Analysis of TAKS Answer Choices
From Spring 2006 TAKS Release
Writing Grade 7
Revising and Editing Passage 1: “Out-of-this-world Wedding”
Question/Answer / Example / Skill / Objective/
% Correct
1. What change, if any, should be made in sentence 2?
a / Change tradition to traditional / Noun vs. adjective form / 5
91%
b / Insert a comma after gown
c / Change surrounded to surounded
d / Make no change
2. What is the BEST way to revise sentence 4?
f / The groom, who was wearing a blue flight suit, he was floating 240 miles above Earth on the International Space Station. / No with comma, No with comma, Yes with period = maybe / 4
71%
g / The groom wearing a blue flight suit, he was floating 240 miles above Earth on the International Space Station. / No with comma, Yes with period = maybe
h / The groom was wearing a blue flight suit. Floating 240 miles above Earth on the International Space Station. / Yes with period, No with period = wrong
j / The groom was wearing a blue flight suit and floating 240 miles above Earth on the International Space Station. / Period only = maybe
3. What change, if any, should be made in sentence 6?
a / Change took to taking / Verb tense / 6
99%
b / Change during to durring / Common word
c / Change Johnson space center to Johnson Space Center / Capitalization – 3-word proper noun
d / Make no change
4. What revision, if any, is needed in sentence 8?
f / The couple had wanted to get married in the same room, but when Malenchenko’s mission was extended. They decided not to wait for his return. / Yes with comma, No with period, Yes with period = wrong / 4
70%
g / The couple had wanted to get married in the same room, Malenchenko’s mission was extended, they decided not to wait for his return. / Yes with comma, Yes with comma, Yes with comma = wrong (run-on – no conjunction)
h / The couple had wanted to get married in the same room when Malenchenko’s mission was extended. And decided not to wait for his return. / Yes with period, No with period = wrong
j / No revision is needed.
Analysis of TAKS Answer Choices from Spring 2006 TAKS Release
Page two
Question/Answer / Example / Skill / Objective/
% Correct
5. What change, if any, should be made in sentence 9?
a / Insert it after center / Pronoun with noun / 6
86%
b / Change decoratted to decorated / Spelling rule – drop “e” and add “-ed”
c / Change wedding chapel to Wedding Chapel / Capitalization – proper vs. common noun
d / Make no change
6. What is the BEST way to combine sentences 11 and 12?
f / Lu played the “Wedding March” that used a portable keyboard. / Period only = Maybe (wrong meaning) / 4
93%
g / Lu played the “Wedding March,” he used a portable keyboard. / Yes with comma, Yes with comma = wrong (no conjunction)
h / Lu played the “Wedding March” and a portable keyboard. / Maybe – wrong word
j / Lu played the “Wedding March” on a portable keyboard. / Maybe – correct words and meaning
7. What change, if any, should be made in sentence 15?
a / Delete they / Pronoun with noun / 5
83%
b / Change attended to will attend / Verb tense
c / Change reception to recepsion / Spelling = “-tion”
d / Make no change
8. What change, if any, should be made in sentence 19?
f / Change grabbed to grabed / Spelling rule / 6
91%
g / Delete the comma / Comma before a direct quote
h / Insert quotation marks before I’m / Punctuation – quotation marks before direct quote
j / Make no change
9. Which sentence does NOT belong is this paper?
a / Sentence 1 / Information in sentence 7 does not fit with previous and following sentences (interrupts flow). / 3
93%
b / Sentence 7
c / Sentence 13
d / Sentence 14
Analysis of TAKS Answer Choices from Spring 2006 TAKS Release
Page three
Revising and Editing Passage 2: “Paper Money”
