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 softskills leadership

Quick is to quickly as good is to

  1. goodness

  2. ill

  3. well

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

This is a grammatical analogy comparing adjectives to their corresponding adverbs. "Quickly" is the adverbial form of "quick." "Well" is the adverbial form of "good." "Goodness" is a noun, and "ill" or "bad" are different adjectives.

Multiple choice softskills communication

MasterCard __________________________ its marketing around the theme, "There are some things money can't buy.

  1. 2 or 3

  2. built

  3. has built

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

The present perfect tense has built is required here to indicate an action that started in the past and continues to have relevance or effect in the present. Built is simple past, and had built is past perfect, which do not fit the timeline context as well.

Multiple choice softskills communication

We successfully _________________ the inclusion of that amendment

  1. negotiated

  2. had negotiated

  3. being negotiated

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

The sentence requires the simple past tense to match 'successfully' as an adverb modifying the verb. 'Negotiated' correctly completes the active voice construction 'We successfully negotiated the inclusion of that amendment'. 'Had negotiated' (past perfect) would require another past event for sequencing, while 'being negotiated' and 'negotiating' would need auxiliary verbs like 'are/were' to be grammatical.

Multiple choice softskills communication

You've just watched a movie and you want to recommend it to somebody else. So you say:

  1. This is one of the best movies I've seen.

  2. This is one of the best movie I've seen.

  3. What a movie!

  4. All of these sound ok to me!
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

'One of the best' requires a plural noun (movies, not movie) because you're selecting from multiple options. Option A correctly uses 'movies'. Option B's 'movie' is grammatically wrong. Option C doesn't actually recommend the movie - it's just an exclamation.

Multiple choice softskills communication

You think 20-20 will have a negative impact on the game of cricket. So you say:

  1. 20-20 will have a bad affect on cricket.

  2. 20-20 will have a bad effect on cricket.

  3. 20-20 will have a bad affect on the cricket.

  4. 20-20 will have a bad effect on the cricket.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

'Effect' is a noun (result), 'affect' is a verb (to influence). The sentence needs a noun after 'bad', so 'effect' is correct. Also, 'cricket' as a general concept doesn't take 'the'. Option B is correct on both counts.

Multiple choice softskills communication

It’s the last week of the month and you are running out of money. But you feel that the money you have will last you till the end of the month. So when your friend, to your amazement, is willing to lend you some money, you say:

  1. That’s ok. I have a little money left.

  2. That’s ok. I am having some money with me.

  3. That’s ok. I am having a little money with me.

  4. That’s ok. I have little money left.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The correct answer is A because 'a little money' means a small amount (positive meaning), fitting the context of having enough money to last. Option D says 'little money' which means hardly any (negative meaning), contradicting the context that the money will last. Options B and C incorrectly use present continuous 'am having' which is not used for stating possession.

Multiple choice softskills communication

____ men like to watch baseball.

  1. A most

  2. The most

  3. Most

  4. All the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The correct answer is C because 'most' as a general quantifier doesn't need an article when making a general statement about a group. Option A 'a most' is incorrect; 'a most' is only used in superlative phrases like 'a most interesting book'. Option B 'the most' suggests a specific previously mentioned group. Option D is incorrect because only C is right.

Multiple choice softskills communication

My brother will ___ money from me.

  1. borrow

  2. borowing

  3. borrowed

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

After the modal verb 'will', we use the bare infinitive (base form) without 'to'. 'Will borrow' is correct for future tense. 'Borowing' is misspelled, 'borrowed' is past participle, and 'borrows' is present simple.

Multiple choice softskills communication

They ___ in a play every year.

  1. act

  2. acts

  3. acting

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

'Every year' indicates a repeated/habitual action, so we use the present simple tense. 'They act' is correct for plural subject. 'Acts' is for singular, 'acting' needs 'are', and 'acted' is past.

Multiple choice softskills communication
  1. The Karmen-Ghia used to be _________ sportscar.

  1. a German, fine

  2. a fine, German

  3. a fine German

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

To solve this question, the user needs to know the correct adjective order in English language.

In English, the order of adjectives before a noun should follow a specific order:

  1. Determiner (e.g. a, the, this)
  2. Observation or opinion (e.g. beautiful, delicious)
  3. Size (e.g. small, large)
  4. Shape (e.g. round, square)
  5. Age (e.g. young, old)
  6. Color (e.g. red, blue)
  7. Nationality or origin (e.g. German, Mexican)
  8. Material (e.g. wooden, plastic)
  9. Type or purpose (e.g. swimming, running)

Now, let's go through each option and explain why it is right or wrong:

A. a German, fine: This option is incorrect because it violates the correct adjective order. "German" should come after "fine" because nationality or origin (7) comes before observation or opinion (2).

B. a fine, German: This option is incorrect because it also violates the correct adjective order. "German" should come before "fine" because nationality or origin (7) comes before observation or opinion (2).

C. a fine German: This option is correct because it follows the correct adjective order. "Fine" is an observation or opinion (2) and "German" is a nationality or origin (7).

D. a German fine: This option is incorrect because it violates the correct adjective order. "German" should come before "fine" because nationality or origin (7) comes before observation or opinion (2).

Therefore, the answer is: C. a fine German.