0

Pronoun Agreement C2 (Mod)

Description: Pronoun Agreement C2 (Mod)
Number of Questions: 15
Created by:
Tags: Pronoun Agreement C2 (Mod) Pronoun Agreement
Attempted 0/15 Correct 0 Score 0

Directions: This question presents a sentence, all or part of which is underlined. Beneath the sentence you will find five ways of phrasing the underlined part. The first of these repeats the original; the other four are different. If you think the original is best, choose the first answer; otherwise choose one of the others.

If one were to equate the body with a machine, he would do well to remember that a well-oiled and a well-kept machine lasts much longer than another machine that undergoes no preventive maintenance.

  1. If one were to equate the body with a machine, he would do well to remember

  2. If he were to equate the body with a machine, he would do well to remember

  3. If one was to equate the body with a machine, he would do well to remember

  4. If one is to equate the body with a machine, he would do well to remember

  5. If one were to equate the body with a machine, one would do well to remember


Correct Option: E
Explanation:

The original sentence suffers from the error of pronoun agreement. One is always followed by 'one' or the possessive 'one's'. This option seeks to correct the error.

Directions: This question presents a sentence, all or part of which is underlined. Beneath the sentence you will find five ways of phrasing the underlined part. The first of these repeats the original; the other four are different. If you think the original is best, choose the first answer; otherwise choose one of the others.

Although he had been looking forward to participating in the football match, a sprain in the ankle prevented him taking part.

  1. prevented him taking part.

  2. prevented his taking part.

  3. prevented him to take part.

  4. prevented him in taking part.

  5. prevented him for taking part.


Correct Option: B
Explanation:

The correct phrase should be 'prevented him from taking part', but, this option is not a part of the choices given to us. In this case, the best option is (2). 

 

Directions: This question presents a sentence, all or part of which is underlined. Beneath the sentence you will find five ways of phrasing the underlined part. The first of these repeats the original; the other four are different. If you think the original is best, choose the first answer; otherwise choose one of the others.

He is as intelligent as if not more intelligent than any student in the class.

  1. He is as intelligent as if not more intelligent than any student in the class.

  2. He is as intelligent as if not more intelligent than any other student in the class.

  3. He is as intelligent, if not more intelligent, than any student in the class.

  4. He is as intelligent as, not more intelligent than, any other student in the class.

  5. He is the most intelligent student in the class.


Correct Option: B
Explanation:

A comparative degree is being used, and the comparison is with any 'other' student. 'Other' is missing in the given sentence and only option (2) takes care of this error.

 

Directions: This question presents a sentence, all or part of which is underlined. Beneath the sentence you will find five ways of phrasing the underlined part. The first of these repeats the original; the other four are different. If you think the original is best, choose the first answer; otherwise choose one of the others.

Three years have passed since the author of the present work ventured to lay them before the public, not without the unusual anxiety.

  1. since the author of the present work ventured to lay them before the public

  2. since the author of the present work ventured to lay it before the public

  3. since the author of the present work laid them before the public

  4. for the author of the present work to lay it before the public

  5. for the author of the present work to venture to lay it before the public


Correct Option: B
Explanation:

Explanation for (1): Error of pronoun agreement. Antecedent 'work' is singular and the pronoun following it should also be singular (it) not plural (them).

Justification for (2): Error of pronoun agreement. Antecedent 'work' is singular and the pronoun following it should also be singular (it) not plural (them). The option rectifies the error.

Explanation for (3): The option does not rectify the error of pronoun antecedent and it also introduces another error of diction by deleting 'ventured'.
Explanation for (4): The option rectifies the error of pronoun antecedent but introduces another error of conjunction by using 'for' in place of 'since'. Explanation for (5): The option rectifies the error of pronoun antecedent but introduces other errors: incorrect use of conjunction 'for' in place of 'since' and incorrect use of 'to' before ventured.

Directions: This question presents a sentence, all or part of which is underlined. Beneath the sentence you will find five ways of phrasing the underlined part. The first of these repeats the original; the other four are different. If you think the original is best, choose the first answer; otherwise choose one of the others.

Regardless of one's personal beliefs, you have the responsibility to report the facts as impartially as possible.

  1. Regardless of one's personal beliefs

  2. Regardless of one's personal belief

  3. Regardless of personal beliefs

  4. Disregarding one's personal beliefs

  5. Without paying regard to your personal beliefs


Correct Option: C
Explanation:

Explanation for (1): There is an unnecessary shift of pronoun from 'you' to 'one's'.

