English Grammar MCQ Test With Answers Intermediate

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English Grammar MCQ Test With Answers Intermediate - 09

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Question 1

I understand that you've sent him an e-mail message. I think you _____ him instead.

A	ought to have phoned
B	must have phoned
C	couldn't have phoned
D	had phoned
E	left

Question 1 Explanation:

To criticise a past action, use ought to have / should have + past participle. The e-mail has already been sent, so phoning was the better choice in the past: ought to have phoned. Not must have phoned, because that is a guess about the past, not advice.

Question 2

I promise that I will be here when you come back, but I'm afraid everyone else _____ by then.

A	were leaving
B	leave
C	are leaving
D	will have left
E	left

Question 2 Explanation:

By then (a point in the future) is a clue for the future perfect, will have + past participle. Everyone else's leaving will be finished before you come back: will have left.

Question 3

Do you have any idea what she _____ at this time tomorrow?

A	has done
B	will be doing
C	was doing
D	does
E	has been doing

Question 3 Explanation:

At this time tomorrow describes an action in progress at a moment in the future, so we use the future continuous: will be doing. Not does, because the present simple is not used for an action in progress at a future moment.

Question 4

We _____ an interesting program before they came.

A	have been watching
B	have watched
C	are going to watch
D	had been watching
E	will have watched

Question 4 Explanation:

The watching was in progress up to a moment in the past (before they came), so we use the past perfect continuous: had been watching. Not have been watching, because the present perfect connects to now, not to a past moment.

Question 5

He _____ from the university in 1995. Then, he _____ two years in the army.

A	has graduated / has spent
B	had graduated / has spent
C	graduated / spent
D	has graduated / spent
E	graduated / has spent

Question 5 Explanation:

Finished past actions with a past time (in 1995, then) take the past simple: graduated and spent. The present perfect (has graduated) cannot be used with a finished past time like in 1995.

Question 6

They _____ together for almost a year at the time.

A	had been going out
B	are going out
C	have been going out
D	have gone out
E	go out

Question 6 Explanation:

At the time refers to a past moment, and for almost a year shows a duration up to that moment. So we need the past perfect continuous: had been going out. Not have been going out, which would link the action to now.

Question 7

They _____ each other for a long time before they finally decided to get married.

A	have known
B	had been knowing
C	were knowing
D	had known
E	have been knowing

Question 7 Explanation:

The knowing lasted up to a past event (before they decided to get married), so we use the past perfect. Know is a state verb and is not normally used in continuous forms, so had known, not had been knowing.

Question 8

Nobody _____ him for weeks. I wonder where he _____ these days.

A	saw / is hanging about
B	has seen / was hanging about
C	has seen / is hanging about
D	saw / was hanging about
E	had seen / has been hanging about

Question 8 Explanation:

For weeks up to now needs the present perfect: has seen. These days refers to the present period, so the present continuous fits: is hanging about. Not saw, because the period has not finished.

Question 9

Nobody _____ him for weeks. I wonder where he _____ all this time.

A	saw / had been hanging about
B	had seen / had hung about
C	has seen / has been hanging about
D	is seeing / is hanging about
E	sees / will hang about

Question 9 Explanation:

For weeks needs the present perfect: has seen. All this time describes an activity from the past until now, so we use the present perfect continuous: has been hanging about.

Question 10

You _____ when I _____ on you that early, _____ you?

A	won't be sleeping / call / will
B	were sleeping / had called / hadn't
C	are sleeping / am calling / weren't
D	have slept / have called / haven't
E	didn't sleep / have called / did

Question 10 Explanation:

An action in progress at a future moment takes the future continuous: won't be sleeping. After when we use the present simple for the future: call. A negative sentence takes a positive tag: will you?

Question 11

Everyone objected to her coming along with us, _____?

A	did no one
B	didn't he
C	did someone
D	did anyone
E	didn't they

Question 11 Explanation:

After everyone, everybody, someone the question tag uses they. The verb objected is positive past simple, so the tag is negative: didn't they?

Question 12

The statistics _____ in your article _____ to be incorrect.

A	giving / appears
B	are given / appears
C	given / appear
D	appearing / are given
E	are being given / appears

Question 12 Explanation:

Given in your article is a shortened relative clause (= which are given), so we use the past participle given. Statistics (meaning figures) is plural, so the verb is appear, not appears.

Question 13

I'm not really sure where the cat is, but I think she _____ in the kitchen.

A	might be playing
B	might have played
C	used to play
D	must play
E	needs to play

Question 13 Explanation:

The speaker is not sure (I'm not really sure) and is guessing about something happening now. For a possible action in progress now, use might be + -ing: might be playing. Not must play, which is an obligation, not a guess.

Question 14

I really _____ fishing with my friends, but unfortunately I was down with the flu.

A	must go
B	would like to go
C	want to go
D	had been going
E	would like to have gone

Question 14 Explanation:

The speaker talks about a past wish that did not happen (I was down with the flu). For this, use would like to have + past participle: would like to have gone. Not would like to go, which is about the present or future.

Question 15

I was under the impression that you too _____ along with us.

A	were supposed to come
B	supposed to come
C	supposed to have come
D	came to suppose
E	had supposed to come

Question 15 Explanation:

Be supposed to means that something was expected or planned. The sentence is in the past (I was under the impression), so we need were supposed to come. Not supposed to come, because the verb be is missing.

Question 16

The manager, together with six other employees, _____ said to be ready to sign the new contract.

A	are
B	have been
C	were
D	is
E	be

Question 16 Explanation:

The subject is the manager; the phrase together with six other employees does not make the subject plural. So the verb is singular: is said to be. Not are, because the verb agrees with the manager, not with employees.

Question 17

She is one of those women who _____ you crazy with _____ total lack of interest in men.

A	is driving / her
B	drive / their
C	are driving / her
D	drives / her
E	drives / their

Question 17 Explanation:

In one of those women who…, the word who refers to women, not to one. So the verb is plural, drive, and the possessive is their. Not drives / her, which wrongly links who to she.

Question 18

Her brothers, _____ lives in this city, fly to visit her every so often.

A	both of whom
B	whom both
C	who both
D	either of whom
E	neither of whom

Question 18 Explanation:

The brothers fly to visit her, so they do not live in her city: neither of whom (= not one of the two). Neither takes a singular verb, which matches lives. Not both of whom, which needs live and gives the wrong meaning.

Question 19

If I'd gone down to Bodrum as all my friends did, I, too, _____ scuba diving lessons.

A	had better taken
B	had taken
C	could have taken
D	should take
E	would like to take

Question 19 Explanation:

This is a third conditional about an unreal past: If I'd gone…, so the main clause needs a modal + have + past participle. Could have taken shows a past possibility that did not happen. Not had taken, because the main clause needs a modal like would or could.

Question 20

I asked two people the way to the station, but _____ could help me.

A	both of whom
B	either of them
C	both of them
D	either of whom
E	neither of them

Question 20 Explanation:

But shows a negative result: not one of the two people could help. So we use neither of them. Not either of them, which needs a negative verb (couldn't), and not both of whom, which is a relative form and gives the wrong meaning.

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