TACHS Quiz: Choosing Effective Expression
20 questions · exam conditions
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Choosing Effective ExpressionQuestion 1 of 20

Choose the correctly written sentence.

Sam loves basketball; and he plays every weekend.
Sam loves basketball; playing every weekend.
Sam loves basketball he plays every weekend.
Sam loves basketball, and he plays every weekend.
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TACHS Quiz

TACHS Quiz: Choosing Effective Expression

Practice Choosing Effective Expression in TACHS 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 Choosing Effective Expression, giving you a quick way to practice the rules, question types, and explanations that matter most for TACHS.

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

Choose the correctly written sentence.

  1. Sam loves basketball; and he plays every weekend.
  2. Sam loves basketball; playing every weekend.
  3. Sam loves basketball he plays every weekend.
  4. Sam loves basketball, and he plays every weekend. (correct answer)
Explanation: This question tests your understanding of how to properly connect two related independent clauses—complete thoughts that could stand alone as sentences. When you have two independent clauses like "Sam loves basketball" and "he plays every weekend," you need to connect them correctly. Choice D uses a comma followed by the coordinating conjunction "and," which is the standard way to join two independent clauses. This creates a grammatically correct compound sentence that flows naturally. Choice A incorrectly uses a semicolon before "and." Semicolons should be used either to connect independent clauses without a conjunction, or before conjunctions only when the clauses contain internal commas. Using both a semicolon and "and" here is redundant and incorrect. Choice B creates a sentence fragment after the semicolon. "Playing every weekend" is not an independent clause—it's missing a subject and helping verb. When you use a semicolon, what follows must be able to stand alone as a complete sentence. Choice C commits a run-on sentence error by placing two independent clauses directly next to each other without any punctuation or connecting word. This creates confusion for readers about where one thought ends and another begins. Remember this pattern: when joining two independent clauses, you can use either a semicolon alone OR a comma plus a coordinating conjunction (and, but, or, nor, for, yet, so). Never use both semicolon and conjunction together, and always ensure both parts can stand alone as complete sentences.

Question 2

Choose the most concise version of the sentence.

"There are many students who believe that homework should be optional."

  1. Students, many of them, believe homework should be optional.
  2. There are many students that have a belief that homework should be optional.
  3. Many students who believe that homework should be optional are.
  4. Many students believe that homework should be optional. (correct answer)
Explanation: When you encounter a question about sentence conciseness, you're being tested on your ability to eliminate unnecessary words while preserving the original meaning. The goal is to express the same idea as clearly as possible using fewer words. The correct answer is D because it removes the wordy "There are" construction and gets straight to the point. "Many students believe that homework should be optional" contains only the essential elements: the subject (many students), the verb (believe), and the object (that homework should be optional). This version eliminates filler words without losing any meaning. Let's examine why the other options are problematic. Choice A uses an awkward insertion ("Students, many of them") that actually makes the sentence less clear and more choppy than the original. Choice B is even wordier than the original sentence, adding unnecessary phrases like "that have a belief that" instead of simply using "believe." Choice C is grammatically incomplete—it ends with "are" but doesn't tell us what these students "are," making it a sentence fragment. When tackling conciseness questions on the TACHS, look for the version that eliminates "there are/there is" constructions, removes redundant phrases, and gets directly to the main action of the sentence. The most concise option will typically start with the actual subject performing the action rather than using filler words to delay the main point.

Question 3

Many students participate in after-school sports to stay active.   Coaches encourage them to balance athletics and academics.

Which sentence best completes the blank for a smooth transition?

