Revising STAAR

Multiple Select

Which two sentences are written incorrectly?

(Revising: Many times there are two choices that have a grammatic error. If you can find these, then you can better your chance at choosing the correct answer.)

• My friends and I always love to sing together; we harmonize so well.

• My friends and I always love to sing together, we harmonize so well.

• My friends and I always love to sing together, because we harmonize so well.

• My friends and I always love to sing together, for we harmonize so well together.

Multiple Select

Which two sentences are written incorrectly?

(Revising: Many times there are two choices that have a grammatic error. If you can find these, then you can better your chance at choosing the correct answer.)

• We can't always be right and someone has to take the blame.

• We can't always be right; so someone has to take the blame.

• We can't always be right; someone has to take the blame.

• We can't always be right, so someone has to take the blame.

Multiple Select

Which two sentences are written incorrectly?

(Revising: Many times there are two choices that have a grammatic error. If you can find these, then you can better your chance at choosing the correct answer.)

• Without our moon, our planet would be unstable and wobble on it's axis.

• Without our moon, our planet would become unstable and it would mess up our seasons.

• Our seasons would become erratic without our moon, so it's very important to our lives.

• The moon is more than just a pretty globe in the night sky; it is important to our seasons, tides, and crop production.

Multiple Select

Which two sentences are written incorrectly?

(Revising: Many times there are two choices that have a grammatic error. If you can find these, then you can better your chance at choosing the correct answer.)

• Violent video games are becoming more popular, but they are far from a new concept; violent games have been part of human culture for thousands of years.

• Thousands of years of human evolution boils down to our need to survive and to survive in the real world, you have to be violent sometimes.

• We cannot blame video games on violence in the world, people have been violent creatures since the beginning. We aren't much different than when we lived in caves.

• Violence is part of human nature; we love to watch it, participate in it, and even compete in it.

Multiple Select

Which two sentences are written incorrectly?

(Revising: Many times there are two choices that have a grammatic error. If you can find these, then you can better your chance at choosing the correct answer.)

• Houston is the best city in Texas: we have so much to do every weekend.

• Living in Houston can really be great since it seems like there is a festival, a show, or a trail you can go to every weekend.

• There is so much to do in Houston; so if you visit, you should be sure to plan for lots to do.

• There are many things you can do in Houston on the weekends: museums, festivals, parks, free shows, and shopping.

Multiple Choice

How would you fix the following sentence?

Whenever we go to the movies I always have to have popcorn.

• add a semicolon after movies

• add a comma after movies

• delete the second "have" before popcorn

• No change needed

Multiple Choice

What change if any needs to be made to the following sentence?

My cat Ollie a Norwegian Forest Cat, loves to try get into my cereal bowl when I'm not looking.

• Add a comma after Ollie

• Lowercase the word Cat

• Add a comma after bowl

• No change needed

Multiple Choice

What is the best way to correct the following sentence?

My neighbors roosters like to crow all day long, and it drives me crazy.

• Delete the comma after long

• Change roosters to roosters'

• Change drives to driven

• No change needed

Multiple Choice

What change if any needs to be made to the following sentence?

The game Super Mario Brothers have been around for a long time; it is now thirty-five years old.

• Change the semicolon to a colon

• Change thirty-five to thirty five

• Change have to has

• No change needed

Multiple Choice

What is the best way to correct the following sentence?

Although the internet is truly amazing we've become spoiled; when it runs a little bit slow, we get so aggravated.

• Remove the comma after slow

• Change the semicolon after spoiled to a comma

• Add a comma after amazing

• No change needed

Multiple Choice

Choose the best conjunction to combine the sentence pair: Joe loves watching television. He hates soap operas.

• and

• but

• or

• since

Multiple Choice

Choose the best conjunction to combine the sentence pair: We can drive to San Francisco. We can take an airplane. 

• and

• but

• or

• since

Multiple Choice

Identify the correct verb for the blank in the following sentence: Laura and her friend ______________ for their trip in one hour.

