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CLEP College Composition study materials
CLEP College Composition study resources

CLEP College Composition practice questions

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Question 1Conventions of Standard Written English

In the conventions of standard written English, a sentence fragment is best described as which of the following?

  1. A clause that begins with a subordinating conjunction and is attached to a main clause
  2. A word group punctuated as a sentence but lacking an independent clause Correct answer.
  3. A complete sentence whose verb agrees with a compound subject
  4. A sentence containing two independent clauses joined by a comma

Explanation

A fragment is punctuated like a sentence but does not contain an independent clause, so it cannot stand alone. It may be a phrase, a dependent clause, or a verbless group of words. Recognizing that no independent clause is present is the defining test.

Question 2Conventions of Standard Written English

Which revision of the following sentence correctly eliminates the comma splice? "The committee reviewed the budget, it approved the proposal."

  1. The committee reviewed the budget; approving the proposal.
  2. The committee reviewed the budget, and it approved the proposal. Correct answer.
  3. The committee reviewed the budget, it approved the proposal.
  4. The committee reviewed the budget, approving the proposal it did.

Explanation

A comma splice joins two independent clauses with only a comma. Adding a coordinating conjunction such as "and" after the comma correctly links the two clauses. The other revisions either repeat the splice or create a fragment or awkward structure.

Question 3Conventions of Standard Written English

Choose the sentence in which the pronoun reference is unambiguous according to standard written English conventions.

  1. When the manager met the intern, the manager explained the new policy. Correct answer.
  2. The manager explained the new policy to the intern when she arrived.
  3. When the manager met with the intern, she explained the new policy.
  4. The manager and the intern discussed it, and she explained the policy.

Explanation

Repeating the noun "manager" removes any doubt about who performed the action. Vague or ambiguous pronoun reference occurs when a pronoun could point to more than one antecedent. Naming the antecedent explicitly is the reliable fix.

Question 4Conventions of Standard Written English

Which sentence maintains correct subject-verb agreement in a construction involving a collective noun?

  1. The jury has reached its verdict after two days of debate. Correct answer.
  2. The jury have reached its verdict after two days.
  3. The jury were reaching its verdict after two days of debate.
  4. The jury reaches their verdict after two days of debate.

Explanation

In standard American usage, a collective noun such as "jury" acting as a single unit takes a singular verb and a singular pronoun. "Has reached" and "its" agree with the singular collective subject. Consistency between verb and pronoun is required.

Question 5Conventions of Standard Written English

In the sentence "Walking through the museum, the paintings impressed the students," which conventional error is present?

  1. A faulty parallel structure in the list of objects
  2. A misplaced apostrophe in a possessive form
  3. A dangling modifier, because the introductory participle does not logically modify "the paintings" Correct answer.
  4. An error in pronoun-antecedent agreement

Explanation

An introductory participial phrase must modify the subject of the main clause. Here "walking through the museum" seems to describe the paintings, which cannot walk, so the modifier dangles. Revising to name the walkers as the subject repairs the sentence.

Question 6Conventions of Standard Written English

Which sentence uses the apostrophe correctly according to standard written English?

  1. The three editor's notes were combined into one document.
  2. The editor's notes were combined into one documents.
  3. The editors' notes were combined into one document. Correct answer.
  4. The editors notes' were combined into one document.

Explanation

A plural noun ending in -s forms the possessive by adding only an apostrophe after the s. "Editors'" correctly marks the possessive of more than one editor. Singular possessives add -'s, but the context here is plural.

Question 7Conventions of Standard Written English

Which sentence demonstrates correct parallelism in a series?

  1. The report was thorough, it was timely, and written clearly.
  2. The report was thorough, timely, and clearly written. Correct answer.
  3. The report was thorough, timely, and had clarity.
  4. The report was thorough, timely, and it was written clearly.

Explanation

Items in a series should share the same grammatical form. Here three adjectives or adjective phrases modify "report": thorough, timely, clearly written. Parallel structure makes the series easy to read and grammatically consistent.

Question 8Conventions of Standard Written English

Which sentence correctly uses a colon according to standard written English conventions?

