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Quiz about Become a Better Writer
Quiz about Become a Better Writer

Become a Better Writer Trivia Quiz


Everyone needs to write sometimes. You might have to dispute a bill in writing or compose a self-evaluation. Or, you just might want to write a quiz at FunTrivia! Learn a few basics to becoming a better writer.

A multiple-choice quiz by Pagiedamon. Estimated time: 5 mins.
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Author
Pagiedamon
Time
5 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
302,154
Updated
Oct 14 22
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Average
Avg Score
8 / 10
Plays
6697
Awards
Top 5% quiz!
Last 3 plays: colbymanram (10/10), Guest 144 (10/10), riverboatqueen (9/10).
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Question 1 of 10
1. Plan and organize your ideas. Whether you are writing a 12-page term paper or a "Twilight" quiz for FunTrivia, it is crucial to be organized. Without a plan, your writing will seem erratic and will not accomplish what you intend. What is an effective way to plan and organize your ideas? Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. Revise everything you write. Good writers know that all writing can be improved upon after the first draft. What is the most important aspect of revision? Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. Increase your vocabulary. This doesn't necessarily mean that you have to juxtapose every other word with an antediluvian replacement for prosaic units of language. Phew! What is the best way to improve your vocabulary? Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. Improve your spelling. A person who constantly spells words incorrectly will not be taken seriously by his or her readers. It is necessary to become aware of why you misspell certain words. All of the following strategies can help reduce spelling errors EXCEPT: Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. Learn from your mistakes. If you always insert commas in the wrong places or get confused about when to use "your" or "you're", you should start keeping a record of your errors. An error log can help you pinpoint and correct repetitive mistakes. As you start recording replicate errors, which of the following do you NOT need to focus on? Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. Proofread before publication! Publication even refers to hitting "send" in your email or "submit" on FunTrivia. What is one of the best ways to proofread your written work? Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. Don't be wordy! Wordiness is the tendency to say much more than is needed. All of the following will help you reduce wordiness EXCEPT: Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. Use writing tools. We have so many available to us in the 21st century. Which writing tool is the most versatile? Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. Remember your audience. Who will read your work? A college professor? FunTrivia players? Thinking about your audience will force you to do your best work. Establishing who your readers are is the first part of this process. What is the other part? Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. Finally, find a good place and time to write. In order to do your best work, you need a conducive environment. In general, all of the following can positively affect your writing atmosphere EXCEPT: Hint



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Most Recent Scores
Oct 27 2024 : colbymanram: 10/10
Oct 26 2024 : Guest 144: 10/10
Oct 22 2024 : riverboatqueen: 9/10
Oct 22 2024 : Nhoj_too: 10/10
Oct 22 2024 : rainbowriver: 7/10
Oct 22 2024 : misstified: 9/10
Oct 22 2024 : doh1: 8/10
Oct 22 2024 : PHILVV: 10/10
Oct 21 2024 : gumman: 8/10

Score Distribution

quiz
Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. Plan and organize your ideas. Whether you are writing a 12-page term paper or a "Twilight" quiz for FunTrivia, it is crucial to be organized. Without a plan, your writing will seem erratic and will not accomplish what you intend. What is an effective way to plan and organize your ideas?

Answer: Create a brief outline

Creating an outline is simple. Before you write a first draft, you should list the main ideas that you need to cover. Under each main point, you can list sub points or details. Once you have listed all pertinent information, arrange the ideas in the order that you will explore them.

The arrangement of ideas should usually be logical: time-sequence, spatial, or most-to-least-important order. (Hannigan, "Kaplan Technical Writing", 2008).
2. Revise everything you write. Good writers know that all writing can be improved upon after the first draft. What is the most important aspect of revision?

Answer: Re-examining your ideas

Revision is the process of re-examining what you have written. Did you succeed in what you set out to do? Did you tackle a subject that was too broad or too narrow? Did you include sufficient details? Did you make points that were relevant to the topic? Revision does not include searching for errors--that comes later, during the proofreading phase. To properly revise your writing, you should add, delete, change, or expand upon ideas in your writing. Your finished product should be better than what you originally started with. (Murray, "The Craft of Revision", 2003).
3. Increase your vocabulary. This doesn't necessarily mean that you have to juxtapose every other word with an antediluvian replacement for prosaic units of language. Phew! What is the best way to improve your vocabulary?

Answer: Reading

If you hadn't already guessed: reading and writing are inextricably connected. The best way to broaden your vocabulary is to read, read, and then read some more! The good news is that almost any type of reading will enhance your vocabulary store. Beneficial reading includes newspapers, magazines, comics, and online documents. I myself, however, prefer the archaic mode of picking up a good book! (Fulwiler, "Language Connections: Writing and Reading Across the Curriculum", 1982).
4. Improve your spelling. A person who constantly spells words incorrectly will not be taken seriously by his or her readers. It is necessary to become aware of why you misspell certain words. All of the following strategies can help reduce spelling errors EXCEPT:

Answer: Always spelling phonetically

Unfortunately, always spelling phonetically does not work in the English language. You can't sound-out every word to get its correct spelling. Think about how these words sound AND are spelled: business, Wednesday, February, dough, rough, etc. What you CAN do is minimize your own carelessness (stop writing "teh" for "the"!) and become familiar with words that sound or look alike.