• left

• leave

• is leaving

• leaves

Multiple Choice

Identify the correct contraction for the blank in the following sentence: _____ Jake and Anna have to work this evening?

• Don't

• Doesn't

Multiple Choice

Identify the correct verb for the blank in the following sentence: We, the entire student body, ____ the school colors to remain blue and red. 

• wants

• want

• wanting

• wanted

Multiple Choice

Directions: Read each set of sentences. Decide how each set should be combined.
Alexis gets superhero powers and is able to turn into aliens. He finds that it is harder than he thought it would be. 

• Alexis gets superhero powers and is able to turn into aliens and it is harder than he thought it would be.

• After Alexis gets superhero powers that can turn him into aliens, he finds that it is harder than he thought it would be.

• After Alexis gets superhero powers and can turn into aliens, he finds that it is more hard than he thought it would be.

• Alexis gets superhero powers that can turn him into aliens because he finds it harder than he thought it would be. 

Multiple Choice

Jesus is ready to rush into danger. His cousin, Maria, tries to plan ahead. 

• Jesus is always ready to rush into danger, but his cousin, Maria, has tried to plan ahead.

• Unlike Jesus, who is always ready to rush into danger, his cousin, Maria, tries to plan ahead.

• Jesus is always ready to rush into danger, his cousin, Maria, is trying to plan ahead.

• When Jesus is ready to rush into danger, his cousin, Maria, tried to plan ahead. 

Multiple Choice

Priscila is a phenomenal swimmer. She can breathe underwater. She can also change her legs into a large tail.  

• Priscila is a phenomenal swimmer, who can not only breathe underwater, she can also change her legs into a large tail.

• Priscila is a phenomenal swimmer, and who can breathe underwater, and she can also change her legs into a large tail.

• Priscila is a phenomenal swimmer, who can not only breathe underwater, but can also change her legs into a large tail.

• Priscila is a phenomenal swimmer, while she breathes underwater, she can change her legs into a large tail. 

Multiple Choice

Kevin is an alien. He has ghost like powers and can turn invisible and move through walls.  

• Kevin is an alien with ghostlike powers, who can turn invisible and move through walls.

• Kevin is an alien with ghostlike powers and can turn invisible and move through walls.

• Kevin is an alien, he has ghostlike powers, and can turn invisible and move through walls.

• Kevin, who is an alien with ghostlike, invisible powers, and move through walls. 

Multiple Choice

Jeff is the biggest alien out of them all. He reaches nearly 100 feet tall from head to toe. 

• Jeff is the biggest alien out of them all and can reach nearly 100 feet tall from head to toe. 

• Reaching nearly 100 feet tall from head to toe, Jeff is the biggest alien, out of them all. 

•  Jeff is the biggest alien out of them all, he reaches nearly 100 feet tall from head to toe.

• Reaching nearly 100 feet tall from head to toe, Jeff is the biggest alien out of them all.

Multiple Choice

Diego Rivera created large, bold murals. His work revived Latin American fresco painting.

• Diego Rivera created Latin American fresco painting.

• Diego Rivera created large, bold murals and revived Latin American fresco painting.

• Diego Rivera created large, bold murals but revived Latin American fresco painting.

• Although he revived Latin American fresco painting, Diego Rivera created murals.

Multiple Choice

Rivera believed that art should be available to all people. He began painting murals on public buildings

• Rivera believed that art should be available to all people, but he began painting murals on public buildings.

• Although Rivera believed that art should be available to all people, he began painting murals on public buildings.

• Rivera believed that art should be available to all people, so he began painting murals on public buildings.

• Rivera believed that art should be available to all people, yet he began painting murals on public buildings.

Multiple Choice

Rivera's largest mural portrayed the history of Mexico. He died before he could finish it.

• Rivera's largest mural, which he died before finishing, portrayed the history of Mexico.

• Rivera's largest mural portrayed the history of Mexico, so he died before he could finish it.

• Rivera's largest mural portrayed the history of Mexico, but he died before he could finish it.

