Adult Literacy Beginner Quiz: Checking Own Writing
10 questions · exam conditions
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Checking Own WritingQuestion 1 of 10

A dinner invite must give the day, time, and address.

Draft: Dinner is Friday at 6:00. Please come.

What should the writer add?

Please bring some food.
Please call my phone.
Come to 25 Hill Road.
Dinner is on Friday.
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Adult Literacy Beginner Quiz

Adult Literacy Beginner Quiz: Checking Own Writing

Practice Checking Own Writing in Adult Literacy Beginner with focused quiz questions that help you check what you know, review explanations, and build confidence with test-style prompts.

What this quiz covers

This quiz focuses on Checking Own Writing, giving you a quick way to practice the rules, question types, and explanations that matter most for Adult Literacy Beginner.

How to use this quiz

Try each quiz question before looking at the correct answer. Use the explanations to review missed ideas, then come back to similar questions until the pattern feels familiar.

All questions

Question 1

A dinner invite must give the day, time, and address.

Draft: Dinner is Friday at 6:00. Please come.

What should the writer add?

  1. Please bring some food.
  2. Please call my phone.
  3. Come to 25 Hill Road. (correct answer)
  4. Dinner is on Friday.
Explanation: When checking a piece of writing, always compare what the passage requires to what the draft actually includes. This question tells you a dinner invite must have three things: the day, the time, and the address. Your job is to find which ingredient is missing from the draft. Read the draft carefully: "Dinner is Friday at 6:00. Please come." It gives the day (Friday) ✓ and the time (6:00) ✓ — but there is no address anywhere. That means the writer needs to add an address, which is exactly what C provides: "Come to 25 Hill Road." Adding that line completes all three required pieces of information. Now look at why the other choices fall short. A ("Please bring some food") is a friendly request, but the passage never says a dinner invite needs to mention food — it only requires day, time, and address. Adding this does not fix the missing piece. B ("Please call my phone") adds contact information, which again is not one of the three required items. It might be nice to include, but it does not solve the problem the question is asking about. D ("Dinner is on Friday") simply repeats information already in the draft — the day Friday is already there. Repeating it adds nothing new. A useful strategy: before you pick an answer, make a quick checklist from the rule stated in the passage. Then check off what the draft already has. Whatever is not checked off is what needs to be added. That checklist habit will help you on many writing questions.

Question 2

A store order must give the item, number, and size.

Draft: Please hold two blue work shirts for me.

What information should the writer add?

  1. The shirts are for work.
  2. I need two blue shirts.
  3. The shirt size is large. (correct answer)
  4. Please hold the shirts.
Explanation: When a question asks what information is missing from a draft, your job is to compare the draft against the stated requirements. Here, the passage tells you a store order must include three things: the item, the number, and the size. Think of those three as a checklist you need to fill in. Now look at the draft: "Please hold two blue work shirts for me." It names the item (work shirts) and gives a number (two), but it never mentions a size. That missing piece is exactly what the writer needs to add — and that's why C is correct. Adding "The shirt size is large" completes all three required parts of the order. The other choices don't solve the problem. A says "The shirts are for work," but the draft already calls them "work shirts" — this repeats information that's already there. B says "I need two blue shirts," which again repeats information already in the draft (two shirts, and they're blue). Restating what's already written doesn't fill a gap. D says "Please hold the shirts," but the draft already opens with "Please hold" — this is another repeat, not an addition. The trap in this type of question is choosing an answer that sounds helpful or related to the topic. Answers A, B, and D all relate to the order, but they don't add anything new. Always cross-check each answer choice against the requirement list and ask: "Is this already in the draft?" If yes, move on. Only C adds something genuinely missing.

Question 3

Maya's bus was late. She got to work after her start time.

Draft: The bus was late, so I got to work early.

Which change makes the draft match what happened?

