HSPT Language Skills Practice Test 2024

Last Updated on June 26, 2024

HSPT Language Skills Practice Test 2024 (60 Questions Answers): You can try the HSPT (High School Placement Test) Language Skills practice test with review questions and answers for free. In addition, you can download a printable PDF for better HSPT test prep.

Punctuation and Capitalization (12 questions): These questions test your knowledge of punctuation and capitalization in the context of a sentence. You will be pre-scented with three sentences from which you are to pick the one with a mistake in capitalization or punctuation. If you do not find an error, you will choose a fourth option, “No mistakes.”

Usage (28 questions): These questions test your knowledge of English word usage. You’ll be presented with three sentences from which you are asked to pick the one with a mistake in usage, that is, grammar, word choice, subject-verb agreement, pronoun agreement, and other kinds of mistakes in English usage. If you do not find an error, you may choose a fourth option, “No mistakes.”

Spelling (10 questions): These questions test your knowledge of how to spell particular words. You’ll be presented with three sentences from which you are to pick the one with a mistake in spelling. If you do not find an error, you may choose a fourth option, “No mistakes.”

Composition (10 questions): These questions test your ability to recognize effective writing. Some of the questions will ask you to fill in the blank by picking, from three choices, the best word or words to join two thoughts together. Other questions will ask you to choose, from four options, the sentence that best expresses an idea. Still, other questions will ask you to choose, from four choices, which sentence does not belong in a paragraph.

HSPT Language Skills Practice Test 2024

Q239. Find the sentence that has a mistake.

(A) My least favorite season is Winter.
(B) Next Tuesday, Uncle Joe will come to my house.
(C) Suzanne was elected president of the senior class.
(D) No mistakes.

Answer: (A)
Explanation: “Winter” should not be capitalized unless it is part of a title or the first word in a sentence.

Q240. Find the sentence that has a mistake.

(A) My family is relocating to Iowa.
(B) “Is this my seat?” she asked.
(C) The girls’ listened to the same music.
(D) No mistakes.

Answer: (C)
Explanation: The apostrophe in “girls'” is incorrect. It should be “The girls listened to the same music.”

Q241. Find the sentence that has a mistake.

(A) Sunshine peeked through the clouds.
(B) The car stopped at the traffic light.
(C) Don’t forget to make your bed.
(D) No mistakes.

Answer: (D)
Explanation: All sentences are correct.

Q242. Find the sentence that has a mistake.

(A) No, it’s false.
(B) The temperature fell, and the pond frozen.
(C) My father is a store manager.
(D) No mistakes.

Answer: (B)
Explanation: The verb “frozen” is incorrectly used. It should be “froze” (The temperature fell, and the pond froze).

Q243. Find the sentence that has a mistake.

(A) She asked me, to show her how to make an apple pie.
(B) He shouted from the window, but we couldn’t hear him.
(C) Occasionally, someone will stop and ask for directions.
(D) No mistakes.

Answer: (A)
Explanation: The comma after “me” is unnecessary. It should be “She asked me to show her how to make an apple pie.”

Q244. Find the sentence that has a mistake.

(A) Of the four of us, I am the tallest.
(B) Wilson’s brother is a chemical engineer.
(C) That fine circus elephant now belongs to my sister and I.
(D) No mistakes.

Answer: (C)
Explanation: The pronoun “I” should be “me” (That fine circus elephant now belongs to my sister and me).

Q245. Find the sentence that has a mistake.

(A) His family has lived in this town for 35 years.
(B) You’re the only one who can remember that song.
(C) That’s the quickest way to get to Sylvia’s house.
(D) No mistakes.

Answer: (D)
Explanation: All sentences are correct.

Q246. Find the sentence that has a mistake.

(A) We searched every inch of the room.
(B) The words in this document does not make sense.
(C) We always have chicken for Sunday dinner.
(D) No mistakes.

Answer: (B)
Explanation: The verb “does” should be “do” to agree with the plural noun “words” (The words in this document do not make sense).

Q247. Find the sentence that has a mistake.

(A) Science and math are my two best subjects.
(B) We met senator Moynihan at a conference last June.
(C) Did you see the movie Babe?
(D) No mistakes.

Answer: (B)
Explanation: The word “senator” should be capitalized when used before a name (We met Senator Moynihan at a conference last June).

Q248. Find the sentence that has a mistake.

(A) Kamala was the most intelligent person in the group.
(B) The Eiffel Tower is in Paris, France.
(C) Nick Carraway is a character in The Great Gatsby.
(D) No mistakes.

Answer: (D)
Explanation: All sentences are correct.

Q249. Find the sentence that has a mistake.

(A) Either Cassie nor I heard the door open.
(B) How many people signed the Declaration of Independence?
(C) Draw up a plan before you make your decision.
(D) No mistakes.

Answer: (A)
Explanation: The conjunction “nor” should be used with “neither,” not “either.” It should be “Neither Cassie nor I heard the door open.”

