Test Your English # 13 - Grammar "A"

1. 1. Now I am a librarian, but ten years ago I ______ as a teacher in private schools.

Had worked

Used to work

Would have worked

Would be used to work

Used to have worked

Have worked

http://www.eslbase.com/grammar/used-to
http://www.learnenglish.de/grammar/usedtotext2.htm

Explanation

http://www.eslbase.com/grammar/used-to
http://www.learnenglish.de/grammar/usedtotext2.htm

2. 8. I won't believe it unless she ______ me herself.

Tell

Told

Doesn't tell

Tells

Won't tell

Will tell

The correct answer is "tells" because the sentence is in the present tense and the verb "believe" is negated with "won't." Therefore, the verb that follows should also be in the present tense to maintain grammatical consistency.

Explanation

The correct answer is "tells" because the sentence is in the present tense and the verb "believe" is negated with "won't." Therefore, the verb that follows should also be in the present tense to maintain grammatical consistency.

3. 6. Mary: "I don't like coffee."
Sarah: "I don't like coffee, ______."

Neither

Nor

Either

Both

Too

Also

The correct answer is "either" because Sarah is expressing agreement with Mary's statement by saying that she also does not like coffee. "Either" is used to indicate a choice between two options, and in this case, Sarah is choosing to align herself with Mary's dislike of coffee.

Explanation

The correct answer is "either" because Sarah is expressing agreement with Mary's statement by saying that she also does not like coffee. "Either" is used to indicate a choice between two options, and in this case, Sarah is choosing to align herself with Mary's dislike of coffee.

4. 10. Yesterday the sun ______ at 5.

Sat

Setted

Set

Has setted

Had set

Has sut

The correct answer is "set". This is because the verb "set" is used to describe the action of the sun going below the horizon. In this sentence, the past tense is used to indicate that the action happened yesterday.

Explanation

The correct answer is "set". This is because the verb "set" is used to describe the action of the sun going below the horizon. In this sentence, the past tense is used to indicate that the action happened yesterday.

5. 2. The other means by which the fish-loading hatches ______ opened during the sinking would be by gravity if the vessel went beyond 90° in either a vertical or horizontal plane.
Source: Report of the re-opened formal investigation into the loss of the FV Gaul, by Justice David Steel, Great Britain. Dept. for Transport

Can

Could

Can have

Could have

Would

Ought have

http://www.englishgrammarsecrets.com/couldhave/menu.php

Explanation

http://www.englishgrammarsecrets.com/couldhave/menu.php

6. 5. Would you mind ______ me a lift?

Give

To give

Giving

To giving

That you gave

That you give

The correct answer is "giving" because it is the gerund form of the verb "give" and is used to indicate the action of giving a lift. The phrase "Would you mind" is followed by the gerund form of the verb to express a polite request or ask for permission.

Explanation

The correct answer is "giving" because it is the gerund form of the verb "give" and is used to indicate the action of giving a lift. The phrase "Would you mind" is followed by the gerund form of the verb to express a polite request or ask for permission.

7. 7. She could have left me. Maybe if I ______ in her shoes, I would have. She could have had a lot more kids with a healthy man.

Have been

Am

Would be

Were being

Would have been

Had been

The correct answer is "had been". This is because the sentence is in the past tense and is referring to a hypothetical situation. The speaker is imagining what might have happened if they had been in the other person's position. "Had been" is the correct past perfect tense form of the verb "to be" in this context.

Explanation

The correct answer is "had been". This is because the sentence is in the past tense and is referring to a hypothetical situation. The speaker is imagining what might have happened if they had been in the other person's position. "Had been" is the correct past perfect tense form of the verb "to be" in this context.

8. 9. A few years ago you never ______ anyone with foot tattoos. Now you see tattooed feet wherever you go.

Saw

Have seen

See

Could see

Had seen

Can see

In the past, it was uncommon to come across people with foot tattoos. However, in recent years, the situation has changed and now it is common to see tattooed feet wherever you go. The word "saw" is the correct answer because it refers to the past tense of seeing foot tattoos, which implies that the change in prevalence has already occurred.

Explanation

In the past, it was uncommon to come across people with foot tattoos. However, in recent years, the situation has changed and now it is common to see tattooed feet wherever you go. The word "saw" is the correct answer because it refers to the past tense of seeing foot tattoos, which implies that the change in prevalence has already occurred.

9. 11. The man told Wendy that she ______ do what he said or else something bad would happen to her parents.

Had rather

Would have had better

Had had better

Had better

Would have had rather

Had had rather

http://www.englishtenseswithcartoons.com/had_better

Explanation

http://www.englishtenseswithcartoons.com/had_better

10. 3. Rarely ______ set out looking for one particular subject. The whole idea in terms of my process is to let these images build up as I develop several of them through photographs, sketches, and color notations and determine which ones are really important to me.
Source: "American Artist" magazine, Dec. 1992.

I

I am

I do

I have

Am I

Do I

http://www.testmagic.com/grammar/explanations/inversion.htm

Explanation

http://www.testmagic.com/grammar/explanations/inversion.htm

11. 12. The man with the knife wound ______ on the ground, but was still moving.

Lied

Lain

Laid

Lay

Lie

Has lain

http://web.ku.edu/~edit/lie.html

Explanation

http://web.ku.edu/~edit/lie.html

12. 4. When Marlon Brando suggested that he and Charlton Heston ___ themselves to the Lincoln Memorial, Heston politely declined.

Chained

Will chain

Have chained

Had chained

Chain

Did chain

In this sentence, Marlon Brando suggests an action to Charlton Heston. The action is expressed in the infinitive form "to chain." The verb "suggest" is in the past tense, so the correct form of the verb "chain" should also be in the past tense. Therefore, the correct answer is "had chained," indicating that Marlon Brando suggested that they had already chained themselves to the Lincoln Memorial in the past.

Explanation

In this sentence, Marlon Brando suggests an action to Charlton Heston. The action is expressed in the infinitive form "to chain." The verb "suggest" is in the past tense, so the correct form of the verb "chain" should also be in the past tense. Therefore, the correct answer is "had chained," indicating that Marlon Brando suggested that they had already chained themselves to the Lincoln Memorial in the past.