  1. She packed three items, a map, a compass, and a flashlight.
  2. She packed three items: a map, a compass, and a flashlight. Correct answer.
  3. She packed three items; a map, a compass, and a flashlight.
  4. She packed: a map, a compass, and a flashlight.

Explanation

A colon may follow an independent clause to introduce a list or explanation. The clause "She packed three items" is complete, so the colon is appropriate. A colon should not separate a verb from its objects.

Question 9Conventions of Standard Written English

In the sentence "Neither the students nor the teacher was aware of the schedule change," why is the singular verb "was" correct?

  1. The verb should agree with the object of the preposition "of."
  2. With "neither...nor," the verb agrees with the nearer subject, which is singular. Correct answer.
  3. With "neither...nor," the verb always takes the plural form of the first subject.
  4. The verb agrees with the plural "students" because it appears first.

Explanation

In a "neither...nor" construction, the verb agrees with the subject closest to it. The nearer subject is the singular "teacher," so "was" is correct. This proximity rule also applies to "either...or."

Question 10Conventions of Standard Written English

Which sentence uses a semicolon correctly?

  1. The storm ended; flooded roads everywhere.
  2. The storm ended; and the roads remained flooded.
  3. The storm ended; because the roads remained flooded.
  4. The storm ended; the roads remained flooded. Correct answer.

Explanation

A semicolon may join two independent clauses that are closely related and not already linked by a coordinating conjunction. "The storm ended" and "the roads remained flooded" are both complete clauses. The semicolon marks their relationship without a conjunction.

Question 11Conventions of Standard Written English

Which sentence avoids a faulty comparison according to standard written English?

  1. Her presentation was more persuasive than the other candidates.
  2. Her presentation was more persuasive than those of the other candidates. Correct answer.
  3. Her presentation was more persuasive than the other candidates did.
  4. Her presentation was more persuasive than any candidate.

Explanation

A comparison must compare like with like. The presentation is compared with other presentations, so "those of the other candidates" supplies the correct parallel element. Omitting "those of" compares a presentation to people.

Question 12Conventions of Standard Written English

Which sentence correctly uses "who" or "whom" according to standard written English?

  1. The analyst whom the board hired resigned last week. Correct answer.
  2. The analyst who the board hired him resigned last week.
  3. The analyst whom resigned last week was hired by the board.
  4. The analyst who the board hired resigned last week.

Explanation

"Whom" is the objective case, used when the pronoun functions as an object. In the clause "whom the board hired," the pronoun is the object of "hired." "Who" would be correct only if the pronoun served as the subject.

Question 13Conventions of Standard Written English

Which sentence maintains consistent verb tense in a narrative context?

  1. She opened the letter and reads the news with disbelief.
  2. She opened the letter and read the news with disbelief. Correct answer.
  3. She opens the letter and read the news with disbelief.
  4. She opens the letter and had read the news with disbelief.

Explanation

Compound predicates should keep the same tense unless a shift is logically required. Both verbs here describe the same past moment, so "opened" and "read" are consistent. Unmotivated shifts between past and present confuse the timeline.

Question 14Conventions of Standard Written English

Which sentence places a limiting modifier correctly?

  1. The coach praised the players only who attended practice.
  2. The coach only praised the players who attended practice.
  3. The coach praised only the players who attended practice. Correct answer.
  4. Only the coach praised the players who attended practice.

Explanation

A limiting modifier such as "only" should sit immediately before the element it limits. Here the intended meaning is that the coach praised those players and no others, so "only" belongs before "the players." Misplacement changes the meaning.

Question 15Conventions of Standard Written English

Which sentence correctly uses a hyphen or compound modifier according to standard written English?

  1. They adopted a wellknown policy for remote work.
  2. They adopted a well-known policy for remote work. Correct answer.
  3. They adopted a well known policy for remote work.
  4. They adopted a well known-policy for remote work.

Explanation

A compound adjective that precedes the noun it modifies is normally hyphenated, as in "well-known policy." The hyphen signals that the two words function as a single modifier. Without it, readers may misread the relationship.

Question 16Conventions of Standard Written English

Which sentence demonstrates correct use of a subordinate clause within a complex sentence?