Explanation for (2): There is an unnecessary shift of pronoun from 'you' to 'one's'. This option fails to correct the error and unnecessarily changes the number.

Justification for (3): There is an unnecessary shift of pronoun from 'you' to 'one's'. This option rectifies the error by omitting the redundant pronoun.
Explanation for (4): This option fails to correct the error and unnecessarily changes meaning of the sentence. Explanation for (5): This option rectifies the error of shift of pronoun but changes the meaning of the sentence altogether.

Directions: This question presents a sentence, all or part of which is underlined. Beneath the sentence you will find five ways of phrasing the underlined part. The first of these repeats the original; the other four are different. If you think the original is best, choose the first answer; otherwise choose one of the others.

The mother could not understand why he always made someones problems his own.

  1. The mother could not understand why he always made someones problems his own.

  2. Mother could not understand why he always made someones problem his own.

  3. The mother could not understand why he always makes someone’s problem his own.

  4. The mother could not understand why he always made someones problems his own problem.

  5. The mother could not understand why he always made someone’s problems his own.


Correct Option: E
Explanation:

Explanation for (1): Here ‘someones’ refers to a possessive pronoun. Therefore, apostrophe should be used.

Explanation for (2): Here ‘someones’ refers to a possessive pronoun. Therefore, apostrophe should be used. This option fails to rectify the error and also incorrectly deletes the article.

Explanation for (3): Here ‘someones’ refers to a possessive pronoun. Therefore, apostrophe should be used. The error is rectified in both (5) and (3). However, (3) changes the tense by using makes which is a present tense, while the rest of the sentence is in the past tense.
Explanation for (4): Here ‘someones’ refers to a possessive pronoun. Therefore, apostrophe should be used. This option fails to rectify the error and also adds the problem of repeated usage of ‘problem’. Justification for (5): Here ‘someones’ refers to a possessive pronoun. Therefore, apostrophe should be used. The error is rectified in both (5) and (3). However, (3) changes the tense by using makes which is a present tense, while the rest of the sentence is in the past tense.

Directions: This question presents a sentence, all or part of which is underlined. Beneath the sentence you will find five ways of phrasing the underlined part. The first of these repeats the original; the other four are different. If you think the original is best, choose the first answer; otherwise choose one of the others.

Everybody decided to wear a black outfit to the party except my sister and I.

  1. Everybody decided to wear a black outfit to the party except my sister and I.

  2. Everybody decided to wear a black outfit to the party excluding my sister and I.

  3. Everybody decided to wear a black outfit to the party except for my sister and I.

  4. Everybody decided to wear a black outfit to the party except my sister and me.

  5. Everybody decided to wear a black outfit to the party with the exception of my sister and me.


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

Explanation for (1): 'Except' is always followed by pronoun in the objective case. Here the usage of subjective case 'I' is incorrect. Option (5) makes unwarranted changes in the sentence.

Explanation for (2): 'Except' is always followed by pronoun in the objective case. This option fails to correct the error but makes unwarranted changes in the sentence.

Explanation for (3): 'Except' is always followed by pronoun in the objective case. This option fails to correct the error but makes unwarranted changes in the sentence.
Justification for (4): 'Except' is always followed by pronoun in the objective case. Here the usage of subjective case 'I' is incorrect. Option (4) corrects the error. Explanation for (5): Option (5) makes unwarranted changes in the sentence.

Directions: This question presents a sentence, all or part of which is underlined. Beneath the sentence you will find five ways of phrasing the underlined part. The first of these repeats the original; the other four are different. If you think the original is best, choose the first answer; otherwise choose one of the others.

The secondary school childrens’ parents were invited to the annual day function.

  1. The secondary school childrens’ parents were invited to the annual day function.

  2. The secondary school children’s parents were invited to the annual day function.

  3. The parents of secondary school childrens were invited to the annual day function.

  4. The secondary school children had their parents invited to the annual day function.

  5. The secondary school children and parents were invited to the annual day function.


Correct Option: B
Explanation:

Explanation for (1): ‘Children’ itself is a plural form. Since a possessive case is shown, apostrophe ought to be used after ‘children’.  The best usage would be ‘parents of children’.

Justification for (2): ‘Children’ itself is a plural form. Since a possessive case is shown, apostrophe ought to be used after ‘children’.  The best usage would have been ‘parents of children’. In the absence of such an option, (2) is the answer.

