Showing posts with label grammar. Show all posts
Showing posts with label grammar. Show all posts

Wednesday, December 13, 2023

50 Subject-Verb Concord MCQs: Test Your Grammar Skills and Conquer Common Errors

Instructions: Choose the most grammatically correct verb form for each sentence.

  1. The news of the earthquake ________(has/have) shaken everyone in the town.
  2. The committee, along with its advisers, ________ (is/are) still deliberating the proposal.
  3. Neither the coach nor the players ________ (seem/seems) happy with the outcome of the game.
  4. A swarm of bees ________ (is/are) buzzing angrily around the hive.
  5. Every student in the class ________ (has/have) completed the assignment on time.
  6. The majority of the audience ________ (was/were) surprised by the comedian's sudden change of topic.
  7. The instructions at the back of the package ________ (is/are) unclear and confusing.
  8. The sum of all angles in a triangle ________ (is/are) 180 degrees.
  9. The government's new policy ________ (has/have) met with strong opposition from the public.
  10. A series of unfortunate events ________(has/have) led to the company's downfall.
  11. The children, along with their dog, ________(are/is) playing in the park.
  12. The silence in the room ________(was/were) deafening.
  13. Measles ________(is/are) a highly contagious disease.
  14. The physics textbook on my desk ________(contains/contain) several challenging equations.
  15. The CEO, together with the board of directors, ________(has/have) decided to postpone the launch date.
  16. The furniture in the living room ________(needs/need) dusting.
  17. The majority of the blame ________(falls/fall) on the shoulders of the manager.
  18. The jury ________(is/are) still undecided on the verdict.
  19. The research ________(shows/show) a strong correlation between diet and health.
  20. The news reporter, along with her cameraman, ________(was/were) caught in the crossfire.
  21. A dozen cookies ________(is/are) still on the plate.
  22. The flight ________(departs/depart) at 7:00 PM tomorrow.
  23. The physics of the situation ________(dictates/dictate) the course of action.
  24. The vast majority of the data ________(supports/support) our hypothesis.
  25. The news of the victory ________(spreads/spread) like wildfire through the town.
  26. The committee ________(is/are) divided over the issue of funding.
  27. The sum of all the parts ________(equals/equal) the whole.
  28. The orchestra ________(performs/perform) a Beethoven symphony tonight.
  29. The furniture in the living room ________(needs/need) to be rearranged.
  30. The vast majority of the blame ________(falls/fall) on the shoulders of the government.
  31. The knowledge gained in this course ________(will/shall) be invaluable in your future career.
  32. The silence in the room ________(was/were) broken only by the ticking of the clock.
  33. The research ________(indicates/indicate) a potential cure for the disease.
  34. The physics of the situation ________(dictates/dictate) that the building cannot be saved.
  35. The news reporter, along with her cameraman, ________(were/was) injured in the attack.
  36. A score of sheep ________(grazes/graze) peacefully in the meadow.
  37. The flight ________(departs/depart) on time, despite the bad weather.
  38. The knowledge gained from this experience ________(has/have) made me a more patient person.
  39. The committee ________(is/are) hopeful that a solution can be found.
  40. The physics of the situation ________(dictates/dictate) that the bridge cannot be built.
  41. The vast majority of people ________(believes/believe) in the importance of education.
  42. The book on the table ________(contains/contain) several interesting stories.
  43. The orchestra ________(performs/perform) a Mozart concerto tonight.
  44. The knowledge gained from this course ________(will/shall) be applied to solve real-world problems.
  45. The research ________(indicates/indicate) that the new drug has promising results.
  46. The committee ________(is/are) divided on the issue of funding, but they must reach a decision soon.
  47. The furniture in the living room ________ (needs/need) to be rearranged.
  48. The vast majority of the blame ________ (falls/fall) on the shoulders of the individual.
  49. The book on the shelf ________ (belongs/belong) to my sister.
  50. The research ________ (suggests/suggest) that the Earth's climate is changing rapidly.

