Question 1

For each pair of sentences, select the letter of the sentence with more concise language.

Accepted Answer

A)  Everyone needs to put forth an effort, and the reason why is because the whole entire team can't succeed if each and every member doesn't do his or her part to make it happen. 
B)  If every member does not try, the team can't succeed. 
A)  Everyone needs to put forth an effort, and the reason why is because the whole entire team can't succeed if each and every member doesn't do his or her part to make it happen. 
B)  If every member does not try, the team can't succeed.

Question 2

Select the letter of the correct order for each set of details or sentences.
-If someone faints in your presence, you should take several steps to help him or her. (1) _____ If you can feel a pulse, rub the person's arm or hand and call out his or her name; if you don't feel a pulse, call 911 and start CPR.
(2) _____ The first thing you should do is elevate the person's feet to increase blood flow to the head.
(3) _____ Ten minutes after waking up, the person who fainted should be helped to his or her feet slowly.
(4) _____ When the person revives (usually after two or three minutes), keep him or her lying down for five minutes.
(5) _____ Five minutes after waking up, the person who fainted should be helped to a sitting position.
(6) _____ After propping up the person's feet, you should check for a pulse.

Accepted Answer

A)  2, 6, 1, 4, 5, 3 
B)  1, 3, 4, 5, 2, 6 
C)  6, 2, 5, 1, 3, 4 
D)  4, 5, 1, 2, 6, 3 
A)  2, 6, 1, 4, 5, 3 
B)  1, 3, 4, 5, 2, 6 
C)  6, 2, 5, 1, 3, 4 
D)  4, 5, 1, 2, 6, 3

Question 3

Select the letter of the correct order for each set of details or sentences.
-Pedro has recently experienced a run of bad luck. (1) _____ It rained right after he washed his car, which immediately became dirty again.
(2) _____ The company he worked for went bankrupt, so he lost his job.
(3) _____ He forgot an important math test, didn't study, and got a failing grade.

Accepted Answer

A)  2, 3, 1 
B)  3, 1, 2 
C)  1, 2, 3 
A)  2, 3, 1 
B)  3, 1, 2 
C)  1, 2, 3

Question 4

Select the letter of the correct order for each set of details or sentences.
-The male peacock is perhaps nature's most beautiful and magnificent bird. (1) _____ black-and-white striped face
(2) _____regal, brilliant blue head crowned by a crest
(3) _____ long, sweeping tail feathers of iridescent green and gold ornamented with eye-like marks of blue
(4) _____ long, elegant neck and breast
(5) _____ plump brown body and brown wings

Accepted Answer

A)  3, 4, 1, 2, 5 
B)  5, 3, 2, 4, 1 
C)  4, 2, 3, 1, 5 
D)  2, 1, 4, 5, 3 
A)  3, 4, 1, 2, 5 
B)  5, 3, 2, 4, 1 
C)  4, 2, 3, 1, 5 
D)  2, 1, 4, 5, 3

Question 5

For each pair of sentences, select the letter of the sentence with more concise language.

Accepted Answer

A)  Typing is a valuable and beneficial skill to take while in school and learn to do. 
B)  Typing is a beneficial skill to learn. 
A)  Typing is a valuable and beneficial skill to take while in school and learn to do. 
B)  Typing is a beneficial skill to learn.

Question 6

Select the letter of the correct order for each set of details or sentences.
-You should wear sunscreen to protect your skin. (1) _____ Protecting your skin with sunscreen will help prevent skin cancer.
(2) _____ Blocking the sun's harmful rays will keep your skin from aging and becoming lined and wrinkled.
(3) _____ Sunscreen will keep you from getting freckles.

Accepted Answer

A)  3, 1, 2 
B)  1, 2, 3 
C)  2, 3, 1 
A)  3, 1, 2 
B)  1, 2, 3 
C)  2, 3, 1

Question 7

Select the letter of the correct order for each set of details or sentences.
-Making tortillas from scratch is actually a very easy process. (1) _____Scrape the dough out of the bowl, place it on a floured surface, divide it into two equal portions, cover it with plastic wrap, and let it sit at room temperature for twenty minutes.
(2) _____ Using the rolling pin, roll each ball of dough into an eight-inch circle.
(3) _____ Form the dough by mixing together six cups of flour, one teaspoon of baking powder, and half a teaspoon of salt in a bowl and then mixing in two and a half cups of warm water and a half a cup of vegetable shortening.
(4) _____ Divide each half of dough into eight equal portions, and then lightly flour your rolling pin and work surface.
(5) _____ Turn your stove to medium heat, lightly coat your skillet with vegetable oil, and cook each flattened circle of dough for one minute on each side.

Accepted Answer

A)  5, 2, 3, 4, 1 
B)  2, 5, 3, 1, 4 
C)  1, 3, 4, 5, 2 
D)  3, 1, 4, 2, 5 
A)  5, 2, 3, 4, 1 
B)  2, 5, 3, 1, 4 
C)  1, 3, 4, 5, 2 
D)  3, 1, 4, 2, 5

Question 8

For each pair of sentences, select the letter of the sentence with more concise language.

