ClassZone: Language Network

Rhetorical Skills

Strategy (16 percent). Questions in this category test how well you choose expressions appropriate to an essay's audience and purpose; judge the effect of adding, revising, or deleting supporting material; and choose effective opening, transitional, and closing sentences.

Organization (15 percent). Questions in this category test how well you organize ideas and judge the relevance of statements in context (making decisions about order, coherence, and unity).

Style (16 percent). Questions in this category test how well you select precise and appropriate words and images, maintain the level of style and tone in an essay, manage sentence elements for rhetorical effectiveness, and avoid ambiguous pronoun references, clichés, wordiness, and redundancy.

Sample questions:

Choose the letter that indicates the best revision of the underlined word or words. If there is no error, select "No Change."

The growth of radio, television, newspapers and other media have drawn many artists and
The growth of radio, television, newspa1ers and other media have2
performers to the attention of the public. For every famous and generously paid rock star

or sculptor, however, there are thousands of other highly talented artists which remain
or sculptor,3however, there are thousands of other highly talented artists4
relatively unknown.

1. A. No change

B. newspapers, and

C. newspapers; and

D. newspapers also

2. F. No change

G. have drawed

H. had drew

J. has drawn

3. A. No change

B. sculptor; however

C. sculptor although

D. sculptor and also

4. F. No change

G. artists, which

H. artists who

J. artists that

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