English Grammar Quiz

When a fire burns red or green or blue, the color of its flames ____ the chemical composition of the combustible material. Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

• indicate

• indicates

• have indicated

• are indicating

A Neapolitan pizza made with San Marzano tomatoes ____ considered more traditional than one made with any other type of tomatoes. Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

• are

• have been

• is

• were

The sum of money one donates to registered nonprofit organizations ____ a deduction that can be made from one's taxable income. Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

• represent

• represents

• are representing

• have represented

Called embouchure, the shape of a skilled trumpet player's lips ____ for playing a wide range of notes with clear tone and without muscle strain.

• allows
• are allowing

• allow

• have allowed

It is hard to live in Antarctica. The cold, dry environment provides the continent's soil-dwelling microbes few nutrients, little water, and almost no sunlight. In a 2017 study of these organisms, microbiologist Belinda Ferrari reported that ___ able to survive on a diet of atmospheric gases found in the soil. Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

• it is

• this is

• either is

• they are

Before a jury trial begins, lawyers for each side interview potential jurors closely, ___ questions intended to reveal any biases. Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

• asking him or her

• asking them

• asking it

• to ask him or her

Thanks to ___ long legs, giraffes are very fast, running as quickly as 35 miles per hour in short bursts. Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

• its

• one's

• their

• his or her

While many spiders use webs to catch their food, others capture prey using hunting or burrowing techniques. Spiders from the family Ctenizidae, often called trapdoor spiders, ___ their burrows with doors, using their silk for hinges. Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

• cover

• are covering

• will have covered

• had covered