Free Grammar MCQs with Answers
587 Grammar MCQs from English, each with the correct answer and a written explanation of why it is correct. Free and unlimited, with no account needed.
587 questions · page 3 of 59
21. Choose the correct article: He is ____ honest man.
- A. a
- B. an
- C. the
- D. no article
Explanation: The choice depends on the sound rather than the letter, and honest begins with a vowel sound because the h is silent, so an is correct. The same reasoning gives a university and a one rupee note, where the spelling begins with a vowel but the sound does not. Always say the word aloud before choosing.
Correct answer: an22. Choose the correct verb: Neither of the students ____ prepared for the test.
- A. are
- B. were
- C. is
- D. have
Explanation: Neither is a singular pronoun when used on its own, so it takes a singular verb however plural the following phrase sounds. The words of the students form a prepositional phrase and never control the verb. The same applies to each, every, either and none in careful usage.
Correct answer: is23. Choose the correct verb: The list of items ____ on the desk.
- A. are
- B. is
- C. were
- D. have been
Explanation: The subject is list, which is singular, and of items is merely a prepositional phrase that must be ignored when deciding the verb. Testers deliberately place a plural noun immediately before the verb to tempt the wrong choice. Strip the phrase out and the sentence reads the list is on the desk.
Correct answer: is24. Choose the correct pronoun: Every student must submit ____ own assignment.
- A. their
- B. his or her
- C. its
- D. them
Explanation: Every student is grammatically singular, so a formal examination expects the singular his or her. Singular they is increasingly accepted in general writing and is often the better choice for inclusivity, but entry tests still mark the traditional form. Its is used for things rather than people.
Correct answer: his or her25. Choose the correct form: He enjoys ____ novels in his free time.
- A. to read
- B. reading
- C. read
- D. to reading
Explanation: Enjoy always takes a gerund, never an infinitive, and the same is true of avoid, finish, mind, suggest and practise. Verbs such as want, hope and decide take the infinitive instead. A few, including begin and like, accept either with little change in meaning.
Correct answer: reading26. Choose the correct form: She agreed ____ us with the project.
- A. helping
- B. to help
- C. help
- D. helped
Explanation: Agree belongs to the group of verbs followed by the infinitive, along with promise, refuse, decide and manage. Using the gerund after these verbs is the standard error for learners whose first language does not make the distinction. Contrast with enjoy and avoid, which take the gerund.
Correct answer: to help27. Identify the correctly punctuated sentence.
- A. My brother who lives in Karachi is a doctor.
- B. My brother, who lives in Karachi, is a doctor.
- C. My brother who lives in Karachi, is a doctor.
- D. My brother, who lives in Karachi is a doctor.
Explanation: A non defining relative clause, one that adds extra information rather than identifying which brother, is enclosed by a pair of commas. Using only one comma is always wrong, since the pair works like brackets. Without commas the clause would be defining, implying the speaker has more than one brother.
Correct answer: My brother, who lives in Karachi, is a doctor.28. Choose the correct transitional device: The medicine was expensive; ____, it proved effective.
- A. therefore
- B. however
- C. moreover
- D. similarly
Explanation: The two clauses contrast, so a contrastive connector such as however, nevertheless or on the other hand is needed. Therefore signals a result, moreover adds a similar point and similarly draws a comparison. Reading both halves before choosing is the reliable method with these questions.
Correct answer: however29. In the sentence "Running quickly, he caught the bus", the underlined phrase Running quickly is
- A. a noun clause
- B. a participial phrase modifying he
- C. an independent clause
- D. a prepositional phrase
Explanation: A present participle introducing a phrase that describes the subject of the main clause is a participial phrase, and it must attach to the right subject or it becomes a dangling modifier. Here he is doing the running, so the sentence is correct. Writing Running quickly, the bus was caught would be faulty.
Correct answer: a participial phrase modifying he30. Choose the correct position of the adverb: She ____ goes to the library on Sundays.
- A. usually
- B. usual
- C. usualy
- D. usualness
Explanation: Adverbs of frequency normally stand between the subject and the main verb, so usually goes is the natural order. Usual is the adjective form and cannot modify a verb, while the other two options are not words. With the verb to be the adverb follows instead, as in she is usually late.
Correct answer: usually