  1. Because the data were incomplete. The team postponed the release.
  2. Because the data were incomplete; the team postponed the release.
  3. Because the data were incomplete, and the team postponed the release.
  4. Because the data were incomplete, the team postponed the release. Correct answer.

Explanation

A subordinate clause introduced by "because" attaches to a main clause and is set off by a comma when it comes first. The sentence correctly pairs the dependent clause with the independent clause. The other versions misuse punctuation or conjunctions.

Question 17Conventions of Standard Written English

Which sentence uses an adverb correctly where an adjective is often mistakenly used?

  1. She performed the piece beautifully at the recital. Correct answer.
  2. She performed the piece more beautiful at the recital.
  3. She performed the piece beautifulness at the recital.
  4. She performed the piece beautiful at the recital.

Explanation

An adverb modifies a verb, so "beautifully" correctly describes how she performed. Adjectives modify nouns or pronouns, not verbs. The -ly form marks the adverb in this pair.

Question 18Conventions of Standard Written English

Which sentence avoids a misplaced modifier by placing the modifier near the word it describes?

  1. The hikers washed the dog in the yard, covered in mud.
  2. The hikers washed the dog covered in mud in the yard.
  3. Covered in mud, the hikers washed the dog in the yard.
  4. In the yard, the hikers washed the dog covered in mud. Correct answer.

Explanation

The phrase "covered in mud" should sit close to "the dog," the thing it describes. Placing the yard phrase first and keeping the modifier adjacent to "dog" makes the meaning clear. Proximity is the key to avoiding ambiguity.

Question 19Conventions of Standard Written English

Which sentence uses "its" or "it's" correctly according to standard written English?

  1. The company revised its' policy after the review.
  2. The company revised its policy after the review. Correct answer.
  3. The company revised its policy after it's review.
  4. The company revised it's policy after the review.

Explanation

"Its" is the possessive form, while "it's" is a contraction of "it is" or "it has." The sentence needs the possessive before "policy." The form "its'" is never standard.

Question 20Conventions of Standard Written English

Which sentence handles a quotation and its punctuation correctly under standard written English conventions?

  1. The reviewer wrote, "The argument is compelling". Then she added a caveat.
  2. The reviewer wrote, "The argument is compelling," Then she added a caveat.
  3. The reviewer wrote "The argument is compelling." Then she added a caveat.
  4. The reviewer wrote, "The argument is compelling." Then she added a caveat. Correct answer.

Explanation

In American usage, a comma introduces a complete quoted sentence, and the period belongs inside the closing quotation mark. The sentence also correctly ends the quotation before starting a new sentence. The other versions misplace punctuation or omit the introductory comma.

Question 21Revision Skills

A student wants to revise a draft paragraph so that its ideas flow more logically. Which action best serves the goal of improving coherence during revision?

  1. Increasing sentence length by combining unrelated clauses
  2. Replacing concrete nouns with more abstract terms to sound academic
  3. Adding transitional phrases that show how each sentence relates to the previous one Correct answer.
  4. Removing all topic sentences so readers draw their own conclusions

Explanation

Coherence is achieved when readers can see the logical relationships among ideas, and transitional phrases signal those relationships explicitly. Revision for coherence focuses on connections between sentences and paragraphs, not on inflating diction or obscuring structure.

Question 22Revision Skills

Read this draft sentence: "The report was written by the intern, and it was reviewed by the editor, and then it was submitted by the assistant." Which revision most effectively eliminates the excessive passive voice and choppy coordination?

  1. Writing the report, reviewing it, and submitting it were done.
  2. The report, having been written by the intern and reviewed by the editor, was submitted by the assistant.
  3. The report was written, reviewed, and submitted by various staff members.
  4. The intern wrote the report, the editor reviewed it, and the assistant submitted it. Correct answer.

Explanation

The original relies on repeated passive constructions joined by "and," which obscures agency and creates a monotonous rhythm. Naming the actors in active voice produces a clearer, more direct sentence that preserves all the information.

Question 23Revision Skills

A writer wants to revise the following sentence for concision: "Due to the fact that the weather was inclement in nature, the outdoor event was cancelled." Which revision best removes wordiness while preserving meaning?

