GED Language Arts (RLA) : Language Usage and Grammar
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for GED Language Arts (RLA)
All GED Language Arts (RLA) Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #31 : Completing Sentences
1 Writer’s block is a challenge that faces many creative people [Question 1]. 2 Inventors and theoreticians alike have long speculated about the possible [Question 2]. 3 Some people believe that it comes from lack of preparation [Question 3]. Recently, neurological and psychological studies have identified potential underlying causes of creative block [Question 4]. 5 Still others assert that a lack of resources (including time, money, and community) [Question 5].
6 People faced with writer’s block [Question 6] may take comfort in the fact that many of the world’s greatest artists have struggled similarly. 7 Take Ludwig van Beethoven, Vincent van Gogh, and Frida Kahlo as just a few examples of individuals who [Question 7] prevailed in creating lasting masterpieces. 8 [Question 8] then an artist can always try consulting with peers, taking a break, or turning their attention to a new art form altogether. 9 After all, through [Question 9] a person can overcome almost any artistic impediment.
Which of the following phrases best completes Sentence 5?
, is the root culprit of writer’s block
is the root culprit of writer’s block
None of these other choices
are the root culprit of writer’s block
, are the root culprit of writer’s block
is the root culprit of writer’s block
To get this question right, you may want to consider the sentence without the parentheses. The thing that is the root culprit of writer’s block is a “lack,” a singular noun, so the proper verb tense is “is,” not “are.” Similarly, the sentence does not require a comma in it without the parentheses (indeed, the parentheses serve as markers for a parenthetical clause that could otherwise be separated with commas), so it does not require a comma at all.
Example Question #32 : Completing Sentences
1 Writer’s block is a challenge that faces many creative people [Question 1]. 2 Inventors and theoreticians alike have long speculated about the possible [Question 2]. 3 Some people believe that it comes from lack of preparation [Question 3]. Recently, neurological and psychological studies have identified potential underlying causes of creative block [Question 4]. 5 Still others assert that a lack of resources (including time, money, and community) [Question 5].
6 People faced with writer’s block [Question 6] may take comfort in the fact that many of the world’s greatest artists have struggled similarly. 7 Take Ludwig van Beethoven, Vincent van Gogh, and Frida Kahlo as just a few examples of individuals who [Question 7] prevailed in creating lasting masterpieces. 8 [Question 8] then an artist can always try consulting with peers, taking a break, or turning their attention to a new art form altogether. 9 After all, through [Question 9] a person can overcome almost any artistic impediment.
Which of the following phrases best completes Sentence 6?
None of these other choices
— be they chefs, choreographers, or cinematographers —
, be they chefs, choreographers, or cinematographers;
, be they chefs, choreographers, or cinematographers —
: be they chefs, choreographers, or cinematographers
— be they chefs, choreographers, or cinematographers —
Since the parts of Sentence 6 outside the brackets are a standalone independent clause, we know that what’s inside the brackets must be offset by a pair of commas, parentheses, or em dashes. We can therefore eliminate all the choices that don’t contain a matching pair of these types of punctuation marks.
Example Question #294 : Ged Language Arts (Rla)
1 Writer’s block is a challenge that faces many creative people [Question 1]. 2 Inventors and theoreticians alike have long speculated about the possible [Question 2]. 3 Some people believe that it comes from lack of preparation [Question 3]. Recently, neurological and psychological studies have identified potential underlying causes of creative block [Question 4]. 5 Still others assert that a lack of resources (including time, money, and community) [Question 5].
6 People faced with writer’s block [Question 6] may take comfort in the fact that many of the world’s greatest artists have struggled similarly. 7 Take Ludwig van Beethoven, Vincent van Gogh, and Frida Kahlo as just a few examples of individuals who [Question 7] prevailed in creating lasting masterpieces. 8 [Question 8] then an artist can always try consulting with peers, taking a break, or turning their attention to a new art form altogether. 9 After all, through [Question 9] a person can overcome almost any artistic impediment.
Which of the following phrases best completes Sentence 8?
While that’s still no consolation,
Whether that’s still no consolation,
If that’s still no consolation,
Although that’s still no consolation,
Because that’s still no consolation,
If that’s still no consolation,
This sentence has a classic “if… then” structure, wherein “if” cannot be replaced by other words. Using “because,” “although,” and “while” ruins the logic of the sentence. “Whether,” while tempting, does not lead to a grammatically correct sentence.
