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ACCUPLACER Writing

Writing is one of the ACCUPLACER placement tests. It checks how well you revise and edit writing.

What ACCUPLACER Writing measures

ACCUPLACER Writing checks your ability to revise and edit text that is more than one paragraph long. Its questions fall into two groups: Expression of Ideas and Standard English Conventions.

Expression of Ideas is about making writing clear and well organized. Standard English Conventions is about grammar, usage and punctuation.

Questions and time

TestQuestionsTime limit
ACCUPLACER Writing25None set

The 25 questions come in 5 sets, and each set is about one passage.

How to study ACCUPLACER Writing

  1. Ask what the writer needs. Some questions ask for evidence, some for a better link between ideas. Read the question for the goal.
  2. Pick facts over opinions. When a claim needs support, the best choice gives a specific fact, not a guess or the claim said again.
  3. Put describing words next to what they describe. A word in the wrong spot can change the meaning.
  4. Cut extra words. "Past history" and "final outcome" say the same thing twice. Shorter is often clearer.
  5. Learn word pairs that sound alike. Accept and except, its and it's, and then and than come up often.

Sample questions

1. A writer's paragraph makes this claim: "Posting the current wait time at the clinic door reduces patient complaints." The writer must add a sentence that supports the claim rather than restating it. Which addition supports the claim with evidence?

  1. A. In the three months after the clinic began posting wait times, written complaints about waiting fell from 61 to 12.
  2. B. Posting the wait time cuts complaints because patients complain less once the wait time is posted.
  3. C. Most people would agree that nobody likes being kept in the dark about a wait.
  4. D. The clinic added two parking spaces near the side entrance last spring.
Show the answer

Answer: A. It gives a measured drop in complaints after the change. B just says the claim again, C is a guess, and D is off topic.

2. Read the sentence: "The clerks who file reports quickly finish their shifts." The writer means that the clerks finish their shifts quickly, not that they file reports quickly. Which revision makes the intended meaning clear?

  1. A. The clerks who file reports quickly finish their shifts.
  2. B. The clerks who quickly file reports finish their shifts.
  3. C. The clerks who file reports finish their shifts quickly.
  4. D. The quick clerks who file reports finish their shifts.
Show the answer

Answer: C. Now "quickly" sits right after "finish their shifts," so it can only describe how they finish.

3. Read the sentence: "The board reviewed the past history of the site before announcing the final outcome of the vote." Which revision eliminates the redundancy without losing meaning?

  1. A. The board reviewed the history of the site before announcing the outcome of the vote.
  2. B. The board reviewed the past history of the site before announcing the outcome of the vote.
  3. C. The board conducted a comprehensive review of the prior past history of the site before making an announcement of the final outcome of the vote.
  4. D. The board reviewed the site.
Show the answer

Answer: A. "History" is already about the past, and an "outcome" is already final. D is shorter but drops needed information.

How SPARK helps with ACCUPLACER Writing

SPARK's diagnostic shows how your writing skills compare with your other sections. If Writing is one of your weakest areas, your study plan puts it first. You can ask the AI tutor about any rule you miss.

FAQ

How many questions are on ACCUPLACER Writing?
ACCUPLACER Writing has 25 questions, in 5 passage sets.
Is ACCUPLACER Writing timed?
ACCUPLACER tests, including Writing, are generally untimed.
What does ACCUPLACER Writing cover?
ACCUPLACER Writing covers Expression of Ideas, which is clear and organized writing, and Standard English Conventions, which is grammar, usage and punctuation.

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