  1. The outdoor event was cancelled due to the fact of inclement weather conditions.
  2. Because the weather was inclement, the outdoor event was cancelled. Correct answer.
  3. In light of the inclement weather situation, cancellation of the event occurred.
  4. Owing to the inclement nature of the weather, the event was cancelled outdoors.

Explanation

Wordy phrases such as "due to the fact that" and "in nature" can be replaced by a single precise word or construction. "Because" conveys causation directly, and "inclement" already implies the weather's character, so "in nature" is redundant.

Question 24Revision Skills

In revision, a writer notices that a paragraph opens with "First, the study collected data" and later contains "Second, the data were analyzed." What revision strategy would most improve the paragraph's organization?

  1. Adding more enumerative signals to reinforce the sequence
  2. Deleting the enumerative signals because they are unnecessary
  3. Replacing the enumerative signals with a single summary sentence at the end
  4. Ensuring the enumerated points follow a consistent, logical sequence and are parallel in form Correct answer.

Explanation

Enumerative signals such as "first" and "second" help readers track sequence, but they work best when the enumerated items are parallel in grammatical form and follow a clear order. Revision should check that the sequence is logical and the parallel structure is maintained.

Question 25Revision Skills

A student is revising an essay and wants to strengthen the unity of a body paragraph. Which revision decision most directly supports paragraph unity?

  1. Lengthening the paragraph by expanding each sentence with modifiers
  2. Inserting a quotation from an outside source to add authority
  3. Adding a new example that introduces a related but distinct subtopic
  4. Removing any sentence that does not support the paragraph's stated main idea Correct answer.

Explanation

Unity means every sentence in a paragraph contributes to a single controlling idea. Removing off-topic sentences is the most direct way to restore or strengthen that focus.

Question 26Revision Skills

Which revision best corrects the faulty parallelism in this sentence: "The workshop teaches students to draft proposals, revising them carefully, and how feedback is incorporated"?

  1. The workshop teaches students to draft proposals, to revise them carefully, and to incorporate feedback. Correct answer.
  2. The workshop teaches students to draft proposals, revising them carefully, and incorporating feedback.
  3. The workshop teaches students drafting proposals, revising them carefully, and how feedback is incorporated.
  4. The workshop teaches students how to draft proposals, revising carefully, and feedback incorporation.

Explanation

Parallelism requires items in a series to share the same grammatical form. Using "to draft," "to revise," and "to incorporate" makes all three items infinitive phrases that match the opening structure.

Question 27Revision Skills

During revision, a writer wants to improve the tone of a formal academic essay. Which change best supports a formal academic register?

  1. Inserting slang expressions to engage the reader
  2. Using exclamation points to convey enthusiasm
  3. Adding contractions such as "can't" and "won't" to sound natural
  4. Replacing "kids" with "children" and "a lot of" with "numerous" Correct answer.

Explanation

Formal academic register favors precise, standard vocabulary over colloquialisms. Substituting "children" for "kids" and "numerous" for "a lot of" raises the register without changing meaning.

Question 28Revision Skills

A student reads this draft sentence: "The experiment failed, it produced no usable data." Which revision best corrects the comma splice by using a semicolon?

  1. The experiment failed; and it produced no usable data.
  2. The experiment failed it produced no usable data.
  3. The experiment failed, it produced no usable data, however.
  4. The experiment failed; it produced no usable data. Correct answer.

Explanation

A comma splice joins two independent clauses with only a comma. A semicolon correctly separates the two independent clauses while signaling their close relationship.

Question 29Revision Skills

A writer is revising a paragraph and wants to improve the clarity of pronoun reference. Which revision decision best addresses an ambiguous pronoun?

  1. Replacing the ambiguous pronoun with a specific noun Correct answer.
  2. Adding another pronoun to clarify the first one
  3. Moving the pronoun to the end of the sentence
  4. Changing the pronoun's number to match a different noun

Explanation

Ambiguous pronoun reference occurs when a pronoun could point to more than one antecedent. Replacing the pronoun with a specific noun eliminates the ambiguity directly.

Question 30Revision Skills

Read this draft sentence: "Walking through the museum, the paintings impressed the visitors." Which revision best corrects the dangling modifier?

