Self Study Guide - Test Your English Grammar Part 16

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Question 1

What _____ is that it’s not right to gossip.

A	do I think about this news
B	I think about this news
C	think I about the news
D	don’t I think of the news

Question 1 Explanation:

A clause starting with what can be the subject of a sentence. Inside it we use normal statement word order (subject + verb): What I think about this news is that… Not do I think, because that is question word order.

Question 2

_____ is not my concern.

A	Where is on earth Charlie now
B	Where on earth is Charlie now
C	Where on earth Charlie is now
D	Where is Charlie now

Question 2 Explanation:

Here the wh-clause is the subject of is not my concern, so it needs statement word order: Where on earth Charlie is now. On earth goes straight after the question word. Not Where on earth is Charlie now, because that is a direct question, not part of a sentence.

Question 3

_____ doesn’t matter at this point.

A	When the money stolen was
B	When did they steal the money
C	When the money was stolen
D	When was the money stolen

Question 3 Explanation:

The clause is the subject of doesn't matter, so it uses statement word order: When the money was stolen. Not When was the money stolen, because inversion is only used in direct questions.

Question 4

I’m often asked _____.

A	what students can do to become part of a team
B	what can students do to become part of a team
C	what can do students to become part of a team
D	what to become part of a team can students do

Question 4 Explanation:

After I'm asked we use an indirect question with statement word order: what students can do. Not what can students do, because indirect questions don't invert the subject and verb.

Question 5

_____ is none of my business.

A	What did the boss tell her
B	What the boss did her tell
C	What her told the boss
D	What the boss told her

Question 5 Explanation:

The wh-clause is the subject of is none of my business, so it has statement word order and no auxiliary did: What the boss told her. Not What did the boss tell her, which is a direct question.

Question 6

When _____ does not interest me.

A	are they going to arrest Charlie
B	Charlie is going to be arrested
C	is Charlie going to be arrested
D	is Charlie going to arrest them

Question 6 Explanation:

When … does not interest me needs a clause with statement word order: When Charlie is going to be arrested (passive). Not is Charlie going to be arrested, because that is question word order.

Question 7

Why _____

A	do people laugh at one joke but not another depends on many factors.
B	people laugh at one joke but not another depends on many factors.
C	people laugh at one joke but not another depends on many factors?
D	do people laugh at one joke but not another depend on many factors.

Question 7 Explanation:

The clause Why people laugh at one joke but not another is the subject of depends, so it has statement word order and no do. The sentence is a statement, so it ends with a full stop. Not the option with a question mark, because the whole sentence is not a question.

Question 8

Everybody all over the world loves what _____

A	does a good joke do.
B	does a good joke do?
C	a good joke does?
D	a good joke does.

Question 8 Explanation:

After loves what we use statement word order: what a good joke does. The sentence is a statement, so it ends with a full stop, not a question mark.

Question 9

And yet I wish _____.

A	I could you show our cat Dinah to
B	I could our cat Dinah show to you
C	our cat Dinah could you show to
D	I could show you our cat Dinah

Question 9 Explanation:

After I wish we use normal word order: subject + could + verb + objects: I could show you our cat Dinah. The other options put the words in the wrong order.

Question 10

Then it doesn’t matter _____

A	which way you go.
B	which way do you go?
C	which you go way.
D	which way you go?

Question 10 Explanation:

After it doesn't matter we use an indirect question with statement word order: which way you go. It is a statement, so it ends with a full stop. Not which way do you go?, which is a direct question.

Question 11

I asked _____

A	where were the president and his wife staying?
B	where were the president and his wife staying.
C	what hotel were the president and his wife staying.
D	what hotel the president and his wife were staying at.

Question 11 Explanation:

In reported questions we use statement word order and a full stop: what hotel the president and his wife were staying at. Not where were the president and his wife staying, because the verb must come after the subject.

Question 12

He wanted to know _____

A	when could I start.
B	when I could start?
C	what time could I start at.
D	what time I could start at.

Question 12 Explanation:

After He wanted to know we use a reported question with statement word order and a full stop: what time I could start at. Not when could I start, because the subject must come before could.

Question 13

She asked me if _____

A	I like the drink?
B	I would like the drink.
C	the drinks would like me.
D	what would the drinks like?

