Sentence Improvement — Set 1
Questions 1–10 of 120
Choose the sentence with the correct tense:
Correct Answer: B. She has been working here for five years.
The correct form uses 'has' instead of 'have' because 'she' is singular. With present perfect continuous tense, we use 'has been' for singular subjects and 'have been' for plural subjects. The sentence requires the auxiliary verb 'has' followed by 'been' and the present participle 'working'.
Identify the sentence with correct subject-verb agreement:
Correct Answer: B. The team is playing well in the tournament.
When 'team' is used as a collective noun referring to a single unit, it takes a singular verb 'is'. Although it refers to multiple people, as a collective noun it is treated as singular. The correct form is 'The team is playing well'.
Which sentence has the correct verb form:
Correct Answer: B. He doesn't like coffee very much.
The correct form uses 'doesn't' (does not) instead of 'don't'. With the third person singular subject 'he', we use the auxiliary verb 'does' with the negative form 'doesn't'. The verb 'like' remains in its base form after the auxiliary.
Select the grammatically correct sentence:
Correct Answer: B. Either the manager or the employees are responsible for this decision.
When using 'either...or', the verb agrees with the nearest noun. In this case, 'employees' (plural) is closest, so we use 'are'. The correct sentence is 'Either the manager or the employees are responsible for this decision'.
Choose the sentence with correct tense usage:
Correct Answer: B. If I were you, I would handle the situation differently.
In contrary-to-fact conditional sentences, we use 'were' instead of 'was' for all persons including 'I'. The correct form is 'If I were you' (subjunctive mood). This is a hypothetical situation that is not true, so subjunctive form is required.
Identify the correct verb form:
Correct Answer: B. The news is very disturbing to everyone.
The word 'news' is singular despite ending in 's'. It takes a singular verb 'is'. The correct sentence is 'The news is very disturbing to everyone.' Many words like news, physics, and mathematics appear plural but are treated as singular.
Which sentence uses the correct tense sequence:
Correct Answer: B. By the time he arrives, I will have already left.
When a future action (arrives) happens before another future action (leaving), we use future perfect tense. The correct form is 'By the time he arrives, I will have already left.' This shows that leaving will be completed before his arrival.
Choose the sentence with correct past tense usage:
Correct Answer: B. She had written the letter before I called her.
The past participle of 'write' is 'written', not 'wrote'. With 'had', we use 'written' to form past perfect tense. The correct sentence is 'She had written the letter before I called her.' This shows the sequence of two past events.
Identify the grammatically correct form:
Correct Answer: B. Each of the students has completed their assignment.
The pronoun 'each' is singular and requires a singular verb 'has'. The correct sentence is 'Each of the students has completed their assignment.' Here 'their' is appropriate for gender-neutral reference even with a singular antecedent in modern English.
Which sentence has correct verb agreement:
Correct Answer: B. Neither John nor his friends want to attend the party.
With 'neither...nor', the verb agrees with the nearest noun. 'Friends' (plural) is closest, so we use 'want'. The correct sentence is 'Neither John nor his friends want to attend the party.'