English Grammar MCQ Test With Answers Advanced – 15

Lest (formal) means 'so that ... not' or 'for fear that'. It is followed by the base form (lest she forget) or by should + verb. So she writes everything down because she is afraid she might forget something. Not 'Writing something down is the best way...', because that is a general claim; the sentence describes her reason, not a general truth.

Must have + past participle expresses a confident deduction about the past: the speaker is almost sure that something was true. There must have existed a logical reason = I am almost certain that there was a logical reason. Not 'should not have been sold', because must have here is about deduction, not obligation.

Needn't have + past participle means someone did something that was not necessary. They needn't have bought that book tells us they did buy it, but it was unnecessary. Not 'They didn't buy that book': that would be They didn't need to buy it (so they didn't).

Didn't need to + infinitive says there was no necessity, and it usually suggests the action did not happen. So there was no reason for her to worry, and she didn't. Compare She needn't have worried, which means she did worry, but it was unnecessary.

Would rather have + past participle expresses a preference about the past that was not fulfilled, often a regret. I'd much rather have watched TV at home means I wanted to stay home and watch TV, but I didn't. Not 'I made the mistake of watching TV at home': the speaker regrets not doing it.

Could have + past participle is often used to criticise: it was possible to do more, but the person didn't. You could have done more than you did shows that you helped (than you did) but only a little. Not 'You didn't help him at all', because than you did tells us you did help.

A defining relative clause comes directly after the noun it describes: The man who wants to see you is the subject, followed by the verb is outside. Use who (not which) for people. Do not repeat the subject with a pronoun (he) after the relative clause.

Whose + noun shows possession in a relative clause: the man whose wife you just saw = you just saw the man's wife. The whole phrase is the subject of is Greek. Who's means who is and cannot show possession. Adding his after the clause is also wrong, because whose already does that job.

This bus is already identified, so we need a non-defining relative clause after a comma. With things, possession can be shown with the windows of which (formal) or whose windows. Not 'which the windows are...', because which cannot show possession. Not 'the windows of it', because it makes two main clauses joined only by a comma.

In a yes/no question with be, the verb comes first, then the subject (that big table), then the complement (brown). The size adjective big goes before the noun, and brown is the predicate adjective. Not 'Is that big brown table?', which lacks an article and a complement (Is that a big brown table?).

In an indirect (embedded) question, statement word order is used: subject before verb, with no inversion and no auxiliary did. The cleft it was that emphasises what: They were wondering what it was that the man wanted to say. Not 'was it that...' or 'did the man want...', because those keep direct-question word order.

You saw last week is a reduced relative clause (that/which is omitted) describing the film. The film is the object of saw, so no extra pronoun is needed. Not 'that you saw it last week', because it repeats the object already referred to by the relative pronoun.

Here should expresses expectation or probability, not obligation: the speaker expects the final to be really fascinating. So it means I expect it will be a very good game. Not 'These two teams must practise more...', which wrongly reads should as advice.

Lest (formal) means 'so that ... not', and can be followed by should + verb: lest our children should forget. The other sentences misuse linkers. A contrast like the icy wind needs although. As long as should be whereas. Such ... so should be such ... that. Because of must be followed by a noun, not a clause.

Look after (= take care of) is an inseparable phrasal verb, so nothing can split the verb (looked) and its particle (after). In the correct passive sentence, the adverb well precedes the phrasal verb: The children were well looked after. Option 4 is incorrect because placing well between the verb and particle (looked after well the children) violates phrasal verb word order, and Option 5 is incorrect because placing the adverb at the very front (Well the children were...) creates an ungrammatical structure.

In a passive question asking about the agent, the usual pattern is Who + auxiliary + subject + past participle + by: Who was the book written by? The formal alternative is By whom was the book written? Not 'By who...': after a fronted preposition, formal English requires whom.

This is the past continuous passive: was being + past participle. It shows an action in progress that was done to the subject: The injured player was being carried off the field. The other options make the field the thing carried, or create dangling participles with an illogical meaning.

After wish, we do not use will for a present or future wish about our own situation. We use a past form: I wish I could drive a car or I wish I were able to drive a car. The others are correct. Wish + past simple (knew), the subjunctive after suggest (be given), If only + past perfect, and as if + past (owned) all follow the rules.

Be so kind as to is followed by the base form of the verb: Would you be so kind as to keep me informed? To kept is wrong because to + infinitive never takes a past form. The other sentences are correct. You'd better not + base form, It's time + past simple, and may not (prohibition) are all used properly.

Be to for instructions or obligations is followed by an infinitive. With a passive meaning it needs be + past participle: The switchboard is to be manned at all times. Without be, the sentence is ungrammatical. The other sentences are correct. Are to report is an order, it remains to be seen is a fixed phrase, and Let's ..., shall we? is the standard tag.