Free PSC Second Language Evaluation — Test of Written Expression (654) Practice Questions

Sample Practice Questions

Try these 10 sample questions from the PSC Second Language Evaluation — Test of Written Expression (654) practice bank. Each includes the answer and explanation. Continue with the interactive practice above to review the full question set.

1. 1Which punctuation correctly separates the opening clause from the main clause in this memo?

   1. A.After the audit team had verified every invoice, the director approved the payment.Correct answer: A
   2. B.After the inspector had examined, the records the director authorized payment.
   3. C.After the review team, had checked the accounts the manager approved payment.
   4. D.After all invoices had been checked the director, authorized the payment.

   Explanation: The reference states: "Use a comma after an introductory adverb clause" The introductory clause ends after invoice. B splits the verb from its object, C splits the subject from its verb, and D splits the main subject from its predicate.

   Reference: Translation Bureau — HyperGrammar 2: The comma — The comma — Comma Usage

2. 2The office has only one scanner. Which sentence correctly treats its location as additional information?

   1. A.The scanner which stands near the reception desk, needs servicing.
   2. B.The scanner, which is beside reception, needs servicing.Correct answer: B
   3. C.The only scanner, which sits beside reception needs servicing.
   4. D.The scanner which is, next to reception needs servicing.

   Explanation: The reference states: "Use commas to set off non-restrictive elements and other parenthetical elements." The location does not identify one scanner among several. The added relative clause therefore needs paired commas. A and C provide only one boundary; D interrupts the clause internally.

   Reference: Translation Bureau — HyperGrammar 2: The comma — The comma — Comma Usage

3. 3Which sentence keeps the grammatical subject and its predicate correctly connected?

   1. A.Preparing the quarterly budget report, takes several days.
   2. B.Completing the annual expense, report takes about an hour.
   3. C.Completing the monthly expense report takes about an hour.Correct answer: C
   4. D.Checking, the weekly travel report takes about an hour.

   Explanation: The reference states: "Do not use a comma to separate the subject from its predicate:" The entire gerund phrase is the subject of takes. A separates that subject from its predicate; B and D improperly interrupt the noun phrase.

   Reference: Translation Bureau — HyperGrammar 2: The comma — The comma — Superfluous Commas

4. 4Choose the correctly punctuated version of this instruction.

   1. A.Send, the signed agreement to the procurement officer.
   2. B.Forward the signed contract to, the purchasing manager.
   3. C.Deliver the signed, document to the purchasing officer.
   4. D.Send the final agreement to the procurement officer.Correct answer: D

   Explanation: The reference states: "Do not use a comma to separate a verb from its object or its subject complement, or a preposition from its object:" No comma belongs in this simple imperative. A divides verb and object, B divides preposition and object, and C divides a directly modifying adjective from its noun.

   Reference: Translation Bureau — HyperGrammar 2: The comma — The comma — Superfluous Commas

5. 5An editor wants to emphasize an exception within a sentence. Which version uses punctuation that gives the exception greater prominence?

   1. A.The delivery schedule—with one significant exception—remains unchanged.Correct answer: A
   2. B.The delivery timetable (apart from one important exception) remains unchanged.
   3. C.The shipment schedule, with one notable exception, is unchanged.
   4. D.The delivery plan remains unchanged; apart from one important exception.

   Explanation: The reference states: "Placing parenthetical information between dashes has the opposite effect: it emphasizes the material:" Paired dashes emphasize the interruption. Parentheses reduce its prominence, commas provide ordinary parenthetical separation, and a semicolon cannot introduce this incomplete phrase.

   Reference: Translation Bureau — HyperGrammar 2: The comma — The comma — Comma Usage

6. 6Complete the notice: The department has revised its travel _____.

   1. A.policys
   2. B.policiesCorrect answer: B
   3. C.policyes
   4. D.policiys

   Explanation: The reference states: "When a word ends in y preceded by a consonant, the y usually changes to i when adding a suffix:" Policy ends in consonant plus y, so its plural is policies. The other forms retain y incorrectly or add a nonstandard ending.

   Reference: Translation Bureau — HyperGrammar 2: spelling-y — spelling-y — Final “y” before a suffix

7. 7Complete the progress note: The analyst is _____ to locate the missing record.

   1. A.triing
   2. B.trieing
   3. C.tryingCorrect answer: C
   4. D.tryeing

   Explanation: The reference states: "However, if the suffix begins with i, the y does not change" The suffix -ing begins with i, so try retains y. The other spellings wrongly replace y or insert e.

   Reference: Translation Bureau — HyperGrammar 2: spelling-y — spelling-y — Final “y” before a suffix

8. 8Which spelling completes the sentence? Several employee _____ will inform the review.

   1. A.surveies
   2. B.surveyies
   3. C.surveyes
   4. D.surveysCorrect answer: D

   Explanation: The reference states: "When a final y is preceded by a vowel, it does not change to i:" Survey ends in vowel plus y, so the plural retains y and adds s. The competing spellings misapply consonant-plus-y or -es patterns.

   Reference: Translation Bureau — HyperGrammar 2: spelling-y — spelling-y — Final “y” before a suffix

9. 9The team reviewed nearly the entire set of files, but not every file. Which sentence states this precisely?

   1. A.The team reviewed almost all the files.Correct answer: A
   2. B.The team almost reviewed all the files.
   3. C.The team reviewed almost none of the files.
   4. D.The team reviewed all the files.

   Explanation: The reference states: "In general, place single-word modifiers near the word or words they modify" Almost modifies all: the number reviewed was nearly the whole set. B suggests the reviewing nearly happened; C says that very few files were reviewed; D claims that every file was reviewed.

   Reference: Translation Bureau — HyperGrammar 2: modifiers — modifiers — Misplaced words

10. 10The intended meaning is that frequent checking improves accuracy. Which sentence conveys that meaning without ambiguity?

    1. A.Checking records improves accuracy frequently.
    2. B.Checking records frequently improves accuracy.
    3. C.Frequent checking of records improves accuracy.Correct answer: C
    4. D.Occasional checking of records improves accuracy.

    Explanation: The reference states: "A squinting modifier is an ambiguously placed modifier that can modify either the word before it or the word after it." Frequent explicitly modifies checking. A describes how often improvement occurs; B allows frequently to modify either checking or improves; D describes occasional rather than frequent checking.

    Reference: Translation Bureau — HyperGrammar 2: modifiers — modifiers — Squinting modifiers