The Grammaring Guide to English Grammar with Exercises

Pretest

The following test contains 50 multiple choice questions related to various fields of English grammar covered in this book. For each question, choose the best answer from the three choices listed and note it down for yourself. The questions get harder as you progress, from beginner to advanced level. Don't worry if you don't know all the answers. At the end of the test you will find an answer key that also provides links to the chapters that will explain each answer for you.

Mary is ... teacher.

-

a

an

... go for a walk?

Would you like to

Would you like

Do you like

I ... in the morning.

drink a cup of tea usually

drink usually a cup of tea

usually drink a cup of tea

My sister ... in Canada.

live

lives

living

Where ...

does Peter work?

Peter does work?

works Peter?

I don't have ... problems.

some

any

much

I like ... early in summer.

get up

getting up

to getting up

Tom can ... the piano.

play

to play

plays

Come on, I ... you with those bags.

'm going to help

'll help

'm helping

I ... for you all day yesterday.

looking

was looking

have been looking

Let's take an umbrella. ...

It rained.

It rains.

It's raining.

Sorry, I can't meet you tonight. I ... out with some friends.

am going

go

will go

When I ... home, I ... to bed straight away.

was getting / went

got / went

got / had gone

Last week, I stayed with my sister ... a few days.

during

since

for

I ... on the computer all day. My eyes are sore.

been working

was working

have been working

If I ... in New York at that time, I ... to the show.

were living / would go

had been living / would have gone

lived / would have gone

Tim should spend ... time on the computer.

less

fewer

a few

He wanted to know ...

who I was waiting for.

who was I waiting for.

for who I was waiting.

The question was ... to answer.

enough difficult

too difficult

difficulty

There is something you want to say, ...

isn't there?

isn't it?

doesn't it?

I really ... give up smoking.

need

must

ought

When I met Philip in 1980, he said he ... to Brunei.

had never been

has never been

never been

The wind was blowing through the ... living room window.

breaking

broken

broke

I regret to inform you that your application ...

has been rejected.

has rejected.

rejected.

What's the last film ... you saw?

what

who

that

Have you ever ... China?

been in

been to

gone to

Who ... to?

belongs this bag

this bag belongs

does this bag belong

... a lot of cheese.

French eat

The French eat

The French eats

I wish ... nearer. Then we could meet more often.

living

I would live

I lived

I'll never forget ... her for the first time.

to have met

to meet

meeting

The guide ... visiting the Royal Palace.

suggested

agreed

promised

J. K. Rowling is rumoured ... a new book.

that she is writing

to be writing

writing

Smokers are more likely ... lung cancer compared to non-smokers.

to develop

that they develop

developing

Here ...

the postman comes.

comes she.

comes the bus.

It ... have been Carla you saw this morning. She is away on holiday.

mustn't

can't

needn't

... as compensation.

$500 was paid the customer

The customer was paid for $500

The customer was paid $500

The student apologised ... the professor ... being late.

to / for

to / of

for / of

We haven't heard from him for ten years. He ...

had to die.

should have died.

might have died.

... this morning.

My hair had cut

I had cut my hair

I had my hair cut

By next week, they ... painting the rooms.

have finished

will finish

will have finished

It's high time I ... a new pair of jeans.

buy

bought

had bought

I took the phone back to the shop, but they ... me a replacement.

wouldn't give

shouldn't give

can't have given

Mike insisted ... his new muffin recipe.

trying

on that I try

that I should try

Mr Jones ... at the meeting, but he had to cancel because of his illness.

was speaking

was to speak

was to have spoken

Knowing a little Russian, I had no difficulty ... myself understood.

to make

making

about making

If you ... smarter, you ... money in the first place.

were / wouldn't have borrowed

were / didn't borrow

are / wouldn't borrow

Not only ... the speed limit, but he had also consumed alcohol.

he exceeded

did he exceed

he did exceed

If only it ... snowing.

would stop

stopped

stops

You ... that again.

not do

are not do

are not to do

Where would you rather ...

I'll sleep?

I'd sleep?

I slept?