Free Grammar MCQs with Answers

6,178 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.

English grammar covers how words, phrases and clauses combine to form correct sentences. It includes tenses, parts of speech, prepositions, articles, voice, reported speech, agreement, infinitives, gerunds, adverb position, transitions, punctuation, sentence structure and inversion, with special attention to distinctions such as phrases versus clauses and active versus passive voice.

Last updated

Read the Grammar notesFree MDCAT chapter notes with key terms

6,178 questions · page 96 of 309

  • A. The students asked if they could postpone the test until Monday.
  • B. The students ask if they can postpone the test until Monday.
  • C. The students tell if they could postpone the test until Monday.
  • D. The student asked that they could postpone the test until Monday.

Explanation: Option A correctly changes the reporting verb ("asked") and adjusts the tense to indicate possibility ("could postpone") in indirect speech.

Correct answer: The students asked if they could postpone the test until Monday.
  • A. Mayor Reed said that he would have run for re-election this year.
  • B. Mayor Reed said that he will run for re-election that year.
  • C. Mayor Reed told that he would run for re-election that year.
  • D. Mayor Reed said that he would run for re-election that year.

Explanation: Option D correctly changes the reporting verb ("said") and adjusts the tense to indicate future intention in the past ("would run").

Correct answer: Mayor Reed said that he would run for re-election that year.
  • A. The little girl said which way she should go.
  • B. The little girl asked which way she should go.
  • C. The little girl ask which way she should go.
  • D. The little girl told which way she should go.

Explanation: Option B correctly changes the reporting verb to "asked" and maintains the structure of the question.

Correct answer: The little girl asked which way she should go.
  • A. The judge said to call the next witness.
  • B. The judge ordered to called the next witness.
  • C. The judge orders to be call the next witness.
  • D. The judge ordered to call the next witness.

Explanation: Option A correctly changes the reporting verb ("said") and maintains the structure of the command.

Correct answer: The judge said to call the next witness.
  • A. The speaker ordered them to be quiet and listen to his words.
  • B. The speaker ordered be quiet and listen to his words.
  • C. The speaker ordered to be quiet and listen to my words.
  • D. The speaker order to quiet and listen to his words.

Explanation: Option A is correct because it properly transforms the direct command into indirect speech.

Correct answer: The speaker ordered them to be quiet and listen to his words.
  • A. Jessica advised her son to play football in the garden.
  • B. Jessica forbade her son that play football in the garden.
  • C. Jessica forbade her son not to play football in the garden.
  • D. Jessica forbade her son to play football in the garden.

Explanation: Option D correctly reflects the statement in indirect speech where "forbade" is used to indicate a prohibition, and "to play football in…

Correct answer: Jessica forbade her son to play football in the garden.
  • A. Sarah tells that help Peter's sister.
  • B. Sarah asked to help Peter's sister.
  • C. Sarah asked that help Peter's sister.
  • D. Sarah said to help Peter's sister.

Explanation: Option D correctly transforms the direct speech into indirect speech where "said to help Peter's sister" maintains the structure of the…

Correct answer: Sarah said to help Peter's sister.
  • A. He thanked me.
  • B. He said and thanked me.
  • C. He thanks me.
  • D. He thank me.

Explanation: Option A correctly conveys the meaning of "He said, 'Thank you.'" in indirect speech by using "thanked" to indicate expressing gratitude.

Correct answer: He thanked me.
  • A. Andrew told his sister that he could not finish his homework, and he requested to help her.
  • B. Andrew told his sister that he can not finish his homework, and he requested to help her.
  • C. Andrew told his sister that he could not finish his homework, and he requests to help her.
  • D. Andrew tells his sister that he could not finish homework, and he requested to help her.

Explanation: Considered correct because it accurately converts the statement about not finishing homework into indirect speech with the past tense…

Correct answer: Andrew told his sister that he could not finish his homework, and he requested to help her.
  • A. She asked respectfully if could I give her the glass on the table.
  • B. She asked respectfully that I could give her the glass on the table.
  • C. She asked respectfully if I could give her the glass on the table.
  • D. She asked that if I could give her the glass on the table.

