100
Multiple Choice Questions on English Grammar
Andreas Nordin
100 Multiple Choice Questions on English Grammar © October 2007, Andreas Nordin 100 Multiple Choice Questions on English Grammar
Choose the correct answer – only one – for each question.
1 In which sentence is the verb do used in a do-construction?
a) Do come and see me! b) Don’t come and see me! c) He said he’d come and see me and so he did.
2 Which sentence contains a Complement (Sw. predikatsfyllnad)?
a) What are you doing? b) Are you lonesome tonight? c) Will you be there for me?
3 Which statement about Verb Phrases (VP) is correct?
a) The finite verb is always the first verb in a VP. b) The finite verb can appear anywhere in a VP. c) The finite verb is always the last verb in a VP.
4 Which sentence contains an adverb?
a) I’ll talk to her tomorrow. b) I’ll talk to her when she returns from Spain. c) I’ll talk to her about it one of these days.
5 Which sentence contains an adverb?
a) You’re early! b) This happened in the early 1960s. c) He started composing as early as 1985.
6 Which sentence contains an adjective?
a) How fast was she going? b) My watch must be fast. c) Mary’s wedding day was fast approaching.
7 In which sentence is down a preposition?
a) Are you feeling a bit down? b) Hundreds died when the ferry went down. c) A pretty woman was walking down the street.
1 8 Which sentence contains a Noun Phrase without a premodifier?
a) There were some difficult questions. b) All the ten paintings have been stolen. c) I like Australian wines.
9 Which sentence contains a conjunction?
a) Did Peter leave a message before he left? b) This is just the calm before the storm. c) I’ve never been here before.
10 Which sentence contains the progressive form?
a) She’s good at being bad. b) The lectures have been very interesting. c) I’ll be watching you.
11 Which sentence contains a past participle?
a) The meeting has been put off. b) Don’t put all your eggs into one basket. c) We put up with that car for years!
12 Which group of words consists of possessive pronouns only?
a) me, you, her, us, ours, your b) theirs, mine, its, our, my, his c) her, his, them, yours, their, ours
13 Which sentence contains Noun Phrases with specific reference?
a) A beaver has built a dam. b) A beaver builds dams. c) Beavers build dams.
14 Which sentence contains a subjective genitive?
a) I need my father’s permission to do this. b) This is a women’s college. c) My sister’s husband is a generous man.
15 What is meant by zero plural?
a) No plural is possible. b) No singular is possible. c) The plural is identical to the singular.
2 16 Which statement about the definite article (the) is correct?
a) It only has generic reference. b) It has both generic and specific reference. c) It only has specific reference.
17 Which sentence contains a passive construction?
a) I was very surprised to hear that. b) She was being stalked by an obsessive fan. c) He was driving a stolen car.
18 Which sentence contains a Noun Phrase with a postmodifier?
a) Have you seen that girl with red hair before? b) We parked the car outside the station. c) There was a small cottage on the heath.
19 Which sentence contains an auxiliary verb?
a) I do most of my shopping online. b) She was determined to win. c) I am dreaming of a white Christmas.
20 In which sentence is there an adverb that functions as a premodifier of an adjective?
a) We arrived too late. b) This disease can be detected at a very early stage. c) Much later I discovered that the money was gone.
21 Which sentence contains the present perfect?
a) How many driving lessons have you had so far? b) I had never been there before. c) I had my audience listening attentively.
22 Which sentence contains a relative pronoun?
a) Which jacket is yours? b) Houses which overlook the lake cost more. c) I don’t know which method is the best.
23 Which sentence contains an interrogative pronoun?
a) She’s a woman whose opinion I respect. b) I do not know to whom I should address this letter. c) Mary, who is my sister, is a teacher.
3 24 Which of the following pronouns can be both a personal and possessive pronoun?
a) her b) its c) their
25 In which sentence is that a conjunction?
a) Have you seen that film before? b) Is it true that you used to be a rocket scientist? c) Is this the train that stops at Lewes?
26 Which sentence contains the past perfect?
a) She had caught the flu. b) She would catch the flu. c) She has caught the flu.
