Grammar / Writing Breakdown

Basics of Grammar / Writing

There are 40 multiple choice question on the Grammar / Writing section of the CLT. Each question has 4 multiple choice options.

There are 4 reading passages with 10 questions each. Students have 35 minutes to complete this section.

Like the Verbal Reasoning section, the passages are primarily taken from authors like Plato, Shakespeare, and Jane Austen - Authors in the CLT's "Author Bank"

Here's a super important difference between the CLT's Grammar / Writing Section and other tests: there are 20 Grammar questions and 20 Writing questions on the CLT. The Grammar questions cover things like punctuation and syntax that you would see on other standardized tests, while the Writing questions cover the CLT's Writing Standards, which you can see below!

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Grammar / Writing Sample Questions

Grammar questions on the CLT are similar to what you would see on other standardized tests.

But here's the big difference: Writing Questions.

Writing Questions on the CLT are completely different than Grammar questions, and students will not be familiar with these questions.

Writing Questions ▴

There are five types of Writing Questions:

1. Tone of the Passage

2. Conciseness and Clarity

3. Insertion / Evidence

4. Transition Words

5. Word Choice

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1. Tone of the Passage ▴

Every chapter must be so translated; God employs several translators. Some pieces are translated by age, some by sickness, some by war, some by justice. [44] However, God's hand shows up in every translation, and his hand will get us together again once we're gone.

44. Which of the following best matches the tone of the passage?

However, God's hand shows up in every translation, and his hand will get us together again once we're gone.

A) NO CHANGE
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B) However, God's hand is in every translation, and his hand shall bind up all our scattered leaves again for that library where every book shall lie open to one another. (correct answer)
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C) However, God's hand is in every translation, and his hand will really just go around picking up our scattered leaves again and bind us together just like you could with a book.
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D) However, God's hand is seriously there for every change, and his hand will totally gather us up like pages and physically place us into the books that are opened up in the eternal library.

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2. Conciseness and Clarity ▴

There was a contention (in [45] who both piety and dignity were mingled) as to which of the religious orders should ring to prayers first in the morning; it was determined they should ring first that rose earliest. [46] If we understand aright the dignity that tolls this bell for our evening prayer, we would, rising, gladly, early, make it ours.

46. Which of the following represents the clearest and most concise way to convey all of the information in the following sentence?

If we understand aright the dignity that tolls this bell for our evening prayer, we would, rising, gladly, early, make it ours.

A) NO CHANGE

B) If we understand aright the dignity of this bell that tolls for our evening prayer, we would be glad to make it ours by rising early. (correct answer)
C) If we understand aright this bell, we would be glad to make it ours by rising early.

D) If we understand aright the tolling of this bell for our evening prayer, we, of dignity, would be making it ours, gladly rising early.

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3. Insertion / Evidence ▴

Therefore, never send to know for whom the bells tolls; [49] it marks the hour. Neither can we call this a borrowing of misery, as though we were not miserable enough of ourselves, but must fetch in more from the next house.

49. it marks the hour.

A) NO CHANGE

B) it rings in spring.

C) it tolls for thee. (correct answer)D) it is but a whisper.

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4. Transition Words ▴

Another man may be sick too, and this affliction may lie in his stomach, as gold in a mine, and be of no use to him. [50] Yet this bell, that tells me of his affliction, digs out and applies that gold to me, if by this consideration of another's danger I take mine own into contemplation, and so secure myself, by making my recourse to my God, who is our only security.

50. Yet

A) NO CHANGE (correct answer)

B) Unless

C) Despite

D) Before that

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5. Word Choice ▴

The bell doth toll for him that thinks it doth; though it should [47] intimidate again, from that minute, he is united to God.

47. intimidate

A) NO CHANGE

B) intermingle

C) intern

D) intermit (correct answer)

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How to Ace the Grammar / Writing Section

This section is all about knowing the the CLT's Writing Standards. Most students see the Writing questions and don't know where to start.

Once you unlock the secrets of the Writing questions and brush up on your Grammar skills, you'll be confident going into this section on test day.

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