8th Grade Language Basic Practice Test 4

Name:

Multiple Choice
Identify the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.

“before you go,” he said, “be sure to leave a note for me.”
Which word or words should be capitalized?

a.	before, be	c.	before
b.	before, he, be	d.	before, me

Composing and Writing Process—Drafting and Revising Skills—RIT 211-220
Which sentence is correctly worded?

a.	He needed milk and bread because Dan went to the store.	c.	Milk and bread Dan needed because he went to the store.
b.	Dan went to the store because he needed milk and bread.	d.	Because Dan needed the store he went to bread and milk.

Which sentence demonstrates correct subject-verb agreement?

a.	Students in that English class write many essays.	c.	A student with six classes are going to be busy.
b.	The crowd from the game are walking out of the stadium.	d.	Her class with twenty students are supposed to ride in that little van.

The bite of a Hobo spider is venomous. They rarely cause death.
Which word would be used to combine these sentences into a complex sentence?

a.	because	c.	although
b.	therefore	d.	since

Which sentence uses an infinitive phrase for emphasis?

a.	I like to eat ice cream with chocolate sauce.	c.	To read for pleasure is a goal of serious students.
b.	We were tardy to class.	d.	We took a break to buy a snack from the vending machines.

Which group of words form a subordinating clause?

a.	Before the annual homecoming game,	c.	Before the forbidding office door,
b.	Before you may meet your friends,	d.	Before our entire senior class,

Identify the sentence with the misplaced modifier.

a.	When I was a baby, my mother taught me to drink from a cup.	c.	I read a story in my literature book about a man who took care of sick animals.
b.	The teacher complimented the students at the beginning of class.	d.	Karen made cookies for the scout troop that had chocolate chips.

Before you go to the game, you must clean your room.
I’ll give you ten dollars, if you do a good job.
Which word would you use to combine these sentences?

a.	therefore	c.	after
b.	but	d.	when

Read the following paragraph.

Which sentence tells why the two teams were playing?

a.	1	c.	3
b.	2	d.	4

10.

Which one would be the best conclusion for an essay about your first driving experience?

a.	After that experience I drove the car into the garage. I turned the key off and went into the house.	c.	It had been a nail-biting experience. I had narrowly escaped demolishing the garage door and customizing my dad’s classic 1965 Mustang.
b.	Thank you for reading my essay. I enjoyed telling my story.	d.	At the end of the day I was happy. I had driven a car.

11.

Composing and Writing Process—Prewriting Skills—RIT 211-220
Which topics would best complete the following outline?

a.	cleated shoes	c.	batting helmet
b.	ice skates	d.	bases

12.

I missed the bus. I was tardy to my first hour class.
Select the best way to combine these sentences.

a.	I missed the bus, but I was tardy to my first hour class.	c.	I missed the bus, and I was tardy to my first hour class.
b.	I missed the bus, for I was tardy to my first hour class.	d.	I missed the bus, or I was tardy to my first hour class.

13.

Which group of verbs would fit best in a literary fantasy?

a.	chopped, diced, fried, boiled	c.	tossed, caught, threw, hit
b.	concocted, imagined, cast, transformed	d.	had, bought, lent, gave

14.

You are assigned a research paper on primates. From the following list, choose which pair you would be sure include.

a.	apes, humans	c.	chimps, kangaroos
b.	lizards, monkeys	d.	bears, parrots

15.

Composing and Writing Process—Use Editing and Proofreading Processes—RIT 211-220

a.	A, D G	c.	C, E F
b.	B, C G	d.	A, C, E

16.

The boy________ away with his hands jammed in his pockets.
Which verb would show the boy was angry?

a.	strolled	c.	scurried
b.	ran	d.	stomped

17.

Which closing is capitalized correctly?

a.	take care,	c.	Take care,
b.	Take Care,	d.	TAKE CARE,

18.

Which group of words uses an abbreviation correctly?

a.	We ordered our pizza w/o olives.	c.	Mrs. Smith is my boss.
b.	I hate to go to the dr.’s office.	d.	Don’t you have a dentist Apptt. today?

19.

Composition Structure—Use Appropriate Format—RIT 211-220
Read the following passage.

To revise the passage, where should you start a new paragraph?

a.	after “ . . . it began to snow.”	c.	after “ . . our teacher apologized.”
b.	after “ . . . drifts that were forming.”	d.	after “ . . . is certain though.”

20.

Which of the following is true when writing paragraphs in an essay?

a.	Essays should be single-spaced.	c.	Paper must contain at least six paragraphs.
b.	Unlined paper must be used.	d.	Each paragraph should be indented.