Business Writing Quiz: Can You Identify The Wrong Words?

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Quizzes Created: 3 | Total Attempts: 7,808

Questions: 15 | Attempts: 779 | Updated: Mar 21, 2023

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Business Writing Quiz: Can You Identify The Wrong Words? - Quiz

In a business presentation is everything and that being said if you cannot write or convey a message properly, people will tend to think less of you or get the wrong message. The use of a wrong word often occurs in our business writing. Take this quiz to see how you rate as you try and understand the use of various words!

Questions and Answers

1.

Here's some good _________ for students who want to find the perfect internship.
- A.
  
  Advise
- B.
  
  Advice
Correct Answer
B. Advice

Explanation
advise (recommend)
advice (a noun meaning guidance).

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2.

We all have favorite movie quotations from some of our favorite actors. Regrettably, we can't always recall what movie or which actor. The full quote __________ us.
- A.
  
  Alludes
- B.
  
  Eludes
Correct Answer
B. Eludes

Explanation
alludes (make an indirect reference)
eludes (escape the understanding of)

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3.

I've always said that there's___________ of untapped talent out there.
- A.
  
  Alot
- B.
  
  A lot
Correct Answer
B. A lot

Explanation
The correct answer is "a lot". This phrase is used to express a large amount or quantity of something. In this context, the speaker is saying that there is a large amount of untapped talent out there. "Alot" is not a word in the English language, so it is not the correct answer.

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4.

Interns receive _______________ tickets to the Mill Valley Film Festival and the Smith Film Center as well as a CFI membership.
- A.
  
  Complementary
- B.
  
  Complimentary
Correct Answer
B. Complimentary

Explanation
complementary (something that completes or brings to perfection)
complimentary (given free)

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5.

I kept dreaming that my fingerprints came up in an investigation for a major crime. The dreams were really disturbing, and I told my husband that I must have a guilty _____________.
- A.
  
  Conscious
- B.
  
  Conscience
Correct Answer
B. Conscience

Explanation
conscious (adjective meaning being aware)
conscience (noun meaning the sense of what is right and wrong)

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6.

Adventure Science Center (_____________ known as the Children's Science Museum, as old-timers will remember) offers an endless supply of educational fun with on-going special exhibits.
- A.
  
  Formally
- B.
  
  Formerly
Correct Answer
B. Formerly

Explanation
formally (in a formal way)
formerly (at an earlier time)

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7.

Visit a lake you're unfamiliar with, and you'll immediately realize you'd better do your homework if you want to hook the _____________ rainbow trout.
- A.
  
  Illusive
- B.
  
  Elusive
Correct Answer
B. Elusive

Explanation
illusive (another word for illusory)
elusive (tending to evade capture or avoid perception)

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8.

O'Neill made several other statements that are sticking in supply-side craws. For one thing, he seemed to _________ that business people do not respond to lower tax-rate incentives. 'I never made an investment decision based on the tax code,' he said.
- A.
  
  Infer
- B.
  
  Imply
Correct Answer
B. Imply

Explanation
infer (deduce)
imply (suggest)

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9.

Breaking news from Toy Fair: Barbie and Ken have broken up! After 43 years of dating, ________ all over for the prince and princess of plastic.
- A.
  
  Its
- B.
  
  It's
Correct Answer
B. It's

Explanation
its (possessive pronoun )
it's (contraction it is)

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10.

Over the past ten years, in order to achieve the growth, development, and scale necessary to go from less than 1,000 stores to 13,000 stores and beyond, we have had to make a series of decisions that, in retrospect, have __________ to the watering down of the Starbucks experience.
- A.
  
  Lead
- B.
  
  Led
Correct Answer
B. Led

Explanation
led is the past participle form of the verb.
(Also, change less to fewer.)

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11.

Some of these events have already been highlighted in the last days; others _________ new to you.
- A.
  
  Maybe
- B.
  
  May be
Correct Answer
B. May be

Explanation
maybe (adverb meaning perhaps)
may be (verb phrase meaning showing possibility)

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12.

Another survey of 256 people who had been divorced at one time or another asked, 'What was the __________ reason you got a divorce?'
- A.
  
  Principle
- B.
  
  Principal
Correct Answer
B. Principal

Explanation
principle (noun meaning basic truth or rule)
principal (adjective meaning most important)

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13.

Laguna de Apoyo lies 40 minutes outside of town, and no motor boats are allowed on its waters, making the atmosphere very ________ and peaceful.
- A.
  
  Quite
- B.
  
  Quiet
Correct Answer
B. Quiet

Explanation
quite (adverb meaning very)
quiet (adjective meaning silent)

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14.

It was a little surprising because most teachers say the actual test is easier _______ practice ones, but in this case I didn't think it was that much easier.
- A.
  
  Then
- B.
  
  Than
Correct Answer
B. Than

Explanation
then (refers to time)
than (used to make a comparison)

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15.

_______ going to be President in 2013?
- A.
  
  Whose
- B.
  
  Who's
Correct Answer
B. Who's

Explanation
Change the possessive pronoun Whose to the contraction Who's (who is).

Rate this question:

Business Writing Quiz: Can You Identify The Wrong Words?

Here's some good _________ for students who want to find the perfect internship.

We all have favorite movie quotations from some of our favorite actors. Regrettably, we can't always recall what movie or which actor. The full quote __________ us.

I've always said that there's___________ of untapped talent out there.

Interns receive _______________ tickets to the Mill Valley Film Festival and the Smith Film Center as well as a CFI membership.

I kept dreaming that my fingerprints came up in an investigation for a major crime. The dreams were really disturbing, and I told my husband that I must have a guilty _____________.

Adventure Science Center (_____________ known as the Children's Science Museum, as old-timers will remember) offers an endless supply of educational fun with on-going special exhibits.

Visit a lake you're unfamiliar with, and you'll immediately realize you'd better do your homework if you want to hook the _____________ rainbow trout.

O'Neill made several other statements that are sticking in supply-side craws. For one thing, he seemed to _________ that business people do not respond to lower tax-rate incentives. 'I never made an investment decision based on the tax code,' he said.

Breaking news from Toy Fair: Barbie and Ken have broken up! After 43 years of dating, ________ all over for the prince and princess of plastic.

Over the past ten years, in order to achieve the growth, development, and scale necessary to go from less than 1,000 stores to 13,000 stores and beyond, we have had to make a series of decisions that, in retrospect, have __________ to the watering down of the Starbucks experience.

Some of these events have already been highlighted in the last days; others _________ new to you.

Another survey of 256 people who had been divorced at one time or another asked, 'What was the __________ reason you got a divorce?'

Laguna de Apoyo lies 40 minutes outside of town, and no motor boats are allowed on its waters, making the atmosphere very ________ and peaceful.

It was a little surprising because most teachers say the actual test is easier _______ practice ones, but in this case I didn't think it was that much easier.

_______ going to be President in 2013?