UK English Basic Skills Test
1. Choose the series of pronouns that best completes the following sentence.
Victor, who stole ______ ideas and used them to make _______ a millionaire, never one offered _____ a word of thanks.
a. our, himself, we
b. their, them, himself
c. your, us, you
d. our, himself, us
2. Which of the following sentences is NOT punctuated correctly?
a. All of the apple's at the grocer's were rotten, so I bought oranges instead.
b. "Seven canteens full of water should be enough for the hike," said Tabitha.
c. Until the stove is fixed, there's no way I can bake a lemon meringue pie.
d. The woman, whose name escapes me at the moment, disappeared into the limousine.
3. Choose the series of pronouns that best completes the following sentence.
That house used to be _____, but _____ have given it to _______.
a. my, I, her
b. mine, me, her
c. mine, I, her
d. myself, she, her
4. Which of the following sentences illustrates correct pronoun usage?
a. Whom are your employees going to report to while you're gone?
b. Each monkey had its own bunch of bananas to munch on.
c. Neither of us had any idea that the Robinsons were selling their beach house.
d. Delilah congratulated herself on a job well done.
e. All of the above
5. Choose the series of articles and conjunctions that best completes the following sentence.
Julia, who is studying to be ______ foreign correspondent, is currently doing ______ internship in ______ Middle East _______ will return before the end of _______ year.
a. (no article required), an, the, but, the
b. the, a, the, however, a
c. a, an, (no article required), yet, a
d. a, an, the, but, the
6. Read the following question and choose the response that uses the correct corresponding verb tense.
Does Jack wear that furry hat often ?
a. No, he just liked to war it for fun sometimes.
b. Yes, but don't said anything about it to him.
c. Yes, and it can so annoying!
d. No, he wears it only when his ears are cold.
7. Which of the following sentences illustrates the proper use of parallel construction?
a. Terry hoped to find a new job that would let him earn extra cash in the summer and to work fewer hours.
b. Although Tommy was failing his biology class at college, he was passing his chemistry class.
c. Trina loved to sail, skate, swim and surfing.
d. Tatiana declared that the people in her office are smarter than the people who work in Tad's office.
8. Complete the following sentence by choosing the phrase with the best word order from the options given.
The excited children, who had run toward the loud ______.
a. music and then told the others about the ice cream truck outside
b. music, are telling to the others about the ice cream truck outside
c. ice cream truck to tell the others about the music outside
d. music, told the others about the ice cream truck outside
9. Which of the following sentences illustrates the proper use of commas?
a. Randy wanted to end the meeting, but Amy wanted to prolong it.
b. After pouring herself a glass of water in silence, Nicky answered my question.
c. the committee, which had failed to come to a consensus decided to meet again on Tuesday.
e. a and b
f. All of the above
10. Rearrange the following words to create the most logical and grammatically correct sentence.
with can't phone, on Whenever always to the time spend I speak I my friend, him
a. Whenever I always phone on my friend to speak, I can't spend the time with him.
b. Whenever I spend time on the phone to him, I can't always speak with my friend.
c. Whenever I speak to him, I can't always spend time with my friend on the phone.
d. Whenever I can't speak to him on the phone, I always spend time with my friend.
e. Whenever I can't spend time with my friend, I always speak to him on the phone.
11. Which of the following sentences does NOT illustrate correct verb and verb tense usage?
a. These repetitive and misleading guidelines could easily be interpreted in several different ways.
b. Clarabelle's mother absolutely hated nicknames and always calls her daughter by her full name.
c. The lmagist movement in poetry is commonly regarded as having begun in the early twentieth century.
d. We all danced across the lawn and lifted Zoe above our heads in triumph.