Q250. Find the sentence that has a mistake.

(A) When you come to the end of Newton Road, turn left onto Wilson Boulevard.
(B) A small river runs alongside the highway.
(C) We learned that cape Cod was formed 20,000 years ago.
(D) No mistakes.

Answer: (C)
Explanation: “Cape Cod” is a proper noun, so both words should be capitalized.

Q251. Find the sentence that has a mistake.

(A) “Meet me at six o’clock,” she said.
(B) Tired of running, she slowed her pace to a fast walk.
(C) Gabriel and me will attend the geography bee.
(D) No mistakes.

Answer: (C)
Explanation: The pronoun “me” should be “I” (Gabriel and I will attend the geography bee).

Q252. Find the sentence that has a mistake.

(A) He wore two different shoes to class.
(B) Rhonda’s sister bought a new Pontiac.
(C) Lake Superior is the largest of the Great Lakes.
(D) No mistakes.

Answer: (D)
Explanation: All sentences are correct.

Q253. Find the sentence that has a mistake.

(A) The lost dog wandered sad through the streets.
(B) Frustrated, Boris threw his pencil across the room.
(C) We’ll stop at their house first.
(D) No mistakes.

Answer: (A)
Explanation: The adjective “sad” should be the adverb “sadly” to correctly modify the verb “wandered.”

Q254. Find the sentence that has a mistake.

(A) It’s going to be a long day.
(B) Derrick should of been here hours ago.
(C) Where are my golf clubs?
(D) No mistakes.

Answer: (B)
Explanation: The phrase “should of” is incorrect; it should be “should have.”

Q255. Find the sentence that has a mistake.

(A) The tour guide asked us if we had any questions?
(B) Lauren’s father is an auto mechanic.
(C) We asked if he could give us change for a dollar.
(D) No mistakes.

Answer: (A)
Explanation: The question mark is incorrect because the sentence is indirect speech. It should end with a period.

Q256. Find the sentence that has a mistake.

(A) She and I have been friends for more than ten years.
(B) Is that one of the O’Farrell children?
(C) They took too much time to answer.
(D) No mistakes.

Answer: (D)
Explanation: All sentences are correct.

Q257. Find the sentence that has a mistake.

(A) Did you read that article in Newsweek?
(B) My Uncle took us to Yankee Stadium.
(C) Christina has a Persian cat named Snowball.
(D) No mistakes.

Answer: (B)
Explanation: “Uncle” should not be capitalized unless it is used as a part of a direct address or as a proper noun. It should be “My uncle took us to Yankee Stadium.”

Q258. Find the sentence that has a mistake.

(A) Reena took little Sean to kindergarten.
(B) Gregory is learning to be a chef.
(C) Paul drunk four bottles of grape soda.
(D) No mistakes.

Answer: (C)
Explanation: The verb “drunk” is incorrectly used. It should be “drank” (Paul drank four bottles of grape soda).

Q259. Find the sentence that has a mistake.

(A) We urged her to run for public office.
(B) Mr. Simmons did not believe the story we told him.
(C) The train pulling away from the station.
(D) No mistakes.

Answer: (C)
Explanation: This sentence is a fragment and lacks a verb to complete the thought. It should be “The train is pulling away from the station.”

Q260. Find the sentence that has a mistake.

(A) “I’ll come and stay with you, grandma,” I said.
(B) “Don’t ever tell a lie,” he warned.
(C) “Why won’t you play with us?” he asked.
(D) No mistakes.

Answer: (A)
Explanation: ”

“Grandma” is used as a proper noun here and should be capitalized: “I’ll come and stay with you, Grandma,” I said.

Q261. Find the sentence that has a mistake.

(A) There are rocky cliffs along the coast.
(B) Our class took a field trip to the art museum.
(C) We saw Dr. Mason because our doctor was on vacation.
(D) No mistakes.

Answer: (D)
Explanation: All sentences are correct.

Q262. Find the sentence that has a mistake.

(A) I always have a hard time getting up in the morning.
(B) We took: a tent, a cooler, and a sleeping bag.
(C) The fog was as thick as potato soup.
(D) No mistakes.

Answer: (B)
Explanation: A colon should not be used directly after a verb. The colon should be removed for correct punctuation.

Q263. Find the sentence that has a mistake.

(A) This is someone else’s coat.
(B) Which of these songs was recorded by Bruce Springsteen?
(C) That book must be yours.
(D) No mistakes.

Answer: (A)
Explanation: The possessive form “someone else’s” is missing an apostrophe. It should be “This is someone else’s coat.”

Q264. Find the sentence that has a mistake.

(A) They’re planning to drive to Vermont today.
(B) When will you teach me to play the guitar?
(C) There’s no reason to stay up so late.
(D) No mistakes.

Answer: (D)
Explanation: All sentences are correct.

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