1. Part 1: Parts of Speech
In this section, you’ll “diagram” each sentence by correctly
identifying the part of speech of each of the words. This
illustrates your understanding of the parts of speech and
their appropriate placement in sentence structure.
Example:
The boy hit the ball.
The
(definite article)
boy
(subject)
hit
(past tense verb)
the
(definite article)
ball
(direct object).
Please write the identified parts of speech on the lin
eneath each sentence.
1. Mother gave me a card for my birthday.
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2. The new mail carrier finally arrived.
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3. How many players are on a team?
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Part 2: Types of Sentences

2. In this section, you’ll identify what type of sentence each
example is. Y
exclamation, declarative, or interrogative.
Example 1:
While Annie stayed home and sulked, Jimmy
went to the movies.
Complex
This is a
complex
sentence, because it has one or more
independent
clauses joined by one or more
dependent
clauses.
“While
Annie stayed home and sulked” is a dependent clause
because it’s an incomplete thought. “Jimmy went to the
movies” is an independent clause because it’s a complete
sentence that has a subject, a verb, and an objec
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Example 2:
I like this.
Declarative
This is a
declarative
sentence, because it’s simply making
a statement.

3. Please write your answers in the spaces provided at the
end of each sentence.
1. Tim likes soup, so
Mary bought
tomatoes.
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Example 2:
I like this.
Declarative
This is a
declarative
sentence, because it’s simply making
a statement.
Please write your answers in the spaces provided at the
end of each sentence.
1. Tim likes soup, so

4. Mary bought
tomatoes.
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2. Oh no! _______________
3. Do you want to play in the garden? _______________
4. In the story, the author told how useful a sled can be.
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5. She plays the piano. _______________
6. I love you! _______________
7. My brother baked a cake last night. _______________
8. The car broke down, but a rescue van arrived within
minutes. _______________
9. If you leave late, take a cab home. _______________
10. What did you name your new puppy? _____________
Part 3: Word Choice
Which word is correct? In this section, you’ll apply your
knowledge of troublesome words by making choices in the
following sentences. You don’t need to explain your choice.
Read the sentence out loud to yourself several times using
the different options. Once you’ve decided which word is
correct, circle your choice.
Example:
I can’t go any (farther, further) up this hill.

5. The correct choice is
farther. Farther
means physical advance-
ment in distance, while
further
denotes advanceme
Please circle the correct choice.
1. I think (there, their, they’re) son is the quarterback of
the team.
2. The storm didn’t have as much (affect, effect) on our
community as it did on others.
3. He is much bigger (than, then) I remember him being.
4. The (principle, principal) of the school graduated with
my sister.
5. You have no choice but to (accept, except) this decision.
6. When I got home, my parents had (already, all ready) left.
7. Because the president will be in the building, the streets
surrounding the (capital, capitol) will be closed.
8. Did you win or (loose, lose) the game?
9. She performed (good, well) on the balance beam.
10. These colors (complement, compliment) each other well.
Part 4: Proofreading
What’s wrong with this passage? In this section, you’ll proof-
read a passage looking for grammar, punctuation, and spelling
errors. It may help to read the passage aloud, to more easily
determine any mistakes. You don’t need to tell us how many
corrections you make in each sentence.
Example:
One day him and i got up and decided to go
Edited:
One day
,he
and
I
got up and decided to go to the
beach for the day.