  1. Walking through the museum, the paintings were impressive to visitors.
  2. The visitors were impressed by the paintings walking through the museum.
  3. Walking through the museum, the visitors were impressed by the paintings. Correct answer.
  4. The paintings, walking through the museum, impressed the visitors.

Explanation

A dangling modifier occurs when the introductory phrase's implied subject does not match the main clause's subject. Making "the visitors" the subject of the main clause aligns it with the participial phrase "walking through the museum."

Question 31Revision Skills

A student is revising an essay's introduction and wants to strengthen the thesis statement. Which revision best improves a weak thesis?

  1. Revision: "Because social media algorithms reward outrage, platforms should be required to disclose how engagement-based ranking shapes public discourse." Correct answer.
  2. Revision: "In this essay, I will talk about social media in several ways."
  3. Original: "This essay will discuss social media and its effects."
  4. Revision: "Social media is a topic that many people have opinions about."

Explanation

A strong thesis makes a specific, arguable claim rather than announcing the essay's topic. The revision in option 1 presents a debatable position with a stated rationale, giving the essay a clear direction.

Question 32Revision Skills

A writer wants to revise a paragraph so that its evidence clearly supports its claim. The draft claim is "Remote work increases productivity," but the paragraph cites a single anecdote about one employee. Which revision best strengthens the evidence-claim relationship?

  1. Restating the claim more forcefully at the end of the paragraph
  2. Adding a second anecdote about a different employee
  3. Replacing the anecdote with data from a multi-company study comparing output before and after remote-work policies Correct answer.
  4. Removing the claim so the anecdote stands alone

Explanation

Evidence should be proportionate to the breadth of the claim. A claim about productivity in general requires systematic data across many workers, not a single case. Replacing the anecdote with comparative study data aligns evidence with the claim's scope.

Question 33Revision Skills

A student is revising a draft and wants to improve sentence variety. Which revision best addresses a passage in which every sentence follows the pattern "Subject + verb + object"?

  1. Shortening every sentence to fewer than eight words
  2. Making every sentence longer by adding adjectives
  3. Combining some sentences into complex structures and opening others with introductory phrases Correct answer.
  4. Converting all sentences to passive voice

Explanation

Sentence variety comes from varying structure, length, and openings. Combining clauses into complex sentences and using introductory phrases diversifies rhythm and emphasis without sacrificing clarity.

Question 34Revision Skills

A writer is revising a paragraph and notices that transitions are missing between ideas. Which revision best uses a transitional expression to signal a contrast?

  1. Inserting "For example" at the start of a sentence that presents an opposing finding
  2. Inserting "Therefore" at the start of a sentence that presents an opposing finding
  3. Inserting "However" at the start of a sentence that presents an opposing finding Correct answer.
  4. Inserting "Similarly" at the start of a sentence that presents an opposing finding

Explanation

Transitional expressions signal the logical relationship between ideas. "However" signals contrast, which is appropriate when the following sentence presents an opposing finding.

Question 35Revision Skills

A student is revising a draft and wants to strengthen the logical connection between a claim and its supporting reason. The draft reads: "We should adopt a four-day workweek. Employees report higher morale." Which revision best makes the reasoning explicit?

  1. We should adopt a four-day workweek, and employees report higher morale.
  2. Employees report higher morale, so a four-day workweek is a topic worth considering.
  3. We should adopt a four-day workweek because higher employee morale improves retention and productivity. Correct answer.
  4. Employees report higher morale; we should adopt a four-day workweek.

Explanation

Explicit reasoning connects a claim to a reason by showing why the reason supports the claim. Adding the causal link between morale and retention/productivity makes the warrant visible to readers.

Question 36Revision Skills

A writer wants to revise an essay's conclusion so that it does more than simply restate the thesis. Which revision strategy best accomplishes this?

  1. Extending the argument by connecting it to a broader implication or calling for further inquiry Correct answer.
  2. Ending with a dictionary definition of a key term
  3. Repeating the thesis word for word to reinforce it
  4. Introducing a brand-new argument that was not developed in the essay

Explanation

An effective conclusion reinforces the thesis while extending its significance, often by connecting to broader implications or inviting further inquiry. This gives readers a sense of why the argument matters.

