High School English Grammar » Grammar test 49 of 82: Adjectives
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Question 1 of 10: Which sentence is correct?
2. english exercises / grammar test / learn english grammar/ english online: Which sentence is grammatically correct?
(a) The tourists seemed lost so I helped them.
(b) The tourists lost seemed so I helped them.
(c) The lost tourists seemed so I helped them.
(d) Lost the tourists seemed so I helped them.
Answer: A
Grammar rules: Adjectives of quality, unlike all the other types of adjectives, have two possible positions in a sentence:
1. BEFORE the NOUN they modify (in this position, they are called attributive adjectives): "a tiny kitten," "a fast car."
2. AFTER a VERB such as:
a) be, become, seem: "She was happy," "You seem angry."
b) appear, feel, get/grow (=become), keep, look (=appear), make, smell, sound, taste, turn: "The water tastes funny," "I feel sick."
(In this position, adjectives are called predicative adjectives, and the verbs used in this way are called link verbs or copulas.)
3. english exercises / grammar test / learn english grammar/ english online: (Put in an adjective OF QUALITY): Mark brought a _______ package.
(a) heavy
(b) his
(c) that
(d) some
Answer: A
Grammar rules: Explanation: There are six main kinds of adjectives:
1) demonstrative: this, that, these, those
2) distributive: each, every, either, neither
3) quantitative: two, fifty, much/many, few/little, no, some, any
4) interrogative: which, what, whose
5) possessive: my, your, his, her, its, our, their
6) of quality: bright, pretty, heavy, good, purple, square
4. english exercises / grammar test / learn english grammar/ english online: Which sentence is grammatically correct?
(a) They arrived principal at the city of the area.
(b) They arrived at the city principal of the area.
(c) They arrived at the principal city of the area.
(d) They arrived at the city was principal of the area.
Answer: C
Grammar rules: Some adjectives of quality have only one possible position in a sentence - that is, can be used only attributively or only predicatively.
Adjectives that have to come before their nouns: chief, main, principal, sheer, utter.
Adjectives that have to follow the verb: afraid, upset, adrift, afloat, alike, alive, alone, ashamed, asleep.
5. english exercises / grammar test / learn english grammar/ english online: Which sentence is correct?
(a) What a wicked thing to do!
(b) What a wicked thing of to do!
(c) What a wicked thing to doing!
(d) What a wicked thing done!
Answer: A
Grammar rules: "Pronoun + BE + adjective + noun + infinitive" is a construction that can be used with adjectives concerning:
- character: BRAVE, CARELESS, COWARDLY, CRUEL, GENEROUS, GOOD/NICE (=kind), MEAN, RUDE, SELFISH, WICKED, WRONG (morally), RIGHT, FAIR, JUST;
- sense: CLEVER, FOOLISH, IDIOTIC, INTELLIGENT, SENSIBLE, SILLY, STUPID;
- a number of others: ASTONISHING, CURIOUS, EXTRAORDINARY, FUNNY (=strange), ODD, QUEER, STRANGE, SURPRISING, POINTLESS, USELESS, USEFUL.
"That was a clever thing to do."
"It was a useful advice to share, thank you."
Such comments can be also expressed as exclamations:
"What an extraordinary feat to witness!"
"What a strange thing to say!"
In expressions of disapproval, the adjective can be sometimes omitted: "What a way to speak to your elders!"
6. english exercises / grammar test / learn english grammar/ english online: Which sentence is correct?
(a) What a cruel time to living in!
(b) What a cruel time lived in!
(c) What a cruel time to lived in!
(d) What a cruel time to live in!
Answer: D
Grammar rules: "Pronoun + BE + adjective + noun + infinitive" is a construction that can be used with adjectives concerning:
- character: BRAVE, CARELESS, COWARDLY, CRUEL, GENEROUS, GOOD/NICE (=kind), MEAN, RUDE, SELFISH, WICKED, WRONG (morally), RIGHT, FAIR, JUST;
- sense: CLEVER, FOOLISH, IDIOTIC, INTELLIGENT, SENSIBLE, SILLY, STUPID;
- a number of others: ASTONISHING, CURIOUS, EXTRAORDINARY, FUNNY (=strange), ODD, QUEER, STRANGE, SURPRISING, POINTLESS, USELESS, USEFUL.
"That was a clever thing to do."
"It was a useful advice to share, thank you."