  1. The bus was early, so I got to work late.
  2. The bus was late, so I got to work late. (correct answer)
  3. The bus was late, so I got to work first.
  4. The bus was early, so I got to work early.
Explanation: When a sentence uses "so," it signals a cause-and-effect relationship — the first part causes the second part. Your job here is to make sure both parts of the sentence match the passage. The passage tells you two things: the bus was late, and Maya arrived after her start time (meaning she was late to work). With that in mind, answer B — "The bus was late, so I got to work late" — is the correct fix. It keeps the right cause (late bus) and adds the right effect (arriving late), which matches the passage perfectly. Looking at the wrong answers, A swaps the cause and the effect in different directions: it says the bus was early but Maya was late. That contradicts both facts in the passage. C keeps the right cause (late bus) but uses the word "first," which means arriving before everyone else — that's actually the opposite of being late, so it doesn't match. D says the bus was early and Maya got there early — the effect makes sense logically, but the cause is wrong because the passage clearly states the bus was late. A helpful strategy: when fixing a sentence, check each part separately. Ask yourself, "Does the cause match the story?" Then ask, "Does the effect match the story?" A wrong answer often gets one part right and one part wrong — that's the trap. Checking each piece on its own helps you catch those sneaky mismatches before you choose.

Question 4

Nina can work only on Monday and Wednesday.

Draft: I can work Monday and Wednesday. I am also free on Tuesday.

Which revision matches Nina's schedule?

  1. I can work Monday and Wednesday, but not Tuesday. (correct answer)
  2. I can work Monday and Tuesday, but not Wednesday.
  3. I can work Wednesday and Tuesday, but not Monday.
  4. I can work Monday, Wednesday, and Tuesday.
Explanation: When a question asks you to "revise a draft to match" specific information, your job is to check two things: does the revision include everything that's true, and does it leave out everything that's false? Think of it as a fact-checking task. The passage tells us Nina can work only Monday and Wednesday — that word "only" is the key. It means those are the only two days she's available. The draft incorrectly adds Tuesday as a free day, which contradicts the schedule. A correct revision needs to keep Monday and Wednesday while making clear that Tuesday is not available. Choice A does exactly this: "I can work Monday and Wednesday, but not Tuesday." It preserves the two correct days and directly corrects the mistake about Tuesday. This is your answer. Choice B is wrong because it removes Wednesday entirely and adds Tuesday instead — that flips the schedule and drops one of her actual work days. Choice C is wrong for a similar reason: it removes Monday, which is one of the days she can work, and replaces it with Tuesday, which she cannot. Both B and C swap a correct day for an incorrect one. Choice D is wrong because it keeps Monday and Wednesday correctly but then adds Tuesday as a workday — this directly contradicts the word "only" in the passage. Adding Tuesday makes it seem like she has three available days when she only has two. A useful strategy: whenever you see the word "only" in a passage, circle it mentally. It's almost always a clue that one of the wrong answers will try to sneak in extra information that the passage specifically rules out.

Question 5

Omar must text his manager. He must give his name, the reason he is late, and his arrival time.

Draft: My bus is late. I will arrive at 9:30.

Which sentence should Omar add?

  1. You are my manager.
  2. This is Omar Saleh. (correct answer)
  3. The time is 9:30.
  4. The bus came late.
Explanation: When writing a text message for a purpose — like telling your manager you'll be late — every sentence needs to do a job. Ask yourself: "What information is still missing?" before choosing your answer. Omar's draft says "My bus is late. I will arrive at 9:30." Read it carefully. The message explains the reason for being late (the bus) and gives an arrival time (9:30). But there's one critical problem: the manager doesn't know who is texting. Omar never introduced himself. That missing piece is exactly what the question is asking you to fix. Choice B, "This is Omar Saleh," solves the problem perfectly. Adding this sentence gives the manager Omar's name, which was the first thing he was supposed to include. Now the message has all three required parts: name, reason, and arrival time. Choice A, "You are my manager," states something the manager already knows — it adds no useful information and sounds odd in a real message. Choice C, "The time is 9:30," repeats information already in the draft ("I will arrive at 9:30") — repeating facts wastes space and doesn't complete the message. Choice D, "The bus came late," also repeats what's already there — "My bus is late" already covers this reason. A helpful strategy: before answering, make a quick checklist of what the message must include, then check the draft to see what's already there. Whatever is missing from the draft points directly to the right answer.

