Grammar & Usage
Choose the correct sentence: A. The team are winning. B. The team is winning.
B. The team is winning.
What type of sentence is this? “She studied all night, but she still felt nervous.”
Compound
The benevolent leader donated to charity. “Benevolent” means:
Kind or generous
he author describes a hero who “remains steadfast despite ridicule.” What does steadfast most nearly mean?
A. Quiet B. Brave C. Loyal D. Confused The main idea of a passage is:
C. Loyal – steadfast means firm or unwavering in purpose.
Seed : Germinate :: Idea : ?
A. Begin B. Develop C. Sleep D. Destroy
B. Develop – both describe growth from inception to realization.
Identify the error: “Each of the students have a pencil.”
“Have” → should be has.
Choose the sentence with correct parallel structure: A. “She likes running, to swim, and biking.” B. “She likes running, swimming, and biking.”
B. Running, swimming, and biking
His remarks were candid and sincere. “Candid” means:
Honest
In a passage comparing city life to country life, the author says the city is “a whirlwind of ambition.” This phrase suggests the author views city life as:A. Peaceful B. Exciting but chaotic C. Boring D. Predictable
B. Exciting but chaotic – “whirlwind” implies constant motion and unrest.
Architect : Blueprint :: Composer : ____
A. Symphony B. Score C. Orchestra D. Stage
B. Score – each creates a detailed plan for creation.
Which word correctly completes the sentence? “Neither the teachers nor the principal ___ here.”
Is
Combine for conciseness: “The essay was long. It was also repetitive and unfocused.”
“The essay was long, repetitive, and unfocused.” (Removes redundancy and maintains clarity.)
The arduous journey exhausted the travelers. “Arduous” means:
Difficult or tiring
The author argues that “gratitude is the mother of joy.” What does this statement suggest?
A. Joy causes gratitude B. Gratitude leads to happiness C. Joy and gratitude are unrelated D. Happiness depends on wealth
B. Gratitude leads to happiness.
Equilibrium : Balance :: Chaos : ?A. Control B. Order C. Disorder D. Calm
C. Disorder – mirrors conceptual relationship of equivalence and opposition.
Choose the correctly punctuated sentence:
A. Its raining outside, however, we forgot the umbrella.
B. It’s raining outside; however, we forgot the umbrella.
B. It’s raining outside; however, we forgot the umbrella.
Choose the sentence with correct parallel and logical structure:
A. “He enjoys reading novels and to write essays, and to analyze poetry.”
B. “He enjoys reading novels, writing essays, and analyzing poetry.”
B. Reading, writing, and analyzing – maintains parallel verb forms and logical progression.
The author’s tone was melancholy due to the disastrous events. “Melancholy” means:
Sad or sorrowful
When an author presents both sides of an argument but ends by supporting one side, the author’s tone is best described as:
A. Neutral B. Persuasive C. Angry D. Indifferent
B. Persuasive – shows clear intent to convince.
Metaphor : Comparison :: Irony : ?A. Humor B. Contradiction C. Sarcasm D. Repetition
B. Contradiction – both rely on contrasting what appears and what is.
Identify the correct verb form: “If I ___ earlier, I wouldn’t be late.”
had left
Identify and correct the structural flaw: “After finishing her paper, the printer ran out of ink.”
Dangling modifier – revise to: “After finishing her paper, she realized the printer had run out of ink.”
Her decision was pragmatic rather than emotional. “Pragmatic” means:
Practical
“Without discipline, freedom decays into chaos.” What is the main idea?
A. Freedom requires limits to survive B. Freedom and discipline are opposites C. Discipline destroys freedom A. Freedom requires limits to survive.
D. Chaos brings order
Axiom : Proof :: Law : ?A. Enforcement B. Evidence C. Discovery D. Judgment
A. Enforcement – an axiom needs no proof; a law requires enforcement.