Question/Answer / Example / Skill / Objective/
% Correct
10. What change, if any, should be made in sentence 2?
f / Change are to is / Subject/verb agreement / 6
88%
g / Change intresting to interesting / Spelling – common word
h / Insert a comma after facts / Comma splice
j / Make no change
11. Which transition word or phrase could BEST be added to the beginning sentence 6?
a / Afterward, / Transition for sentence that builds on previous sentence / 3
87%
b / Finally,
c / In fact,
d / In comparison,
12. What change should be made in sentence 7?
f / Change sturdy to sturdey / Spelling / 5
92%
g / Delete the comma / Punctuation – comma after introductory phrase
h / Change wears to worn / Verb tense
j / Change have to be replaced to has to be replaced / Subject/verb agreement
13. What change, if any, should be made in sentence 10?
a / Change largest to larger / Adjective – comparative and superlative forms / 6
63%
(most missed question)
b / Insert a comma after today / Punctuation – comma at end of appositive
c / Delete because / Would create run-on sentence
d / Make no change
14. What change, if any, should be made in sentence 12?
f / Change bureau of engraving and printing to Bureau of Engraving and Printing / Capitalization – proper noun (federal agency) / 6
95%
g / Delete is / Would create sentence fragment
h / Change responsible to responsibly / Verb vs. adverb
j / Make no change
15. What is the BEST way to revise sentences 14?
a / The old money is shredded, it is then used in a variety of ways. / Y with comma, Y with period = wrong (run-on; no conjunction) / 4
81%
b / The old money is shredded. To be then used in a variety of ways. / Yes with period, N with period = wrong
c / The old money is shredded and then used in a variety of ways. / Period only = maybe
d / The old money, which is shredded in a variety of ways, it is then used. / No with comma, No with comma
Analysis of TAKS Answer Choices from Spring 2006 TAKS Release
Page four
Question/Answer / Example / Skill / Objective/
% Correct
16. Which sentence does NOT belong in this paper?
f / Sentence 11 / Information in sentence 17 does not fit with previous and following sentences (interrupts flow). / 3
92$
g / Sentence 16
h / Sentence 17
j / Sentence 18
Revising and Editing Passage 3: “Up, Up, and Away!”
Question/Answer / Example / Skill / Objective/
% Correct
17. The meaning of sentence 5 can be improved by changing it to ---
a / the balloon / 1st sentence in new paragraph; student must refer to last sentence of previous paragraph for pronoun referent / 5
95%
b / the trip
c / them
d / the shapes
18. What change, if any, should be made in sentence 8?
f / Change assistant to assistent / Spelling – “-ant” suffix / 5
87%
g / Change brought to brings / Verb tense
h / Change a very, very big to an enormous / Appropriate word choice
j / Make no change
19. What change, if any, should be made in sentence 10?
a / Change looked to looks / Verb tense – past vs. present / 6
74%
b / Insert a comma after half-full / Punctuation – comma after introductory adverbial clause
c / Change we to you / Pronoun – consistency of 1st person
d / Make no change
20. Which sentence could BEST follow sentence 13?
f / I guess this was another part of their job. / Sentence “H” is next event in sequence. / 5
85%
g / They had to hold the basket down until everyone had climbed in.
h / When everyone was settled, the workers released the basket.
j / I was wearing a jacket because it was a little cool that morning.
21. What change, if any, should be made in sentence 15?
a / Change soaring to to soar / Verb tense / 5
94%
b / Change graceful to gracefully / Adverb vs. adjective
c / Change the city to it / Pronoun referent
d / Make no change
Analysis of TAKS Answer Choices from Spring 2006 TAKS Release
Page five
Question/Answer / Example / Skill / Objective/
% Correct
22. What revision, if any, is needed in sentence 22?
f / As the hot air escaped, the balloon began to sink slowly. / No with comma, Yes with period = maybe / 4
88%
g / The hot air escaping. And the balloon began to sink slowly. / No with period, no with period = wrong
h / Because the hot air escaped. The balloon began to sink slowly. / No with period, Yes with period = wrong
j / No revision is needed.
23. What change should be made in sentence 25?
a / Change rember to remember / Spelling / 6
96%
b / Change felt to feeled / Verb form – irregular past tense
c / Change lighter to more lighter / Comparative form – “-er” with more
d / Change than to then / Word choice
Revising and Editing Passage 4: “Sailing Solo”
Question/Answer / Example / Skill / Objective/
% Correct
24. What is the BEST way to combine sentences 5 and 6?
f / For more than 20 years, sailors have competed in a race called Around Alone, it is a boat race. / No with comma, Yes with comma, Yes with period = wrong / 4
81%
g / For more than 20 years, sailors competing in a boat race called Around Alone. / No with comma, No with period = wrong
h / For more than 20 years, sailors have competed and in a race called Around Alone, a boat race. / No with comma, Yes with comma, No with period = maybe (sentence awkward)
j / For more than 20 years, sailors have competed in a boat race called Around Alone. / No with comma, Yes with period = maybe
