Praxis Writing : Sentence Correction
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for Praxis Writing
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Example Questions
Example Question #1 : Noun Noun
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English.
All students in my program hope to become a rich, famous author, but statistics indicate that none of us will.
All students in my program hope to become rich, famous authors, but statistics indicate that none of us will.
All students in my program hope to become a rich and famous authors, but statistics indicate that none of us will.
All students in my program hope to become a rich, famous author, but statistics indicate that not any of us will.
All students in my program hope to become a rich, famous author, but statistics indicate that none of us will.
All students in my program hope to become rich, famous authors, but statistics indicate that none of us will.
In this sentence, "all students" establishes a plural subject. Therefore the "rich, famous author" must be changed to a plural form: "All students in my program wish to become rich, famous authors."
Because the writer is included in "all students in my program," the most correct version of this sentence would include the author in the assertion that "none of us will."
Example Question #1 : Pronoun Antecedent
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English.
It is explicitly stated in the employee handbook that all workers must supply his or her own steel-toed shoes.
that any worker must supply their own steel-toed shoes.
that all workers must supply their own steel-toed shoes.
that each worker must supply their own steel-toed shoes.
that all workers must supply his or her own steel-toed shoes.
that all workers must supply their own steel-toed shoes.
This question asks you to recognize and correct a pronoun-antecedent agreement error. "All workers" is plural, therefore the pronoun that refers to it must also be plural. Thus, the correct version of the sentence is: "It is explicitly stated in the employee handbook that all workers must provide their own steel-toed shoes."
If the workers are made individual ("each worker") then the correct pronoun form would be "his or her," because the individual pronoun is required but the gender of the worker is not specified.
Example Question #1 : Other Conjunction Errors
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English
She carefully reviewed her case notes, such as not to be surprised in court.
so
therefore
thus
such
so
The highlighted conjunction in this sentence is incorrect. "Such" is used to indicate a result, whereas "so" is used (as a conjunction) to indicate purpose. Because the sentence is discussing someone's precautionary measure, the correct conjunction here is "so". "She carefully reviewed her case notes, so as not to be surprised in court."
Example Question #1 : Apostrophes
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices repeats the underlined portion as it is written.
Given the uncertainty of the current weather conditions, its nearly impossible for travellers to feel confident in their plan's.
it's nearly impossible for traveler's to feel confident in their plans'.
its almost impossible for travellers to feel confident in their plans.
it is nearly impossible for travellers to feel confident in their plans.
its nearly impossible for travellers to feel confident in their plan's.
it is nearly impossible for travellers to feel confident in their plans.
The underlined part of the sentence contains two apostrophe errors. First, "it's" in this case is a contraction of "it is." "Its" (with no apostrophe) is used to signal the possessive (e.g. "the car performed its function"). The most correct, and appropriately formal, version of this sentence would use "it is."
The travellers' "plans" are in this case simply plural, so no apostrophe is needed. "Plan's" would only be used to signal that something belonged to the plans.
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