Test Prep PRAXIS-WRITING-SECTION Online Practice Questions and Exam Preparation

Test Prep PRAXIS-WRITING-SECTION Online Questions & Answers

• Question 1:

  Identify the error in the following sentence:

  Peter is the best candidate for the job because he has years of experience managing large project teams, balancing department budgets, and supervising many employees.

  A. best
  B. because
  C. balancing department budgets,
  D. and supervising many employees
  E. No error
  E. No error

  ---

  The correct answer is "No error" because there are no errors in this sentence. Because two items from the list of Peter's past job duties are offered as choices, you might be tempted to think that they lack parallel construction. Parallel construction errors are often highlighted on standardized tests and commonly occur in student writing, so you should always check for them. However, this list contains like items, similar construction, and the same verb tense throughout. It has no errors in parallelism.

• Question 2:

  Determine whether the underlined portion of the sentence below is correct or whether it needs to be revised. Choose the correct option. Fraternities are a great way to make friends and learn important lessons of loyalty and compassion.

  A. are a great way to make friends and
  B. is a great way to make friends and
  C. will have been a great way to make friends and
  D. will be a great way to make friends and
  E. is a great way to make friends however
  A. are a great way to make friends and

  ---

  The original sentence is correct as written. There is no need to change the verb form or tense.

• Question 3:

  Determine whether the underlined portion of the sentence below is correct or whether it needs to be revised. Choose the correct option. It went on raining, and every day it got a little higher.

  A. No error
  B. on raining: and every day
  C. raining on, and every day
  D. on raining, every day
  E. raining on; and every day
  A. No error

  ---

  The original sentence is correct.

• Question 4:

  Identify the error in the following sentence:

  Although Neal loves almost everything about living in the forest, he does dislike raking the tree's leaves that blanket his lawn each fall.

  A. Although
  B. does
  C. tree's
  D. fall
  E. No error
  C. tree's

  ---

  The correct answer is "tree's" because there are many trees that shed all those leaves each fall. To show that a singular noun owns something, the apostrophe goes in front of the "s." To show that a plural noun own something, the apostrophe goes in after of the "s." Changing "tree's" to "trees'" would correct the error in this sentence by reflecting that the leaves in Neal's yard come from many trees, not just one.

• Question 5:

  Determine whether the underlined portion of the sentence below is correct or whether it needs to be revised. Choose the correct option.

  In countries such as China the government is recognizing the advantages of a capitalist market rather than communism and adjust economic policy accordingly.

  A. capitalist market rather than communism and adjust
  B. capitalist market rather than Communism and adjust
  C. capitalist market rather than a communist market and adjust
  D. capitalist market rather than a communist market and adjusting
  E. Capitalistic market nor a Communist market and adjusting
  D. capitalist market rather than a communist market and adjusting

  ---

  The problem with this sentence is in parallel structure. The test is very particular about being consistent about the forms of words used. So specifically since the sentence refers to a capitalist market, then the sentence must refer to a communist market -- not communism, which is an ideology rather than a market system in this context. Only choices "capitalist market rather than Communism and adjust", "capitalist market rather than a communist market and adjusting" and "Capitalistic market nor a Communist market and adjusting" remain. Choice "Capitalistic market nor a Communist market and adjusting" commits terrible capitalization (neither "capitalist" nor "communist") mistakes and structure errors (where does the "nor" fit in? It does not.) Only choice "capitalist market rather than Communism and adjust" and choice "capitalist market rather than a communist market and adjusting" remain now, but "capitalist market rather than Communism and adjust" mistakenly capitalizes communism and does not change "adjust" to match the parallel verb (i.e. recognizing). Choice "capitalist market rather than a communist market and adjusting" uses the right adjective forms of capitalism and communism, does not make capitalization errors and maintains parallel sentence structure.

• Question 6:

  Identify the error in the following sentence: "Turn off your lights!" he shouted at there father.

  A. "Turn
  B. lights!"
  C. there
  D. father.
  E. No error
  C. there

  ---

  The word their should be used rather than there.

• Question 7:

  Determine whether the underlined portion of the sentence below is correct or whether it needs to be revised. Choose the correct option.