27 Which group of words contains a demonstrative pronoun?
a) herself, yours, any, one another, you, whose b) ours, themselves, nobody, whom, I, both c) mine, himself, these, some, each other, them
28 In which sentence can the relative pronoun who be replaced by whom?
a) Peter, who is my eldest brother, is a carpenter. b) The man who has robbed you has been arrested. c) She was engaged to a sailor who she had met the year before.
29 Which sentence contains the future perfect?
a) By that time she had left. b) By that time she will have left. c) By that time she would have left.
30 In which sentence is to a preposition?
a) To be or not to be, that is the question. b) I’m looking forward to that. c) It appears advisable to compromise.
31 Which sentence contains the future in the past?
a) He said he’d do it. b) He says he’ll do it. c) He said he’d done it.
4 32 Which sentence contains an emphatic do?
a) Did I say that? b) I didn’t say that. c) I did say that.
33 In which sentence can the relative pronoun which be replaced by that?
a) I will tell you the first thing which I can remember. b) She was late, which surprised me. c) The planets orbit the Sun, which is a star.
34 When can a relative pronoun be left out?
a) If it is the Object in a non-restrictive relative clause. b) If it is the Object in a restrictive relative clause. c) If it is the Object in either a restrictive or non-restrictive relative clause.
35 In which sentence can the relative pronoun be left out?
a) This is David, who I told you about. b) There’s a woman here who wants to talk to you. c) The man who I saw was an escaped convict.
36 Which statement about uncountable nouns is correct?
a) They never have a plural form but can be constructed with a verb in the plural. b) They can never be constructed with the definite article. c) If they are replaced by a personal pronoun, the pronoun must be it, never they/them.
37 Which statement about the suffix -ly is correct?
a) It is used exclusively to form adjectives. b) It is used to form both adjectives and adverbs. c) It is used exclusively to form adverbs.
38 Which sentence contains the present perfect?
a) I’ve been thinking it over. b) I was talking to Jennie the other day. c) I was tired because I’d been working since dawn.
39 Which sentence contains a nominalized adjective?
a) I like classical music more than modern. b) I prefer the blue car to the red. c) I fear the worst.
5 40 One of the following sentences has the following structure: Noun Phrase + Verb Phrase + Noun Phrase + Adjective Phrase Which?
a) We consider this too difficult. b) I’ll see you tomorrow. c) The boy squeezed the girl’s hand hard.
41 Which sentence contains an indirect question?
a) ‘Who is she?’ he asked. b) I met someone who said he knew you. c) I don’t know who she is.
42 Which sentence contains a that-clause?
a) Look at that man over there. b) Where are the letters that came yesterday. c) It’s possible that she hasn’t received my letter.
43 Which sentence does not contain a that-clause?
a) Have you forgotten about that money I lent you last week? b) I know that money isn’t everything. c) We were taken aback by the news that she had won.
44 In which sentence is the verb be used as a main verb?
a) You’ll be met at the station. b) Are you coming with us? c) The town is five miles away.
45 One sentence below does not have the following structure: Subject + Verb + Complement Which?
a) She’s grown old. b) She turned round. c) She appeared quick.
46 One sentence below has the following structure: Subject + Verb + Direct Object + Object Complement Which?
a) She pushed the cart in front of her. b) She pushed the door open. c) She pushed him away.
6 47 Which sentence contains an Adverbial?
a) Yesterday was a lovely day. b) We left at dawn. c) Do you know the woman over there?
48 Which sentence does not contain a Direct Object?
a) Which is the better exercise – swimming or tennis? b) What did you say? c) Who did you invite to the party?
49 Which sentence contains an absolute superlative?
a) This is a very interesting idea. b) This is a most interesting idea. c) This is the most interesting idea.
50 In which sentence is the pronoun it used as a Preparatory Subject?
a) It is the first of April. b) It is the results that matter. c) It is a pity that you have to leave.
51 In which sentence is there used as a Preparatory Subject?
a) There you are. b) There goes the last bus. c) There’s nothing to be said.
52 Which sentence contains a prepositional verb?
a) He packed up his things and left. b) We have to deal with this matter right away. c) You could fill in an application form now.
53 Which sentence contains a phrasal verb (i.e. verb + adverb)?
a) I tried to fight back my tears. b) The committee is looking into the matter. c) I approve of their action.
54 Word order: Which sentence illustrates full inversion (Subject-Verb inversion)?
a) Only last week did she recover. b) Down came the rain. c) Off you go.
