GrammarPhile Blog

Can You Pass This High School English Test?

Posted by Breanna Lambert   Mar 30, 2017 7:30:00 AM

quizRemember the stress of English tests in school? Not only were they timed, but it was nearly impossible to know exactly what to study. Whether it was long passages and reading comprehension questions, sentence diagramming, or this word is to this word as that word is to that word, it seemed like no matter what you spent hours hammering into your brain, the teacher would decide to throw something completely different at you.

The good news about this test is that if you fail, we won’t send you back to high school.

See if you can make a passing grade on these questions, inspired by the brain stumpers you might see on AP, SAT, or ACT tests.

 1. Determine if there is a mistake in the sentence structure below. If so, choose the answer that is written most clearly and correctly. If there is no mistake, choose Correct as is. 

Large hairy armadillos sleeping up to 20 hours per day are among the world’s sleepiest animals.

  1. The world’s sleepiest animals, sleeping up to 20 hours per day are some large hairy armadillos.
  2. Some large hairy armadillos, among the world’s sleepiest animals, are sleeping up to 20 hours per day.
  3. Sleeping up to 20 hours per day, large hairy armadillos are among the world’s sleepiest animals.
  4. Correct as is

2. Determine if there is a mistake in the sentence structure below. If so, choose the answer that is written most clearly and correctly. If there is no mistake, choose Correct as is. 

There are small buttons in that jar that are tiny and minuscule.

  1. There are small buttons in that jar.
  2. There are small and minuscule buttons in that jar.
  3. The small buttons in that jar are tiny and minuscule.
  4. Correct as is

3. Read the sentence below, then choose the answer in which the underlined word is used in the same way.

Goosebumps appeared all over her bare legs.

In which sentence does the word bare mean the same thing as in the sentence above?

  1. The mean dog will always bare his teeth at strangers.
  2. Her bare love for the boy was obvious on her face.
  3. The framed photo will be perfect for the bare wall.
  4. The farmer hoped to survive the winter on the bare harvest.

4. Which of the following choices best completes the sentence?

Historians believe the wheel most likely _____________ during the late Neolithic era.

  1. originated
  2. invented
  3. commenced
  4. advanced

5. Which of the following sentences correctly uses the hyphen?

  1. Wilson was a second-grade-elementary-school teacher with 30 years of experience.
  2. The cake recipe advertised itself as easy-to-do.
  3. The self-assured student driver expertly parallel parked the car. 
  4. Allie and Alicia, eighty-two year old twins, had dressed identically their whole lives.
6. Which of the following choices is misspelled?
  1. mellifluous
  2. perspicuous
  3. attenuate
  4. quarrellsome

7. Choose the letter that highlights the appositive phrase in the sentence below.

During the championship gameA, Nancy, the player with the most experienceB, defeated her opponent in one moveC.

8. After identifying the prepositional phrase in the following sentence, determine if the phrase is acting as an adjective or as an adverb.

Timothy is wildly excited about the party.

  1. Adjective
  2. Adverb

9. After identifying the prepositional phrase in the following sentence, determine if the phrase is acting as an adjective or as an adverb.

The older woman in the burgundy dress is Martha.

  1. Adjective
  2. Adverb

 10. Choose the letter that marks the preposition in the sentence below:

 Emotions aboundA duringB high school graduationC.

 

Keep track of your answers. The correct responses will be posted in next week's blog. 

Topics: quiz

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