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Praxis (Praxis Core and Praxis Subject Assessments) Praxis Core: Writing (5723) Syllabus

The Praxis Core: Writing (5723) syllabus for Praxis (Praxis Core and Praxis Subject Assessments) in full: 4 chapters, 16 topics and 20 sub-topics, every one listed below, plus 51 Praxis Core: Writing (5723) flashcards with answers.

4Chapters
16Topics
20Sub-topics
51Flashcards

Praxis Core: Writing (5723) syllabus: all 4 chapters

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics.

  1. Text Types, Purposes, and Production

     4 topics
    • Argumentative Essay Writing
      • Developing a clear thesis or claim
      • Supporting reasons with evidence and examples
      • Acknowledging counterarguments
    • Source-Based (Informative/Explanatory) Essay
      • Integrating two provided sources
      • Citing and attributing source material
      • Avoiding unintentional plagiarism
    • Organization and Coherence
      • Logical paragraphing and transitions
      • Introduction and conclusion construction
    • Audience, Purpose, and Tone

  2. Language and Usage Conventions

     4 topics
    • Grammatical Relationships
      • Subject-verb agreement
      • Pronoun-antecedent agreement and case
      • Verb tense consistency
    • Sentence Structure
      • Fragments and run-ons
      • Misplaced and dangling modifiers
      • Parallel structure
    • Word Choice and Idiom
      • Diction and commonly confused words
      • Idiomatic prepositions
    • Logical Comparison and Coordination

  3. Mechanics and Conventions

     4 topics
    • Punctuation
      • Comma usage and serial commas
      • Semicolons and colons
      • Apostrophes and possessives
    • Capitalization Rules
    • Spelling of Frequently Tested Words
    • Standard English Editing in Context

  4. Research Skills

     4 topics
    • Recognizing Credible Sources
      • Evaluating source reliability and bias
    • Citation and Reference Conventions
    • Distinguishing Paraphrase, Summary, and Quotation
    • Avoiding Plagiarism

Praxis (Praxis Core and Praxis Subject Assessments) Praxis Core: Writing (5723) flashcards — 51 questions with answers

  1. In a Praxis Core argumentative essay, what is the function of a thesis statement?

    It states the writer's clear position/claim on the issue and previews the main reasons, guiding the entire essay.

  2. What three core components should each body paragraph of an argumentative essay contain?

    A topic sentence (sub-claim), supporting evidence or reasoning, and a tie-back/explanation linking the evidence to the thesis.

  3. Why is addressing a counterargument important in argumentative writing?

    It strengthens the writer's credibility (ethos) by showing awareness of opposing views and then refuting or conceding them to reinforce the main claim.

  4. In the source-based (informative/explanatory) Praxis essay, what is the writer's primary task?

    To synthesize information from two provided sources into a coherent explanation, integrating and citing both sources rather than arguing a personal opinion.

  5. How must sources be acknowledged in the Praxis source-based essay?

    By referring to them (e.g., by author name or 'Source 1/Source 2') whenever their ideas are paraphrased or quoted, so the reader can identify where the information came from.

  6. What is the key difference in purpose between the argumentative essay and the source-based essay on Praxis Writing?

    The argumentative essay takes and defends a position; the source-based essay objectively explains/synthesizes ideas from provided sources without taking a side.

  7. What is a topic sentence and where does it usually appear?

    A sentence stating the main idea of a paragraph, usually placed at the beginning to orient the reader to what the paragraph will discuss.

  8. Define 'coherence' in writing.

    The logical, smooth flow of ideas so that sentences and paragraphs connect clearly, often achieved through transitions, consistent order, and clear pronoun reference.

  9. Give three categories of transitional words and an example of each.

    Addition (furthermore), contrast (however), and cause/effect (therefore); also sequence (next) and example (for instance).

  10. What is the typical structure of a well-organized five-paragraph essay?

    An introduction with a thesis, three body paragraphs each with one main supporting idea, and a conclusion that restates the thesis and summarizes.