6. There were three errors in this sentenc
Make your corrections in the space provided beneath
each sentence.
Most students do not like english class. They think its a waste
of there time and energy. Ain’t nobody likes to right papers
and take tests anyway? Me and you dont. My friend Johnny
now him know alot about this grammar stuff. I always am
asking he to help me, with my English homework.
Him is a
good friend. I now someday ill be good at this english
stuff. I
guess I just got to study hard. Maybe Johnny can help learn me.
Part 5: Sentence Structure
The following section contains True/False items concerning
grammar, punctuation, and definition of terms.
Indicate whether each of the following is True or False.
______ 1. You should use a comma before the word “and.”
______ 2. The following is a sentence fragment:
It no longer flies.
______ 3. In the following sentence, the underlined word is
used correctly:
The Jones
’ controlled the South Side for years.
______ 4. A participle is a noun word that acts like a verb.
______ 5. The underlined portion of the following sentence
is an infinitive phrase:
Malls are designed to make shoppers feel safe
.
______ 6. The underlined word in the follow
6. The underlined word in the following sentence is
the correct pronoun:
The committee voted to disband itself
.
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7. ______ 7. The underlined portion of the following sentence
is an adjectival clause:
The school began teaching
parents when adult
literacy gained national attention
.
______ 8. In the following sentence, the underlined portion
is the main clause:
Because it was directed at people who could not
read, advertising had to be inventive
.
______ 9. You should generally spell out units of measures
and the names of places, people, and courses in
formal writing
assignments.
______10. In
the following sentence, the subject and the verb
agree: Neither the owners nor the contactor agree.

8. Part 6: Essay Writing
In this section, you’ll provide
four
writing samples. Choose
one
topic from each of the four groups of essay options for this
portion of
the assignment. Each group consists of a
different
writing pattern. Group 1 selections are compare/contrast
essays,
Group 2 selections are process analysis and narration
essays, Group 3 selections are argumentative and persuasion
essays, and Group 4 are definition and division/classification
You may type your essay choices or handwrite them on
the pages provided. Be sure to label each essay with the
group and option numbers of the topic you chose.
Group 1: Compare/Contrast (Choose only one topic)
1. In approximately 400–500 words, using compare/contrast
strategies, discuss the benefits of attending college
immediately after completion of high school, rather than
waiting a few (or several) years.
2. In approximately 400–500 words, using compare/contrast
strategies, discuss the benefits and/or advantages of
shopping online, rather than shopping in a store
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Group 2: Process Analysis and Narration
(Choose only one topic)
1. In approximately
400–500
words, using process analysis
and narration techniques, explain how best to ready
oneself for an interview.
2. In approximately
400–500

10. words, using process analysis
and narration techniques, explain how to complete one of
your favorite activities, such as a hobby or leisure interest.
Keep in mind that the reader may not know anything
about the activity you’re describing, so be very specific
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roup 3: Narration and Persuasion (Choose only one topic)
1. In approximately 400–500 words, using narration and
persuasion techniques, state your goals for your career
upon graduation and persuade a potential employer of
your ability to perform in a particular position that you’re
applying for.
2. In approximately 400–500 words, using persuasive
(argument) techniques, persuade the reader to purchase
a hybrid car instead of a traditional automobil
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11. _____________________________
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Group 4: Definition and Classification
(Choose only one topic)
1. In approximately 400–500 words, using definition and
classification strategies, discuss types of restaurants
and the possible side effects of eating out.
2. In approximately 400–500 words, using definition and
classification strategies, discuss types of music and their
effect on mood
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Part 7: MLA Style
In this section, you’ll demonstrate your proficiency in the
concepts of rhetorical analysis, research, and the correct use
of MLA style. You’ll compose a persuasive essay that contains
a paraphrase, a short citation, and a hanging quotation, each
of which is properly formatted and cited in MLA style. You
also must include, in a Works Cited list at the end of your
essay, a citation from an Internet source, a book, a chapter
from a book, and a magazine.

12. This section of your exam may be typed. Compose a
persuasive essay of 750–1,000 words based on one of
the following topics:
1. “More than 5,000 teens die each year in car crashes in
the United States. The rate of crashes, fatal and nonfatal,
per mile driven, for 16-year-old drivers is almost 10 times
the rate for drivers ages 30 to 59, according to the National
Highway Safety Administration. Many industrialized coun-
tries in Europe and elsewhere have a d
Highway Safety Administration. Many industrialized coun-
tries in Europe and elsewhere have a driving age of 17
or 18” (Bowles). Based on this quote, research this topic
and persuade the reader, whether you agree or not, that
it’s in the best interest of the country to raise the national
driving age to 18 years.
2. “Members of CORE said there are about 110,000 people
waiting for an organ donation, but only about 25,000
transplants each year” (OVMC). Whether you agree with
the concept or not, research the topic of organ donation,
challenge the myths behind this cause, and write a
paper that discusses the process.
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