Start learning →

English Olympiad (IEO) Paragraphs and Style — practice questions

Explore 30 free Paragraphs and Style questions in English Olympiad (IEO) English. Open each question or exercise to read its content, reference answers and available explanation.

Practise Paragraphs and Style with Quill →

Paragraphs and Style questions and exercises with answers

Showing questions 1–30 of 30.

A marker says a paragraph is too short. The likely fault is too little:Read the answer and worked solution →A reader loses track of the point in a long block of text. The paragraph is likely:Read the answer and worked solution →Every other sentence in a paragraph should support or expand on the:Read the answer and worked solution →The topic sentence of a paragraph most frequently appears at its:Read the answer and worked solution →The part of a paragraph that explains what the evidence means, in the writer's own words, is the:Read the answer and worked solution →A strong opening paragraph is advised to begin with a specific detail, statistic or:Read the answer and worked solution →Specific information in an opening does more than inform. It also piques the reader's:Read the answer and worked solution →The last chance to make a point stick in the reader's mind is the:Read the answer and worked solution →To give an idea the strongest emphasis in a sentence, a writer should place it at the:Read the answer and worked solution →Swapping a vague noun for a concrete one makes the reading experience more:Read the answer and worked solution →Writing that considers the importance of every word is described as:Read the answer and worked solution →A reviser is told that needless and repetitive wording makes a sentence:Read the answer and worked solution →The quickest way to cut unneeded words from a sentence is to use:Read the answer and worked solution →Phrases that add nothing at all to the meaning of a sentence are called:Read the answer and worked solution →A writer is advised that most filler phrases can be replaced by a single:Read the answer and worked solution →Opening a sentence with there is or it is often forces the writer into a construction that is:Read the answer and worked solution →Wordiness is defined as the presence of verbal filler, not the sheer:Read the answer and worked solution →Repeating the same grammatical pattern across items in a list creates:Read the answer and worked solution →A writer mixes short and long sentences on purpose. Varying sentence length makes writing more:Read the answer and worked solution →A student is unsure of a word she half remembers. She is advised to check a:Read the answer and worked solution →A pronoun such as everyone or someone, pointing at no particular person, is called:Read the answer and worked solution →Besides emphasis and concrete nouns, the third thing to edit for clarity is:Read the answer and worked solution →Catch the paragraph partsRead the answer and worked solution →Pop the style faultsRead the answer and worked solution →Run the style gatesRead the answer and worked solution →Slice the strong writingRead the answer and worked solution →Keep or cutRead the answer and worked solution →Sort the writing adviceRead the answer and worked solution →Type the numberRead the answer and worked solution →Style bingoRead the answer and worked solution →

Worked practice questions

A marker says a paragraph is too short. The likely fault is too little:

  1. Evidence
  2. Spelling
  3. Spacing
  4. Lettering
Show answer and solution

Correct answer: A. Evidence

1. A short paragraph often stops before it proves anything. 2. Claims are left without examples to back them. 3. So it lacks evidence. _Source: OpenStax Writing Guide with Handbook, Handbook._

Open this question →

A reader loses track of the point in a long block of text. The paragraph is likely:

  1. Too old
  2. Too long
  3. Too neat
  4. Too new
Show answer and solution

Correct answer: B. Too long

1. Paragraphs should be neither too short nor too long. 2. Overlong ones bury the point. 3. So the paragraph is too long. _Source: OpenStax Writing Guide with Handbook, Handbook._

Open this question →

Every other sentence in a paragraph should support or expand on the:

  1. Topic sentence
  2. Title heading
  3. Closing quote
  4. Page number
Show answer and solution

Correct answer: A. Topic sentence

1. One sentence carries the main point. 2. The rest exist to develop that point. 3. So they support the topic sentence. _Source: OpenStax Writing Guide with Handbook, Handbook._

Open this question →

How to practise

  1. Choose a Paragraphs and Style question and try to work out your answer.
  2. Open the question to check the correct answer and read its worked solution.
  3. Continue in the app for bite-sized lessons, explanations and review with Quill. You can start without creating an account.

More English topics

EnglishOlympiad EnglishSentence Structure and GrammarVerbs Voice and Point of ViewWord Choice and Punctuation