Such comments can be also expressed as exclamations:
"What an extraordinary feat to witness!"
"What a strange thing to say!"
In expressions of disapproval, the adjective can be sometimes omitted: "What a way to speak to your elders!"
7. english exercises / grammar test / learn english grammar/ english online: Rephrase the sentence: "Laura sings better than Cora sings."
(a) Laura sings better than Cora does.
(b) Laura sings better than Cora is.
(c) Laura sings better than Cora does sing.
(d) Laura sings better than Cora was.
Answer: A
Grammar rules: In comparisons, when the same verb is used before and after THAN or AS, we can use a (non-contracted) auxiliary in place of the second verb:
"Beth eats more than Patty eats" = "Beth eats more than Patty does"
The verbs don't need to be in the same tense:
"He drove faster than he usually does."
8. english exercises / grammar test / learn english grammar/ english online: Which sentence is correct?
(a) It was silly of me to forget my keys.
(b) It was silly of me to forgetting my keys.
(c) It was silly of me to forgot my keys.
(d) It was silly with me to forget my keys.
Answer: A
Grammar rules: We mainly use the construction "IT + BE + adjective (+ OF + object) + infinitive" with adjectives concerning:
- character: BRAVE, CARELESS, COWARDLY, CRUEL, GENEROUS, GOOD/NICE (=kind), MEAN, RUDE, SELFISH, WICKED, WRONG (morally), as well as FAIR, RIGHT, and JUST with interrogative or negative verbs;
- sense: CLEVER, FOOLISH, IDIOTIC, INTELLIGENT, SENSIBLE, SILLY, STUPID.
"It was silly (of me) to underestimate them."
"It was rude of them to offend our host."
We can omit (OF + object) in the sense-related adjectives and sometimes in the character-related ones, except for GOOD/NICE.
9. english exercises / grammar test / learn english grammar/ english online: It was marvelous for the kids _________ their own playground.
(a) had
(b) have
(c) to having
(d) to have
Answer: D
Grammar rules: "IT + BE + adjective/participle + infinitive" can be used with adjectives and participles that show reactions or feelings:
- adjectives: AWFUL, DELIGHTFUL, DREADFUL, GOOD/NICE (=pleasant), HORRIBLE, LOVELY, MARVELOUS, SPLENDID, STRANGE, TERRIBLE, WONDERFUL, etc.:
"It's strange to think of him as a murderer."
- present participles of: ALARM, AMUSE, ANNOY, AMAZE, ASTONISH, BEWILDER, BORE, DEPRESS, DISAPPOINT, DISCOURAGE, DISGUST, EMBARRASS, ENCOURAGE, EXCITE, FRIGHTEN, HORRIFY, INTEREST, SURPRISE, UPSET, etc.:
"It was interesting to see the pyramids."
- FUN and A RELIEF can be used in a similar way:
"It was fun/a relief to leave the house for a bit."
For some adjectives, such as LOVELY, INTERESTING, MARVELOUS, NICE, WONDERFUL, etc., it's possible to add FOR + object:
"It was lovely for us to go out without children for once."
"IT + BE + adjective/participle + noun + infinitive" is also possible with the above adjectives/participles:
"It was a horrible thing to say."
10. english exercises / grammar test / learn english grammar/ english online: It used to be desirable for women _________ quiet and docile.
(a) is
(b) was
(c) are
(d) to be
Answer: D
Grammar rules: "IT + BE + adjective + infinitive" can be used with: ADVISABLE, INADVISABLE, BETTER, BEST, DESIRABLE, ESSENTIAL, GOOD (=advisable), IMPORTANT, NECESSARY, UNNECESSARY, VITAL, as well as ONLY + FAIR/JUST/RIGHT. ("Inessential" and "unimportant" are not normally used, but we can use "non essential".)
"It's important to get there on time."
"It's best to discuss the issue when we meet."
We can use "FOR + object" after the adjective, except for GOOD and JUST.
"It wasn't necessary for her to sign the document."
"It's only fair for him to go with us."
