Prepare for Placement Tests

Reading Placement Tests are designed to assist in determining if students are prepared to read most college-level texts. Students that self-identify as native speakers of English will take the ACCUPLACER® Next Generation Reading Comprehension test. Students that self-identify as English as a second language speakers will take the ACCUPLACER® ESL Sentence Meaning and ESL Reading Comprehension tests.

Neither version is more difficult that the other. The goal is to match the individual with the class that best meets their needs.

These tests are untimed, so take your time to read questions, answer choices and the passage carefully. Most testers complete the test in 45 minutes to an hour.

The English Department recommends that students take some time to prepare for tests. It is not necessary to study for days, but a review should be helpful. Some general advice …

  • Think about how ideas connect.
  •  Transition words can be helpful. Are you getting an example? Is it explaining the effect or cause? Does the reading idea change and talk about a new or different idea?
  • Remember to focus on the information in the reading when selecting your answer.
  • If English is the first language you spoke or read as a young child, you will take the ACCUPLACER® Next Generation test. This is a multiple-choice exam. Below are resources to assist you in preparing for the test.
  • If English is your second language, the exam has two parts. Both parts are multiple-choice and there is no time limit. You will need to choose the best answer.
    • The ESL reading comprehension test will ask you to find main ideas, supporting details, and make conclusions/inferences.
    • The ESL sentence meaning test will read ask questions about the meaning of sentences. You may be asked about words, phrases or the meaning of an idea based on grammar or sentence structures.
    • Before you take the test, it is helpful to review. There are three resources below. There are also practice tests & resources on the Oakton website in the Library section.
      • Access the Library link
      • Then choose Careers
      • Then the LearningExpress Library


Overview
  • The Writing Skills Assessment Test (WSAT) is a 75-minute timed test of your writing ability.
  • Each essay prompt follows a similar format: you will write a response to only one topic of the two choices provided.
  • Each topic presents a controversial issue with two or more views. You are asked to take a position and make an argument for that position. Your response must be an essay.
  • You can type your response in Microsoft Word, and print it when you finish. You have access to spell-check and grammar check, as well as the cut-and-paste feature.
  • You have the option to write by hand.
Strategies

Writing a timed essay is different than writing at home. The following strategies work well for most students taking a timed test like the WSAT:

  • Familiarize yourself with the Microsoft Word software before the test. Make sure you know how to start new paragraphs, copy-and-paste, use spell-check and  grammar check.
  • Of the two topics, pick the one that’s more interesting to you, or the issue that you have more to say about.
  • Read the topic questions two to three times carefully. Make sure your essay addresses the question being asked. For instance, if you are asked whether the legal drinking age should be lowered from age 21 to age 18, don’t write about drinking being unhealthy.
  • Allow yourself about 10 minutes at the beginning of the process for pre-writing (free writing, listing, clustering, outlining, or whatever works best for you). Make these notes in your test booklet. Think about what position you will take and list your reasons. Or list pros and cons of one side. Use this time to create as many ideas as possible. It is likely that not all your ideas will make it into the final version.
  • After you pre-write, the simplest formula is to take one clear position on the issue, and give two to four reasons that support your position.
  • Put a thesis statement near the start of the essay that sums up your position and introduces your reasons. For instance: “I believe we should keep the legal drinking age at 21 because it will prevent car accidents, reduce unintended pregnancies, and lower the violent crime rate.”
  • Each reason should be discussed in more detail as a paragraph. Begin the paragraph with a topic sentence that sums up the reason. In each paragraph, explain your reason. You might explain your own experiences or observations, or give examples from current events.
  • Leave yourself about 10 or 20 minutes at the end of the 75 minutes to revise and proofread. When you revise, you might re-organize, delete unnecessary ideas, or add ideas to support your opinions. When you proofread, correct grammar, punctuation, and spelling.
  • Use the grammar-check and spell-check features in Microsoft Word, but don’t depend on it to do all the work; it can overlook errors or make bad suggestions.
  • Many students spend too much time writing long introductions and conclusions, or trying to write the longest possible essay. The quality of the writing is more important than the number of words.
  • During the exam, watch the clock and adjust your pace as needed. Use the full 75 minutes.
  • Stay relaxed on the day of the test. Get a good sleep, eat a good meal, get some exercise, etc. Take brief breaks during the test to breathe and relax. Do what you need to reduce stress.
What are the WSAT readers looking for?

Readers are looking to see whether you're ready to begin a college-level writing class. There’s no specific formula, but successful essays usually have:

  • a clear, thoughtful argument.
  • well-supported opinions.
  • several paragraphs.
  • good organization.
  • been proofread for grammar, punctuation, and spelling.
Here’s what readers are not looking for:
  • Picking the “right” answer.
  • Using big words.
  • Providing statistics.
  • Having detailed knowledge of the topic.
  • Picking the one “correct” structure for the essay (compare/contrast, five-paragraph essay, etc.)

Finally, readers understand that it’s hard to write with a 75-minute time-limit, so they don’t expect your essay to be perfect.

Now you can practice. Set a timer to 75 minutes and respond to one of the prompts below.

WSAT Sample Questions and Responses

See sample responses to the WSAT or practice by setting a timer to 75 minutes and responding to one of the sample questions below.

Sample Questions

Directions

Write an essay on ONE of the topics listed below. PLEASE USE A PEN.

You will have 75 minutes to complete the essay. Within the 75 minutes allowed you must:

  • use some of this time to plan before you begin to write your essay.
  • allow time at the end to proofread and revise your essay.

