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English: grammar

Grammar questions check that you can name and use word classes and sentence structures correctly: tenses, agreement, clauses and connectives. Knowing the rule lets you fix a sentence instead of guessing which one 'sounds right'.

What is tested

  • Word classes (noun, verb, adjective, adverb, preposition, conjunction)
  • Subject-verb agreement and tense consistency
  • Clauses, active and passive voice

Worked example

Choose the correct word: 'Each of the boys ___ brought a packed lunch.' (has / have)

  1. The subject is 'each', which is singular.
  2. A singular subject takes 'has'.
  3. 'Of the boys' is extra information and does not change the subject.

Answer: has

Exam-day checklist

  • Find the subject and check the verb agrees with it.
  • Keep the tense consistent unless time changes.
  • Identify each word's job in the sentence, not just how it looks.
  • Read the corrected sentence aloud to check.

Common mistakes

  • Agreeing the verb with the nearest noun instead of the subject.
  • Switching tense mid-sentence.
  • Confusing adjectives and adverbs (quick / quickly).

Try it yourself

1. Which word is the adverb: 'The team played brilliantly yesterday'?

Show answer

brilliantly (and 'yesterday' tells when)

'Brilliantly' describes how they played; adverbs modify verbs.

2. Rewrite in the passive: 'The dog chased the cat.'

Show answer

The cat was chased by the dog.

The object becomes the subject and the verb becomes 'was chased'.

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