English Language

English Grammar and Usage

2,711 Questions

English grammar and usage questions test fundamental sentence structure, correct verb forms, and accurate syntax. Topics include identifying grammatical errors, filling blanks with appropriate verbs, and changing narration. These are essential for the English language sections of competitive exams.

Verb FormsSentence CorrectionTense IdentificationNarration ChangeRelative PronounsSyntactic Productivity

English Grammar and Usage Questions

Multiple choice inverted commas/quotation marks punctuation english

"I read Louisa May Alcott's Little Women and loved it," I said.

Choose the option that best corrects the underlined words.

  1. NO CHANGE

  2. I read Louisa May Alcott's "Little Women" and loved it, I said.

  3. "I read Louisa May Alcott's "Little Women" and loved it," I said.

  4. "I read Louisa May Alcott's 'Little Women' and loved it," I said.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation
Quotation marks are used to cite direct quotes in a sentence. However, when a run-in quotation contains quotation marks within the quoted material itself, single quotation marks should be used in their place. Thus, in the given sentence, the title of the book, Little Women should be put within single quotes.
Thus, the correct answer is Option D.
Options B and D are incorrect. When the material being quoted contains a quotation within a quotation, double quotation marks are used.
Multiple choice inverted commas/quotation marks punctuation english

Choose the option that best corrects the underlined part of the sentence:
Really girls, you are both to be blamed, said Meg, beginning to lecture in her elder-sisterly fashion.

  1. "Really girls, you are both to be blamed," said Meg, "beginning to lecture in her elder-sisterly fashion."

  2. "Really girls, you are both to be blamed," said Meg, beginning to lecture in her elder-sisterly fashion.

  3. Really girls, you are both to be blamed, said Meg, " beginning to lecture in her elder-sisterly fashion."

  4. NO CHANGE
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation
Quotation marks are used to indicate material that is being reproduced word for word. In the given sentence, only the first part of the sentence is in direct form of speech and it should be enclosed within quotations. Thus, the correct answer is Option B,
Option A and C are incorrect because the part of the sentence that is not direct is also enclosed within quotation marks.
Option D does not enclose the direct speech within quotation marks.
Multiple choice inverted commas/quotation marks punctuation english

I stopped and asked her, do you not wish to live in your own country.

Choose the option that best corrects the underlined words.

  1. I stopped and asked her, do you not wish to live in your own country?

  2. I stopped and asked her, "Do you not wish to live in your own country?"

  3. I stopped and asked her, "Do you not wish to live in your own country!"

  4. NO CHANGE
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation
The given sentence cites direct words of a speaker, this speech should be enclosed within quotation marks. The speech is in the form of a question to the listener, such a sentence should end with a question mark. Thus, according to the rules, the correct form of writing the sentence will be, as given in Option B.
Option A is incorrect, as the direct speech is not enclosed within quotation marks.
Option C is incorrect, as exclamation marks are used to indicate a speech of strong feelings or high volume.
Multiple choice inverted commas/quotation marks punctuation english

Choose the option which correctly punctuates the sentence:

He wrote, "I will return soon," Jim said to me.

  1. NO CHANGE

  2. He wrote, "I will return soon, Jim said to me."

  3. "He wrote, 'I will return soon,' " Jim said to me.

  4. "He wrote, I will return soon," Jim said to me.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation
Quotation marks are used to indicate material that is being reproduced word for word. Quotes within quotation marks are marked using single quotes. Thus, the correct answer should be Option C.
Option A and B are incorrect as, the correct part of speech is not enclosed within quotation marks.
Option D is incorrect because the quote within the quotations is not punctuated correctly.
Multiple choice apostrophe mark punctuation english

Select the correctly punctuated sentence.

  1. That tall man, Paul's grandad, is this month's winner.

  2. That tall man Paul's grandad is this month's winner.

  3. That tall man, Paul's grandad, is this months winner.

  4. That tall man, Pauls grandad, is this month's winner.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The Genitive case is a grammatical case for nouns and pronouns. It is used to show possession, but it can also show source of thing or characteristic of something. Unlike Possessive case, which is only related to ownership.

  Genitive case involves adding an apostrophe followed by "s" to the end of noun.

Correct answer: option (A)
Reason:
  • Apostrophe is in correct place. (Paul's grandad= grandad of Paul ; month's winner= winner of the month)
  • Punctuation (comma) is in correct place.

Option (B) (C) (D) are incorrect.
Reason:
For option (B) - Punctuation (comma) is absent at required position. (Between words: man and Paul's ; Between words: grandad and is)
For option (C) - Apostrophe is absent before s in 'months'
For option (D) - Apostrophe is absent before s in 'Pauls'

Final answer; That tall man, Paul's grandad, is this month's winner.

Multiple choice apostrophe mark punctuation english

He passed through his father's alma mater, St. Pauls College, and got straight As.

Choose the option that best corrects the sentence.