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Other grammar & vocabulary tests
English Grammar in Use / A Practical English Grammar
1. Articles and one, a little/a few, this, that
2. Nouns
3. Adjectives
Common Errors in English
1. Misused forms – Using a Wrong Preposition
2. Misused forms – Misuse of the Infinitive
3. Misused forms – The Use of a Wrong Tense
4. Misused forms – Miscellaneous Examples
5. Misused forms – Un-English Expressions
6. Incorrect Omissions – Omission of Prepositions
7. Incorrect Omissions – Miscellaneous Examples
8. Unnecessary Words – Unnecessary Prepositions
9. Unnecessary Words – Unnecessary Articles
10. Unnecessary Words – The Infinitive without "To"
11. Unnecessary Words – Miscellaneous Examples
12. Misplaced Words – Wrong Position of Adverbs
13. Misplaced Words – Miscellaneous Examples
14. Confused Words – Prepositions often Confused
15. Confused Words – Verbs often Confused
16. Confused Words – Adverbs often Confused
17. Confused Words – Adjectives often Confused
18. Confused Words – Nouns often Confused
19. Confused Words – Confusion of Numbers
20. Confused Words – Confusion of Parts of Speech
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English Grammar Exercise Tips
The following simple English grammar tips and tricks will help you to learn and memorize English grammar rules and speak correctly. If you are on this site for English grammar practice, these tips will really help you. Let's start.
Invest your time in learning
It surely takes some time to learn English. There is no shortcut way to learn it. Some websites may say that they will teach you English in seven days or one month. These are false offers. Invest some time in learning and practicing. Your English skills will surely improve.
Speak, speak, and speak!
Try to speak English the same way you write it. Do not worry about grammatical mistakes. The more you practice, the less mistakes you will make and the more fluent you will be. So, practice daily and do not be afraid of grammatical errors.
Slow down your speaking speed
Your confidence will go down if you try to speak fluently from the very beginning. Give yourself some time. Start with slow speaking speed and increase your speed over time as you make more progress day by day. Slowing down speaking speed has another benefit — you will get enough time to make sentences in your mind before you speak.
The more you practice speaking, the more confident you will be.
Use Mobile apps
Luckily, there are many English learning apps available. Some are free and some are paid apps. If you are a smartphone user, you should install some of these apps in your mobile phone. You can at least install one app and start practicing. A mobile app is a very handy and useful thing to learn at your convenient time. You can start with free apps.
Install and use a dictionary app in your mobile
There are several free dictionary apps that will help you to learn proper pronunciation and new words. It is highly possible that your smartphone already has a dictionary installed. Use it or install a better one.
Try to get a good bilingual dictionary for better understanding. Besides using a mobile app, you can buy and use a good bilingual dictionary. A good bilingual dictionary is always a good investment for personal improvement.
Learn English idioms and phrasal verbs
Idioms and phrasal verbs are very common in everyday English conversation. If you do not know them, you may fail to understand the correct meaning of what the other person is saying. So, do not ignore them. Try to learn the most common English idioms and phrasal verbs.
Listen to news bulletins
Almost every radio and television channel broadcasts news bulletins. If you have a smartphone, radio or television, you can listen to these English news bulletins. Besides learning the correct pronunciation, you can learn correct English. Listening to these bulletins will also improve your fluency. This is a common technique used by English learners.
Read out loud
How does your English sound? The pronunciation style of some people is very bad. But there is a simple and easy way to fix improve pronunciation. Take a newspaper or any other script written in English and read out loud. This way you can hear and test your own pronunciation. If you are not happy with your own pronunciation, keep practicing and your English pronunciation will surely improve.
Learn new words daily
The more words you learn, the better you can understand English and express yourself. You may be surprised to know that learning only the basic words can help you to speak English that is used in communication everyday.
Learn sentences
Besides learning common words, try learning common sentences used in everyday English communication. This will give you a huge boost in your learning efforts.
Write every day
When you write, do not be shy of your mistakes. Try to write at least a few paragraphs, ideally at least one page. It is a great practice to use your newly learned words and practice grammar. This will also improve your writing skills.
Watch English movies
These movies will help you to learn proper pronunciation and improve your understanding of English. When you see how native English speakers speak English, your mind will automatically start copying the style. You can try to speak like them at home to understand the quality of your pronunciation and fluency.
Language swap
There are several websites where you can find people who are native English speakers and want to help your learn English if you teach them your language. This is free and can be a great way to learn from native speakers. Many learners are using this method and you should give a try.
Go to a mentor
A mentor can help you to guide in the right direction. She can measure your progress and suggest whatever you need to improve. You can regularly discuss about your improvement and weakness with your mentor. Oftentimes, she can help you. Your mentor can be someone who is good at English. She can be your school / college / university teacher, your friend or any person good at English.
