GACE Writing

In 1856, chemistry student William Henry Perkin was trying to find an inexpensive way to produce quinine, which is used to treat 'malaria, when he accidentally created' the first synthetic dye, a brilliant purple, instead. A.malaria, when he accidentally created B.malaria, but he accidentally will create C.malaria to create accidentally D.malaria whereas accidentally creating E.malaria; accidentally creating

Option (A) is correct. Option (B) is incorrect because it uses a future tense verb to describe an action that took place in the past. Option (C), by omitting the second comma around the modifying phrase, creates a nonsensical statement suggesting that Perkin was "trying" to do something "accidentally." Option (D) also omits the second comma around the modifying phrase and introduces a conjunction that does not fit the syntax of the sentence. Option (E) is incorrect, because it uses a semicolon to join a complete sentence and a sentence fragment. Only Option (A) is correct, because the modifying phrase is clearly bounded, and the final clause is clearly and grammatically linked to the rest of the sentence.

Which is a primary source for a research paper on women who worked in Ohio factories during the Second World War? A.Oral histories B.An unpublished dissertation C.Recent documentaries D.A history textbook E.An article in an academic journal

Option (A) is correct. Oral histories, which are sound recordings of interviews with people who have personal knowledge of past events, is the only primary source of the five offered. Options (B) to (E) are all secondary sources, created by people who did not directly experience or participate in the events they describe.

Approximately 25 to 30 percent of a hummingbirds' body mass is flight muscle considerably more than the average of 15 percent typical of other birds.

Option (A) is correct. Since the body mass of a single hummingbird is referred to, the possessive is properly formed by the addition of an apostrophe followed by the letter "s." Consequently, hummingbirds' must be changed to hummingbird's.

Both the bus and the subway goes directly to the airport, although the subway, while not as convenient, is invariably quicker.

Option (A) is correct. The compound subject of the verb at option (A) is "the bus and the subway"—two discrete entities; therefore, the singular verb goes must be replaced by the plural go.

(14) They are "newly discovered" only in the sense that until recently they remained unknown to science. (15) Take the case of the Vangunu giant rat. (16) This giant rat is an extremely large rodent that lives in the Solomon Islands. (17) Nearly three times as big as the common brown rat, it was first reported by scientists in 2015. In context, which is the best way to revise and combine sentences 15 and 16 (reproduced below) at the underlined portion? Take the case of the Vangunu giant rat. This giant rat is an extremely large rodent that lives in the Solomon Islands. A.the Vangunu giant rat, an extremely large rodent that B.a rat they call the Vangunu giant rat, an extremely large rodent that C.an extremely large one, the Vangunu giant rat, which D.an extremely large rodent known since then as the Vangunu giant rat and that E.the Vangunu giant rat, a rodent of a similarly large size, which

Option (A) is correct. The phrasing eliminates the redundancy in the underlined portion of sentences 15 and 16; the economy of expression in the correct phrasing is appropriate because the crucial information about the Vangunu giant rat is provided in sentences 17, 18, and 19; sentences 15 and 16 provide only basic introductory information. Furthermore, the other options provide contextual information that is not supported by the discussion in the paragraph.

Before 'preceding' 'to discuss' any confidential personnel matters, the city council, 'as required by' law, always withdraws into 'private session'.

Option (A) is correct. This sentence refers to an action (withdrawing into private session) that must occur before the council can go on, or proceed, to discuss certain matters. The verb precede, which means to "go before," does not fit the context.

Since 2013, Los Angeles International Airport 'has ran' a therapy dog program in its terminals, joining 'the many' other airports in the United States and abroad 'that procure' teams of dogs and their handlers, usually volunteers, 'to greet' stressed passengers and put them at ease.

Option (A) is correct. To convey the time frame from 2013 to now, the verb phrase at (A) needs to be in the present perfect tense: has ran must be changed to has run.

What must be included in a works cited list? A.Material that was consulted during research B.Complete documentation of sources referred to in the text C.Footnotes providing additional information D.Additional sources recommended to readers E.A list of illustrations and figures appearing in the text

Option (B) is correct. A works cited list enumerates the sources referred to in the body, or main text, of a paper. Option (A), material consulted during research, is what goes into a bibliography, which is usually much broader than a works cited list. The other options refer to explanatory or supplementary information that is included in neither.