25. What change, if any, should be made in sentence 8?
a / Change Interested to Intrested / Spelling – swallowed syllable word / 6
98%
b / Change new york to New York / Capitalization – proper noun (2-word state)
c / Change the competition to it / Pronoun referent – previous sentence
d / Make no change
26. What change, if any, should be made in sentence 14?
f / Change Kent’s to Kents’ / Punctuation – apostrophe for singular possessive / 5
83%
g / Change journey to journy / Spelling
h / Change good to well / Adverb vs. adjective
j / Make no change
Analysis of TAKS Answer Choices from Spring 2006 TAKS Release
Page six
Question/Answer / Example / Skill / Objective/
% Correct
27. What is the BEST way to rewrite the idea in sentence 16?
a / He had a laptop computer for checking electronic charts and weather maps. / Period only = maybe / 4
79%
b / He checked electronic charts and weather maps. With a laptop computer that he had. / Yes with period, No with period = wrong
c / He had a laptop computer, he checked electronic charts and weather maps with it. / Yes with comma, Yes with period = wrong
d / He checked with a laptop computer. That he had for checking electronic charts and weather maps. / Yes with period, No with period = wrong
28. What change should be made in sentence 17?
f / Insert a comma after computer / Comma splice / 5
82%
g / Change communicate to comunicate / Spelling
h / Change students to students’ / Plural vs. possessive
j / Change was following to were following / Subject/Verb agreement
29. What change, if any, should be made in sentence 20?
a / Change welcoming to welcomming / Spelling – drop “e” and add “-ing” / 5
95%
b / Change that to his / Wrong word choice
c / Change their to his / Pronoun/Antecedent agreement
d / Make no change
30. What change, in any, should be made in sentence 21?
f / Delete the comma after said / Punctuation – Comma before direct quote / 6
92%
g / Insert quotation marks before The / Punctuation – Quotation marks beginning a direct quote
h / Change the period to a comma / Punctuation – Comma before direct quote
j / Make no change
31. Which sentence does NOT belong in this paper?
a / Sentence 3 / Sentence 19 is an opinion written in 1st person that is interjected in a narrative. / 3
88%
b / Sentence 9
c / Sentence 19
d / Sentence 22
Analysis of TAKS Answer Choices from Spring 2006 TAKS Release
Page seven
Revising and Editing Passage 5: “Why Possum’s Tail Is Bare”
Question/Answer / Example / Skill / Objective/
% Correct
32. What change, if any, should be made in sentence 2?
f / Change He carried to Carrying / Sentence fragment / 6
94%
g / Change notised to noticed / Spelling
h / Change his to their / Pronoun referent
j / Make no change
33. What revision, if any, is needed in sentence 7?
a / Then he would move on, swishing his tail in Rabbit’s angry face. / Yes with comma, No with period = maybe / 4
83%
b / Then he would move on. Swishing his tail in Rabbit’s angry face. / Yes with period, No with period – wrong
c / Then he would move on and swish in Rabbit’s angry face his tail. / Period only – awkward sentence construction
d / No revision is needed.
34. What change, if any, should be made in sentence 10?
f / Change you to yours / Pronoun usage – not possessive / 6
84%
g / Change attend to atend / Spelling
h / Change the comma to a question mark / Punctuation – question mark inside direct quote
j / Make no change
35. What is the BEST way to combine sentences 18 and 19?
a / He dozed because Cricket combed and clipped. / Period only = maybe (wrong meaning) / 4
85%
b / He dozed as Cricket combed and clipped. / Period only = maybe (correct meaning)
c / He dozed, Cricket combed and clipped. / Yes with period, No with period = wrong
d / He dozed, combed, and clipped Cricket. / Yes with comma, No with comma, No with period = maybe (changes meaning)
36. What change, if any, should be made in sentence 22?
f / Change it to them / Pronoun referent / 5
81%
g / Insert a semicolon after feast / Punctuation – semicolon
h / Change begin to begins / Subject/Verb agreement
j / Make no change
Analysis of TAKS Answer Choices from Spring 2006 TAKS Release