Question 6

A ride note must give the address, pickup door, and pickup time.

Draft: Pick me up at 44 Oak Street at 7:10.

Which detail must be added?

  1. Oak Street is in town.
  2. The ride is for me.
  3. The time will be 7:10.
  4. Please use the side door. (correct answer)
Explanation: When checking a draft message or note, your job is to compare what the draft says against what the instructions require. The passage tells you a ride note must include three things: the address, the pickup door, and the pickup time. Use that checklist as your guide. Look at the draft: "Pick me up at 44 Oak Street at 7:10." It gives an address (44 Oak Street) ✓ and a pickup time (7:10) ✓ — but it never mentions a pickup door. That missing piece is what you need to find in the answer choices, and choice D, "Please use the side door," fills that exact gap. Adding it would complete all three required details. Choice A is wrong because the draft's address — 44 Oak Street — is already specific enough for a driver. Explaining that "Oak Street is in town" adds nothing the requirements ask for. Choice B is wrong because the draft already implies the rider by saying "Pick me up," and the rules say nothing about naming the person. Choice C is wrong because 7:10 is already stated in the draft — adding it again would be repeating information, not completing a missing requirement. A useful strategy here is to treat the rules in the passage like a checklist. Before looking at the answer choices, mentally check off which requirements the draft already meets and which one is still blank. The correct answer will always supply the missing checkmark — not repeat something already there or add something the rules never asked for.

Question 7

Tariq writes a note about putting food away.

Draft: Put the frozen peas in the cupboard. Put the rice in the freezer.

Which change makes the note correct?

  1. Put the peas in the freezer and the rice in the cupboard. (correct answer)
  2. Put the peas in the cupboard and the rice on the shelf.
  3. Put the peas on the table and the rice in the freezer.
  4. Put the peas in the freezer and the rice by the door.
Explanation: When you see a question about storing food correctly, ask yourself: what do you already know about where food belongs? This question tests your ability to spot a real-world error and fix it using common knowledge. The draft has two mistakes: frozen peas belong in the freezer (not the cupboard), and rice is a dry good that belongs in the cupboard (not the freezer). Tariq has mixed up the two locations. The correct fix swaps them — peas go to the freezer, rice goes to the cupboard. That's exactly what answer A does, making it the right choice. Answer B moves the peas to the freezer (correct!), but puts the rice "on the shelf," which is vague and doesn't clearly fix the original error. The draft said cupboard, and a shelf doesn't directly correct that mismatch in a precise way — plus shelves aren't typically where dry rice is specifically directed in a clear note. Answer C puts the peas "on the table," which makes no sense for frozen food — peas would thaw and spoil. It keeps the rice in the freezer, which is still wrong. Answer D correctly moves the peas to the freezer, but puts the rice "by the door," which is not a proper food storage location at all. A good tip: on questions like this, look for the answer that fixes all the errors — not just one of them. If an option corrects one mistake but introduces a new problem, it's a trap. Always check every part of the answer before choosing.

Question 8

Luis has Rina's key. Rina writes this note to Ben:

Draft: Ben, tell Luis that he has my key.

Which note makes the meaning clear and asks Ben to act?