Explanation: Option C correctly uses "asked respectfully if" to introduce the reported question and maintains the politeness of the original request.

Correct answer: She asked respectfully if I could give her the glass on the table.
  • A. He told us that his dogs had not been barking at us.
  • B. He told us that his dogs were not barking at us.
  • C. He told us that his dogs had not been barked at us.
  • D. He told to us that his dogs have not been barking at us.

Explanation: The original sentence "My dogs were not barking at you" is in the simple past tense, but when reported indirectly, the tense changes to…

Correct answer: He told us that his dogs had not been barking at us.
  • A. She told to me that her father has been going to my house yesterday.
  • B. You told him that her father had gone to your house yesterday.
  • C. She told me that her father had gone to my house the previous day.
  • D. She told me that her father had been going to my house the previous day.

Explanation: The original sentence is a direct quote, and option C is the most accurate indirect quote.

Correct answer: She told me that her father had gone to my house the previous day.
  • A. You told him that you were writing a letter to him then.
  • B. You told him that yes you were writing a letter to him then.
  • C. You told him that you were writing a letter to him now.
  • D. You told to him that you were writing a letter to him now.

Explanation: When converting direct speech to indirect speech:- "Yes" is often omitted, as it's a response to a question and not essential to the main…

Correct answer: You told him that you were writing a letter to him then.
  • A. They told us that we were preparing for the examination.
  • B. They told us that you had been preparing for the examination.
  • C. They told us that they had been preparing for the examination.
  • D. They told us that they were preparing for the examination.

Explanation: "We" becomes "they" (the subject of the sentence). "were preparing" becomes "had been preparing" (change from past continuous to past…

Correct answer: They told us that they had been preparing for the examination.
  • A. You asked him why you called him names the previous day.
  • B. You asked him that why you called him names the previous day.
  • C. You asked to him why he had called you names the previous day.
  • D. You asked him why he had called you names the previous day.

Explanation: When converting direct speech to indirect speech:- "You" (the person spoken to) becomes "he" (the subject of the sentence).- "me" becomes…

Correct answer: You asked him why he had called you names the previous day.
  • A. They greated respectfully.
  • B. They great respectfully.
  • C. They said good morning.
  • D. They greated good morning.

Explanation: The original sentence is a direct quote of a greeting, and option A is the most accurate indirect report of that greeting.

Correct answer: They greated respectfully.
  • A. The teacher said that it was time they go to work.
  • B. The teacher said that it is time they went to work.
  • C. The teacher said that it was time they went to work.
  • D. The teacher told that it was time they had gone to work.

Explanation: When converting direct speech to indirect speech:- "It is time" becomes "it was time" (change from present to past)- "we" becomes "they"…

Correct answer: The teacher said that it was time they went to work.
  • A. The policeman asked the boy where was he going.
  • B. The policeman asked the boy where he was going.
  • C. The policeman asked the boy where he was coming.
  • D. The policeman asked the boy that where he was going.

Explanation: When converting direct speech to indirect speech:- "where are you going" becomes "where he was going" (change from present to past and…

Correct answer: The policeman asked the boy where he was going.
  • A. He exclaimed with sorrow that he is undone.
  • B. He exclaimed with sorrow that he did undone.
  • C. He exclaimed with sorrow that he were undone.
  • D. He exclaimed with sorrow that he was undone.

Explanation: When converting direct speech to indirect speech:- "Alas" is an exclamation of sorrow, so it's best to use "exclaimed with sorrow" to…

Correct answer: He exclaimed with sorrow that he was undone.
  • A. He said that he has revised those notes.
  • B. He said that he had revised the notes.
  • C. He said that he had revised these notes.
  • D. He said that he has revised these notes.

Explanation: When converting direct speech to indirect speech:- "I" becomes "he" (change from first person to third person)- "have revised" becomes…

Correct answer: He said that he had revised the notes.