  1. In other words, sports have been played for thousands of years by various cultures.
  2. For instance, basketballs are often orange in color at most schools.
  3. Meanwhile, students purchase new equipment during the summer holidays.
  4. However, the demanding practice schedule can make it difficult to finish homework on time. (correct answer)
Explanation: When you encounter transition questions, you need to identify the logical relationship between the ideas in the passage. The first sentence establishes that students participate in sports to stay active, and the second sentence mentions coaches encouraging balance between athletics and academics. This suggests there's a potential conflict or challenge that needs to be addressed. Choice D provides the perfect bridge by introducing the specific challenge that makes balancing athletics and academics difficult - the demanding practice schedule interfering with homework time. The word "However" signals a contrast, which logically connects the positive aspect of sports participation with the practical difficulties students face. Choice A fails because "In other words" suggests you're restating the same idea, but the historical information about sports is completely unrelated to the passage's focus on modern student-athletes. Choice B uses "For instance" to provide an example, but basketball color has nothing to do with the balance between sports and academics. Choice C attempts to continue the sports topic with "Meanwhile," but purchasing equipment doesn't relate to the academic balance theme and creates a disconnected tangent. The key strategy for transition questions is to identify the relationship between surrounding sentences and choose the connector that creates logical flow. Look for signal words like "however," "therefore," "meanwhile," and "for instance," then verify that the content actually supports that logical relationship. Don't be fooled by choices that stay on topic but fail to bridge the specific ideas being connected.

Question 4

Which choice combines the two sentences below most effectively?

"Jamie loves classical music. He plays violin every afternoon."

  1. Jamie, who loves classical music, plays the violin every afternoon. (correct answer)
  2. Jamie plays violin every afternoon loving classical music since he does.
  3. Playing violin every afternoon, Jamie loves classical music that he plays.
  4. Jamie loves classical music, and playing the violin every afternoon.
Explanation: Sentence combining questions test your ability to merge ideas clearly and grammatically while maintaining the original meaning. When you see these questions, look for the choice that creates the smoothest, most natural connection between the ideas. Choice A uses a relative clause ("who loves classical music") to elegantly combine both pieces of information. The clause provides additional information about Jamie while keeping the main sentence structure clear and readable. This creates a sophisticated sentence that flows naturally and preserves both original ideas equally. Choice B creates an awkward construction with "loving classical music since he does." The phrase "since he does" is redundant and unclear—"does" what? This creates confusion rather than clarity, and the overall sentence structure is clunky and unnatural. Choice C reverses the logical relationship between the ideas. The original sentences suggest Jamie's love of classical music explains why he plays violin, but this choice implies playing violin is why he loves classical music. Additionally, "classical music that he plays" is unnecessarily wordy and changes the meaning. Choice D creates a sentence fragment. "Jamie loves classical music, and playing the violin every afternoon" uses "and" to connect a complete clause with an incomplete phrase. This violates basic sentence structure rules and leaves the second idea hanging without proper completion. When combining sentences, look for options that use subordinate clauses (like "who," "which," "that") or clear coordinating conjunctions. Avoid choices that create fragments, awkward phrasing, or change the original meaning of the sentences.

Question 5

Select the sentence that is written correctly.

  1. A bouquet of roses and lilies smells wonderful. (correct answer)
  2. A bouquet of roses and lilies smell wonderfully.
  3. A bouquet of roses and lilies are smelling wonderful.
  4. A bouquet of roses and lilies smell wonderful, they do.
Explanation: This question tests subject-verb agreement, a fundamental grammar concept where the verb must match the subject in number (singular or plural). When you encounter sentences with prepositional phrases between the subject and verb, you need to identify the true subject carefully. The correct answer is A because "bouquet" is the singular subject of the sentence. Even though "roses and lilies" appears right before the verb, this phrase is part of the prepositional phrase "of roses and lilies," which describes the bouquet but doesn't affect the verb form. Since "bouquet" is singular, it requires the singular verb "smells." Additionally, "wonderful" is the correct adjective form to describe how something smells. Option B makes two errors: it uses the plural verb "smell" with the singular subject "bouquet," and it incorrectly uses "wonderfully" (an adverb) instead of "wonderful" (an adjective) to describe the scent. Option C incorrectly uses the plural helping verb "are" with the singular subject "bouquet." The progressive tense "are smelling" is also awkward here since "smell" typically works better as a simple present tense verb when describing how something naturally smells. Option D commits the same subject-verb disagreement as option B by using "smell" instead of "smells," plus it adds an unnecessary and awkward tag phrase "they do" that makes the sentence wordy and incorrect. Remember: prepositional phrases never contain the subject of a sentence. Cross out phrases like "of roses and lilies" to clearly identify the true subject and choose the matching verb form.