12. Choose the series of articles and conjunctions that best completes the following sentence.
Lilacs _______ violets are usually purple, _______ I have seen some _______ are white.
a. and, however, that
b. or, yet, which
c. and, although, that
d. or, but, and
13. Which of the following sentences illustrates proper sentence structure?
a. Walking down the street, my eyes were drawn to a diamond in a store window.
b. A small red care pulled up behind the woman with tinted windows.
c. The man in the black cape mounted his powerful stallion and galloped away.
d. The cats chased the birds around the yard with the yellow beaks.
e. None of the above
14. Choose the series of verbs that best completes the following sentence passage.
I find it very hard to remember _______ letters that are entrusted to me. In fact, I remember ______ to do so scores of times!
a. to post, forgetting
b. posting, to forget
c. to post, to forget
d. posting, forgetting
15. Which of the following sentences does NOT illustrate correct pronoun usage?
a. The wet dog shook itself off, wagged its tail and proceeded on its way.
b. Don't take the silver goblet out of it's protective case or you'll ruin it.
c. You should wear that jacket to their wedding because it's the nicest one you have.
d. It's not too late to answer their ad for a waitress, is it?
e. All of the above
16. Change the following sentence from a quotation to indirect speech.
'I'm not feeling well', Agatha said.
a. Agatha has said that she doesn't feel well.
b. According to Agatha, she isn't feeling well.
c. Agatha said she wasn't feeling well.
d. Agatha says she isn't feeling well.
17. Which of the following sentences does NOT illustrate correct verb and verb tense usage?
a. Frank and Marjorie have opened a new chocolate shop on the corner.
b. By the time I get there, all the best candy will have been eaten already.
c. They was going to sell pastries as well, but then decided against it.
d. Did you ever wonder how many jelly beans there are in the world?
18. Which of the following sentences illustrates proper sentence structure?
a. Unless the world controls its population, mankind will continue to face one problem after the other.
b. Unless the world doesn't control its population, mankind will continue to face one problem after the other.
c. Unless the world controls its population, until then mankind will continue to face one problem after the other.
d. Unless the world fails to control its population, mankind until then will continue to face one problem after the other.
19. Which of the following sentences illustrates correct usage of articles and conjunctions?
a. Celine lives on Arthur Street; however, she works on Beatrice Boulevard.
b. I would eat a peach every day if I could, nor the doctor told me I couldn't.
c. Will Gertrude play the piano or an harp at the concert?
d. Although she is angry at them, neither her son and her father will be at the party.
20. Which of the following sentences illustrates correct verb and verb tense usage?
a. Did Annabel knowingly lie on the witness stand?
b. We think the judge will have noticed something strange in her behaviour.
c. The lawyers had decided keep her testimony a secret.
d. Somehow, all of the newspapers gotten hold of the story.
21. Choose the series of adjectives and adverbs that best completes the following sentence.
The archaeologists were ______ to discover such a _______ and ______ _______ artefact at that mostly uncovered site.
a. amazing, rarely, incredible, beautifully
b. amazed, rare, incredibly, beautiful
c. beautiful, rarity, amazingly, incredible
d. amazingly, beautiful, rarely, incredible
22. rearrange the following words to create the most logical and grammatically correct sentence.
would I have it anything if had. I you known said would not bother
a. Would I have not said anything if you had known it would bother I?
b. I would not have said anything if I had known it would bother you.
c. Had I known if it would bother you I would not have said anything.
d. If I had known it would not bother you I would have said anything.
23. Choose the series of adjectives and adverbs that best completes the following sentence.
While _______ of our relatives live on the _______ hill in the county, ______ of our friends live in the _______ areas of the valley.
a. more, windy, many, most, protection
b. most, windier, more, most, protective
c. many, windiest, most, more, protected
d. many, winding, more, most, protected
24. Choose the series of prepositions that best completes the following sentence.
Charlotte knew _______ the secret investigation ________ her past, but she closed her eyes to it and pretended it wasn't happening.
a. of, about
b. about, into
c. about, on
d. of, after
25. Read the following question and choose the response that uses the correct corresponding verb tense.
Did you hear the weather forecast for tomorrow?
a. Yes, it will to clear up by noon.
b. No, I wasn't listening to the radio.
c. Yes, they have said it will have snowed.
d. No, but I think it had snowed.
