Professional Communication Multiple Choice Questions on “Sentence Structure”.
1. On is used in speaking of things in motion.
a) True
b) False
Answer: b
Clarification: The statement is false. On is used in speaking of things at rest, and upon of things in motion. For example: The clock sat on the bedside table. This is an example of an object at rest. Whereas, in the sentence: She stumbled upon a secret passage; movement is clearly being conveyed.
2. Fill in the blank.
The dog sprang ____ him.
a) on
b) upon
c) in
d) over
Answer: b
Clarification: The statement is: The dog sprang upon him. On is used in speaking of things at rest, and upon of things in motion.
3. Till is used for time.
a) True
b) False
Answer: a
Clarification: The statement is true. Till is used of time and to is used of place. For example: I slept till 6 o’clock.
4. Which of these comes immediately after the noun?
a) Adverb phrase
b) Adjective phrase
c) Verb phrase
d) Pronoun phrase
Answer: b
Clarification: The adjective phrase comes immediately after the noun. For example: The top of the handle was broken.
5. Which of these statements is false?
a) The subject should usually follow the verb.
b) The object usually comes after the verb.
c) When there is an indirect object and a direct object, the indirect precedes the direct.
d) When the adjective is used attributively it comes before the noun which it qualifies.
Answer: a
Clarification: The subject should usually precede the verb. For example: The dog bit the boy. The object usually comes after the verb.
6. Every statement must have a subject and a _____
a) noun
b) verb
c) predicate
d) phrase
Answer: c
Clarification: To be complete, every statement must have a subject and a predicate. In other words, once the subject has been mentioned, there is necessity to say something about it.
7. Choose the correct statement.
a) Do not make friend with selfish people.
b) Do not make friendship with selfish people.
c) Do not make friends with selfish people.
d) Do not make friendly with selfish people.
Answer: c
Clarification: The correct statement is: Do not make friends with selfish people. The phrase ‘make friends’ is grammatically correct.
8. Choose the correct statement.
a) She doesn’t know the reason for his disappearance.
b) She doesn’t know the reason of his disappearance.
c) She doesn’t know the reason at his disappearance.
d) She doesn’t know the reason with his disappearance.
Answer: a
Clarification: The correct statement is: She doesn’t know the reason for his disappearance. The preposition should be used according to the prepositional phrase.
9. Some students are ____ at copying.
a) adapt
b) adept
c) adopt
d) edept
Answer: b
Clarification: The correct statement is: Some students are adept at copying. Adept is an adjective meaning “proficient or well trained.”
10. Father _____ me not to go out in the cold.
a) adviced
b) advised
c) advice
d) advise
Answer: b
Clarification: The correct statement is: Father advised me not to go out in the cold. Advise is a verb meaning “to counsel”. Advice is a noun meaning “to give me opinion”.