Before signing the lease, Elena asked the landlord to ______ in writing which repairs were his responsibility.
Vocabulary and Grammar in Context · ELPAC Grades 11–12 reading. The correct answer, and the reasoning behind it.
Extra practice, not a separate task on the real test: a sentence with one word missing, testing the vocabulary and grammar the passages assume.
The question
Read the sentence. Choose the word that best completes it.
Before signing the lease, Elena asked the landlord to ______ in writing which repairs were his responsibility.
- confirmCorrect answer
- confine
- confide
Why “confirm” is correct
This tests three verbs that share a stem and are routinely confused by learners who recognize the prefix but not the root. Only 'confirm' means to state something definitely, which is what a tenant wants on paper before signing. Encourage the student to read each option back into the sentence rather than choosing on the strength of a familiar-looking beginning.
Why the other answers are wrong
- confine — 'Confine' means to keep something within limits, so the sentence would be asking the landlord to restrict the repairs rather than to state them.
- confide — 'Confide' means to tell something privately and in trust, which is the opposite of putting a term in writing.
Practice more of this
More reading practice for Grades 11–12, or see the ELPAC practice test for grades 11–12. For other grades, see free ELPAC practice tests by grade.
This is an independent study resource. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the California Department of Education or the official ELPAC program. All questions here are original practice material written to match the published task formats.