Multiple Choice: Writing
These questions focus on your understanding of the structure of writing and grammar usage. All the information
you need is available in the questions. The more reading you do on a regular basis, the easier these questions will be.
Multiple Choice: Writing Sample
STEP ONE: Read the questions
You must know what the question is asking for before answering. Usually they are either structure questions (what
does not belong, what is out of order, or how would you put a sentence together) or they are grammar questions
(proper punctuation, tenses, word choice, etc.).
STEP TWO: Read the options
Often there will be one or two options that immediately do not look (or sound) correct. You can eliminate them and
focus on a smaller number of options.
STEP THREE: Choose the best answer
Select the option that answers the question being asked.
Examples: Here are some sample writing questions. Read them over and try to decide what they are asking for
and what the best answer is. In the margins are tips to help you identify each type and hints about the correct
answer.
SAMPLE QUESTIONS
1. Which sentence does not belong in the
paragraph?
(1) The Torino games were Canada’s most successful
In this type of question, you
Winter Olympics to date. (2) During the two weeks, 24
must that a paragraph must
medals were earned by the Canadian athletes. (3)
HINT: In this case, the topic
have unity.
Canadian competitors did exceptionally well in women’s
sentence is about Canada's
hockey, moguls, curling, cross-country skiing and skeleton.
success in the Olympics. Cindy's
Unity means that the whole
(4) The most successful athlete was Cindy Klassen of
personal hobbies do not relate to
paragraph is on one topic.
Calgary who accumulated five medals in speed skating. (5)
Every sentence relates to the
Cindy also enjoys hiking and rock climbing. (6) The next
same topic which is introduced
games will be held in Whistler, British Columbia, where
in the first sentence. If it is
Canada hopes to improve on this impressive result.
Canada's success, so it is
irrelevant and does not belong. All
of the other sentences are
unified.
irrelevant or gives unnecessary
information, it does not
a. Sentence 1
belong.
b. Sentence 3
c. Sentence 5
d. Sentence 6
2. Choose the option that best combines all the
information in the boldfaced sentences.
Some forms of transportation do not pollute the
This type of question is asking
environment.
you to judge the best complex
Some people walk.
sentence which combines a
Some people ride bicycles.
couple short sentences
HINT: All three sentences cannot
just be combined. The information
will need to be reorganized and
punctuation must be added.
together. You need to consider
a. Some forms of transportation do not pollute the
proper grammar and
environment some people walk some people ride
The meaning of the sentence is to
punctuation, as well as the
bicycles.
explain the idea and provide two
meaning of the sentence.
b. Some people walk or ride bicycles, which are
examples.
forms of transportation that do not pollute the
environment.
c. Some people walk, some people ride bicycles but
some forms of transportation do not pollute the
environment.
d. Some people walk and some people ride bicycles,
and some forms of transportation do not pollute the
environment.
3. Choose the sentence that is correctly written.
HINT: Try saying it aloud to
This type of question is asking
you to determine the correct
verb (action word) tense.
Look for the same words which
appear with different endings
in each sentence.
a. She was interested in applied for the job, and
yourself and listen for awkward
submit her application tomorrow.
phrasing.
b. She was interested in apply for the job, and
HINT: You can cancel out the
submitted her application tomorrow.
most obviously wrong option in
c. She is interested in applying for the job and will
submit her application tomorrow.
d. She is interested in applying for the job, and will
submitted her application tomorrow.
order to narrow down your
choices.
HINT: In this case look at the
variations of the words "apply"
AND "submit".
4. Choose the sentence that is correctly written.
This type of question is asking
HINT: In this case, Ying Lu's job
description should be set aside
you to look at the
a. Ying Lu a world-class golfer, is competing in a golf
punctuation and decide which
tournament today.
one is correct.
b. Ying Lu, a world-class golfer is competing in a golf
the sentence would still be
tournament today.
grammatically correct. Keep in
For commas, they are used to
c. Ying Lu, a world-class golfer, is competing in a golf
mind there needs to be a comma
set aside information that does
tournament today.
on both sides of the extra
not need to be in the sentence,
d. Ying Lu, a world-class golfer is, competing in a
information.
but provides extra detail.
golf tournament today.
because it could be taken out and