• Rivera died before he could finish his largest mural about the history of Mexico.

Multiple Choice

Is this sentence punctuated correctly: After we rode our bikes to the park we played basketball baseball and kickball.

• Yes

• No

Multiple Choice

Where does the comma go in this sentence: We can go to the zoo or we can go to the movie theater.

• Between "or" and "we"

• Between "zoo" and "or"

• There is no comma needed.

Revising & Editing

STAAR Review

Revising Practice

Read the passage on the next slide and answer the questions that follow.

Multiple Choice

The meaning of sentence 4 is unclear. Byron can improve the clarity of this sentence by changing it to —

• the famous Trojans

• the magnificent city

• the extreme wealth

• the historical record

Multiple Choice

Byron would like to add a sentence to the end of the first paragraph (sentences 1–5) to help transition into the ideas in the second paragraph (sentences 6–9). Which sentence can be added after sentence 5 to help accomplish this goal?

• It was difficult to say whether the ancient city was real or had just been a figment of someone’s imagination.

• But one day, as so often happens, everything changed, and it changed rapidly and excitingly and permanently.

• Because no one could definitively prove that it had ever existed, people had trouble believing that it actually had.

• Aside from the historical references mentioned above, Thonis-Heracleion was essentially forgotten—that is, until recently.

Multiple Choice

3 Byron has offered a weak thesis for his paper. Which of the following could replace sentence 9 and provide a more effective thesis statement for this paper?

• Before long they realized that they had found the city of Thonis-Heracleion.

• In time they realized that they had actually found what was a very ancient city.

• At first no one knew exactly what had been discovered, but there was plenty of curiosity.

• In the end it just happened to be the place and the city of Thonis-Heracleion.

Editing Practice

Read the passage on the next slide and answer the questions that follow.

Multiple Choice

What is the correct way to write sentence 4?

• As I watched friends find dates for homecoming, I was initially a little discouraged. Because it looked as though my first homecoming dance would be missing a key character.

• As I watched friends find dates for homecoming, I was initially a little discouraged. It looked as though my first homecoming dance would be missing a key character.

• As I watched friends find dates for homecoming. I was initially a little discouraged because it looked as though my first homecoming dance would be missing a key character.

• Sentence 4 is written correctly

Multiple Choice

What change, if any, should be made in sentence 7?

• Change that to something

• Change situation to sitaution

• Change High School to high school

• Make no change

Multiple Choice

What change should be made in sentence 8?

• Change me to I

• Insert a comma after together

• Change decided to decide

• No change should be made.

Multiple Choice

(3) But online networking promotes short, superficial connections. (4) It is very popular with teens today.

What is the most effective way to combine sentences 3 and 4?

• But online networking, which is very popular with teens today, promotes short, superficial connections.

• But online networking promotes short, superficial connections, it is very popular with teens today.

• But online networking that promotes short, superficial connections, it is very popular with teens today.

• But online networking promotes short, superficial connections with teens today, which it is very popular.

Multiple Choice

(9) A survey of almost 7,000 teens was conducted in 2014 by three Swiss researchers, and they found that many of the surveyed teens believed they were spending too much time on these social networking sites. (10) These teens are starting to realize that online connections can be anonymous, emotionless, and insignificant. (11) Additionally, these teens admitted that they miss spending time with real people. 12) Perhaps these teens are discovering what they have been suggesting for a while: spending time with others in real life is important.

How can Susan improve the clarity of sentence 12?

• Change these teens to they

• Change they to researchers

• Change suggesting to saying

• Change a while to some time

Multiple Choice

(16) Everyone communicates in person differently than communicating over the phone, through texting, or in online posts.

What is the most effective revision to make in sentence 16?

• Everyone communicates in person in one way, they communicate in different ways over the phone, through texting, or in online posts.

• Everyone communicates differently in person than they do when speaking over the phone, sending texts, or writing online posts.

• Everyone communicates in person differently than they do over the phone, to send texts, or posting online.

