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Please select the best answer:
  1. What is a portfolio?

     It is a folder that you fill with your ideas and writing samples.

     It is a set of pictures that help you develop ideas.

     It is a collection of prewriting clusters.

     It is a collection of essays.

  2. What is the first step in the writing process?



     Identifying your purpose.


  3. Why do we have a revision stage when writing essays?

     To create new ideas.

     To make sure your voice is consistent.

     To organize your thoughts.

     To check for grammatical errors.

  4. What is a logical bridge?

     An idea you carry over from sentence to sentence in a paragraph.

     The building block of any piece of writing.

     A plan summary of your essay.

     The guide for your paragraph.

  5. What is an effective way to think of ideas for an essay?




     Writing a paragraph.

  6. What is wrong with this topic sentence: ''The first car I owned was a Ford''?

     It is grammatically incorrect.

     It is too broad.

     It is too narrow.

     Nothing; it is a good topic sentence.

  7. What part of an essay consists of three paragraphs that support your thesis statement?

     The conclusion.

     The introduction.

     The appendix.

     The body.

  8. How would you improve the following thesis statement: ''Buying an SUV is bad for the environment, but sometimes a family needs the extra room''?

     Add one more main point.

     Begin the thesis statement with the words, ''I believe that . . .''

     Remove one of the main points.

     Make it into a phrase or clause.

  9. What two things must you accomplish in your conclusion?

     Remind readers of the main points, and show them how all the different details relate to the thesis statement.

     Restate your thesis, and introduce a new topic.

     Persuade and educate your readers.

     Get readers to keep reading, and restate your main idea.

  10. What is the purpose of a descriptive essay?

     To tell a story.

     To demonstrate your knowledge of a process.

     To describe something so that readers use their five senses.

     To explain something that has deeply affected the writer.

  11. When you are given an assignment and have to choose a general essay category to use, what will your choice depend on?

     The details you will use.

     The topic of your essay.

     Your enthusiasm and excitement as a storyteller.

     That your essay topic does not require any fact-checking.

  12. Which of the following is a thesis statement for a descriptive essay?

     To write an essay, you must create three main parts: the introduction, the body, and the conclusion.

     Chocolate must truly be a gift from heaven, with its rapturous aroma, silken texture, and blissful taste.

     Teaching my little son how to swim was an adventure!

     Eleanor Roosevelt's journey from shy, insecure young woman to courageous social activist inspired my own journey of change.

  13. What do compare and contrast essays do?

     They show how similar or different at least two things are.

     They argue one point over another.

     They describe items using details that excite the senses of readers.

     They tell a story about someone's personal experience.

  14. What does the term ''cohesive devices'' refer to?

     Topic sentences.

     Organizational methods.

     Transitional words and phrases.

     Supporting details.

  15. When should you use the item-by-item organizational method in compare and contrast essays?

     When you write a contrast essay.

     When you write a compare essay.

     When the topic has lots of details.

     When the topic has limited details.

  16. You are asked to write a cause and effect essay about people getting divorced. If the cause is divorce, then which of the following supporting details is an effect?

     One partner wants children while the other does not.

     Loss of home.



  17. What do English speakers in particular look for in cause and effect essays?

     Universal connections between all things.

     Humorous descriptions and illustrations of facts.

     Clear similarities and differences between ideas or topics.

     Relationships based on tangible facts that the reader can clearly see and understand.

  18. Writing any type of essay requires attention and care; why does writing cause and effect essays require extra attention?

     Because the essay has to be clear and concise.

     Because the relationship of cause and effect has to be logical and closely related.

     Because cause and effect essays are important.

     Because the reader needs to know who is telling the story.

  19. What is your goal when you write an argumentation essay?

     Defend a particular point of view and change your readers' opinions.

     Demonstrate the similarities and differences of two different subjects.

     Examine the results of a particular action.

     Tell about your personal experiences in a storytelling style.

  20. Which of the following is an emotional fallacy?

     If you drive a large vehicle, then you are against the environment.

