English Language

English Grammar and Usage

1,563 Questions

English grammar and usage form a critical component of language sections in competitive exams. This hub provides practice with fill in the blanks, prepositions, and appropriate word selection. Strong grammar skills are necessary to score well in verbal ability tests.

Fill in the blanksPrepositions usageConjunctions selectionSentence correction

English Grammar and Usage Questions

Multiple choice

Directions: In the given question, select the option that expresses the central idea in the most clear, concise and correct manner.

  1. The phenomena of public education is another example of the workings of democracy.

  2. The phenomena of public education is yet another example of democracy at work.

  3. The phenomena of public education is another example of how democracy works.

  4. The phenomenon of public education is another example of democracy at work.

  5. Public education, a phenomenon, is another working example of democracy.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Take note of the lack of agreement in number between the subject (phenomena) and the verb (is) because phenomena is plural (phenomenon is singular). The error eliminates choice (2) and (3). Choice (5) is rather roundabout. Choice (4) is correct. Answer: (4)

Multiple choice

Setting a record for most hits in a day, the posting of the video of Michael Jackson's rehearsal of 'They don't care about us' on Youtube in July 2009, helped reaffirm him as a crowd-puller, even in death.

  1. Setting a record for most hits in a day, the posting of the video of Michael Jackson's rehearsal of 'They don't care about us' on Youtube in July 2009, helped reaffirm him as a crowd-puller, even in death.

  2. Posted on Youtube in July 2009, the video of Michael Jackson rehearsing 'They don't care about us' set a record for most hits in a day: it helped reaffirm Michael Jackson as a crowd-puller, even in death.

  3. The rehearsal of 'They don't care about us', posted on Youtube set a record of most hits in a day in July 2009 and reaffirmed Michael Jackson as a crowd-puller, even in death.

  4. Helping to reaffirm Michael Jackson as a crowd puller, even in death, was the hosting of the video of him rehearsing 'They don't care about us' on Youtube in July 2009; it set a record for the most number of hits in a day.

  5. The hosting on Youtube in July 2009 of the video of Michael Jackson rehearsing 'They don't care about us' set the record for the most hits in a day, helping reaffirm Michael Jackson as a crowd puller, even in death.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Correct. The option correctly refers to the video as setting the record for most hits in a day. Also, the option removes the un-idiomatic 'rehearsal of' and replaces it with the correct word, 'rehearsing'.

Multiple choice

For centuries, the confusion as to if plants employed self-pollination or cross-pollination confounded the budding science of botany; however, recent research suggest that pollen is transferred by both self pollination and by cross pollination.

  1. the confusion as to if plants employed self-pollination or cross-pollination confounded the budding science of botany; however, recent research suggest that pollen is transferred by both

  2. the confusion as to whether plants employed self-pollination or cross-pollination confounded budding botanists; however, recent research suggest that pollen is transferred by both

  3. the confusion as to whether plants employed self-pollination or cross-pollination confounded budding botanists; however, recent research suggests that pollen is transferred both by

  4. the confusion if plants employed self-pollination or cross-pollination confounded budding botanists; however, recent research is suggesting that pollen is transferred both by

  5. the confusion as to whether plants employed self-pollination or cross-pollination confounded the budding science of botany, however, recent research suggests that pollen is transferred both by
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Correct. The option removes the errors of unidiomatic use by replacing 'as to if' with 'as to whether'. Also, the option substitutes 'budding science of botany' with 'budding botanists'. Also, the option removes the subject-verb error by giving singular verb, 'suggests' for research - a singular subject.

Multiple choice

Directions: This question presents a sentence, all or part of which is underlined. Beneath the sentence you will find five ways of phrasing the underlined part. The first of these repeats the original; the other four are different. If you think the original is best, choose the first answer; otherwise choose one of the others.

Many cardiologists now believe that a sedentary life-style and not faulty food habits are the major reason of heart strokes.

  1. believe that a sedentary life-style and not faulty food habits are

  2. believe that sedentary life-styles but not faulty food habits are

  3. believe that it is sedentary life-style but not faulty food habits that are

  4. believe that sedentary life-styles and not faulty food habits are

  5. believe that a sedentary life-style and not faulty food habits is

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

The latter part of the sentence concludes that 'life style' is the major 'reason' (not reasons) for the problem. This implies that the subject is singular, and so the verb 'are' should be changed to 'is'. This option corrects the error.

