Asper School of Business

English Language Proficiency Test

A Note to Students: Ignore 2 and 4 on this page. Type your answers (Question No. and the
answer) in a word file and upload it to UM Learn. Then check your answers against the
Answer Key on UM Learn and make a note of the kinds of grammatical errors you’ve made
in your answers. Review these concepts from Diana Hacker’s grammar book or any other
good sources.

Do not consult the Answer Key or anyone else before attempting or during the time to write
this test. Do not spend more that 40 minutes.

• 1. The following test of language skills is made up of four parts:

Part I English Usage

Part II Punctuation and Mechanics
Part III Sentence Structure
Part IV Grammar

• 2. Please write your name and student number on the scantron

answer sheet. This information will be used only to determine the
validity and fairness of this test.

• 3. Please read the instructions at the beginning of each section.

• 4. Use HB pencil only. Correct any errors by thoroughly erasing

the wrong markings.

RMBB

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General Instructions

Some of the statements in the following sections, but not all, contain errors in standard English
usage such as:

• incorrect word choice or incorrect verb form

• errors in punctuation and other mechanics: capitalization, numbers, underlining
• errors related to sentence structure: sentence fragments, run-on sentences, lack of parallel
structure, and modifier problems
• errors in grammar: lack of subject-verb or pronoun-antecedent agreement, indefinite or
incorrect pronoun usage.

On the answer sheet, for each item, blacken the bubble around the letter that corresponds to the
letter beneath the underlined error. If the statement is correct as it is, blacken the bubble around
the letter E. No statement contains more than one underlined error.

Example:

a) If I were in charge, I would ask an imminent psychologist to lay the first

A B C D
cornerstone for the new Research Centre.

"Imminent" means pending, likely to happen; "eminent" means prominent,

renowned. The latter word is needed in this sentence; therefore,
"imminent" is the error. You would blacken the bubble around the letter C
on the answer sheet to correspond with the letter C beneath the underlined
error.

e.g. A B C D E

b) Let me compliment you on making fewer errors in your spoken English.

A B C D

There are no errors in this statement, so you would blacken the bubble
around the letter E on the answer sheet.

e.g. A B C D E

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 Part I: English Usage

1. ,
The media are influential in educating young people irregardless of whether the
A B
people involved in the media have that objective as a principal goal or not.
C D

2. The consensus of the committee members is that we should not buy this computer
A
software because its more costly than other equally effective products.
B C D

3. The reason for the delay in the decision is that alot of us on the committee need more
A B
information on the effect of the three-year plan.
C D

4. I advise you to delay the time of the voting; the reason is because our band council
A B C
wants its members to have more information before they vote on this important issue.
D

5. ,
An assortment of graphics is available and each one is different from the other;
A B
,
therefore the chance of getting one that you like is really high.
C D

6. ,
If I was CEO of a company with low employee morale I would counsel the Human
A B C
Resources personnel to hear the individual concerns of all those who are angry with
D
supervisors.

7. My two sisters-in-law were the ones to lie down the main rule regarding the use of the
A B C
,
family's cottage: anyone who makes a mess cleans up.
D

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8. One of the skin specialists believes that how the sun affects us depends more on our skin
A B C
pigmentation and the length of time we stay in the sun then on the thickness of the
D
ozone layer.

9. The secretaries request to buy expensive stationery for the junior attorneys caused
A B C
debate among the firm’s three senior partners.
D

10. Professors who admit there mistakes are easier to learn from than those who always try
A B C
to prove they're right.
D

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Part II: Punctuation and Mechanics

Instructions: Some of the following ten statements, but not all, contain errors in punctuation and
other mechanics such as capitalization, numbers, and dates. On the answer sheet, blacken the
bubble around the letter that corresponds to the letter beneath the underlined error. If the
statement is correct as it is, blacken the bubble around the letter E. No statement contains more
than one underlined error.

11. ,
Charles asked "Will you come with me to the auditorium?" He got three different
A
, , ,
responses: "yes " from Milly; "no " from Joan; and "maybe " from Andrew.
B C D

12. ,
Tai's and Ling's objectives are very different; Tai wants to study in Canada but Ling
A B C
,
wants to study in Taiwan or so they say now.
D

13. ,
Three of my favourite things to do are to recite the poem "High Flight " read the book
A
,
"Exodus " and play chess with my mother.
B C D

14. ,
Some vegetables for example red peppers , are richer in Vitamin C than
A B
, ,
oranges consequently Dan can eat a pepper for lunch each day and get an adequate
C
amount of that essential vitamin.
D

15. ,
While on vacation in Jasper National Park we saw a forest ranger cut down an
A B
,
enormous twisted branch from a beautifully shaped pine tree.
C D

