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Free Comprehension MCQs with Answers

853 Comprehension MCQs from English, each with the correct answer and a written explanation of why it is correct. Free and unlimited, with no account needed.

Comprehension involves understanding a passage, completing sentences logically, detecting grammatical or usage errors and interpreting figurative language. You need to identify the main idea, supporting details, tone, implied meaning and the relationship between clues in the passage and the answer choices.

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Passage ReadingSentence CompletionError DetectionFigurative Language
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853 questions · page 1 of 43

1. Identify the error: Each of the students have submitted their assignment on time.

Moderate
  • A. Each of the students
  • B. have submitted
  • C. their assignment
  • D. on time

Explanation: Each is singular and requires has submitted, so the plural verb is the error.

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Correct answer: have submitted

2. Complete the sentence: Although the treatment was expensive, it was ____ effective.

Moderate
  • A. therefore
  • B. nevertheless
  • C. similarly
  • D. because

Explanation: Although already sets up a contrast, and nevertheless carries that contrast into the second half.

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Correct answer: nevertheless

3. Complete the sentence: The scientist's findings were so ____ that no one could dispute them.

Fairly easy
  • A. ambiguous
  • B. conclusive
  • C. tentative
  • D. obscure

Explanation: If nobody can dispute the findings they must be decisive, which is what conclusive means.

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Correct answer: conclusive

4. Complete the sentence: Despite his ____ manner, he was in fact deeply insecure.

  • A. timid
  • B. confident
  • C. hostile
  • D. quiet

Explanation: Despite signals a contrast with deeply insecure, so the outward manner must be the opposite of insecurity, that is confident or assured.

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Correct answer: confident

5. Complete the sentence: The new drug must undergo rigorous trials ____ it can be approved for public use.

  • A. before
  • B. after
  • C. unless
  • D. although

Explanation: Trials logically precede approval, so before is the only connector that puts the two events in the right order.

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Correct answer: before

6. Identify the error: Neither the doctor nor the nurses was available.

  • A. Neither should be Either
  • B. nor should be or
  • C. was should be were
  • D. There is no error

Explanation: With neither nor the verb agrees with the nearer subject, which here is nurses, so the plural were is required.

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Correct answer: was should be were

7. Identify the error: He is senior than me by three years.

  • A. senior should be more senior
  • B. than should be to
  • C. me should be I
  • D. There is no error

Explanation: Latin comparatives such as senior, junior, superior, inferior and prior take to rather than than. The construction is he is senior to me.

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Correct answer: than should be to

8. Identify the error: I have been living here since five years.

Moderate
  • A. have been should be am
  • B. since should be for
  • C. living should be lived
  • D. There is no error

Explanation: Since introduces a point in time such as 2019 or Monday, while for introduces a length of time such as five years.

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Correct answer: since should be for

9. Identify the error: The scenery of Naran are very beautiful.

  • A. scenery should be sceneries
  • B. are should be is
  • C. of should be in
  • D. There is no error

Explanation: Scenery is an uncountable noun, so it takes a singular verb and has no plural form, which also rules out the first option.

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Correct answer: are should be is

10. In the sentence "Time is a thief that steals our youth", the figure of speech used is

Moderate
  • A. simile
  • B. metaphor
  • C. hyperbole
  • D. onomatopoeia

Explanation: Time is stated to be a thief rather than merely like one, and a direct comparison without like or as is a metaphor.

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Correct answer: metaphor

11. In the sentence "He was as brave as a lion", the figure of speech is

  • A. metaphor
  • B. simile
  • C. irony
  • D. alliteration

Explanation: The comparison is made explicit with as, which is the defining mark of a simile along with like.

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Correct answer: simile

12. In the sentence "I have told you a million times", the figure of speech is

Easy
  • A. hyperbole
  • B. understatement
  • C. metaphor
  • D. paradox

Explanation: Hyperbole is deliberate exaggeration for effect and is not meant to be believed literally.

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Correct answer: hyperbole

13. The phrase "the pen is mightier than the sword" uses which figure of speech, where an object stands for the wider idea it represents?

  • A. metonymy
  • B. simile
  • C. oxymoron
  • D. alliteration

Explanation: The pen stands for writing and persuasion, and the sword for military force, so each object represents the larger institution associated…

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Correct answer: metonymy

14. Read the passage: "Antibiotic resistance grows when antibiotics are prescribed for viral infections, which they cannot cure. Each unnecessary course kills sensitive bacteria and leaves resistant ones to multiply." The main idea is that

  • A. antibiotics are dangerous drugs
  • B. unnecessary prescribing selects for resistant bacteria
  • C. viral infections are more serious than bacterial ones
  • D. antibiotics should never be prescribed

Explanation: The passage explains a mechanism: pointless courses remove the sensitive bacteria and leave the resistant ones with no competition.

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Correct answer: unnecessary prescribing selects for resistant bacteria

15. Read the passage: "Antibiotic resistance grows when antibiotics are prescribed for viral infections, which they cannot cure." It can be inferred that

Moderate
  • A. viruses are unaffected by antibiotics
  • B. all bacteria are now resistant
  • C. doctors never prescribe correctly
  • D. antibiotics cure most viral illnesses

Explanation: The clause which they cannot cure states directly that antibiotics do not work against viruses, so the inference is close to the text.

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Correct answer: viruses are unaffected by antibiotics

16. Read the passage: "Although vaccination campaigns have reduced measles worldwide, outbreaks still occur where coverage falls below the level needed for herd immunity." The tone of the passage is best described as

Fairly easy
  • A. informative
  • B. sarcastic
  • C. humorous
  • D. hostile

Explanation: The passage states facts and a condition without emotive language or judgement, which is the mark of an informative or expository tone.

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Correct answer: informative

17. Complete the sentence: The results were inconclusive; ____, further research is needed.

Moderate
  • A. however
  • B. therefore
  • C. in contrast
  • D. for example

Explanation: Inconclusive results logically lead to the need for more work, so a consequence connector is required.

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Correct answer: therefore

18. Identify the error: Each of the boys have submitted their assignment.

  • A. Each should be All
  • B. have should be has
  • C. boys should be boy
  • D. There is no error

Explanation: Each is singular and controls the verb, so has is required no matter how plural the intervening phrase sounds.

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Correct answer: have should be has

19. Complete the sentence: The patient's condition ____ steadily since the operation.

  • A. improves
  • B. has improved
  • C. improved
  • D. is improving

Explanation: Since the operation marks a period running from a past point up to now, which calls for the present perfect.

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Correct answer: has improved

20. In the sentence "The silence in the examination hall was deafening", the figure of speech is

  • A. oxymoron
  • B. simile
  • C. metonymy
  • D. hyperbole

Explanation: Deafening silence places two contradictory ideas side by side, which is the definition of an oxymoron, as in bittersweet or living dead.

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Correct answer: oxymoron
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