Fill in the blanks with an appropriate word or phrase.
1We ............... each other since our school days.
Wrong!
Use "have known" for a state that started in the past and continues to the present.
2They had been close friends since Janet ............... small.
Wrong!
Use "was" for the past time in the since-clause.
3In my opinion, too ............... mathematics is taught in schools.
Wrong!
Use "much" with the uncountable noun mathematics.
4Politics ............... a dirty game.
Wrong!
Use "is" because politics means one field or activity here.
5The unemployment statistics ............... disturbing.
Wrong!
Use "are" because statistics means plural figures or data here.
6Cattle ............... dying due to drought.
Wrong!
Use "are" because cattle is a plural noun.
7They have a house on the ............... of the city.
Wrong!
Use "outskirts" in the phrase "on the outskirts of the city".
8They are raising ............... for disadvantaged children.
Wrong!
Use "funds" in the collocation "raise funds" for collecting money.
9My ............... too tight.
Wrong!
Use "trousers are" because trousers is a plural noun.
10If I were in that situation, I would scream until somebody ............... to help me.
Wrong!
Use "came" after until in this hypothetical sentence.
11A couple of my friends ............... visiting us today.
Wrong!
Use "are" because a couple of my friends refers to more than one person.
12Half of his students ............... understand his theories.
Wrong!
Use "don't" because half of his students refers to plural students.
Answers
- We have known each other since our school days.
- They had been close friends since Janet was small.
- In my opinion, too much mathematics is taught in schools.
- Politics is a dirty game.
- The unemployment statistics are disturbing.
- Cattle are dying due to drought.
- They have a house on the outskirts of the city.
- They are raising funds for disadvantaged children.
- My trousers are too tight.
- If I were in that situation, I would scream until somebody came to help me.
- A couple of my friends are visiting us today.
- Half of his students don’t understand his theories.