'Should' the change of seasons make you 'wish on' new clothes, remember that a pair of 'jeans takes' 1,800 gallons of water to produce, 'and do' your shopping in the local thrift store instead.

Option (B) is correct. Idiomatically speaking, you cannot wish on new clothes—you wish for new clothes. In the context of this sentence, wish for, in the sense of desiring something, is required.

(1) We live in an era when extinctions are accelerating. (2) Because of habitat destruction and climate change, a planet may be losing dozens of species daily. (3) But these extinctions, as troubling as they are, occur against a backdrop of immense biodiversity. In context, which change to sentence 2 (reproduced below) is most needed? Because of habitat destruction and climate change, a planet may be losing dozens of species daily. A.Replace "Because of" with "Due to". B.Change "a" to "our". C.Change "may be" to "could be". D.Change "dozens of" to "many". E.Replace "daily" with "on a daily basis".

Option (B) is correct. Sentence 1 uses the first-person plural pronoun "We" in introducing the passage. Therefore, "our" is the appropriate determiner to use before "planet" in sentence 2; the indefinite article "a" is inappropriate because it is too vague in context. The extinctions discussed at the beginning of the passage are clearly happening on Earth, "our" planet, the planet that human beings ("We") inhabit.

(7) Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus devised the formal system for naming animals and plants in the eighteenth century. (8) And the number of such discoveries is extraordinary: each year, as many as 10,000 "new" animals are added to the scientific roster. (9) Many are very small, and many live in habitats, like deep-sea trenches, that make them difficult to observe. (10) Others, though, are comparatively large land-dwelling animals. (11) The list of animals discovered since 2000 includes species of rabbits, porcupines, sloths, and monkeys. (12) Why had no one noticed them before? (13) The truth is, many were indeed familiar to the people who live near their habitats. (14) They are "newly discovered" only in the sense that until recently they remained unknown to science. In context, where is the following sentence best placed? It's understandable why most of these animals escaped detection for so long. A.Immediately before sentence 8 B.Immediately before sentence 9 C.Immediately before sentence 10 D.Immediately before sentence 11 E.Immediately before sentence 13

Option (B) is correct. Sentence 8 claims that 10,000 new animals are discovered each year. Sentence 9 claims that some animals are difficult to see. The leap in logic between sentences 8 and 9 means that a transitional sentence is needed. The inserted sentence serves a transitional purpose; in particular, it makes a concession regarding the new animals mentioned in sentence 8 that effectively sets up the information provided in sentence 9. The fact that some animals are difficult to observe makes it understandable that many of the 10,000 new animals discovered each year had escaped detection for a long time.

With its "neck parallel" to the ground and its tail streaming, the roadrunner dashed between Marissa "and I" vanishing into the "desert vegetation" before "either of us" could speak.

Option (B) is correct. Since Marissa and the narrator are the objects of the preposition "between," the pronoun representing the narrator needs to be in the objective case: I must be replaced by me.

Before she began to paint the kitchen cabinets, Mei carefully followed the video's instructions to clean them thoroughly, remove all the hardware, 'and to sand' the surfaces. A.and to sand B.and sand C.and sanding D.also sand E.as well as sanding

Option (B) is correct. The sentence maintains parallelism by keeping all three verbs in the list in the same form. The verbs "clean," "remove," and "sand" are parallel and require parallel verb forms. Options (C) and (E) both use a verb form that is not parallel to the other two verbs. Option (A) includes a redundant "to" that is incorrect because "to" does not also appear before "remove." Options (D) and (E) also lack the conjunction "and" that is necessary to complete the list.

In order to qualify for the final round of the dance competition, her and her partner were required to demonstrate proficiency in a variety of dances.

Option (B) is correct. The unspecified female and her partner form the compound subject of the verb were required. Therefore, the first pronoun her must be in the subjective (not objective or possessive) case: "she and her partner were required."

The governor stated that the reason the bond issue was included on the ballot was 'there being' no other way to finance the needed infrastructure repairs without raising taxes. A.there being B.since there was C.that there was D.because of being E.on account of having

Option (C) is correct. It is idiomatic for "the reason . . . was" to be followed by "that"; the given sentence omits "that" and also features "being," an instance of improper verb form. Option (C) corrects both problems, while none of the other options does so.

