Professional Communication Multiple Choice Questions on “Adjectivals and Adverbials”.
1. Which of these is not an adjectival?
a) Noun
b) Verb
c) Adverb
d) Gerund
Answer: b
Clarification: Nouns are modified by nouns, participles, gerunds, adverbs, possessives and prepositional phrases. They are called adjective equivalents or adjectivals.
2. Which of these is an example of a participle as a modifier?
a) A canvas trouser
b) Running nose
c) A walking stick
d) A student’s pen
Answer: b
Clarification: ‘Running nose’ is an example of a participle as a modifier. ‘A canvas trouser’ is an example of a noun as a modifier. ‘A walking stick’ is an example of a gerund as a modifier.
3. Fill in the blank :
Adjective modify _____
a) verbs
b) nouns
c) adverbs
d) pronouns
Answer: b
Clarification: Adjective modify nouns. Adjectives are used in two ways: attributively and predicatively. For example: This is a new car. (attributive use), This car is new. (predicative use).
4. Suffixes “er” and “est” are added to monosyllabic adjectives to express contrasts.
a) True
b) False
Answer: a
Clarification: The statement is true. Suffixes “er” and “est” are added to monosyllabic adjectives to express contrasts. These create comparative and superlative forms.
5. Which of these is not modified by adverb?
a) Verb
b) Adjective
c) Noun
d) Adverb
Answer: c
Clarification: Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives and adverbs. They are used in different positions. Interrogative adverbs “how”, “when”, “where” and “why” are used in the front position.
6. Which of these is not an adverb of frequency?
a) Often
b) Never
c) Usually
d) Smoothly
Answer: d
Clarification: Adverbs like “often”, “never”, “sometimes”, “usually” etc., are placed with verbs. They are adverbs of frequency and are known as mid position verbs.
7. Which of these sentences is an example of an end position adverb?
a) He normally wakes up at 6 A.M.
b) This car runs smoothly.
c) How wonderful she looks !
d) Why did he visit the zoo?
Answer: b
Clarification: The correct statement is: This car runs smoothly. Some adverbs are placed after the verb, and after object when used in the sentence. Due to this reason, they are known as end position adverbs.
8. Choose the correct statement:
a) The principal placed the notice for all students on the notice board.
b) The principal placed on the notice board the notice for all students.
c) The principal placed the notice on the notice board for all students.
d) The principal on the notice board placed the notice for all students.
Answer: b
Clarification: The correct statement is: The principal placed on the notice board the notice for all students. Place the modifiers so that the reader knows what they modify. This is called coherence.
9. Fill in the blank :
He is the _____ man for the job.
a) most perfect
b) perfect
c) totally perfect
d) absolutely perfect
Answer: b
Clarification: The correct statement is: He is the perfect man for the job. Some adjectives are absolute or ungradable. They should not be modified with words like absolutely, totally, etc.
10. Choose the correct statement:
a) On opening the window, Neha’s eyes at once fell on the bird.
b) As Neha opened the window, her eyes at once fell on the bird.
c) On opening the window, at once Neha’s eyes fell on the bird.
d) As Neha opened the window, her eyes fell on the bird at once.
Answer: b
Clarification: The correct statement is: As Neha opened the window, her eyes at once fell on the bird. Here the opening phrase has been expanded into an adverbial clause.