Question 6

Select the correctly punctuated sentence.

  1. After the game, we went for pizza. (correct answer)
  2. After, the game we went for pizza.
  3. After the game we, went for pizza.
  4. After the game we went, for pizza.
Explanation: When you encounter punctuation questions involving introductory phrases, focus on where commas are needed to separate sentence elements properly. The key here is understanding that "After the game" is an introductory prepositional phrase that modifies the main clause "we went for pizza." Introductory phrases like this should be followed by a comma to clearly separate them from the main part of the sentence. This makes option A correct: "After the game, we went for pizza." The comma creates a natural pause and helps readers distinguish between the introductory element and the main action. Let's examine why the other options fail. Option B places the comma incorrectly within the introductory phrase itself: "After, the game we went for pizza." This separates "After" from "the game," breaking up a prepositional phrase that should stay together. Option C puts the comma between the subject and verb of the main clause: "After the game we, went for pizza." This creates an awkward interruption in the middle of "we went," which disrupts the sentence flow. Option D places the comma between the verb and its object: "After the game we went, for pizza." This incorrectly separates "went" from "for pizza," breaking up the verb phrase. Remember this pattern: when a sentence begins with an introductory phrase (especially prepositional phrases starting with words like "after," "before," "during," or "in"), place a comma after the entire introductory element, not within it or randomly throughout the main clause.

Question 7

Choose the best revision for clarity.

"Because of the fact that the park closes at dusk, we need to leave early."

  1. Since the park closes at dusk we need to leave early due, to that fact.
  2. We need to leave early due to the fact that the park closes at dusk.
  3. Because the park closes at dusk, we need to leave early. (correct answer)
  4. Due to the park closing at dusk, we need to leave early because of that.
Explanation: When you encounter questions about revising for clarity, focus on eliminating wordiness and redundant phrases that make sentences unnecessarily complex. Clear writing uses the fewest words possible while maintaining meaning. The original sentence contains the wordy phrase "because of the fact that," which can be simplified to just "because" without losing any meaning. Answer choice C makes this exact improvement: "Because the park closes at dusk, we need to leave early." This revision is direct, clear, and maintains proper comma usage after the introductory dependent clause. Looking at the wrong answers: Choice A creates a comma splice error with "dusk we need" and adds the awkward phrase "due, to that fact" with incorrect comma placement. Choice B simply rearranges the sentence structure but keeps the wordy "due to the fact that" construction, failing to improve clarity. Choice D compounds the problem by using both "due to" and "because of that," creating redundancy and making the sentence even more convoluted than the original. For TACHS written expression questions, remember that shorter is usually better when it comes to clarity. Watch for common wordy phrases like "due to the fact that," "because of the fact that," "in spite of the fact that," and "the reason why is because." These can almost always be shortened to "because," "since," "although," and "because" respectively. When revising for clarity, ask yourself: "What's the simplest way to express this idea?"

Question 8

Select the sentence that corrects the misplaced modifier.

"Running along the shore, the cool breeze refreshed us."