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16. , ,
Yesterday in an over-the-phone interview chief Marie Peguis told a CBC reporter that
A B C
she was honoured to be voted Woman of the Year.
D

17. 25 of the students from Psychology 101 were absent from 3 of the 9 guest lectures and,
A B C
,
consequently lost 25 percent of their term marks.
D

18. , , ,
On Monday June 5 1995 Vince Gribaldi interviewed Vice President Rodzecky
A
over-the-phone and discovered that all three Model No. 643 refrigerators had been stolen
B C
from the company's two-ton truck.
D

19. , ,
Jane Rule who is one of the vice-presidents of First City Bank wrote an article entitled
A B
"Young Investors" for one reason only: to attract young customers to the bank.
C D

20. , , ,
Dennis and Bryce's mother who is blind in one eye can't read her sons' letters so
A B
,
she gets help from her next-door neighbours the Smith's.
C D

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Part III: Sentence Structure

Instructions: Some of the following ten statements, but not all, contain errors related to sentence
structure such as sentence fragments, run-on sentences, lack of parallel structure, misplaced
modifiers, and so on. On the answer sheet, blacken the bubble around the letter that corresponds
to the letter beneath the underlined error. If the statement is correct as it is, blacken the bubble
around the letter E. No statement contains more than one underlined error.

21. Mai-Lee prefers flying in an airplane to riding in a car or to travel by boat; I do too.
A B C D

22. ,
All students should: underline the errors in punctuation circle any other technical
A B C
,
errors and then hand the papers to me.
D

23. ,
Martinez planned to work in Yugoslavia; however he changed his mind when war broke
A
,
out and he now works diligently for Amnesty International in Toronto. He's lucky.
B C D

24. , ,
We would like to hear your ideas on motivating challenging and how to provide
A B C
students with an environment in which they can learn and enjoy.
D

25. , ,
While vacationing in the mountains our car overheated; fortunately my daughter is a
A B
mechanic and was able to fix the radiator and drive us all home safely.
C D

26. , ,
The park was transformed overnight the volunteers had cut down the weeds set up the
A B C
,
stage and lined up the benches for the Libau Folk Festival fans.
D

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27. ,
Before taking tap dancing herself Phyllis went to a Red River Tappers' demonstration
A B
where she sat watching the dancers perform in awed silence.
C D

28. , ,
The Calgary Flames were amazing: they came they played and they conquered our
A B C
Jets. Which was a surprise for all of us.
D

29. ,
While Francis notices everything José is unaware of many things happening around
A
. , ,
him For example yesterday José passed a poisonous snake on his way to school and
B C
did not even react.
D

30. , ,
My mother's car which you inquired about was damaged in an accident recently it ,
A B C
,
will never pass a safety check especially not now with the strict safety standards.
D

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Part IV: Grammar

Instructions: Some of the following ten statements, but not all, contain errors in grammar such as
lack of subject-verb or pronoun-antecedent agreement, indefinite or incorrect pronoun usage, and
so on. On the answer sheet, blacken the bubble around the letter that corresponds to the letter
beneath the underlined error. If the statement is correct as it is, blacken the bubble around the
letter E. No statement contains more than one underlined error.

31. Neither the class president nor the class representative are responsible for the error in the
A
yearbook that caused the principal to resign from his position.
B C D

32. , ,
My sister as well as all my brothers has advised me to ask for a new computer to
A B
replace the one our father bought for Karen and me.
C D

33. Every one of the members is going to be questioned and must give his or her
A B
,
opinion on who would be a suitable president; then either me or Randy will serve a
C D
two-year term.

34. Tai Chi is an exercise that provides total relaxation: twenty minutes of practice in the
A
morning are just enough to keep my wife and me from feeling stressed for the rest of the
B C D
day.

35. ,
All guests who come to the party will put on costumes and face paint; then each guest
A B C
will vote for the person that has the most original disguise.
D

36. ,
John and myself are both animal lovers and we can't decide who should keep the dog
A B
that belonged to him and me while we lived at home.
C D

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37. ,
Winnipeg is a city with many theatre advocates but this is a luxury that not one of my
A B
daughters is able to afford for herself.
C D

38. Who's going on the exchange program with Mordecai? I predict that the lucky person
A
, ,
will be Maize whose application was approved before mine even though she sent it in
B C
later than I.
D
39. ,
According to Jeevan and me only he and I knew why the jury came to the verdict of
A B
innocent: pressure was put on its members by Robinson Autobody Limited and their
C D
attorneys.

40. Members of the support staff were asked to vote for whomever they wanted as
A B
, ,
representative on Faculty Council. Everyone cast their vote and to Barry's delight ,
C
he received the nomination.
D

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