Choice D The sentence is wordy, and the placement of modifiers is awkward.. Choice A The subject no one is singular; therefore, the verb must be the singular knows.. Choice E The tense o
Trang 127 The correct answer is (C) The sentence does not have a
misplaced modifier nor is it wordy
Choice (A) This choice is very wordy and has a misplaced
modifier
Choice (B) The modifiers are misplaced, leaving the meaning
ambiguous
Choice (D) The sentence is wordy, and the placement of
modifiers is awkward
Choice (E) The use of passive voice is not desirable
28. The correct answer is (B) The superlative most is correct.
Choice (A) The comparative more is incorrect.
Choice (C) The comparative more is incorrect.
Choice (D) The modifiers are misplaced
Choice (E) There are more than two items being compared, so
betteris incorrect
29 The correct answer is (D) The subject of the sentence is the
singular no one, so the verb must be singular, knows.
Choice (A) The subject no one is singular; therefore, the verb
must be the singular knows.
Choice (B) The objective pronoun me should be used Don’t
be confused by the placement of me It is part of the compound object of the preposition but But can be used in place of the preposition except as it
is being used here
Choice (C) The objective pronoun me should be used.
Choice (E) The tense of the verb is incorrect
30. The correct answer is (C) The use of the phrase but also
gives the sentence parallel construction
Choice (A) The conjunction not only needs to be paired with
but also.
Choice (B) The pronoun their is incorrect.
Choice (D) The pronoun they is incorrect.
Choice (E) The verb can is not necessary to convey the
meaning of the sentence
31 The correct answer is (D) The verb construction is parallel in
all three parts
Choice (A) The wording lacks parallel construction
Choice (B) The pronoun it is incorrect.
Trang 232 The correct answer is (A) The wording is direct and to the
point
Choice (B) The wording is redundant
Choice (C) A comma is required to set off the introductory
phrase
Choice (D) The wording is redundant
Choice (E) The wording is awkward
33 The correct answer is (C) The wording is simple and to the
point
Choice (A) The modifier world’s center is misplaced.
Choice (B) The tense of the verb is incorrect
Choice (D) The modifier world’s center is misplaced.
Choice (E) The wording is awkward
34 The correct answer is (A) The punctuation and wording are
correct
Choice (B) A semicolon, not a comma, is needed to separate
two independent clauses
Choice (C) The placement of the modifier especially those of
an earlier day is not clear and direct
Choice (D) Commas are required to set off parenthetical
comments
Choice (E) A comma is required before the conjunction and.
35 The correct answer is (E) The sentence is direct and has
parallel construction
Choice (A) The verb completing is not parallel with was
pleased.
Choice (B) A comma is required after car.
Choice (C) The tense of the verb is incorrect
Choice (D) The wording is awkward
36. The correct answer is (B) The plural were is properly used
here because the subject is compound
Choice (A) The verb was should be replaced by the plural
werein both locations
Choice (C) The verb was should be replaced by the plural
were.
Choice (D) The verb was should be replaced by the plural
were.
Choice (E) The inclusion of one is superfluous.
Trang 337 The correct answer is (D) This choice eliminates the
im-proper use of his and avoids redundancy.
Choice (A) The possessive pronoun his cannot refer to the
possessive proper noun Johnson’s.
Choice (B) The verb tense is incorrect
Choice (C) The possessive pronoun his cannot refer to the
possessive proper noun Johnson’s.
Choice (E) The wording contains a redundancy
38. The correct answer is (C) The unnecessary by me is
re-moved, and the punctuation is correct
Choice (A) The phrase by me is redundant.
Choice (B) The proper idiom is at every turn.
Choice (D) The tense of the verb was arguing is incorrect.
Choice (E) The conjunction and is unnecessary.
IMPROVING PARAGRAPHS
39 The correct answer is (C) The punctuation and voice are
correct
Choice (A) A semicolon is needed to separate two independent
clauses
Choice (B) It is preferable to use the active voice
Choice (D) The conjunction and alters the meaning of the
selection
Choice (E) The tense of the verb is incorrect
40 The correct answer is (A) This choice is succinct and avoids
improper diction
Choice (B) This choice is unnecessarily wordy
Choice (C) The phrase despite the concerns of many is
misplaced
Choice (D) The word unmatchable is improper diction The
proper word is unmatched.
Choice (E) This choice is unnecessarily wordy
41 The correct answer is (D) This choice is direct and to the
point The shortest answer is often the best It must still convey the writer’s thought, but the brief answer will avoid errors that are contained in the longer choices
Choice (A) The second clause is not independent; therefore,
the semicolon is incorrect
Trang 442. The correct answer is (B) The pronoun their is correct, and
the wording is direct
Choice (A) The possessive pronoun one’s is incorrect.
Choice (C) The possessive pronoun one’s is incorrect.
Choice (D) The phrase in statistics incorrectly modifies
argument.
Choice (E) The phrase to that effect is unnecessary.
43 The correct answer is (A) All elements of the sentence are
correct
Choice (B) In context, the noun people, not flying, should be
the subject of the sentence
Choice (C) The tense of the verb have remained is incorrect Choice (D) Don’t be confused by the use of some to refer to
people The relative pronoun who is still correct, so thatis incorrect
Choice (E) The change in the verb to might alters the tone of
the sentence
44 The correct answer is (E) This choice contains a good
statement of theme, transition, and summary
Choice (A) The choice is too firm in its assessment of the
nonfliers’ liking flying.
