accuplacer writing
Find the error, if any, in this sentence:
"I cannot except that you won't go to the dance with me!"
Correct Answer-I cannot accept that you won't go to the dance with me!
Explanation:
The easiest way to remember the difference in meaning between these two words is
to look at their letters—accept has two c's that are like open arms, just waiting to
hug and embrace and accept whatever is being offered, whereas except has a big X
just waiting to reject and exclude something ("I will take all of the cookies except
that one with the bite taken out of it").
Find the error, if any, in this sentence:
"It is clear to see that the stock market is going to have it's ups and downs; it is
important not to overreact to the volatility."
Correct Answer-It is clear to see that the stock market is going to have its ups and
downs; it is important not to overreact to the volatility.
Explanation:
It's is a contraction of it is or it has; it never shows possession. To test whether you
need it's or its, try substituting the phrase it is or it has. If either of those work, you
need the apostrophe. If neither of them make sense in your sentence, you don't
need the apostrophe.
Find the error, if any, in this sentence:
"Heavy rains and thunderstorms continue to roll through the area; therefore, all
flights are cancelled until tomorrow."
, Correct Answer-no error
Explanation:
This question tests your knowledge of semicolon use. In this case, a semicolon is
used to join two independent clauses. All is well!
Find the error, if any, in this sentence:
"Katie did not have no time to pick Kevin up before the game."
j j j j j j j j j j j j
Correct Answer-Katie did not have any time to pick Kevin up before the game.
j j j j j j j j j j j j j
Explanation:
This sentence had a double negative, which is a big no-no. Just like in math, double
j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j
negatives actually create a positive, which was not the intent of the sentence.
j j j j j j j j j j j j
Find the error, if any, in this sentence:
j j j j j j j
"The wily fox escape the dogs who were chasing after it."
j j j j j j j j j j
Correct Answer-The wily fox escaped the dogs who were chasing after it.
j j j j j j j j j j j
Explanation:
The verbs need to match in subject and tense. In this case, the first verb, escape, did
j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j
not match its subject in number (fox = singular, escape = plural) and it did not match
j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j
the other verbs in tense (escape = present tense, were chasing = past tense).
j j j j j j j j j j j j j
Find the error, if any, in this sentence:
j j j j j j j
"The book was thrown on the bed by Madi."
j j j j j j j j
Correct Answer-No error, but the sentence would be stronger if written in active
j j j j j j j j j j j j j
voice: "Madi threw the book on the bed."
j j j j j j j
Explanation:
Find the error, if any, in this sentence:
"I cannot except that you won't go to the dance with me!"
Correct Answer-I cannot accept that you won't go to the dance with me!
Explanation:
The easiest way to remember the difference in meaning between these two words is
to look at their letters—accept has two c's that are like open arms, just waiting to
hug and embrace and accept whatever is being offered, whereas except has a big X
just waiting to reject and exclude something ("I will take all of the cookies except
that one with the bite taken out of it").
Find the error, if any, in this sentence:
"It is clear to see that the stock market is going to have it's ups and downs; it is
important not to overreact to the volatility."
Correct Answer-It is clear to see that the stock market is going to have its ups and
downs; it is important not to overreact to the volatility.
Explanation:
It's is a contraction of it is or it has; it never shows possession. To test whether you
need it's or its, try substituting the phrase it is or it has. If either of those work, you
need the apostrophe. If neither of them make sense in your sentence, you don't
need the apostrophe.
Find the error, if any, in this sentence:
"Heavy rains and thunderstorms continue to roll through the area; therefore, all
flights are cancelled until tomorrow."
, Correct Answer-no error
Explanation:
This question tests your knowledge of semicolon use. In this case, a semicolon is
used to join two independent clauses. All is well!
Find the error, if any, in this sentence:
"Katie did not have no time to pick Kevin up before the game."
j j j j j j j j j j j j
Correct Answer-Katie did not have any time to pick Kevin up before the game.
j j j j j j j j j j j j j
Explanation:
This sentence had a double negative, which is a big no-no. Just like in math, double
j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j
negatives actually create a positive, which was not the intent of the sentence.
j j j j j j j j j j j j
Find the error, if any, in this sentence:
j j j j j j j
"The wily fox escape the dogs who were chasing after it."
j j j j j j j j j j
Correct Answer-The wily fox escaped the dogs who were chasing after it.
j j j j j j j j j j j
Explanation:
The verbs need to match in subject and tense. In this case, the first verb, escape, did
j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j
not match its subject in number (fox = singular, escape = plural) and it did not match
j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j
the other verbs in tense (escape = present tense, were chasing = past tense).
j j j j j j j j j j j j j
Find the error, if any, in this sentence:
j j j j j j j
"The book was thrown on the bed by Madi."
j j j j j j j j
Correct Answer-No error, but the sentence would be stronger if written in active
j j j j j j j j j j j j j
voice: "Madi threw the book on the bed."
j j j j j j j
Explanation:
