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: A part of the following sentence is underlined. Choose the best option from the given choices that can replace the underlined portion.

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

  1. are a manifestation to savagery

  2. is a manifestation of savagery

  3. are a manifestation of 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

 Subject verb agreement – “is”  “of savagery”

Multiple choice

Directions: Choose the grammatically correct phrase from the given options for the underlined phrase.

Scientists at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in America found that active mice demonstrate a greater ability to learn, suggesting that exercise increases brain chemicals that make it more resilient to cognitive decline.

  1. that make it more resilient to cognitive decline

  2. that makes it more resilient to cognitive decline

  3. that make them more resilient to cognitive decline

  4. that makes them more resilient to cognitive decline

  5. that make it most resilient to' cognitive decline
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The pronoun 'them' refers to 'chemicals' (plural), so 'make them' is correct. The original 'make it' incorrectly refers to a singular noun.

Multiple choice

Directions: Choose the grammatically correct option from the given options for the given sentence.

The National Institute on Ageing in America avoids fatty foods. since they contribute to obesity and dementia.

  1. The National Institute on Ageing in America avoids fatty foods, since they contribute to obesity and dementia.

  2. The National Institute on Ageing in America advises people to avoid fatty foods, since they contribute to obesity and dementia.

  3. Avoid fatty foods, since they contribute to obesity and dementia says The National Institute on Ageing in America.

  4. The National Institute on Ageing in America advises people to avoid fatty foods, as they would be contributing to obesity and dementia.

  5. The National Institute on Ageing in America has suggested avoidance of fatty food, as it contributes to obesity and dementia.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The original sentence is a fragment or poorly punctuated. Option B provides a complete, grammatically correct sentence that accurately conveys the intended meaning.

Multiple choice

Directions: Choose the grammatically correct phrase from the given options for the underlined phrase.

The media failed. abjectly and broadly in not exercising more self-control and by allowing themselves to be so freely used.

  1. The media failed, abjectly and broadly in not exercising more self-control

  2. The media abjectly and broadly failed in not exercising more self-control

  3. Abjectly and broadly, the media failed in not exercising more self-control

  4. The abject and broad failure of the media in not exercising more selfcontrol

  5. The media failed abjectly, and broadly by not exercising more self-control
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
E Correct answer
Explanation

The placement of the adverb 'abjectly' and the conjunction 'and' needs to be parallel. 'Failed abjectly, and broadly by not...' correctly structures the modifiers.

Multiple choice

Directions: Select the most appropriate fillers for the blanks such that the sentence makes coherent sense.

Then the _________ distinction between Greek and English, between Classic and Romantic schools, seems superficial and _________.

  1. flaunted ….. oblivious

  2. invected ….. cretinous

  3. approbated ….. verdant

  4. deferred ….. decrepit

  5. vaunted ….. pedantic

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

“And” after superficial in last part of the sentence gives clue for the second blank; which implies that the blank must be replaced by a word indicating similarity to superficial. Of all these options, 'pedantic' in (5) fits our prediction as it is an ostentatious display of knowledge, or an instance of this. Moreover, “vaunted” (to boast, brag) characterizes the first blank, thereby giving a cogent meaning to the sentence. Hence, (5) is the answer.

Multiple choice

In context, which of the following is the best version of sentence 11 (reproduced below)? In the sky, sun allowed the drops to sparkle so brightly, as it caught them, like thousands of stars.

Direction for questions 7 to 12: The following passage is an early draft of an essay. Some parts of the passage need to be rewritten. Read the passage and select the best answers for the questions that follow. Some questions are about particular sentences or parts of sentences and ask you to improve sentence structure or word choice. Other questions ask you to consider organization and development. In choosing answers, follow the requirements of standard written English.

Passage – II
(1)  I would always find myself behind the old oak tree in our back yard. (2) This was my favorite spot. (3) The thick trunk, like a bodyguard, protected me from the imaginary bullets that flew towards my body. (4) I would lean against the hard bark and for some reason it was comforting to have something sturdy to lean on. (5) It was dark brown, and every now and then a spider would nestle between the pieces of bark. (6)  Sometimes I would touch the tree to peek around the corner and my fingers would be sticky. (7)  I could never quite figure out why that was, and it was giving me the hardest time getting it off, a constant reminder of my tree.
(8)  When my brother and I weren't at "battle," I would lie beneath my oak tree and daydream. (9) As I looked up I could see millions of branches protecting me from everything above. (10)  At the end of each branch were hundreds of more leaves that would gently catch the morning dew, and carefully allowed it to make its way to the grass. (11)  In the sky, sun allowed the drops to sparkle so brightly, as it caught them, like thousands of stars. (12)  This was my heaven, and as I lay there, I could feel the plush grass, like a snuggly old blanket, holding my body gently against the ground.
(13) The grasshoppers would appear from around a blade of grass as if they were asking for approval to hop on my blanket. (14)  A leaf would jump off its branch to greet me as I sat. (15)  It would float through the air as light as feather and land softly on the grass. (16)  As the autumn drew near, it was like a rainstorm of brown, yellow and red leaves, all falling to make way for the beautiful spring leaves.
(17)  When winter came the tree stood bare, unprotected and sad. (18) Suddenly my favorite spot was stripped of its innocence and baring the naked truth. (19) But it never failed, as spring rolled around, the old oak tree lit up with vibrant green leaves and reassured me that it was ready for my companionship once again.

  1. Leave it as it is

  2. Like thousands of stars sparkled so brightly in the sky, similarly the sun caught the drops and allowed them to sparkle.

  3. Sun caught the drops, allowed them to sparkle so brightly, like thousands of stars in the sky from the gleam of its light.

  4. It was like thousands of stars in the sky as the sun caught the drops and allowed them to sparkle so brightly

  5. The drops were caught and allowed to sparkle so brightly by the sun like thousands of stars in the sky.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Option (D) retains the correct meaning while using correct tenses and conjunctions. Options (A) and (C) are run-on sentences Option (B) is verbose and (E) is in passive voice.  Hence, (D) is the answer.