  1. Ben, please tell Luis to keep his own key safe.
  2. Ben, please ask Luis if he has your key.
  3. Ben, please get my key from Luis. (correct answer)
  4. Ben, please give your key to Luis.
Explanation: When rewriting a message to make it clearer, ask yourself two things: Does it say exactly what the person means? and Does it tell the reader what to do? Rina's draft — "tell Luis that he has my key" — is confusing because "he has my key" could sound like Luis already knows this. The real goal is for Ben to go get that key back for Rina. Choice C, "Ben, please get my key from Luis," nails both requirements. It's clear (the key belongs to Rina, and Luis has it) and it gives Ben a direct action: retrieve the key. This is the correct answer. Choice A fails because it tells Luis to keep his own key safe — that's a completely different situation. Rina's key and Luis's key are not the same thing. Choice B asks Luis if he has the key, turning a fact into a question. Rina already knows Luis has it, so asking him to confirm changes the whole purpose of the message. Choice D tells Ben to give his key to Luis. That reverses everything — now Ben is the one with a key, and Luis is receiving it, which is the opposite of the real situation. A useful tip: when a question asks you to fix a confusing message, watch for answer choices that swap who owns what or who does what. These mix-ups are the most common traps. Always trace the message back to the original facts — in this case, Luis has Rina's key, and Rina wants it back.

Question 9

Appointment card: Clinic visit — Thursday, June 18, at 2:30 p.m.

Draft: My clinic visit is Wednesday, June 18, at 2:30 p.m.

Which sentence correctly fixes the draft?

  1. My clinic visit is Thursday, June 18, at 2:30 p.m. (correct answer)
  2. My clinic visit is Wednesday, June 18, at 2:30 p.m.
  3. My clinic visit is Thursday, June 18, at 3:30 p.m.
  4. My clinic visit is Thursday, June 19, at 2:30 p.m.
Explanation: When you're asked to fix a draft using an appointment card (or any source document), your job is to check every detail — day, date, and time — against the original. Even one wrong word makes the whole sentence incorrect. The appointment card clearly states Thursday, June 18, at 2:30 p.m. The draft has one error: it says "Wednesday" instead of "Thursday." That's the only thing that needs to change. Answer A fixes exactly that — it replaces "Wednesday" with "Thursday" while keeping the date (June 18) and time (2:30 p.m.) the same. That matches the card perfectly, making A the correct fix. Answer B is the original draft itself — it still says "Wednesday," which contradicts the card. Leaving an error in place doesn't fix anything. Answer C changes the time to 3:30 p.m., but the card says 2:30 p.m. That introduces a new error while correcting the day. Answer D changes the date to June 19, but the card says June 18. Again, a new mistake is introduced rather than fixed. A useful strategy here: when comparing a draft to a source, go detail by detail — day, date, time, location — like a checklist. It's easy to spot one mistake and stop looking, but test questions often include answer choices that fix one thing while breaking another. Always verify that the answer you choose matches every detail in the original source before committing to it.

Question 10

A call form asks for a full name, a phone number, and the best time to call.

Draft: Ana Ruiz 555-0146

Which line is still needed?

  1. My first name is Ana.
  2. My last name is Ruiz.
  3. My phone is 555-0146.
  4. Please call after 5:00. (correct answer)
Explanation: When filling out a form, your job is to provide every piece of information the form asks for — no more, no less. Here, the call form requires three things: a full name, a phone number, and the best time to call. Before choosing an answer, check the draft against that list. Looking at Ana's draft, she has written her full name (Ana Ruiz) and her phone number (555-0146). That covers two of the three required fields. The missing piece is the best time to call — she never wrote that down. Answer D, "Please call after 5:00," supplies exactly that missing information, making it the line still needed. Now let's look at why the other choices are wrong. Choice A says "My first name is Ana" — but her first name is already shown in the draft. Adding this line would repeat information that's there. Choice B says "My last name is Ruiz" — same problem. Her last name is already part of "Ana Ruiz," so this is also a repeat. Choice C says "My phone is 555-0146" — her phone number is already written in the draft, so this line adds nothing new either. Choices A, B, and C all fall into the same trap: they restate information Ana already provided, just in a slightly different format. A helpful strategy is to treat the form's requirements like a checklist. Read what the form asks for, then check each item off against the draft. Whatever isn't checked off yet is what's still needed. This simple compare-and-check habit will help you on any form-completion question.