1. Complete the following passage by using the appropriate articles (a, an, or the). (0.5 × 10 = 5)
In ______ midst of ______ global debate about climate change, ______ international conference was held in Geneva. Scientists from across ______ world gathered to discuss strategies for protecting ______ planet from irreversible damage. Among them was ______ young researcher who presented ______ innovative model of sustainable energy. Her paper was praised as ______ turning point in environmental policy and received ______ highest award of ______ year.
- In the midst — the is used because "midst" here refers to a definite ongoing situation: the global debate.
- of a global debate — a introduces the debate as one instance among many possible discussions.
- an international conference — an precedes a noun starting with a vowel sound ("international").
- across the world — the because there is only one world (unique reference).
- protecting the planet — the used before “planet” since it refers to our specific planet, Earth.
- Among them was a young researcher — a introduces the researcher for the first time (non-specific).
- an innovative model — an before a vowel sound and to introduce a new, unspecified item.
- a turning point — a denotes one instance among many potential turning points.
- the highest award — the identifies the superlative, referring to one specific distinction.
- of the year — the marks a definite period known to both speaker and listener (that particular year).
Summary tip: Use “the” for definite or unique references, and “a” / “an” when introducing something for the first time or when the item is one among many.
2. Complete the following sentences by inserting the correct prepositions in each blank. (0.5 × 10 = 5)
The conference continued ______ three days, attracting experts ______ every continent. Presentations focused ______ renewable energy sources and their impact ______ modern economies. Several delegates emphasized collaboration ______ governments, while others argued ______ the slow adoption of new technologies. At the end, a memorandum was signed ______ all member nations ______ the supervision of the United Nations.
- continued for three days — for expresses the duration of time over which the event took place.
- experts from every continent — from shows the origin or source of the participants.
- focused on renewable energy — on indicates the topic or subject of focus.
- impact on modern economies — on is used to show effect or influence upon something.
- collaboration between governments — between is used for relationship or connection involving two or more entities.
- argued against the slow adoption — against expresses opposition to something.
- signed by all member nations — by indicates the agent performing the action (in passive voice).
- under the supervision — under denotes control, authority, or guidance.
Usage notes: Prepositions express relationships in time, space, or logic. Remember: for (duration), from (source), on (topic/effect), between (connection), against (opposition), by (agent), and under (control).
🔑 Members Only Exercises
3. Complete the following sentences using the words and phrases provided: was born, has to / have to, would rather, had better, let alone, what if, as if, as soon as, what's it like, what does ------ look like, introductory 'there' or 'it'. (0.5 × 10 = 5)
1. He ______ in a small town by the river, and everyone still remembers his childhood stories. 2. You ______ finish your homework before going out to play; no excuses. 3. I ______ stay at home tonight than attend a loud party. 4. You ______ take an umbrella; it looks like rain is coming. 5. He can barely lift one box, ______ carry three of them by himself. 6. ______ we miss the train? We should have left earlier. 7. She spoke to him ______ he were guilty of the crime, even though there was no proof. 8. ______ I finish my chores, I will join you in the garden. 9. ______ living in a big city? I’ve always wondered. 10. ______ your new office look like? I heard it has huge windows. 11. ______ seems to be a mistake in this calculation. Can you check it again? 12. ______ was surprising to see how quickly the baby learned to walk.
📘 Detailed Explanation – Phrases & Constructions
- was born — Indicates the time or place of birth.
- has to / have to — Expresses necessity or obligation.
- would rather — Shows preference between two or more choices.
- had better — Strong advice or warning.
- let alone — Highlights that one thing is even less likely than another.
- what if — Introduces a hypothetical situation or concern.
- as if — Shows manner or comparison, often hypothetical.
- as soon as — Something happens immediately after another action.
- what's it like — Asking about experience or situation.
- what does ------ look like — Asks for a description of appearance.
- there — Introductory “there” indicates existence.
- it — Introductory “it” for general observation or situation.
4. Complete the following sentences by using appropriate conditionals, phrases, or clauses. (0.5 × 10 = 5)
If she ______ her homework on time, she can watch TV tonight. I would have attended the meeting if I ______ the invitation earlier. You may join the trip ______. They were late ______. He speaks ______. I will inform you ______. If I ______, I would accept the scholarship. You cannot pass the exam ______. She appeared ______. We failed to complete the project ______.
