ELA MSTEP Prep 2

When you get a question that asks you to edit, what will help you determine the answer?

(1) My dad told me that we are going to visit my grandparents, who live in Michigan, next weekend. (2) I love visiting my grandparents. (3) My grandpa loves to bake, which is lucky for us. (4) My grandma likes to tell us stories while we eat the treats grandpa bakes. (5) The last time we were at their house, my grandma showed me pictures of grandpa where he was young. (6) It was amazing to see that grandpa used to look exactly like my dad does now!

• whisper read it to myself, and read through ALL answer options before committing to the first one I try

• Read the entire passage over and over again to hear which one sounds right

• Guess. Too many words to focus on.

Answer explanation

You will have a better chance of finding grammar mistakes when you read it quietly to yourself because then the message is going to your brain through your eyes AND your ears.

We sometimes auto-correct when only reading in our heads.

If you have used all your strategies to figure out an answer, how long should you stay on the question?

• 30 seconds

• Until the answer magically comes to me

• 1 minute

• 5 minutes

Answer explanation

Research shows that if you have worked through your strategies and STILL are unsure of the answer after 1 minute, then it will not magically come to you. After a minute, take your best guess and move on.

***This does NOT mean that from reading the question to selecting your final answer has to happen within 1 minute. This is ONLY for after you have ACTIVELY tried to figure it out for a while and it still isn't coming to you.

If a question asks you to "choose all that apply," what can you infer?

• I pick the very best one.

• There will be more than one answer I need to choose.

• I need to just choose them all.

Answer explanation

Find the similarities within the answer choices.

Figure out which choices could go together, or mean the same thing.

Cross off OBVIOUS wrong answers.

What do you need to determine BEFORE answering this question?

"Which detail would best develop the ideas in the paragraph related to the topic?"

• text structure

• author's point of view

• main idea

Answer explanation

You need to know the MAIN IDEA before you can add a relevant detail to the paragraph.

Relevant details can prove, explain, or describe.

What is the correct format for citing evidence from a book?

• “According to Paul Bryson in Penguins of All Kinds, all 17 species of penguins are found only in the Southern Hemisphere.”

• According to Paul Bryson in Penguins of All Kinds, “All 17 species of penguins are found only in the Southern Hemisphere.”

• All 17 species of penguins are found only in the Southern Hemisphere, from Penguins of All Kinds.

• “All 17 species of penguins are found only in the Southern Hemisphere.”

Answer explanation

LOOK CLOSELY for the differences.

- Book title needs to be underlined or italicized (and also capitalized)

-Author's name is capitalized

- comma after the book title

- Quotation marks SURROUND (beginning and end) the borrowed words

-end punctuation is INSIDE end quotations.

What word in the question should you use to help you answer this question?

• source

• life

• most likely

• Mia Hamm

Answer explanation

After reading the answer choices you should be asking yourself, "Would I find out more about Mia Hamm's LIFE if I read this?

If the answer is no, cross off that choice.

The correct answer is: A

Turn & Talk: Why is it A?

(1) When someone does something nice for you, you probably want to pay that person back. (2) But some people choose to do something different. (3) They’re paying it forward! (4) In the process, they hope to become part of a chain of good deeds that will grow and grow.

Derek wants to further develop the main idea of the paragraph by adding a detail after sentence 3. Where IS the new detail actually going?

• (2) But some people choose to do something different. ***Right here*** (3) They’re paying it forward! (4)

• (3) They're paying it forward! ***Right here***(4) In the process, they hope to become part...

Answer explanation

The sentence number is IN FRONT of the actual sentence. If you did not catch that, your answer could be wrong only because you didn't notice that.

(1) When someone does something nice for you, you probably want to pay that person back. (2) But some people choose to do something different. (3) They’re paying it forward! ***** (4) In the process, they hope to become part of a chain of good deeds that will grow and grow.

Derek wants to further develop the main idea of the paragraph by adding a detail after sentence 3. Which of these sentences could best follow and support sentence 3?

• You should pay it forward today if you have an opportunity to do so.

• This means doing something nice or helping another person without being asked.

Answer explanation

Adding this detail is providing your reader with a CONTEXT CLUE (definition), just in case they do not know what the phrase "paying it forward" means.

The other option would be great at the END as a call to action.

(9) In the afternoon, the girls in my cabin were exhausted and wanted to rest. (10) As a result, we went back to the lake and played fun water games. (11) We decided we could rest later!

"As a result" is not the most effective transition at the beginning of sentence 10. What transition should have been used?

• To conclude,

• For example,

• Instead,

Answer explanation

To conclude = wrapping up an idea

For example = adding details to the topic

Instead = telling the opposite

As a result = used with a cause/effect situation

To effectively wrap up a narrative, the writer typically includes:

• personal reflection/lesson learned

• a joke

• "the end"

Answer explanation

To resolve a narrative story, the writer typically ends with some sort of lesson (to tie into a theme).