ELA Testlet 007 - Writing Transitions and Organization - Elissa Belmont | Library

Required

1

A student is writing a research report about singer Tony Burrows. Read a paragraph from the draft. Choose the sentence number of the sentence that should be removed to provide a clearer focus throughout the paragraph.

(1) Unless you are a popular music historian or an excellent trivia game player, you have probably never heard of Tony Burrows. (2) He has two children. (3) Burrows is a British singer who had five hit songs in the top 20 when he was the lead singer of five different bands. (4) Four of his hit songs occurred in 1970, with the final hit taking place in 1974. (5) In addition, Burrows served as a session singer for other bands.

7.W.3.A.a

Required

2

Read the paragraph. Choose the best underlined transition phrases. 

An excavator is a large piece of construction equipment. Its most important job is to dig an extensive amount of dirt rapidly. It is typically utilized to dig areas for basements and for pipe installations. (In short / In addition / As a result), excavators can be used to lift heavy items off the ground. __________The backhoe, a smaller type of digging equipment, does several jobs, such as creating trenches and moving dirt. These machines are usually used for transporting materials, landscaping, and paving roads. (In conclusion / On the contrary / At the same time), both pieces of equipment can effectively complete specific construction jobs.__________

7.W.3.A.d

Required

1

A student is writing a recipe for a class project. Read the draft of the recipe.

Did you know baking is actually a chemical reaction? Read the directions about how to
make delicious cupcakes! Start by preheating the oven. Then gather some common
ingredients—flour, sugar, butter, eggs, salt, baking powder, and a liquid like milk. Mix the
dry ingredients. In another bowl, mix the wet ingredients. The last mixing step is to
combine the wet and dry ingredients. Mix everything until your batter is smooth. Plop a
little bit of batter into a muffin tin, a special pan for baking cupcakes and muffins.
______________________________________________________________. Close the oven and watch the muffins bake. It will start slowly, but a chemical reaction is happening in the batter. When the heat of the oven warms the cupcake batter, a chemical reaction causes bubbles to form and the cupcakes to become fluffy little cakes.

Write a transitional sentence or sentences to connect the ideas in the recipe.

7.W.3.A.d

Required

1

7.W.3.A.a

Required

1

7.W.3.A.b

Required

2

Read the transitions in the Answer Bank. Read the sentences from a student’s informational
essay about National Hispanic Heritage Month. Write the transitions that best connect the
ideas in the paragraph in the blanks.

National Hispanic Heritage Month is observed annually in the United States from September
15 to October 15. This annual event honors the histories, cultures, and contributions of
American Latin and Hispanic communities. These communities include people from Spain,
Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America, and South America. The event began in 1968 as
Hispanic Heritage Week. _________________, in 1988, it was expanded by President Ronald
Reagan to last for a full month.__________ The dates of the celebration were selected to align with the Independence Days of several Latin American countries. _______________, communities across the United States celebrate with traditional Hispanic festivals and parades. Schools often recognize the event by highlighting the achievements of different Hispanic people.__________

7.W.3.A.d