  High school reunions are usually looked forward to by alumni that have worked hard since graduation and now consider themselves successful.

  A. High school reunions are usually looked forward to by alumni that have worked hard since graduation and now consider themselves successful.
  B. High school reunions are usually looked forward to by alumni who have worked hard since graduation and now consider themselves successful.
  C. Alumni who have worked hard since graduation and now consider themselves successful usually look forward to high school reunions.
  D. Alumnus that have worked hard since graduation and now consider themselves successful usually look forward to high school reunions.
  E. High school reunions are usually looked forward to by alumni that have worked hard since graduation and now consider yourselves successful.
  C. Alumni who have worked hard since graduation and now consider themselves successful usually look forward to high school reunions.

  ---

  The problem with this sentence is that it uses the passive voice and a mistaken pronoun to refer to people (i.e. that). Choice "Alumni who have worked hard since graduation and now consider themselves successful usually look forward to high school reunions" and choice "Alumnus that have worked hard since graduation and now consider themselves successful usually look forward to high school reunions" change the passive voice to the active voice by writing that the alumni commit the action, rather than writing that the action was committed by the alumni. Also, choice "Alumnus that have worked hard since graduation and now consider themselves successful usually look forward to high school reunions" mistakenly changes "alumni" (plural) to "alumnus" (singular). Choice "Alumni who have worked hard since graduation and now consider themselves successful usually look forward to high school reunions" is the best choice because "alumni" is plural as it should be based on the logic of the sentence (not just one person looks forward to high school reunions) and the active voice is properly implemented.

• Question 8:

  Determine whether the underlined portion of the sentence below is correct or whether it needs to be revised. Choose the correct option. Jewelry is an accessory used by members of all classes including watches, necklaces and earrings.

  A. Jewelry is an accessory used by members of all classes including watches, necklaces and earrings.
  B. Jewelry, including watches, necklaces and earrings, is an accessory used by members of all classes.
  C. Jewelry, including watches, necklaces and earrings, are an accessory used by members of all classes.
  D. Jewelry is accessorized by members of all classes including watches, necklaces and earrings.
  E. Jewelry is an accessory used by members of all classes which includes watches, necklaces and wearing earrings.
  B. Jewelry, including watches, necklaces and earrings, is an accessory used by members of all classes.

  ---

  The problem with this sentence is the misplacement of the clause that describes jewelry. By placing "...including watches, necklaces, and earrings." after "classes" the reader gets the impression that the classes involves different types of jewelry. By moving the clause, choice "Jewelry, including watches, necklaces and earrings, is an accessory used by members of all classes" and choice "Jewelry, including watches, necklaces and earrings, are an accessory used by members of all classes" improve the sentence. However, choice "Jewelry, including watches, necklaces and earrings, are an accessory used by members of all classes" commits the error of using a plural form of "to be" (i.e. are) to refer to a collective noun like jewelry that demands a singular verb (i.e. is). Only choice "Jewelry, including watches, necklaces and earrings, is an accessory used by members of all classes" places the clause correctly after "jewelry" and ensures that the verb agrees with the subject.

• Question 9:

  Determine whether the underlined portion of the sentence below is correct or whether it needs to be revised. Choose the correct option. Listen to you're parents; they know more than you might think.

  A. No error
  B. you're parents
  C. you're parents, "
  D. your parents,"
  E. your parents;
  E. your parents;

  ---

  The contraction for you are is inappropriate. Also, the two clauses express slightly different ideas and should therefore be separated by a semi-colon.

• Question 10:

  Determine whether the underlined portion of the sentence below is correct or whether it needs to be revised. Choose the correct option. A shockingly indelible moment, I remember exactly where I was and what I was doing when I found out that Kurt Cobain had died.

  A. A shockingly indelible moment,
  B. A shocking, indelible moment,
  C. It was a shocking and indelible moment;
  D. Shocked and indelible,
  E. Shocking and I will never forget it,
  C. It was a shocking and indelible moment;

  ---

  "A shockingly indelible moment,", "A shocking, indelible moment,", "Shocked and indelible,", and "Shocking and I will never forget it," all have dangling modifier errors, because they aren't describing what comes after the comma. Indelible means not able to be erased; you wouldn't say that about a person in this context.