26. Choose the option that correctly changes the original sentence from active voice to passive voice.
ORIGINAL SENTENCE:
That tall man is carrying a lot of lumber.
REWRITTEN SENTENCES:
a. The tall man carries a lot of lumber.
b. I being carried by the tall man, the lumber.
c. The lumber is carried by the tall man.
d. A lot of lumber is being carried by the tall man.
27. Choose the series of verbs that best completes the following sentence.
Everyone _______ too busy cooking and _________ the campsite ________ the family of bears ________ from the woods.
a. were, setting up, to notice, watch
b. was, set up, noticing, to watch
c. is, setting, to notice, watching
d. was, setting up, to notice, watching
28. Choose the series of adjectives and adverbs that best completes the following sentence.
Knowing that February was the _________ month of the year, Chery! planned her vacation ____________.
a. short, in accordance
b. shortest, accordingly
c. shorter, according
d. shortness, accordion
29. Choose the series of prepositions that best completes the following sentence.
Jack, leaning casually _________ the tree, watched as Sally walked slowly _______ him.
a. against, towards
b. toward, against
c. upon, past
d. off, beside
30. Change the following sentence from a quotation to indirect speech.
'I can meet with you at noon', said Peter.
a. Peter says he can meet with me at noon.
b. Peter said he will meet with me at noon.
c. Peter said he could meet with me at noon.
d. Peter can meet with me at noon, so he said.
31. Which of the following sentences illustrates correct verb and verb tense usage?
a. Let's wait until seven to leave; the traffic should be much lighter by then.
b. My boss says I have to stay late tonight because I was sleeping during office hours.
c. I would call them, but I think they have left for the day.
d. Have you seen the cookies that were on my desk? They seem to have disappeared.
e. All of the above
32. Choose the series of adjectives and adverbs that best completes the following sentence.
The helium- ________ balloon rose ________ into the air; the villagers knew then that their ________ leader was off on another mission.
a. power, powerful, powered
b. powered, powered, powerful
c. powered, powerfully, powerful
d. powerful, powered, powerfully
33. Choose the series of prepositions that best completes the following sentence.
Jeremy drove his motorcycle __________ the bridge, _________ the hill and _________ the diner before finally parking it ________ two police cars.
a. beside, among, behind, near
b. beneath, over, under, on
c. across, down, past, between
d. under, around, through, into
34. Read the following question and choose the response that uses the correct corresponding verb tense.
Did you see the show last night?
a. No, because by the time I got there all the tickets had already been sold.
b. Yes, and it was one of the best shows I had ever seen.
c. Yes, but my seat was behind a pole so I couldn't barely see anything.
d. No, but I am hope to see it tonight.
35. Choose the series of articles and conjunctions that best completes the following sentence.
I think Fran could be ________ great public speaker, _________ she is still too shy to try it.
a. the, although
b. a, but
c. an, however
d. a, and
36. Which of the following sentences is punctuated correctly?
a. Tracy bought three suits; seven scarves; and ten pairs of shoes.
b. We are expecting a hurricane this afternoon, therefore we have closed the school early.
c. Allen, the receptionist at my office, is a handsome bloke.
d. I have never been so insulted: I think I will go home now.
37. Choose the series of pronouns that best completes the following sentence.
Don't __________ think Larry should call _______ wife if ______ is going to be late for dinner?
a. you, his, he
b. we, your, his
c. he, his, he
d. you, his, himself
38. Choose the series of prepositions that best completes the following sentence.
I placed my notes _____ my des and referred to them _________ the meeting.
a. at, among
b. beside, during
c. with, at
d. upon, around
39. Choose the series of verbs that best completes the following sentence.
If Harry _________ to the party too early, don't let him in; he _________ outside like everyone else.
a. gets, will have to wait
b. got, waits
c. gets, is waiting
d. has gotten, must be waiting
40. Complete the following sentence by choosing the phrase with the best word order from the options given.
Only after they had completed an exhaustive study _______ how to adapt the technology to the needs of our company.
a. did they understand to begin
b. did they begin to understand
c. they did begin to understand
d. to understand did they begin