Directions (1-15): In each of the following sentences, five options are given. You are required to identify the best way of writing the sentence in the context of the correct usage of standard written English. While doing so, you have to ensure that the message being conveyed remains the same in all the cases.
Q1. If he was to decide to go to college, one would recommend that he plan to go to IIM, Ahmedabad.
(a) If he was to decide to go to college, one would recommend that he plan to go to IIM, Ahmedabad.
(b) If he were to decide to go to college, one would recommend that he plan to go to IIM, Ahmedabad.
(c) Had he decided to go to college, one would recommend that plan to go to IIM, Ahmedabad.
(d) In the event that he decides to go to college, one would recommend that plan to go to IIM, Ahmedabad.
(e) Had he decide to go to college, one would recommend that he go to IIM, Ahmedabad.
Q2. Except for you and I, everyone brought a present for the little birthday boy.
(a) Except for his and I, everyone brought a present for the little birthday boy.
(b) With the exception of you and I, everyone brought a present for the little birthday boy.
(c) Except for you and I, everyone had brought a present for the little birthday boy.
(d) Except for you and me, everyone brought a present for the little birthday boy.
(e) Excepting you and I, all brought present for the little boy.
Q3. When one reads the Hindi literature of the twentieth century, you find a striking contrast between the writings of Munshi Premchand and later day writers of popular Hindi fiction.
(a) When one reads the Hindi literature of the twentieth century, you find a striking contrast between the writings of Munshi Premchand and later day writers of popular Hindi fiction.
(b) When you read the Hindi literature of the twentieth century, one finds a striking contrast between the writings of Munshi Premchand and later day writers of popular Hindi fiction.
(c) When one reads the Hindi literature of the twentieth century, he finds a striking contrast between the writings of Munshi Premchand and later day writers of popular Hindi fiction.
(d) If one reads the Hindi literature of the twentieth century, you find a striking contrast between the writings of Munshi Premchand and later day writers of popular Hindi fiction.
(e) When one reads the Hindi Literature of the twentieth century, one finds a striking contrast between the writings of Munshi Premchand and later day writers of popular Hindi fiction.
Q4. Because of his tennis elbow injury, Limba Ram has not and possibly never will be able to pick up the bat again.
(a) Because of his tennis elbow injury, Limba Ram has not and possibly never will be able to pick up the bat again.
(b) Because of his tennis elbow injury, Limba Ram has not and possibly will never be able to pick up the bat again.
(c) Because of his tennis elbow injury, Limba Ram has not been and possibly never would be able to pick up the bat again.
(d) Because of his tennis elbow injury, Limba Ram has not been able to and possibly never will be able to pick up the bat again.
(e) Because of his tennis elbow injury, Limba Ram has not and if possible be never able to pick up the bat again.
Q5. Had he realised how close he was to failing, he would not have gone to the party.
(a) Had he realised how close he was to failing, he would not have gone to the party.
(b) If he would have realised how close he was to failing, he would not have gone to the party.
(c) Had he had realised how close he was to failing, he would not have gone to the party.
(d) When he realized how close he was to failing, he did not go to the party.
(e) If he would realize how close he was to failing, he should not have gone to the party.
Q6. The Indian cricket team’s winning it’s first game of the 2007 World Cup excited the fans of the team.
(a) The Indian cricket team’s winning it’s first game of the 2007 World Cup excited the fans of the team.
(b) The Indian cricket team having won its first game of the 2007 World Cup, excited the fans of the team.
(c) The Indian cricket team’s having won its first game of the 2007 World Cup excited the fans of the team.
(d) The Indian cricket team’s winning its first game of the 2007 World Cup excited the fans of the team.
(e) The Indian cricket team’s had won its first game of the 2007 World Cup excited the fans of the team.
Q7. Poor product quality angers Mr. Garbole, who wonders if it is part of a strategy by marketers.
(a) Poor product quality angers Mr. Garbole, who wonders if it is part of a strategy by marketers.
(b) Poor product quality angers Mr. Garbole, who wonders if marketers are part of the strategy.
(c) Poor product quality angers Mr. Garbole, that wonders if it is part of a strategy by marketers.
(d) Poor product quality angers Mr. Garbole, who wonders if they are part of a strategy by marketers.
(e) Poor product quality angers Mr. Garbole, who wonders if it are part of a strategy.
Q8. Ambikesh noticed the cat’s soft hair, sharp paws, and keen sense of hearing.
(a) Ambikesh noticed the cat’s soft hair, sharp paws, and keen sense of hearing.
(b) Ambikesh noticed the cat’s soft hair, sharp paws, and that his sense of hearing was keen.
(c) Ambikesh noticed the cat’s soft hair, that he had sharp paws, and a very keen sense of hearing.
(d) Ambikesh noticed the cat’s soft hair, keen sense of hearing and also that it had sharp paws.
(e) Ambikesh as noticed the cat’s soft hair, sharp paws and keen sense of hearing.
Q9. Having bowed our heads, the priest in the temple led us in prayer.
(a) Having bowed our heads, the priest in the temple led us in prayer.
