Big Picture Thinking
Read Elijah’s letter. Which sentence BEST introduces the main idea?
Sentence 1. I’m thinking about quitting the basketball team.
Elijah has included a sentence in the third paragraph (sentences 10-14) that is redundant. Which sentence should be removed from this paragraph?
(10) Another reason is that I don’t feel confident when I play in games. (11) I worry about making mistakes in front of everyone. (12) When I miss a shot, I feel embarrassed. (13) When I miss a shot, it makes me not want to try again. (14) These feelings make games stressful instead of exciting.
Sentence 13. When I miss a shot, it makes me not want to try again.
Which sentence BEST serves as a transition between Elijah’s first and second reasons for quitting (paragraphs two and three)?
Sentence 10. Another reason is that I don’t feel confident when I play in games.
Identify and fix the error in sentence 6 of Saniah’s letter.
If you quit every time something feel uncomfortable, you might regret it.
If you quit every time something feels uncomfortable, you might regret it.
Identify and fix the error in sentence 3 of Saniah’s letter.
(3) Consequently, quitting now might make you miss out on something important later.
Consequently,
Change to HOWEVER
Which sentence can BEST follow and support sentence 28 in Elijah’s letter?
A. I hope you understand why I am feeling this way.
B. I will probably quit tomorrow but not tell anyone.
C. Basketball is boring sometimes if I’m being honest.
D. I like my new Lebrons that my dad just bought me for basketball.
A. I hope you understand why I am feeling this way.
B. I will probably quit tomorrow but not tell anyone.
C. Basketball is boring sometimes if I’m being honest.
D. I like my new Lebrons that my dad just bought me for basketball.
Which revision, if any, should be made to sentence 6 in Elijah’s letter?
A. After doing drills for a long time, Coach makes us run laps.
B. Coach makes us do laps, then we do drills, and sometimes it’s long.
C. Coach runs laps and then makes us do drills long.
D. No change is needed.
A. After doing drills for a long time, Coach makes us run laps.
B. Coach makes us do laps, then we do drills, and sometimes it’s long.
C. Coach runs laps and then makes us do drills long.
D. No change is needed.
Read Elijah’s letter. Which word best replaces “On the other hand” in sentence 20?
A. However
B. Finally
C. Next
D. Also
A.However
B. Finally
C. Next
D. Also
Saniah has made an error in sentence 2. Select the response that corrects this error.
When things get hard,(if, it’s, was) easy to focus only on the negatives.
When things get hard, it's easy to focus only on the negatives.
Saniah has made an error in sentence 8. Select the response that corrects this error.
(8) Even if you decide to quit later, at least you will know you didn’t give up (too, two, to) quickly.
Even if you decide to quit later, at least you will know you didn’t give up too quickly.
Which sentence BEST supports Elijah’s reason for quitting due to grades?
A. Sentence 16
B. Sentence 21
C. Sentence 6
A. (Sentence 16) After practice, I don’t always have energy to finish my homework.
What is the BEST way to combine sentences 15 through 17 in Elijah’s letter?
A. I don’t have energy, and my parents think my grades are slipping but the truth is I’m just tired.
B. My grades are slipping because after practice, I don’t have energy for homework, and my parents say school should come first.
C. Practice makes me tired, and my parents are complaining about my scoring.
A. I don’t have energy, and my parents think my grades are slipping but the truth is I’m just tired.
B. My grades are slipping because after practice, I don’t have energy for homework, and my parents say school should come first.
C. Practice makes me tired, and my parents are complaining about my scoring.
Which revision BEST combines sentences 21 through 23 in Elijah’s letter?
A. Teammates joke, and I learn.
B. Hanging out and joking is fun with my teammates. Teamwork is important because responsibility matters.
C. I like hanging out with my teammates, joking around before practice, and learning teamwork and responsibility.
A. Teammates joke, and I learn.
B. Hanging out and joking is fun with my teammates. Teamwork is important because responsibility matters.
C. I like hanging out with my teammates, joking around before practice, and learning teamwork and responsibility.
Which change, if any, needs to be made in sentence 14 of Elijah’s letter?
A. Change make to made
B. Change make to makes
C. No change is needed.
C. No change is needed.
Which change, if any, needs to be made to sentence 8 in Elijah’s letter?
(8) I am tired after school, and basketball makes me so much more really tired.
A. Delete the comma after school
B. Change and to but
C. Delete "really."
D. Capitalize "basketball"
C. Delete "really"
Which sentence BEST expresses the controlling idea of Saniah’s letter?
A. Quitting can make you miss out on important opportunities.
B. Basketball is fun but tiring.
A. Quitting can make you miss out on important opportunities.
B. Basketball is fun but tiring.
Which option most clearly expresses sentence 8 in Elijah’s letter?
A. I am tired after school, and basketball makes me even more tired.
B. I am tired after school; basketball make me tired.
A. I am tired after school, and basketball makes me even more tired.
B. I am tired after school; basketball make me tired
Which revision, if any, should be made to the last paragraph (sentences 25-29)?
A. No change is needed.
B. Switch sentences 26 and 28.
C. Delete sentence 29.
D. Add the following sentence: "Being lost makes me regret joining basketball in the first place."
A. No change is needed.
B. Switch sentences 26 and 28.
C. Delete sentence 29.
D. Add the following sentence: "Being lost makes me regret joining basketball in the first place."
What change needs to be made in sentence 4 of Saniah’s letter?
A. Change isnt to isn’t
B. Change does to do
A. Change isnt to isn’t
B. Change does to do
What change needs to be made in sentence 9 of Saniah’s letter?
(9) You’re friend,
A. Change You’re to you are
B. Change You’re to Your
B. Change You’re to Your
Rewrite the last paragraph of Elijah’s letter to make the closing more effective.
(25) I feel stuck because I don’t know what the right choice is. (26) Part of me wants to quit to feel less stressed. (27) Another part of me thinks I might regret it later. (28) I could use your advice since you always give honest opinions. (29) What do you think I should do?
Sample Exemplar Closing:
I feel stuck because I don’t know what’s the right choice. Part of me wants to quit to feel less stressed, but I also know I might regret it later. Please share your thoughts because they can help me decide what to do.
REVISION GOAL: Combine sentences 26 and 27 AND 28 and 29 to avoid redundancy.
Rewrite sentence 7 in Elijah’s letter in a clear and effective way.
(7) This makes it hard to enjoy playing the game.
Sample Exemplar Closing:
It makes playing the game less enjoyable.
*REVISION GOAL: Condensing the sentence to remove redundancy.
Rewrite paragraph 2 of Elijah’s letter to better connect the ideas.
One reason I want to quit is because practice is exhausting. First, Coach makes us do long drills and then run laps, which makes it hard to enjoy the game. Also, I’m already tired after school, and basketball leaves me feeling worse.
REVISION GOAL: Combine sentences 6-7 and 8-9. Remove redundant phrases like "so much more really"
Rewrite sentence 6 of Elijah’s letter in a clear and effective way.
(6) Coach makes us do drills over and over again for like, hours, and then after that he keeps making us do laps
Coach usually makes us run repetitive drills and long laps.
REVISION GOAL: Condense redundant ideas ("over and over again", "keeps making us")
Combine sentences 18 and 19 of Elijah’s letter in a clear and effective way.
(18) I think quitting basketball might give me more time to focus. (19) This is another reason I am thinking about quitting.