1.
Choose the sentence that is grammatically correct.
Correct Answer
A. It's been three weeks since we last saw him.
Explanation
The correct answer is "It's been three weeks since we last saw him." The contraction "It's" stands for "It has," making the sentence grammatically sound. The word "weeks" is correctly spelled, avoiding the common mistake of "weaks." The verb "saw" is the correct past tense of "see," while "seen" would require a helping verb like "have" or "has." If "seen" were used, the sentence should be "It's been three weeks since we have seen him." Overall, the sentence correctly conveys a past event in proper English grammar.
2.
Choose the sentence that is grammatically correct.
Correct Answer
B. Their dog ran away while they were in the park.
Explanation
The correct answer is "Their dog ran away while they were in the park." "Their" is the possessive form of "they," showing ownership of the dog. "There" refers to a place, and "they're" is a contraction of "they are," making them incorrect in this context. "Where" refers to a location, while "were" is the correct past tense verb. Additionally, "did ran" is incorrect because "did" already indicates past tense, making "ran" redundant. The sentence correctly conveys that the dog belonged to "them" and ran away while they were at the park.
3.
Choose the sentence that uses punctuation incorrectly.
Correct Answer
B. Can you please pick me up a coffee, while you are out.
Explanation
The sentence "Can you please pick me up a coffee, while you are out." is incorrect due to improper comma placement. The comma should not be placed before "while" because "while you are out" is an essential part of the sentence, not an unnecessary clause. A comma before "while" would be appropriate if it introduced an independent clause, but in this case, it does not. The correct sentence should be "Can you please pick me up a coffee while you are out?" The other sentences use commas correctly for clarity or emphasis.
4.
Choose the best answer to fill in the blank:
Despite her better judgment, she decided to go to _________ house.
Correct Answer
C. Their
Explanation
The correct answer is "their" because it is the possessive form of "they," indicating ownership. "There" refers to a location and does not fit the sentence's meaning. "They're" is a contraction of "they are," which also does not make sense in this context. "They'r" is not a proper English word. The sentence implies that the house belongs to a group of people, making "their" the correct choice. Proper word usage in possessive cases is crucial for clear communication in writing.
5.
Pick the grammatically correct sentence.
Correct Answer
D. He takes the train get to work.
Explanation
The correct answer is "He takes the train to get to work." The verb "takes" correctly agrees with the singular subject "he" in present tense. The phrase "to get to work" correctly indicates the purpose of the action. "He take" is incorrect because "take" is the base form of the verb, and the subject "he" requires "takes." "He took" is past tense, and "He taking" is missing the auxiliary verb "is" for proper grammar. Clear subject-verb agreement ensures proper sentence structure.
6.
Pick the grammatically incorrect question.
Correct Answer
D. Are you sure that you don't have no shirts left?
Explanation
The correct answer is "Are you sure that you don't have no shirts left?" This sentence contains a double negative, making it grammatically incorrect. "Don't have no" should be "don't have any" because "not" and "no" together create confusion. The correct sentence should be "Are you sure that you don't have any shirts left?" Using proper negation ensures clarity and correctness in English. The other sentences follow standard grammar rules and are properly structured questions.
7.
Pick the best verb to complete the following sentence.
On the outside, she appeared calm. However, she ______________ frightened.
Correct Answer
C. Sounded
Explanation
The verb "sounded" is the best choice because it implies that despite her calm appearance, something in her voice or manner of speaking suggested fear. "Looked" would indicate a visual cue rather than an auditory one. "Heard" and "listened" do not fit the sentence structure as they imply perception rather than expression. Using "sounded" makes it clear that her fear was noticeable in the way she spoke or carried herself, even if she did not outwardly display it.
8.
Pick the best answer.
Do you have any pets?
Correct Answer
A. I have no pets.
Explanation
The correct answer is "I have no pets." This sentence is grammatically correct and directly states that the person does not own pets. "I got no pets" is informal and ungrammatical. "I don't have no pets" contains a double negative, which is incorrect in standard English. "I have got no pets" is redundant because "have" and "got" serve the same function. "I don't got any pets" is incorrect as "don't got" is improper verb usage. Using clear and correct grammar improves communication.
9.
Pick the sentence that is grammatically incorrect.
