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7th grade writing and grammar practice questions, with answers

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English & Writing — Grade 7

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The Case for the Five-Day Week

Some districts have begun to consider a four-day school week, and our school board should reject the idea. A five-day schedule gives students a steady routine, and routine helps them learn. Students also depend on school for more than lessons. For many families, the cafeteria provides a hot breakfast and lunch every weekday, and a shorter week would take away a fifth of those meals. Supporters of a four-day week point out that it can save money on buses and heating and give teachers an extra day to plan. These savings are real, but they are often small compared with a whole school budget. Meanwhile, the longer days needed to make up lost time leave younger students tired by afternoon. For these reasons, the board should keep the five-day schedule.

  1. 1. What is the writer's claim in the passage?
    1. A. Teachers need more time to plan their daily lessons.
    2. B. Our school board should keep the five-day schedule. ← Answer
    3. C. Our school should add a sixth day to each week.
    4. D. School buses are too expensive for the district to run.
  2. 2. What opposing claim does the writer acknowledge?
    1. A. A four-day week saves money and gives teachers a planning day. ← Answer
    2. B. Younger students should stay home on the extra day.
    3. C. A five-day week is too short for students to learn well.
    4. D. School meals should be free for all students and families.
  3. 3. Which phrase introduces the opposing view?
    1. A. Meanwhile, the longer days needed
    2. B. For many families, the cafeteria provides
    3. C. For these reasons, the board should
    4. D. Supporters of a four-day week point out ← Answer
  4. 4. Which is one reason the writer gives for the claim?
    1. A. Buses use a great deal of fuel each year.
    2. B. Districts are thinking about changing schedules.
    3. C. The school board is meeting again next week.
    4. D. The cafeteria provides meals every weekday. ← Answer
  5. 5. Which words show the writer admitting the other side has a point?
    1. A. a steady routine
    2. B. These savings are real ← Answer
    3. C. a fifth of those meals
    4. D. tired by afternoon
  6. 6. How does the writer respond to the money-saving argument?
    1. A. Money is not important to schools or to their school boards.
    2. B. The savings are small next to the whole school budget. ← Answer
    3. C. The board never saves any money on buses or on heating.
    4. D. Teachers do not need any extra time to plan their lessons.
  7. 7. What does Meanwhile do in this passage?
    1. A. adds another problem with a shorter week ← Answer
    2. B. restates the claim for the final time
    3. C. concedes the other side's best point
    4. D. introduces the opposing view for the first time
  8. 8. What is the logical link in the writer's last reason?
    1. A. longer days lead to tired younger students ← Answer
    2. B. teachers need longer days in order to plan lessons
    3. C. tired students are the ones who want a shorter week
    4. D. buses must run later in the afternoon each day
  9. 9. Which sentence restates the claim?
    1. A. For these reasons, the board should keep the five-day schedule. ← Answer
    2. B. A five-day schedule gives students a steady routine, and routine helps them learn.
    3. C. Students also depend on school for more than lessons.
    4. D. These savings are real, but they are often small compared with a whole school budget.

More Trees for Maple Street

Maple Street has more concrete than any other block in our town, and the council should plant at least thirty new trees along it this year. Trees give shade, and shade makes a real difference on hot days. According to a state forestry agency, streets lined with mature trees can be several degrees cooler than bare ones, which means less need for air conditioning in nearby homes and shops. Trees also soak up rainwater, so they reduce puddles and flooding. Some neighbors argue that trees cost too much to plant and trim. That worry is fair, since young trees need water and care. However, the cost is spread over decades, while the benefits grow every year as the trees get bigger. A greener street is a cooler, safer and more pleasant place to live.

