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FORMAL WRITTEN ENGLISH
(Grammar, Mechanics, Tenses, Punctuation, & Agreement)
By: Anthony Laurea (Duenas GCHS)
1. Carlo and Carno were mischievous children. They . tricks of their classmates
which always got them into a lot of trouble.
A. could play B. used to play
C. may have played D. could have played
2. Marys eyes blurred and her shoulders ached. She ______ at the computer for five
straight hours. Finally she took a break.
A. was seated B. has seated
C. would have seated D. had been seated
3. After ten unfruitful years, Luz finally quit the job. She _____ along with her boss for a long
time before she finally decided to took a new position.
A. didnt get B. isnt getting
C. hasnt been getting D. hadnt been getting
4. Many years of intensive language study are required for non-native speakers. Chan
_____ English for three years, but he will need more training before he masters it.
A. has studied B. will have been studying
C. has been studying D. will be studying
6. When will Miss Ramos retire? Soon, I think. She _____ for a long time. Shell probably
retire next year.
A. have been working B. had been working
C. has been working D. is working
7. The measure of choosing well is weather or not a man likes what he ______.
A. chose B. has chosen
C. choose D. is choosing
8. The hawk glided the mountain.
A. in B. into
C. on D. toward
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10. A great many books are worth reading once, a considerable number are worth reading
twice, ____ so many are worth reading over and over again.
A. but B. still
C. and D. nevertheless
11. We should work for a total ban . of pesticides that are harmful to man.
A. on the use B. on using
C. by the use D. with the use
12. If I could speak French, I ______ studying next year in France.
A. would have spent B. would spend
C. has spent D. will spent
13. All the grand daughters were present but the eldest was perceived to be matured than
_____.
A. any girl of her like B. any one of her age
C. any of her age D. any other girl of her age
14. Text messages are used for fast communication. What does this message mean?U hav
to meet friends 5A.M.
A. You have friends to meet at five A.M.
B. You should meet your friends at five in the morning.
C. You have to be here at 5 in the afternoon.
D. Be there at five in the morning.
15. Tourists are not free from harassment. Very recently several tourists were _____ in
Malaysia.
A. kidnapped B. molested and killed
C. held hostage D. transported to Jolo
16. The cook mixed wine with other appetizers otherwise _____ the recipe.
A. everyone will asked and question
B. everyone will question
C. everyone will be questioning
D. everyone will be questioned
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17. It unfair that she should stay on stage longer.
A. needs B. tends to
C. seems D. has to
18. Continue the chain: plays, cleans, approves, bothers, .A. prepares B. links
C. collects D. talks
19. What WH-question of reporter that was answered by the phrase for another strain of flu
that has drowned more than 20 people?
A. Where B. Why
C. When D. What
20. Your entire team is entitled, to an overnight accommodation. What grammatical error ispresent in the sentence?
A. Fragment B. Run-on
C. Comma Splice D. Punctuation
21. If I ______ President, I would live in Malacanang.
A. were B. should be
C. am D. was
22. Successful salespersons ________ and understands the needs of the market.A. thoroughly know their products
B. their products are known thoroughly
C. products are thoroughly known
D. know their products thoroughly
23. Be sure to fill _____ the forms correctly. Which is the correct preposition for the blank?
A. over B on
C. in D. with
24. I was late for my class yesterday; I blamed it on the ___________.
A. slow traffic B. slow traffic always
C. slow traffic that confused D. slow moving traffic
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25. The test was hard for Paul and __________.
A. I B. myself
C. himself D. me
26. History is the witness that _______ passing of time.A. testifies B. testifies that
C. testifies for D. will testify
27. I _______ walked two kilometers by the time you catch up with me.
A. had B. will have
C. have D. would have
28. The flower smells _________.
A. sweet B. sweeterC. sweetly D. more sweeter
29. After ________ all day, she finally saw the lake.
A. having walked B. had walked
C. have walked D. walking
30. When a social being. What does this mean? Man _______________.
A. is always happy to adjust.
B. necessarily relates with other manC. may choose to relate with others
D. has the capacity to adjust
Which is the best way to write the underlined portion of the given sentences?
31. However, their VCR kept them from missing their favorite prime time shows.
A. keeps B. keeps
C. had kept D. keeped
32. A person should keep in mind some basic safety rules when you are deciding whetheror not to use a fire extinguisher.
A. rules you decide B. rules you are deciding
C. rules when you decided D. rules when deciding
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33. However, if a fire extinguisher is handy, a quick-thinking person often can use them to
put out a small fire.
A. him B. it
C. they D. them
34. The hosts also benefit from running such a business because they can stay at home,
make money, and meeting a variety of people.
A. to meet B. and meet
C. get to meet D. and be meeting
35. The studies revealing that, for various reasons, girls spent less time working with
computers than boys.
A. studies will reveal B. studies revelations
C. studies revealed D. revealing studies
36. Recently psychologists have been researching birth order, their research suggests that
personality and intelligence are based partly on where a child ranks in the family.
A. order. Their B. order and their
C. order their D. order, or their
37. There is smoke defectors in many homes to warm residents of a fire, but fire
extinguishers can actually help people fight fires.
A. Theyre is B. Their are
C. There are D. There is
38. Researchers also speculate that some teachers might have give boys more computer
time because parents and teachers expected boys to need computers for future careers.
A. expected B. will expect
C. expecting D. will have expected
39. Many viewers taped shows to watch later.
A. had taped B. tape
C. tapped D. had tapped
What correction should be made to the following sentences?
40. Buying a fire extinguisher knowing how to use it, and placing it in a location familiar to all
family members can help protect families against fire.
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A. Change placing to place
B. Insert a comma after help
C. Insert a comma after extinguisher
D. Change the spelling of families to familys
41. Most State tourism departments and some travel agencies have bed and breakfast
listings.
A. Insert a comma after agencies.
B. Change tourism to Tourism.
C. Change state to state
D. Change have to has
42. Recently educators exammined the effectiveness of computer instruction in schools.
A. Change schools to Schools
B. Replace computer with computers
C. Replace educators to educators
D. Change the spelling of exammined to examined
43. First-borns often pattern their behavior after theyre parents and other adults.
A. Replace their to theyre B. Replace theyre to their
C. Change pattern to patterned D. No correction is necessary
44. Most fire-related deaths result from household fires, yet many people do not have fire
extinguisher in their homes.
A. Remove the comma after fires
B. Replace deaths with deaths
C. Change result to results
D. Change have to has
45. One of their theories is that the first child receives more of the parents attention than
other children so first-borns tend be more intellectual.
A. Insert a comma after childrenB. Change parents to parents
C. Change theories to theorys
D. Change is to are