Test Prep PRAXIS PRAXIS-WRITING-SECTION Questions & Answers

• Question 91:

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

  The argument between Paarin and me about the dent in his car continued until the early morning.

  A. between Paarin and me about the dent in his car continued

  B. between Paarin and I about the dent in his car continued

  C. about the dent in his car continued for Paarin and I

  D. on the dent in his car between Paarin and me continued

  E. between Paarin and I on the dent in his car continued

  Correct Answer: A

  Explanation: "between Paarin and I about the dent in his car continued", "about the dent in his car continued for Paarin and I", and "between Paarin and I on the dent in his car continued" all have pronoun case errors: when the pronoun is the object of a preposition like "between," you need to use the objective case. "on the dent in his car between Paarin and me continued" is awkward, especially in its misused idiom: "argument on."

• Question 92:

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

  Sports are a significant part of life for people all across the world, as was demonstrated in 2006 when billions of people came together to be involved with the World Cup either through playing, watching or thru advertising.

  A. World Cup either through playing, watching or thru advertising.

  B. World cup either through playing, watching or thru advertising.

  C. World Cup either through playing, watching or through advertising.

  D. World Cup either through playing, watching or advertising.

  E. World Cup either through playing, watching or advertising for it.

  Correct Answer: D

  Explanation: This sentence tests your knowledge of capitalization and awareness of parallelism. The original sentence is incorrect because choice "World Cup either through playing, watching or thru advertising" destroys the parallelism (i.e. thru advertising instead of simply "advertising") and uses the informal spelling of through (i.e. "thru"). Only choices "World Cup either through playing, watching or advertising" and "World Cup either through playing, watching or advertising for it" correct the parallelism error; however, the list should strictly contain gerunds in order to be parallel, so "advertising for it" is not the best choice. By ending with "for it" the author is also implying that one may "play for it" and "watch for it," and although one may play for the World Cup through a grammar stretch, one cannot possibly "watch for it" and do the same thing as one who simply "watches it." Choice "World Cup either through playing, watching or advertising" uses the appropriate capitalization (because the World Cup is a major sports event it is a proper noun that must be capitalized) and maintains strict parallelism in the concluding list of ways to be involved.

• Question 93:

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

  In many cultures, they consider fish eggs a delicacy.

  A. In many cultures they consider fish eggs a delicacy.

  B. In many cultures fish eggs are considered a delicacy.

  C. In many cultures a delicacy is considered to be fish eggs.

  D. Fish eggs, a delicacy in many cultures.

  E. They consider fish eggs to be a delicacy in many cultures.

  Correct Answer: B

  Explanation: "In many cultures they consider fish eggs a delicacy" is tempting, but the pronoun "they" is vague. "They consider fish eggs to be a delicacy in many cultures" has the same vague pronoun problem. "In many cultures a delicacy is considered to be fish eggs" is just weird all over. "Fish eggs, a delicacy in many cultures" is a fragment.

• Question 94:

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

  Firefighters and police officers risk their lives often by stepping into the way of danger physically; therefore, professionals such as doctors and lawyers have an equally significant impact on individuals' lives medically and legally. Therefore, but nevertheless as a result and Firefighters and police officers risk their lives often by stepping into the way of danger physically; therefore, professionals such as doctors and lawyers have an equally significant impact on individuals' lives medically and legally.

  A. therefore

  B. but

  C. nevertheless

  D. as a result

  E. and

  Correct Answer: C

  Explanation: The first clause (everything before the semi colon) definitely does not cause what is explained in the second clause (everything after the semi colon), so "therefore" is an inappropriate transition. This sentence is presenting contrasting professions (firefighter/police officer and doctor/lawyer) since two are viewed as blue-collar (working class) and the others are white-collar (professional); therefore, a contrasting conjunction is needed. Choice "therefore", choice "as a result" and choice "and" do not present contrasting conjunctions. In this sentence "but" is not your best option for a conjunction. A semi-colon is used, so the three simple conjunctions (and/but/yet/etc.) are not as appropriate as the complex conjunctions (therefore/however/nevertheless/etc.). If just a comma was used, then "but" would have been appropriate (i.e. "...into the way of danger physically, but professionals such as doctors..."). So now it's down to "nevertheless." Choice "nevertheless" is the best answer.

• Question 95:

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

  For every song that is a hit, it is critical to have a quality "beat" and quality lyrics; however, music companies hire professional producers and song writers.

  A. however

  B. therefore

  C. nevertheless

  D. and

  E. yet

  Correct Answer: B

  Explanation: The underlined portion of this sentence is wrong because the conjunction "however" needs to properly reflect the supporting nature of the second clause--NOT a contrasting relationship. Choice "however", "nevertheless" and "yet" all reflect a contrasting relationship when a supporting and united relationship should be here. Choice "therefore" and "and" are left. Choice "therefore" is best because the initial clause creates a premise (the requirements for a good song) that the second clause needs to support (how the requirements are met); therefore is the ideal transition for this type of cause-effect relationship.

• Question 96:

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

  Natural disasters have been increasingly effecting nearly every part of the world in the past decade with catastrophic tornadoes, hurricanes and tsunamis.

  A. have been increasingly effecting

  B. has been increasingly effecting

  C. have been increasingly affecting

  D. will be increasingly effecting

  E. will be increasingly affecting

  Correct Answer: C

  Explanation: The only problem with the underlined portion of this sentence is the use of the word "effecting" instead of "affecting." When an object/s undergoes changes, these changes are effects such as in the following sentence: John's excellent attendance at school has had positive effects on his education. However, in the verb form, "effects" turns into "affects" such as in the following sentence: John's excellent attendance has affected his education. Noun (effect) vs. verb (affect). Only choice "have been increasingly affecting" and choice "will be increasingly affecting" properly used "affecting" but choice "will be increasingly affecting" uses the future tense when the sentence clearly describes an occurrence of the past ("...in the past decade...").

• Question 97:

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

  Fleeing the horde of zombies on foot, an apparently safe building became visible to the terrified couple.

  A. an apparently safe building became visible to the terrified couple.

  B. the terrified couple spotted a building that looked safe.

  C. a safe looking building was spotted by the terrified couple.

  D. the terrified couple's luck changed when they spotted a safe looking building.

  E. their fear subsided somewhat when the terrified couple would spot a safe looking building.

  Correct Answer: B

  Explanation: "an apparently safe building became visible to the terrified couple", "a safe looking building was spotted by the terrified couple", "the terrified couple's luck changed when they spotted a safe looking building", and "their fear subsided somewhat when the terrified couple would spot a safe looking building" are all dangling modifiers. Who was fleeing the horde? The terrified couple was.

• Question 98:

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

  Lockers in schools are often dilapidated, making student's valuables susceptible to theft.

  A. making student's valuables susceptible to theft

  B. which makes student's valuables susceptible to theft

  C. that makes student's valuables susceptible to theft

  Correct Answer: A

• Question 99:

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

  Yesterday I fell down the stairs and then tried to act as I did so on purpose.

  A. Yesterday I fell down the stairs and then

  B. Yesterday I fell down the stairs, I

  C. I fell down the stairs yesterday, I

  D. After I fell down the stairs yesterday; I

  E. Falling down the stairs; I

  Correct Answer: A

  Explanation: "Yesterday I fell down the stairs, I" and "I fell down the stairs yesterday, I" are run-ons. D and E misuse their semicolons: the parts before them are not independent clauses.

• Question 100:

  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.

  Correct Answer: C

  Explanation: 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.