Question 13 Explanation:

Reported yes/no questions use if + statement word order, and the tense usually moves back after asked: She asked me if I would like the drink. No question mark is used. Not I like the drink?, because of the question mark and the tense.

Question 14

I asked _____ something.

A	what he had told me
B	whether he had told me
C	if had he told me
D	had he told me

Question 14 Explanation:

A reported yes/no question uses whether or if + statement word order: I asked whether he had told me something. Not if had he told me, because the subject must come before the verb.

Question 15

I don’t know _____

A	why did he tell this story to everybody?
B	why was this story told to everybody?
C	why everybody was told this story?
D	why he told this story to everybody.

Question 15 Explanation:

After I don't know we use an indirect question with statement word order and a full stop: why he told this story to everybody. Not why did he tell…?, which is a direct question.

Question 16

I asked what _____

A	Peter’s address was?
B	Peter’s address was.
C	was Peter’s address?
D	address was Peter’s?

Question 16 Explanation:

In a reported question the subject comes before the verb and there is no question mark: I asked what Peter's address was. Not Peter's address was?, because a reported question is a statement.

Question 17

I asked: “_____”

A	Do you have this costume in size 8?
B	If they had that costume in size 8.
C	Whether they had that costume in size 8.
D	Did you had this costume in size 8?

Question 17 Explanation:

The quotation marks show direct speech, so we need the exact words of a real question: Do you have this costume in size 8? Not the options with if or whether, because they are only used in reported questions. Not Did you had, because after did we use the base form have.

Question 18

I wondered _____

A	where was the bus station.
B	where the bus station was.
C	where was the bus station?
D	where the bus station was?

Question 18 Explanation:

After I wondered we use an indirect question with statement word order and a full stop: where the bus station was. Not where was the bus station, because the verb must come after the subject.

Question 19

You wanted to know if _____

A	I had met George Lamb.
B	I had met George Lamb?
C	had I met George Lamb.
D	had I met George Lamb?

Question 19 Explanation:

A reported yes/no question uses if + statement word order and a full stop: You wanted to know if I had met George Lamb. Not had I met, because inversion is only used in direct questions.

Question 20

The driver asked _____

A	if did I want to go to the town centre.
B	whether I wanted to go to the town centre.
C	whether I wanted to go to the town centre?
D	the town centre if I wanted to go.

Question 20 Explanation:

A reported yes/no question uses whether (or if) + statement word order, and the tense moves back after asked: The driver asked whether I wanted to go to the town centre. Not the option with a question mark, because a reported question is a statement.

Question 21

How _____

A	you get there is your problem?
B	do you get there is your problem.
C	you get there is your problem.
D	you get there your problem?

Question 21 Explanation:

The clause How you get there is the subject of is your problem, so it has statement word order and no do. The sentence is a statement and ends with a full stop. Not do you get there, which is question word order.

Question 22

The government has announced _____.

A	will the taxes be raised
B	taxes that would be raised
C	that taxes will be raised
D	that there will taxes be raised

Question 22 Explanation:

After announce we use a that-clause with statement word order: that taxes will be raised. Not will the taxes be raised, because that is question word order.

Question 23

He’s got a job in a new firm, _____.

A	where don’t they work such long hours
B	there don’t they work such long hours
C	such long hours don’t they work there
D	where they don’t work such long hours

Question 23 Explanation:

Where starts a relative clause about the firm, and relative clauses use statement word order: where they don't work such long hours. Not where don't they work, because that is question word order.

Question 24

Nobody told me why _____

A	did I have to sign the paper?
B	I had to sign the paper?
C	didn’t I have the paper signed.
D	I had to sign the paper.

Question 24 Explanation:

After Nobody told me why we use an indirect question with statement word order and a full stop: why I had to sign the paper. Not the option with a question mark, because the sentence is a statement.

Question 25

I’m surprised at _____

A	how fast can she run?
B	how fast can she run.
C	how fast she can run.
D	can she run fast at all?

Question 25 Explanation:

After I'm surprised at we use a wh-clause with statement word order: how fast she can run, ending with a full stop. Not how fast can she run, which is question word order.

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