Style and Tone
Match the style of the passage. Keep the same level of formality and voice throughout.
The rules
- Read a few sentences around the question to hear the voice: formal, casual, humorous, scientific.
- Reject slang and contractions in a formal essay, and stiff language in a personal narrative.
- Choose the option that sounds like its neighbors.
- When a question names a goal (to sound more confident, to be more vivid), test each choice against that goal.
Watch out: Choosing the word that sounds smartest instead of the one that sounds like the passage.
Worked example
A formal science article says a result was _____ . (cool / surprising)
- The article is formal.
- "Cool" is casual.
- "Surprising" fits the tone.
Answer: surprising
Try it yourself
Practice questions for this skill are for signed-in students. A free account is all you need.