Sample Entrance Exam

Read about the new Word Police training manual, Word Court, by Word Police Commissioner Barbara Wallraff.

Join a conversation on Word Police and Word Court in Atlantic Unbound's reader forum, Post & Riposte.

Read recent Word Court columns from The Atlantic Monthly, and browse the Word Fugitives archive, in The Court Record.

Sample Entrance Exam

Word Police exams consist of questions similar to the ones below. Here beneath each question we've told you which answer is correct, and explained why.

When you are taking an actual exam, once you've answered all five questions, press the "Submit answers" button to have your responses scored. If you're not sure of the answer to any question, why not take your best guess? (No points are deducted for wrong answers.) You'll need to get at least four answers right to be allowed to proceed. On the next page, you will be asked a final question that you must answer correctly in order to pass the exam.

The actual exams provide a clue about the intent of the questions that isn't available here -- namely, that each of them is the test for a particular squad or division. The questions on the entrance exam for any given squad will have to do with that squad's specialty. So, for example, on the entrance exam for the Number Unit, the focus of the questions will tend to be grammatical number (say, "the Word Police is ..." or "the Word Police are ..."?).

Fewer Less Whatever

Fewer is for things that can be counted ("one crime, two crimes ..."; "The fewer crimes the better"). Less is for things that pile up as amounts, not numbers of items, and aren't countable ("There hasn't been much criminal activity lately"; "There's been less criminal activity than usual"). Because crimes falls into the former class of things, fewer is the only correct choice here. (See pages 191-192 in Word Court.)

Between you and him Between he and the Word Police Force Between you and he

Any pronoun that comes after between ought to be one that can be used as a grammatical object (as in "The Word Police want us"), not one that is used as a subject (for example, "We want to join the Word Police"). He is a subjective pronoun, so neither the second nor the third answer can be correct. You can be either kind of pronoun, and him is objective, so "between you and him" is the right answer. (See pages 130-134 in Word Court.)

"It's a dull officer who spends all their time shining their badge." "It's a dull officer who spends all her time shining her badge." "It's a dull officer that spends all its time shining its badge."

An officer can't be plural. Nor is an officer neuter (its). An officer certainly can be female, though, so "... spends all her time ..." is fine. The second answer is the correct one. (See pages 28-32 in Word Court.)

"A Word Police officer must see that poetic justice is done everyday." "A Word Police officer can't concern himself with poetic justice on an every day basis." "A Word Police officer must at least try to see that poetic justice is done every day."

Once again, the real issue here is which of these statements is worded correctly. See those variations of everyday? Everyday, one word, is an adjective, and so when that's the form used, it's supposed to be modifying a noun. Every day is an adverb or a noun phrase. In the first answer, the adjective everyday is being used as if it were an adverb, modifying a verb; and in the second one, the adverb every day is being used as if it were an adjective, modifying a noun. Only in the third answer does the adverbial form match an adverbial function; this answer is correct. (See pages 190-191 in Word Court.)

Yes No

Alright is a very informal spelling. Standard English calls for all right. So no, it's not all right, thank you very much. No, indeed. (See page 153 in Word Court.)

New NCLEX format shows positive results for first-time exam takers

Between January and June, NCLEX pass rates increased for both licensed practical and vocational nurse candidates, according to second quarter results of 2023 pass rates across the U.S., released Aug. 3 by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing.

These results are the first to be published since the NCSBN debuted its new Next Generation NCLEX exam format, which launched in April.

In the first quarter of the year between January and March, there were 56,972 U.S.-educated, first-time candidates who took the NCLEX exam resulting in an 80.48 percent pass rate. 

But between April and June — following the launch of the new exam format — there were 60,844 U.S.-educated, first-time candidates of which 94.32 percent passed.  

Compared to the same timeframe in 2022, only 82.19 percent had passed. 

"Although clinical judgment was being taught in prelicensure programs, NCSBN worked with educators to explain how the NGN was being constructed using the Clinical Judgment Measurement Model at its core," Philip Dickison, PhD, RN, chief operating officer, NCSBN said in an Aug. 3 news release. "Educators were introduced to the types of questions that would be included and the type of exam experience a candidate will have. The results from the first quarter show that our collaboration was successful."

Individuals who were first-time exam takers with an international education passed in the first quarter of 2023 at a percent rate of 39.86 percent, but in the second quarter 57.69 percent passed. 