For example, you can teach yourself when to use "to" or "too". Finally, a great way to improve spelling is through the use of mnemonics. Mnemonics are memory tricks that help you remember things. Remember those old spelling rules, such as "i before e except after c"? Well, they really work! (Angelillo, "Writing About Reading", 2003).
5. Learn from your mistakes. If you always insert commas in the wrong places or get confused about when to use "your" or "you're", you should start keeping a record of your errors. An error log can help you pinpoint and correct repetitive mistakes. As you start recording replicate errors, which of the following do you NOT need to focus on?

Answer: Writing style

Writers tend to lose credibility with their audience due to poor grammar, improper (or missing) punctuation, misspelled words, and/or confusing sentence structures. Some writers consistently write run-on sentences, forgetting to utilize appropriate punctuation.

Others write fragments instead of complete sentences. Writing style, however, is personal and unique. You should hone your own writing style to the best of your ability, and eschew the temptation to mimic someone else's! (Sullivan, "The Art of Styling Sentences", 2001).
6. Proofread before publication! Publication even refers to hitting "send" in your email or "submit" on FunTrivia. What is one of the best ways to proofread your written work?

Answer: Read your writing out loud

Reading your work aloud will allow you to "hear" your words and also enable you to judge sentence flow. When proofreading, you should not skim the paper, but instead go through each sentence with deliberation. When you proofread, you should search for punctuation, capitalization, spelling, subject-verb agreement, and grammar mistakes.

It is also imperative to proofread more than once, and if possible to space each proofreading session by at least an hour. Re-reading your own writing with fresh eyes will inevitably yield new errors, or at least ideas for improved sentences. Finally, never rely solely on a spell check program. Spell checkers cannot decipher what you were thinking. Proofreading: it isn't for the faint of heart! (Anderson, "McGraw-Hill's Proofreading Handbook", 2006).
7. Don't be wordy! Wordiness is the tendency to say much more than is needed. All of the following will help you reduce wordiness EXCEPT:

Answer: Leaving out key details

When reviewing your written work, you should look out for "useless" words. These are words that add little meaning or flavor to your writing. Peruse your paper. Is it sprinkled with words like "virtually", "for all intents and purposes", or "actually"? Get rid of them! Eliminating redundant phrases will improve your writing as well. Redundancy is the repeating or restating of a concept: blue in color, small in size, etc. Also, using active verbs, rather than passive ones, adds punch to your paper. Example: Suzie loves John (active). John is loved by Suzie (passive--and wordy). (Fletcher, "How Writers Work", 2001).

Do not, however, leave out important details simply to reduce words. Details are the meat of your writing!
8. Use writing tools. We have so many available to us in the 21st century. Which writing tool is the most versatile?

Answer: Computer

Computers, with proper software, are extremely versatile writing tools. They allow you to write, revise, and edit with amazing ease. Most writing software, like Microsoft Office Word, will allow you to check for spelling and grammar errors as well. Just be careful not to rely solely on computer software, as it is not infallible! Writers should also own a thesaurus and dictionary if possible. Both are invaluable sources for enhancing and varying the vocabulary you utilize. MLA handbooks are nice for students in the humanities, but are not necessary for most writers. (Garson, "Guide to Writing Empirical Papers, Theses, and Dissertations", 2001).
9. Remember your audience. Who will read your work? A college professor? FunTrivia players? Thinking about your audience will force you to do your best work. Establishing who your readers are is the first part of this process. What is the other part?

Answer: Knowing how much you should explain about the topic

If you write a letter to the local school board opposing inclusive classrooms, you do not need to define the term, as your intended audience already knows about the subject. Certainly, you can demonstrate your own understanding of the topic, and include a list of "cons", but you do not need to over-explain. On the other hand, if you are writing about an obscure topic to a novice audience, it is important for you to define and elaborate on key ideas. (Oshima, "Introduction to Academic Writing", 2006).
10. Finally, find a good place and time to write. In order to do your best work, you need a conducive environment. In general, all of the following can positively affect your writing atmosphere EXCEPT:

Answer: Writing after a long day of work

Generally, people write better when their bodies are relaxed and their minds are alert. This is rarely the case after a long day of work. The best time to write is when you feel motivated, inspired, and fully able to concentrate on the task. Having writing tools handy, such as pencils, erasers, and dictionaries, also enables you to do your best work. Finally, comfortable surroundings and few distractions will contribute to writing efficacy. (Oshima, "Introduction to Academic Writing", 2006).

Happy writing!
Source: Author Pagiedamon

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor agony before going online.
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