Although the piccolo and the flute are similar in shape and are held the same way when played, the piccolo is much smaller and its sound is therefore much higher 'than the flute'. A.than the flute B.than the flute is C.than that of the flute D.compared to the flute E.compared with the flute's sound

Option (C) is correct. Options (A), (B), and (D) make faulty comparisons between the sound of the piccolo and the flute. The word "higher" refers to the flute's sound rather than to the flute itself and is being compared to "its [the piccolo's] sound." Option (E) correctly compares the sound of the two instruments, but it adds unnecessary repetition. Only option (C) is correct because it makes a correct comparison without introducing redundancy.

(4) It's estimated, for example, that as many as 7.8 million distinct animal species live on Earth. (5) Fewer than a million, likewise, have so far been identified by science. (6) Even as some species vanish through extinction, scientists continue to discover species that were previously unknown. (7) Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus devised the formal system for naming animals and plants in the eighteenth century. (8) And the number of such discoveries is extraordinary: each year, as many as 10,000 "new" animals are added to the scientific roster. In context, which is the best version of the underlined portion of sentence 5 (reproduced below) ? Fewer than a million, likewise, have so far been identified by science. A.(as it is now) B.after all C.however D.therefore E.in the meantime

Option (C) is correct. Sentence 4 provides the estimate that Earth is inhabited by a vast number of animal species. Sentence 5 states that only a relatively small number of those species have been identified by scientists. The phrase "Fewer than a million" at the beginning of sentence 5 signals that there is a contrast between sentences 4 and 5, making "however" the most appropriate transitional phrase to use within sentence 5.

'Newly revised' computer models indicate that global sea levels 'may well' rise twice as 'rapid' as 'had previously been' predicted.

Option (C) is correct. Since "rise" here is used as a verb, it must be modified by an adverb, not an adjective: rapid must be replaced by rapidly.

Hair, Dwight, and Neil Sampson. "Reducing carbon by increasing trees." American Forests, Summer 1996, p. 26+. General Science Collection, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A18646224/PPGS?u=nm_a_nnmcc&sid=PPGS&xid=e5d7bd19. Accessed 7 Aug. 2018. Which of the following information is found in the source above? A.The book in which an article appears B.The name of a newspaper article C.The date when an online article was retrieved D.An electronic link to the institute that sponsored the research E.The names of the editors of a collection of articles

Option (C) is correct. The citation states that the article was accessed, or retrieved, on August 7, 2018. The article appears in a journal, not in a book or a newspaper. And, the citation links to no institute and lists those who authored—not edited—the article.

Although she had studied French for years at school, Julie was so excited when she arrived in Paris 'that she could not' barely understand a word of what was said to her. A.that she could not B.that she couldn't C.that she could D.so she could not E.she couldn't

Option (C) is correct. The sentence contains an error in negation. Because "barely" conveys negativity, the inclusion of another negative creates a double negative. Options (A), (B), (D), and (E) all include a second negative (either a "not" or a negative contraction) that creates a double negative. Only option (C) completes the phrase without introducing a double negative.

If you want to learn about whales in their natural habitats, one should consider taking a whale-watching cruise staffed by a knowledgeable crew.

Option (C) is correct. The sentence states that if you want to learn about whales in their natural habitats one should consider taking a whale-watching cruise. While either you or one can be properly used in a sentence such as this, the use of the pronoun needs to be consistent. Since you is not underlined and thus cannot be changed, one must be replaced by you.

Many of the methods 'that are' used 'to determine' the authenticity of paintings, such as scanning electron microscopy, 'destroys' part of the artwork 'itself.

Option (C) is correct. The subject of the verb at option (C) is "methods" (not, as might first appear, the adjacent "scanning electron microscopy"). Therefore, the singular verb destroys must be changed to the plural destroy.

