Basic English
Which word is a noun?
a) Quickly
b) Happiness
c) Run
d) Blue
b) Happiness
A noun is a person, place, thing, or idea. "Happiness" is an idea. "Quickly" is an adverb, "run" is a verb, and "blue" is an adjective.
Choose the correct form: "Neither of the students ___ finished their assignments."
a) have
b) has
c) had
d) having
b) has
The subject "neither" is treated as singular, so the verb should also be singular ("has" instead of "have").
Fill in the blank: "When pigs __" means something will never happen.
fly
Choose the grammatically correct sentence:
a) Neither of the students are ready.
b) Neither of the students is ready.
c) Neither students is ready.
d) Neither of students is ready.
b) Neither of the students is ready.
What type of word is "and" in the following sentence: "She likes apples and oranges"?
a) Noun
b) Verb
c) Conjunction
d) Adjective
c) Conjunction
Which sentence is grammatically correct?
a) She don't like apples.
b) She doesn't likes apples.
c) She doesn't like apples.
d) She not like apples.
c) She doesn't like apples.
The contraction "doesn't" (does not) is used with the base form of the verb "like". Other options have incorrect verb conjugations or grammar.
What is the antonym of "persevere"?
Give up, stop, or quit
What does the idiom "break the ice" mean?
Start a conversation
Which sentence is in the passive voice?
a) The chef cooked a delicious meal.
b) A delicious meal was cooked by the chef.
c) The chef is cooking a delicious meal.
d) The chef will cook a delicious meal.
b) A delicious meal was cooked by the chef.
What is the term for a word formed by imitating a sound?
a) Oxymoron
b) Onomatopoeia
c) Hyperbole
d) Euphemism
b) Onomatopoeia
Fill in the blank: "They have lived here ___ 2010."
a) since
b) for
c) in
d) on
a) since
"Since" is used with specific points in time (e.g., since 2010), while "for" is used with durations of time (e.g., for 5 years).
Which of the following is an example of a complex sentence?
a) I went to the store.
b) I went to the store, and I bought some milk.
c) Although it was raining, I went for a walk.
d) I like coffee, tea, and juice.
c) Although it was raining, I went for a walk.
A complex sentence has an independent clause ("I went for a walk") and a dependent clause ("Although it was raining"). The other sentences are either simple or compound.
Fill in the blank with the correct idiom: "She was so nervous before her speech, she had __."
a) butterflies in her stomach
b) ants in her pants
c) a chip on her shoulder
d) a frog in her throat
a) butterflies in her stomach
The idiom "butterflies in her stomach" means to feel nervous.
Identify the example of an absolute phrase:
a) The sun set, painting the sky with colors.
b) While she was singing, he played the guitar.
c) The dog ran quickly.
d) He opened the door and left.
a) The sun set, painting the sky with colors.
Which of the following is a preposition?
a) Run
b) Under
c) Happy
d) Quickly
b) under
Fill in the blank with the correct verb form: "By this time next year, I ___ my degree."
a) will have completed
b) complete
c) will completing
d) completed
a) will have completed
This is an example of the future perfect tense, which is used to describe an action that will be completed by a specific point in the future.
Identify the misplaced modifier in this sentence: "The man drove the car to the store with leather seats."
a) The man
b) The car
c) To the store
d) With leather seats
d) With leather seats
The phrase "with leather seats" is misplaced. It seems to modify "store", but it should modify "car". The correct sentence would be: "The man drove the car with leather seats to the store."
What does "If you bite off more than you can chew," mean?
You commit to more than you can handle
Which sentence uses an oxymoronic structure with proper syntax?
a) The deafening silence filled the room.
b) The room is silent.
c) The sound was loud.
d) She whispered quietly.
a) The deafening silence filled the room.
Which of the following is an example of a "pleonasm"?
a) He saw it with his own eyes.
b) She is very happy.
c) The cat is sleeping.
d) They are playing soccer.
a) He saw it with his own eyes.
Pleonasm involves redundant expressions
Choose the correct sentence:
a) Neither of the answers are correct.
b) Neither of the answers is correct.
c) Neither of the answer is correct.
d) Neither of the answers were correct.
b) Neither of the answers is correct.
With "neither", the verb should be singular ("is" instead of "are" or "were").
Select the sentence with the correct use of an appositive:
a) My friend, a talented musician, plays the piano beautifully.
b) My friend a talented musician plays the piano beautifully.
c) My friend a talented musician, plays the piano beautifully.
d) My friend, a talented musician plays the piano beautifully.
a) My friend, a talented musician, plays the piano beautifully.
An appositive is a noun or noun phrase that renames or identifies another noun. It is properly set off by commas. The appositive here is "a talented musician", adding information about "my friend".
If you are "caught between Scylla and Charybdis," you are...
a) In a difficult situation with two bad options
b) Making an easy choice
c) Traveling between two places
d) Avoiding a problem completely
a) In a difficult situation with two bad options
It is derived from Greek mythology, where Odysseus had to navigate between two sea monsters, Scylla and Charybdis, with danger on both sides.
Identify the sentence with a proper example of an anacoluthon:
a) The car, I can't believe it broke down!
b) She went to the store.
c) They are playing in the park.
d) It is raining heavily.
a) The car, I can't believe it broke down!
An anacoluthon involves a sudden shift in sentence structure, leading to an interruption or break in the grammatical flow.
Which rare linguistic phenomenon involves using two negatives to create a positive meaning?
a) Litotes
b) Anaphora
c) Tautology
d) Pleonasm
a) Litotes