Answer Key:

  1. has
  2. is
  3. seems
  4. is
  5. has
  6. was
  7. are
  8. is
  9. has
  10. have
  11. are
  12. was
  13. is
  14. contains
  15. have
  16. needs
  17. falls
  18. is
  19. shows
  20. were
  21. are
  22. departs
  23. dictates
  24. supports
  25. spreads
  26. is
  27. equals
  28. performs
  29. needs
  30. falls
  31. will
  32. was
  33. indicates
  34. dictates
  35. were
  36. graze
  37. departs
  38. has
  39. is
  40. dictates
  41. believes
  42. contains
  43. performs
  44. will be
  45. indicates
  46. is
  47. needs
  48. falls
  49. belongs
  50. suggests

Monday, November 27, 2023

What are the Different Types of Sentence Rearrangement Questions?

Following are different types of sentence rearrangement questions, followed by examples:

Certainly! Let's provide a definition for each type of sentence rearrangement question, followed by an example:

Random Order to Logical Order:

  • Definition: Arrange a set of jumbled sentences into a coherent and logical sequence.
  • Example: (A) The sun sets. (B) People gather on the beach. (C) The colors of the sky change.
  • Correct Order: B, C, A
  1. Chronological Order:

    • Definition: Organize sentences based on the chronological order of events or steps in a process.
    • Example: (A) Mix the ingredients. (B) Preheat the oven. (C) Bake for 30 minutes.
    • Correct Order: B, A, C
  2. Beginning/Ending Sentence:

    • Definition: Identify the sentence that best serves as an introduction or conclusion to a paragraph.
    • Example: (A) It was a dark and stormy night. (B) Lightning flashed across the sky. (C) The adventure began.
    • Correct Sentence: A
  3. Theme-Based Order:

    • Definition: Arrange sentences based on a common theme or topic for a logical flow of ideas.
    • Example: (A) Benefits of Exercise. (B) Regular physical activity. (C) Improved cardiovascular health.
    • Correct Order: B, C, A
  4. Cause and Effect:

    • Definition: Sequence sentences to reflect a cause-and-effect relationship between events or ideas.
    • Example: (A) The road was wet. (B) It had rained heavily. (C) The car skidded.
    • Correct Order: B, A, C
  5. General-to-Specific Order:

    • Definition: Organize sentences from a general statement to specific details or examples.
    • Example: (A) Vehicles are important for transportation. (B) Cars are one of the most popular vehicles. (C) They offer convenience.
    • Correct Order: A, B, C
  6. Specific-to-General Order:

    • Definition: Organize sentences from specific details or examples to a general statement.
    • Example: (A) The cake was delicious. (B) The baker used premium ingredients. (C) Baking is an art.
    • Correct Order: B, C, A
  7. Comparisons and Contrasts:

    • Definition: Arrange sentences that involve comparing or contrasting ideas or objects.
    • Example: (A) Dogs are loyal. (B) Cats are independent. (C) Both make great pets.
    • Correct Order: A, C, B
  8. Conjunction-Based Rearrangement:

    • Definition: Reorder sentences using appropriate conjunctions to ensure coherence.
    • Example: (A) The movie was entertaining. (B) However, the ending was predictable. (C) It kept us engaged throughout.
    • Correct Order: A, C, B
  9. Sentence Deletion:

    • Definition: Identify the sentence that disrupts the logical flow when removed from a paragraph.
    • Example: (A) The river flows through the city. (B) The mountains are covered in snow. (C) The trees sway in the wind.
    • Correct Sentence to Remove: C

These definitions and examples cover various types of sentence rearrangement questions, helping individuals understand the specific skills being tested in each case.