Example Question #33 : Completing Sentences
1 Writer’s block is a challenge that faces many creative people [Question 1]. 2 Inventors and theoreticians alike have long speculated about the possible [Question 2]. 3 Some people believe that it comes from lack of preparation [Question 3]. Recently, neurological and psychological studies have identified potential underlying causes of creative block [Question 4]. 5 Still others assert that a lack of resources (including time, money, and community) [Question 5].
6 People faced with writer’s block [Question 6] may take comfort in the fact that many of the world’s greatest artists have struggled similarly. 7 Take Ludwig van Beethoven, Vincent van Gogh, and Frida Kahlo as just a few examples of individuals who [Question 7] prevailed in creating lasting masterpieces. 8 [Question 8] then an artist can always try consulting with peers, taking a break, or turning their attention to a new art form altogether. 9 After all, through [Question 9] a person can overcome almost any artistic impediment.
Which of the following phrases best completes Sentence 9?
serrated effort
sedulous effort,
sedimentary effort,
sedentary effort
senescent effort,
sedulous effort,
Since this is a parenthetical (dependent) clause, we need to offset it with commas on both sides. This narrows down the answer choices somewhat. However, getting the question right ultimately depends on knowing the vocabulary word “sedulous,” or hardworking. It’s the only adjective that makes sense in this context.
Example Question #295 : Ged Language Arts (Rla)
1 Grasshoppers are intriguing insects that have both served as potent symbols in literature [Question 1]. 2 Also called locusts, [Question 2]. 3 Grasshoppers may be best known from the Aesop’s fable “The Ant and the Grasshopper,” in which ants and grasshoppers [Question 3].
4 Yet grasshoppers have also caused terrible famine [Question 4] Ancient Egypt, China, and the Rocky Mountains. 5 Farmers today attempt to control grasshoppers swarms [Question 5]. 6 On the other hand [Question 6] is sometimes used as a term of endearment. 7 What do you think about grasshoppers?
Which of the following phrases best completes Sentence 1?
, and caused great destruction to human agriculture.
while causing great destruction to human agriculture.
but also caused great destruction to human agriculture.
and caused great destruction to human agriculture.
, but also caused great destruction to human agriculture.
and caused great destruction to human agriculture.
Here we have a “both ___ and ___” construction, which we can tell because of the key use of “both.” We can therefore eliminate all the choices that don’t match this construction. We can also eliminate the choices that contain a comma, since commas are only needed before conjunctions when that conjunction is separating two independent clauses (not the case here).
Example Question #41 : Completing Sentences
1 Grasshoppers are intriguing insects that have both served as potent symbols in literature [Question 1]. 2 Also called locusts, [Question 2]. 3 Grasshoppers may be best known from the Aesop’s fable “The Ant and the Grasshopper,” in which ants and grasshoppers [Question 3].
4 Yet grasshoppers have also caused terrible famine [Question 4] Ancient Egypt, China, and the Rocky Mountains. 5 Farmers today attempt to control grasshoppers swarms [Question 5]. 6 On the other hand [Question 6] is sometimes used as a term of endearment. 7 What do you think about grasshoppers?
Which of the following phrases best completes Sentence 2?
Dutch painting, English poetry, and Latin American and Asian cuisines, in which grasshoppers are all featured
grasshoppers have appeared in Dutch painting, English poetry, and Latin American and Asian cuisines
grasshoppers appearing in Dutch painting, English poetry, Latin American, and Asian cuisines
Dutch painting, English poetry, and Latin American and Asian cuisines all feature grasshoppers
grasshoppers have appeared in Dutch painting, English poetry, Latin American, and Asian cuisines
grasshoppers have appeared in Dutch painting, English poetry, and Latin American and Asian cuisines
“Also called locusts” is a phrase that must modify “grasshoppers,” so we can eliminate all those answer choices that don’t begin with that word. Those incorrect choices are known as misplaced modifiers. Moreover, since “Latin American and Asian cuisines” is one item in the list and not two, it should not have a comma in the middle of it.
Example Question #132 : Language Usage And Grammar
1 Grasshoppers are intriguing insects that have both served as potent symbols in literature [Question 1]. 2 Also called locusts, [Question 2]. 3 Grasshoppers may be best known from the Aesop’s fable “The Ant and the Grasshopper,” in which ants and grasshoppers [Question 3].