Explanation for (3): ‘Children’ itself is a plural form. This helps us reject this option.
Explanation for (4): This option changes the meaning of the sentence. Explanation for (5): This option changes the meaning of the sentence.

Directions: This item presents a sentence, all or part of which is underlined. Beneath the sentence you will find five ways of phrasing the underlined part. The first of these repeats the original; the other four are different. If you think the original is the best, choose option (1) as your answer; otherwise, choose one of the others.

Undergraduates, as well as us graduate students, are at the low end of the academic totem pole.

  1. Undergraduates, as well as us graduate students

  2. Undergraduates, as well as us graduates

  3. Undergraduates, as well as we graduates

  4. Undergraduates, as well as we graduate students


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

Explanation for (1): The usage of 'us' is faulty in this option. 'Us' is used in the objective case. But here, 'us' the students 'are at the low end'. The correct usage has to be “we … are at the low end".

Explanation for (2): The usage of 'us' is faulty in this option. 'Us' is used in the objective case.

Explanation for (3): This option is grammatically correct but deletes reference to the main subject 'students'.
Justification for (4): The usage of 'us' is faulty in the sentence. 'Us' is used in the objective case. But here 'us' the students 'are at the low end'. The correct usage has to be “we … are at the low end". Explanation for (5): This option compounds the error of the use of objective case to represent subject by making repetitive use of 'students'.

Directions: This question presents a sentence, all or part of which is underlined. Beneath the sentence you will find five ways of phrasing the underlined part. The first of these repeats the original; the other four are different. If you think the original is best, choose the first answer; otherwise choose one of the others.

Neither of the three sisters was prepared to accept the blame.

  1. Neither of the three sisters was prepared to accept the blame.

  2. Neither of the three sisters were prepared to accept the blame.

  3. No one of the three sisters were prepared to accept the blame.

  4. No one of the three sisters was prepared to accept the blame.

  5. None of the three sisters was prepared to accept the blame.


Correct Option: E
Explanation:

Explanation for (1): The number of sisters is three. So, 'neither' is inappropriate.

Explanation for (2): The number of sisters is three. So, 'neither' is inappropriate.

Explanation for (3): 'No one' is inappropriate here because it means 'nobody' as a stand-alone, not as part of a group.
Explanation for (4): 'No one' is inappropriate here because it means 'nobody' as a stand-alone, not as part of a group. Justification for (5): The number of sisters is three. So, 'neither' is inappropriate. This option corrects the error by replacing 'neither' with 'none'.

Directions: This question presents a sentence, all or part of which is underlined. Beneath the sentence you will find five ways of phrasing the underlined part. The first of these repeats the original; the other four are different. If you think the original is best, choose the first answer; otherwise choose one of the others.

All of them helped each other when the earthquake devastated the town.

  1. All of them helped each other when the earthquake devastated the town.

  2. They helped each other when the earthquake devastated the town.

  3. All of them helped one another when the earthquake devastated the town.

  4. They helped one another when the earthquake devastated the town.

  5. All of them helped others when the earthquake devastated the town.


Correct Option: C
Explanation:

Explanation for (1): Pronoun error. ‘Each other’ is used for two people only; hence, it has been used incorrectly here. ‘One another’ refers to more people and therefore it is correct.

Explanation for (2): The option compounds the error of pronoun usage by adding the error of omission of emphasis on ‘all’.

Justification for (3): ‘Each other’ is used for two people only; hence, it has been used incorrectly here. ‘One another’ refers to more people and therefore it is correct.
Explanation for (4): The option commits the error of omission of emphasis on ‘all’. Explanation for (5): This changes the meaning of the sentence.

Directions: This question presents a sentence, all or part of which is underlined. Beneath the sentence you will find five ways of phrasing the underlined part. The first of these repeats the original; the other four are different. If you think the original is best, choose the first answer; otherwise choose one of the others. In light of the increasing evidence of the complexity of the body's immune system, they now realize that their approach to finding a cure for cancer has been too simplistic.

  1. they now realize that their approach to finding a cure for cancer has been too simplistic

  2. scientists now realize that their approach to finding a cure for cancer has been too simplistic

  3. it is now realized that the approach at curing cancer was too simplistic in their approach

  4. approach by them at curing cancer have been too simplistic


Correct Option: B
Explanation:

Explanation for (1): The original sentence is wrong because “they” has no antecedent.

Justification for (2): The original sentence is wrong because “they” has no antecedent. Only (2) replaces 'they' with a noun.

