How good is your English grammar?

Which word should be preceded by the article ‘an’?

• university

• hour

• hotel

• union

Answer explanation

To decide whether to use ‘a’ or ‘an’, look at the sound of the words. If the word uses a vowel sound – regardless of whether the first letter is a vowel or not – use ‘an’. If the word starts with a consonant sound use ‘a’. For example, ‘hour’ uses ‘an’ because the first sound is ‘our’. ‘University’, ‘hotel’, and ‘union’ use ‘a’ because they begin with consonant sounds.

In which sentence is ‘affect’ or ‘effect’ used incorrectly?

• I didn't expect the book to affect me the way it did.

• The weather will affect my plans for the weekend.

• I didn't let their comments affect me.

• The affects of exercise are well-known.

Answer explanation

Affect is mainly used as a verb to mean that something is an influence or makes a difference to another thing. Effect is used both as a noun and a verb, but is more commonly used as a noun to mean something is a result or an influence.

Which contraction and corresponding full term is correct?

• Could've: could of

• They're: they were

• Would've: would have

• They'd: they did

Answer explanation

‘Could of’ is not a contraction, ‘they’re’ is ‘they are’, not ‘they were’; ‘they’d’ is ’they had’ or ‘they would’, not ‘they did’.

Which sentence uses an apostrophe correctly?

• The DVD's were in the right order on the shelf.

• We weren't going to go if it was raining.

• Who's coffee is on the table?

• The pizza's were delivered on time.

Answer explanation

Apostrophes are used for possessive or contracted words. DVD’s and pizza’s are plural, not possessive. Who’s is incorrect (whose).

Which word best combines the two ideas in this sentence? My friend called, ___ we had already left.

• for

• but

• and

• or

Choose the correct word to complete this sentence: He is very ill and needs to ____ down before we leave.

• lay

• lie

• laid

• lain

Answer explanation

‘Lie’ is present tense; ‘lay’ is the past tense of ‘lie’.

Which word is the verb in this sentence: 'George finished his assignment without interruption from friends'?

• finished

• assignment

• without

• from

In which sentence is 'fast' used as an adjective?

• He drove too fast and missed the carpark entrance.

• They began their fast at the start of the month.

• It was supposed to be a fast delivery, but it took longer than expected.

• The doctor told her to fast before the operation.

Answer explanation

‘Fast’ tells us something about the noun ‘delivery'.

What's a noun?

• A word that is used in place of another word.

• A word that describes something.

• A word that names something and is the answer to questions "who?" or "what".

• A word that should always be capitalized.

In which sentence is ‘has’ or ‘have’ used correctly?

• Each of you have a place in the class.

• They have been waiting for a long time.

• They has good manners.

• The family have a holiday home in the country.

Answer explanation

‘Has’ is used for singular; ‘have’ is used for plural.