  1. 10. What is the writer's claim?
    1. A. Rainwater causes flooding on the busiest streets in town.
    2. B. The council should plant at least thirty new trees on Maple Street. ← Answer
    3. C. Maple Street has more shops than any other block in town.
    4. D. Concrete is a good material for sidewalks and roads.
  2. 11. Which source does the writer cite for evidence?
    1. A. a state forestry agency ← Answer
    2. B. a neighbor who disagrees with the plan
    3. C. a friend of the writer who lives nearby
    4. D. a newspaper comic about city trees
  3. 12. What opposing claim does the writer acknowledge?
    1. A. Trees block the sun from nearby homes.
    2. B. Streets should have no shade at all.
    3. C. Concrete is cheaper to keep than grass.
    4. D. Trees cost too much to plant and trim. ← Answer
  4. 13. Which word signals the writer's response?
    1. A. However ← Answer
    2. B. Also
    3. C. Meanwhile
    4. D. Since
  5. 14. What are two benefits of trees named in the passage?
    1. A. food for birds and fuel for homes
    2. B. noise reduction and heavier traffic
    3. C. shade and rainwater absorption ← Answer
    4. D. extra light and extra heat
  6. 15. Which phrase explains how the evidence supports the claim?
    1. A. According to a state forestry agency, streets
    2. B. at least thirty new trees along it this year
    3. C. Some neighbors argue that trees cost too much
    4. D. which means less need for air conditioning ← Answer
  7. 16. How does the writer show a fair tone toward the opposing view?
    1. A. by calling it silly in front of the readers
    2. B. by calling the worry fair ← Answer
    3. C. by ignoring it and moving to the next point
    4. D. by changing the topic to something else
  8. 17. What is the writer's response to the cost concern?
    1. A. The council has unlimited money for planting new trees.
    2. B. Trees are free to plant, so cost is not really a worry.
    3. C. The cost is spread over decades while the benefits grow. ← Answer
    4. D. Cost does not matter when the street looks nice to all.
  9. 18. Which detail is evidence rather than reasoning?
    1. A. That worry is fair, since young trees need water and care
    2. B. streets lined with mature trees can be several degrees cooler than bare ones ← Answer
    3. C. which means less need for air conditioning in nearby homes and shops
    4. D. A greener street is a cooler, safer and more pleasant place to live

Games Are Just Fine

Some people think video games are bad for students. They are wrong. Everybody I know plays them, and nobody I know has any problems. My cousin read online that games make you smarter, so that proves it. I also read that ninety percent of players love them, which is basically everyone. Anyone who says otherwise just does not understand technology, and they probably never played a game in their lives. Games are fun, and fun things are good for you. Schools should stop worrying about this silly debate and let students play whatever they want, whenever they want, for as long as they want.

  1. 19. What is the main weakness in how the writer treats the other side?
    1. A. The writer is too quiet about the main claim.
    2. B. The writer states it too fairly and agrees with it.
    3. C. The writer dismisses it without giving a reason. ← Answer
    4. D. The writer cites too many sources for the claim.
  2. 20. Why is Everybody I know plays them weak evidence?
    1. A. It is too specific to apply to any other person.
    2. B. It is a statistic that comes from a team of experts.
    3. C. It is a personal observation and not a credible source. ← Answer
    4. D. It is about the wrong topic for the claim.
  3. 21. What is wrong with My cousin read online that games make you smarter?
    1. A. It names an expert who has studied the topic closely.
    2. B. It cites a study from a respected university.
    3. C. It is too long to fit inside a single sentence.
    4. D. The source is unnamed and not shown to be credible. ← Answer
  4. 22. What is the problem with ninety percent of players love them?
    1. A. It is a logical reason that explains the claim.
    2. B. It is a fair concession to the other side.
    3. C. It is a quote from a respected expert.
    4. D. It gives a statistic with no source. ← Answer
  5. 23. Which phrase shows an insulting tone?
    1. A. let students play whatever they want
    2. B. Some people think video games are bad for students
    3. C. I also read that ninety percent of players love them
    4. D. they probably never played a game in their lives ← Answer
  6. 24. Which revision gives a fair acknowledgment of the other side?
    1. A. No one has a good reason to dislike video games.
    2. B. Everyone who dislikes games is simply wrong about them.
    3. C. Some people are silly about video games and their rules.
    4. D. Some people worry that games take time from homework. ← Answer
  7. 25. The writer acknowledges: Some people worry that games take time from homework. Which response best follows?
    1. A. That is nonsense, and homework is boring anyway for everyone in class.
    2. B. Games should be free for every student who would like to have one.
    3. C. That can happen, but time limits let students play and finish homework. ← Answer
    4. D. Homework is boring, so students should skip it entirely and play.
  8. 26. Which choice states the writer's main claim?
    1. A. Games are fun, and fun things are good for you.
    2. B. Schools should stop worrying and let students play. ← Answer
    3. C. My cousin read online that games make you smarter.
    4. D. Everybody I know plays them.
  9. 27. What is missing from the passage?
    1. A. a verb in the first sentence
    2. B. punctuation at the end of each sentence
    3. C. credible evidence and reasons ← Answer
    4. D. a title and a name for the author

