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

I _____ ____ _____ the letter since morning.

  1. has been writing

  2. have been writing

  3. had been write

  4. was been write

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Present perfect continuous 'have been writing' shows an action continuing from past to present. 'Since morning' establishes the starting point. First-person 'I' requires auxiliary 'have'. The action of writing began in the morning and continues now.

Multiple choice

When I arrived, Albin ______ just ______.

  1. has, left

  2. had, left

  3. had, leave

  4. have, left
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The Past Perfect expresses the idea that something occurred before another action in the past.... so had left is the correct option. He 'had left' happened before I arrived.

Multiple choice

I came after, he ______ ______.

  1. has, gone

  2. had, gone

  3. have, gone

  4. have, went

  5. have, go
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Past perfect 'had gone' is required because one past event happened before another past event. 'I came after' (past simple) establishes the later past time, so the earlier action needs past perfect. 'He had gone before I came' is the logical sequence.

Multiple choice

He said that he ______ in England for ten years.

  1. had, be

  2. has been

  3. had, been

  4. have, been

  5. is, been

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Reported speech about past time requires past perfect. 'He said' is past reporting verb, so the reported action shifts further back: 'He said that he had been in England for ten years.' Past perfect shows the action was completed before the speaking event.

Multiple choice

They _____ ____ _____ tomorrow.

  1. will, traveling

  2. will, be, traveling

  3. will, been, travel

  4. will have, been

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The future continuous tense 'will be traveling' describes an action that will be in progress at a specific time in the future (tomorrow). Option A is missing the auxiliary verb 'be', while Option C incorrectly uses 'been' (requires 'have'), and Option D uses future perfect instead of continuous.

Multiple choice

Directions: Choose the right option for the underlined sentence:

Good luck Susan.

  1. S'il vous plaît or s'il te plaît Susan.

  2. Ả bien tôt Susan.

  3. Bonne chance Susan.

  4. Bienvenue Susan.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

This is a French translation question. 'Good luck Susan' translates to 'Bonne chance Susan' in French. Bonne = good (feminine form to agree with chance), chance = luck. The other options are incorrect: S'il vous plaît is 'please', À bien tôt is incorrect phrasing, and Bienvenue means 'welcome' (greeting someone).

Multiple choice

Directions: Change the narration.

He said, “I saw a book here.”

  1. He said that he saw a book.

  2. He said that he saw a book there.

  3. He said that he had seen a book here.

  4. He said that he had seen a book there.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

When the reported verb is in past indefinite tense and the reported speech is also in the past tense, we use past perfect tense for the reported speech in indirect narration. Moreover, 'here' becomes 'there'. So, option 4 is correct.

Multiple choice

Directions: Change the narration.

She said, "Two and two makes four."

  1. She told that two and two make four.

  2. She said that two and two made four.

  3. She said that two and two makes four.

  4. She told that two and two made four.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

'Told' takes an object with it which is missing here. The tense of reported speech does not change in case of a fact or a universal truth.

Multiple choice

Directions: Change the narration.

He asked her if she was coming to the party.

  1. He said to her, “Are you coming to the party?"

  2. He told her if she was coming to the party.

  3. He told to her if she was coming to the party.

  4. He asked her, “Are you coming to the party?"
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Options 2 and 3 are not in direct narration. In direct narration, we prefer 'said' to 'asked' in the reported verb. So, option 1 is the correct answer.

Multiple choice

Directions: Change the narration.

He said that he cleans his teeth twice a day.

  1. He said, “I clean my teeth twice a day."

  2. He said, “I clean my teeth twice in a day."

  3. He says, “I clean my teeth twice a day."

  4. He says, “I clean my teeth twice."
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

If the reported speech in direct speech is in past tense, it remains in the same tense in indirect narration. When changing from direct to indirect speech or vice versa, the words remain the same. So, 'twice a day' is the correct usage.