CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Sentence Structure and Correction
Choose the correct sentence.
A. A series of lectures are being arranged.
B. A series of lectures is being arranged.
C. A series of lecture are being arranged.
D. Series of lectures is being arrange.
Correct Answer: B
The head noun 'series' is singular here, so 'is being arranged' is correct.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Sentence Structure and Correction
Choose the correct completion: 'Either the principal or the teachers ___ going to supervise the test.'
A. is
B. are
C. was
D. has
Correct Answer: B
The nearer subject is plural 'teachers', so the plural verb 'are' is correct.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Sentence Structure and Correction
Choose the correct completion: 'Neither the students nor their teacher ___ aware of the change.'
A. are
B. were
C. is
D. have
Correct Answer: C
With 'neither...nor', the verb agrees with the nearer subject; 'teacher' is singular.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Sentence Structure and Correction
Choose the correct completion: 'The cost of these repairs ___ too high.'
A. are
B. have been
C. is
D. were
Correct Answer: C
The head noun is 'cost', which is singular; the phrase 'of these repairs' does not control the verb.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Sentence Structure and Correction
Choose the correct sentence.
A. Were it not for your help, I would fail.
B. Was it not for your help, I would fail.
C. Were it not for your help, I will fail.
D. Were not it for your help, I would failed.
Correct Answer: A
'Were it not for...' is a formal inverted conditional meaning 'If it were not for...'.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Sentence Structure and Correction
Choose the correct sentence.
A. He speaks as though he knew everything.
B. He speaks as though he knows everything if the meaning is clearly unreal.
C. He speaks as though he know everything.
D. He speaks as though he had know everything.
Correct Answer: A
For an unreal present comparison after 'as though', the past form 'knew' is commonly used.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Sentence Structure and Correction
Choose the correct sentence.
A. The sooner you start, the sooner you will finish.
B. Sooner you start, sooner you will finish.
C. The sooner you will start, the sooner you finish.
D. The soonest you start, the sooner you will finish.
Correct Answer: A
The correlative comparative pattern is 'The sooner..., the sooner...'.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Sentence Structure and Correction
Choose the correct sentence.
A. He is one of the best officers I have ever worked with.
B. He is one of the best officer I have ever worked with.
C. He is one of the better officers I ever work with.
D. He is one of best officers I have ever worked.
Correct Answer: A
'One of the + superlative + plural noun' is the correct construction.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Sentence Structure and Correction
Choose the correct sentence.
A. Not everyone agreed with the decision.
B. Everyone did not agree with the decision if the intended meaning is 'some disagreed'.
C. Not everyone did agreed with the decision.
D. Everyone not agreed with the decision.
Correct Answer: A
'Not everyone' clearly means that some people did not agree; it avoids the ambiguity of 'everyone did not'.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Sentence Structure and Correction
Choose the correct sentence.
A. Much of the information was outdated.
B. Many of the information were outdated.
C. Much of the informations were outdated.
D. Many information was outdated.
Correct Answer: A
'Information' is uncountable, so 'much' and a singular verb are appropriate.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Sentence Structure and Correction
Choose the correct sentence.
A. There were fewer mistakes in this report than in the last one.
B. There were less mistakes in this report than in the last one.
C. There was fewer mistakes in this report than in the last one.
D. There were fewest mistakes than the last one.
Correct Answer: A
'Fewer' is used with plural countable nouns such as 'mistakes'.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Sentence Structure and Correction
Choose the correct sentence.
A. Each answer is different from the others.
B. Each answer is different than the others in formal exam grammar.
C. Each answer are different from other.
D. Each answer is different with the others.
Correct Answer: A
'Different from' is the standard formal collocation, and singular 'each answer' takes 'is'.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Sentence Structure and Correction
Choose the correct sentence.
A. There used to be a library here, didn't there?
B. There used to be a library here, wasn't there?
C. There used to be a library here, usedn't it?
D. There used to be a library here, doesn't there?
Correct Answer: A
A common tag after 'used to' is formed with 'did': 'didn't there?'.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Sentence Structure and Correction
Choose the correct sentence.
A. Someone has taken my book, haven't they?
B. Someone has taken my book, hasn't he?
C. Someone has taken my book, have they?
D. Someone has taken my book, doesn't they?
Correct Answer: A
With indefinite pronouns such as 'someone', modern English commonly uses singular 'they' in the tag; the positive statement takes a negative tag.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Sentence Structure and Correction
Choose the correct sentence.
A. Few students understood the lecture, did they?
B. Few students understood the lecture, didn't they?
C. Few students understood the lecture, did he?
D. Few students understood the lecture, weren't they?
Correct Answer: A
'Few' has a negative meaning, so it takes a positive question tag: 'did they?'.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Sentence Structure and Correction
Choose the correct sentence.
A. The documents submitted yesterday are under review.
B. The documents submitting yesterday are under review.
C. The documents submit yesterday is under review.
D. The documents were submitted yesterday are under review.
Correct Answer: A
'Submitted yesterday' is a reduced passive relative clause modifying 'documents'.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Sentence Structure and Correction
Choose the correct sentence.
A. The man standing near the gate is my uncle.
B. The man stand near the gate is my uncle.
C. The man stood near the gate is my uncle now.
D. The man standing near the gate are my uncle.
Correct Answer: A
A present participial phrase can reduce a relative clause: 'the man who is standing...'.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Sentence Structure and Correction
Choose the correct sentence.
A. Given enough time, we can complete the task.
B. Giving enough time, we can completed the task.
C. Given enough time, the task we can completing.
D. Given enough time, can complete us the task.
Correct Answer: A
'Given enough time' is a reduced passive conditional meaning 'If we are given enough time'.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Sentence Structure and Correction
Choose the correct sentence.
A. Having finished the assignment, she submitted it online.
B. Having finish the assignment, she submitted it online.
C. Having finished the assignment, it was submitted online by her.
D. Having finishing the assignment, she submit it online.
Correct Answer: A
A perfect participle ('having finished') correctly shows that one action was completed before another by the same subject.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Sentence Structure and Correction
Choose the correct sentence.
A. It is worth to read this book.
B. It is worth reading this book.
C. It is worth read this book.
D. It is worthy reading this book.
Correct Answer: B
'Worth' is followed by a gerund.