Klariti.Com
Technical Writing Tests
Writing Tests for
Technical Writers
&
Documentation Specialists
By Anthony James
& Anna Thompson
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Introduction to Technical Writing Tests
This document evaluates the skills of prospective employees.
It contains a series of questions that determines their understanding of grammar,
vocabulary, sentence structure, technical knowledge, and software development
terminology.
The document is divided into eight sections as follows:
1. Vocabulary
2. Grammar
3. Sentence Structure
4. Sentence Revision
5. Word Power
6. Technical Writing Knowledge
7. Software Development Knowledge
8. Software Development Terms
10 questions
25 questions
15 questions
5 questions
10 questions
10 questions
20 questions
5 questions
Total: 100 questions
Once the applicant has completed the form, please use the Scoring Sheet to total their
scores. We have included suggested grades, e.g. 40 points for a pass, though you may
revise this based on the role for which they are applying.
We recommend that you offer your prospective employee about an hour to complete the
questions. Most of the questions are straightforward and, with the exception of the
sentence revision questions, will not require much time to complete
This test will assist you in evaluating prospective employees, or appraise current staff
members, and assess their capacity to work in your Technical Documentation Dept.
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For the Applicant — Overview of the Technical Writing Tests
This document evaluates your skills related to technical documentation.
It sets out a series of questions that determines your understanding of grammar,
vocabulary, sentence structure, technical knowledge and software development
terminology.
The test divided into eight sections as follows:
1. Vocabulary
2. Grammar
3. Sentence Structure
4. Sentence Revision
5. Word Power
6. Technical Writing Knowledge
7. Software Development Knowledge
8. Software Development Terms
10 questions
25 questions
15 questions
5 questions
10 questions
10 questions
20 questions
5 questions
Total: 100 questions
Most of the questions are straightforward and, with the exception of the sentence
revision questions, will not require much time to complete.
To answer the questions, place an X in the box next to the correct answer or enter the
correct term in the blank cell.
There are no trick questions.
Enjoy!
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Technical Writing Test
1. Vocabulary
Place an X next to the correct definition.
No.
Ans.
Question
1
Alacrity (noun)
A
Promptness in response
B
To expect an apology
C
To review in detail
2
Meritorious (adjective)
A
Relating to the meter or the metric system
B
Worthy of reward
C
Influenced by weather conditions
3
Hale (adjective)
A
Intense condemnation
B
Free from disease
C
Type of storm
4
Expedite (verb)
A
To execute promptly
B
Something that is a means to an end
C
To submit as evidence
5
Enigmatic (adjective)
A
Resembling an enigma
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B
Ambiguous instructions
C
To make famous
6
Inalienable (adjective)
A
Unnaturalized foreign resident of a country
B
Incapable of being withdrawn
C
To transfer (property) to another
7
Portmanteau (noun)
A
Ancient iron mantle-piece
B
French civil servant
C
Large suitcase
8
Sublimate (verb)
A
To refine or exhalt
B
Inspire awe or admiration; majestic
C
Hide under water
9
Epiphany (noun)
A
Public demonstration, usually of a political nature
B
Cardinal number that is the product of 10 and 100
C
Sudden understanding of something
10
Extrapolate (verb)
A
To apply as a remedy
B
To express opinions or judgments in a dogmatic way
C
To draw from specific cases for more general cases
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2. Grammar
Enter the answer in the blank field.
No
1
Question
Question
Find the intransitive verb in the sentence below.
Mr. Gonzalez was the Managing Director of the software company.
Answer
2
Question
Find the predicate nominatives in this sentence.
Bart and Homer are comedy characters.
Answer
3
Question
Find the direct object in this sentence.
Senor Raul washed and cleaned the old bathtub for hours.
Answer
4
Question
Find the subject in this sentence.
Ronaldo hit the ball hard and scored the winning goal.
Answer
5
Question
Find the subject in this sentence.
You need to rest more and spend less time surfing the web.
Answer
6
Question
Find the introductory in this sentence.
There were no CD’s, printer cartridges or floppy disks in storage.
Answer
7
Find the interjection in this sentence.
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Question
Oh, neither Gates nor Ellison would admit defeat!
