Praxis Core · Writing (5723) Selected Response
Praxis Core: Grammar and Usage Concepts
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Overview
This chapter covers the grammar rules tested in the usage questions of the Writing test. You will spot errors in subject-verb agreement, pronouns, verb tense, modifiers, word choice, and idioms. Some sentences are already correct, so part of the skill is knowing when to leave a sentence alone.
Two key skills are subject-verb agreement and pronoun agreement. Find the true subject even when a long phrase sits between it and the verb. Make sure each pronoun points clearly to one noun and matches it in number.
Verb tense should stay consistent unless the time really changes. Adjectives describe nouns, while adverbs describe verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. Idioms and commonly confused words, such as affect and effect, must be used the way standard English expects.
Key concepts
Subject-verb agreement
A singular subject takes a singular verb, and a plural subject takes a plural verb. Phrases between the subject and verb, like "of the students," do not change the subject.
Memory tipCross out the middle phrase and read subject + verb together.
Pronoun agreement and reference
A pronoun must match the noun it replaces in number and must clearly refer to one noun. In formal written English, words like each, everyone, and neither are treated as singular.
Memory tipIf you can ask "who is 'they'?", the pronoun is unclear.
Pronoun case
Use subject pronouns (I, he, she, we, they) as subjects and object pronouns (me, him, her, us, them) as objects, including after prepositions like between.
Memory tip"Between" is a preposition, so every pronoun after it takes the object form: "between you and me," never "between you and I."
Verb tense consistency
Keep the same tense throughout a sentence or passage unless the timing of the events really changes.
Memory tipPast stays past unless the clock moves.
Adjective vs. adverb
Adjectives describe nouns (a quick answer). Adverbs describe verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs and often end in -ly (answered quickly).
Memory tipDescribing an action? You usually need an adverb, often the -ly word (but fast, hard, and well are adverbs too).
Idioms and confused words
Standard English pairs some words with specific prepositions, such as "different from" and "capable of." Commonly confused pairs include affect/effect, its/it's, and their/there/they're.
Memory tipRead it aloud; wrong idioms usually sound off.
Often tested
- A verb must agree with its subject, even when other words come between them.
- A pronoun must clearly refer to one noun and agree with it in number.
- Some usage questions have no error, so do not force a change.
- In formal written English, each, everyone, and neither are treated as singular and take singular verbs.
- Use object pronouns after prepositions: between you and me.
3 sample questions
Verified practice questions from this unit.
Question 1. In the sentence below, the parts in square brackets are the "underlined" parts. Which part contains an error? If the sentence is correct, choose "No error." The box of old [photographs] [were] found in the attic [after] my grandmother [moved] to a smaller home.
- ① photographs
- ② were
- ③ after
- ④ moved
- ⑤ No error
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Answer: ② were
Key point: The verb agrees with the subject, not a noun in a phrase after it.
The subject is "box," which is singular, so the verb must be "was." The words "of old photographs" only describe the box; they are not the subject.
Wrong choices
- "photographs": "Photographs" is the correct plural form; it is part of the phrase that describes the box.
- "after": "After" correctly shows the order of events.
- "moved": "Moved" is the correct past tense for an action that already happened.
- "No error": There is an error: "were" does not agree with the singular subject "box."
Question 2. In the sentence below, the parts in square brackets are the "underlined" parts. Which part contains an error? If the sentence is correct, choose "No error." [Me and Tom] carpooled to the workshop [because] the training center [was] close to [our] school.
- ① Me and Tom
- ② because
- ③ was
- ④ our
- ⑤ No error
▼ Show answer and explanation▲ Hide answer and explanation
Answer: ① Me and Tom
Key point: Use subject pronouns (I, he, she) when the pronoun is a subject.
"Me and Tom" is the subject of the verb "carpooled," so it needs the subject pronoun: "Tom and I carpooled." Test it by dropping Tom: you would say "I carpooled," not "Me carpooled."
Wrong choices
- "because": "Because" correctly gives the reason for carpooling.
- "was": "Was" agrees with the singular subject "center."
- "our": "Our" is the correct possessive form here.
- "No error": There is an error: "Me" cannot be the subject of a verb.
Question 3. In the sentence below, the parts in square brackets are the "underlined" parts. Which part contains an error? If the sentence is correct, choose "No error." Yesterday the class [visited] the museum, and [then] the students [write] a short report [about] what they saw.
- ① visited
- ② then
- ③ write
- ④ about
- ⑤ No error
▼ Show answer and explanation▲ Hide answer and explanation
Answer: ③ write
Key point: Keep verb tense consistent with the time words in the sentence.
"Yesterday" and "visited" place the events in the past, so the second verb must also be past tense: "the students wrote."
Wrong choices
- "visited": "Visited" is past tense, which matches "yesterday."
- "then": "Then" correctly shows the order of events.
- "about": "About" is the correct preposition after "report."
- "No error": There is an error: "write" is present tense in a sentence about yesterday.