  11. How should tone differ between formal academic writing and casual writing?

    Formal writing avoids slang, contractions, and first/second person where inappropriate, using objective, precise diction; casual writing is conversational and may use contractions and colloquialisms.

  12. What does it mean to consider 'audience' when writing?

    Adjusting vocabulary, level of detail, tone, and examples to match the knowledge, expectations, and needs of the intended readers.

  13. What is the difference between a writer's purpose to 'persuade' versus to 'inform'?

    Persuading aims to change the reader's belief or action using arguments and appeals; informing aims to explain or present facts objectively without advocating a position.

  14. What is a subject-verb agreement error, and how is it corrected?

    A mismatch in number between subject and verb (e.g., 'The list of items are long'); correct it by matching the verb to the true subject ('The list ... is long').

  15. How do you choose the correct verb when the subject is joined by 'or'/'nor'?

    The verb agrees with the nearer subject: 'Neither the teachers nor the principal was available.'

  16. What is a pronoun-antecedent agreement error?

    A pronoun that does not match its antecedent in number or gender (e.g., 'Each student brought their book' in strict usage); correct it so number/gender agree.

  17. What is a misplaced modifier?

    A descriptive word or phrase positioned so it appears to modify the wrong word; it should be moved next to the word it actually describes.

  18. What is a dangling modifier and how is it fixed?

    A modifier whose intended subject is missing from the sentence (e.g., 'Walking to school, the rain began'); fix it by adding the logical subject ('Walking to school, I felt the rain begin').

  19. What is a comma splice and one way to correct it?

    Two independent clauses joined only by a comma; correct it with a period, a semicolon, or a comma plus a coordinating conjunction.

  20. What is a run-on (fused) sentence?

    Two or more independent clauses joined with no punctuation or conjunction; fix by separating them or joining them properly with punctuation/conjunctions.

Show the other 31 Praxis Core: Writing (5723) flashcards

  1. What is a sentence fragment?

    A group of words punctuated as a sentence but lacking a subject, a complete verb, or a complete thought (e.g., a dependent clause standing alone).

  2. What are the seven coordinating conjunctions (FANBOYS)?

    For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So.

  3. How do you correctly join two independent clauses with a coordinating conjunction?

    Place a comma before the conjunction: 'The test was hard, but she passed.'

  4. What is faulty parallelism, and how is it corrected?

    Items in a series or comparison not in the same grammatical form (e.g., 'reading, writing, to study'); correct by making all elements parallel ('reading, writing, studying').

  5. What is an illogical comparison, and give an example fix.

    Comparing unlike things; e.g., 'Her grades are higher than the other students' should be 'higher than the other students'' (grades vs. grades) for a logical comparison.

  6. When should you use 'fewer' versus 'less'?

    Use 'fewer' for countable items ('fewer books') and 'less' for uncountable quantities ('less water').

  7. What is the difference between 'affect' and 'effect'?

    'Affect' is usually a verb meaning to influence; 'effect' is usually a noun meaning a result.

  8. Distinguish 'their,' 'there,' and 'they're.'

    'Their' = possessive; 'there' = place/existence; 'they're' = contraction of 'they are.'

  9. What is an idiom error in standard English usage?

    Using the wrong preposition or fixed expression (e.g., 'capable to' instead of the idiomatic 'capable of').

  10. Distinguish 'who' from 'whom.'

    'Who' is a subject pronoun; 'whom' is an object pronoun (used as the object of a verb or preposition).

  11. When is a semicolon correctly used?

    To join two closely related independent clauses without a conjunction, or to separate list items that themselves contain commas.

  12. What is the main use of a colon?

    To introduce a list, explanation, or quotation after a complete independent clause: 'She bought three things: paper, pens, and glue.'

  13. How do you punctuate a nonrestrictive (nonessential) clause?

    Set it off with commas, because it adds extra information that can be removed without changing the sentence's core meaning.

  14. When are commas needed with restrictive (essential) clauses?

    Restrictive clauses are NOT set off by commas, because they are essential to identify the noun (e.g., 'The student who studies hardest will win').