Answer
8
Question
Find the conjunction in this sentence.
The gypsy travelers drank, danced, and drove carriages on their travels.
Answer
9
Question
State if the sentence is complete or incomplete.
The very small animal running along the wall.
Answer
10
Which of the following is a declarative sentence?
A
The report is due tomorrow.
B
Stop!
C
The assignment is due tomorrow!
Answer
11
Which of the following is an imperative sentence?
A
The report is due tomorrow.
B
Stop!
C
The assignment is due tomorrow!
Answer
12
Which of the following is an exclamatory sentence?
A
The report is due tomorrow.
B
Stop!
C
The assignment is due tomorrow!
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Answer
13
Question
Find the subject in this sentence.
The programs are on the piano.
Answer
14
Question
Find the subject in this sentence.
The weather seems cooler.
Answer
15
Question
Find the subject in this sentence.
The money must be on the table.
Answer
16
Question
Find all nouns in this sentence.
The man said to the policeman that he had not seen the accident.
Answer(s)
17
Question
Find the proper nouns in this sentence.
Becky went with her sisters to Lagoon on Friday.
Answer
18
Question
Find the proper nouns in this sentence.
My youngest son is in Brazil until September.
Answer
19
Question
Find the proper nouns in this sentence.
Mr. Smith works with his wife in IBM.
Answer
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20
Question
Find the personal pronouns in this sentence.
They always get angry with her and me.
Answer
21
Question
Write the correct comparative and superlative forms for this adjective.
Small
Answer
22
Question
Find the prepositional phrases in the following sentence.
The dog jumped over the mound behind the barn and ran into the street.
Answer
23
Question
Use dashes where they are needed in the following sentence.
We will ask James he is the new manager next door to our meeting.
Answer
24
Question
Put hyphens where they are needed in these sentences.
A two fifths majority is 40 percent.
Answer
25
Write the correct forms from the words in parentheses.
Question
(It's, Its) wheel was broken because (it's, its) driven too far.
Answer
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3. Sentence Structure
Enter the answer in the blank field.
No.
1
Question
Solar energy does not pollute the environment (as, like) the burning of coal does.
Answer
2
The material is (composed, comprised) of plastic and additives.
Answer
3
From the base camp, the German explorer ventured much (farther, further) than the French one.
Answer
4
The new CTO is (adverse, averse) to that type of technical solution.
Answer
5
The (enormity, enormousness) of the San Siro stadium surprised the visiting officials.
Answer
6
The conclusion of their market analysis was different (from, than) the results of ours.
Answer
7
The medicine made the patients feel (nauseated, nauseous).
Answer
8
Thank you for replying so soon. I am (anxious, eager) to begin studying next week.
Answer
9
The last prototype was (rather unique, unique, very unique).
Answer
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10
Fish is (healthful, healthy) to eat.
Answer
11
Select the correct sentence from the following sentences.
A
As well as commentary, a handout compliments the slide presentation.
B
As well as commentary, a handout complements the slide presentation.
C
As well as commentry, a handout complements the slide presentation.
Answer
12
Select the correct sentence from the following sentences.
A
A committee of managers provide guidance in the day to day running of the division.
B
A committee of managers guide in the day-to-day running of the division
C
A committee of managers guides in the day-to-day running of the division
Answer
13
Select the correct sentence from the following sentences.
A
Scratching each other playfully, we watched the monkeys at the zoo.
B
Scratching each other playfuly, we watched the monkeys at the zoo.
C
Scratching each other, playfully we watch the monkeys at the zoo.
Answer
14
Select the correct sentence from the following sentences.
A
It consisted of four tests; Spelling, Arithmetic, Word Identification, and Passage Comprehension.
B
It consisted of four tests: Spelling, Arithmetic, Word Identification, and Passage Comprehension.
C
It consisted of four tests; Spelling, Arithmetic, Word Identification and Passage Comprehension.
Answer
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15
State if the sentence is complete or incomplete.
The old woman who lost all her hair.
Answer
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4. Sentence Revision
Improve the English of these sentences. Watch out for grammar and typing mistakes, as well as
wordiness and confused sentence structure. Try to reduce the word count wherever possible,
without changing the meaning of the text.
