CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Phrases
In the adjective phrase 'extremely proud of her achievement', which word is the head?
A. extremely
B. achievement
C. proud
D. of
Correct Answer: C
The adjective 'proud' is the head of the adjective phrase; 'extremely' modifies it and 'of her achievement' complements it.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Phrases
In the noun phrase 'those three remarkably old buildings', which word is the head?
A. those
B. buildings
C. three
D. old
Correct Answer: B
The noun 'buildings' is the head; the other words determine or modify it.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Phrases
In phrase structure, what is meant by the 'head' of a phrase?
A. The central word that determines the phrase's grammatical category
B. The first word in every phrase
C. The longest word in the phrase
D. Any punctuation mark after the phrase
Correct Answer: A
The head is the central element of a phrase. It determines whether the phrase is nominal, adjectival, adverbial, verbal, and so on.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Phrases
Which sentence uses "put up with" correctly?
A. I put the noise up on a shelf.
B. It means increase the noise.
C. It means create noise deliberately.
D. I cannot put up with this constant noise.
Correct Answer: D
"Put up with" means tolerate something unpleasant.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Phrases
Which sentence uses "run out of" correctly?
A. We ran outside because fuel arrived.
B. It means we gained extra fuel.
C. We ran out of fuel before reaching the town.
D. We ran over the fuel.
Correct Answer: C
"Run out of" means use all of something so that none remains.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Phrases
Which sentence uses "carry out" correctly?
A. They carried the experiments outside in boxes.
B. The researchers carried out several experiments.
C. It means cancel the experiments.
D. It means forget the experiments.
Correct Answer: B
"Carry out" means perform or complete a task, plan, or investigation.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Phrases
Which sentence uses "look into" correctly?
A. The committee will look into the complaint.
B. The committee looked physically inside the complaint.
C. It means ignore the complaint.
D. It means write the complaint.
Correct Answer: A
"Look into" means investigate.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Phrases
Which sentence uses "put off" correctly?
A. The lights were put off the table.
B. He put off his shoes on the shelf.
C. It means the meeting was made earlier.
D. The meeting was put off until Monday.
Correct Answer: D
"Put off" commonly means postpone.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Phrases
Which sentence correctly punctuates the opening participial phrase?
A. Having completed the report she, emailed it to the manager.
B. Having completed, the report she emailed it.
C. Having completed the report, she emailed it to the manager.
D. Having completed the report she emailed, it to the manager.
Correct Answer: C
An introductory participial phrase is normally followed by a comma.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Phrases
Which sentence correctly uses a nonessential appositive?
A. Mr. Ali our science teacher is, absent today.
B. Mr. Ali, our science teacher, is absent today.
C. Mr. Ali our science teacher, is absent today.
D. Mr. Ali, our science teacher is absent today.
Correct Answer: B
A nonessential appositive phrase is normally set off by commas on both sides.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Phrases
Choose the sentence with the correctly formed gerund phrase.
A. Learning new skills takes time.
B. To learning new skills takes time.
C. Learn new skills taking time.
D. Learned new skills takes time.
Correct Answer: A
"Learning new skills" is a gerund phrase functioning as the subject.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Phrases
Choose the sentence with the correctly formed infinitive phrase.
A. She hopes to completed the course this year.
B. She hopes completing to the course.
C. She hopes to completes the course.
D. She hopes to complete the course this year.
Correct Answer: D
After infinitive marker "to," the base form of the verb is used: "to complete."
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Phrases
Choose the grammatically correct sentence.
A. The man wearing a blue jacket are my teacher.
B. The man wear a blue jacket is my teacher.
C. The man wearing a blue jacket is my teacher.
D. The man wearing a blue jacket my teacher.
Correct Answer: C
"Wearing a blue jacket" is a correctly formed participial phrase modifying "man," and the singular subject agrees with "is."
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Phrases
Choose the correct use of "at loggerheads".
A. They are cutting logs with their heads.
B. The two departments are at loggerheads over the new policy.
C. It means they fully agree.
D. They are standing near a forest.
Correct Answer: B
"At loggerheads" means in strong disagreement.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Phrases
Which sentence correctly uses "a far cry from"?
A. The final product was a far cry from the original design.
B. He cried from very far away.
C. The bird gave a far cry every morning.
D. It means exactly the same as.
Correct Answer: A
"A far cry from" means very different from.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Phrases
Choose the correct use of "take the bull by the horns".
A. She bought a bull by holding its horns.
B. It means postpone a difficult decision.
C. It means avoid all risks.
D. She took the bull by the horns and confronted the problem directly.
Correct Answer: D
"Take the bull by the horns" means face a difficult situation directly and decisively.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Phrases
Which sentence correctly uses "turn a deaf ear"?
A. He physically turned his ear because he was deaf.
B. She turned the radio off with her ear.
C. The authorities should not turn a deaf ear to public complaints.
D. It means listen with great care.
Correct Answer: C
"Turn a deaf ear" means refuse to listen or pay attention.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Phrases
Choose the correct use of "read between the lines".
A. Read only the blank spaces between printed lines.
B. You must read between the lines to understand what the writer is implying.
C. It means skip every second line.
D. The phrase means read aloud.
Correct Answer: B
"Read between the lines" means infer a meaning that is suggested but not directly stated.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Phrases
Which sentence has the correct idiomatic use of "make both ends meet"?
A. With rising prices, many families struggle to make both ends meet.
B. He joined both ends of the rope to meet.
C. It means to organize two meetings.
D. Both roads ended at the market.
Correct Answer: A
"Make both ends meet" means manage expenses within available income.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Phrases
Choose the sentence with an adverb phrase of manner.
A. The polite student answered.
B. Her answer was polite.
C. The student in the room answered.
D. She answered extremely politely.
Correct Answer: D
"Extremely politely" modifies "answered" and tells how she answered.