Praxis PRAXIS Writing Section PRAXIS Writing Section Online Training
Praxis PRAXIS Writing Section Online Training
The questions for PRAXIS Writing Section were last updated at Jan 11,2025.
- Exam Code: PRAXIS Writing Section
- Exam Name: PRAXIS Writing Section
- Certification Provider: Praxis
- Latest update: Jan 11,2025
Determine whether the underlined portion of the sentence below is correct or whether it needs to be revised. Choose the correct option.
For homes in typically colder geographic regions, it is particularly important to have effective and efficient heating systems.
- A . For homes in typically colder geographic regions
- B . For people in homes in typically colder geographic regions
- C . For homes in typically cold geographic regions
- D . People in typically colder geographic regions
- E . Homes in typically colder geographic regions
C
Explanation:
The problem with this sentence is that it makes sense conversationally but not in written English. You cannot just say “colder geographic regions” when there is no object of comparison. Colder compared to what? An area can easily be identified as cold without a prior standard (such as the southern regions or areas near the equator) but not “colder.” Also, it is wrong to refer to people as the subject of this sentence because the second clause states that “it is particularly important to have … heating system.” People cannot have heating systems usually. Therefore, choice “For homes in typically cold geographic regions”, which uses a descriptive rather than comparative term, is the best choice.
Determine whether the underlined portion of the sentence below is correct or whether it needs to be revised. Choose the correct option.
Inside the glove compartment were legal documents, pictures, and there were a few napkins from the coffee shop, but no gloves. And there were a few napkins from the coffee shop, but no gloves.
- A . and there were a few napkins from the coffee shop, but no gloves.
- B . and there were a few napkins from the coffee shop, but not any gloves.
- C . and napkins from the coffee shop, no gloves were there.
- D . and napkins from the coffee shop, but no gloves.
- E . and napkins from the coffee shop, there were no gloves.
D
Explanation:
“and there were a few napkins from the coffee shop, but not any gloves” break the parallelism of the list of things in the glove compartment. “And napkins from the coffee shop, no gloves were there” and “and napkins from the coffee shop, there were no gloves” are run-ons.
Determine whether the underlined portion of the sentence below is correct or whether it needs to be revised. Choose the correct option.
Concerns about global warming have grown into actual efforts sanctioned by non-governmental organizations and governments that not only work to understand global warming and also to prevent it.
- A . understand global warming and also to prevent it.
- B . understand global warming but also to prevent it.
- C . understand global warming yet also to prevent it.
- D . understand global warming but also to prevent its growth.
- E . understand global warming yet also to prevent it’s growth.
D
Explanation:
The original underlined portion is incorrect because of the improper use of the “not only…but also…” structure. Only choice “understand global warming but also to prevent it” and choice “understand global warming but also to prevent its growth” use this structure, but choice “understand global warming but also to prevent its growth” accurately adds “to prevent its growth.” The sentence began by discussing growth because global warming is a dynamic problem that has not just stagnated; it continually has changed. Choice “understand global warming but also to prevent its growth” corrects the structure and also uses the proper possessive form of it (i.e. its).
Determine whether the underlined portion of the sentence below is correct or whether it needs to be revised. Choose the correct option.
Even though I have seen the movie countless times, I still laughed when the sheriff throws his mug.
- A . laughed when the sheriff throws his mug.
- B . laugh when the sheriff throws his mug.
- C . laugh when the sheriff threw his mug.
- D . laughed whenever the sheriff throws his mug.
- E . laugh when the sheriff will throw his mug.
B
Explanation:
“laughed when the sheriff throws his mug”, “laugh when the sheriff threw his mug”, “laughed whenever the sheriff throws his mug”, and “laugh when the sheriff will throw his mug” all have verb tense mismatches.
Determine whether the underlined portion of the sentence below is correct or whether it needs to be revised. Choose the correct option.
High school reunions are usually looked forward to by alumni that have worked hard since graduation and now consider themselves successful.
- A . High school reunions are usually looked forward to by alumni that have worked hard since graduation and now consider themselves successful.
- B . High school reunions are usually looked forward to by alumni who have worked hard since graduation and now consider themselves successful.
- C . Alumni who have worked hard since graduation and now consider themselves successful usually look forward to high school reunions.
- D . Alumnus that have worked hard since graduation and now consider themselves successful usually look forward to high school reunions.
- E . High school reunions are usually looked forward to by alumni that have worked hard since graduation and now consider yourselves successful.