     Since you cannot prove that pollution causes climate changes, then no restrictions on the businesses that pollute are necessary.

     You must become a vegetarian if you love animals.

     If you have a heart, you will send money to us to help the poor children.

  21. What is an afterthought?

     An idea that supports the introduction of an essay.

     The thought that controls each paragraph.

     An idea, response, or explanation that occurs to one after writing has been completed.

     What the writer really wants to say.

  22. How would you improve the following sentence: ''Yesterday, I bought a car that is red in color''?

     Trim the wordiness and repetitive meaning.

     Remove the word ''Yesterday.''

     Make it a complete sentence.

     The sentence is fine as is.

  23. What common error in English is found in the following sentence: ''I do not have nothing''?

     There is no error.

     It is not a complete sentence.

     It has a double negative.

     It contains a cliche.

  24. What part of writing is an expression that has been worn out through constant use?




     Vague words.

  25. Which statement below identifies the error in this sentence: ''The toys in the garage is for sale''?

     Improper subject-verb agreement.

     Shift in verb tense.

     Improper reported speech.

     Shift in person.

  26. The verb ''to do'' can act as a main verb in English. How else is it used?

     As a synonym for ''to make.''

     To form a passive sentence with another action verb.

     With noncount nouns.

     To emphasize another action verb.

  27. Which sentence demonstrates the passive voice?

     Jack ate the apple.

     Kenny's report was finished last night.

     Tammy had looked for the recipe yesterday.

     Bobby said Lindsay had cried all night.

  28. How would you change the clause in the following sentence to a phrase: ''Because she needed some money to buy books, Hilda went to the bank''?

     She needed some money, Hilda went to the bank.

     Hilda needed some money and went to the bank.

     Because needing some money, Hilda went to the bank.

     Needing some money to buy books, Hilda went to the bank.

  29. What is the function of prepositions?

     To modify nouns.

     To join words and clauses.

     To show a positional relationship.

     To describe verbs.

  30. What do adjective clauses do in a sentence?

     They add interesting, though not necessarily essential, information.

     They form the subject of the sentence.

     They form the object of the sentence.

     They describe how the action of the verb is performed.

  31. What is the problem with the following sentence: ''When Carie hit her foot against the desk, it broke''?

     It repeats the subject of the sentence.

     It has a vague pronoun reference.

     It omits the subject in an independent clause.

     We need a semicolon after the word ''desk.''

  32. When should you use the present participial form of an adjective?

     If the noun we want to describe is the cause of the action.

     If the noun we want to describe is the one affected by the action.

     If the verb we want to describe is happening in the present.

     If there is a coordinating conjunction in the sentence.

  33. What error does the following sentence commit: ''Sabri favorite car is old''?

     The modifier is in the wrong place.

     ''Old'' should come before ''favorite.''

     ''Favorite'' should end in ''-ing.''

     The sentence is missing the possessive apostrophe ''s'' after Sabri.

  34. Which of the following sentences correctly demonstrates how to use commas in a series?

     The children ate apples oranges bananas and watermelon at the picnic.

     Denise likes to cry, and yell when she is upset.

     Susan likes to make sandwiches with turkey, beef, and mustard, chicken salad, lettuce, and cheese, and cucumbers, carrots, and pickles.

     Andy likes to eat hot soup, cold sandwiches, and warm desserts.

  35. What is the correct way to punctuate the following sentence: ''After washing the girl cats the boy bandaged his scratched arms''?

     After washing the girl, cats the boy bandaged his scratched arms.

     After washing the girl cats, the boy bandaged his scratched arms.

     After washing, the girl cats the boy bandaged his scratched arms.

     After, washing the girl cats the boy bandaged his scratched arms.

  36. What does the term ''nonessential'' mean when applied to a phrase?

     That the phrase is not interesting.

     That the phrase makes the sentence wordy.

     That a sentence would still make sense if this phrase were removed.

     That the phrase is not needed.