Choice (B) The choice is too firm in its assessment of the
nonfliers’ enjoying flying.
Choice (C) The choice incorrectly shifts to second person
Choice (D) The phrase having looked at all of the available
datais a misplaced participle
45 The correct answer is (B) The sentence corrects the error in
subject-verb agreement
Choice (A) The choice contains singular verbs that do not
agree with the plural subject problems and annoy-ances.
Choice (C) The choice corrects the agreement error, but the
sentence begins with a conjunction but.
Choice (D) The choice does not correct the subject-verb
problem
Choice (E) The sentence is missing a comma after the
transi-tion however and does not correct the subject-verb
error
Trang 546 The correct answer is (A) The sentence is in the preferred
active voice
Choice (B) The choice contains two awkwardly worded
clauses written in the passive voice
Choice (C) The sentence is overwritten
Choice (D) Besides the use of the passive voice, this sentence
includes a pronoun-agreement error
Choice (E) This passive sentence changes the meaning of the
original
47 The correct answer is (C) The choice is succinct and adds
sentence variety to the essay
Choice (A) This choice makes equal two clauses of unequal
weight Being the unmowed area and being able to pose problems are not equal qualities, but in this
choice, being joined by and makes them seem
equal
Choice (B) The choice is illogical
Choice (D) The choice contains a comma splice
Choice (E) The sentence is incomplete
48 The correct answer is (B) The sentence contains a necessary
transition See page 37 for a chart showing transitions for different types of writing organization
Choice (A) The choice does not have a transition
Choice (C) The sentence requires a comma to separate the two
independent clauses
Choice (D) While the sentence does have a transition, next is
used for chronological or spatial development Choice (E) The choice uses the semicolon incorrectly A
comma would be correct
49 The correct answer is (E) The use of transitional words
makes the essay’s development by order of importance easy to follow
Choice (A) The paragraph requires transition, but this choice
has none
Choice (B) This choice is wordy
Choice (C) Neverthelessis an inappropriate transition for
order-of-importance development
Choice (D) The sentence contains nonstandard English—the
slang word totally.
Trang 650 The correct answer is (A) The sentence repeats the idea
expressed in sentence 6, the thesis statement
Choice (B) Sentence 25 begins an interesting final comment Choice (C) Sentence 26 continues the final comment
Choice (D) Sentence 27, along with the final sentence, is the
clincher
Choice (E) Sentence 28 completes the clincher
Trang 7PACING GUIDE FOR WRITING THE ESSAY
5 minutes
Step 1 Read the question carefully
Step 2 Restate to yourself what the question is asking Underline the key words Step 3 Make a list by brainstorming all the ideas that come to mind Write down
your ideas
Step 4 Create a thesis from the ideas you have brainstormed
Step 5 Turn your brainstorm into an informal working plan by numbering the
items that you want include in your essay in the order in which you want
to include them Cross out ideas that no longer fit now that you have a thesis statement
4 minutes
Step 6 Begin writing your introduction by stating your thesis clearly
Step 7 Read your first paragraph to be sure that your ideas follow each other
logically and support your thesis
10 minutes
Step 8 Check your quick list of ideas Choose the next idea and write a transition
into your second paragraph Keep writing until you use all the RELEVANT ideas on your quick list
4 minutes
Step 9 Write a solid conclusion using one of the following techniques:
(a) rephrasing your thesis, (b) summarizing your main points, (c) referring
in some way back to your introductory paragraph
2 minutes Step 10 Proofread and revise neatly
TOP 10 RULES OF EFFECTIVE WRITING
Rule 1: Use Action Verbs and the Active Voice
Rule 2: Use Precise Words
Rule 3: Say What You Mean
Rule 4: Maintain Your Tone
Rule 5: Use Direct Language
Rule 6: Use Concise Language
Rule 7: Improve Sentences
Rule 8: Develop Sentence Variety
Rule 9: Use Standard Rules of English for Capitalization
Rule 10: Use Standard Rules of English for Punctuation
Trang 8STRATEGIES FOR ANSWERING MULTIPLE-CHOICE
QUESTIONS
• Carefully read the entire sentence, NOT just the underlined phrases The underlined words may seem correct unless you read the whole statement
• As you read, listen for any words or phrases that do not “sound” right to you Anything that sounds awkward or strange may be a mistake
• Always substitute into the sentence the choices for the part that you think is incorrect
• Do not spend time to read choice (A), because it repeats the original sentence
• Find the best answer, not one that is simply correct More than one choice may be correct, but only one best fits the context
• If the sentence sounds correct to your ear, the correct choice is probably (A)
• Answer the easy questions first
NOTE: Be sure to skip the answer ovals for the questions you skip.
• Look for errors according to difficulty:
1 Capitalization and punctuation errors
2 Grammar and syntax errors
3 Usage, sequence of tenses, parallel structure, redundancy, and
then other errors
• Read a sentence or passage through twice before making any decision about an answer
• Identify the subject and the predicate of each sentence to help you find errors in usage, redundancy, and relevance