• Everyone communicates in person, over the phone, through texting, or in online posts differently.

Multiple Choice

(6) What caused these people to build an underground city in the Australian desert? (7) In 1915 14-year-old Willie Hutchison discovered some rich opal fields in the area. (8) After all, miners from all over the world flooded into the region to seek their fortunes.

Which transition should replace "After all" in sentence 8?

• Soon

• Instead

• Finally

• Otherwise

Multiple Choice

(20) To enhance their surroundings, fake windows with decorative drapes are installed by some people.

How should sentence 20 be revised?

• To enhance their surroundings, installing fake windows and decorative drapes helped some people.

• To enhance their surroundings, some people install fake windows and they also use decorative drapes.

• To enhance their surroundings, fake windows with decorative drapes are installed by some people to help them.

• To enhance their surroundings, some people install fake windows with decorative drapes.

Multiple Choice

(5) As students explore texts that were written hundreds of years before, you peer through a window into the world as it was in those days.

How should sentence 5 be changed?

• Change explore to explored

• Change were written to was written

• Change years to year’s

• Change you to they

Multiple Choice

(9) Being able to hear those voices from the past is a privilage young people should be grateful to have.

What change should be made in sentence 9?

• Insert a comma after past

• Change is to are

• Change privilage to privilege

• Change grateful to gratefull

Multiple Choice

(11) Most teens are absorbed with their own daily activities, they rarely think about the fact that human civilization has been around for a long time.

What is the correct way to write sentence 11?

• Most teens are absorbed with their own daily activities. Rarely thinking about the fact that human civilization has been around for a long time.

• Most teens are absorbed with their own daily activities and rarely think about human civilization. Which has been around for a long time.

• Most teens are absorbed with their own daily activities and rarely think about this fact, human civilization has been around for a long time.

• Most teens are absorbed with their own daily activities and rarely think about the fact that human civilization has been around for a long time.

Multiple Choice

(23) According to Philip Davis one of the English professors involved in the study, “Serious literature acts like a rocket-booster to the brain.”

How should sentence 23 be changed?

• Change According to Acording

• Insert a comma after Davis

• Change Serious to serious

• Sentence 23 should not be changed.

Multiple Choice

(6) With no instructions or guidence, Ortiz and his sister planned to take their new boats out onto the water

What change should be made in sentence 6?

• Change With to Without

• Change guidence to guidance

• Delete the comma

• Change planned to planning

Multiple Choice

(13) As a teen in the junior ranks, Ortiz became the first Mexican of any age to compete in the world freestyle kayak championships.

What change is needed in sentence 13?

• A Change the comma after ranks to a semicolon

• Change became to becomes

• Insert a comma after age

• Change world freestyle kayak championships to World Freestyle Kayak Championships

Multiple Choice

(24) On the day that he was supposed to paddle over Niagara Falls, he went to the top and looked down, he said that things just didn’t feel right.

What is the correct way to write sentence 24?

• On the day that he was supposed to paddle over Niagara Falls. He went to the top, looked down, and said that things just didn’t feel right.

• On the day that he was supposed to paddle over Niagara Falls, he went to the top and looked down. He said that things just didn’t feel right.

• On the day that he was supposed to paddle over Niagara Falls, he went to the top and looked down. And said that things just didn’t feel right.

• On the day that he was supposed to paddle. Over Niagara falls, he went to the top, looked down, and said things just didn’t feel right.

Multiple Choice

(27) He later explained that he just wasn’t confident he would be able to land the kayak safe.

What change, if any, needs to be made in sentence 27?

• Change explained to explains

• Change confident to confidant

• Change safe to safely

• No change needs to be made in this sentence.

Multiple Choice

(32) “I am proud of Rafa’s decision,” he commented, and I think it is a great testament to his character and courage.”

What change, if any, needs to be made in sentence 32?

• Insert quotation marks before the first and

• Change I think to we think

• Change testament to testiment

• No change needs to be made in sentence 32.