7 55 What is the syntactic function of the underlined subclause in the following sentence? Would you mind moving your car?
a) Subject b) Object c) Complement
56 What phrase type is the underlined part in the following sentence? That is not very likely.
a) A Prepositional Phrase b) An Adjective Phrase c) An Adverb Phrase
57 In which sentence is high an adjective?
a) She lifted her arms high. b) You must aim high if you want to succeed. c) The wall is too high to climb.
58 Word order: Which sentence illustrates partial inversion?
a) Never have I seen him so angry. b) Here are some examples. c) Yesterday we went to the beach.
59 What phrase type is the underlined part in the following sentence? If you want to find oil, you have to dig much deeper.
a) An Adjective Phrase b) An Noun Phrase c) An Adverb Phrase
60 Which sentence contains a nominalized adjective?
a) I don’t believe in the supernatural. b) All the persons present were in favour of the proposal. c) Is this English cheese or Dutch?
61 In which sentence does the definite article have generic reference?
a) The audience clapped and cheered. b) I didn’t like the music in that film. c) Many people depend on the car as their only means of transport.
8 62 Which statement about the indefinite article is correct?
a) It only has generic reference. b) It has both generic and specific reference. c) It only has specific reference.
63 What is the syntactic function of the underlined subclause in the following sentence? It isn’t easy being a genius.
a) Subject b) Object c) Complement
64 In which sentence does the indefinite article have generic reference?
a) We took a walk round the garden. b) I’ve found a great spot for our picknick. c) A dog needs regular exercise.
65 One group of words below contains demonstrative, indefinite and reciprocal pronouns only. Which?
a) many, these, several, that, each other, ourselves, a few b) many, her, several, that, each other, none, a few c) many, these, several, that, each other, none, a few
66 Which sentence contains an imperative?
a) God save the Queen! b) Never say never! c) Bless you for coming, all of you!
67 Which sentence contains a past participle clause?
a) I have a cat who is called Tosca. b) I have a cat called Tosca. c) My cat is called Tosca.
68 Which sentence contains an interrogative subclause?
a) You can stay if you like. b) I don’t know if he’s married. c) If necessary, I can help you.
9 69 Which form is a comparative?
a) worse b) far c) least
70 In which sentence is the adverb naturally in medial position?
a) Naturally I took the blame. b) She doesn’t behave naturally. c) I naturally said no.
71 What is the syntactic function of the past participle clause in the following sentence? Used economically, one tin will last for six weeks.
a) Premodifier b) Adverbial c) Subject
72 Which group of words consists of subordinating conjunctions only?
a) because, and, unless, since, when b) although, or, if, as though, so that c) because, when, until, after, whenever
73 In which sentence is the adverb clearly in initial position?
a) Clearly, this is wrong. b) I clearly made a mistake. c) I can see you clearly.
74 Which sentence contains an interrogative subclause?
a) This is the shop where I buy most of my clothes. b) Where we go from here is your problem. c) ‘Where have you been?’ she asked angrily.
75 Which sentence contains a subjunctive?
a) This may or may not be true. b) If I were richer, I’d buy a castle. c) Be nice now!
10 76 Which of the relative pronouns below can have both a personal and non-personal antecedent?
a) whose b) who c) whom
77 Which sentence does not contain a passive construction?
a) The fox got caught in the trap. b) He was seen as a sort of clown. c) She got very upset.
78 In which sentence is the adverb however in final position?
a) This is wrong however. b) This, however, is wrong. c) However this is wrong.
79 What is the syntactic function of the -ing clause in the following sentence? Getting bigger will only make him more dangerous.
a) Adverbial b) Subject c) Complement
80 The underlined verb form in the following sentence is the simple present. Why is it used? I’ll ring you up when I get there.
a) The verb appears in a temporal subclause. b) The verb appears in a main clause and the meaning is ‘according to plan, timetable’. c) The verb appears in a conditional subclause.
81 Why is the definite article and not a possessive pronoun used in the following sentence? The boy was patted on the head.
a) Active clause, the Object is the owner. b) Active clause, the Subject is the owner. c) It is a passive clause.
82 In which sentence is when not a conjunction?
a) Do you know when these houses were built? b) When she saw me, she waved. c) I had scarcely got home when it began to rain.