C
Explanation:
The problem with this sentence is that it uses the passive voice and a mistaken pronoun to refer to people (i.e. that). Choice “Alumni who have worked hard since graduation and now consider themselves successful usually look forward to high school reunions” and choice “Alumnus that have worked hard since graduation and now consider themselves successful usually look forward to high school reunions” change the passive voice to the active voice by writing that the alumni commit the action, rather than writing that the action was committed by the alumni. Also, choice “Alumnus that have worked hard since graduation and now consider themselves successful usually look forward to high school reunions” mistakenly changes “alumni” (plural) to “alumnus” (singular). Choice “Alumni who have worked hard since graduation and now consider themselves successful usually look forward to high school reunions” is the best choice because “alumni” is plural as it should be based on the logic of the sentence (not just one person looks forward to high school reunions) and the active voice is properly implemented.
Determine whether the underlined portion of the sentence below is correct or whether it needs to be revised. Choose the correct option.
Yesterday I fell down the stairs and then tried to act as I did so on purpose.
- A . Yesterday I fell down the stairs and then
- B . Yesterday I fell down the stairs, I
- C . I fell down the stairs yesterday, I
- D . After I fell down the stairs yesterday; I
- E . Falling down the stairs; I
A
Explanation:
“Yesterday I fell down the stairs, I” and “I fell down the stairs yesterday, I” are run-ons. D and E misuse their semicolons: the parts before them are not independent clauses.
Determine whether the underlined portion of the sentence below is correct or whether it needs to be revised. Choose the correct option.
Lockers in schools are often dilapidated, making student’s valuables susceptible to theft.
- A . making student’s valuables susceptible to theft
- B . which makes student’s valuables susceptible to theft
- C . that makes student’s valuables susceptible to theft
A
Explanation:
Determine whether the underlined portion of the sentence below is correct or whether it needs to be revised. Choose the correct option.
Fleeing the horde of zombies on foot, an apparently safe building became visible to the terrified couple.
- A . an apparently safe building became visible to the terrified couple.
- B . the terrified couple spotted a building that looked safe.
- C . a safe looking building was spotted by the terrified couple.
- D . the terrified couple’s luck changed when they spotted a safe looking building.
- E . their fear subsided somewhat when the terrified couple would spot a safe looking building.
B
Explanation:
“an apparently safe building became visible to the terrified couple”, “a safe looking building was spotted by the terrified couple”, “the terrified couple’s luck changed when they spotted a safe looking building”, and “their fear subsided somewhat when the terrified couple would spot a safe looking building” are all dangling modifiers. Who was fleeing the horde? The terrified couple was.
Determine whether the underlined portion of the sentence below is correct or whether it needs to be revised. Choose the correct option.
Natural disasters have been increasingly effecting nearly every part of the world in the past decade with catastrophic tornadoes, hurricanes and tsunamis.
- A . have been increasingly effecting
- B . has been increasingly effecting
- C . have been increasingly affecting
- D . will be increasingly effecting
- E . will be increasingly affecting
C
Explanation:
The only problem with the underlined portion of this sentence is the use of the word “effecting” instead of “affecting.” When an object/s undergoes changes, these changes are effects such as in the following sentence: John’s excellent attendance at school has had positive effects on his education.
However, in the verb form, “effects” turns into “affects” such as in the following sentence: John’s excellent attendance has affected his education. Noun (effect) vs. verb (affect). Only choice “have been increasingly affecting” and choice “will be increasingly affecting” properly used “affecting” but choice “will be increasingly affecting” uses the future tense when the sentence clearly describes an occurrence of the past (“…in the past decade…”).
Determine whether the underlined portion of the sentence below is correct or whether it needs to be revised. Choose the correct option.
For every song that is a hit, it is critical to have a quality “beat” and quality lyrics; however, music companies hire professional producers and song writers.
- A . however
- B . therefore
- C . nevertheless
- D . and
- E . yet
B
Explanation:
The underlined portion of this sentence is wrong because the conjunction “however” needs to properly reflect the supporting nature of the second clause―NOT a contrasting relationship. Choice “however”, “nevertheless” and “yet” all reflect a contrasting relationship when a supporting and united relationship should be here. Choice “therefore” and “and” are left. Choice “therefore” is best because the initial clause creates a premise (the requirements for a good song) that the second clause needs to support (how the requirements are met); therefore is the ideal transition for this type of cause-effect relationship.