Shortening and margarine are good choices of ingredients for piecrusts because they are 100 percent fat, containing no water that could toughen the 'crust, unlike that of the water in butter.' A.crust, unlike that of the water in butter B.crust, and the water in butter does C.crust, unlike butter D.crust; but not butter E.crust, however, butter does not

Option (C) is correct. The underlined portion of the sentence does not clearly express a contrast between shortening and margarine on the one hand and butter on the other; rather, it illogically contrasts shortening and margarine with the water in butter. The use of "that of" confuses the matter further: it is not clear to what it refers. Only option (C) logically and effectively expresses the intended contrast without introducing additional errors.

Each day, as his father "had done" before him, David checked all of the "factory's" doors and windows "daily before" "heading" home for the night.

Option (C) is correct. The word daily in option (C) repeats the idea already established at the beginning of the sentence with "Each day." Since the earlier reference to the frequency of the tasks performed by David is not underlined, one must fix the redundancy at option (C) by changing daily before to simply before.

Written in 1871 for the three-year-old daughter of friends, "The Owl and the Pussy-Cat" is Edward Lear's "most famous" poem and a fine example of "victorian" nonsense verse still cherished "by both" children and adults.

Option (C) is correct. The word victorian needs to be capitalized. Victorian in the context of this sentence is an adjective meaning "characteristic of the reign of Queen Victoria (who ruled the United Kingdom from 1837 to 1901) or the art, letters, or tastes of her time."

The owl, "whose" eyes are "disproportionately large" in "relation to" its skull, is remarkable for it can see "good" under low light conditions

Option (D) is correct. Since the verb "see" is being modified, the adjective good must be replaced by the adverb well.

Included among the more than 75 languages into which William Shakespeare's plays have been translated are, Esperanto, Interlingua, and Klingon.

Option (D) is correct. The comma before the list of three languages into which Shakespeare's plays have been translated is improperly employed (interrupting the transition between "are" and "Esperanto") and should be deleted.

(18) But it had long been known to local islanders, who told stories of a rat so big it could crack coconuts. (19) In fact, it was the islanders' tales that first prompted them to search for the creature in nearby forests. In context, which is the best version of the underlined portion of sentence 19 (reproduced below) ? In fact, it was the islanders' tales that first prompted them to search for the creature in nearby forests. A.(as it is now) B.people C.other islanders D.scientists E.tourists

Option (D) is correct. The concluding paragraph concerns the difference between what scientists know and what local residents know when it comes to newly discovered animal species. The vague pronoun "them" in sentence 19 thus needs to be replaced for clarity. Sentence 17 claims that scientists first reported the Vangunu giant rat in 2015, and the corrected sentence 19 explains that the stories islanders told about the rat inspired scientists to conduct their search for the rodent in the first place. "Scientists" thus is the appropriate direct object of "prompted" in sentence 19.

Despite never having run for public office before and intense competition from a well-known politician, 'her party's nomination for United States senator was won by the young attorney by a wide margin'. A.her party's nomination for United States senator was won by the young attorney by a wide margin B.the nomination of her party for United States senator was won by a wide margin by the young attorney C.winning the party's nomination for United States senator, by a wide margin, was the young attorney D.the young attorney won her party's nomination for United States senator by a wide margin E.by a wide margin, nomination by her party for United States senator was won by the young attorney

Option (D) is correct. The given sentence suffers from improper modification: the underlined portion illogically indicates that it is the party's nomination that has never before run for public office, but it is the young attorney who has never done so. Only option (D) corrects this error.

The first pocket calculator was designed by Curt Herzstark, a prisoner in a German labor camp during the Second World 'War, marketed as the Curta Calculator, it was' manufactured from 1948 to 1972. A.War, marketed as the Curta Calculator, it was B.War, it was marketed as the Curta Calculator and C.War, being marketed as the Curta Calculator, it was D.War; marketed as the Curta Calculator, it was E.War, furthermore, it was marketed as the Curta Calculator and

Option (D) is correct. The two independent clauses are correctly coordinated with a semicolon. Options (A), (B), and (C) are ungrammatical because they each consist of two independent clauses joined by a comma, creating run-on sentences. Option (E) is incorrect because a comma cannot be used to join two independent clauses connected by a conjunctive adverb (furthermore).

