STRUCTURE AND WRITTEN EXPRESSION
This section is designed to measure your ability to recognize language that is appropriate for standard written English. There are two types of questions in this section, with special directions for each type.
Structure
Directions: Questions 1-15 are incomplete sentences. Beneath each sentence you will see four words or phrases, marked (A), (B), (C), and (D). Choose the one word or phrase that best completes the sentence. Then, on your answer sheet, find the number of the question and fill in the space that corresponds to the letter of the answer you have chosen. Fill in the space so that the letter inside the oval cannot be seen.
Look at the following examples.
Example I
The president___ the election by a landslide. OCD©
A. won
B. he won
C. yesterday
D. fortunately
The sentence should read, "The president won the election by a landslide." Therefore, you should choose (A).
Example II
When ___ the conference?
A. the doctor attended
B. did the doctor attend
C. the doctor will attend
D. the doctor's attendance
The sentence should read, "When did the doctor attend the conference?" Therefore, you should choose (B).
Now we have sample of questions we can discuss together:
1. Among the materials used ------ reeds and straw.
a. to making thatched roofs
b. to make thatched roofs were
c. for making the thatched roofs
d. were thatched roofs made
simple sentence: reeds and straw were among materials
We have inversion of the subject and verb here because the sentence starts with a prepositional phrase of location
2. Settlers in colonial America chose to use reeds and straw ------ this material could withstand strong winds.
a. roofing their houses in part because
b. for roofing their partly houses because
c. because their roofs could partly
d. to roof their houses partly because
simple sentence: settlers chose to use reeds and straw
We can use the infinitive of purpose here. This one is a little bit confusing because we are using roof as a verb
3. Barns are large structures ------ shelt Erin Billyg farm equipment and livestock, such as horses and cows
a. solely erecting the purpose of
b. erected for the sole purpose of
c. erecting the sole
d. to erect the purpose solely
simple sentence: barns are structures
We have a reduced adjective clause here. The original clause would be: …structures that are erected for….
Also, we need the –ed form since barns are receiving the action.
4. ------, barns have long been a popular subject in paintings and photographs.
a. Often painted red
b. Often painting red
c. They were often painted red
d. Which were often painting red
simple sentence: barns have been subject
We have a reduced adjective clause here. The original clause would be: Barns, which are often painted red, have….
5. Wooden shingles are prohibited in many municipalities in the US because of the ease ------ catch fire.
a. that they can
b. which they
c. with which they can
d. of
simple sentence: shingles are prohibited
Written Expression
Then we move to section of written expression. In this section, you will face the sentences with an incorrect part. You will be forced to recognize the error occurs in each sentence. In questions 16-40, each sentence has four underlined words or phrases. The four underlined parts of the sentence are marked (A), (B), (C), and (D). Identify the one underlined word or phrase that must be changed in order for the sentence to be correct. Then, on your answer sheet, find the number of the question and fill in the space that corresponds to the letter of the answer you have chosen.
Look at the following examples.
Example I Sample Answer
The four string on a violin are tuned in fifths.
A B C D
The sentence should read, "The four strings on a violin are tuned in fifths." Therefore, you should choose (B).
Example II Sample Answer
The research for the book Roots taking Alex Haley twelve years.
A B C D
The sentence should read, "The research for the book Roots took Alex Haley twelve years." Therefore, you should choose (C).
Now we have sample of the test that can be discussed together.
1. Composed over 99% of the studied universe, hydrogen is by far the most abundant
A B C
element in the known universe.
D
Correction: Composing. Essentially, this is a reduced adjective clause: hydrogen, which composes over 99% of the studied universe, is by far the most abundant element in the known universe reduces to hydrogen, composing over 99% of the studied universe, is by far the most abundant element in the known universe which, in turn, can be changed to Composing over 99% of the studied universe, hydrogen is by far the most abundant element in the known universe.
2. The great white shark earned nickname 'man eating shark' from its tendency to
A B C
attack and maim human swimmers.
D
Correction: its nickname. Nickname is a singular count noun and it does not have a determiner (a, the, my, some, John's, 1, 2, 3, 4, etc.).
We need a determiner for every singular count noun or we need to make it plural. This is one of the most common mistakes--we need to look at every underlined noun and figure out whether it is a count or non-count noun. If it is a count noun, is singular and does not have a determiner, then it is wrong.
3. Price of a new car can run anywhere from around $11,500 to $1 million or more.
A B C D
Correction: The price. Price is a singular count noun and it does not have a determiner (a, the, my, some, John's, 1, 2, 3, 4, etc.).
We need a determiner for every singular count noun or we need to make it plural. This is one of the most common mistakes--we need to look at every underlined noun and figure out whether it is a count or non-count noun. If it is a count noun, is singular and does not have a determiner, then it is wrong.
4. Narwhals, small arctic whales, are interesting in that they have single tusk, rather
A B C
than two like most other mammals having tusks.
D
Correction: a single tusk. tusk is a singular count noun and it does not have a determiner (a, the, my, some, John's, 1, 2, 3, 4, etc.).
We need a determiner for every singular count noun. This is one of the most common mistakes--we need to look at every underlined noun and figure out whether it is a count or non-count noun. If it is a count noun, is singular and does not have a determiner, then it is wrong. You have a big clue here because of the word single which means that tusk is singular and countable. Did you choose having tusks? This is correct because it is reduced from that have tusks.
5. While their name implication that they are whales, pilot whales are actually dolphins.
A B C D
Correction: implies.
This is a word form question. This is one of the top five problem areas! implication is a noun; we need a verb, implies. If you were confused by While their, you should remember that while = although.
