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 types of sentences sentences english

Identify whether the following sentence is simple, compound or complex:

He neither slept at night nor did he finish the work.

  1. Simple

  2. Compound

  3. Complex - subordinate adverb clause

  4. Complex - subordinate adjective clause
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

A compound sentence has at least two independent clauses. Here the two clauses are, "he...night" and "he...work". Hence, Option B is correct. The rest of the options do not correctly denote the sentence, hence incorrect. 

Multiple choice types of sentences sentences english

Identify whether the following sentence is simple, compound or complex:

I waited for Mary at the train station but she had already left.

  1. Complex - subordinate noun clause

  2. Complex - subordinate adjective clause

  3. Simple

  4. Compound
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

A compound sentence has at least two independent clauses. Here the two clauses are, "I..station" and "she...left". Hence, Option D is correct. The rest of the options do not correctly denote the sentence, hence incorrect. 

Multiple choice types of sentences sentences english

Identify the principal or main clause in the following sentence:

The moon was low and the light was dim.

  1. the moon was low

  2. the light was dim

  3. the moon

  4. the light
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A,B Correct answer
Explanation

Principal clauses form a complete sentence and can stand alone without any extra information. Here both "the moon was low" and "the light was dim" make complete independent sentences, hence Option A and B are correct. The rest of the options do not adhere to the goal, hence incorrect. 

Multiple choice types of sentences sentences english

Identify the principal or main clause in the following sentence:

The lights were turned on and the doors were opened.

  1. The lights

  2. the doors

  3. the lights were turned on

  4. the doors were opened
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C,D Correct answer
Explanation

Principal clauses form a complete sentence and can stand alone without any extra information. Here both "the lights...on" and "the doors were opened" make complete independent sentences, hence Option C and D are correct. The rest of the options do not adhere to the goal, hence incorrect. 

Multiple choice types of sentences sentences english

Identify the principal or main clause in the following sentence:

The children played in the garden and their parents ate lunch.

  1. The children played

  2. The children played in the garden

  3. their parents ate

  4. their parents ate lunch
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B,D Correct answer
Explanation

Principal clauses form a complete sentence and can stand alone without any extra information. Here both "the children...garden" and "their...lunch" make complete independent sentences, hence Options B and D are correct. The rest of the options do not adhere to the goal, hence incorrect. 

Multiple choice types of sentences sentences english

Combine the given sentences by using an infinitive:
Every man should do his duty. Our country expects this.

  1. Our country expects that every man does his duty.

  2. Our country expects no man to do his duties.

  3. Our country expects that every man in the country does their duty.

  4. Our country expects every man to do his duty.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

An infinitive form is to+verb in present tense. Here, the main verb is do and infinitive is "to do". Hence, Option D is correct. The rest of The options do not adhere to the goal and use conjunctions, hence incorrect. 

Multiple choice types of sentences sentences english

Identify a dependent or subordinate clause in the following sentence:
This is the bungalow that I built.

  1. This is

  2. bungalow that I built.

  3. This is the bungalow

  4. that I built.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Subordinate clauses start with conjunctions or prepositions and cannot exist without the on the main clause. Here “that I built” is dependent on “This is the bungalow”. Hence, Option D is correct. The rest of the options do not fit this description, hence incorrect.

Multiple choice types of sentences sentences english

Identify a dependent or subordinate clause in the following sentence:
Donald went to the market before he left for New Jersey.

  1. for New Jersey.

  2. before he left for New Jersey.

  3. Donald went to the market

  4. went to the market
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Subordinate clauses start with conjunctions or prepositions and cannot exist without the on the main clause. Here “before... Jersey” is dependent on “Donald...market”. Hence, Option B is correct. The rest of the options do not fit this description, hence incorrect.

Multiple choice types of sentences sentences english

Identify a dependent or subordinate clause in the following sentence:
You can keep your job as long as you perform.

  1. You can keep your job

  2. as long as

  3. as long as you perform.

