STAAR Practice

Fixing Sentences

100

(1)This spacious home allows room for five full-time chefs to prepare meals. (2)As many as 140 dinner guests at one meal. What is the best was to combine sentence 1 and 2? A. This spacious home allows room for five full-time chefs to prepare meals as many as 140 dinner guests at one meal. B. Five full time chefs to prepare meals for as many 140 dinner guests at one meal allowed in this spacious home. C. This spacious home allows room for five full-time chefs to prepare meals for as many as 140 dinner guests at one time.

C. This spacious home allows room for five full-time chefs to prepare meals for as many as 140 dinner guests at one time.

200

(18) This experience could be working in zoos or pet stores. (19) Or it could be working with animals oon farms or on ranches. What is the best way to combine sentence 18 and 19? A. This experience could be working in zoos or pet stores, or it could be working with animals on farms or on rances. B. This experiences could be working in zoos and in pet stores and on farms and on rances. C. This experiences could be working in zoos, in pet stores, on farms, or on rances.

C. This experiences could be working in zoos, in pet stores, on farms, or on rances.

300

(22) Some people are sad or withdrawn. (23) Animals can help them feel better. What is the best way to combine sentence 22 and 23. A. Because people are sad and withdrawn, animals can help them feel better. B. After people are sad and withdrawn, animals can help them feel better. C. Some people are sad and withdrawn animals can help them feel better. D. When people are sad or withdrawn, animals can help them feel better.

D. When people are sad or withdrawn, animals can help them feel better.

400

(11) Veterinarians can specialize in the care of large or small animals. (12) The can focus on aquatic animals like porpoises, seals, or whales. What is the best way to combine sentence 11 and 12? A. Veterinarians can specialize in the care of large or small animals, or they can focus on aquatic animals like porpoises, seals, and whales. B. They can focus on aquatic animals like porpoises, seals, and whales, but veterinarians can specialize in the care of large or small animals. C. Veterinarians can specialize in the care of large or small animals they can focus on aquatic animals like porpoises, seals, and whales.

A. Veterinarians can specialize in the care of large or small animals, or they can focus on aquatic animals like porpoises, seals, and whales.

500

(2) She says your room is a disaster. (3) Something has to change. What is the best way to combine sentence 2 and 3? A. Something has to change, although she says your room is a disaster. B. Your room is a disaster she says something has to change. C. She says your room is a disaster, and something has to change. D. A disater is your room so she says something has to change.

C. She says your room is a disaster, and something has to change.

Transitions

100

(10) One fire was set by the British During the War of 1812. (11) The White House was given its first coat of white paint. There needs to be a transition word between sentence 10 and 11. What would be the best transition to use? A. Soon B. Following the fire C. Later D. After a while

B. Following the fire

200

(6) Engineers work from a plan. (7) In your plan is to decide which possessions you cannot live without. What transition can be used between 6 and 7? A. Today B. At the beginning C. Then D. The fist step

D. The fist step

300

(6) First post signs around the neighborhood to capture the attention of possible customers. (7) Your friends will notice the homemade signs with the words "Lemonade-.50 a cup" (8) You will need a table. What transition word needs to be used between 7 and 8? A. Soon B. Later C. Next D. Today

C. Next

400

(26) After you have sold your last cup of lemonade, it is time to close your stand. (27) You shake the box and hear the rattle of the money you have earned. What transition word can you use between sentence 26 and 27? A. At last B. From the beginning C. In a while D. Before

A. At last

500

(16) Borglum encoutered other problems, too. (17) During the carging, part of Jefferson's lip fell off and had to be reconfigured. What transition word could be used before sentence 17? A. In the meantime B. For example C. On the other hand D. In other words

B. For example

Word Choice

100

(3)The White House lasted through two fires over the years. (4) One fire was set by th British during the War of 1812. The phrase Lasted through does not express what the author was trying to say. Which phrase could best replace lasted through? A. burned during B. had more than C. has survived D. cought fire from

C. has survived

200

(1) Do you consider your dog your best friend? (2) Would you rather go to the zoo than play soccer? (3) If so, you might want one of these careers that involves working with animals. The word want does not express what the author was trying to say. What is a better word for the author to use? A. have B. choose C. work D. study

B. choose

300

(28) However I'm not surprised to find out that fishing buddies like you are real keepers! The phrase find out does not express what the author was trying to say. What is a better phrase to replace find out? A. know B. discover C. locate D. hope

B. discover

400

(12) First, she melted some sugar into two cups of hot water. The author wants to improve the meaning of her sentence. What is a better word to use than melted? A. dropped B. put C. heated D. dissolved

D. dissolved

500

(14) These creatures that crawl slow on the earth and swim in the ocean are very good teachers. (15) They have survived through the years. The meaning of the sentence can be improved by replacing the word They in sentence 15. What is a better word to use? A. All creatures B. Us C. crawling creatures D. Creatures that swim

A. All creatures

Editing 1

100

(5) One athlete that really inpressed me was Gertrude Ederle. (6) Gertrude was a great american swimmer. What change should be made in sentence 6? A. Change was to were B. Change great to greatest C. Change america to America D. no change is needed

C. Change america to America

200

(7) Planning ahead, rather than counting on luck, are the key. What change if any should be made? A. Change are to is B. Change are to was C. Change are to were

A. Change are to is

300

(25) I stared at the medal for ten minutes and I pictured Uncle Gregory in his uniform with the President as he received his award. What changed need to be made to sentence 25? A. Remove the word and B. Insert a comma after the word and C. Insert a comma after the word minutes

C. Insert a comma after the word minutes

400

(10) My dad entered a more colorfullest quilt that he made, and he won first prize! What change should be made to sentence 10? A. Change colorfullest to colorful B. change first to firstly C. change more to most D. make no change

A. Change colorfullest to colorful

500

(13) The glow of the candles was creepy. What change if any needs to be made to sentence 13? A. Change was to were B. Delete the word but C. Change least to leased D. Don't make a change

A. Change was to were

Editing 2

100

(1) She went to the 1924 summer olympics and won a gold medal as part of the U.S. freestyle swim team. What change should be made? A. Change summer olympics to Summer Olympics B. Change freestyle to Freestyle C. Change won to winned D. Make no change

A. Change summer olympics to Summer Olympics

200

(20) Her life stands as an example that there is nothing a man can do that a woman can't do to! What change needs to be made to sentence 20? A. Change there to they're B. Change there to their C. Change to to too D. make no change

C. Change to to too

300

(9) Other firefighters quickly followed in the ladder truck. (10) As they drove theirselves out of the station with sirens screeching, my teacher shared the different responsibilities of the firefighters. What change needs to be made to sentence 10? A. change theirselves to their B. change theirselves to themselves C. change theirselves to them D. make no change

B. change theirselves to themselves

400

(1) It began as an ordinary Tuesday Night in January. What change should be made to sentence 1? A. Insert a comma after began B. Change January to january C. Change began to begun D. Chagne Night to night

D. Chagne Night to night

500

(31) I thanked Uncle Gregory with my words and a hug but the President had thanked him with the Medal of Honor. What change needs to be made to sentence 31? A. Insert a comma after the word hug B. Insert a comma after the word and C. Change but to But D. Make no change

A. Insert a comma after the word hug