Elementary (Grade 1-2)Elementary (Grade 3-5)Middle (Grade 6-8)Junior High (Grade 9-10)Senior High (Grade 11-12)Spanish (All ages)ESL (All ages)Games Specialist (All ages)

Leading Streak Today

Your Streak Today

Leading Streak Today

Your Streak Today

She was angry because someone had stolen her pocketbook.

Writing Explanations

This English Language quiz is called 'Writing Explanations' and it has been written by teachers to help you if you are studying the subject at middle school. Playing educational quizzes is a fabulous way to learn if you are in the 6th, 7th or 8th grade - aged 11 to 14.

It costs only $12.50 per month to play this quiz and over 3,500 others that help you with your school work. You can subscribe on the page at Join Us

An 'explanation' explains something: it tells us the 'how', 'why' and 'what' of something we want to know about, for example:

How does a steam engine work?
What makes us feel sleepy?

1 .

Which one of the statements is an explanatory statement?
Why are you late?

I like traveling by bus

Where is the nearest bus stop?

I always travel upstairs on a double-decker bus

I was late because I missed the bus

Get up earlier next time

2 .

Which one of the statements is an explanatory statement?
How did the Titanic sink?

The Titanic was a British passenger liner

I'm glad that I wasn't on the Titanic

The Titanic sunk as a result of colliding with an iceberg

She sank in the North Atlantic Ocean on 15 April 1912 - on her maiden voyage

The iceberg tore a 90 m gash along her starboard side (right side as you face the front of the ship: the left side is called the port side): 1,503 people perished

3 .

Which one of the statements is an explanatory statement?
How did the mirror get broken?

It's a lovely mirror

The mirror fell onto the floor and broke because the wall attachment wasn't strong enough to hold it on the wall

Have you got a mirror?

We have mirrors in our bathroom

Mirror mirror on the wall,
Who is the fairest of them all?

4 .

Which one of the statements is an explanatory statement?
Why was she angry?

She was angry because someone had stolen her pocketbook

She is a very nice person

Don't ask her about her pocketbook

Do you think she'll get her pocketbook back?

Let's hope she gets her pocketbook back

5 .

Which one of the statements is an explanatory statement?
Why do leaves change color in autumn?

The coast redwood is the tallest tree in the world

I like oak trees

Leaves have beautiful colors in autumn

They change color in autumn because there is not enough light or water for photosynthesis

Food producing procedures shut down and the green chlorophyll vanishes from the leaves. This green color is in turn replaced by the rusty colors that we see in autumn

6 .

Which one of the statements is an explanatory statement?
Why do people have red eyes in flash photographs?

They look like vampires

Flash photography is useful in the dark

I've got a camera

People have red eyes in flash photographs because of the red color from the blood vessels that supply the eyes

Some cameras adjust for this nuisance

7 .

Which one of the statements is an explanatory statement?
Why do we have seasons?

We have seasons because the Earth is tilted on its axis

We have spring, summer, autumn and winter

The Earth goes round the sun

The Earth is called the 'Blue Planet'

The Earth's axis is tilted at an angle of 23.5 degrees. The tilt of the Earth means the Earth leans towards the sun in the summer (more heat) and it leans away from the sun in the winter (less heat). In between these seasons, we get spring and autumn

8 .

Which one of the statements is an explanatory statement?
Why doesn't bronze rust?

I've got a bronze statue in my garden

Bronze doesn't rust because it is a copper alloy

Is it made of bronze?

The Bronze Age was between 3500 - 1500 BC

Bronze is an alloy of copper (Cu) and tin (Sn): it doesn't rust, but it may tarnish. An 'alloy' is a mixture of metals

9 .

Which one of the statements is an explanatory statement?
Why do dogs eat grass?

I love dogs

My favorite dog is the Labrador

Dogs eat grass because of a medical disorder

Have you got a dog?

This disorder is called pica: the desire to eat non-foods things. In this case, grass is a non-food. In general, there is no agreement as to why dogs eat grass

10 .

Which one of the statements is an explanatory statement?
Why do cats eat grass?

I've got a calico cat

Cats eat grass because it contains folic acid

The cat that walked by himself

Do you like cats?

Folic acid is a vitamin that is essential to a cat's well-being

Author: Frank Evans