All Free English MCQs with Answers

• A. lay
• B. stress
• C. on
• D. had cost

Explanation: This is the incorrect past tense form in this context. The correct past tense of "lay" (which means to put something down) should be "laid." However, the verb should be "laid" in the sense of putting emphasis on something, which is a less common usage. Typically, "laid" is used for placing objects. The appropriate verb here is "laid" if the intent is emphasis.The correct sentence should be: "An American visitor laid stress on the vast sums that the strike had cost the country."

• A. had
• B. better
• C. watched
• D. appeared

Explanation: This is the past tense of "watch." However, after "had better," the base form of the verb should be used, which is "watch. The correct sentence should be: "She had better watch the documentary before she appears in the interview."

• A. dare
• B. to tell
• C. to keep
• D. as a pet

Explanation: This is incorrect. After "How dare you," the base form of the verb "tell" should be used without "to." The correct phrase is "How dare you tell."

• A. need
• B. spent
• C. reading
• D. to understand

Explanation: This is the past tense of "spend," but it's incorrect in this context. After "need," the correct form is the base form of the verb "spend," not the past tense. The correct sentence should be: "I do not need to spend a lot of time reading drama to understand the conflict among the characters."

• A. reached
• B. to
• C. straight
• D. towards

Explanation: This preposition is incorrect in this context. After the verb "reached," it should be followed by a direct object or a location, not by another preposition. The correct sentence should be: "We reached the trunks of tall straight pines whose branches reached towards the blue."

• A. woke up
• B. found
• C. myself
• D. laying

Explanation: This is incorrect. The correct form should be "lying." "Lying" is the present participle form of the verb "lie," which means to recline or rest in a horizontal position. "Laying" is the present participle of "lay," which means to place something down.The corrected sentence should be: "When I woke up I found myself lying by the seashore forlorn and helpless."

• A. compel
• B. to dig
• C. beat
• D. to go

Explanation: This infinitive is not correctly used here. After "let," the correct form should be the base form of the verb without "to," which is "go." "Let him go" is the correct form to indicate allowing him to depart.The corrected sentence should be: "Let us therefore compel the wretch to dig her grave, and then we can beat him and let him go."

• A. followed
• B. was
• C. broadcasted
• D. live on

Explanation: This word is commonly used, but "broadcast" is the preferred past tense and past participle form when referring to the transmission of radio or television programs. "Broadcasted" is less preferred but used colloquially. The corrected sentence should be: "The military ceremony that followed was broadcast live on Spanish television."

• A. was
• B. to get
• C. would help
• D. drown

Explanation: The correct form is "Were I to get drunk," not "Was I to get drunk." This uses the subjunctive mood correctly in English grammar.

• A. I gently lay my hands upon her shoulders and heard her quiet tears.
• B. I gently laid my hands upon her shoulders and heard her quiet tears.
• C. I gently laid my hands upon her shoulders and heard her quite tears.
• D. I gently lain my hands upon her shoulders and heard her quiet tears.

Explanation: Laid is the past tense of the verb "to lay. "This sentence is grammatically correct because it uses the past tense "laid" to describe the action that happened in the past. The phrase "quiet tears" is also correctly spelled. Option B is the correct one.