Grammar, Word Order, Punctuation Diagnostic Test With Answers 3

Assess the sentences especially in terms of grammar, word order and punctuation.

Grammar, Word Order, Punctuation Diagnostic Test With Answers 3

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Congratulations - you have completed Grammar, Word Order, Punctuation Diagnostic Test With Answers 3. You scored %%SCORE%% out of %%TOTAL%%. Your performance has been rated as %%RATING%%

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Question 1

Try to save some money; it's good friend in difficult times.

A	Correct
B	Incorrect

Question 1 Explanation:

The sentence is incorrect because the article is missing. Friend is a singular countable noun, so it needs a: Try to save some money; it's a good friend in difficult times. Singular countable nouns cannot stand alone after be plus an adjective (She's a kind teacher, not She's kind teacher).

Question 2

"Put a lemon in your soup instead of vinegar."

A	Correct
B	Incorrect

Question 2 Explanation:

The sentence is incorrect. Here lemon means lemon juice or a piece of lemon used for flavour, as a substance. In this sense it is uncountable, so we say some lemon: Put some lemon in your soup instead of vinegar. The parallel with the uncountable vinegar supports this. A lemon would mean a whole fruit, which makes little sense here.

Question 3

"You can write in ink or with a pencil."

A	Correct
B	Incorrect

Question 3 Explanation:

The sentence is correct. We say write in ink (also in pencil) when we talk about the material, with no article. We say write with a pencil or with a pen when we talk about the tool, with with and an article. Mixing the two patterns in one sentence is perfectly acceptable.

Question 4

I should prefer a house in a country.

A	Correct
B	Incorrect

Question 4 Explanation:

The sentence is incorrect. When country means the countryside, as opposed to towns and cities, it always takes the: I should prefer a house in the country. A country means a nation, such as France or India, which does not fit the meaning. (I should prefer is a formal, rather old-fashioned British form of I would prefer.)

Question 5

"What _____ will happen?"

A	are you thinking
B	do you think
C	you think

Question 5 Explanation:

Here do you think is inserted into a question about the subject: What will happen? becomes What do you think will happen? Think means 'believe/have an opinion', a stative use, so the present simple with do is needed. Not are you thinking, because the continuous form is not used for opinions. Not you think, because a direct question needs the auxiliary do.

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