  1. Running along the shore refreshed us with the cool breeze.
  2. The cool breeze refreshed us running along the shore.
  3. Running along the shore, we were refreshed by the cool breeze. (correct answer)
  4. The cool breeze, running along the shore, refreshed us.
Explanation: When you encounter a sentence with a misplaced modifier, you need to identify what the modifying phrase is describing and ensure it's positioned next to the correct noun. The phrase "Running along the shore" is a participial phrase that must modify whoever is doing the running. In the original sentence, "Running along the shore, the cool breeze refreshed us," the participial phrase appears to modify "the cool breeze," which creates an illogical image of a breeze running along the shore. Since breezes don't run, this is a classic misplaced modifier error. Choice C correctly places the participial phrase next to "we," making it clear that the people (not the breeze) were running along the shore while being refreshed by the breeze. The sentence now logically connects the action to the appropriate subject. Choice A removes the participial phrase structure entirely, changing the meaning to suggest that the act of running itself provided refreshment through a breeze. Choice B still has the modifier problem—"running along the shore" appears to modify "us," but its placement at the end creates ambiguity about whether we were running or the refreshing was happening while we ran. Choice D illogically suggests the breeze itself was running along the shore, maintaining the original error. Remember: participial phrases must be placed immediately next to the noun they modify. When you spot a sentence beginning with an "-ing" phrase, always check that the subject immediately following the comma is the one performing that action.

Question 9

Select the sentence that removes the unintended ambiguity.

"The library offers books for students with sturdy bindings."

  1. The library, offers books, for students, with sturdy bindings.
  2. The library offers books with sturdy bindings for students.
  3. For students with sturdy bindings, the library offers books.
  4. The library offers students books with sturdy bindings. (correct answer)
Explanation: When you encounter sentences with misplaced modifiers, you need to identify what each descriptive phrase is actually modifying. The original sentence "The library offers books for students with sturdy bindings" creates confusion because "with sturdy bindings" could logically modify either "books" or "students," making it unclear whether the books or the students have sturdy bindings. The correct answer is D because "The library offers students books with sturdy bindings" places "with sturdy bindings" directly after "books," making it clear that the books—not the students—have the sturdy bindings. The sentence structure eliminates any ambiguity about what is being described. Choice A is incorrect because adding random commas doesn't resolve the misplaced modifier problem; it actually makes the sentence harder to read while maintaining the same ambiguity. Choice B moves "with sturdy bindings" closer to "books" but still allows for confusion since "for students" comes between them, and the phrase order could still suggest students with sturdy bindings. Choice C actually makes the ambiguity worse by placing "with sturdy bindings" immediately after "students," which more strongly suggests the students have sturdy bindings rather than the books. When you see ambiguous modifier questions, look for the version that places descriptive phrases immediately next to what they're supposed to modify. The key strategy is to identify what should logically have the described quality—in this case, books have bindings, not students—then find the sentence structure that makes this relationship unmistakably clear.

Question 10

Choose the sentence with consistent tense.

"Yesterday, Mia walks to school and met her friends."

  1. Yesterday, Mia walking to school and met her friends.
  2. Yesterday, Mia walks to school and meet her friends.
  3. Yesterday, Mia has walked to school and meets her friends.
  4. Yesterday, Mia walked to school and met her friends. (correct answer)
Explanation: When you encounter a sentence with multiple verbs, you need to check that all verbs use consistent tense throughout. The time indicator "Yesterday" signals that this sentence describes completed actions in the past, so all verbs should be in past tense. The correct answer is D because both verbs "walked" and "met" are in simple past tense, creating consistency. Since both actions happened yesterday (in the past), past tense is appropriate for both verbs. Let's examine why the other options fail: Option A uses "walking," which is a present participle that creates an incomplete verb phrase without a helping verb like "was." This makes the sentence grammatically incorrect. Option B mixes "walks" (present tense) with "meet" (present tense), but this creates a contradiction since the time marker "yesterday" requires past tense verbs. Option C combines "has walked" (present perfect tense) with "meets" (present tense), creating inconsistent tenses that don't match the past time reference. Remember this strategy: when you see a clear time indicator like "yesterday," "last week," or "tomorrow," make sure all verbs in the sentence match that timeframe. Also, when a sentence contains multiple actions, check that all verbs use the same tense unless there's a logical reason for the time to shift. On the TACHS, tense consistency questions often include one obvious time clue—use it to guide your choice.

