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: Identify the incorrect sentence or sentences.A. The question of when man started cooking his food has not been answered by anthropologists with any definiteness. B. There has not been sufficient rain this year. C. Dr. Friedman, who is a leader of the laissez faire school, goes farther than most other observers, particularly in accusing the Fund of laying the ground for the crisis. D. The Neanderthals appeared in Europe during the three interglacial period.

  1. A and B

  2. B and C

  3. C and D

  4. A and D

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

'Of' is a syntax error; therefore, (A) is incorrect. (D) is also incorrect as 'period' should be used in plural as we are talking about three periods.

Multiple choice

Directions: Identify the incorrect sentence or sentences.

A. Once at Greenwood, we walked through the familiar hilly path to great grandma Van Patten's grave. B. As we talked, I felt myself relaxed forgetting the tensions of unemployment. C. With 10 children and one on the way, every day was a bit hectic. D. She was always there, her steady blue eyes shinning, her voice encouraging, her gentle touch conveyed her trust and love for the little boy.

  1. B

  2. B and C

  3. A and C

  4. B and D

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

(B) is an awkward and a meaningless sentence, using continuous 'forgetting' with indefinitive 'relaxed'. (D) is incorrect as the parallelism in the sentence has not been maintained; 'ing' form with 'convey' was required to have a correct structure of the sentence.

B. As we talked, I felt myself relaxing and forgetting the tensions of unemployment. D. She was always there, her steady blue eyes shining, her voice encouraging (and) her gentle touch conveying her trust and love for the little boy.

Multiple choice

Directions: The following sentence has been split into four parts. One of the parts may have an error of grammar or syntax. Select the part having the error. If there is no error, mark (5).

  1. The aims of the European Economic Community

  2. are to eliminate tariffs between member countries;

  3. developing common policies for agriculture, labour, welfare, trade and transportation;

  4. and to abolish trusts and cartels
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

“To eliminate…to develop…and to abolish…”

Multiple choice

Directions: Identify the part having an error.

  1. A deal between the

  2. European Union and the U.S. on agriculture,

  3. so close to the Cancun conference, is

  4. both good as well as bad for the other members of the WTO.

  5. No error
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

‘Both’ and ‘as well as’ cannot be used together.

Multiple choice

Directions: Identify the incorrect sentence or sentences.

(A) It is said, “Marriages are decided in heaven though arranged at earth”. (B) According to Indian tradition, the two souls unite as one; only physically they remain two. (C) The auspicious day is fixed after consultations with the priests. (D) All the friends and relatives are invited to accompany the marriage procession.

  1. A

  2. B and C

  3. A and B

  4. A and C

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

size=2>A. It is said, “Marriages are decided in heaven though arranged on earth”. B. According to Indian tradition, two souls unite as one; only physically do they remain two.

Multiple choice

Directions: Identify the incorrect sentence or sentences.

(A) The question of when man started cooking his food has not been answered by anthropologists with any definiteness. (B) There has not been sufficient rain this year. (C) The first railway line built in USA was completed nearly two hundred years back. (D) The Neanderthals appeared in Europe during the two interglacial period.

  1. A and B

  2. B and C

  3. C and D

  4. A and D

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

A.        The question when man starting cooking his food has not been answered by anthropologists with any definiteness. D.        The Neanderthals appeared in Europe during the two interglacial periods.

Multiple choice

Directions: Select the option that expresses the central idea in the most clear, concise and correct manner.

  1. The diesel pump had a loud, constant noise creating hurdles for my sleep.

  2. The constant noise of the diesel pump prevented me from sleeping.

  3. My sleep was prevented due to the constant noise of the diesel pump.

  4. The diesel pump made a constant noise which was detrimental to my sleep.

  5. I was disturbed in my sleep due to the constant noise of the diesel pump.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Here, not only do the options (1), (3), (4) & (5) use unnecessary words but also they are not in active voice, while on the other hand, (2) is not only concise but also in active form. Hence, (2).

Multiple choice

Directions: Select the correct option to fill in the numbered blank in the following passage.

The servant ___ (i)_ (ask) (ii)_ (go) to the market yesterday. He was asked (iii)_ (bring) apples for his master. He (iv)_ (go) to a fruit shop and (v)_ (buy) one kilogram of god apples. But the shopkeeper (vi)_ (put) a rotten apple among them. When the servant (vii)_ (come) home, he (viii)_ (give) the apples to his mistress. The mistress (ix)_ (notice) the rotten apple and hence (x)____ (take) him to task.

Fill in blank (viii)

  1. gave

  2. was given

  3. gives

  4. was giving

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

 'gave' (Case of simple past tense)

Multiple choice

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

Once (i) hungry fox went to (ii) garden. There (iii) fox saw grapes hanging from (iv) vine. (v) fox jumped again and again, but could not reach (vi) grapes. It was (vii) awful moment for (viii) poor animal. It went on attempting for (ix) long time, but all in vain. At last, (x) fox gave it up and went away saying, ''(xi) grapes are sour.''

Fill in blank (i).

  1. a

  2. an

  3. the

  4. No article needed
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Option 1 is correct. "A" is the correct article to be used here as the subject (hungry fox) is being introduced for the first time. 'The' can not be used here as it is used when we talk about a particular subject already introduced. 'An' is used before subjects which begin with a vowel sound so, it cannot be used here.

Multiple choice

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

Once (i) hungry fox went to (ii) garden. There (iii) fox saw grapes hanging from (iv) vine. (v) fox jumped again and again, but could not reach (vi) grapes. It was (vii) awful moment for (viii) poor animal. It went on attempting for (ix) long time, but all in vain. At last, (x) fox gave it up and went away saying, ''(xi) grapes are sour.''

Fill in blank (ii).

  1. an

  2. the

  3. a

  4. No article needed
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

(1) is incorrect because the word ‘garden’ begins with consonant sound. (2) is incorrect because the word ‘garden’ comes for the first time and does not refer to any particular garden.      

Multiple choice

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

Once (i) hungry fox went to (ii) garden. There (iii) fox saw grapes hanging from (iv) vine. (v) fox jumped again and again, but could not reach (vi) grapes. It was (vii) awful moment for (viii) poor animal. It went on attempting for (ix) long time, but all in vain. At last, (x) fox gave it up and went away saying, ''(xi) grapes are sour.''

Fill in blank (iv).

  1. an

  2. a

  3. the

  4. No article needed
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

(2) is incorrect because "v" is not a vowel. (3) is incorrect because the word ‘vine’ appears for the first time and begins with a consonant sound.

Multiple choice

The United States ______ a big army.

  1. has

  2. have

  3. will be

  4. none of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

 When a plural noun denotes some specific quantity or amount considered as a whole, the verb is generally singular .Hence, "has" is the correct option.