4 Yet grasshoppers have also caused terrible famine [Question 4] Ancient Egypt, China, and the Rocky Mountains. 5 Farmers today attempt to control grasshoppers swarms [Question 5]. 6 On the other hand [Question 6] is sometimes used as a term of endearment. 7 What do you think about grasshoppers?
Which of the following phrases best completes Sentence 3?
exemplify the contrasting human traits of diligence and indolence
execrate the contrasting human traits of diligence and inference
exorcise the contrasting human traits of diligence and indolence
execute the contrasting human traits of diligence and insolence
indemnify the contrasting human traits of diligence and insolence
exemplify the contrasting human traits of diligence and indolence
This question is dependent on your vocabulary recognition. In the Aesop’s fable that this sentence discusses, ants and grasshoppers provide examples of, or “exemplify,” human behaviors. The sentence also explains that the two human behaviors are contrasting, which leaves us with “diligence” (hard work) and “indolence” (laziness). None of the other pairs contrast.
Example Question #133 : Language Usage And Grammar
1 Grasshoppers are intriguing insects that have both served as potent symbols in literature [Question 1]. 2 Also called locusts, [Question 2]. 3 Grasshoppers may be best known from the Aesop’s fable “The Ant and the Grasshopper,” in which ants and grasshoppers [Question 3].
4 Yet grasshoppers have also caused terrible famine [Question 4] Ancient Egypt, China, and the Rocky Mountains. 5 Farmers today attempt to control grasshoppers swarms [Question 5]. 6 On the other hand [Question 6] is sometimes used as a term of endearment. 7 What do you think about grasshoppers?
Which of the following phrases best completes Sentence 4?
, most notably in
most notably in
None of these other choices
; most notably, with
most notably with
, most notably in
If we plug in any of these answer choices into the sentence, we can see that the result is an independent clause (“Yet grasshoppers have also caused terrible famine”) followed by a dependent clause (“most notably in Ancient Egypt, China, and the Rocky Mountains”). The correct punctuation to separate these two clauses is a single comma.
Example Question #42 : Completing Sentences
1 Grasshoppers are intriguing insects that have both served as potent symbols in literature [Question 1]. 2 Also called locusts, [Question 2]. 3 Grasshoppers may be best known from the Aesop’s fable “The Ant and the Grasshopper,” in which ants and grasshoppers [Question 3].
4 Yet grasshoppers have also caused terrible famine [Question 4] Ancient Egypt, China, and the Rocky Mountains. 5 Farmers today attempt to control grasshoppers swarms [Question 5]. 6 On the other hand [Question 6] is sometimes used as a term of endearment. 7 What do you think about grasshoppers?
Which of the following phrases best completes Sentence 5?
with a mixture of fire, pesticides, and natural fungi species
including a mixture of fire, pesticides, or natural fungi species
in a mixture of fire, pesticides, and natural fungi species
with a mixture of fire, pesticides, or natural fungi species
with a mixture of fire, pesticides, with natural fungi species
with a mixture of fire, pesticides, and natural fungi species
Because we are listing the components of a mixture, we need to use the conjunction “and” and not “or” or “with.” Because the idea that precedes the bracketed part of the sentence is “control grasshopper swarms,” the word “with” fits better than “in” or “including.” These two rules eliminate all but one answer choice: “with a mixture of fire, pesticides, and natural fungi species.”
Example Question #43 : Completing Sentences
1 Grasshoppers are intriguing insects that have both served as potent symbols in literature [Question 1]. 2 Also called locusts, [Question 2]. 3 Grasshoppers may be best known from the Aesop’s fable “The Ant and the Grasshopper,” in which ants and grasshoppers [Question 3].
4 Yet grasshoppers have also caused terrible famine [Question 4] Ancient Egypt, China, and the Rocky Mountains. 5 Farmers today attempt to control grasshoppers swarms [Question 5]. 6 On the other hand [Question 6] is sometimes used as a term of endearment. 7 What do you think about grasshoppers?
Which of the following phrases best completes Sentence 6?
, “young grasshopper”
, “young grasshopper,”
: “young” grasshopper
: young grasshopper,
, young grasshopper
, “young grasshopper”
“On the other hand” is an introductory clause that requires a comma to separate it from the main part of the sentence. Since the term “young grasshopper” is being discussed as a term, quotation marks are the best choice of punctuation. Lastly, since the words “young grasshopper” are integral to the meaning of the sentence’s main (independent) clause, we don’t use a comma between “grasshopper” and “is.”
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