Free ATB Writing Questions and Answers — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What correction should be made to this sentence: <br><br> After Orville and Wilbur Wright have flown their first airplane in 1903, the age of flying slowly began.
- Add a comma after Wright
- Change “have flown” to “flew” (Correct answer)
- Change “first” to “1st”
- Delete the comma after 1903
Correct answer: Change “have flown” to “flew”
The sentence describes a completed action in the past ("in 1903"), which requires the simple past tense. "Have flown" is the present perfect tense, implying an action that started in the past and continues to the present or has present relevance, which is incorrect for a specific past date. Changing "have flown" to "flew" correctly places the action in the simple past tense, aligning with the historical context.
Question 2: Which is the best way to combine sentences (A) and (B): <br><br> (A) In the years after the war and through the Roaring Twenties, America's pilots found themselves without jobs. (B) Some of them gave up flying altogether.
- Some of America's pilots in the years after the war and through the Roaring Twenties found themselves without jobs because they gave up flying altogether.
- In the years after the war and through the Roaring Twenties, America's pilots found themselves without jobs; thus some of them gave up flying altogether. (Correct answer)
- Some of America's pilots gave up flying altogether in the years after the war and through the Roaring Twenties, and they found themselves without jobs.
- In the years after the war and through the Roaring Twenties, America's pilots found themselves without jobs because some of them gave up flying altogether.
Correct answer: In the years after the war and through the Roaring Twenties, America's pilots found themselves without jobs; thus some of them gave up flying altogether.
This option effectively combines the two sentences by using a semicolon and the conjunctive adverb "thus" to show a cause-and-effect relationship. The pilots being jobless was the reason ("thus") some of them gave up flying altogether. This structure creates a clear, grammatically correct, and logically flowing compound sentence.
Question 3: What correction should be made to this sentence: <br><br> Another pilot, Roscoe Turner traveled around the country with a lion cub in his plane.
- Delete the comma before Roscoe
- Add a comma after Turner
- Change with to as
- Change plane to airplane
The phrase "Roscoe Turner" functions as an appositive, providing additional information about "Another pilot." Appositives should be set off by commas if they are non-essential. In this sentence, "Roscoe Turner" is a non-essential appositive, so a comma is needed after "Turner" to properly punctuate the phrase.
Question 4: What correction should be made to this sentence: <br><br> Before airmail, the post traveled on trains and can take weeks to reach a destination.
- Delete the comma after airmail
- Change “traveled” to “travelled”
- Change “can” to “could” (Correct answer)
- Change “a” to “its"
Correct answer: Change “can” to “could”
The sentence describes events in the past ("Before airmail," "traveled"). Therefore, the modal verb "can" (present tense) should be changed to its past tense form, "could," to maintain consistent past tense throughout the sentence. This ensures grammatical agreement and accurately reflects the historical context of the statement.
Question 5: Which is the best way to combine sentences (A) and (B): <br><br> (A) Flying for the post office was dangerous work. (B) Early pilots didn't have sophisticated instruments and safety equipment on their planes.
- Flying for the post office was dangerous work, but early pilots didn't have sophisticated instruments and safety equipment on their planes.
- Early pilots didn't have sophisticated instruments and safety equipment on their planes which made flying for the post office dangerous work. (Correct answer)
- Flying for the post office was dangerous work; however, early pilots didn't have sophisticated instruments and safety equipment on their planes.
- Early pilots didn't have sophisticated instruments and safety equipment on their planes, nor was flying for the post office dangerous work.
Correct answer: Early pilots didn't have sophisticated instruments and safety equipment on their planes which made flying for the post office dangerous work.
This option effectively combines the two sentences by clearly establishing a cause-and-effect relationship. The lack of sophisticated instruments and safety equipment is presented as the direct reason ("which made") that flying for the post office was dangerous work. This structure creates a concise and logically connected sentence.
Question 6: What correction should be made to this sentence: <br><br> Nicknamed Sparky when he was a child, Charles schulz endured years of struggle before he finally found success.
- Change Sparky to sparky
- Change Nicknamed to Nick-named
- Remove the comma after child
- Change Charles schulz to Charles Schulz (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Change Charles schulz to Charles Schulz
"Charles Schulz" is a proper noun, referring to a specific person's name. Proper nouns, including surnames, should always be capitalized. Therefore, "schulz" must be capitalized to "Schulz" to adhere to standard English capitalization rules.
Question 7: Which sentence in this paragraph functions as the thesis statement for this composition: <br><br> (1) Sparky was a loser, but he didn't stay that way. (2) You probably know Sparky better by his given name: Charles Schulz. (3) Nicknamed Sparky when he was a child, Charles Schulz endured years of struggle before he finally found success. (4) Eventually, the loser became a winner. (5) Thanks to the hard work and perseverance of Sparky, the world will always remember a boy named Charlie Brown and the rest of the Peanuts gang.
- Sentence (2)
- Sentence (5) (Correct answer)
- Sentence (3)
- Sentence (1)
Correct answer: Sentence (5)
A thesis statement typically presents the main argument or purpose of the essay. Sentence (5) acts as the thesis because it encapsulates the central idea that Charles Schulz's hard work and perseverance led to his lasting legacy and recognition through "Peanuts." It sets up the overarching theme of his journey from struggle to success and its ultimate impact.
What correction should be made to this sentence:
After Orville and Wilbur Wright have flown their first airplane in 1903, the age of flying slowly began.