  15. How do you show possession for a singular noun versus a plural noun ending in -s?

    Singular: add apostrophe + s ('the dog's bone'); plural ending in -s: add only an apostrophe ('the dogs' bones').

  16. How is an apostrophe used to form a contraction?

    It replaces omitted letters, as in 'do not' becoming 'don't' or 'it is' becoming 'it's.'

  17. What is the rule for capitalizing proper nouns versus common nouns?

    Capitalize proper nouns (specific names like 'France,' 'Monday,' 'Dr. Smith'); common nouns are lowercase unless they begin a sentence.

  18. When are titles like 'president' or 'professor' capitalized?

    Capitalize when used as part of a name or as a direct title before the name (President Lincoln); lowercase when used generally ('the president spoke').

  19. Which words are NOT capitalized in a title (title case)?

    Short articles, coordinating conjunctions, and short prepositions (a, an, the, and, but, of, in) unless they are the first or last word.

  20. Spell correctly: the word meaning 'to happen' that is frequently misspelled with double letters.

    'Occurred' (double c, double r); related forms: occurrence, occurring.

  21. Which is correct: 'seperate' or 'separate'?

    'Separate' — there is 'a rat' in sepARATe; 'seperate' is a common misspelling.

  22. Distinguish the frequently tested words 'principal' and 'principle.'

    'Principal' = a head person or a main/primary thing; 'principle' = a fundamental rule or belief.

  23. What is 'standard English editing in context' testing on the Praxis?

    The ability to read a passage and select revisions that correct grammar, usage, punctuation, and clarity errors as they appear within real sentences.

  24. When editing in context, what should you do if an underlined portion is already correct?

    Select the 'NO CHANGE' (no error) option, since not every item contains an error.

  25. List three criteria for judging whether a source is credible.

    Author expertise/credentials, currency (up-to-date), and reliability/objectivity of the publisher (peer-reviewed or reputable, with minimal bias).

  26. Why are scholarly, peer-reviewed sources generally more credible than personal blogs?

    Peer-reviewed sources are evaluated by experts for accuracy and methodology, whereas personal blogs may lack vetting, expertise, or objectivity.

  27. What identifying information does a citation typically include?

    Author, title of the work, publication date, and source/publisher information so readers can locate the original material.

  28. What is an in-text citation and why is it used?

    A brief reference within the text (e.g., author and page/date) that credits the source of borrowed ideas and points readers to the full reference list.

  29. Define paraphrase, summary, and quotation.

    A paraphrase restates a specific passage in your own words at similar length; a summary condenses the main ideas in your own words; a quotation reproduces the exact wording in quotation marks.

  30. What must you do even when paraphrasing or summarizing someone else's ideas?

    Cite the original source, because the ideas are not your own even though the wording is.

  31. What is plagiarism and name two ways to avoid it.

    Presenting someone else's words or ideas as your own; avoid it by citing all sources and by using quotation marks for any exact wording (plus genuinely paraphrasing, not just swapping a few words).

Praxis (Praxis Core and Praxis Subject Assessments) Praxis Core: Writing (5723) FAQ

What is in the Praxis (Praxis Core and Praxis Subject Assessments) Praxis Core: Writing (5723) syllabus?

Praxis (Praxis Core and Praxis Subject Assessments) Praxis Core: Writing (5723) is split into 4 chapters: Text Types, Purposes, and Production, Language and Usage Conventions, Mechanics and Conventions and Research Skills. Together they contain 16 topics and 20 sub-topics.

How many chapters are in Praxis (Praxis Core and Praxis Subject Assessments) Praxis Core: Writing (5723)?

4 chapters, containing 16 topics and 20 sub-topics. The largest chapter is Text Types, Purposes, and Production, with 4 topics.

Are there flashcards for Praxis (Praxis Core and Praxis Subject Assessments) Praxis Core: Writing (5723)?

Yes — a 51-card Praxis Core: Writing (5723) deck, printed in full in the flashcards section of this page and available in the Examius app with spaced repetition. The free plan covers one exam of your choice, including its flashcards; Examius Pro, a one-time purchase, unlocks every other exam and deck.