Try to correct your mistakes
It is common to make mistakes. Every time you make a mistake, write it in a separate piece of paper. Make a list of mistakes. Check your mistakes from time to time and try not to make these mistakes again when you practice. These mistakes are clear and good indications of your weakness in English.
Give yourself time to think
Whenever you make a mistake, you should think how you can avoid this mistake from next time. Take time and assess your progress and weakness.
Be an advance learner
Try to learn advance English grammatical rules and vocabulary. Never be happy with your progress. The more you learn and practice, the better English skills you achieve.
Start with "Tense"
There are mainly three types of tense - past, present and future. Usually, verbs indicate the correct form of each tense. Besides learning tense, you should memorize some verbs too. Do not worry. It is interesting and easy to learn the necessary verbs.
Learn common pronoun usage
Do you know the difference between the common subject pronouns and object pronouns such as I/me, we/us, he/him, she/her, they/them?
We use subject pronouns such as I, we, he she, they when the subject is doing an action. Usually, we use subject pronouns at the beginning of a sentence. Example: I cannot remember the story.
But we do not start a sentence with object pronouns such as me, us, him, her, them. Example: Call him.
Active voice and passive voice
Many English learning students get confused here. In active voice, the subject performs an action. In passive voice, the subject and the object of a sentence swap to form the correct sentence.
Incorrect: The cinema was gone to by me.
Correct: The cinema was enjoyed by me.
Prepositions
A preposition defines the relationship between an object and its surroundings. Without the proper use of prepositions, your English will sound weird. Luckily, there are only a handful of prepositions and these are easy to learn.
English Vocabulary Exercise Tips
Learning new words can be a matter of fun but you need to follow some effective methods to learn new words faster. Read them all in the list below.
Read, read, and read
You will find many new words that you need to learn in novels and literary works. You will be most benefited if you read classic literary books. You should also read magazines and newspapers because these are also good sources of new words that you need to learn. These sources often use high quality English that often contain both common and advance words.
Vocabulary wordbooks
In the bookshops, you will find vocabulary wordbooks that range from beginner to advance levels. You can buy one or more depending on your requirements. These books make it a lot easier to learn because these books come with a complete list of words that is suitable for your level.
Use a journal
During your learning time, you will surely find new words. Add them in your journal. This list will slowly grow. But this journal will help you to measure your progress and show where you need to improve. The journal can inspire you to learn more and faster if you find that you are going slow.
Learn some new words everyday
It is easier and more realistic to digest some new words everyday. If you are determined to learn some new words everyday, you will be surprised and happy to see your progress after a month. The progress will surely motivate you to keep using this learning method.
Use flashcards
Using flashcards is a common way to learn new words. You maybe know that you can buy flashcards from bookshops. Some learners find it easier to learn new words with flashcards. You should give a try too.
Set a target
Set a target that is achievable and realistic. Whatever happens, try to achieve your target at any cost.
Look up new words
Have you found a new word? Get in the habit of looking up words you do not know and immediately do this. If you leave it for later, you may completely forget about it and miss the chance to learn it. A quick way is to look the words in the dictionary installed or available in your smartphone. Another alternative is — look up the word on a search engine like Google.com and you will find the meaning of your desired word in several high quality websites.
Play some word games
If you search online, you can find several word learning games. Some of these games are developed in such a fun and entertaining way that you will not get bored even if you use them hours after hours. These games are not hard to find out. Vocabulary learners usually learn using crossword puzzles, anagrams, word jumble, Scrabble, and Boggle. You can try one of them or all of them.
Use your newly learned words
Take a piece of paper and make one or more sentences for every word you just learned. This way every word will be more memorable. It can take some time but it definitely has its benefits.
Engage in conversations
When you engage in conversation, use your newly learned vocabulary. It can be interesting because the other person will be surprised to see your improved vocabulary power / skills. Besides, you will be able to express / communicate in a better way.
Take vocabulary tests
There are several websites that give you free access to their website so that you can test your vocabulary. This website also helps you to test your SAT vocabulary, GRE vocabulary, IELTS vocabulary, TOEFL vocabulary, ACT vocabulary, TOEIC vocabulary, GMAT vocabulary, PTE vocabulary, ECPE vocabulary, MELAB vocabulary, MCAT vocabulary, and PCAT vocabulary.