You may write an outline or notes on the sheet provided in your booklet, and you may use a dictionary and thesaurus.

Remember that a good essay usually has the following:
  • several paragraphs
  • good organization
  • well-supported opinions
Essay Topics
  1. A recent study indicated that 95 percent of criminals in Illinois jails are high school dropouts. Partly as a result of this study, a bill is being proposed in the Illinois legislature to raise the required high school attendance age from 16 to 18. Write an essay in which you try to convince high school students that raising the legal dropout age is or is not a good idea.
  2. Some people believe that kissing and hugging are not acceptable behavior in public. Others feel that kissing and hugging are a natural expression of human emotion. Write an essay in which you convince your fellow students that public displays of affection should or should not be allowed at Oakton.

Directions

Write an essay on ONE of the topics listed below. PLEASE USE A PEN.

You will have 75 minutes to complete the essay. Within the 75 minutes allowed you must:

  • use some of this time to plan before you begin to write your essay.
  • allow time at the end to proofread and revise your essay.

You may write an outline or notes on the sheet provided in your booklet, and you may use a dictionary and thesaurus.

Remember that a good essay usually has the following:
  • several paragraphs
  • good organization
  • well-supported opinions
Essay Topics
  1. At this time, the U.S. has no official language. Many people feel that a law should be passed making English the official language of this country. Others disagree. What do you think? Write an essay in which you try to convince your representative in Congress to agree with your position on this topic.
  2. Some people think that installing cameras on street corners is a good idea while others disagree. What do you think? Write an essay in which you try to convince other students to agree with your position on this topic.

Sample Responses

WSAT ESSAY (Note: A thesis statement sums up the essay’s argument, while topic sentences sum up the main idea of each body paragraph.)

When you think of a criminal do you think of an old man with a cane and gun hobbling about trying to rob someone of their money? No! Most people know that teenagers are the ones that do most of the crime in America. Sociologists tell us that the majority of crimes are done by young men ages 16 to 24. A study recently revealed that the majority of young men in jail were high school dropouts. How can we combat this? One way would be for the Illinois legislature to consider a bill that would require the high school dropout age to be raised from 16 to 18. This means that just about every young man in America would earn a high school diploma. Raising the legal dropout ager for high school students is a good idea for several reasons.

First of all, raising the age means that most students will graduate and be eligible for better jobs. In the past a high school dropout would have had trouble finding a job. He might sit at home and find himself bored and miserable because of no money in his pocket. Friends in the same situation might come visit him and talk him into illegal activity in order to score some cash. Before the young man realizes, he’s into illegal activity and in trouble with the law. The situation might be different if the young man finished high school. A diploma would open more doors than no diploma. The young man might be eligible for a construction job or a city job. Getting a job would allow him to earn money and not feel so desperate about his situation in life. Going to work and having responsibilities leaves no room for illegal actions.

Second of all, raising the age means that the United States will have a more educated workforce. Americans learned recently that India and Japan have a more educated workforce. This means that they are able to put their citizens into jobs that help them move ahead in the world. If our society were to continue with our high school dropout rate, we would soon find that we didn’t have enough educated workers to take some of the crucial jobs we offer. As a service oriented nation, we need educated people to interact with clients. It is important, even in blue collar jobs, to be able to communicate with clients and bosses. America must have an educated workforce in order to compete with other post-industrial countries. We do not want to fall behind economically as that will have us dependent on other countries for our general welfare.

Third of all, educated people tend to be more aware of what it takes to be a compassionate citizen. When a student takes a course in history, he learns that many countries have had to fight for their freedoms. This usually took sacrifice and courage. A student of history learns to have an admiration and compassion for those who have been downtrodden. When a student takes a political science class, he learns that systems have been built to try and fight injustice. He learns why these systems don’t always work. Through science a student learns about the miracle of life. Through writing he learns how to express himself. Through reading he learns about other worlds. It is through this process that compassion may enter his psyche.

Education, then, is a win-win situation. The individual wins, our citizens win, and our country wins. Mandating that students stay in high school until they are 18 is a good, if not great, idea!

WSAT ESSAY (Note: A thesis statement sums up the essay’s argument, while topic sentences sum up the main idea of each body paragraph.)

Government surveillance is a big issue in the news nowdays. Should we install cameras on street corners? Should the government track what we do? Some people think so, and I can see their point, but other people think it’s a bad idea. I am understand to that side as well.

Stopping Crime

Most of the people that think that it’s a good idea think that it’s a good because of how it will affect the crimes. For instance, if there are cameras everywhere on the street corners, then criminals will think twice before they do a crime. If people do a crime; the cameras will make it easier for the police to track them down and arrested them. Finally, the innocent people on the streets will certainly have greater safeties as they conduct their business.

Privacy

In the other hand, the people who think it’s a bad idea mostly are thinking about privacy. These people worry that the government will be abusive or violate the constitution, they are concerned that the government will start collecting images of innocent people and invade our privacy. The government could start spying on our activities and threateneing people who are protests.

Which side is right?

In conclusion, I think it’s a good idea to put up these cameras; since I think the people who are concerned about prevent crime make a better point. Crimes like mugging, murder, and dangerous driving happen every day. By my house a little boy was hit by the speeding driver. Open the newspaper and see the stories of unsolved murders and shootings. I know many people who were victims of muggings, stopping these crime is more important than worrying about privacy.

Anyways, we can trust the government not to violate our privacy. We never see in the news the government violating our privacy. Thus, the people who want privacy have paranoia. But we cannot trust criminals on the street to care about us.

That’s why we need these cameras: to stop crime.