For a research paper, a student is looking for science-based information on dreaming. Which source would be the most useful? A.An article published by a renowned physicist arguing that dreams have no symbolic meaning B.A Web site that provides interpretations of dream images C.An article in an encyclopedia that summarizes basic information on dreaming D.A Web-based open-access repository of dreams contributed by the public E.A Web-based data portal that allows users to access data from numerous studies on dreaming

Option (E) is correct. A Web-based portal that would allow the student to access data from numerous studies on dreaming is the best source of science-based information for which the student is looking. Options (B) and (D) are not likely sources of science-based information. Option (A) refers to an article written by a physicist, but a physicist is not likely to be an expert on sleep and dreaming, and one article would not provide the range and depth that numerous studies of dreaming could. Option (C), while probably accurate, is said to summarize only basic information and is thus not likely to be very useful.

(4) It's estimated, for example, that as many as 7.8 million distinct animal species live on Earth. (5) Fewer than a million, likewise, have so far been identified by science. (6) Even as some species vanish through extinction, scientists continue to discover species that were previously unknown. (7) Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus devised the formal system for naming animals and plants in the eighteenth century. (8) And the number of such discoveries is extraordinary: each year, as many as 10,000 "new" animals are added to the scientific roster. In context, what is the best way to deal with sentence 7 (reproduced below) ? Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus devised the formal system for naming animals and plants in the eighteenth century. A.Leave it as it is. B.Add "As a matter of fact," to the beginning of the sentence. C.Replace "devised" with "developed". D.Change "naming animals and plants" to "naming Earth's fauna and flora". E.Delete it from the passage.

Option (E) is correct. The sentence about Carl Linnaeus should be deleted from the passage because it is irrelevant to the main line of reasoning. The passage is about biodiversity, not about the system for naming the various species of animals and plants. Though sentence 8 mentions a "scientific roster" of animal species, the topic of how animals are named is never discussed in the passage.

Although aspens are often confused with birch trees because of their similar appearance, 'yet birch trees' belong to an entirely different family of trees. A.yet birch trees B.yet birch and aspen C.but these trees D.but they E.birch trees

Option (E) is correct. The sentence begins with the subordinating conjunction "although," so the underlined portion cannot also begin with a subordinating conjunction. Option (E) correctly begins the main clause with the subject ("birch trees"). Options (A), (B), (C), and (D) all include subordinating conjunctions, leaving the sentence without a main clause. Only Option (E) creates a grammatical sentence with correct subordination.

The philosopher and reformer John Dewey maintained that children's education should be based not on rote 'learning, but they should learn' through experience. A.learning, but they should learn B.learning, where they should learn C.learning but they will learn D.learning, instead E.learning but on learning

Option (E) is correct. The underlined portion of the sentence attempts to draw a contrast between two philosophies of education (rote learning versus experience) but fails because of its faulty construction and wordiness. Option (E) rectifies both of those shortcomings by omitting unnecessary verbiage and by using parallel construction: ". . . not on rote learning but on learning through experience." None of the other options does the same.

'Incredibly,' "A Martian Odyssey," one of the most 'original and influential' science fiction works of all time, 'was' the first science fiction story Stanley G. Weinbaum 'ever wrote'.

Option (E) is correct. This sentence contains no grammatical, idiomatic, logical, or structural errors. Therefore, "No error" should be chosen.

'That' human colonies might someday be 'successfully established' on the surface of Mars, an idea once 'dismissed as' absurd, no longer 'seems' unthinkable.

Option (E) is correct. This sentence contains no grammatical, idiomatic, logical, or structural errors. Therefore, "No error" should be chosen.

Studying the impact of our beliefs about ourselves, Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck has found that a growth mind-set thrives on 'challenge and sees failure not as evidence of unintelligence than as' a springboard for personal development. A.challenge and sees failure not as evidence of unintelligence than as B.challenge; and sees failure not as evidence of unintelligence than C.challenge, and she sees that failure is not evidence of unintelligence and as D.challenge to see failure is not evidence of unintelligence but E.challenge and sees failure not as evidence of unintelligence but as

Option (E) is correct. This sentence hinges on the description of a mind-set that sees failure in one way rather than in another. Option (E) expresses this distinction most effectively: "not as evidence of unintelligence but as a springboard for personal development." Option (A) does not use the preferred "not as . . . but as" construction, and options (B) and (C) compound this failing by introducing other errors. While option (D) uses "but," it omits "as" and also garbles the sense of the distinction.