Accepted Answer

A)  Eating a nutritious breakfast will boost your energy and brain power. 
B)  Eating a nutritious breakfast meal in the morning will give your energy level a boost and improve your brain power so that you can think better. 
A)  Eating a nutritious breakfast will boost your energy and brain power. 
B)  Eating a nutritious breakfast meal in the morning will give your energy level a boost and improve your brain power so that you can think better.

Question 9

For each pair of sentences, select the letter of the sentence with more exact language

Accepted Answer

A)  Hannah was wearing a cowboy hat, a yellow polka dot dress, and green tights. 
B)  Her outfit was interesting. 
A)  Hannah was wearing a cowboy hat, a yellow polka dot dress, and green tights. 
B)  Her outfit was interesting.

Question 10

Select the letter of the correct order for each set of details or sentences.
-The state of North Carolina contains a wide range of land forms. (1) _____ In the center of the state is the heartland, which includes the Sandhills area.
(2) _____ At the western end of the state are the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains.
(3) _____ Moving eastward, the mountains turn into gentle rolling hills of the Piedmont,
Or foothills.
(4) _____ The very easternmost part of the state is the beautiful Coastal Plain on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean.

Accepted Answer

A)  4, 1, 3, 2 
B)  3, 4, 2, 1 
C)  2, 3, 1, 4 
D)  1, 3, 2, 4 
A)  4, 1, 3, 2 
B)  3, 4, 2, 1 
C)  2, 3, 1, 4 
D)  1, 3, 2, 4

Question 11

For each pair of sentences, select the letter of the sentence with more exact language.

Accepted Answer

A)  The temperature in Key West, Florida, reached 99 degrees every day during the second week of June. 
B)  It was hot there. 
A)  The temperature in Key West, Florida, reached 99 degrees every day during the second week of June. 
B)  It was hot there.

Question 12

Select the letter of the correct order for each set of details or sentences.
-In the wake of the hurricane, the house was a mess. (1) _____ The basement and the entire first floor flooded and filled with mud.
(2) _____ The glass of the kitchen window broke.
(3) _____ The high winds left debris like broken tree limbs all over the front yard.

Accepted Answer

A)  3, 1, 2 
B)  1, 2, 3 
C)  2, 1, 3 
A)  3, 1, 2 
B)  1, 2, 3 
C)  2, 1, 3

Question 13

For each pair of sentences, select the letter of the sentence with more exact language.

Accepted Answer

A)  Ricardo won a blue ribbon at the state fair for the squash he grew. 
B)  Ricardo is very good at what he does. 
A)  Ricardo won a blue ribbon at the state fair for the squash he grew. 
B)  Ricardo is very good at what he does.

Question 14

Select the letter of the correct order for each set of details or sentences.
-Our town's community playground is in desperate need of renovation. (1) _____ Some of the playground equipment is broken, so it can injure small children.
(2) _____ The playground is choked with weeds, and several pieces of equipment are peeling and in need of a coat of paint, making the whole area unattractive.
(3) _____ Several pieces of equipment, such as the squeaky teeter-totter and the rusted swing set, are run down and don't function well any more.

Accepted Answer

A)  3, 2, 1 
B)  2, 3, 1 
C)  1, 3, 2 
A)  3, 2, 1 
B)  2, 3, 1 
C)  1, 3, 2

Exam 4: Improving Your Paragraphs

For each pair of sentences, select the letter of the sentence with more concise language.

For each pair of sentences, select the letter of the sentence with more concise language.

For each pair of sentences, select the letter of the sentence with more concise language.

For each pair of sentences, select the letter of the sentence with more exact language

For each pair of sentences, select the letter of the sentence with more exact language.

For each pair of sentences, select the letter of the sentence with more exact language.

Exploring the Writing Process

Prewriting to Generate Ideas

Developing Effective Paragraphs

Thinking Through Paragraph Patterns

Thinking Through Paragraph Patterns

Moving From Paragraph to Essay

Proofreading to Correct Your Personal Error Patterns

Subjects and Verbs

Avoiding Sentence Fragments

Present Tense Agreement

Past Tense

The Past Participle in Action

Progressive Tenses to Be -Ing Verb Form

Fixed-Form Helping Verbs and Verb Problems

Coordination

Subordination

Avoiding Run-Ons and Comma Splices

Semicolons and Conjunctive Adverbs

Relative Pronouns

Ing Modifiers

Nouns

Pronouns

Adjectives and Adverbs

Prepositions

Consistent Tense

Consistent Person

Parallelism

Capitalization

Commas

Apostrophes

Direct and Indirect Quotations

Putting Your Proofreading Skills to Work

Spelling

Look-Alikes-Sound-Alikes

Filters