ACCESS ACCESS Grammar and Language Structure 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: On the ACCESS for ELLs assessment, which grammatical structure is English Language Learners at Level 1 most expected to demonstrate?
- Complex compound sentences with subordinate clauses
- Isolated words or formulaic phrases (Correct answer)
- Passive voice in academic writing
- Conditional sentences with hypothetical meaning
Correct answer: Isolated words or formulaic phrases
At Level 1 'Entering,' students are expected to communicate using individual words or memorized phrases rather than full grammatical sentences.
Question 2: Which sentence type is most characteristic of an ACCESS Level 4 'Expanding' English Language Learner's writing?
- Single-word responses only
- Simple sentences with minor errors
- Compound and complex sentences with some errors (Correct answer)
- Fully precise and sophisticated academic prose
Correct answer: Compound and complex sentences with some errors
At Level 4, students can construct compound and complex sentences but still produce some grammatical errors as they expand their English repertoire.
Question 3: What does the term 'subject-verb agreement' mean in the context of ACCESS grammar expectations?
- The subject and verb must appear on the same line
- The verb form must match the number and person of the subject (Correct answer)
- Subjects must always precede verbs in every sentence type
- Verbs must always be in present tense when the subject is a noun
Correct answer: The verb form must match the number and person of the subject
Subject-verb agreement requires the verb to match whether the subject is singular or plural and which grammatical person it represents.
Question 4: In ACCESS writing tasks, why is correct use of verb tense important for demonstrating English proficiency?
- Tense errors automatically disqualify a response
- Consistent and appropriate tense use signals the student can convey time relationships accurately in English (Correct answer)
- Only present tense is evaluated on ACCESS writing tasks
- Verb tense is only assessed in the speaking domain
Correct answer: Consistent and appropriate tense use signals the student can convey time relationships accurately in English
Accurate verb tense use on ACCESS writing tasks demonstrates that a student can communicate temporal relationships—past, present, and future—clearly in English.
Question 5: Which of the following best describes a 'complex sentence' that a Level 5 ACCESS student might produce?
- Two independent clauses joined by 'and'
- An independent clause joined with a dependent clause using a subordinating conjunction (Correct answer)
- A sentence fragment with a noun and adjective only
- A series of nouns listed without a verb
Correct answer: An independent clause joined with a dependent clause using a subordinating conjunction
A complex sentence combines an independent clause with a dependent clause using subordinators like 'because,' 'although,' or 'when,' a structure expected at higher ACCESS levels.
Question 6: What grammatical feature distinguishes English count nouns from mass (non-count) nouns, which ELLs frequently find challenging on ACCESS?
- Count nouns always end in -s
- Count nouns can be pluralized and used with 'a/an,' while mass nouns cannot (Correct answer)
- Mass nouns must always follow the definite article 'the'
- Count nouns cannot appear in the subject position
Correct answer: Count nouns can be pluralized and used with 'a/an,' while mass nouns cannot
Count nouns refer to discrete items that can be pluralized (book/books) and preceded by 'a/an,' while mass nouns like 'water' or 'information' cannot be pluralized in standard English.
ACCESS ACCESS Grammar and Language Structure 1
On the ACCESS for ELLs assessment, which grammatical structure is English Language Learners at Level 1 most expected to demonstrate?