NES Profile: Essential Academic Skills Subtest II: Writing (002)

Competencies 0001–0003

Competencies:

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0001 Understand purpose, audience, organization, and development in writing.

Descriptive Statements:

Recognize writing that is effective for a given purpose, audience, and occasion.
Recognize methods of organizing paragraphs and passages.
Recognize effective thesis statements, topic sentences, and supporting details.
Select revisions that improve the unity and focus of a piece of writing or that improve cohesion and the effective sequence of ideas.
Recognize shifts in point of view (e.g., from first to third person).
Recognize details that distract from the development of the main idea of a paragraph or passage.
Select appropriate transitional words or phrases to convey text structure and to help readers understand the sequence of a writer's ideas.

Sample Item:

Read the passage below; then answer the question that follows.

Note: One or more errors of grammar, mechanics, or organization have been included in the passage.

¹The human body depends on feedback systems. ²These systems are self-regulating, allowing the body to maintain critical life-supporting functions, such as constant body temperature and the proper balance of blood sugar, water, and minerals. ³When these and other functions are in equilibrium, the body is said to be in a state of homeostasis. ⁴Humans and other living creatures regulate their bodies through a series of carefully timed chemical and biological adjustments that keeps their internal environments stable.

⁵The body's regulation of temperature is a classic feedback system and illustrates how living organisms maintain equilibrium. ⁶All mammals are warm-blooded creatures which means that their internal temperature is held constant even when the external temperature varies considerably. ⁷The body has several mechanisms for maintaining this temperature. ⁸ blank , when a person is outside on a very hot day, the brain will sense even a tiny increase of heat in the blood. ⁹At such moments, the brain activates nerves that induce sweating, which cools the skin, blood, and internal organs. ¹⁰ blank, when a person is cold, the brain sends signals to make the body shiver and develop "goose bumps." ¹¹Both these responses help the body's core stay warm. ¹²In this way, the body's internal temperature is carefully controlled through a complex, but highly efficient, feedback system.

Which words or phrases, if inserted in order into the blanks in Parts 8 and 10, would best help the reader understand the sequence of the writer's ideas?

As a result; Consequently
However; Nevertheless
Therefore; For this reason
For example; On the other hand

Correct Response and Explanation (Show Correct ResponseHide Correct Response)

D. This question requires the examinee to select appropriate transitional words or phrases to convey sentence structure and to help readers understand the sequence of a writer's ideas. Parts 8 and 9 provide information about the body's response to heat, while Parts 10 and 11 provide information about the body's response to cold. The phrases "For example" and "On the other hand" help guide the reader through these opposing but closely connected explanations of how the body maintains a constant internal temperature.

0002 Understand problems in sentence formation.

Descriptive Statements:

Identify sentence fragments and run-on sentences.
Identify errors in subject-verb agreement.
Replace imprecise and inappropriate words and phrases.
Recognize wordiness, redundant expression of ideas, ineffective repetition of words or phrases, and other errors in sentence formation (e.g., incorrect placement of modifiers, lack of parallel structure, double negatives).

Sample Item:

Read the passage below; then answer the question that follows.

Note: One or more errors of grammar, mechanics, or organization have been included in the passage.

¹The human body depends on feedback systems. ²These systems are self-regulating, allowing the body to maintain critical life-supporting functions, such as constant body temperature and the proper balance of blood sugar, water, and minerals. ³When these and other functions are in equilibrium, the body is said to be in a state of homeostasis. ⁴Humans and other living creatures regulate their bodies through a series of carefully timed chemical and biological adjustments that keeps their internal environments stable.

⁵The body's regulation of temperature is a classic feedback system and illustrates how living organisms maintain equilibrium. ⁶All mammals are warm-blooded creatures which means that their internal temperature is held constant even when the external temperature varies considerably. ⁷The body has several mechanisms for maintaining this temperature. ⁸ blank, when a person is outside on a very hot day, the brain will sense even a tiny increase of heat in the blood. ⁹At such moments, the brain activates nerves that induce sweating, which cools the skin, blood, and internal organs. ¹⁰ blank, when a person is cold, the brain sends signals to make the body shiver and develop "goose bumps." ¹¹Both these responses help the body's core stay warm. ¹²In this way, the body's internal temperature is carefully controlled through a complex, but highly efficient, feedback system.

Which part contains an error in subject-verb agreement?

Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6

Correct Response and Explanation (Show Correct ResponseHide Correct Response)

B. This question requires the examinee to identify errors in subject-verb agreement. In Part 4, the verb "keeps" should be changed to the plural "keep" so that it agrees in number with its plural subject, "chemical and biological adjustments."

0003 Understand conventions of Standard Written English grammar, usage, and mechanics.

Descriptive Statements:

Identify and edit errors in the standard use of verb forms.
Identify and edit errors in the standard use of pronouns.
Identify and edit errors in the standard formation and use of adverbs and adjectives.
Identify and edit errors in the standard use of comparatives, superlatives, and possessives.
Identify and edit errors in standard punctuation.
Identify and edit errors in standard American spelling and capitalization.

Sample Item:

Read the passage below; then answer the question that follows.

Note: One or more errors of grammar, mechanics, or organization have been included in the passage.

¹The human body depends on feedback systems. ²These systems are self-regulating, allowing the body to maintain critical life-supporting functions, such as constant body temperature and the proper balance of blood sugar, water, and minerals. ³When these and other functions are in equilibrium, the body is said to be in a state of homeostasis. ⁴Humans and other living creatures regulate their bodies through a series of carefully timed chemical and biological adjustments that keeps their internal environments stable.

⁵The body's regulation of temperature is a classic feedback system and illustrates how living organisms maintain equilibrium. ⁶All mammals are warm-blooded creatures which means that their internal temperature is held constant even when the external temperature varies considerably. ⁷The body has several mechanisms for maintaining this temperature. ⁸ blank, when a person is outside on a very hot day, the brain will sense even a tiny increase of heat in the blood. ⁹At such moments, the brain activates nerves that induce sweating, which cools the skin, blood, and internal organs. ¹⁰ blank, when a person is cold, the brain sends signals to make the body shiver and develop "goose bumps." ¹¹Both these responses help the body's core stay warm. ¹²In this way, the body's internal temperature is carefully controlled through a complex, but highly efficient, feedback system.

Which change is needed in the passage?

Part 2: Insert a comma after "temperature."
Part 3: Delete the comma after "equilibrium."
Part 6: Insert a comma after "creatures."
Part 9: Delete the comma after "moments."

Correct Response and Explanation (Show Correct ResponseHide Correct Response)

C. This question requires the examinee to identify and revise errors in standard punctuation. In Part 6, a comma should be inserted after "creatures" because the noun is followed by a nonrestrictive adjective clause that provides additional information but is not essential to the meaning of the sentence.

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