(b) After we bowed our head, the priest in the temple led us in prayer.
(c) After we bowed our heads, the priest in the temple led us in prayer.
(d) After we had bowed our heads, the priest in the temple led us in prayer.
(e) After having bowed our head, the priest in the temple led us in prayer.
Q10. My grandmother seldom ever wants to try and face the facts.
(a) My grandmother seldom ever wants to try and face the facts.
(b) My grandmother seldom if ever wants to try and face the facts.
(c) My grandmother seldom ever wants to try to face the facts.
(d) My grandmother seldom wants to try to face the facts.
(e) My grandmother seldom want to try face the facts.
Q11. Anyone interested in flying planes can learn much if you have access to a flight simulation machine.
(a) Anyone interested in flying planes can learn much if you have access to a flight simulation machine.
(b) Anyone interested in flying planes can learn much if he has access to a flight simulation machine.
(c) Anyone interested in flying planes can learn much if access is available to a flight simulation machine.
(d) Anyone interested in flying planes can learn much from access to a flight simulation machine.
(e) Anyone interests in flying planes can learn much if they had access to a flight simulation machine.
Q12. No officer had ought to be put into a situation where he has to choose between his love for his family and the responsibilities accompanying his duty.
(a) No officer had ought to be put into a situation where he has to choose between his love for his family and the responsibilities accompanying his duty.
(b) No officer had ought to be put into a situation in which he has to choose between his love for his family and the responsibilities accompanying his duty.
(c) No officer should be put into a situation where he has to choose between his love for his family and the responsibilities accompanying his duty.
(d) No officer ought to be put into a situation in which he has to choose between his love for his family and the responsibilities accompanying his duty.
(e) No officer would be put in a situation where he have to choose between his love for family and the responsibilities accompanying his duty.
Q13. Being a realist, the detective could not accept the statement of the accused that UFOs had caused the disturbance.
(a) Being a realist, the detective could not accept the statement of the accused that UFOs had caused the disturbance.
(b) Since he was a realist, the detective could not accept the statement of the accused that UFOs had caused the disturbance.
(c) Being that he was a realist, the detective could not accept the statement of the accused that UFOs had caused the disturbance.
(d) Realist that he was, the detective could not accept the statement of the accused that UFOs had caused the disturbance.
(e) Being a realist that he was, the detective could not accept the statement of the accused that UFOs had caused the disturbance.
Q14. The reason I came late of office today is because my car broke down.
(a) The reason I came late of office today is because my car broke down.
(b) Why I came late to office today is because my car broke down.
(c) The reason I was late to office today is because my car broke down.
(d) The reason I came late to office today is that my car broke down.
(e) The reason I came late to office is since my car broke down.
Q15. The shopkeeper hadn’t hardly any of those kind of goods.
(a) The shopkeeper hadn’t hardly any of those kind of goods.
(b) The shopkeeper hadn’t hardly any of those kinds of goods.
(c) The shopkeeper had hardly any of those kind of goods.
(d) The shopkeeper had hardly any of those kinds of goods.
(e) The shopkeeper had not hardly any of those kinds of goods.
Solutions
S1. Ans.(b)
Sol. B is the best way of expressing the idea. The is the case of Subjunctive mood.
S2. Ans.(d)
Sol. D. The correct answer corrects the incorrect use of subjective pronoun ‘I’ in the other sentences. After ‘except’ we use objective case pronouns.
S3. Ans.(e)
Sol. The improper use of the pronouns ‘one’ and you is corrected in Choice E. pronoun and verb inconsistency in all other sentences except option E. Singular pronoun ‘One’ will follow singular verb ‘finds’.
S4. Ans.(d)
Sol. The omission of the past participle ‘been’ is corrected in Choice D.
S5. Ans.(a)
Sol. A. There is no error in the original sentence. This sentence is the application of third conditional in English grammar.
S6. Ans.(d)
Sol. D. The correct pronoun is its. We need possessive case pronoun not the apostrophe.
S7. Ans.(a)
Sol. No error. Poor product quality is singular, so the singular noun ‘it’ must also be correct.
S8. Ans.(a)
Sol. A. No error. The phrases are all parallel: soft hair sharp paws, and keen sense of hearing.
S9. Ans.(d)
Sol. D. Having bowed our heads is a dangling modifier. Option D is the best way of rephrasing it.
S10. Ans.(d)
Sol. Option D is the best way of phrasing the message. We don’t use ‘ever’ with seldom. And singular verb ‘wants’ will be used.
S11. Ans.(b)
Sol. B. This corrects the unnecessary switch in the pronouns, anyone-you. Anyone is followed by singular pronoun ‘he or she’.
S12. Ans.(c)
Sol. C. This is the most correct and concise form of the sentence. Modal verb ‘should’ be used.
S13. Ans.(a)
Sol. A. There is no error in the original sentence.
S14. Ans.(d)
Sol. D. ‘The reason is that’ is preferable to ‘The reason is because’.
S15. Ans.(d)
Sol. D. This corrects the double negative (hadn’t hardly) and also uses ‘those’ with kinds correctly.
