Praxis Writing : Praxis Core Skills: Writing
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for Praxis Writing
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Example Questions
Example Question #1 : Identifying Other Punctuation 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.
Jeremy flew to Europe last week: He said he wanted to be alone for awhile.
week:
week,
week;
week...
week;
This sentence uses a colon where a semicolon would be more appropriate. While a colon requires an independent clause before it, when trying to separate two independent clauses it is best to use a semicolon. Also, in the example sentence, the first letter of the second clause is incorrectly capitalized. The best version of the sentence reads, "Jeremy flew to Europe last week; he said he wanted to be alone for awhile."
Example Question #1 : Semicolons
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
According to the survey; business owners who employed more than one hundred workers were twice as likely to oppose unionization as were owners of smaller businesses. No error
survey;
were twice as likely
No error
who
survey;
The error here occurs in the punctuation of the dependent introductory clause. Since this opening clause is introductory in nature, it is considered a dependent clause. Semicolons can never punctuate dependent clauses, they must follow independent clauses. The rest of the sentence was correct as written.
Example Question #1 : Identifying Word Usage 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.
We had a terrible time at the football game. It was bitter cold.
bittering
bitter
bittered
bitterly
bitterly
Here, the correction simply involves making the adjective "bitter" into the adverb "bitterly." This is necessary because it modifies the verb "was" rather than the noun cold.
Example Question #1 : Praxis Core Skills: Writing
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
Even though we started on the same day, at this point Robert is junior than me in the company. No error
No error
started
than
day,
than
Comparative prepositions (like "senior" or "junior") are followed by "to", not than, from, or against. The error here is "than," which needs to be replaced with "to" in order for this question to be correct.
Example Question #3 : Identifying Word Usage Errors
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
Gerald fumbled with his papers, apologized to his coworkers, and replaced them on his podium. No error
papers,
No error
them
fumbled
them
The use of the pronoun "them" is ambiguous in this context, as "them" could technically refer either to "his papers" or to "his coworkers." "Them" should be replaced with "his papers."
Example Question #4 : Identifying Word Usage 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.
I have no clear idea who I am speaking to.
to what I am speaking.
to whom I am speaking.
who I am speaking to.
whom I am speaking to.
to whom I am speaking.
This is a very common error of pronoun case, which leads the sentence to incorrectly conclude with a preposition. Rather than using the subjective-case "who" in saying "who I am speaking to," it is correct to use the objective-case "whom." The correct version of the sentence reads, "I have no clear idea to whom I am speaking."
Example Question #2 : Praxis Core Skills: Writing
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
Boswell described his conversations with Dr. Johnson and writes that Johnson's wit was unparalleled. No error
No error
his conversations
writes
Dr.
writes
The error queried here was a simple error of verb tense. Since "described" is not underlined it must be correct, and since this verb is in the past tense the next verb "writes" should be in its past tense form: "written."
Example Question #3 : Praxis Core Skills: Writing
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.
If I was you, I would leave that job immediately.
were
was
will
had of been
were
This sentence expresses a hypothetical condition that is contrary to fact ("I," by definition, am not "you"), and therefore needs to be expressed using verbs in the subjunctive mood. "If" is a usually a good indication that a sentence will be in the subjunctive mood. In the subjunctive, "were" should be used instead of "was." "If I were you, I would leave that job immediately."
Example Question #1 : Sentence Correction
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 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 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 #2 : Sentence Correction
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 all workers must supply their own steel-toed shoes.
that all workers must supply his or her own steel-toed shoes.
that any worker must supply their own steel-toed shoes.
that each worker must supply their 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.
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