- If she finishes — First conditional; expresses a possible future condition and its result.
- if I had received — Third conditional; shows a past unreal situation and its hypothetical outcome.
- provided you pay your share — Conditional phrase indicating requirement or restriction.
- because the car wouldn’t start — Adverb clause of reason explaining why they were late.
- as though he had lived there for years — Comparative clause expressing an unreal or imagined situation.
- once the results are announced — Adverb clause of time specifying when the action occurs.
- If I were in your shoes — Second conditional; used for giving advice in hypothetical situations.
- unless you revise thoroughly — Conditional clause expressing a negative condition ("if not").
- as if she had lost everything — Clause of comparison describing her appearance or behavior.
- despite working late nights — Concessive phrase showing contrast between effort and result.
Summary tip: Use conditionals for "if" situations (real or unreal), phrases for short related ideas without a full verb, and clauses for complete ideas containing a subject and a verb.
5. Complete the following sentences by using the correct form of the verb or the correct subject–verb agreement. (0.5 × 10 = 5)
Each of the committee members ______ a written report to the chairman. The jury ______ in its final decision about the case. Neither the principal nor the teachers ______ on the proposal for a longer school day. The data ______ a strong correlation between sleep and memory. By this time next month, the new library ______. If she ______ about the meeting, she would have attended it. The number of unemployed people ______ significantly over the past decade. There ______ to be several factors influencing the outcome. Economics ______ often misunderstood as a purely theoretical subject. Neither his dedication nor his achievements ______ unnoticed.
- has submitted — Singular subject "each" requires singular verb; present perfect fits the completed action.
- was divided — “Jury” is a collective noun treated as singular here, focusing on the unit, not the individuals.
- agree — In “neither...nor”, the verb agrees with the nearer noun “teachers” (plural).
- suggest — “Data” is plural in formal English, so use plural verb “suggest”.
- will have been inaugurated — Future perfect passive indicates completion before a future time.
- had known — Past perfect expresses the unreal condition (third conditional form).
- has risen — “The number of” takes singular verb, with present perfect showing recent increase.
- seem — True subject is “several factors” (plural); verb agrees accordingly.
- is — “Economics” though plural in form, is singular in meaning (a field of study).
- have gone — Compound subject joined by “nor” is plural; present perfect shows continuing relevance.
6. Complete the following sentences by changing voice, sentence type, or degree as directed. (1 × 5 = 5)
1. Change to passive voice: The committee will announce the results tomorrow. — ______.
2. Change to interrogative: He could have solved the problem easily. — ______.
3. Change to imperative: You should maintain discipline in the examination hall. — ______.
4. Change to assertive: How gracefully she dances! — ______.
5. Change to complex sentence: Owing to his illness, he couldn’t attend the class. — ______.
6. Change to compound: Since the rain stopped, the players returned to the field. — ______.
7. Change to positive degree: This road is the most dangerous in the district. — ______.
8. Change to comparative degree: He is the most efficient employee in the company. — ______.
9. Change to superlative degree: This building is higher than all other buildings in town. — ______.
10. Change to passive: People say that the artist paints with pure emotion. — ______.
- Passive: Object becomes subject; use “be + past participle”.
- Interrogative: Subject–auxiliary inversion creates a question form.
- Imperative: Drop subject “you” and start with the base verb.
- Assertive: Convert emotional exclamation into a simple statement.
- Complex: Use subordinate clause (“because”) to express reason.
- Compound: Join independent clauses with coordinating conjunction “and”.
- Positive: Replace “most” or “-est” structure with “as...as”.
- Comparative: Use “more + adjective + than” comparing two elements.
- Superlative: Add “the + -est” or “the most” for highest comparison.
- Reported Passive: “People say that…” → “It is said that…”.
7. Read the passage and convert the bold sentences into indirect speech; click on each blank space to reveal the correct answers. (1 × 5 = 5)
During the seminar, the speaker said, "Knowledge without application is meaningless." He asked the students, "Have you ever tried to connect theory with real life?" A student responded, "We are conducting a project based on practical examples." The speaker advised, "You must continue exploring beyond textbooks." Later, he added, "I will share my research findings next week."
During the seminar, the speaker said that ______________. He asked the students ______________. A student responded that they ______________. The speaker advised that they ______________. Later, he added that he ______________.
- Universal truths (knowledge without application is meaningless) remain in present tense.