Multiple choice

Directions: This question presents a sentence, all or part of which is underlined. Beneath the sentence you will find five ways of phrasing the underlined part. The first of these repeats the original; the other four are different. If you think the original is best, choose the first answer; otherwise choose one of the others.

Because cows often need to survive on low quality food, they need a way to extract maximum nutrition from the food they eat before being excreted, and therefore, cows have a special stomach called rumen in which food is repeatedly masticated and chewed

  1. they need a way to extract maximum nutrition from the food they eat before being excreted, and therefore, cows have a special stomach called rumen in which food is repeatedly masticated and chewed

  2. they need a way to extract maximum nutrition from the food they eat before it being excreted, and therefore, cows have a special stomach called rumen in which food is repeatedly masticated and chewed

  3. they need a way to extract maximum nutrition from the food they eat before being excreted, and therefore, cows have a special stomach called rumen by which food is repeatedly masticated after being chewed

  4. they need a way to extract maximum nutrition from the food they have eaten before it is excreted, and therefore, cows have a special stomach called rumen in which food is repeatedly masticated after being chewed

  5. they need a way to extract maximum nutrition from the food they eat before it is excreted, and therefore, cows have a special stomach called rumen in which food is repeatedly masticated after being chewed
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
E Correct answer
Explanation

Correct; corrects the antecedent error by adding 'it' before excreted to denote food; clarifies that food is repeatedly masticated AFTER being chewed

Multiple choice

Scientists predict that a jump in the national population growth rate of just two percent could require China to more than double its average agricultural production annually in ten years time.

  1. a jump in the national population growth rate of just two percent could require China to more than double its average agricultural production annually

  2. a jump of just two percent in its national population growth rate could require China to more than double its average annual agricultural production

  3. a jump in the national population growth rate by just two percent could require China to more than double its average annual agricultural production

  4. China would be required to more than double its average agricultural production annually to meet a jump of just two percent in its national population growth rate
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Correct. The option removes the error of misplaced modifier by putting 'a jump of just two percent' next to 'China's population growth rate'. By specifying that it is China's (its) population growth rate that is being talked about, the ambiguity regarding whose growth rate is being talked about is also eliminated. The placement of 'annual' makes clear that China would need to more than double its average agricultural production in ten years time.

Multiple choice

While all humans face similar emotional upheavals, the innate character and forbearance of the humans determines the nature and intensity of the reaction, as well as the impact on the quality of life.

  1. all humans face similar emotional upheavals, the innate character and forbearance of the humans determines

  2. each human faces similar emotional upheavals, the innate character and forbearance determine

  3. all humans face similar emotional upheaval, their innate character and forbearance determines

  4. each human faces similar emotional upheavals, the innate character and forbearance of each human determines

  5. all humans face similar emotional upheavals, the innate character and forbearance of each human determine
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
E Correct answer
Explanation

Correct. The option removes the subject verb agreement error and uses plural verb - determine - for a complex subject. Also, by using 'each' to segregate human beings, the option removes any ambiguity in the original sentence.

Multiple choice

The results of the team's restructuring efforts are evident in its performance in the sporting arena, which peaked during the last few months of this season after it fell over the last few seasons.

  1. arena, which peaked during the last few months of this season after it fell

  2. arena, which had peaked during the last few months of this season after it had fallen

  3. arena, which has peaked during the last few months of this season after falling

  4. arena; their performance has peaked during the last few months of this season after falling
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Correct. The option corrects the error of Tense Usage by using the Present Perfect Tense for an action that is completed at the time of speaking (performance has peaked). The option also removes the Error of using Simple Past (it fell) and replaces it with a phrase that uses Past Progressive Tense (was falling)

Multiple choice

Ang Lee is one of the first director's to acknowledge human emotions as being worthy subjects for movies and documentaries and handle these with finesse and sensitivity.

