Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) EXAM TEST
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS (VERIFIED
ANSWERS) PLUS RATIONALES -2026 |NSTANT
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1. Which sentence contains a simile?
A. The sun hid behind the clouds.
B. Her smile was like sunshine on a rainy day.
C. The wind whispered through the trees.
D. He ran faster than the others.
Correct Answer: B. Her smile was like sunshine on a rainy day.
Rationale: A simile compares two things using "like" or "as."
Option B uses "like" to compare a smile to sunshine.
2. What is the main idea of a paragraph?
A. A small detail in the paragraph.
B. The topic of the paragraph.
C. The most important point the author wants to communicate.
D. A question about the paragraph.
Correct Answer: C. The most important point the author wants
to communicate.
Rationale: The main idea is the central point or message of the
paragraph, not just a detail.
,3. Which of the following is a fact rather than an opinion?
A. Chocolate ice cream is the best flavor.
B. The Eiffel Tower is in Paris.
C. Dogs are better pets than cats.
D. Summer is the most enjoyable season.
Correct Answer: B. The Eiffel Tower is in Paris.
Rationale: A fact can be proven true or false; opinions reflect
personal beliefs.
4. In the story, Sarah decided to help the lost puppy. Which
type of conflict is this?
A. Person vs. Person
B. Person vs. Nature
C. Person vs. Self
D. Person vs. Society
Correct Answer: C. Person vs. Self.
Rationale: Sarah’s decision shows an internal struggle to choose
what is right.
5. What does the prefix “un-” in “unhappy” mean?
A. Again
B. Not
C. Very
D. Before
,Correct Answer: B. Not.
Rationale: The prefix “un-” means “not,” so “unhappy” means
“not happy.”
6. Which sentence is written in the past tense?
A. She runs to the store.
B. He will eat lunch.
C. They played soccer yesterday.
D. I am reading a book.
Correct Answer: C. They played soccer yesterday.
Rationale: Past tense verbs describe actions that already
happened. "Played" is past tense.
7. Read the sentence: “The tiny mouse scurried quickly
through the grass.” Which word is an adverb?
A. Tiny
B. Scurried
C. Quickly
D. Mouse
Correct Answer: C. Quickly.
Rationale: An adverb describes how an action is done. “Quickly”
tells how the mouse scurried.
, 8. Which sentence uses dialogue correctly?
A. She said, “I can’t wait to go!”
B. She said I can’t wait to go!
C. She said; “I can’t wait to go!”
D. She said “I can’t wait to go”.
Correct Answer: A. She said, “I can’t wait to go!”
Rationale: Dialogue should include quotation marks and a
comma before the quotation.
9. Which of the following is an example of personification?
A. The stars twinkled in the sky.
B. The car raced down the street.
C. The wind sang a sad song.
D. She jumped over the puddle.
Correct Answer: C. The wind sang a sad song.
Rationale: Personification gives human qualities to non-human
things. “Sang” is a human action.
10. What is the author’s purpose if the text explains how to
make a volcano for a science project?
A. To entertain
B. To inform
C. To persuade
D. To describe feelings
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS (VERIFIED
ANSWERS) PLUS RATIONALES -2026 |NSTANT
DOWNLOAD PDF
1. Which sentence contains a simile?
A. The sun hid behind the clouds.
B. Her smile was like sunshine on a rainy day.
C. The wind whispered through the trees.
D. He ran faster than the others.
Correct Answer: B. Her smile was like sunshine on a rainy day.
Rationale: A simile compares two things using "like" or "as."
Option B uses "like" to compare a smile to sunshine.
2. What is the main idea of a paragraph?
A. A small detail in the paragraph.
B. The topic of the paragraph.
C. The most important point the author wants to communicate.
D. A question about the paragraph.
Correct Answer: C. The most important point the author wants
to communicate.
Rationale: The main idea is the central point or message of the
paragraph, not just a detail.
,3. Which of the following is a fact rather than an opinion?
A. Chocolate ice cream is the best flavor.
B. The Eiffel Tower is in Paris.
C. Dogs are better pets than cats.
D. Summer is the most enjoyable season.
Correct Answer: B. The Eiffel Tower is in Paris.
Rationale: A fact can be proven true or false; opinions reflect
personal beliefs.
4. In the story, Sarah decided to help the lost puppy. Which
type of conflict is this?
A. Person vs. Person
B. Person vs. Nature
C. Person vs. Self
D. Person vs. Society
Correct Answer: C. Person vs. Self.
Rationale: Sarah’s decision shows an internal struggle to choose
what is right.
5. What does the prefix “un-” in “unhappy” mean?
A. Again
B. Not
C. Very
D. Before
,Correct Answer: B. Not.
Rationale: The prefix “un-” means “not,” so “unhappy” means
“not happy.”
6. Which sentence is written in the past tense?
A. She runs to the store.
B. He will eat lunch.
C. They played soccer yesterday.
D. I am reading a book.
Correct Answer: C. They played soccer yesterday.
Rationale: Past tense verbs describe actions that already
happened. "Played" is past tense.
7. Read the sentence: “The tiny mouse scurried quickly
through the grass.” Which word is an adverb?
A. Tiny
B. Scurried
C. Quickly
D. Mouse
Correct Answer: C. Quickly.
Rationale: An adverb describes how an action is done. “Quickly”
tells how the mouse scurried.
, 8. Which sentence uses dialogue correctly?
A. She said, “I can’t wait to go!”
B. She said I can’t wait to go!
C. She said; “I can’t wait to go!”
D. She said “I can’t wait to go”.
Correct Answer: A. She said, “I can’t wait to go!”
Rationale: Dialogue should include quotation marks and a
comma before the quotation.
9. Which of the following is an example of personification?
A. The stars twinkled in the sky.
B. The car raced down the street.
C. The wind sang a sad song.
D. She jumped over the puddle.
Correct Answer: C. The wind sang a sad song.
Rationale: Personification gives human qualities to non-human
things. “Sang” is a human action.
10. What is the author’s purpose if the text explains how to
make a volcano for a science project?
A. To entertain
B. To inform
C. To persuade
D. To describe feelings