50 Practice Questions on re-ordering re-arrangement of sentences class XI CBSE English Core

50 practice questions that you can use for reordering exercises:

1. boys/the/was/the/playground/playing/in/football
2. mountain/hikers/lost/getting/while/were/the/on/down/the/they
3. are/flowers/daughter/the/garden/tending/my/in/my
4. computer/last/night/my/broke/while/I/was/downloading/files
5. movie/the/I/night/watched/a/yesterday/great
6. guests/the/preparing/are/the/for/dinner/hostess
7. the/their/in/greatly/company/worked/engineers/improved
8. that/the/surprised/children/discovered/were/their/presents
9. arrived/just/in/we/the/theater/showtime/at
10. to/tourists/the/historical/sites/visited/guided/by/were
11. the/sunset/over/mountains/breathtaking/was/the
12. quickly/the/storm/shelter/rain/into/sought/as/the/we
13. teacher/the/student/to/listen/advised/attentively/the
14. ran/bus/the/missed/they/to/the
15. the/artist/incredible/on/canvas/an/painted/piece
16. dogs/on/are/porch/the/sleeping/the
17. prepared/for/everyone/a/dinner/grand/hosted/party
18. a/loved/my/new/book/I/reading
19. a/lost/found/I/while/was/wallet/I/shopping
20. the/they/plants/garden/the/every/tend/morning/to
21. out/take/a/walk/every/morning/I
22. their/were/engagement/the/excited/about/couple/news
23. the/of/forest/were/the/majestic/trees/tall
24. the/took/photographs/trip/they/entire/of/the
25. the/was/homework/last/night/finishing/I/up/late
26. the/the/before/a/wedding/spent/day/bride/nervously
27. unexpected/visited/had/friends/we/our/who/unexpectedly
28. brought/a/friend/the/concert/invited/I/last/minute
29. mother/the/kitchen/cooking/was/busily/in/my
30. sunflowers/in/was/full/bloom/the/garden
31. decided/students/they/to/organize/a/protest
32. in/night/woke/the/heard/up/we/the/a/storm
33. mountain/a/they/on/camped/the/top/of
34. are/a/animals/variety/there/of/in/the/zoo
35. the/the/brought/family/whole/picnic
36. her/successful/to/was/efforts/the/due/teamwork
37. became/happy/the/news/the/made/couple
38. the/are/plants/their/every/morning/tending/gardeners
39. students/teachers/discussions/the/organized/topic/on
40. the/sunset/over/breathtaking/the/mountains/was
41. the/they/desert/in/explored/remote/the
42. the/guests/a/they/threw/party/surprise/for
43. are/pets/our/happy/healthy/and
44. the/took/they/leisurely/a/stroll/park/in/the
45. amazing/a/made/they/discovery/scientific
46. themselves/in/situation/awkward/they/an/found
47. the/his/around/walked/he/garden/with/grandfather
48. skills/developed/the/over/years/has/artist/many
49. the/are/interested/kids/in/games/playing/video
50. the/decided/suddenly/they/to/change/plans

Answer Key:

1. The boys were playing football in the playground.
2. While getting down the mountain, the hikers were lost.
3. In my garden, my daughter is tending to the flowers.
4. My computer broke down last night while I was downloading files.
5. I watched a great movie yesterday night.
6. The hostess is preparing for dinner guests.
7. Engineers in their company greatly improved their work.
8. The children were surprised that they discovered their presents.
9. We arrived at the theater just in time for the show.
10. Tourists were guided to historical sites.
11. The sunset over the mountains was breathtaking.
12. As the storm approached, they sought shelter quickly.
13. The teacher advised the student to listen attentively.
14. They ran to the bus to not miss it.
15. The artist painted an incredible piece on canvas.
16. The dogs are sleeping on the porch.
17. Everyone prepared for a grand dinner hosted party.
18. I loved reading my new book.
19. While shopping, I found a wallet I had lost.
20. Every morning, they tend to the plants in the garden.
21. I take a walk every morning.
22. The couple was excited about their engagement news.
23. The tall trees in the forest were majestic.
24. They took photographs of the entire trip.
25. I was up late finishing my homework last night.
26. The bride nervously spent the day before the wedding.
27. We unexpectedly visited friends who unexpectedly had our news.
28. I invited a friend to the concert last minute.
29. In my kitchen, my mother was busily cooking.
30. Sunflowers in the garden were in full bloom.
31. Students decided to organize a protest.
32. We woke up in the night as we heard a storm.
33. They camped on the top of a mountain.
34. There is a variety of animals in the zoo.
35. The family brought a whole picnic.
36. The team was successful due to their efforts and teamwork.
37. The news made the couple happy.
38. The gardeners are tending to their plants every morning.
39. Teachers organized discussions on the topic.
40. The sunset over the mountains was breathtaking.
41. They explored the remote desert.
42. They threw a surprise party for their guests.
43. Our pets are happy and healthy.
44. They took a leisurely stroll in the park.
45. They made an amazing scientific discovery.
46. They found themselves in an awkward situation.
47. He walked around the garden with his grandfather.
48. The artist has developed many skills over the years.
49. The kids are interested in playing video games.
50. They suddenly decided to change plans.

