followed by passage(s) from student papers. If the student has summarized, directly quoted, or indirectly quoted the source correctly, select Correct. If you believe the source is incorrectly summarized or plagiarized, select Incorrect. A generation ago, it was considered rude to eat in front of others. Now, Americans eat everywhere, all day long an average of five meals a day, counting snacks. Cars have cupholders, but they arguably need trays, too. Americans eat 30 meals a year in their vehicles. Brink, Susan. Eat This Now! U.S. News World Report , 28 Mar. 2005: 57. Print. Student version: Americans no longer confine themselves to eating at home. As a matter of fact, Susan Brink says that a generation ago, it was considered rude to eat in front of others. Now, though, Americans eat thirty meals a year in their vehicles.

Instructions: Select the letter of the sentence that is correctly punctuated with commas. Which sentence is correctly punctuated?

Instructions: In each of the following sentences, a blank space appears where a verb should be. Select the letter of the correct helping verb and past participle form. Tomas s outrageous antics ____ the attention of the camp counselors.

Instructions: The following sentences form a paragraph. Select the correct words and punctuation for each blank. The library is now housed in three buildings: ____.

Instructions: Select the sentence that uses concise, fresh, and exact language. Which sentence uses concise, fresh, and exact language?

Instructions: Read the paragraph below and answer the question(s) that follow. (1) Soda may be one of America s favorite beverages, but many experts now believe that drinking soda is bad for our health. (2) Because soda is high in calories but offers no nutritional value, it contributes to weight gain and obesity. (3) The sugar and acid in soda can cause unhealthy tooth decay. (4) Even sugar-free drinks may cause health problems because, as some studies have indicated, artificial sweeteners may increase the risk for cancer and other diseases. (5) Other research has shown that drinking soda is harmful to bones. (6) The phosphorus in soda causes bones to lose calcium. (7) As a result, they weaken and break more easily. How many causes or effects does the writer present?

Instructions: The paragraphs of the following essay have been scrambled so that they are out of order. Read them and then answer the question(s) that follow. Acting to Save Mother Earth _____ (1) These personal actions may not seem important. (2) At the very least, though, they can relieve some of the helplessness we all feel when faced with threats of global disasters. (3) If carried out on a larger scale by millions of individuals, they could greatly improve our environment and lives. _____ (4) A third way of taking action for the planet is wise management of hazardous wastes. (5) Hazardous wastes include paint, old car batteries, oven and drain cleaners, mothballs, floor and furniture polish, pesticides, and even toilet bowl cleaners. (6) First of all, we should store hazardous materials properly by keeping them in their original containers; making sure they are clearly labeled; and keeping them in a cool, dry place that is out of the reach of children. (7) Second, we can reduce our use of these products by buying only what we need and by sharing anything that might be left over. (8) Third, we should take great care when disposing hazardous wastes. (9) Certain wastes such as old car batteries and motor oil can be refined and reused, and in some cities they can be turned in for special burning. (10) However, local authorities have to be contacted because disposal practices vary so much from place to place. _____ (11) Every day we hear more bad news about our planet. (12) Reports tell us that wildlife and forests are disappearing at an alarming rate. (13) Newscasts give the latest word on how quickly Earth is losing its protective shield and warming up. (14) Newspapers lament the pollution of our air, water, and soil. (15) What can we do in the face of such widespread gloom? (16) In fact, we do not have to feel helpless. (17) We can each learn practical ways to better our environment. _____ (18) But that s not all we can do. (19) Another Earth-saving habit is precycling all kinds of waste. (20) This means buying food and other products packaged only in materials that will decay naturally or that can be recycled. (21) The idea is to prevent unrecyclable materials from even entering the home. (22) For instance, the 190 pounds of plastic especially Styrofoam each American uses a year are thrown out as soon as packages are opened. (23) Be kind to your planet by buying eggs, fast food, and other products in cardboard instead of Styrofoam cartons. (24) Buy beverages in recyclable glass, aluminum, or plastic containers. (25) Buy in bulk to reduce the amount of packaging; you will save money, too. (26) Finally, when you can, buy products whose packaging shows the recycled logo. (27) Materials that have been recycled once can be recycled again. _____ (28) For example, saving and recycling newspapers has a number of positive results. (29) First, recycling newspaper saves trees. (30) The average American consumes about 120 pounds of newsprint a year enough to use up one tree. (31) That means close to 250 million trees each year are destroyed for paper in this country alone. (32) If we recycled only one-tenth of our newspaper, we would save 25 million trees a year. (33) Second, making new paper from old paper uses up much less energy than making paper from trees. (34) Finally, this process also reduces the air pollution of paper making by 95 percent. Part A: Select the letter of the answer that numbers the paragraphs in the order they should appear in the essay. a. 5, 4, 1, 3, 2 b. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 c. 4, 1, 5, 2, 3 Part B: Select the number of the topic sentence in the second paragraph in the reordered sequence. a. Sentence 28 b. Sentence 29 c. Sentence 34 Part C: What transitional expression shows the relationship between paragraphs 3 and 4 in the reordered sequence? a. A third way b. But c. For example Part D: What linking technique does the writer use at the beginning of the third paragraph in the reordered sequence? a. She repeats key words or ideas from the thesis statement. b. She refers to a word or idea from the preceding paragraph. c. She uses a transitional sentence.

Instructions: Select the correct noun for each blank. The ____ ran a series of tests to confirm that the new chemical plant meets environmental codes.

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. Every citizen should exercise their constitutional right to vote.

Instructions: Each question below is an entry for a Works Cited page. Select Correct if the entry is correctly formatted according to MLA guidelines or Incorrect if the entry is not correctly formatted. Lance Armstrong Loses (Almost) Everything. Slate.com. The Slate Group. 24 Aug. 2012. Web. 26 Aug. 2012.

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