Mastering English Grammar and Usage November

Identify the sentence with correct subject-verb agreement.

• The team of players are winning the match.

• The team of players is winning the match.

• The team of players were winning the match.

• The team of players has winning the match.

Answer explanation

The correct choice is 'The team of players is winning the match.' because 'team' is a collective noun treated as singular, requiring the singular verb 'is' for proper subject-verb agreement.

Choose the sentence that uses the correct verb tense.

• She will goes to the store yesterday.

• She went to the store yesterday.

• She go to the store yesterday.

• She going to the store yesterday.

Answer explanation

The correct choice is 'She went to the store yesterday.' This sentence uses the past tense 'went' to indicate an action that occurred in the past, which is appropriate for the time reference 'yesterday.'

Select the sentence that uses punctuation correctly in a complex sentence.

• Although it was raining, we decided to go for a walk.

• Although, it was raining we decided to go for a walk.

• Although it was raining we decided, to go for a walk.

• Although it was raining we decided to go, for a walk.

Answer explanation

The correct sentence is 'Although it was raining, we decided to go for a walk.' It properly uses a comma before the independent clause, following the introductory dependent clause.

Which sentence uses commas correctly?

• My brother who is a doctor, lives in New York.

• My brother, who is a doctor lives in New York.

• My brother, who is a doctor, lives in New York.

• My brother who is a doctor lives, in New York.

Answer explanation

The correct sentence is 'My brother, who is a doctor, lives in New York.' because it properly uses commas to set off the non-restrictive clause 'who is a doctor', clarifying that this information is additional.

Identify the sentence fragment.

• Running through the park.

• She was running through the park.

• They ran through the park.

• He runs through the park every day.

Answer explanation

The sentence fragment is "Running through the park." because it lacks a subject and a complete verb, making it an incomplete thought. The other options are complete sentences.

Choose the correctly spelled word.

• Recieve

• Receive

• Recive

• Receeve

Answer explanation

The correct spelling is 'Receive'. It follows the rule of 'i before e except after c', making 'Receive' the only correctly spelled option among the choices.

Which sentence demonstrates correct subject-verb agreement?

• The list of items are on the desk.

• The list of items is on the desk.

• The list of items were on the desk.

• The list of items has on the desk.

Answer explanation

The correct choice is 'The list of items is on the desk.' because 'list' is a singular noun, requiring the singular verb 'is' for proper subject-verb agreement.

Select the sentence with the correct verb tense.

• By the time we arrived, the movie had already started.

• By the time we arrive, the movie had already started.

• By the time we arrived, the movie has already started.

• By the time we arrive, the movie already started.

Answer explanation

The correct choice is 'By the time we arrived, the movie had already started.' It uses the past perfect tense 'had started' to indicate that the movie began before we arrived, which is appropriate for the context.

Identify the sentence with correct punctuation in a complex sentence.

• If you want to succeed you must work hard.

• If you want to succeed, you must work hard.

• If, you want to succeed you must work hard.

• If you want to succeed you, must work hard.

Answer explanation

The correct choice is 'If you want to succeed, you must work hard.' because it properly uses a comma to separate the dependent clause from the independent clause, enhancing clarity in the complex sentence.

Which sentence uses commas correctly?

• The cake, which was delicious was eaten quickly.

• The cake which was delicious, was eaten quickly.

• The cake, which was delicious, was eaten quickly.

• The cake which, was delicious was eaten quickly.

Answer explanation

The correct sentence is "The cake, which was delicious, was eaten quickly." Commas are needed before and after the non-restrictive clause "which was delicious" to set it apart from the main clause.