No.
1
Rewrite the following sentences.
The encyclopedia is an ideal place to research a topic that you are not familiar with, and it is really handy to
use a subject-specific encyclopedia with lost of articles written by experts in a field.
Answer
2
Solicited proposals are those that have been requested in some way or other by a potential customer, for
example, when they request an RFP form us. Unsolicited proposals have not been requested as they just
come in by standard mail or through the front door completely, totally unexpected, and completely "out of
the blue."
Answer
3
However, if your way of managing the project will produce better results, then a discussion of opportunities,
benefits, and feasibility may indeed be in order even in a solicited proposal.
Answer
4
Recent studies of full-time software engineers states they program for only one fifth of their time that they
spend on the job.
Answer
5
Business writing skills such as those presented here, are useful for the various types of documents you
prepare for your other courses.
Answer
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5. Word Power
Enter the answer in the blank field.
No.
1
Enter a simpler terms instead of the more complex or multi-syllable word.
Actuate
Answer
2
Concurrence
Answer
3
Due to the fact that
Answer
4
Fabricate
Answer
5
In close proximity to
Answer
6
In view of the fact that
Answer
7
Initiate
Answer
8
Transpose
Answer
9
With reference to the fact that
Answer
10
Within the realm of possibility
Answer
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6. Technical Documentation Knowledge
Enter the answer in the blank field.
No.
1
Enter a correct term as required.
Identify your _____ and write to get their attention and answer their questions.
Answer
2
Use the word "_____" to speak to the reader
Answer
3
A document written in the _____ tense is more immediate and less complicated
Answer
4
The _____ voice is the best way to identify who is responsible for what action
Answer
5
The question-_____ format is the most efficient way to communicate with your reader.
Answer
6
_____ sentences have two basic features: they generally end with "ed" and are a form of the verb "to be”.
Answer
7
Use "_____" to make clear that the reader is required to perform a certain action
Answer
8
Use _____ to attract the reader's eye to break up large pieces of information
Answer
9
Limit each _____ to one topic.
Answer
10
Use _____ sentences to deliver a clear message
Answer
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7. Software Development Knowledge
Enter the correct term for these definitions in the blank field.
No
1
Question
Reusable Java component built using the JavaBeans technology
Answer
2
This buffer contains frequently accessed instructions and data
Answer
3
User-defined data type that defines a collection of objects that share the same
characteristics
Answer
4
Locates computers on the Internet by domain name.
Answer
5
Software implementation of a CPU that runs compiled Java code.
Answer
6
SQL relational operation that allows date to be retrieved from two or more tables based on matching
column values
Answer
7
This column, or an ordered collection of columns, is identified in the description of a table,
index, or referential constraint.
Answer
8
This prevents an uncommitted change made by one application process from being
perceived by another application process.
Answer
9
Describes the characteristics of stored and descriptive data.
Answer
10
Sequence of binary digits, including data and control signals, transmitted and switched as a
composite whole.
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Answer
11
This is the default parent key of a referential constraint definition.
Answer
12
This process involves copying designated changes for one location to another, and
synchronizing the data in both locations.
Answer
13
The process of restoring data to the state at its last commit point
Answer
14
This device sends data packets from one LAN or WAN to another.
Answer
15
Collection of database objects, i.e. tables, views or triggers.
Answer
16
Ability to publish information from the same source of information.
Answer
17
Block of procedural constructs and embedded SQL statements
Answer
18
The form of data is used for storing and manipulating text.
Answer
19
Named storage location holds data that can be modified
Answer
20
Security protocol that provides privacy & authentication for server tasks that operate over
TCP
Answer
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8. Software Development Terms
No.
Ans.
Find the correct definition
1
SQL
A
Structured Query Language
B
Standard Query Language
C
System Query Language
2
RDBMS
A
Relative database management system
B
Relational database management system
C
Relational database management server
3
UML
A
Unified Modeling Language
B
User Modeling Language
C
Unstructured Modeling Language
4
API
A
Application Programming Information
B
Application Programming Interface
C
Application Programming Inheritance
5
XML
A
Extension Markup Language
B
Extended Markup Language
C
Extensible Markup Language
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