Choose the Correct - Incorrect Sentence Questions and Answers

Answer: C

Correct answer: She did nothing but sang.

After nothing but following a form of do, the verb takes the bare infinitive: she did nothing but sing.

The other three are sound:

• Politics is a dirty game - a subject name in -ics is singular.
• Twenty miles is a long distance - a measured quantity is treated as one thing.
• His father is an S.D.O. - an is right because the letter S is sounded ess.

Answer: D

Correct answer: No sooner had the dividend been declared than the notices were prepared for mailing.

No sooner is paired with than, and because it opens the sentence the auxiliary must come before the subject: no sooner had the dividend been declared.

Why the others fail:

• Since the dividend being declared than… - no finite verb, and than has no comparative to answer.
• Scarcely had… than - scarcely pairs with when, not than.
• They had no sooner declared the dividend when… - the same pairing error in reverse.

Answer: C

Correct answer: He reached to his destination.

Reach, in the sense of arriving at a place, is transitive and takes no preposition: he reached his destination.

The other three are sound:

• He accompanied me to the park - accompany takes a direct object, with to marking the destination.
• Never have I heard of such a thing - correct inversion after a negative opening.
• He need not come to me - need as a modal takes the bare infinitive.

Answer: C

Correct answer: The climate of Ranchi is better than Patna.

As written, a climate is being compared with a city. The comparison needs that of to supply the missing noun: the climate of Ranchi is better than that of Patna.

The other three are sound:

• The more I thought of it, the less I liked it - a correct double comparative.
• The teacher was angry with him - one is angry with a person.
• One should take care of one's health - one is kept throughout.

Answer: B

Correct answer: The headmaster testified the boy's ability.

Testify is intransitive in this sense and takes to: the headmaster testified to the boy's ability.

The other three are sound:

• He succumbed to his injuries - succumb to is correct.
• These plants are indigenous to India - indigenous to is correct.
• Mr Ram's statement was tantamount to a confession - tantamount to is correct.

Answer: D

Correct answer: Each of the candidates was given a separate room.

“Each” is singular and governs the verb, so the correct form is “was given”, while the noun after “of” must be plural: “the candidates”. The remaining options fail on one or other of these two points.

Answer: A

Correct answer: I prefer to read than to write.

Prefer is followed by to, not than, and the two things compared must take the same form: I prefer reading to writing. With infinitives the idiom is I would rather read than write.

The other three are sound:

• Each student must bring his pen and paper - each is singular.
• Several years have passed since I saw you - the past simple after since is correct.
• I have purchased a pair of socks - correct.

Answer: D

Correct answer: Since the report lacked needed information it was of no use to them.

Since gives the cause, lacked is a plain past tense, and was of no use is a correct idiom.

Why the others fail:

• because there was no needed information - needed hangs without a reference.
• it would have not been useful - a conditional where a statement of fact is needed, and the negative is misplaced.
• it was not real useful - real is an adjective being used to modify another adjective; it should be really.

Answer: C

Correct answer: Many a glorious deeds were done.

Many a is always followed by a singular noun and a singular verb, however plural the sense feels. The sentence should read many a glorious deed was done.

The other three are sound:

• Our followers are but a handful - but here means only.
• Neither he nor I was there - with neither… nor the verb agrees with the nearer subject, I.
• Everyone of the boys loves to ride - everyone is singular.

Answer: A

Correct answer: He was hung for murder.

Hang has two past participles. Pictures and curtains are hung; a person executed on a gallows is hanged.

The other three are sound:

• I offered him a chair to sit on - the preposition is needed after the infinitive.
• Let's not intrude on his privacy - intrude on is correct.
• You should comply with the rules - comply with is correct.