Two Ways to Make Electricity

Electricity reaches homes from many sources, and two common ones are solar panels and gas-fired power plants. These two energy sources work in different ways, but both deliver electricity that people can use for lights, appliances and devices. A power plant burns fuel to heat water, and the steam turns a turbine that spins a generator. Solar panels, by contrast, have no moving parts. They change sunlight directly into electric current. Burning fuel releases carbon dioxide, while sunlight produces no emissions as it is collected. However, solar panels make electricity only when the sun shines, so many homes connect to the grid or store power in batteries. A power plant, unlike a solar panel, can run day and night as long as it has fuel.

  1. 28. What is the main structure of the passage?
    1. A. definition of a key term
    2. B. comparison and contrast ← Answer
    3. C. cause and effect only
    4. D. classification of energy types
  2. 29. Which words in the passage show a contrast?
    1. A. both and similarly
    2. B. by contrast and unlike ← Answer
    3. C. for example and types
    4. D. because and therefore
  3. 30. Which words in the passage show a similarity?
    1. A. no moving parts
    2. B. burns fuel
    3. C. only when the sun shines
    4. D. both deliver electricity ← Answer
  4. 31. Which sentence is the preview sentence?
    1. A. These two energy sources work in different ways, but both deliver electricity that people can use for lights, appliances and devices. ← Answer
    2. B. Solar panels, by contrast, have no moving parts.
    3. C. However, solar panels make electricity only when the sun shines.
    4. D. A power plant burns fuel to heat water, and the steam turns a turbine that spins a generator.
  5. 32. What cause and effect appears inside the passage?
    1. A. Solar panels have no moving parts, so they stay quiet.
    2. B. Electricity reaches homes from many different sources.
    3. C. The passage has a title and a clear opening sentence.
    4. D. Burning fuel releases carbon dioxide. ← Answer
  6. 33. What difference does the passage give about how the two sources make electricity?
    1. A. Both use turbines, but only the solar panel is quiet.
    2. B. Power plants burn fuel; solar panels convert sunlight directly. ← Answer
    3. C. Solar panels burn sunlight to heat water into steam.
    4. D. Both burn fuel to turn a turbine and make power.
  7. 34. Which organization does the passage use?
    1. A. chronological order from the oldest to the newest
    2. B. point-by-point comparison ← Answer
    3. C. block comparison only, with all of one first
    4. D. classification into three groups of energy
  8. 35. What is the effect of solar panels making power only when the sun shines?
    1. A. Many homes connect to the grid or use batteries. ← Answer
    2. B. Homes lose their lights forever once the sun sets.
    3. C. Power plants stop working when the sun goes down.
    4. D. Solar panels start to have moving parts at night.
  9. 36. Which idea from the passage shows a difference in running time?
    1. A. Solar panels change sunlight directly into electric current.
    2. B. Burning fuel releases carbon dioxide into the air.
    3. C. Unlike a solar panel, a power plant can run day and night. ← Answer
    4. D. Both deliver electricity that people use in homes.

Three Kinds of Clouds

Clouds can be sorted into three main types based on their shape and height: cumulus, stratus and cirrus. Cumulus clouds are puffy and white, with flat bottoms. They usually form on sunny days and float low in the sky. Stratus clouds spread across the sky like a gray blanket. They often bring drizzle or a dull, overcast day. Cirrus clouds are thin, feathery wisps that form very high up, where the air is cold enough to freeze water vapor into ice crystals. Meteorologists watch all three types because each gives clues about coming weather. For example, thickening cirrus clouds often come before a change in weather.

