Which word should replace the underlined word? “Marisa answered every question in her job interview [confident].”
Use Standard Grammar, Usage, and Spelling to Edit · TELPAS Grades 10–12 writing. The correct answer, and the reasoning behind it.
Reporting category 2: find and fix an error in a short text. On the real test some of these are typed answers or sentence rewrites. Here they are multiple choice so they can be checked.
The question
Choose the best answer.
Read the sentence. The underlined word has an error. Marisa answered every question in her job interview [confident]. Which word should replace the underlined word?
- confidentlyCorrect answer
- confidence
- more confident
- confidential
Why “confidently” is correct
This tests adjectives and adverbs. The word describes how Marisa answered, so it modifies the verb "answered" and must be an adverb. Many adverbs are formed by adding -ly to an adjective: confident becomes confidently.
Why the other answers are wrong
- confidence — "Confidence" is a noun; the sentence needs a word that describes how she answered.
- more confident — This is still an adjective, and nothing is being compared.
- confidential — "Confidential" means secret, which is a different word with a different meaning.
Practice more of this
More writing practice for Grades 10–12, or see the TELPAS practice test for 10th–12th grade.
This is an independent study resource. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the Texas Education Agency or the official TELPAS program. All questions here are original practice material written to match the published test design.