Identify the correct sentence

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In each question there are four or five sentences. Identify the sentence which is grammatically correct.

Question 1

A. Each of the boys in the class has handed in their assignments.
B. I have six brothers and each of them are quite different from the others.
C. If one wishes to become successful, he has to work hard.
D. Either of the boys are quite capable of handling the situation.
E. If either of the girls phones, tell her that I am busy.

Solution: E

Explanations

Option A should read: Each of the boys in the class has handed in his assignments.

Each should be followed by a singular noun and a singular verb. After each of, we use a plural noun/pronoun and a singular verb. The pronoun used to refer back to each should be singular in number.

Option B should read: I have six brothers and each of them is quite different from the others.

After each of, we use a plural noun/pronoun and a singular verb.

Option C should read: If one wishes to become successful, one has to work hard.

In British English, we cannot use he or himone.

Option D should read: Either of the boys is quite capable of handling the situation.

After either of and neither of, we use a plural noun/pronoun, but the verb is singular.

Question 2

A. The reason why he lost his job was that he missed his deadlines.
B. Before we reached the station, the train would have left.
C. I will make a cake if I will get enough time.
D. I spoke both to the Minister and his private secretary.

Solution: Option A

Explanations

Option B should read: Before we reached the station, the train had left.

We use the past perfect tense to suggest that one past event had completed or happened before another past event.

Option C should read: I will make a cake if I get enough time.

In subordinate adverb clauses we use a present tense to refer to the future.

Option D should read: I have written to both the Minister and his private secretary.

We use the same kind of words or expressions after both and and. For example, if the word following both is an adjective, the word following and should also be an adjective.

Question 3

A. This is a nice place. Thanks for taking me here.
B. She spends the half of her time traveling.
C. The meeting lasted for one and a half hour.
D. You had better not wake me up when you come in.

Solution: D

Explanations

Option A should read: Thanks for bringing me here. We use bring for movements to the place where the speaker/hearer is. We use take for movements to other places.

Option B should read: She spends half of her time traveling. We do not normally use an article (a/the) before half.

Option C should read: The meeting lasted for one and a half hours. The expression one and a half is plural.

Option D is correct. We normally make the negative with had better not + infinitive.

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