50 Gap Filling Practice Questions Tenses and Clauses | CBSE Class XI Grammar English Core

Here are 50 gap-filling questions that cover various tenses and clause types. The gaps may involve verbs, adverbs, prepositions, or conjunctions. The answers are provided in brackets.


Present Simple Tense

1. She __________ to the gym every day. (go)

2. The train __________ at 7:00 AM. (depart)

3. Cats __________ milk. (not like)

4. John __________ a book at the moment. (read)

5. My parents __________ their anniversary next week. (celebrate)

Present Continuous Tense

6. Right now, they __________ a movie. (watch)

7. We __________ our friends tomorrow. (visit)

8. Why __________ you __________ at me like that? (look)

9. The sun __________ in the west. (set)

10. I __________ a new language these days. (learn)

Present Perfect Tense

11. She __________ her keys. (lose)

12. By this time next year, I __________ for ten years. (work)

13. The children __________ their homework. (not finish)

14. We __________ this restaurant before. (not visit)

15. How long __________ you __________ here? (be)

Past Simple Tense

16. They __________ to Paris last summer. (travel)

17. I __________ my keys at home yesterday. (forget)

18. We __________ a great time at the party. (have)

19. The teacher __________ the students. (not scold)

20. It __________ when I left. (rain)

Past Continuous Tense

21. At 8 AM yesterday, she __________ breakfast. (have)

22. While they __________ the game, it started raining. (watch)

23. I __________ when the phone rang. (sleep)

24. The kids __________ when the bell rang. (play)

25. What __________ when the accident happened? (you do)

Past Perfect Tense

26. By the time we arrived, they __________ dinner. (finish)

27. She __________ in that city before she moved here. (live)

28. The movie __________ before I got there. (start)

29. We __________ each other for years. (know)

30. The train __________ by the time I reached the station. (leave)

Future Simple Tense

31. She __________ a doctor when she grows up. (become)

32. By next year, I __________ my degree. (complete)

33. They __________ you at the airport. (meet)

34. I promise I __________ you soon. (call)

35. We __________ the test tomorrow. (take)

Future Continuous Tense

36. This time tomorrow, I __________ on a beach. (relax)

37. By 5 PM, they __________ for twelve hours. (work)

38. He __________ at the party when you arrive. (dance)

39. I __________ a book when you call. (read)

40. They __________ when the clock strikes midnight. (celebrate)

Future Perfect Tense

41. By the end of the year, I __________ this book. (finish)

42. She __________ for ten years by then. (teach)

43. We __________ before the guests arrive. (clean)

44. The project __________ by the time you join. (complete)

45. I __________ my goal by the time I turn 30. (achieve)

Conditional Sentences (Mixed Types)