Explanation for (3): The option is incorrect because it is not idiomatic to say “the approach at curing”.
Explanation for (4): The original sentence is wrong because “they” has no antecedent. (4) contains the same error and makes the additional mistake of using an awkward indirect construction (“by them”). Explanation for (5): The original sentence is wrong because “they” has no antecedent. (5) compounds the error by using a plural subject “approaches” with a singular verb from “has”.

Directions: This question presents a sentence, all or part of which is underlined. Beneath the sentence you will find five ways of phrasing the underlined part. The first of these repeats the original; the other four are different. If you think the original is best, choose the first answer; otherwise choose one of the others.

Thor Heyerdahl, accompanied by the crew of the Ken Take has sailed specifically charted courses in order to prove their theories of cultural diffusion.

  1. has sailed specifically charted courses in order to prove their theories

  2. have sailed specifically charted courses in order to prove their theories

  3. has sailed specifically charted course in order to prove their theories

  4. has sailed specifically chartered courses in order to prove his theory

  5. has sailed specifically charted courses in order to prove his theories


Correct Option: E
Explanation:

Explanation for (1): ‘Thor Heyerdahl’ refers to a singular person and should be followed by a singular pronoun. But, in the given sentence, the same is followed by the plural pronoun ‘their’.

Explanation for (2): ‘Thor Heyerdahl’ refers to a singular person. This option compounds the error of pronoun agreement by replacing the correct singular verb ‘has’ with the incorrect plural ‘have’.

Explanation for (3): This option fails to correct the error of pronoun agreement and also unnecessarily changes the plural ‘courses’ to singular ‘course’.
Explanation for (4): This option corrects the error of pronoun agreement but changes the meaning by replacing ‘charted’ with ‘chartered’. Justification for (5): ‘Thor Heyerdahl’ refers to a singular person and should be followed by a singular pronoun. But, in the given sentence, the same is followed by the plural pronoun ‘their’ and it has been rectified in option (5) only.

Directions: This question presents a sentence, all or part of which is underlined. Beneath the sentence you will find five ways of phrasing the underlined part. The first of these repeats the original; the other four are different. If you think the original is best, choose the first answer; otherwise choose one of the others.

Both he as well as his friends are aiming to become world famous chefs.

  1. Both he as well as his friends are aiming to become world famous chefs.

  2. Both his friends as well as he are aiming to become world famous chefs.

  3. Both his friends and he is aiming to become world famous chefs.

  4. He as well as his friends is aiming to become world famous chefs.

  5. His both friends as well as he are aiming to become world famous chefs.


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

Explanation for (1): Type of error: Pronoun usage

The sentence is incorrect because 'both' and 'as well as' cannot be used together in a sentence.

Explanation for (2): The sentence is incorrect because 'both' and 'as well as' cannot be used together in a sentence.
Explanation for (3):  When we use 'both', the verb that follows has to be in plural form. The singular verb 'is' should be replaced by the plural verb 'are'.
Justification for (4):  If 'as well as' is to be used, the verb must be according to the first subject. In this sentence, the first subject 'he' is a singular subject and the verb 'is' is a singular verb. Therefore, this option makes the sentence correct. Explanation for (5):  'His both friends' is incorrect usage.

Directions: This question presents a sentence, all or part of which is underlined. Beneath the sentence you will find five ways of phrasing the underlined part. The first of these repeats the original; the other four are different. If you think the original is best, choose the first answer; otherwise choose one of the others. Between I and he, there's nothing more to say.

  1. Between I and he,

  2. Between me and him,

  3. Between him and me,

  4. Between I and him,


Correct Option: C
Explanation:

Explanation for (1): Between always takes an 'objective case' and I and he are both subjective cases. Therefore, they should be converted to 'him and me'.

Explanation for (2): The rules of etiquette, and accordingly the rules of grammar require the third person to be placed before the first. Hence, (4) is incorrect.

Justification for (3): Between always takes an 'objective case' and I and he are both subjective cases. Therefore, they should be converted to 'him and me'. The rules of etiquette, and accordingly the rules of grammar require the third person to be placed before the first. Hence, (4) is incorrect.
Explanation for (4): Between always takes an 'objective case'. This option compounds the error of pronoun usage by using one pronoun in the subjective case and the other in objective. Explanation for (5): Between always takes an 'objective case'. This option compounds the error of pronoun usage by using one pronoun in the subjective case and the other in objective.

- Hide questions