Question 11

Choose the most concise and clear revision of the sentence below.

"The reason he was late was due to the fact that he missed the bus."

  1. He was late because he missed the bus. (correct answer)
  2. Because of the fact that he missed the bus, he was late.
  3. Due to missing of the bus, he was caused lateness.
  4. He had lateness on the account of having missed the bus.
Explanation: When you encounter questions about sentence revision, focus on two key principles: conciseness (eliminating unnecessary words) and clarity (expressing ideas in the most direct way possible). The original sentence contains redundant phrases that make it wordy and awkward: "The reason...was due to the fact that" uses multiple words to express what "because" can say in one word. This creates what's called redundancy—saying the same thing twice in different ways. Choice A, "He was late because he missed the bus," is correct because it expresses the exact same meaning as the original sentence but eliminates all the unnecessary words. It uses the simple, direct conjunction "because" to show the cause-and-effect relationship, making the sentence both concise and clear. Choice B keeps the wordy phrase "because of the fact that," which is redundant—"because" alone is sufficient. Choice C creates an awkward construction with "due to missing of the bus" (incorrect preposition use) and the strange phrase "he was caused lateness" (incorrect passive voice). Choice D invents unnecessarily complex phrases like "had lateness" and "on the account of," which make the sentence harder to understand while adding no meaning. Watch for revision questions that test your ability to eliminate wordiness. Common redundant phrases to avoid include "the reason...is because," "due to the fact that," "in order to" (instead of "to"), and "at this point in time" (instead of "now"). Always choose the version that says the same thing with fewer, clearer words.

Question 12

Choose the sentence that maintains parallel structure.

  1. Maria likes swimming, biking, and running. (correct answer)
  2. Maria likes to swim, biking, and running.
  3. Maria likes to swim, to bike, and running.
  4. Maria likes swimming, to bike, and to run.
Explanation: When you encounter questions about parallel structure, you're being tested on your ability to maintain consistency in grammatical forms within a series or list. Parallel structure means using the same grammatical pattern for items that serve the same function in a sentence. The correct answer is A because it uses three gerunds (verb forms ending in -ing that function as nouns): "swimming," "biking," and "running." All three activities are presented in exactly the same grammatical form, creating perfect parallel structure. Let's examine why the other options break this pattern. Choice B mixes an infinitive ("to swim") with two gerunds ("biking" and "running"), creating inconsistency. Choice C combines two infinitives ("to swim" and "to bike") with one gerund ("running"), again breaking the parallel pattern. Choice D reverses the problem in B by starting with a gerund ("swimming") then switching to two infinitives ("to bike" and "to run"). Each incorrect option creates what grammarians call "faulty parallelism" — the jarring effect that occurs when similar ideas aren't expressed in similar grammatical forms. Here's your strategy: When you see a series of three or more items connected by "and" or "or," check that they're all in the same form. Whether the sentence uses all gerunds, all infinitives, all nouns, or all adjectives doesn't matter — what matters is consistency. Read the series aloud; faulty parallelism often "sounds wrong" even when you can't immediately identify the grammatical rule being violated.

Question 13

Which revision best combines the sentences?

"The car was new. It had a dent in the door."

