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

The choice of players for the team seems completely ...........

  1. arbitrary

  2. amiss

  3. ample

  4. apparent

  5. appalled
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

'Arbitrary' means based on random choice or personal whim, rather than reason or system. When team selection seems 'completely arbitrary', it suggests the choices were made without clear criteria, logic, or fair process - they were random or capricious. 'Amiss' means wrong, 'ample' means plentiful, 'apparent' means obvious, and 'appalled' means horrified - none of which fit the context of unfair or illogical decision-making.

Multiple choice

Poor people hardly get loans from nationalized banks_____?

  1. did they

  2. do they

  3. aren’t they

  4. was they

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

When the main clause contains "hardly" (a negative adverb), the question tag uses the positive form of the auxiliary verb. "Hardly get" (negative meaning) requires "do they" (positive tag), not "don't they".

Multiple choice

The use of laser technology is not as simple as it sounds; it has proved very ________ to use satellites to position equipment in space that can destroy the ________ controls of enemy aircraft.

  1. Herculean; random

  2. difficult; steering

  3. facile; navigating

  4. serendipitous, exigent

  5. cretinous; stipendiary
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The first part of the sentence gives the clue for the first blank, which implies that laser technology has proved to be difficult. Therefore, we are left with 2 options: (1) and (2). 'Steering' means to direct the course of, whereas 'random' is haphazard movement, thus steering controls gives sense to the sentence. Hence, (2) is the answer.

Multiple choice

The Hubble Telescope should be ________ even if that means diverting the shuttle from other tasks and slowing plans to send astronauts to the Moon and Mars.

  1. cloistered

  2. winked at

  3. squired

  4. preserved

  5. kippered
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

NASA's most important scientific instrument, the Hubble space telescope would begin to fail a few years from now, hence this sentence emphasizes on its need to preserve this instrument. The clue comes from the word 'even', the clause that follows it provides an explanation to the blank. This implies that though tough tasks have to be undertaken, Hubble Telescope has to be preserved. 'Kippered' is to cure (herring, salmon, etc.) by cleaning, salting, and drying or smoking, thus (5) is ruled out. Hence, (4) is the answer.

Multiple choice

Medieval scholars will tell you that the ________ thing about the “Dark Ages” is our modern perspective of it; anyone with a true understanding of the Roman Empire knows that Rome, ________ it was built, did not fall in a day.

  1. tenebrous; while

  2. darkest; just as

  3. cryptic; when

  4. tawny; as

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

“The fall of the Roman Empire” in the medieval history characterize the dark phase of Roman history, hence the “Dark Ages”. Of all the options, 'tenebrous '(dark) (1) and 'darkest' in (2) would characterize the first blank. The sentence - 'while it was built, did not fall in a day' makes no logical sense; whereas the sentence - 'just as it was built, did not fall in a day' gives the coherent meaning to the sentence. Hence, (2) is the answer. Cryptic means mysterious. Tawny refers to brownish yellowish colour. Iniquitous means wicked, evil.

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 in the meaning of the sentence as a whole. Millions of years ago, a volcano ________ a mountain on the floor of the Atlantic; in eruption after eruption, it pushed up a great pile of volcanic rock, until it had accumulated a mass a hundred mile across at its base, reaching ________ towards the surface of the sea.

  1. collapsed; laterally

  2. ruptured; transitionally

  3. brazured; downward

  4. built; upward

  5. forged; plummeting
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The clue for the first blank is found in the latter part of the sentence as this is an explanation to the first part. “Pushed up” and “accumulated a mass” signifies that a volcano built a mountain, and not collapsed, as we would have thought. As ‘built’ is one of our options, hence, (4) is the answer. ‘Forged’ in option (5) is to form or shape (metal) with blows or pressure from a hammer, press, or other machine, usually after heating; which is not coherent with volcanoes building up a mountain.