  1. 37. What is the main structure of the passage?
    1. A. definition
    2. B. comparison and contrast
    3. C. classification ← Answer
    4. D. cause and effect
  2. 38. Which sentence names the categories?
    1. A. Stratus clouds spread across the sky like a gray blanket.
    2. B. Clouds can be sorted into three main types based on their shape and height: cumulus, stratus and cirrus. ← Answer
    3. C. Cumulus clouds are puffy and white, with flat bottoms.
    4. D. Meteorologists watch all three types because each gives clues about coming weather.
  3. 39. What basis does the passage use for sorting the clouds?
    1. A. temperature and season
    2. B. sound and speed
    3. C. color and size
    4. D. shape and height ← Answer
  4. 40. Which type forms very high in the sky?
    1. A. cirrus ← Answer
    2. B. stratus
    3. C. cumulus
    4. D. all three equally
  5. 41. Which detail describes stratus clouds?
    1. A. They are thin, feathery wisps high up in the sky.
    2. B. They are puffy and white with flat bottoms below.
    3. C. They spread across the sky like a gray blanket. ← Answer
    4. D. They form on sunny days and float low in the air.
  6. 42. Why do meteorologists watch all three types?
    1. A. They never change, so they are easy to track.
    2. B. They hide the sun, so people cannot see it.
    3. C. Each gives clues about coming weather. ← Answer
    4. D. They look alike, so one is enough to study.
  7. 43. Which word in the passage signals an example?
    1. A. However,
    2. B. Therefore
    3. C. Meanwhile
    4. D. For example ← Answer
  8. 44. What is the cause and effect in the final sentence?
    1. A. Thickening cirrus clouds often come before a weather change. ← Answer
    2. B. Cumulus clouds are puffy and white and float low in the sky.
    3. C. Clouds are made of tiny drops of water and bits of ice.
    4. D. Stratus clouds are gray and spread across the whole sky.
  9. 45. A student adds a fourth type, nimbus clouds, to the passage. What must change in the first sentence?
    1. A. only the title of the passage must change
    2. B. nothing needs to change in the first sentence
    3. C. three main types must change to four and nimbus must be named ← Answer
    4. D. the word clouds must be replaced with weather

The Night Market

The night market glowed with red and gold lanterns, and the smell of sizzling garlic wrapped around me like a scarf. I gripped Grandmother's sleeve as the crowd pushed past, swaying like tall grass in the wind. Somewhere a radio crackled, and batter hissed on a hot griddle. Then a vendor called out, and I turned to answer him. When I turned back, the sleeve was gone. My heart thudded against my ribs. I sneaked between baskets and barrels, searching every face, until I heard it: the old song Grandmother always hummed while she cooked. I followed the sound until I found her, a steaming dumpling in her hand. She smiled as if nothing had happened. I still smile whenever I hear that song, because I learned that some things lead you home.

  1. 46. What point of view is the passage told from?
    1. A. no narrator
    2. B. first person ← Answer
    3. C. second person
    4. D. third person
  2. 47. Which two details are sensory?
    1. A. sizzling garlic and hissing batter ← Answer
    2. B. Grandmother and a vendor standing near a stall
    3. C. the crowd and a barrel set beside the baskets
    4. D. a vendor and a dumpling in her hand
  3. 48. Which verb in the passage is precise?
    1. A. smiled
    2. B. gripped ← Answer
    3. C. answered
    4. D. turned
  4. 49. Which sense does the radio crackled appeal to?
    1. A. taste
    2. B. smell
    3. C. touch
    4. D. sound ← Answer
  5. 50. How does the old song connect the beginning and end of the story?
    1. A. It is a market rule that every visitor must follow.
    2. B. It is never mentioned again after the first page.
    3. C. It is sung by a vendor who sells fish and rice there.
    4. D. It leads the narrator to Grandmother and returns at the end. ← Answer
UpOnly Learning · uponlylearning.com · free to print and photocopy for your own studentsEnglish & Writing — Grade 7
UpOnly Learning · uponlylearning.com · English & Writing Grade 7
From the workbook

A real page of English & Writing · Grade 7

Sentence Builders: Four Ways to Connect Ideas

The student will identify and write simple, compound, complex and compound-complex sentences, choosing the type that best shows how ideas are related. · 40 min

Warm-up — say this

“The way you connect sentences tells the reader how ideas relate. Today you will learn four sentence shapes.”

Worked example

Identify the type: Although the movie was long, Ava enjoyed every minute.

Answer: Complex. Although the movie was long is a dependent clause; Ava enjoyed every minute is an independent clause.

A mistake students make

A long sentence must be compound or complex.

How the book fixes it

Show that The tall girl in the yellow raincoat ran quickly across the slippery wet field is long but simple, with only one subject-verb clause.

Note to the parent

Memorize FANBOYS together (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so). It makes spotting compound sentences much faster.

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Grammar that actually shows up in their writingYour student can label a noun and still write a page of run-ons. Here is how to teach grammar so it transfers: sentence work, combining, and revision.

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