  1. A dent in the door was on the new car that it had.
  2. The car that was new, it had a dent in the door.
  3. Having a dent in the door, the car was new.
  4. The new car had a dent in the door. (correct answer)
Explanation: When combining sentences, your goal is to create one clear, grammatically correct sentence that preserves the meaning of both original statements while eliminating unnecessary repetition. The correct answer is D because it smoothly merges both pieces of information—that the car was new and had a dent—into a single, well-structured sentence. "The new car had a dent in the door" is concise, clear, and maintains proper subject-verb relationships. Let's examine why the other options fail. Choice A creates an awkward, wordy construction with "the new car that it had"—the phrase "that it had" is redundant and confusing because it's unclear what "it" refers to. Choice B commits a common error called a comma splice by incorrectly joining two complete thoughts with just a comma, plus it includes the unnecessary pronoun "it" that makes the sentence redundant. Choice C uses a dangling modifier that creates illogical meaning—the phrase "Having a dent in the door" incorrectly suggests that having a dent somehow caused the car to be new, which doesn't make sense. When combining sentences on the TACHS, always read your combined sentence aloud to check if it sounds natural and logical. Avoid constructions that repeat the same information unnecessarily (like using both "car" and "it" to refer to the same thing) and watch out for modifier problems that can change the intended meaning. The best combinations are usually the most direct and clear.

Question 14

Choose the sentence that removes the pronoun ambiguity.

  1. Jack was excited when he talked to Mike about Mike's project. (correct answer)
  2. When talking to Mike, Jack was excited about his project.
  3. He was excited when Jack talked to Mike about his project.
  4. When Jack talked to Mike about his project, excitement was there.
Explanation: Pronoun ambiguity occurs when it's unclear which noun a pronoun refers to, creating confusion for readers. When you encounter questions about removing pronoun ambiguity, look for sentences where pronouns like "he," "his," or "it" could refer to multiple people or things. Choice A eliminates ambiguity by replacing the unclear pronoun with the specific noun "Mike's." This makes it crystal clear whose project is being discussed—it's Mike's project, not Jack's. The sentence structure clearly shows that Jack was excited when he spoke to Mike about Mike's project. Choice B creates ambiguity because "his project" could refer to either Jack's or Mike's project. Since both are male, the pronoun "his" doesn't clarify ownership. Choice C is even worse, starting with "He" without establishing who "he" refers to, then using "his project" with the same unclear reference problem. Choice D attempts to avoid pronouns entirely but creates awkward, unclear writing with "excitement was there"—this passive construction doesn't effectively communicate who was excited or about what. The key difference is that A specifically names "Mike's project" instead of relying on the ambiguous pronoun "his." This direct approach removes any possible confusion about whose project is the topic of conversation. When tackling pronoun ambiguity questions, replace unclear pronouns with specific nouns to test clarity. If you can't immediately tell what a pronoun refers to, neither can your reader—choose the option that makes references crystal clear through specific word choice.

Question 15

Which option most effectively combines the ideas?

"Olivia finished her homework. She streamed a movie."

  1. After finishing her homework, Olivia streamed a movie. (correct answer)
  2. Olivia, streamed a movie, finishing her homework.
  3. Finishing her homework. Olivia streamed a movie.
  4. Olivia streamed a movie after she finish her homework.
Explanation: When you encounter sentence combining questions, you're being tested on your ability to merge ideas while maintaining proper grammar, clear meaning, and logical flow. The goal is to create a single, well-structured sentence that preserves the relationship between the original ideas. Option A correctly combines the sentences by using "After finishing her homework" as a dependent clause followed by the main clause "Olivia streamed a movie." This structure clearly shows the sequence of events—homework first, then movie—while using proper grammar and maintaining smooth readability. Let's examine why the other options fail. Option B places commas incorrectly around "streamed a movie," which disrupts the sentence flow and creates a confusing structure where the main action appears to be an interruption. Option C isn't actually a combined sentence at all—it's still two separate sentences, with "Finishing her homework" being a sentence fragment followed by a complete sentence. Option D contains a verb tense error, using "finish" instead of "finished," which creates grammatical inconsistency since the original sentences were in past tense. When tackling sentence combining questions, always check three things: Does the combined sentence maintain the original meaning and sequence? Is the grammar correct throughout? Does it flow naturally when read aloud? Also, watch out for comma splices, sentence fragments disguised as combinations, and verb tense consistency—these are common traps on written expression exams.

Question 16

Select the sentence with correct pronoun agreement.

"Everyone must submit   form by Friday."

