Q&A: practice questions with answers

Concept: Mass nouns like furniture, luggage, advice, information never take a plural -s.

1. In (A), 'funitures' is wrong twice: spelling (furniture) and the plural -s.
2. Correct: Beautiful furniture made this penthouse elegant.
3. (B) 'much sugar', (C) imperative, (D) 'a friend of mine' are all fine.

Trick: For many items say 'pieces of furniture', never 'furnitures'.

Answer: (A) Beautiful funitures made this penthouse elegant.

Concept: The main verb must agree with its subject; here 'data' is treated as singular.

1. Part B uses 'which has been collected' → 'data' is singular in this sentence.
2. So the main verb in D must also be singular: 'support' → supports.
3. Correct: …data, which has been collected…, supports the conclusion…

Trick: Ignore the 'which…' clause in the middle and match the verb with the head subject.

Answer: (D) support the conclusion that the new strategy is ineffective.

Concept: Some phrases take a fixed preposition that cannot be changed.

1. The fixed phrase is in accordance with = as required by / in agreement with.
2. So: The rules were implemented in accordance with local laws.
3. 'by/to/under accordance' are not used in English.

Trick: Learn as one chunk: in accordance with, in compliance with, in keeping with.

Answer: (A) in

Concept: 'Or else' = otherwise; it links an instruction with the bad result of not following it.

1. Clause 1: must register by Friday (instruction). Clause 2: won't be allowed (penalty).
2. Meaning needed: 'if he does not, then…' → or else.
3. 'unless' + 'won't' gives a confusing double negative; 'and' = addition, 'since' = reason.

Trick: Do this, or else that will happen – instruction + threat pattern.

Answer: (A) or else

Concept: Check the correct letter pattern of the word.

1. Correct spelling: A-bey-ance.
2. Meaning: temporary suspension (e.g. the plan is in abeyance).
3. Other options add extra 'e' or misplace 'y'.

Trick: Split it: a + bey + ance – just like 'obey' + ance.

Answer: (D) Abeyance

Concept: Exquisite = extremely beautiful and finely made.

1. Opposite idea = rough, crude, unrefined.
2. Coarse = rough in texture or crude in manner.
3. Elegant, Refined, Delicate are near-synonyms of exquisite.

Trick: When three options mean almost the same, the odd one is usually the antonym.

Answer: (C) Coarse

Concept: Government by one person with absolute power.

1. auto = self, -cracy = rule → Autocracy.
2. Democracy = rule by people; Oligarchy = rule by a few; Plutocracy = rule by the rich.

Trick: auto (self), oligo (few), pluto (wealth), demo (people) + cracy.

Answer: (C) Autocracy

Concept: One negative is enough; after 'not' use any-words (anyone, anything).

1. 'did not' is already negative, so 'no one' makes a double negative.
2. Replace it with anyone – the sentence then reads '…not speak to anyone…'.
3. 'nobody' repeats the error; 'somebody' doesn't suit a negative sentence.

Trick: not + any- = no- . So 'did not speak to anyone' = 'spoke to no one'.

Answer: (A) anyone

Concept: Euphemism = a soft, polite word used instead of a harsh one.

1. Example: 'passed away' instead of 'died'.
2. The opposite is speaking plainly and harshly → Bluntness.
3. Understatement and vagueness also soften; 'substitute' describes a euphemism itself.

Trick: eu = good/pleasant (euphony, eulogy) → its antonym is 'blunt' speech.

Answer: (B) Bluntness

Concept: Negative command → reporting verb (told/warned/forbade) + not to + V1.

1. 'Don't touch' → not to touch.
2. Danger (hot iron) makes 'warned' the best reporting verb.
3. (B) 'to touched', (C) 'to be touching', (D) 'to touching' break the to + V1 rule.

Trick: In imperatives just check: 'not to + base verb'. Any other form is out.

Answer: (A) The father warned the child not to touch the hot iron.

Concept: Future perfect: passive 'will have been + V3' ↔ active 'will have + V3'.

1. Agent 'a staff of workers' becomes the subject.
2. 'will have been finished' → will have finished.
3. The project moves to the object position.

Trick: Tense must stay the same – only (C) keeps 'will have'.

Answer: (C) A staff of workers will have finished the complex project.

Concept: Garrulous = excessively talkative about trivial things.

1. Correct pattern: gar-ru-lous (double r, then u).
2. Other options miss an 'r' or use 'a/o' in place of 'u'.

Trick: Think of a 'garrulous guru' – double r, then 'u'.

Answer: (C) garrulous

Concept: Coming down from inside something = fall out of.

1. The scorpion was inside the umbrella → it fell out of it.
2. Past tense 'fell' matches 'opened'.
3. 'fallen' needs 'had'; 'fell off from' and 'fell up from' are wrong pairs.

Trick: inside → out of; on a surface → off.

Answer: (C) fell out of

Concept: Reverse the backshift: could → can, he → I, and put the words in quotes.

1. 'he could paint' → I can paint.
2. 'if he were given' → if I am given (present to match 'can').
3. Keep 'announced'; (B) keeps 'He', (C) & (D) mix past forms with 'I'.

Trick: In direct speech the speaker says 'I'; tense moves one step forward.

Answer: (A) The novice artist announced, "I can paint a masterpiece if I am given enough time."

Concept: Simple present passive = is/are + V3.

1. Object 'his tasks' (plural) becomes subject → are performed.
2. Add agent: by the industrious worker; adverbs stay.
3. (B) past, (C) continuous, (D) reverses doer and object.

Trick: performs (V1) → are performed: same tense, only form changes.

Answer: (A) His tasks are performed with meticulous care by the industrious worker every single day.

Concept: Yes/no question: move the helping verb before the subject.

1. Helping verb = 'have' (have become). Subject = 'plants that demand minimal vigilance'.
2. Question: Have plants … become almost axiomatic …?
3. (A) no inversion, (B) wrong 'Is', (C) 'Why' without inversion.

Trick: Auxiliary + subject + main verb + ? – check that 'have' has moved to the front.

Answer: (D) Have plants that demand minimal vigilance become almost axiomatic for those seeking verdant comfort within their domiciles?

Concept: Modal passive = modal + be + V3 (the modal stays).

1. Object 'erratic watering schedules' becomes subject.
2. 'can endure' → can be endured by the snake plant.
3. (B), (C), (D) drop 'can' and change the meaning/tense.

Trick: Look for the option that keeps the same modal – here only (A) has 'can'.

Answer: (A) Erratic watering schedules can be endured by the snake plant without forfeiting its structural elegance.

Concept: Capitulate = to give in / surrender.

1. The ZZ plant survives drought 'without capitulating to decay' = without giving in to decay.
2. So the closest meaning is Surrendering.
3. Strengthening, Multiplying, Regenerating show growth – opposite sense.

Trick: Capitulation in war = formal surrender of an army.

Answer: (B) Surrendering

Concept: Verdant = green with plants.

1. Passage: city people want easy-care plants at home for 'verdant comfort'.
2. So it means comfort that greenery (indoor plants) gives → Comfort provided by greenery.
3. Sofa and artificial decoration are wrong; (A) talks of 'scenery', not home plants.

Trick: verdant ≈ verdure ≈ green (French 'vert' = green).

Answer: (C) Comfort provided by greenery

Concept: Locate the keyword 'dermal amelioration' in the passage.

1. Para 3: aloe vera gives medicinal benefits; its gel is valued for dermal (skin) amelioration (improvement).
2. Snake plant, pothos and ZZ plant are praised only for hardiness.

Trick: Scan for the quoted phrase – the answer sits in the same sentence.

Answer: (B) Aloe vera