EcoTeach Tutor Writing Quiz

No doubt you have heard lots of writing advice over the years. "Avoid the passive voice," or "Vary the beginning of your sentences," or "Write in short, simple sentences." Unfortunately most of this advice is misguided.

Here is a quiz that embodies certain principles of writing that can help you increase clarity, flow, and emphasis. It is twelve questions long: the first two, with my apologies, are required by the program. Take the quiz and see how good your writing instincts are.

Created by: Paul Dudenhefer
  1. When should you write in the active voice?
  2. When should you write in the passive voice?
  3. What kind of information should be placed at the beginning of a sentence?
  4. What kind of information should be placed at the end of a sentence?
  5. Where does the greatest place of emphasis generally occur in a sentence, especially a long one?
  6. If someone were to list the grammatical subjects of the sentences in one of your paragraphs, what should that list usually tell them?
  7. When is a sentence too long?
  8. When is a sentence too short?
  9. Generally speaking, arguments or evidence supporting a point should be arranged in what order?
  10. Which sentence is better: A. "A model was constructed." B: "We constructed a model."

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