  1. first director's to acknowledge human emotions as being worthy subjects for movies and documentaries and handle these

  2. first directors to acknowledge human emotions to be worthy subject for movies and documentaries and to handle them

  3. first director's to acknowledge human emotions to be worthy subjects for movies and documentaries and handle them

  4. first directors to acknowledge human emotions worthy subjects for movies and documentaries and to handle them
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Correct; corrects error of apostrophe use - there should be no apostrophe after director; corrects pronoun usage - 'them' in place of 'these'; removes Error of Redundancy by eliminating 'to be'; removes Error of Parallelism- 'to acknowledge' gets 'to handle' to complete parallel construction.

Multiple choice

All Rattlesnakes belong to the Viperidae family strikes when special heat sensing pits on its face sense a prey, after biting its prey, follows its body heat to locate it.

  1. belong to the Viperidae family strikes when special heat sensing pits on its face sense a prey, after biting its prey, follows its body heat to locate it

  2. belonging to the Viperidae family strike when special heat sensing pits on their face senses a prey; after biting their prey, follow the body heat of the bitten prey to locate it

  3. which belong to the Viperidae family strike when special heat sensing pits on their face sense a prey; after biting their prey, follow its body heat to locate it

  4. belong to the Viperidae family and strike when special heat sensing pits on their faces sense a prey, and after biting their prey, follow the body heat of the bitten prey to locate it

  5. belong to the Viperidae family; they strike when special heat sensing pits on their face sense a prey, and after biting their prey, follow the body heat of the bitten prey to locate it
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
E Correct answer
Explanation

Correct answer; removes the subject verb errors of referring to the singular 'family' rather than the plural 'rattlesnakes' as the subject of the sentence; removes the ambiguity about whether rattlesnakes follow their own body heat or the prey's body heat.

Multiple choice

Recent studies indicate that if employees find common ground with and bond with other employees, they experience lesser settling in problems and develop quicker than employees that stay relatively aloof.

  1. bond with other employees, they experience lesser settling in problems and develop quicker than

  2. bond with other employees, they will experience lesser settling in problems and develop than do

  3. bonded with other children, they experienced fewer settling in problems and develop quicker than will

  4. bond with other employees, they experience fewer settling in problems and develop quicker than do
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Correct; Corrects the errors of adjective and parallelism. Problems (a number) are fewer, not lesser. Parallel construction (find common ground…bond with), idiomatic, right comparison - if X happens Y will happen, 'than do' completes the comparison.

Multiple choice

The metals used in new-age automobiles are different than the ones used in older automobiles because they are more lightweight and stronger.

  1. are different than the ones used in older automobiles because they are more lightweight and stronger

  2. are different than those used in older vehicles because the new-age metals are more lightweight and stronger

  3. differ from those used in older automobiles in that the new-age automobiles are more lightweight but stronger

  4. differ from those used in older automobiles because these metals are more lightweight yet stronger

  5. are different from the ones used in old age automobiles because these automobiles are more lightweight yet stronger
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Correct. The option correctly uses 'differ from' instead of 'different from'. The uses of 'these metals' removes any ambiguity about what is stronger yet lighter. 'Stronger yet lighter' correctly contrasts the two qualities of the metals.

Multiple choice

During a high tide, the gravitational pull of the moon causes tides in oceans, like a soft drink that travels up a straw when sucked upon.

  1. like a soft drink that travels up a straw when sucked upon

  2. like the upward movement of a soft drink through a straw when sucked upon

  3. like a soft drink that travels up a straw while being sucked upon

  4. just as sucking on a straw makes a soft drink travel up

  5. just as a soft drink travels up when sucked through a straw
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Correct. We use 'just as' to compare verbs - 'causes tides' and 'sucking on a straw'. Also, the option removes the error of parallelism by narrating the cause and effect in the same sequence in both the examples.

Multiple choice

A typical problem in many marriages occurs when spouses stray due to boredom and blasé and lose the trust positioned in them by their partner.

  1. occurs when spouses stray due to boredom and blasé and lose the trust positioned in them by their partner

  2. occurs when spouses stray due to boredom and blasé, and lose the trust positioned in them by their partners

  3. occurs when spouses stray due to boredom and blasé, and it causes them to lose the trust positioned in them by their partners

  4. occurs when spouses stray due to boredom and blasé, and thereby lose the trust positioned in them by their partners

  5. occurs when spouses strays due to boredom and blasé, and thereby lose the trust positioned in their partners
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Correct; removes the error of punctuation by placing a comma to separate the two clauses and establishes a clear cause and effect relationship between the two clauses.