The following assignment requires you to use information from two sources to discuss the most important concerns that relate to a specific issue. When paraphrasing or quoting from the sources, cite each source by referring to the author's last name, the title, or any other clear identifier. Assignment: Both of the following sources address the practice of telecommuting, a work arrangement whereby employees work from home or from a location near their home and communicate electronically with their company's main office. Though technological advances—especially those involving information security—have helped make telecommuting a widespread practice, telecommuting remains controversial as companies continually reevaluate and adjust their telecommuting policies. Read the two passages carefully and then write an essay in which you identify the most important concerns regarding telecommuting and explain why they are important. Your essay must draw on information from BOTH of the sources. In addition, you may draw on your own experience, observations, or reading. Be sure to CITE the sources whether you are paraphrasing or directly quoting. Source 1: Adapted from: Piskurich, George M. An Organizational Guide to Telecommuting: Setting Up and Running a Successful Telecommuter Program. American Society for Training & Development, 1998. On a basic level, telecommuting simply provides workers with the convenience of no longer having to commute to the office each day. Some surveys indicate that just over half of the employees asked give reduced commuting as their primary reason for telecommuting. . . . Telecommuting provides employees with more control over their time. Medical and dental appointments, child-care schedules, even walking the dog are all less of a problem for telecommuters. Telecommuting provides greater control over working conditions, heat, sound, and other environmental factors. On a psychological level, telecommuting can allow employees to work at the time of day (or night) during which they are most creative, what is known as working to their biological clock. These factors that increase employee satisfaction . . . increase productivity as well. In fact, from an organization's point of view, employee satisfaction and productivity are so closely related that they can be said to be part of the same reason for considering a telecommuting intervention. Source 2: Adapted from: Kurland, Nancy B. and Terri D. Egan. "Telecommuting: Justice and Control in the Virtual Organization." Organization Science. Vol. 10, No. 4 (Jul-Aug. 1999), pp. 500-513. Managers' primary reluctance about telecommuting rests on concerns of control. They question, "How do you measure productivity, build trust, and manage people who are physically out of sight?" (Mason 1993). Because telecommuters are physically out of sight, supervisors need to rely on measures other than physical observation to control and monitor performance. The solution for many organizations may be to resort to output controls and assign telecommuters projects whose outcomes are easily measured. . . . Employees' primary reluctance about telecommuting rests on concerns of isolation. . . . [both] professional and social. Professionally, employees fear that being "out of sight" means being "out of mind" for promotions and other organization rewards. Socially, employees comment that they miss the informal interaction they garner by being in the presence of colleagues and friends. Whether telecommuters experience social isolation may largely depend on if they work at home, where feelings of social isolation may be strong, or at a satellite office or neighborhood work center, where such isolation is less likely. . . . Professional isolation concerns reflect the possibility that telecommuting may change employees' opportunities for participating in, and receiving the benefits of, organizational membership.

The essay should be an informative essay based on the two sources provided.

In recent years, neuroscientists are trying to understand how the brain works when people interact, and they have found that a region of the brain that activates when we think about ourselves also activates when we allow others to influence us.

are trying. Option (A) is correct. The sentence states that in recent years neuroscientists have found out something about a particular region of the brain; their research is best thought of as beginning in the past and continuing to this day. To accurately reflect this time frame, the verb phrase are trying must be changed from the simple present tense to the present perfect: have been trying.

"School administrators should regulate student speech in school-sponsored publications." Discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with this point of view. Support your position with specific reasons and examples from your own experience, observations, or reading.

essay response

Carlos watched spellbound as each tiny bird extended its tongue into the feeder and reaches the nectar deep within.

reaches. Option (C) is correct. Non-underlined words—"watched" and "extended"—indicate that the actions described in the sentence occurred in the past. Thus, reaches, which is in the present tense, must be changed to the past tense: reached.

Since they had never before visited the resort town in autumn, it looked strangely to them without vacationers and with the tall lindens turning bronze.

strangely. Option (C) is correct. The adverb strangely needs to be replaced by the adjective strange. In this sentence, looked is a linking verb and thus not to be modified by an adverb.