Correct Answer
D. My car ran more better than hers.
Explanation
The sentence "My car ran more better than hers" is incorrect because "more better" is redundant. "Better" is already the comparative form of "good," so "more" is unnecessary. The correct sentence should be "My car ran better than hers." Using correct comparative forms ensures clarity and grammatical accuracy. The other sentences follow proper grammar rules and correctly compare qualities without unnecessary modifiers.
10.
Pick the grammatically correct answer.
Correct Answer
E. We decided to see a movie after work.
Explanation
The correct answer is "We decided to see a movie after work." The phrase "see a movie" correctly follows "decided to," and "after work" clearly indicates when the event will happen. "To movie" is incorrect because "movie" needs an article like "a." "For to see" is an incorrect phrase. "After we work" is unnatural, and "go a movie" is incorrect verb usage. Using correct phrasing improves clarity and sentence flow.
11.
Choose the sentence that uses commas correctly.
Correct Answer
A. She decided to take her dog, cat, and bird to see the vet, but he couldn't see her.
Explanation
This sentence correctly uses commas to separate items in a list ("dog, cat, and bird") and to separate independent clauses connected by a conjunction ("but"). The other options contain comma errors. "We went to the park yesterday but it was too cold to stay" should have a comma before "but." "She had a date tonight however, it got canceled" needs a semicolon before "however." "By the time we arrived, the band, was already gone" has an unnecessary comma after "band." "My mom my sister and I, decided" should have commas after "mom" and "sister" but not before "decided."
12.
Choose the best phrase to complete the following sentence.
What _______________? I am a bus driver.
Correct Answer
E. Do you do?
Explanation
The correct phrase is "do you do?" because the sentence asks about a person’s profession or occupation. "Do you do?" is a standard way to inquire about what someone does for a living. "Are you doing?" suggests a current action rather than a job. "Have you done?" refers to completed actions. "Do you doing?" is grammatically incorrect. "Are you done?" asks if someone has finished a task rather than their occupation. Using "do you do?" properly aligns with the intended meaning of the sentence.
13.
Choose the statement that is incorrect.
Correct Answer
B. He thought he had a great idea. His Manager didn't agree.
Explanation
The incorrect sentence capitalizes "Manager" unnecessarily. In this context, "manager" is a common noun, not a proper noun, and should not be capitalized unless it is part of a title (e.g., "Marketing Manager"). The other sentences correctly use punctuation and capitalization. A comma before "but" is appropriate because it separates two independent clauses. A period or semicolon before "however" is necessary because it introduces a contrasting thought. Therefore, the correct form is "He thought he had a great idea, but his manager didn't agree."
14.
Choose the sentence that uses apostrophes incorrectly.
Correct Answer
C. The cat's ran away when the dog's arrived at the playground.
Explanation
The sentence incorrectly uses apostrophes for plural nouns. "Cat's" and "dog's" should not have apostrophes because they are not possessive; they are simply plural words. The correct sentence is: "The cats ran away when the dogs arrived at the playground." The other sentences correctly use apostrophes: "It's" is a contraction of "it is," "doctor's office" shows possession, "employees'" correctly places the apostrophe after the plural noun, and "couldn't" is a contraction of "could not."
15.
Choose the sentence that is correct.
Correct Answer
E. My wife and I went on a date last night.
Explanation
This sentence correctly uses "I" as the subject of the sentence. "Me and my brother" should be "My brother and I" because "I" is the subject. "He needed to train my sister and I" should use "me" instead of "I" because "me" is the object of the verb "train." "You and me need to study tonight" should be "You and I." "Them and I" should be "They and I" because "them" is an object pronoun, not a subject pronoun.
16.
Pick the correct word to complete the following sentence:
Last night, he came out with ______ and my sister.
Correct Answer
B. Me
Explanation
The correct word is "me" because it is the object of the preposition "with." When referring to oneself as the object of a preposition, the proper pronoun is "me." "I" is a subject pronoun, used as the subject of a sentence. "Myself" is a reflexive pronoun and should only be used when referring back to the subject (e.g., "I did it myself"). "Mine" is a possessive pronoun and does not fit in this context. The sentence correctly uses "me" to show who was accompanied by him.
17.
Choose the sentence that is grammatically correct.
Correct Answer
D. If I had known about the party, I would have gone to it.
Explanation
This sentence is correct because it follows the proper structure for a conditional sentence in the past unreal condition. It uses the past perfect ("had known") to express a hypothetical situation in the past and the past perfect conditional tense ("would have gone") to express the result of that hypothetical situation. The other sentences are incorrect: "went" should be "gone," "of" should be "have," "bringed" should be "brought," and "took" should be "taken."
