TSA Writing Skills Assessment Actual Questions and
Answers Already Graded A+
Restrictive and Nonrestrictive
Phrases and Clauses
A ______________ phrase or clause provides information that is necessary to
identify specifically what is being described.
restrictive
A ____________________ phrase or clause provides information that is
incidental to the meaning of the sentence.
nonrestrictive
_______________ phrases and clauses are not separated from the rest of the
sentence by commas.
restrictive
________________ phrases and clauses are separated from the rest of the
sentence by commas.
nonrestrictive
Restrictive or Nonrestrictive
The blue house that he built on a hill is quite large.
restrictive
The sentence is written about a man who built several blue houses but only one on a
hill. Therefore, the phrase that he built on a hill is essential for knowing which blue
house is being referred to. The phrase is therefore restrictive and is not separated
from the rest of the sentence by commas.
Restrictive or Nonrestrictive
The blue house, which he built on a hill, is quite large.
nonrestrictive
This example is written about a man who built only one blue house, and it happens
to be on a hill. Therefore, which he built on a hill is not essential for knowing which
house is
being referred to. The phrase is therefore nonrestrictive and is separated from the
rest of the sentence by commas.
Restrictive or Nonrestrictive
Pat, who won the prize, deserves our
congratulations.
nonrestrictive
In this sentence, the person to be congratulated is identified as Pat, and the clause
who won the prize is not essential for identifying the person. The clause is therefore
nonrestrictive and is separated from the rest of the sentence by
commas.
, Restrictive or Nonrestrictive
We should congratulate the student who won the prize.
restrictive
We should congratulate the student who won the prize.
In this sentence the clause who won the prize is essential for indicating the person
who should be congratulated. The clause is therefore restrictive and is not separated
from the rest of the sentence by commas.
Definition:
A word or phrase used to assert an action or state of being.
Verb
Definition:
The ________ of a verb shows whether the subject performs an action (active
voice) or receives it (passive voice).
voice
Active or Passive Voice
The consultant wrote a proposal.
Active
Active or Passive Voice
The proposal was written by the consultant.
Passive
The tense of a verb shows the time of the action of the verb. There are an
active and a passive form of all tenses in English. The six English verb tenses
are:
1. Simple Present
2. Present Perfect
3. Simple Past
4. Past Perfect
5. Future
6. Future Perfect
Examples of Active Voice, Simple Present verb tense are:
she takes; he is taking
Examples of Passive Voice, Simple Present verb tense are:
she is taken; he is being taken
The ___________ tense represents action that is taking place now.
present
The _________ tense represents action that took place in past time.
past
The ___________ tense places action in future time.
Answers Already Graded A+
Restrictive and Nonrestrictive
Phrases and Clauses
A ______________ phrase or clause provides information that is necessary to
identify specifically what is being described.
restrictive
A ____________________ phrase or clause provides information that is
incidental to the meaning of the sentence.
nonrestrictive
_______________ phrases and clauses are not separated from the rest of the
sentence by commas.
restrictive
________________ phrases and clauses are separated from the rest of the
sentence by commas.
nonrestrictive
Restrictive or Nonrestrictive
The blue house that he built on a hill is quite large.
restrictive
The sentence is written about a man who built several blue houses but only one on a
hill. Therefore, the phrase that he built on a hill is essential for knowing which blue
house is being referred to. The phrase is therefore restrictive and is not separated
from the rest of the sentence by commas.
Restrictive or Nonrestrictive
The blue house, which he built on a hill, is quite large.
nonrestrictive
This example is written about a man who built only one blue house, and it happens
to be on a hill. Therefore, which he built on a hill is not essential for knowing which
house is
being referred to. The phrase is therefore nonrestrictive and is separated from the
rest of the sentence by commas.
Restrictive or Nonrestrictive
Pat, who won the prize, deserves our
congratulations.
nonrestrictive
In this sentence, the person to be congratulated is identified as Pat, and the clause
who won the prize is not essential for identifying the person. The clause is therefore
nonrestrictive and is separated from the rest of the sentence by
commas.
, Restrictive or Nonrestrictive
We should congratulate the student who won the prize.
restrictive
We should congratulate the student who won the prize.
In this sentence the clause who won the prize is essential for indicating the person
who should be congratulated. The clause is therefore restrictive and is not separated
from the rest of the sentence by commas.
Definition:
A word or phrase used to assert an action or state of being.
Verb
Definition:
The ________ of a verb shows whether the subject performs an action (active
voice) or receives it (passive voice).
voice
Active or Passive Voice
The consultant wrote a proposal.
Active
Active or Passive Voice
The proposal was written by the consultant.
Passive
The tense of a verb shows the time of the action of the verb. There are an
active and a passive form of all tenses in English. The six English verb tenses
are:
1. Simple Present
2. Present Perfect
3. Simple Past
4. Past Perfect
5. Future
6. Future Perfect
Examples of Active Voice, Simple Present verb tense are:
she takes; he is taking
Examples of Passive Voice, Simple Present verb tense are:
she is taken; he is being taken
The ___________ tense represents action that is taking place now.
present
The _________ tense represents action that took place in past time.
past
The ___________ tense places action in future time.
