Grammar interactive exercise for Grade 11 - Free Printable

Let's solve the grammar mini-test step by step, explaining each answer.

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1. Mary and John ……… absent yesterday.

- Options: a. were b. was c. are d. is
- Explanation: The subject "Mary and John" is plural, so we need the plural form of the verb "to be." Since the action happened in the past ("yesterday"), we use the past tense.
- Correct Answer: a. were

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2. Look! The boy ……… at the desk is Mary’s boyfriend.

- Options: a. stand b. stands c. standing d. stood
- Explanation: The phrase "the boy ……… at the desk" is a participial phrase describing the boy. Here, "standing" is used as a present participle to describe the boy's current action (standing at the desk).
- Correct Answer: c. standing

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3. I have not written any letters home since I ……… here.

- Options: a. come b. came c. have come d. will come
- Explanation: The sentence uses the present perfect tense ("have not written"), which requires the simple past tense for the time reference ("since I ……… here"). The correct choice is "came."
- Correct Answer: b. came

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4. Europe and Asia ……… a long tradition of teaching and learning foreign languages.

- Options: a. has had b. will have c. have had d. have
- Explanation: The subject "Europe and Asia" is plural, so we use "have" instead of "has." Additionally, the sentence describes a continuous tradition, so the present perfect tense ("have had") is appropriate.
- Correct Answer: c. have had

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5. They had a big party. They ……… a lot last night.

- Options: a. are singing b. were singing c. sang d. are going to sing
- Explanation: The sentence refers to an action that occurred in the past ("last night"), so we use the simple past tense.
- Correct Answer: c. sang

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6. Your eyes are red. ………?

- Options: a. Do you cry b. Will you cry c. Did you cry d. Have you cried
- Explanation: The context suggests asking about a recent event or action that caused the redness in the eyes. The most logical question would be about something that happened in the past, so we use the simple past tense.
- Correct Answer: c. Did you cry

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7. Many ……… believe dreams help us to understand our lives.

- Options: a. psychologists b. psychology c. psychological d. psyche
- Explanation: The sentence requires a noun that can be the subject of the verb "believe." "Psychologists" is the correct choice because it refers to people who study psychology.
- Correct Answer: a. psychologists

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8. My car is very ………, it uses very little petrol.

- Options: a. economic b. economical c. economist d. economy
- Explanation: The word "economical" means using resources efficiently, which fits the context of the car using little petrol.
- Correct Answer: b. economical

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9. We haven’t got ……… flour for dinner.

- Options: a. some b. any c. little d. a
- Explanation: In negative sentences, we use "any" instead of "some." The sentence is negative ("haven't got"), so "any" is the correct choice.
- Correct Answer: b. any

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10. I didn’t enjoy ……… book you lent me.

- Options: a. a b. an c. some d. the
- Explanation: The book being referred to is specific (the one you lent me), so we use the definite article "the."
- Correct Answer: d. the

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11. You can stay here ……… you like.

- Options: a. as long as b. as far as c. as much as d. so far as
- Explanation: "As long as" is the correct phrase to indicate conditionality, meaning "you can stay here as long as you want."
- Correct Answer: a. as long as

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12. Ask him to ……… us a funny story.

- Options: a. say b. tell c. speak d. talk
- Explanation: The verb "tell" is used with stories, making it the correct choice.
- Correct Answer: b. tell

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13. He look very ……… when I told him the news.

- Options: a. happily b. happy c. happiness d. happiest
- Explanation: The verb "look" is followed by an adjective to describe his appearance. "Happy" is the correct choice.
- Correct Answer: b. happy

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14. How long did it ……… you to type this letter?

- Options: a. want b. take c. need d. require
- Explanation: The phrase "it takes (someone) time to do something" is the correct structure. "Take" is the correct verb.
- Correct Answer: b. take

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15. She’s going to let me ……… her shoes.

- Options: a. to borrow b. borrowing c. borrow d. borrowed
- Explanation: The verb "let" is followed by the base form of the verb (infinitive without "to"). So, "borrow" is the correct choice.
- Correct Answer: c. borrow

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16. It’s hard ……… my father as a child.

- Options: a. imagine b. imagining c. imagines d. to imagine
- Explanation: The structure "It is + adjective + to do something" is correct. "To imagine" is the correct infinitive form.
- Correct Answer: d. to imagine

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17. My dad made me ……… my homework every day.

- Options: a. to do b. doing c. do d. to doing
- Explanation: The verb "make" is followed by the base form of the verb (infinitive without "to"). So, "do" is the correct choice.
- Correct Answer: c. do

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18. I wouldn’t like ……… a marathon.

- Options: a. run b. to run c. running d. ran
- Explanation: The structure "would like to do something" is correct. "To run" is the correct infinitive form.
- Correct Answer: b. to run

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19. I’m frightened ……… spiders, they terrify me.

- Options: a. in b. to c. of d. for
- Explanation: The correct preposition to use with "frightened" is "of." "Frightened of" means afraid of something.
- Correct Answer: c. of

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20. They went ……… holiday yesterday.

- Options: a. on b. in c. at d. for
- Explanation: The correct preposition to use with "holiday" in this context is "on." "Went on holiday" is the correct phrase.
- Correct Answer: a. on

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Final Answers:

1. a. were
2. c. standing
3. b. came
4. c. have had
5. c. sang
6. c. Did you cry
7. a. psychologists
8. b. economical
9. b. any
10. d. the
11. a. as long as
12. b. tell
13. b. happy
14. b. take
15. c. borrow
16. d. to imagine
17. c. do
18. b. to run
19. c. of
20. a. on

Boxed Final Answer:
\boxed{a, c, b, c, c, c, a, b, b, d, a, b, b, b, c, d, c, b, c, a}