Question 37Revision Skills

A student is revising a draft paragraph in which every sentence begins with "The author." Which revision best improves the paragraph's flow?

  1. Removing the subject from each sentence
  2. Replacing "The author" with "He" in every sentence
  3. Varying the openings by using introductory phrases, inverted structures, and different subjects Correct answer.
  4. Combining all sentences into one long sentence

Explanation

Repetitive sentence openings create monotony. Varying openings through introductory phrases, inverted structures, and alternate subjects improves rhythm and emphasis while preserving meaning.

Question 38Revision Skills

A writer is revising a draft and wants to eliminate a logical fallacy. The draft reads: "Our competitor's marketing campaign failed, so marketing campaigns never work." Which revision best corrects the hasty generalization?

  1. Our competitor's campaign failed, proving that marketing campaigns are usually ineffective.
  2. Our competitor's campaign failed, so we should avoid all marketing.
  3. Our competitor's campaign failed, which shows marketing is a waste of money.
  4. Our competitor's campaign failed, but that single case does not establish that marketing campaigns never work. Correct answer.

Explanation

A hasty generalization draws a broad conclusion from insufficient evidence. The revision acknowledges the single case while explicitly refusing to generalize from it, which removes the fallacy.

Question 39Revision Skills

A writer is revising a draft and wants to improve the precision of word choice. Which revision best replaces vague language with specific language?

  1. Replacing "a lot of people were upset" with "people were upset about things"
  2. Replacing "a lot of people were upset" with "more than 200 residents signed the petition in protest" Correct answer.
  3. Replacing "a lot of people were upset" with "many people were quite upset"
  4. Replacing "a lot of people were upset" with "numerous individuals experienced negative emotions"

Explanation

Precise word choice replaces vague quantifiers and abstractions with concrete, verifiable detail. Specifying the number and the action gives readers a clearer and more credible picture.

Question 40Revision Skills

A student is revising an essay and wants to improve the relationship between paragraphs. Which revision decision best strengthens cohesion between two adjacent paragraphs?

  1. Starting each paragraph with a direct quotation
  2. Making each paragraph exactly the same length
  3. Adding a heading before each paragraph
  4. Ending one paragraph with a sentence that anticipates the next paragraph's focus Correct answer.

Explanation

Cohesion between paragraphs is strengthened when the end of one paragraph creates a bridge to the next. A closing sentence that anticipates the following focus guides readers smoothly across the transition.

Question 41Revision Skills

A writer is revising a draft sentence that contains a misplaced modifier: "She served cake to the children on paper plates." Which revision best corrects the ambiguity?

  1. She served cake on paper plates to the children. Correct answer.
  2. She served cake to the children, on paper plates.
  3. On paper plates, she served cake to the children.
  4. She served cake to the children who were on paper plates.

Explanation

The original sentence leaves unclear whether the children or the cake is on the paper plates. Placing "on paper plates" immediately after "cake" makes clear that the plates hold the cake.

Question 42Revision Skills

A writer is revising a draft paragraph in which the topic sentence makes a broad claim and the supporting sentences provide only one narrow example. Which revision best improves the paragraph's development?

  1. Narrowing the topic sentence to match the example's scope or adding evidence that covers the broader claim Correct answer.
  2. Adding a second unrelated example to increase length
  3. Deleting the topic sentence so the example stands alone
  4. Restating the broad claim at the end of the paragraph

Explanation

A paragraph's development should be proportionate to the scope of its topic sentence. Either the claim should be narrowed to fit the available evidence or additional evidence should be supplied to support the broader claim.

Question 43Revision Skills

A student is revising an essay and wants to eliminate a circular argument. The draft reads: "The policy is fair because it is just." Which revision best corrects the circular reasoning?

  1. The policy is fair because fairness is an important value.
  2. The policy is fair because it applies the same eligibility rules to all applicants regardless of income. Correct answer.
  3. The policy is fair because everyone agrees that justice matters.
  4. The policy is just because it is fair and equitable.

Explanation

Circular reasoning restates the claim as its own support. The revision supplies independent grounds-uniform eligibility rules-that actually justify the fairness claim.

