Six slippery seals slid silently into the sea.
7th grade English Language Arts practice sheet
New York State Learning Standards · from Gradelings · Name: ______________________
Question 1
Which literary device does this excerpt use?
- Hyperbole
- Alliteration
- Flashback
- Simile
Alliteration
Hint: Listen to the beginnings of the words: s, s, s… Repeating the first sound is alliteration.
Question 2
Which word best describes the mood of this passage?
Sunlight spilled across the kitchen table. Music played from the radio, and the smell of warm pancakes drifted through the open window.
- Cheerful
- Angry
- Tense
- Gloomy
Cheerful
Hint: Notice the sunlight, music and warm pancakes. How do those details make you feel?
Question 3
Which logical fallacy does this argument use?
I wore my blue socks and our team won. The socks must be lucky.
- Either-or (false dilemma)
- False cause
- Attacking the person (ad hominem)
- Bandwagon
False cause
Hint: Just because one thing happened before another doesn't mean it caused it. That's a false cause.
Question 4
Which word is a subordinating conjunction?
- because
- so
- and
- but
because
Hint: Subordinating conjunctions (because, although, if, while…) begin dependent clauses. And, but, or, so and yet are coordinating conjunctions.
Question 5
Which revision fixes the misplaced modifier?
Leo bought a bike from a neighbor with a squeaky bell.
- Leo bought a bike with a squeaky bell from a neighbor.
- Leo, with a squeaky bell, bought a bike from a neighbor.
- With a squeaky bell, Leo bought a bike from a neighbor.
Leo bought a bike with a squeaky bell from a neighbor.
Hint: Does the neighbor have the squeaky bell, or the bike? Move the modifier next to the word it describes.
Question 6
Which word correctly completes the sentence?
Lack of sleep can _____ your mood.
- affect
- effect
affect
Hint: Affect is usually a verb (to influence). Effect is usually a noun (a result). Tip: the effect is the end result.
Question 7
What is the rhyme scheme of this poem?
The Library Is an Ocean
The library is an ocean,
And every shelf a wave;
I dive in every afternoon
And surface feeling brave.
- ABBA
- ABAB
- AABB
- ABCB
ABCB
Hint: Look at the last word of each line. Give the first end sound the letter A, the next new sound B, and so on. Lines that rhyme share a letter.
Question 8
Which sentence is punctuated correctly?
- The movie was long however; I enjoyed it.
- The movie was long; however, I enjoyed it.
- The movie was long; however I enjoyed it.
The movie was long; however, I enjoyed it.
Hint: Put a semicolon before however and a comma after it.
Question 9
A story is told by a narrator who only knows one character's thoughts. What is this called?
- second person
- limited third person
- omniscient third person
limited third person
Hint: The narrator sticks to one character's mind.
Question 10
The prefix dis- means “not” or “opposite of”. What does disagree mean?
- to agree twice
- to speak loudly
- not to hold the same opinion
- to agree first
not to hold the same opinion
Hint: Dis- reverses the meaning.
Answer key
- 1. Alliteration (Literary Devices)
- 2. Cheerful (Tone & Mood)
- 3. False cause (Persuasive Power)
- 4. because (Clauses & Sentences)
- 5. Leo bought a bike with a squeaky bell from a neighbor. (Modifiers & Parallelism)
- 6. affect (Word Mix-Ups)
- 7. ABCB (Poetry Lab)
- 8. The movie was long; however, I enjoyed it. (Punctuation Power)
- 9. limited third person (Whose Story?)
- 10. not to hold the same opinion (Roots & Word Parts)
Want more than 10 questions?
In Gradelings the questions change every time and adjust to your child, with hints and kind feedback. See all English language arts units.