  1. Everyone must submit its form by Friday.
  2. Everyone must submit their form by Friday.
  3. Everyone must submit our forms by Friday.
  4. Everyone must submit his or her form by Friday. (correct answer)
Explanation: When you encounter pronoun agreement questions, you need to match the pronoun to its antecedent in both number (singular/plural) and gender. The key challenge here is that "everyone" is grammatically singular, even though it refers to multiple people. The correct answer is D because "everyone" is an indefinite pronoun that is always singular, so it requires a singular pronoun. "His or her" is the traditional singular option that avoids assuming gender. While this phrase can feel awkward, it maintains proper grammatical agreement. Let's examine why the other choices don't work. Choice A uses "its," which is technically singular but refers to objects or animals, not people. Using "its" for people is inappropriate and sounds dehumanizing. Choice B uses "their," which has become increasingly accepted in modern usage, but on formal grammar tests like the TACHS, the traditional rule still applies: singular antecedents require singular pronouns. Choice C switches to "our forms," which changes both the pronoun and makes "form" plural, creating a complete mismatch with the singular "everyone." For TACHS written expression questions, remember that indefinite pronouns like "everyone," "someone," "anybody," and "nobody" are grammatically singular and traditionally require singular pronouns. While "their" as a singular pronoun is gaining acceptance in everyday writing, standardized tests typically expect the formal "his or her" construction. When you see indefinite pronouns, look for the answer choice that maintains singular agreement while being appropriate for people.

Question 17

Select the sentence with correct pronoun agreement.

"Neither the students nor the teacher forgot   notebook."

  1. Neither the students nor the teacher forgot his or her notebook. (correct answer)
  2. Neither the students nor the teacher forgot their notebook.
  3. Neither the students nor the teacher forgot its notebook.
  4. Neither the students nor the teacher forgot her and his notebook.
Explanation: When you encounter pronoun agreement questions with "neither...nor" constructions, you need to apply a specific rule: the pronoun must agree with the subject closest to it. In this sentence, "teacher" is the noun closest to the blank, so your pronoun choice must match what would work with "teacher" alone. Since we don't know the teacher's gender, we need a gender-neutral option that works for a singular subject. Choice A uses "his or her," which correctly provides gender-neutral agreement for the singular "teacher." This construction acknowledges that the teacher could be male or female while maintaining grammatical correctness. Choice B is incorrect because "their" is plural, but "teacher" is singular. While "their" is increasingly accepted as a singular pronoun in casual speech, formal written expression on standardized tests typically requires traditional agreement rules. Choice C uses "its," which refers to objects or animals, not people—making it inappropriate for either students or a teacher. Choice D presents "her and his," which is awkward phrasing that doesn't follow standard English conventions for gender-neutral references. The key trap here is choice B, which might seem natural in everyday speech. However, on written expression exams, stick to traditional pronoun agreement rules: singular subjects take singular pronouns, and when gender is unknown, use "his or her" rather than "their." Remember that in "neither...nor" and "either...or" constructions, always match your pronoun to the closest subject.

Question 18

Choose the most concise revision.

"At the present time, we are currently out of stock."

  1. Currently, at the present time, we are without stock.
  2. Presently at this time, we are out of stock.
  3. At the present time, we are out of stock currently.
  4. We are out of stock. (correct answer)
Explanation: When you encounter a question asking for the "most concise revision," you're being tested on your ability to eliminate wordiness and redundancy while preserving the original meaning. The goal is to express the same idea using the fewest words possible. The original sentence contains redundant phrases: "at the present time" and "currently" both mean "now" or "at this moment." Using both creates unnecessary repetition that weakens the writing. Answer choice D, "We are out of stock," eliminates all the redundant time references while preserving the essential message. This revision is direct, clear, and complete—it tells the reader exactly what they need to know without any unnecessary words. Looking at the incorrect options: Choice A adds even more redundancy by keeping both time phrases and adding "without stock" instead of the more natural "out of stock." Choice B replaces one redundant phrase with another ("presently at this time") while keeping the wordy structure. Choice C simply rearranges the redundant elements from the original sentence, moving "currently" to the end but still including both time references. Each wrong answer fails because it maintains the redundancy that makes the original sentence wordy. They either keep multiple time expressions or add new unnecessary words. Strategy tip: When revising for conciseness, identify words or phrases that mean the same thing and eliminate the repetition. Ask yourself: "What is the core message?" Then express that message using the minimum words necessary. Time expressions like "currently," "at present," "now," and "at this time" often create redundancy when used together.

