Test your understanding of basic grammar rules and sentence patterns with this grammar exercise.
Complete the following sentences with an appropriate word or phrase. Choose your answers from the given options. Some questions may have more than one correct answer.
1I would be surprised if he ............... the race tomorrow.
Wrong!
Use "won" after if in this second conditional sentence about an unlikely future event.
2If I had known, I ............... you straightaway.
Wrong!
Use "would have told" for the result clause in a third conditional sentence.
3Rarely ............... such a good film.
Wrong!
After rarely at the beginning of a sentence, use inversion: "have I seen".
4My father often ............... a nap in the afternoon.
Wrong!
Use "takes" for a regular habit with a third-person singular subject.
5If you don't want to go, you ...............
Wrong!
Use "needn't" to say that something is not necessary.
6You don't need ............... on Saturdays.
Wrong!
After don't need, use the infinitive "to work".
7You ............... on Saturdays.
Wrong!
The modal form is "need not work" because modal need is followed by the base verb.
8If I ............... you, I would accept this offer.
Select 2 answers.
Wrong!
In this unreal conditional, both "were" and "was" are acceptable after if I.
9You ............... mend your ways.
Wrong!
Use the fixed advice phrase "had better" before the base verb.
10She ............... that she would come.
Wrong!
Use "told me" because told needs an object before a that-clause.
11I sent ............... a letter yesterday.
Wrong!
Use the indirect object pronoun "him" before the direct object a letter.
12I sent flowers ...............
Wrong!
After the direct object flowers, use the prepositional phrase "to her".
Answers
- I would be surprised if he won the race tomorrow.
- If I had known, I would have told you straightaway.
- Rarely have I seen such a good film.
- My father often takes a nap in the afternoon.
- If you don’t want to go, you needn’t.
- You don’t need to work on Saturdays.
- You need not work on Saturdays.
- If I were / was you, I would accept this offer.
- You had better mend your ways.
- She told me that she would come.
- I sent him a letter yesterday.
- I sent flowers to her.