Writing Strategies Practice Problems: Pre-GED Language Arts, Writing

The study guide for this practice quiz can be found at:

Writing Strategies Study Guide: Pre-GED Language Arts, Writing

Now that you've had a chance to review the writing skills needed to do well on the GED, give the following questions a try. Read each question, and then choose the one best answer for each.

1. Sentence (1): Every time my brother takes a shower, he leave a huge mess.

Which revision should be made to sentence (1)?

1. replace Every with All
2. change takes to take
3. change leave to leaves
4. replace mess with messy
5. no revision is necessary.
2. (1) I used to enjoy going out to dance. (2) When I was younger.

Which revision should be made to sentence (2)?

1. delete sentence (2) and add a sentence about dancing
2. move sentence (2) in front of sentence (1) and add the word However
3. add for example to the beginning of sentence (2) and instead of at the end of sentence (1)
4. connect the sentences with a comma instead of a period and set When in lowercase
5. no revision is necessary
3. (1) She ate the cake. (2) Which the king had poisoned.

Which revision should be made to sentence (2)?

1. delete the word which
2. change the word Which to That
3. connect sentences with a comma instead of a period and set Which in lowercase
4. add the word And to the beginning of the sentence
5. no revision is necessary
4. Sentence (1): Three of us began the race, however, only two of us finished it.

Which revision should be made to sentence (1)?

1. move Three of us began the race to the end of the sentence
2. change the first comma to a period and capitalize however
3. delete however and replace with because
4. change however to nevertheless
5. no revision is necessary
5. Sentence (1): The car was smashed by a cement mixer.

Which revision should be made to sentence (1)?

1. delete was
2. place a period after smashed
3. move cement mixer in front of car
4. change the order to A cement mixer smashed the car
5. no revision is necessary
6. Sentence (1): The last time I went to see my friend in Dallas, he's living on the south side.

Which of the following revisions should be made to sentence (1)?

1. delete The
2. change the comma to a period and capitalize he's
3. change he's to he was
4. move he's living on the south side to the beginning of the sentence
5. no revision is necessary
7. Read the sentences and then choose the best answer.

(1) Last week I had too get my front bumper replaced. (2) I also had to get my windshield replaced and the front tires realigned. (3) All this trouble came into my life, because I ran into a deer last Monday.

Which of the following revisions should be made to sentence (1)?

1. move Last week to the end of the sentence
2. change too to to
3. delete the word front
4. add a comma after bumper
5. no revision is necessary
8. Sentence (2): I also had to get my windshield replaced and the front tires realigned.

Which of the following revisions should be made to sentence (2)?

1. delete also
2. change to to too
3. add a comma after replaced
4. add a semicolon after and
5. no revision is necessary
9. Sentence (3): All this trouble came into my life, because I ran into a deer last Monday.

Which of the following revisions should be made to sentence (3)?

1. delete the comma after life
2. move because I ran into a deer last Monday to the beginning of the sentence
3. add a comma after deer
4. change Monday to monday
5. no revision is necessary
10. Which of the following should a good introduction do?
    1. summarize the essay
    2. develop the argument
    3. get the reader's attention
    4. leave the reader with a sense of closure
    5. provide evidence to support the main idea