  1. NO CHANGE

  2. He passed through his father's alma mater, St. Paul's College, and got straight As.

  3. He passed through his fathers alma mater, St Paul's College, and got straight As.

  4. He passed through his father's alma mater, St. Paul's College, and got straight A's.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation
According to general rule, the possessive of a singular noun is formed by adding an apostrophe and s, whether the singular noun ends in s or not. Therefore, in the given sentence, the possessive of the word father should be written as 'father's'.
The possessive is seldom used to form a plural noun. Thus, the plural of A can be written as 'A's'. 
Therefore, according to the rule, the correct answer will be Option D.
Multiple choice apostrophe mark punctuation english

The music we listened to at the Jones house was very popular in the 90s.

Choose the option that best corrects the sentence.

  1. The music we listened to at the Jones house was very popular in the 90's.

  2. The music we listened to at the Jones' house was very popular in the 90s.

  3. The music we listened to at the Jones's house was very popular in the 90's.

  4. NO CHANGE
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation
The general rule of using an apostrophe is that the possessive of a singular noun is formed by adding an apostrophe and s, whether the singular noun ends in a or not. In the given sentence, the noun is singular and so, an apostrophe and s should be added. 
An apostrophe is also sometimes used to pluralize a letter, sign or number. Therefore, in the given sentence, the plural of the year should be written as '90's'.
Thus, according to the rules, the correct answer is Option C and the other options are incorrect.

Multiple choice apostrophe mark punctuation english

Jenna was always careful to mind her Ps and Qs when her husbands mother visited her.

Choose the option that best corrects the sentence.

  1. Jenna was always careful to mind her P's and Q's when her husbands mother visited her.

  2. Jenna was always careful to mind her P's and Q's when her husband's mother visited her.

  3. Jenna was always careful to mind her Ps and Qs when her husbands' mother visited her.

  4. NO CHANGE
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The words 'mind one's P's and Q's' is an expression that means 'mind one's manners' or 'mind one's language'.
"P's and Q's" (or Ps and Qs) originally means 'pints and quarts'. These letters refer to plural words, and hence they are followed by apostrophes. However, many people leave out the apostrophe and let the 's' remain. But, it is preferred to keep the apostrophe '.
Option B: This option is correct because the apostrophes have been sufficiently placed, at "P's and Q's" and "husband's".  The apostrophe for husband denotes possession 'the mother of her husband'.
Option A is incorrect because the apostrophe ' after 'husbands' is missing.
Option C is incorrect because the apostrophe has been placed after 's'; it has changed 'husbands' to a plural noun, meaning that she has more than one husband. But, (even if that's the case), there's only one mother in question. Hence the sentence is ambiguous in meaning.
Option D is incorrect because the sentence requires change, at 'Ps and Qs' and 'husbands'.

Multiple choice apostrophe mark punctuation english

The childrens baseball bats and balls had been left in their uncles patio.

Choose the option that best corrects the sentence.

  1. The children's baseball bats and balls had been left in their uncle's patio.

  2. The children's baseball bats and balls had been left in their uncles patio.

  3. The childrens baseball bat's and ball's had been left in their uncles patio.

  4. NO CHANGE
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation
According to general rule, the possessive of singular nouns and plural nouns that do not end in s, use an apostrophe followed by s. However, the plural of nouns, like bat and ball, do not require an apostrophe. 
Thus, according to the rules, the correct answer will be Option A. The remaining options are incorrect.
Multiple choice apostrophe mark punctuation english

Choose the option that best corrects the sentence:
There are two new lady MPs in Johnsons party at Parliament.

  1. There are two new lady MP's in Johnson's party at Parliament.

  2. There are two new lady MP's in Johnsons party at Parliament.

  3. There are two new lady MPs in Johnson's party at Parliament.

  4. NO CHANGE
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation
According to general rule, the possessive of a singular noun is formed by adding an apostrophe and s, whether the singular noun ends in s or not. Therefore, in the given sentence, the possessive of the word Johnson should be written as 'Johnson's'.
The possessive is seldom used to form a plural noun. Thus, the plural of MP  can be written as 'MP's'.
Therefore, according to the rule, the correct answer will be Option C.
Multiple choice apostrophe mark punctuation english

Choose the option that best corrects the given sentence:
The ladies tennis clubs latest newsletter has news of their members latest achievements.

  1. NO CHANGE

  2. The lady's tennis clubs latest newsletter has news of their member's latest achievements.

  3. The ladies tennis club's latest newsletter has news of their members latest achievements.

  4. The ladies' tennis club's latest newsletter has news of their members' latest achievements.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation
Regular nouns are nouns that form their plurals by adding either the letter s or es (in the given sentence - ladies, members). According to general rule, an apostrophe after the s is used to indicate the plural possession of such regular nouns.
However, the possession of singular nouns require an apostrophe followed by s.
Thus, according to rules, the correct answer is Option C. The remaining options are incorrect.
Multiple choice

On Halloween kids go from door to door and say...

  1. "How are you?"

  2. "Good evening."

  3. "Trick or treat?"

  4. "Happy birthday!"
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

During Halloween, children participate in the tradition of trick-or-treating, where they visit houses and ask for candy by saying the phrase 'Trick or treat'.