*Adapted from English Exercises: English as a Foreign
Language by Angela Paratore.
1. The –s ending
Which words in parentheses
should end in –s?
a. five thousand (dollar) b. several (month) c.
two (hundred)
d. some (shoe) polish e. one of the most beautiful (city)
f. a (lot) of g.
one and a half (year) h. one of the
(thing)
i. a few (table) j.
a (year) and a half
2. Articles
Put in the, a,
an, or leave it blank.
a. Can you tell me where _____
b. _____ steak we ate was
very good.
c. _____
d.
e. Tell me _____ story of
your life.
f. He was _____ very nice
teacher.
g. We have _____ plenty of
food.
h. I’ll wait _____ few
minutes.
i. At _____ first I was
homesick.
j. We had _____ wonderful
time.
3.
This/that/these/those
Insert the correct word.
a. Can you pass me _____
book? b. Can you pass me
_____ books?
c. _____ bread was
delicious. d. _____
bread is delicious.
e. Did you make _____
cookies here? f. Did you make _____
cookies there?
g. _____ dog here is
vicious. h. _____ dog
there is friendly.
i. Who owns _____ shoes
here? j. Are _____ your
shoes over there?
4. Word Order
Insert the words in
parentheses at the proper place in each sentence.
a. (a violin lesson) He
has every week.
b. (other) Two people were there as well.
c. (from them) The children received presents.
d. (very much) I enjoyed
seeing those things.
e. (some extra classes) I
have been attending these days.
f. (the whole day) We
spent there.
g. (many fine beaches) We
have in my country.
h. (almost all the time)
The sky is gray.
i. (always) He used to
come and see us.
j. (very large) He has a
family.
5. Verbs
Give the proper form of
the verbs in parentheses.
a. I (leave) my job when I
came here.
b. I don’t know if I will
like winter because I (never see) a winter here.
c. American movies (not
always represent) a true picture of American life.
d. Since that time I (be)
living in an apartment.
e. I (make) many friends
during this semester.
f. On our last trip to
Paris we (stay) three days.
g. When I decided to come
to the United States I (be) afraid when I (think) that I (have to) speak
English all the time.
h. Tell me some
experiences that you (have) since you arrived here.
i. In your last letter you
(ask) me when I (come) to see you again.
j. We (never disagree)
since I have known her.
6. Prepositions
Supply the preposition
(of, on, at, for, in, from, by, about, etc.) if one is missing.
a. _____ the night of
February 12 b. I usually study _____ night.
c. Did you attend _____
that meeting? d. Her birthday is _____
April.
e. the best _____ the
world f. Her voice
appeals _____ me.
g. _____ the third year h. I was impressed
_____ its beauty.
i. She is excited _____
going to California. j. _____
1935
7. No, not
Choose between no
or not. Make contractions of verb and not where possible.
a. There’s _____ place
like home. b. I have _____ seen
her anywhere.
c. There is _____ much
time. d. There’s _____
time.
e. _____ all the students
are going. f. _____ yet
g. _____ so fast! h.
There are _____ students there.
i. There is _____
possibility that it will happen.
j. It’s _____ possible
that it will happen.
8. Interrogative words
Select the single
interrogative word (who, whose, what, which, why, when, where, how) that would
replace each item in a question.
a. John b. John’s c. in the drawer
d. the last one e. tomorrow f. because I have to study
g. in the air h. backwards i. mine
j. by working hard
9. Pronouns
Insert the correct form of
we, you, and they for each item.
Example: (our) name
(your) name
(their) name
a. _____ customs b. for
_____
c. The house is _____. d. It belongs to
_____.
e. _____ live in that
house.
Insert the correct form of
she, he, and I for each item.
f. with _____ g.
_____ friend
h. That is _____ car. i. _____
own(s) the car.
j. for _____
Insert the correct pronoun
to replace the word in parentheses.
k. (people) _____
political ideas l. (library)
the first of _____ kind
m. (my city) _____ climate n. (boys) _____
girlfriends
o. (my family) I promised
to write _____ often.
10. Some, any, no,
every in compound words
These words combine with
certain others to form compound words (everything, somewhere, nobody).
Where necessary, the words
in parentheses will help you decide which word fits. Neg. means
negative; all means select every; indiff. means
indifference of choice, so you should select any.
a. I understood _____thing
at all. b. Jim understood
_____thing (all)
c. Is _____body invited?
(all) d. _____one can go
(indiff.)
e. _____body was at the
house. (neg.) f. There is _____thing
left. (neg.)
g. _____body (indiff.) h. _____body
has taken my book.
i. Is _____thing missing? j. There isn’t
_____thing wrong with it.
11. What’s wrong?
Correct the portion in
parentheses.
a. No one (maybe)
admitted.
b. It is one of the best
(high school of) my country.
c. That was (my first time
to see) Niagara Falls.
d. I (didn’t see) him
since October.
e. I don’t feel well, but
this (is no mean) that I am sick.
f. I see now (what)
different American food is (with) ours.
g. I was (amazing) to see
the winter sports here.
h. The thing that surprised
me (it) was the tall buildings.
i. My sister lives
(another city).
j. (the most of) the
inhabitants
k. the people (whom) were
there
l. (Almost houses) are
made of wood.
m. the man (who I used to
work in his restaurant)
n. She (can speaks)
English very well.
o. I (hope) I could see it
again.
p. the (most good)
university in my country
q. Foreigners are people
who (came) from other countries.
r. three times (in a day)
s. He (said me come) back
later.
t. I enjoyed (even though
the vacation).