STAAR Writing Grammar

Which is the best written sentence?

• Maggie would sit and she listened to the sound of the waves when she missed her best friend by the shore.

• When Maggie missed her best friend, she would sit by the shore she would listen to the sound of the waves.

• Maggie would sit, and she would listen to the sound of the waves by the shore when she missed her best friend.

• When Maggie missed her best friend, she would sit by the shore and listen to the sound of the waves.

Which is the best written sentence?

• Maggie loved to visit with Captain Frank while he was a grizzled old sailor whose creaking joints had forced him to retire from a life at sea.

• Maggie loved to visit with Captain Frank, a grizzled old sailor whose creaking joints had forced him to retire from a life at sea.

• Maggie loved to visit with Captain Frank and a grizzled old sailor whose creaking joints had forced him to retire from a life at sea.

• Maggie loved to visit with Captain Frank, he was a grizzled old sailor whose creaking joints had forced him to retire from a life at sea.

Which of the following could replace the transition, "however," in a sentence?

• as a matter of fact

• for example

• to conclude

• in contrast

Which is the best written sentence?

• What is certain, though, is that animals that do sleep have found some clever ways to do so and unique.

• What is certain, though, is that animals that do sleep have found some clever ways to do so, they are also unique.

• What is certain, though, is that animals have found some clever ways to sleep that are unique ways, too.

• What is certain, though, is that animals that do sleep have found some clever and unique ways to do so.

How does the sentence below need to be changed?

I admit that I had enjoyed sharing a room with my little brother for the last six years.

• Change admit to admitt

• Change that to it

• Change had enjoyed to have enjoyed

• Insert a comma after brother

What is the best way to edit the sentence below?

Now that Jamal and I are both getting older, I fell that I’m ready for more privacy and a space of my own.

• Change Jamal and I to Jamal and me

• Delete the comma

• Change fell to feel

• Change privacy to privicy

What is the best way to edit the sentence below?

I need a place to spread out my materials and work on projects without getting in anyone elses way.

• Change I to And

• Change spread to spred

• Change anyone to no one

• Change elses to else’s

What is the best way to edit the sentence below?

Mr. Phillips, my Band Director, insists that I practice every night.

• Change Band Director to band director

• Delete the second comma

• Change insists to insist

• Delete the first comma

What is the best way to edit the sentence below?

In a room of my own, I could play my trumpet without disturbing the rest of the family, and in time I would be a much better musican.

• Change the comma after "own," to a period

• Change disturbing to disterbing

• Delete "and"

• Change musican to musician

What is the best way to edit the sentence below?

It’s not really fair to make my brother leave all the time, it’s his room, too.

• Change fair to fare

• Change his to their

• Change the comma to a semicolon

• Change too to two