Among repeat exam takers who were U.S.-educated, 40.66 percent passed in the first quarter and 62.15 percent passed in the second quarter.

Office of the Registrar

GeneralFinal exams will be generated by the Registrar’s Office according to an exam matrix on or about the last day of the add/drop period for the term for any course that has 'Yes' indicated for a Final Exam in the catalog. The day and time of the first class meeting during the week determine the date and time for each exam. Courses that meet outside the normal university block scheduling will be scheduled within the time block that best fits the schedule without creating conflicts for students.

Exam times are as follows:

While exam blocks are three hours long, the actual length of the exam is determined by the instructor.

If examination days are postponed because of weather conditions, the first make-up day is documented on the academic calendar.

Faculty should review their exam schedule just after the last day of add/drop. If an exam was not generated or changes are needed, please email: scheduling@uml.edu. Requests for final exams, combined exams, etc. will not be accepted after the mid-semester evaluation date for the term in question. Please refer to the academic calendar for specific date information.

Note: Requests for combined exams will not be accepted after the mid-semester evaluation date for the term in question. Please refer to the academic calendar for specific date information.

If a student has three (or more) finals scheduled on the same exam day, the student has the right to ask that a make up exam (or exams) be scheduled to reduce the number of exams in each day to two. Under these circumstances, required courses1 take priority, so the student should make every effort to arrange the make-up exam for a non-required course with the respective instructor. Likewise, if a student has two finals scheduled in the same exam period, the required course takes priority; the student should schedule a make-up exam for the non-required conflicting course with the respective instructor. If for any reason a mutually agreeable solution between the student and the instructor cannot be achieved, the student should see his or her college dean immediately.

Students – If you have questions regarding any of your final exams, please contact your instructor directly. Instructors should reach out by email to: scheduling@uml.edu if an exam update is needed in SiS.

1'Required courses' refers to whichever course is required toward that specific student’s degree pathway.

Exams (including final exams) for fully virtual classes should be administered virtually, as that is the modality which students selected. Exceptions to hold on-campus exams require deans' approval. An email (noting the approval) should be sent by email to: scheduling@uml.edu so that the exam location may be updated – exceptions are subject to room availability. If approved, faculty must indicate the alternate exam format in their course syllabus and accommodate students who are unable to attend in-person exams.

If a class section is hybrid (includes both an in-person meeting and either an online or virtual meeting pattern), then the final exam will be assigned as in-person, but the instructor may request the final exam to be virtual/online depending on the modes of instruction of the hybrid section. Hybrid courses also include courses that have more than one component with different modes of instruction (i.e., the lecture portion is virtual, but the recitation is in-person) and the instructor may decide whether or not the final exam is in-person in this scenario as well. Any requests for final exam updates should be sent by email to: scheduling@uml.edu.

Graduate, Online and Professional Studies sections (section number typically begins with '0') take place on the final on-campus meeting day for that section (usually the week prior to the final exam period) – please see the on-campus course dates on Graduate, Online and Professional Studies website for the final meeting date (not to be confused with the course session dates).

If a GPS section is 'matched' (combined) with a day-school section (example ACCT 2010 201 and ACCT 2010 001), the final exam will follow day-school guidelines and an exam block will be assigned for both sections in SIS.

Classroom reservations for ad hoc needs during the final exam period (review sessions, exam accommodations, makeup exams, etc.) will be accepted one week prior to the final exam period. Please email scheduling for these requests.

Individual makeup exams should be coordinated between the student and instructor as needed and should take place through the UMass Lowell Testing Centers or in a department location (please do not use academic classrooms for individual makeup exams without a confirmed reservation).

If an entire class needs to makeup an exam due to an unforeseen circumstance or emergency, the exam should be rescheduled by emailing: scheduling@uml.edu. Makeup exams for classes should take place during the regular examination period. 

The university final exam makeup dates listed on the university calendar are only to be used for inclement weather or other unanticipated university closure and should not be used as final exam dates for individual student or class makeup exams.

Students who are registered with the Disability Services Office and have been approved for an extended time accommodation: if you have two exams scheduled on the same day, you may reschedule one of the exams if it has been confirmed that both exams are scheduled to use the entire 3-hour block. Please refer to the instructions under Exam Conflicts listed above to do so. For any other accommodation or disability-related question or concern, please contact by email: disability@uml.edu or visit Disability Services website for faculty and student resources.