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Delaware State Assessments · DeSSA · ELA · Grade 8

Delaware Grade 8 DeSSA ELA Practice Test

Build Grade 8 Delaware DeSSA ELA readiness with five focused 10-question practice sets covering literary analysis, informational text, vocabulary, language, argument writing, research, and evidence.

Grade 8 DeSSA ELA practice sets

This Delaware Grade 8 DeSSA ELA Practice Test page provides five short practice sets with 10 original multiple-choice questions each. The sets cover literary analysis, informational text, vocabulary, language, argument writing, research, and evidence.

Skills covered

  • Theme, nonlinear structure, metaphor, point of view, symbolism, inference, character contrast, climax, summaries, and poetic shifts
  • Central ideas, text structure, evidence, diagrams, cause and effect, academic vocabulary, opinions, interpretations, data, and summaries
  • Word meaning, antonyms, multiple meanings, hypothetical verbs, dashes, pronoun clarity, concessions, formal style, concise revision, and spelling
  • Claims, evidence, argument organization, precise revision, reliable sources, quotation integration, focused research, conclusions, relevance, and transitions
  • Grade 8 review tasks combining graphs, limitations, investigations, punctuation, source verification, summaries, clarity, arguments, and policy evaluation

How to use this page

Complete one 10-question set at a time. Return to the text for evidence, evaluate the strength of support, and review the explanation after each response.

This is supplemental State Test Practice, State Assessment Practice, and Standardized Test Practice. It does not replace current Delaware Department of Education guidance, official DeSSA materials, accommodations, or testing policies.

For the Delaware assessment hub, visit Delaware State Assessments.

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Delaware Grade 8 DeSSA ELA Practice Questions

A 10-question Delaware Grade 8 DeSSA ELA practice set on vocabulary and language, with answers and explanations.

Read each passage or sentence carefully, choose one answer, and review the explanation after responding.

10 Questions
0/10 Questions0 %
Correct 0
Incorrect 0
Unanswered 10
1. QuestionMultiple choice

What does “conventional” mean in this sentence? “The team questioned the conventional approach to transportation.”

Please select an answer first.

Correct answer: A

The correct answer is Traditional or commonly used.

  1. Read closely: Read the passage or sentence and identify the author’s idea, structure, evidence, or language choice.
  2. Use evidence: Conventional means traditional or generally accepted.
  3. Check the response: Choose the answer best supported by the Delaware Grade 8 DeSSA ELA task.

Conventional means traditional or generally accepted.

2. QuestionMultiple choice

Which word is an antonym for “explicit”?

Please select an answer first.

Correct answer: B

The correct answer is Implicit.

  1. Read closely: Read the passage or sentence and identify the author’s idea, structure, evidence, or language choice.
  2. Use evidence: Implicit means suggested rather than stated directly.
  3. Check the response: Choose the answer best supported by the Delaware Grade 8 DeSSA ELA task.

Implicit means suggested rather than stated directly.

3. QuestionMultiple choice

Which sentence uses “volume” to mean the amount of space a container holds?

Please select an answer first.

Correct answer: C

The correct answer is The volume of the tank increased after the extension was added..

  1. Read closely: Read the passage or sentence and identify the author’s idea, structure, evidence, or language choice.
  2. Use evidence: The tank and extension identify volume as three-dimensional capacity.
  3. Check the response: Choose the answer best supported by the Delaware Grade 8 DeSSA ELA task.

The tank and extension identify volume as three-dimensional capacity.

4. QuestionMultiple choice

Which sentence uses the correct verb form? “If the evidence ___ stronger, the conclusion would be more convincing.”

Please select an answer first.

Correct answer: D

The correct answer is were.

  1. Read closely: Read the passage or sentence and identify the author’s idea, structure, evidence, or language choice.
  2. Use evidence: Were correctly expresses a hypothetical condition in this sentence.
  3. Check the response: Choose the answer best supported by the Delaware Grade 8 DeSSA ELA task.

Were correctly expresses a hypothetical condition in this sentence.

5. QuestionMultiple choice

Which sentence uses a dash correctly to set off an interruption?

Please select an answer first.

Correct answer: A

The correct answer is The final measurement—the one taken after the storm—was the most useful..

  1. Read closely: Read the passage or sentence and identify the author’s idea, structure, evidence, or language choice.
  2. Use evidence: The paired dashes set off extra information without breaking the main sentence.
  3. Check the response: Choose the answer best supported by the Delaware Grade 8 DeSSA ELA task.

The paired dashes set off extra information without breaking the main sentence.

6. QuestionMultiple choice

Which revision makes the pronoun reference clear? “When the editor spoke with the writer, she requested a shorter conclusion.”

Please select an answer first.

Correct answer: B

The correct answer is When the editor spoke with the writer, the editor requested a shorter conclusion..

  1. Read closely: Read the passage or sentence and identify the author’s idea, structure, evidence, or language choice.
  2. Use evidence: Repeating editor identifies who made the request.
  3. Check the response: Choose the answer best supported by the Delaware Grade 8 DeSSA ELA task.

Repeating editor identifies who made the request.

7. QuestionMultiple choice

Which transition best introduces a concession? “The design is inexpensive. ___, it may require frequent replacement.”

Please select an answer first.

Correct answer: C

The correct answer is Although.

  1. Read closely: Read the passage or sentence and identify the author’s idea, structure, evidence, or language choice.
  2. Use evidence: Although introduces a condition that complicates the positive claim.
  3. Check the response: Choose the answer best supported by the Delaware Grade 8 DeSSA ELA task.

Although introduces a condition that complicates the positive claim.

8. QuestionMultiple choice

Which sentence uses formal academic style?

Please select an answer first.

Correct answer: D

The correct answer is The findings indicate that access to shade influenced attendance patterns..

  1. Read closely: Read the passage or sentence and identify the author’s idea, structure, evidence, or language choice.
  2. Use evidence: The first sentence is precise, neutral, and appropriately cautious.
  3. Check the response: Choose the answer best supported by the Delaware Grade 8 DeSSA ELA task.

The first sentence is precise, neutral, and appropriately cautious.

9. QuestionMultiple choice

Which revision is most concise? “The reason is because the sample was too small.”

Please select an answer first.

Correct answer: A

The correct answer is The reason is that the sample was too small..

  1. Read closely: Read the passage or sentence and identify the author’s idea, structure, evidence, or language choice.
  2. Use evidence: The revision removes the unnecessary because after reason.
  3. Check the response: Choose the answer best supported by the Delaware Grade 8 DeSSA ELA task.

The revision removes the unnecessary because after reason.

10. QuestionMultiple choice

Which word is spelled correctly?

Please select an answer first.

Correct answer: B

The correct answer is maintenance.

  1. Read closely: Read the passage or sentence and identify the author’s idea, structure, evidence, or language choice.
  2. Use evidence: Maintenance is the correctly spelled word.
  3. Check the response: Choose the answer best supported by the Delaware Grade 8 DeSSA ELA task.

Maintenance is the correctly spelled word.

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Frequently asked questions about Delaware Grade 8 DeSSA ELA Practice

Which grade is covered?

This page is organized for Grade 8 Delaware DeSSA ELA practice, with literary analysis, informational reading, vocabulary, language, argument writing, research, and evidence tasks.

How many questions are included?

There are five practice sets with 10 questions each, for 50 questions in total. Each set can be completed separately.

Are these official DeSSA questions?

No. These are original supplemental practice questions. Check the latest Delaware Department of Education and official DeSSA information for current materials, accommodations, and policies.