Question 19

Choose the most effective revision of the sentence below.

"While hiking in the mountains, the sudden storm soaked Maya's backpack and she decided to turn back."

  1. While Maya was hiking in the mountains, a sudden storm soaked her backpack, so she decided to turn back. (correct answer)
  2. Hiking in the mountains, Maya's backpack was soaked by a sudden storm and she decided to turn back.
  3. Because a sudden storm soaked Maya's backpack while hiking in the mountains, so she decided to turn back.
  4. While hiking, a sudden storm soaked Maya's backpack therefore she decided to turn back.
Explanation: This question tests your ability to identify and fix dangling modifiers, which occur when the introductory phrase doesn't clearly connect to the correct subject in the main clause. The original sentence contains a dangling modifier: "While hiking in the mountains" should modify Maya, but the way it's written makes it unclear who was hiking. Additionally, the sentence structure is awkward with two independent clauses joined by "and." Choice A correctly fixes both problems. It clearly establishes that Maya was hiking by adding "Maya was" to the introductory clause, and it creates a logical flow with proper subordination: the storm happened while she was hiking, so she turned back. The cause-and-effect relationship is clear and grammatically sound. Choice B still contains a dangling modifier because "Hiking in the mountains" appears to modify "Maya's backpack" rather than Maya herself. Backpacks don't hike—people do. Choice C creates a redundant construction by using both "Because" and "so." This is a double conjunction error—you need one or the other, not both. The sentence also maintains the unclear modifier issue. Choice D has multiple problems: the modifier "While hiking" is still dangling, and "therefore" creates a run-on sentence since it joins two independent clauses without proper punctuation (it needs a semicolon before "therefore" or should be "and therefore"). When you encounter modifier questions on the TACHS, always check that introductory phrases clearly connect to the right subject in the main clause. Ask yourself: "Who or what is performing the action in the opening phrase?"

Question 20

Select the best version of the sentence.

"The award was given to Sofia by the committee."

  1. Given by the committee, the award was for Sofia.
  2. Sofia had been given the award by the committee.
  3. The award, by the committee, was given to Sofia.
  4. The committee gave the award to Sofia. (correct answer)
Explanation: This question tests your ability to recognize clear, direct sentence construction and identify unnecessary passive voice. When you encounter sentence revision questions, look for the version that communicates the same information most clearly and concisely. The strongest version is choice D: "The committee gave the award to Sofia." This sentence uses active voice, where the subject (committee) directly performs the action (gave) on the object (award). Active voice creates clearer, more engaging writing because it immediately tells you who did what. The sentence follows a logical subject-verb-object pattern that's easy to follow. Choice A ("Given by the committee, the award was for Sofia") creates confusion by starting with a dangling participial phrase and uses awkward phrasing with "was for Sofia." Choice B ("Sofia had been given the award by the committee") uses past perfect tense unnecessarily—simple past tense works perfectly here. The passive construction also makes the sentence wordier without adding meaning. Choice C ("The award, by the committee, was given to Sofia") awkwardly inserts the prepositional phrase "by the committee" in the middle of the sentence, disrupting the natural flow and making it harder to understand. Remember this pattern: when you see multiple versions of the same sentence, favor active voice over passive voice unless there's a specific reason to emphasize the receiver of the action. Active voice typically creates stronger, clearer writing that's easier for readers to follow.