18.
Choose the statement that is incorrect.
Correct Answer
B. Rachel is very smart she began reading when she was three years old.
Explanation
This sentence is incorrect because it lacks proper punctuation to separate the two independent clauses. It should either have a comma or a semicolon to separate the clauses: "Rachel is very smart; she began reading when she was three years old" or "Rachel is very smart, and she began reading when she was three years old." The other sentences correctly use punctuation to separate ideas. The semicolon in one option appropriately links two closely related independent clauses.
19.
Choose the statement that is correct.
Correct Answer
C. The students knew that each needed to bring his or her own notebook to class.
Explanation
This sentence is correct because it uses "his or her" to indicate individual responsibility, acknowledging the need for personal ownership. The other options contain issues with pronouns or possessive forms: "their" is incorrect for singular "everyone" or "employee"; "2 weeks' notice" should be written as "two weeks' notice" for proper format; "they" is plural and doesn't fit when referring to an individual. "Depart his or her ways" is awkward; the phrase should be "go their separate ways."
20.
Pick the sentence that is incorrect.
Correct Answer
D. My father decided to give me a pony for Christmas, at eight years old.
Explanation
This sentence is incorrect because it should use "when I was eight years old" instead of "at eight years old." The phrase "at eight years old" is not grammatically correct in this context. The other sentences are all correct: they use proper phrasing to describe age and actions, such as "When I was twelve" or "At the age of fifty." Using "when I was" is the appropriate way to describe age in this context.
21.
Choose the correct sentence: "She enjoys playing the guitar, ______ is her favorite hobby."
Correct Answer
B. Which
Explanation
The correct answer is "which." The sentence "She enjoys playing the guitar, which is her favorite hobby" correctly uses "which" to introduce a non-restrictive relative clause. This type of clause provides extra information about the noun it follows, without changing the meaning of the main clause. "Which" refers to the entire preceding clause and adds information about the guitar playing being her favorite hobby. The use of "which" makes it clear that the guitar playing is a further explanation of her interests, without limiting or specifying any particular guitar-playing activity.
22.
Choose the sentence with correct punctuation: "I can’t believe it’s already December, time flies."
Correct Answer
D. I can’t believe it’s already December, time flies.
Explanation
The correct answer is "I can’t believe it’s already December, time flies." This sentence is correctly punctuated with a comma between two independent clauses. In compound sentences, a comma is used to separate independent clauses when they are joined by a coordinating conjunction (like "and," "but," or "so"). In this case, the two independent clauses "I can’t believe it’s already December" and "time flies" are joined without a conjunction, so a comma before "time flies" is necessary to indicate a natural pause and separate the ideas for clarity.
23.
Which sentence uses the correct form of the verb? "By the time I arrive, they ______ already left."
Correct Answer
B. Had
Explanation
The correct answer is "had." The sentence "By the time I arrive, they had already left" uses the past perfect tense to describe an action completed before another action in the past. The past perfect is used to show that one event happened earlier than another. In this case, the action of "leaving" occurred before "arriving," and the past perfect "had left" correctly indicates the sequence of events. The other options are incorrect because "have" and "will have" are present and future tenses, and "will had" is not grammatically correct.
24.
Choose the correct word: "She was late to the meeting, so she ______ apologize."
Correct Answer
A. Should
Explanation
The correct answer is "should." The sentence "She was late to the meeting, so she should apologize" uses "should" to indicate a suggestion or recommendation. "Should" is used to express obligation, duty, or an expected course of action in situations like this. It suggests that apologizing is the appropriate action, though it's not necessarily a command. Using "must" would imply a stronger obligation, whereas "can" and "may" imply possibility or permission, which would be less appropriate for an apology following tardiness.
25.
Choose the correct sentence: "Neither the teacher nor the students ______ aware of the changes."
Correct Answer
B. Were
Explanation
The correct answer is "were." The sentence "Neither the teacher nor the students were aware of the changes" is correct because it follows the rule for subject-verb agreement in compound subjects connected by "neither...nor." When subjects are connected by "neither...nor," the verb agrees with the noun closest to it. In this case, "students" is plural, so the verb "were" agrees with it. The other options are incorrect because they either use singular forms ("was," "is") or a form of the verb that doesn't match the plural subject "students."