Tag: softskills

'Machinery' is an uncountable noun that takes a singular verb, so 'is' is correct. Uncountable nouns like machinery, equipment, and furniture always use singular verbs even when referring to multiple items.

The subject is 'items' (plural), so the verb must be 'cost' (plural). This is present tense describing a general fact - items 'cost' more, not 'costs'. The prepositional phrases don't affect subject-verb agreement.

'Imply' is correct because the fact does the implying (it suggests or indicates something). 'Infer' means to draw a conclusion from evidence - that's what the listener does, not what the fact does. This is a common confusion between these two words.

'Led' is the past tense of 'lead'. The phrase 'has led' requires the past participle form. This is an irregular verb where the past tense (led) is different from the present tense (lead) - a common source of confusion.

'Will' is correct as it's the future tense auxiliary verb for the third person singular ('he'). This follows the standard conditional structure: 'If you build it, he will come.' 'Shall' is typically used for first person ('I shall', 'we shall').

'Advise' is the verb (what you do), while 'advice' is the noun (what you give). The sentence requires the verb form 'I advise you' meaning 'I recommend or suggest to you'. This is a common confusion between these two related words.

The sentence requires 'besides' which can mean 'except for' or 'other than'. The structure 'Few people besides his uncle never visited him' means almost everyone visited him, with his uncle being an exception who did not. 'Beside' means 'next to' which doesn't fit this context.

An emollient is something that softens or soothes, typically referring to moisturizing substances in medical or cosmetic contexts. 'Lubricative' relates to making surfaces slippery, which is presented as the closest association. While not a perfect synonym, it's the intended answer among the options.

Ersatz is a German loanword meaning artificial, imitation, or fake (usually as an inferior substitute). The antonym (opposite) would therefore be 'natural' or genuine. 'Artificial', 'substitute', and 'imitation' are all synonyms or related concepts, not antonyms.

Soporific means causing drowsiness or sleepiness (sedative, sleep-inducing). The antonym is therefore 'active' or 'stimulating' - something that keeps you awake rather than putting you to sleep. 'Sedative', 'sleepy', and 'narcotic' are all synonyms, not antonyms.