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: Fill in the blank with the best option to complete the story.

One wintry day, a woodman was returning home from his work when he saw something black lying on the cold ground. ______, on closer observation, it turned out to be a snake appearing to be dead. He took it home and laid the snake in the warmth of the fire in the room. The children watched it come to life again. One of the children stooped to stroke the snake, but the snake took out its fangs, ready to kill. The woodman took out his axe and cut its head off, saying there was no gratitude from the wicked.

  1. In fact

  2. Whether

  3. However

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

'However' is the correct connector; it means ‘in spite of this’. Thus, option (3) is the correct answer.

Multiple choice

Directions: Insert a suitable article from the alternatives given below to complete the following report.

Alternative health therapies include a range of practices and products. Rather than using drugs and surgery, most treatments are intended to help the body heal itself or improve the well-being. Because some of these therapies have not been scientifically verified, some people argue that they do not work. People may choose alternative treatment because they are dissatisfied with conventional medicine, or they prefer not to take drugs. A 2007 survey found that almost one in five adults had visited an alternative health practitioner in _____ previous year.

  1. an

  2. the

  3. a

  4. Article not required
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Here, a particular year (2006) is mentioned. So, we would use definite article ‘the’ here.

Multiple choice

The word ‘disbelief’ means

Directions: Read the following passage and answer the question that follows.

Once, a mother duck and her ducklings were on their way to a lake. Suddenly, the mother duck saw a fox approaching. She shouted to her children to start running towards the lake. The ducklings obeyed. Then, the duck began walking up and down dragging one wing of hers on the ground.
When the fox saw this, he got happy that the duck could not fly and ran towards her. The mother duck ran, leading fox away from the lake. When she looked back and saw her ducklings already into the lake and knew that the fox now could not reach them, she stood and took a deep breath.
The fox, thinking she is tired, also slowed down, however to his disbelief, the duck spread her wings and soared high in the air.

  1. doubt

  2. shock

  3. surprise

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

Here, 'disbelief' means 'shock' as the fox was shocked to see the duck flying.

Multiple choice

Directions: Choose the appropriate word/phrase from the given options and fill in the blank.

Sugar _______ in water, but sand doesn't.

  1. dissolve

  2. dissolves

  3. melts

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

Sugar is a singular subject, so it needs the third-person singular verb form 'dissolves' in the present simple tense. 'Dissolve' would be used with plural subjects like 'They dissolve'. 'Melts' refers to changing from solid to liquid with heat, not mixing in water. 'Drowns' is incorrect as drowning applies to living things that suffocate in water.

Multiple choice

Directions: The following question, fill the blank space with the best choice from the given options.

The majority of workers _________ come on duty.

  1. was

  2. were

  3. has

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

'The majority of workers' takes a plural verb because it refers to multiple individual workers. Even though 'majority' is singular in form, phrases like 'majority of + plural noun' use plural verbs. 'Has' and 'was' are singular, while 'were' doesn't match the present perfect context with 'come'.

Multiple choice

Directions: Choose the word from the options which is similar in meaning to the given word.

Mediocre

  1. Gloomy

  2. Engage

  3. Common

  4. Memento

  5. Adage
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Mediocre means average, ordinary, or of moderate quality - neither very good nor very bad. Common is the closest synonym as it also means ordinary or frequently found. The other options don't match: gloomy means dark/depressing, engage means to occupy or attract, memento is a keepsake, and adage is a proverb.

Multiple choice

Directions: Choose the word from the options which is similar in meaning to the given word.

Bicker

  1. Pain

  2. Altercate

  3. Vitalize

  4. Rifled

  5. Arouse
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Bicker means to argue about petty or trivial matters - to quarrel over small things. Altercate is a formal synonym meaning to dispute or argue angrily. The other options don't match: pain is suffering, vitalize means to give life, rifled means ransacked, and arouse means to awaken or provoke.