  4. you perform
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Subordinate clauses start with conjunctions or prepositions and cannot exist without the on the main clause. Here “as...perform” is dependent on “You ...job”. Hence, Option C is correct. The rest of the options do not fit this description, hence incorrect.

Multiple choice types of sentences sentences english

Identify a dependent or subordinate clause in the following sentence:
They rested for some time when the morning arrived.

  1. They rested for some time

  2. the morning arrived.

  3. They rested

  4. when the morning arrived.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Subordinate clauses start with conjunctions or prepositions and cannot exist without the on the main clause. Here “when...arrived” is dependent on “They...time”. Hence, Option D is correct. The rest of the options do not fit this description, hence incorrect.

Multiple choice types of sentences sentences english

Identify a dependent or subordinate clause in the following sentence:
I knew the game was going to be an exciting one when Roger took his first swing.

  1. I knew the game was going to be an exciting one

  2. when Roger took his first swing.

  3. was going to be an exciting one

  4. took his first swing.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Subordinate clauses start with conjunctions or prepositions and cannot exist without the on the main clause. Here “when...swing” is dependent on “I...one”. Hence, Option B is correct. The rest of the options do not fit this description, hence incorrect.

Multiple choice types of sentences sentences english

Identify the dependent/subordinate clause in the following sentence:
Even though the salad was covered in feta cheese, Edward did not eat it.

  1. salad was covered in feta cheese

  2. Edward did not eat it.

  3. Even though the salad was covered in feta cheese

  4. was covered in feta cheese
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Subordinate clauses start with conjunctions or prepositions and cannot exist without the on the main clause. Here “even...cheese” is dependent on “Edward...it”. Hence, Option C is correct. The rest of the options do not fit this description, hence incorrect.

Multiple choice types of sentences sentences english

Identify a dependent or subordinate clause in the following sentence:
While Patrick slept on the sofa in front of the television, Meredith, the family dog, gnawed on the leg of the dinner table.

  1. While Patrick slept on the sofa in front of the television

  2. Meredith, the family dog, gnawed on the leg of the dinner table.

  3. in front of the television

  4. While Patrick slept
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Subordinate clauses start with conjunctions or prepositions and cannot exist without the on the main clause. Here “while...television” is dependent on “Meredith...table”. Hence, Option A is correct. The rest of the options do not fit this description, hence incorrect.

Multiple choice types of sentences sentences english

Identify the type of sentence given:
The brothers Robert and Ray went to the Carnival on Saturday evening.

  1. Compound Sentence

  2. Simple sentence

  3. Complex sentence

  4. Clause
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The given sentence is a simple sentence. There is only one finite verb in the sentence and, thus, only one clause. Thus, Option B is the correct answer.

Multiple choice types of sentences sentences english

Choose the option that contains the cumulative main clauses in the given sentence:
Hollie went to the market and bought some fruit and sausages.

  1. First main clause: Hollie went to the market; Second main clause: [Hollie] bought some fruit and sausages

  2. First main clause: Hollie went to the market and bought some fruit; Second main clause: sausages

  3. First main clause: Hollie went to the market and bought; Second main clause: some fruit and sausages

  4. None of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

A compound sentence is made up of two independent clauses, which are complete sentences on their own. By cumulative compound sentences, we refer to those clauses which are mere additions to each other, as a part of a whole sentence. They do not affect each other in terms of meaning. Conjunctions that add such clauses include also, and, too and so on. The given sentence is compound, it was initially two sentences connected as one. Generally, while combining, when the subject is the same in both sentences, it is written only once; it can be repeated again by replacing it with a pronoun. The first clause begins with the subject, "Hollie" and the second begins with the verb "bought", as the subject is already implied in the second clause, hence option A is correct. Option B is incorrect because a single word (sausages) cannot be a clause; a clause must contain a subject and a verb. Option C is incorrect because both the verbs (went and bought) are included in the first clause, the second is not a clause as it contains neither subject nor verb. Option D is incorrect because the correct answer lies in A.