Complete the 12 sentences below. Choose the best answer for each one.
1Although the report has already been circulated, the committee ............... revising the recommendations before the vote.
Wrong!
Use the finite auxiliary "is" because a main clause needs a finite verb; "being" would leave the sentence as a fragment.
2After months of pressure from investors, the finance director ............... without negotiating a severance package.
Wrong!
Use the finite past-tense verb "resigned" so the sentence has a complete main clause after the introductory phrase.
3The auditors requested a memorandum ............... why the payments had been approved without board authorisation.
Wrong!
Use "that explains" because the noun needs a finite relative clause; "explaining" would create a non-finite modifier, not a complete clause.
4The preliminary findings ............... a significant decline in customer confidence across three regions.
Wrong!
Use "indicate" because the subject needs a finite main verb; "of" would leave a long noun phrase fragment with no predicate.
5The revised forecast ............... demand for office space to be weaker than expected.
Wrong!
Use "showed" to make a complete main clause; "showing" would leave the subject followed by a participial phrase fragment.
6The most persuasive aspect of the proposal ............... its emphasis on long-term maintenance rather than short-term savings.
Wrong!
Use "was" because the noun phrase needs a finite verb to form a complete sentence.
7The interview panel reconvened, ............... the candidates waited outside for a decision.
Wrong!
Use "and" to coordinate two complete clauses; "because" would make the second clause subordinate and leave it dependent on the first in the wrong relationship.
8............... the database was unavailable, the analysts postponed the validation stage until Monday.
Wrong!
Use "Because" to turn the first part into a dependent reason clause, allowing the following main clause to complete the sentence.
9The supplier failed to deliver the encryption keys on time, ............... delayed the audit by two weeks.
Wrong!
Use "which" to attach a relative clause to the preceding whole idea; "what" cannot refer back to a completed clause in this way.
10............... the figures were provisional, the minister cited them during the televised debate.
Wrong!
Use "Although" before a finite clause with a subject and verb; "Despite" must be followed by a noun phrase or -ing form, not a finite clause.
11Before the acquisition was announced, the contract ............... reviewed by three separate legal teams.
Wrong!
Use "was" to form the finite passive verb phrase; "being" alone leaves the clause non-finite.
12With additional funding, the research team ............... publish the longitudinal data set next year.
Wrong!
Use "could" because the subject needs a finite verb phrase; "to" would create only an infinitive phrase after the subject.
Exercise complete
0 out of 12
correct answers
Answers
- Although the report has already been circulated, the committee is revising the recommendations before the vote.
- After months of pressure from investors, the finance director resigned without negotiating a severance package.
- The auditors requested a memorandum that explains why the payments had been approved without board authorisation.
- The preliminary findings indicate a significant decline in customer confidence across three regions.
- The revised forecast showed demand for office space to be weaker than expected.
- The most persuasive aspect of the proposal was its emphasis on long-term maintenance rather than short-term savings.
- The interview panel reconvened, and the candidates waited outside for a decision.
- Because the database was unavailable, the analysts postponed the validation stage until Monday.
- The supplier failed to deliver the encryption keys on time, which delayed the audit by two weeks.
- Although the figures were provisional, the minister cited them during the televised debate.
- Before the acquisition was announced, the contract was reviewed by three separate legal teams.
- With additional funding, the research team could publish the longitudinal data set next year.