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Writing Competencies Tested on the GACE
The GACE Writing Test is divided into two sections. Section 4 includes approximately 42 selected-response (multiple-choice) test items. Section 5 requires you to demonstrate the ability to prepare an essay or a constructed-response on a given topic.
Each section includes one or more objectives and is expanded upon by descriptive statements. Descriptive statements provide examples of the range, type, and level of content that may appear on the test for questions measuring the objective.
An outline showing the objectives and descriptive statements is shown below.
Section 4: Selected-Response
0011 Recognize unity, focus, and development in writing
- recognizing unnecessary shifts in point of view or distracting details that impair the development of the main idea in a piece of writing
- recognizing revisions that improve the unity and focus of a piece of writing
- recognizing thesis statements, topic sentences, and supporting elements
0012 Recognize effective organization in writing
- recognizing methods of paragraph organization
- recognizing the use of transitional words or phrases
- reorganizing sentences to improve cohesion and the effective sequence of ideas
0013 Recognize effective sentences.
- recognizing redundancy
- identifying structures (e.g., sentences, fragments, run-on sentences)
- identifying standard subject-verb agreement
- identifying double negatives, parallel structure, and standard placement of modifiers
0014 Recognize Standard American English usage
- recognizing the standard use of verb forms and cases
- recognizing the standard use of pronouns/antecedents and plural and possessive forms of nouns
- recognizing the standard use and formations of adverbs and adjectives
- recognizing standard punctuation and capitalization
Section 5: Constructed-Response
0015 Demonstrate the ability to prepare a developed composition on a given topic using language and style appropriate to a given audience, purpose, and occasion.
- composing a coherent, focused, and sustained composition on a given topic using language and style appropriate to a specified audience, purpose, and occasion
- stating and maintaining a clear thesis statement using organizational strategies to enhance meaning and clarity
- providing reasoned support and/or specific examples to maintain the thesis statement
- using effective sentence structure, word choice, and mechanics (e.g., grammar, syntax)
- using spelling, capitalization, andpunctuation according to the conventions of Standard American English
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