Choose the answer that best corrects the underlined portion of the sentence. If the underlined portion is correct as written, choose Option D: “No Change”.
| 1. He told to me an interesting anecdote from her travels to South America. | Easy |
| A. tell me B. told me C. was tell me D. No Change |
View Answer
Answer: Option B
Explanation:
The verb ‘tell’ is followed by an indirect object without ‘to’.
Concept: Parts of Speech (Verbs)
| 2. My mother suggested me to consult someone for medical advice. | Easy |
| A. suggested I to consult B. suggest that I consult C. suggested that I should consult D. No Change |
View Answer
Answer: Option C
Explanation:
The verb ‘suggest’ should be used with a gerund or a that-clause. It cannot be used with a to-infinitive.
Concept: Parts of Speech (Verbs)
In the following questions, select the answer choice which is grammatically correct.
| 3. I will give you a cookie if you clean your room and if you finish your homework. | Easy |
| A. I will give you a cookie if you clean your room and if you finish your homework. B. I will give you a cookie if you clean your room and your homework is done. C. I will give you a cookie if your room is clean and if you finish your homework. D. None of the above |
View Answer
Answer: Option A
Explanation:
Option A is correct because both if you clean your room and if you finish your homework are parallel adverb clauses describing the verb will give.
Concept: Parallelism (Adverb Clauses)
| 4. I left while the children were playing outside and while it hadn’t started to rain. | Easy |
| A. I left while the children were playing outside and while it hadn’t started to rain. B. I left while the children were playing outside and during a clear weather. C. I left during the playing of children and while it hadn’t started to rain. D. None of the above |
View Answer
Answer: Option A
Explanation:
Option A is correct because both while the children were playing outside and while it hadn’t started to rain are parallel adverb clauses describing the verb left.
Concept: Parallelism (Adverb Clauses)
In the following question, fill in the blank to form a grammatically correct sentence.
| 5. She felt that Sarah had betrayed her by ___ Nancy. | Easy |
| A. siding with B. siding into C. siding onto D. siding along with |
View Answer
Answer: Option A
Explanation:
‘siding with’ is the correct usage.
Concept: Parts of Speech (Prepositions)
In the following questions, select the answer choice which is grammatically correct.
| 6. | Medium |
| A. How about that you write a letter to Santa to bring you your favourite toy this Christmas? B. How about that you writes a letter to Santa to bring you your favourite toy this Christmas? C. How about that you written a letter to Santa to bring you your favourite toy this Christmas? D. None of the above |
View Answer
Answer: Option A
Explanation:
Even though the subject you is singular, it takes a plural verb write.
Concept: Subject Verb Agreement
| 7. | Medium |
| A. Hungry, the pizza was devoured by us. B. We devoured the pizza hungry. C. Devoured, the pizza was by hungry us. D. Hungry, we devoured the pizza. |
View Answer
Answer: Option D
Explanation:
The modifier ‘Hungry’ should be placed next to what it is modifying i.e., ‘we’.
Concept: Misplaced Modifier
| 8. | Medium |
| A. The dog could have barked at the thief to alert its owner. B. The dogs could have barked at the thief to alert their owner. C. Both A & B D. Neither A nor B |
View Answer
Answer: Option C
Explanation:
Both the sentences are correct since the helping verb have stays unaffected by the subject dog(s) being singular or plural
Concept: Subject Verb Agreement
In the following questions, if required, replace the underlined part of the given sentence with the most appropriate answer choice:
| 9. David made enough blunders in the first project that his manager holds until last month he would never become an effective team leader. | Difficult |
| A. that the manager holds until last month he would never B. that the manager is holding until last month he would never C. that the manager held until last month he would never D. that the manager holds until last month he would not ever |
View Answer
Answer: Option C
Explanation:
Made and until last month tells the reader that the situation is set up in the past and there is no reason for a shift in tense.
Hence, Option C is the best answer in Past Simple Tense (Subject + V2).
Subject manager takes verb form V2 i.e. held
V1-V2-V3
Hold– Held – Held
Concept: Tenses
| 10. Kate was in the room when David told me about the incident, but Kate didn’t hear anything because she was not paying attention. | Difficult |
| A. had been, is not paying B. is, is not paying C. was, was not paying D. were, were not paying |
View Answer
Answer: Option C
Explanation:
Option A is rejected because had been (Past Perfect Tense) will imply that the situation is set up in the past. It will therefore be incongruent with is not paying (Present Continuous Tense).
Option B is rejected because told (Past Simple Tense) implies that the situation is set up in the past. It is therefore incongruent with is (Present Simple Tense).
Option D is rejected because Singular Subject Kate must take singular verbs was and was.
Option E is rejected because had come is changing the meaning of the given sentence.
Hence, Option C is the best answer that uses Past Simple Tense (Subject + V2) and Past Continuous Tense (Singular Subject + was + V1(-ing)).
Subject Kate takes verb form V2 i.e. was
V1-V2-V3 Be,Am,Is,Are– Was,Were – Been
Singular subject Kate takes verb form V1(-ing) i.e. paying
V1-V2-V3
Pay – Paid– Paid
Concept: Tenses