11 83 Which sentence contains a phrasal verb (i.e. verb + adverb)?
a) Who’ll look after the children? b) She turned on the lights. c) Don’t call on Monday.
84 Which sentence contains a prepositional verb?
a) Look behind you! b) I’ve persuaded my wife to give up smoking. c) I’m looking for Joe.
85 In which sentence is it used as a Preparatory Subject?
a) It was John who suggested it. b) It rained for four days. c) It’s probable that we’ll be a little late.
86 Which sentence contains a cleft construction (is a cleft sentence)?
a) It’s your brother I want to speak to. b) It gets dark at around five. c) It’s nice to be home again.
87 Which sentence does not contain an infinitive?
a) How should I know? b) The panel demanded that the report be made public. c) She helped him choose some new clothes.
88 What type of condition is illustrated by the following sentence? If I had a map I would lend it to you.
a) rejected condition b) open condition c) hypothetical condition
89 Which sentence is not a conditional sequence (i.e. a sentence with a conditional clause)?
a) I wonder if she noticed. b) If you like I’ll put in a word for you. c) Unless you start at once you’ll be late.
90 Why is the definite article and not a possessive pronoun used in the following sentence? She kissed me on the cheek.
a) Active clause, the Subject is the owner. b) Active clause, the Object is the owner. c) It is a passive clause.
12 91 Which sentence illustrates the emphatic use of a reflexive pronoun?
a) I cut myself. b) She addressed the envelope to herself. c) He prides himself on doing a good job.
92 Which example contains a reporting clause?
a) I was told not to open the door. b) She said I wasn’t to open the door. c) ‘Don’t open the door,’ she said.
93 Which sentence contains a proper noun?
a) The professor was from Sweden. b) The professor was Swedish. c) The professor was a Swede.
94 Which statement about the definite article is correct?
a) The definite article is usually not used with uncountable nouns that have a generic meaning. b) The definite article is usually not used with singular countable nouns that have a generic meaning. c) The definite article is usually not used with uncountable nouns that have a specific meaning.
95 What three forms constitute the principal parts of a verb?
a) 1st form: the past tense; 2nd form: the infinitive; 3rd form: the present participle b) 1st form: the present tense; 2nd form: the past tense; 3rd form: the present perfect c) 1st form: the infinitive; 2nd form: the past tense; 3rd form: the past particple.
96 Which sentence contains a clause of concession?
a) Although you don’t like him you can still be polite. b) We did it because we felt it our duty. c) He climbed up the tree so that he could see the match free.
97 Which sentence contains a clause of purpose?
a) Since it was Saturday, John stayed in bed an extra hour. b) Leave the keys out so that I remember to take them with me. c) She kept her coat on, although it was warm in the room.
13 98 Which of the following verbs is usually followed by an -ing form?
a) dislike b) help c) attempt
99 What is the function of it in the following sentence? It’s forty miles to Brighton.
a) It is a Preparatory Subject. b) It is an identifying it. c) It is a non-referential it.
100 What is syntax?
a) The scientific study of language and its structure. b) The study of sentence structure. c) The study of the forms of the words, especially inflected forms.
14 100 Multiple Choice Questions on English Grammar K E Y
1 b 21 a 41 c 61 c 81 c 2 b 22 b 42 c 62 b 82 a 3 a 23 b 43 a 63 a 83 b 4 a 24 a 44 c 64 c 84 c 5 c 25 b 45 b 65 c 85 c 6 b 26 a 46 b 66 b 86 a 7 c 27 c 47 b 67 b 87 b 8 b 28 c 48 a 68 b 88 c 9 a 29 b 49 b 69 a 89 a 10 c 30 b 50 c 70 c 90 b 11 a 31 a 51 c 71 b 91 b 12 b 32 c 52 b 72 c 92 c 13 a 33 a 53 a 73 a 93 a 14 a 34 b 54 b 74 b 94 a 15 c 35 c 55 b 75 b 95 c 16 b 36 c 56 b 76 a 96 a 17 b 37 b 57 c 77 c 97 b 18 a 38 a 58 a 78 a 98 a 19 c 39 c 59 c 79 b 99 c 20 b 40 a 60 a 80 a 100 b