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: Given below is the body of a story with blanks. Fill in the blanks with the options provided to make it meaningful.

The March house was situated on a hill and the four March sisters were at home, waiting for their mother. When the clock struck eleven, they (i), Mrs. March was very late from her social club. They waited restlessly and at last, there was a knock at the door. When it was opened, Mrs. March (ii) and hugged her daughters. The eldest daughter Meg laid the table and brought the food to the table. Jo, the second one, fetched slippers for her mother. Beth and Amy sat beside their mother on the sofa. Mrs. March was looking a bit worried and they asked the reason for her sadness. She told them that Mrs. Richard, their neighbour, who had six (iii), was facing starvation and had nothing to feed her children with. This brought tears in the eyes of the girls and they immediately decided to go to Mrs. Richard and share their food with her children. They felt great warmth after doing such a noble deed. They requested their mother that her social club should arrange for food for the poor family everyday. Mrs. March (iv) daughters.

P. children to provide for Q. entered the house R. got worried as their mother S. felt proud of her

  1. RQPS

  2. PQRS

  3. QRPS

  4. RSPQ

  5. None of these
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

It is suitable and logical here. 

Multiple choice

Directions: The question below has two blanks, each blank indicating that something has been omitted. Choose the set of words for each blank that best fits the meaning of the sentence as a whole.

A famous economist says that the government should do more to ______ jobs in the area in order to curb the ________ rate of unemployment.

  1. create, rising

  2. need, increasing

  3. employ, high

  4. invent, growing

  5. generate, slowing
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

'Create' is the correct verb for government action to generate employment opportunities. 'Rising' accurately describes an increasing unemployment rate that needs to be controlled ('curbed'). The combination 'create jobs, rising rate' forms a coherent statement about government intervention to address increasing unemployment.

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.

The oceans contain many forms of life that has not yet been discovered.

  1. The oceans contain many forms of life that has not yet been discovered.

  2. The ocean contains many forms of life that has not yet been discovered.

  3. The oceans contain many forms of life, which has not yet been discovered.

  4. The oceans contain many forms of life, which have not yet been discovered.

  5. The oceans contain many forms of life that have not yet been discovered.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
E Correct answer
Explanation

'Many forms of life' is plural. The singular verb 'has' does not agree with the subject. 'Has' needs to be changed to 'have' to have the subject-verb agreement. This option corrects the error.

Multiple choice

Directions: The 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.

Balanced dietary habits along with regular exercise, keeps a person physically fit.

  1. keeps a person physically fit

  2. keep a person physically fit

  3. keep person physically fit

  4. would keep a person physically fit

  5. will keep a person physically fit
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Option (2) is grammatically the most correct option. (1) is incorrect because the subject (Balanced dietary habits) is plural and hence, will take a plural verb. Option (3) is incorrect because there is no article to point out the noun (person). (4) and (5) are incorrect as there is no requirement of a future helping verb (‘would’ & ‘will’)

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.

Natural calamities like the tsunami puts the fear of God into human mind.

  1. Natural calamities like the tsunami puts the fear of God into human mind.

  2. The tsunami as well as other natural calamities puts the fear of God into human mind.

  3. Natural calamities like the tsunamis puts the fear of God into human mind.

  4. A natural calamity like the tsunami puts the fear of God into human mind.

  5. Natural calamities like the tsunami have always put the fear of God into human mind.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

This option changes the subject to singular and thus corrects the error of subject-verb agreement.

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.

Being aggressive in behavior and harsh in language are a manifestation of savagery.

  1. are a manifestation of savagery

  2. is a manifestation of savagery

  3. are a manifestation to savagery

  4. is a manifestation to savagery

  5. are a manifestation for savagery
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The sentence has an error of subject-verb agreement. Manifestation is singular noun and needs singular verb. This option rectifies the error.  (Manifestation of savagery 'is')

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.

Given the religious idea as already existing, in what way, and to what extent has its development been affected by forces that are not in themselves religious, and which modern thought definitely separates from religion?

  1. and to what extent has its development been affected by forces that are not in themselves religious,

  2. and to what extent has their development been affected by forces that are not in themselves religious,

  3. and to some extent has its development been affected by forces that are not in themselves religious,

  4. but to what extent has its development been affected by forces that are not in themselves religious,

  5. and to what extent has its development been effected by forces that are not in themselves religious,
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The sentence is correct as given.

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.

Using the techniques employed by genetic engineering, a new species of microorganism has been developed by laboratory scientists to aid in cleaning up oil spills by digesting the oil.

  1. Using the techniques employed by genetic engineering, a new species of microorganism has been developed by laboratory scientists to

  2. Using the techniques employed by genetic engineering, a new species of microorganism that was developed by laboratory scientists will

  3. Using the techniques of genetic engineering laboratory scientists have developed a new species of microorganism to

  4. Employing the techniques of genetic engineering there has been a development laboratory scientists of a new species of microorganism that will

  5. Employing the techniques of genetic engineering, a new species of microorganism that was developed by laboratory scientists will
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

(3) The modifying clause does not have a subject. Either the modified clause should begin with the subject, or the subject should be included in the modifying clause. Only (3) has the modified clause that begins with the subject: ‘scientists’. Hence, (3).

Multiple choice

Lord Ram sat on the throne. What type of sentence is this?

  1. Expressive

  2. Commanding

  3. Interrogative

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

An assertive (declarative) sentence makes a statement of fact and ends with a period. 'Lord Ram sat on the throne' is a simple statement declaring what happened, not asking a question, giving a command, or expressing strong emotion.

Multiple choice

Identify the kind of the sentence:

How cruel of them!

  1. Imperative

  2. Assertive

  3. Declarative

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

An exclamatory sentence expresses strong emotion or surprise and ends with an exclamation mark. 'How cruel of them!' conveys shock or strong disapproval, which is characteristic of exclamatory sentences. It's not merely stating a fact (assertive/declarative), giving a command (imperative), or asking something.

Multiple choice

What do you call a sentence which expresses a strong feeling?

  1. Exclamatory

  2. Assertive

  3. Declarative

  4. Imperative
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

An exclamatory sentence expresses strong feeling, surprise, or emotion, typically ending with an exclamation mark. The definition itself - 'a sentence which expresses a strong feeling' - directly matches the characteristics of exclamatory sentences. Assertive/declarative sentences merely state facts without strong emotion.