46. If it __________ tomorrow, we will go to the beach. (not rain)

47. What __________ if you __________ a million dollars? (you do / win)

48. I __________ you if I __________ you were coming. (invite / know)

49. Unless you __________ early, you'll miss the train. (leave)

50. If they __________, they __________ us. (know / help)

 Answer Key

1. goes

2. departs

3. don't like

4. is reading

5. will celebrate

6. are watching

7. will visit

8. are you looking

9. sets

10. am learning

11. has lost

12. will have worked

13. haven't finished

14. haven't visited

15. have you been

16. traveled

17. forgot

18. had

19. didn't scold

20. was raining

21. was having

22. were watching

23. was sleeping

24. were playing

25. were you doing

26. had finished

27. had lived

28. had started

29. had known

30. had left

31. will become

32. will have completed

33. will meet

34. will call

35. will take

36. will be relaxing

37. will have been working

38. will be dancing

39. will be reading

40. will be celebrating

41. will have finished

42. will have been teaching

43. will have cleaned

44. will have completed

45. will have achieved

46. doesn't rain

47. would you do / won

48. would have invited / had known

49. leave

50. knew / would help

Direct and Indirect Speech All Variations in a nutshell with examples | English Grammar

Direct Speech:

Definition: Direct speech involves quoting the exact words spoken by a person. It is typically enclosed in quotation marks and often introduced by a verb like "said" or "asked." Example: Sarah said, "I am going to the market tomorrow."

Indirect Speech (Reported Speech):

Definition: Indirect speech involves reporting what someone else has said without quoting their exact words. In indirect speech, the reported words are often introduced by a reporting verb and are not enclosed in quotation marks. Example: Sarah said that she was going to the market the next day.

AspectDirect Speech ExampleIndirect Speech Example
Pronoun Perspective"I love this book," said Sarah.Sarah said that she loved that book.
Verb Tense"I go to the gym every day," he said.He said that he went to the gym every day.
Reporting Verb"Please help me with this," she pleaded.She pleaded with me to help her with that.
Punctuation"Stop right there!" shouted the officer.The officer shouted at them to stop right there.
Time Expressions"I'll meet you at 5 PM," John promised.John promised that he would meet me at 5 PM.
Demonstratives"This is my car," she declared.She declared that that was her car.
Modals"I can swim," said Tom.Tom said that he could swim.
Questions"Are you coming?" she asked.She asked if I was coming.
Commands"Close the door," the teacher commanded.The teacher commanded them to close the door.
Adverbs"I will come soon," he promised.He promised that he would come soon.
Imperatives"Pass me the salt," she said to him.She told him to pass her the salt.
Adjective/Adverb Changes"It's a beautiful day," she said happily.She said that it was a beautiful day and she was happy.

These examples illustrate the changes that occur when transforming sentences from direct to indirect speech across various aspects.


In indirect speech, specific changes are made to the original sentence:

  1. Pronouns may change to maintain accuracy (e.g., he/she, I, you, they).

  2. Verb tenses may shift back in time.

  3. Demonstrative pronouns (this, these, that, those) may change based on context.

  4. Time expressions may need adjustment.


It's important to note that not all reporting verbs (say, tell, ask, etc.) are followed by the same changes, and some may not require any changes at all.

Let's explore examples for each of these changes in indirect speech:

Pronouns:

Direct Speech: She said, "I am going to the party."

Indirect Speech: She said that she was going to the party.

Direct Speech: "We will be there soon," they said.

Indirect Speech: They said that they would be there soon.

Verb Tenses:

Direct Speech: He said, "I write poetry."

Indirect Speech: He said that he wrote poetry.

Direct Speech: "I have finished my work," she said.

Indirect Speech: She said that she had finished her work.

Demonstrative Pronouns:

Direct Speech: "This is my pen," he said.

Indirect Speech: He said that that was his pen.

Direct Speech: "These are my friends," she said.

Indirect Speech: She said that those were her friends.

Time Expressions:

Direct Speech: She said, "I will visit tomorrow."

Indirect Speech: She said that she would visit the next day.

Direct Speech: "We saw the movie yesterday," they said.

Indirect Speech: They said that they had seen the movie the day before.

In these examples:

  • Pronouns have been adjusted to maintain accuracy (she to she, I to he, we to they).

  • Verb tenses have shifted back in time to match the reporting context.

  • Demonstrative pronouns have changed based on context (this to that, these to those).

  • Time expressions have been adjusted to fit the time frame of the reporting situation.

These changes help maintain clarity and accuracy when reporting someone else's speech indirectly.