- Yes–no questions use “if/whether”; past perfect replaces present perfect.
- Present continuous → past continuous in reported speech.
- “Must” may remain unchanged if advice or necessity is implied.
- Future “will” → “would”; “next week” → “the following week”.
8. Read the passage carefully and correct the pronoun reference errors; click on each blank space to reveal the correct answers. (1 × 5 = 5)
Professor Rahman met his students after the final presentation. He were nervous about the results. During the discussion, Rahman praised the project but added that it needed more clarity in the charts. Later, he showed them a sample report, but they was not sure how to apply it. When the results were announced, it congratulated the class for their hard work. Finally, Rahman thanked him for maintaining discipline during the semester.
Professor Rahman met his students after the final presentation. ______________. During the discussion, Rahman praised the project but added that ______________. Later, he showed them a sample report, but ______________. When the results were announced, ______________. Finally, Rahman thanked ______________.
- They were nervous — "He" referred wrongly to “students”; plural subject needed.
- the project needed more clarity — “it” was vague; clear noun reference fixes the meaning.
- they were not sure how to apply the example — “was” changed to plural “were”.
- the principal congratulated... — “it” had no valid antecedent; replace with the correct subject.
- them for maintaining discipline — “him” was incorrect; plural “them” agrees with “students”.
9. Complete the following passage by filling in the blanks with single-word pre-modifiers or post-modifiers; click on each blank to reveal the correct answers. (0.5 × 10 = 5)
Last month, I attended a ______________ seminar at the university. The speaker, ______________, shared ______________ ideas about sustainable development. I was fascinated by a ______________ model demonstrating renewable energy use, which was explained ______________. The venue had a ______________ hall with ______________ equipment. I took notes on ______________ points discussed during the lecture. Finally, I received a ______________ certificate for participation.
- prestigious — Pre-modifier describing "seminar".
- renowned — Post-modifier giving additional information about the speaker.
- innovative — Pre-modifier describing "ideas".
- complex — Pre-modifier describing "model".
- clearly — Post-modifier adverb describing how the model was explained.
- spacious — Pre-modifier describing "hall".
- modern — Pre-modifier describing "equipment".
- important — Pre-modifier describing "points".
- small — Pre-modifier describing "certificate".
10. Complete the following passage by filling in the blanks with appropriate cohesive devices (connectors and linkers); click on each blank to reveal the correct answers. (0.5 × 10 = 5)
During the conference, I learned several new strategies. ______________, I attended a workshop on climate change. ______________, I met professionals from different countries, ______________ I wanted to expand my network. The discussions were intense, ______________ I took detailed notes. ______________, some participants presented case studies. ______________, not everyone agreed with the findings. ______________, I attended a panel discussion on sustainable development. ______________, I gained valuable insights. ______________, I shared my experiences with my classmates after returning.
- Firstly — Introduces the first point in sequence.
- Then — Shows the next action in order.
- because — Indicates reason.
- so — Indicates result.
- Meanwhile — Indicates simultaneous action.
- However — Shows contrast or exception.
- In addition — Adds extra information.
- Therefore — Shows logical conclusion.
- Finally — Indicates the last step or conclusion.
11. Read the passage and replace the bold words with appropriate words; click on each blank to reveal the correct answers. (0.5 × 10 = 5)
The lecture was informative (synonym) ______________ and gave a clear (synonym) ______________ explanation of the topic. Some slides were confusing (antonym) ______________, but the speaker made it easy (synonym) ______________ to follow. The seminar room was crowded (antonym) ______________, and some students were quiet (antonym) ______________. Overall, the event was memorable (synonym) ______________ and left everyone happy (synonym) ______________.
- Synonyms: informative, clear, easy, memorable, happy — words with similar meanings.
- Antonyms: confusing, crowded, quiet — words expressing the opposite meaning.
- Each blank may have 2–3 correct options depending on context.
- Maintain grammatical correctness when replacing words.
12. Punctuate the passage: Read the passage carefully and insert punctuation marks and capital letters. Click Show Answers to check. (0.5 × 10 = 5)
last Monday our class went on an educational trip to the science museum we saw many experiments a model rocket launching and a live chemistry demonstration suddenly my friend asked can we try the experiment i replied yes we can and the guide allowed us to participate we all enjoyed the hands on experience immensely finally we returned to school and shared our experiences with the principal