I actually think there might be some civil answers to Brad's questions.
Concerning the multiple choice questions, it seems to me that the test questions need only add something like "of the answers given below, which is standard English?" or "...which is most correct according to formal standard written English practices?" Then all the other "right" answers, the ones not provided in the multiple choice list, can be considered but not worried about, since they aren't "given below"...And as always when we're composing, whether it's a test or an argument essay (or one-line diatribe), we need to ask about audience. What population of middle schoolers would have trouble with the given lists? What population of middle schoolers would NOT understand the implied "given below"? I think that question is the key to the answer to Geoff's huffalump below. Those who want to know, or care, and why bother, has to do with the middle schoolers who might NOT get the implied "of the answers given below," and would therefore be penalized in local and national rankings. Who are they? What will happen to them if they sit at their desks thinking, "The right answer isn't even in the list so what should I do? I don't know what to do and they're going to get me if I do nothing or if I do it wrong, but the right answer isn't there." Who needs to be their advocate? Do we let questions like this do the socioeconomic-stratification thing they often do, or do we step up to H-F and suggest more careful posing of test questions? I think Brad's correct that somebody should advocate for fair tests, or at least for tests that fairly examine knowledge of conventional English usage in the middle schools.
Just a start on a perhaps more civil discourse regarding a real issue.
Julie
>>> "Geoffrey Layton" <[log in to unmask]> 08/15/10 3:06 PM >>>
Who wants to know? Who cares? Why bother? And other standard responses to Brad's questions!
Geoff Layton
Date: Sun, 15 Aug 2010 07:27:03 -0700
From: [log in to unmask]
Subject: from "Grammar Blast" via ATEG
To: [log in to unmask]
Which verb phrase correctly completes this sentence?
Nick ____ a new song.
has writ
has wrote
has writed
has written
Houghton-Mifflin's (Grades 6-8) answer is "has written". Correct answer, not offered, is "wrote", unless Nick is still writing as we speak, in which case the sentence should read, "Nick is writing a new song".
Is it not so?
Same for this one for Grade 7:
Which verb or verb phrase correctly completes this sentence?
Mia ____ her part in raising money for the team uniforms.
do
done
has done
has did
Mia "did" her part, unless Mia is still out knocking on doors.
still Grade 7.
Complete this sentence to correctly form the future perfect tense.
Molly ____ written to her aunt in Dublin, Ireland.
has
will have
had
did have
The future perfect is not possible without enabling context.
Still 7th Grade.
Which verb or verb phrase correctly completes this sentence?
Lincoln ____ a taxi at the street corner.
has catched
catched
was caught
has caught
Try "caught" here, Houghton-Mifflin -- and by extension ATEG.
Which sentence has a verb in the past progressive form?
Will you help me hang these curtains?
It can be an awkward task for one person.
Do you like the pink-and-orange stripes on the fabric?
I was hoping for a bright, cheery effect.
Ya wanna try this one without help, Seventh Graders?
Now it's Eighth Grade and H-M is still doing it.
Which verb correctly completes this sentence?
Jack has ____ his bicycle all over Nebraska.
rided
riden
ridden
rid
Not unless he's still pedaling, H-M.
Whew! Houghton-Mifflin needs help.
N'est-ce pas?
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