Question 44Revision Skills

A writer is revising a draft and wants to improve the precision of a claim by qualifying it appropriately. The draft reads: "Screen time always harms children's development." Which revision best uses qualification to make the claim defensible?

  1. Excessive screen time may harm some children's development, particularly when it displaces sleep and face-to-face interaction. Correct answer.
  2. Screen time is bad for children.
  3. Screen time sometimes does things to children's development.
  4. Screen time harms children's development in every case.

Explanation

Qualification makes a claim defensible by limiting its scope and specifying conditions. Adding "excessive," "may," and the conditions under which harm occurs replaces an absolute assertion with a supportable one.

Question 45Revision Skills

A student is revising a draft and wants to ensure that a counterargument is handled effectively. The draft reads: "Some people oppose the new transit plan, but they are wrong." Which revision best strengthens the essay's treatment of the counterargument?

  1. Some people oppose the plan, but their objections are unimportant.
  2. Critics of the plan simply do not understand the issues involved.
  3. The plan has critics, and that is all there is to say about them.
  4. Critics argue the plan costs too much, but phased funding and projected ridership gains offset the initial expense. Correct answer.

Explanation

Effective revision acknowledges a counterargument fairly and then responds to it with specific reasoning. Summarizing the objection and rebutting it with concrete evidence demonstrates engagement rather than dismissal.

Question 46Revision Skills

A student is editing a draft paragraph for revision and notices that one sentence is a comma splice: "The committee reviewed the budget, it approved the plan." Which revision strategy addresses this error while preserving the sentence's meaning?

  1. Delete the comma so the clauses run together as one sentence.
  2. Change "reviewed" to "reviewing" so the sentence becomes a fragment.
  3. Insert a comma after "budget" and keep the second clause as written.
  4. Replace the comma with a semicolon to separate the two independent clauses. Correct answer.

Explanation

A comma splice joins two independent clauses with only a comma. Replacing the comma with a semicolon correctly separates the clauses and keeps the original meaning intact.

Question 47Revision Skills

While revising a paragraph, a writer wants to make sure the paragraph has a clear controlling idea. Which revision decision best strengthens the paragraph's unity?

  1. Add a topic sentence that states the paragraph's main point at the start. Correct answer.
  2. Replace specific nouns with more general terms throughout.
  3. Break the paragraph into several shorter paragraphs without changing content.
  4. Insert additional examples after the final sentence.

Explanation

A topic sentence announces the controlling idea and helps readers see how the supporting sentences relate to it. Unity improves when all sentences clearly connect to one stated main point.

Question 48Revision Skills

A draft sentence reads: "The report was written by the intern and was reviewed by the supervisor." A writer revising for concision wants to reduce wordiness. Which revision best accomplishes this?

  1. The intern wrote the report, and the supervisor reviewed it. Correct answer.
  2. The report, having been written by the intern, was reviewed by the supervisor.
  3. The report was written by the intern and was then reviewed by the supervisor.
  4. The report was written by the intern and reviewed by the supervisor.

Explanation

Converting passive constructions to active voice removes unnecessary helping verbs and agents. The active version is shorter and clearer while preserving meaning.

Question 49Revision Skills

During revision, a writer notices that a paragraph shifts from discussing "students" to "one" to "you." Which revision decision best improves consistency of point of view?

  1. Keep all three points of view to reflect different perspectives.
  2. Choose a single point of view and revise all references to match it. Correct answer.
  3. Replace every pronoun with a proper noun.
  4. Change the paragraph to second person throughout.

Explanation

Shifting point of view within a paragraph confuses readers about who is being discussed. Selecting one consistent point of view and revising references to match it restores coherence.

Question 50Revision Skills

A student is revising an essay and finds this sentence: "The data shows that the policy works, and the policy is working well." Which revision best eliminates redundancy?

  1. The data, which show that the policy works, show the policy is working well.
  2. The data show that the policy works. Correct answer.
  3. The data shows the policy works, and the policy is working well.
  4. The data shows that the policy works, and it works well.

Explanation

The second clause restates the first, so removing it eliminates redundancy. The revision also uses the plural verb "show" with "data," which is standard in formal academic prose.