English Language

English Grammar and Usage

2,780 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 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.

Multiple choice types of sentences sentences english

Choose the option that contains copulative/cumulative main clauses:

  1. We got late for school today.

  2. Not only did we sell the house but also the furniture in it.

  3. I wanted to go to the funfair but my sister wouldn't join me.

  4. Paul almost rammed his car into a post.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

A compound sentence is made up of two independent clauses, which are complete sentences on their own. By copulative 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. From the options, B expresses an addition, "not only...but also" is a pair of coordinating conjunctions used to merely connect two clauses as an addition to each other. Hence B is correct. Option A and D contain simple sentences, hence they're incorrect.  Option C contains a pair of adversative clauses that express contrast "wanted to go", "sister didn't join", it does not contain cumulative clauses, hence C is incorrect.

Multiple choice types of sentences sentences english

Choose the sentence that is made up of Illative clause:

  1. There's a lot of pending work, so I shall stay back and finish it.

  2. Since Max has decided to take the kids out, I will enjoy being alone at home.

  3. Sheldon decided to take the day off and go to the beach.

  4. I will agree to partner with you, provided that I get equal shares of the company.
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. Illative compound sentences contain clauses where one is inferred or deduced from another; for example, "There's someone in the hall for the light is on", where "for" is an Illative conjunction. From the given options, A contains Illative clauses, as "I shall stay back and finish it" is concluded or inferred from the clause "There's a lot of pending work". Hence A is correct. Option B is a complex sentence, which expresses reason and not inference, whereas the required sentence must be compound. Hence B is incorrect. In C, the sentence contains a copulative clause (using the conjunction "and") that gives additional information while D is a complex sentence that is conditional in nature. Hence options C and D are also incorrect.

Multiple choice types of sentences sentences english

Given below are compound sentences, choose the option that expresses a contrast in meaning:

  1. I reached home and directly went for a shower.

  2. Neither did I go to the gym nor did I go for a swim.

  3. We're given only compound sentences whereas the question asks for a simple sentence.

  4. Stand up for yourself, for no one else will.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

A compound sentence is made up of two independent clauses, which are complete sentences on their own. Adversative compound sentences contain two ideas that contrast each other in meaning. The conjunctions used in such sentences include but, yet, still and so on. In option C the ideas "we're given only compound sentences" and "the question asks for a simple sentence" contrast each other, hence option C is correct. Option A expresses an addition, i.e., the ideas are merely connected, they are not related, hence A is incorrect. Option B expresses two alternatives in the negative and option D expresses inference. Hence they are not adversative and options B and D are incorrect.