Grammar test

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Hi, I'm not a native speaker. I did a test for a company and I would like to get a righting please (When I write a "$" it's my answer)
1.
_______________ the fact that she couldn’t speak Greek, she found her way around Athens without too much trouble.
In spite
Although
However
Despite $

2.
The first time I tried smoked salmon I wasn’t __________ it.
like
keen on $
in love with
in favour of

3.
She saw the job _______________ in the newspaper.

announced
published $
advertised
proclaimed

4.
I haven’t got enough cash. Do you mind if I ________ you a cheque?
prepare
pass
deliver
write $

5.
I have to work late tonight because I’m__________ a report.
writing $
elaborating
inscribing
making

6.
I wish you would _________________ so many questions!
stop asking $
stop to ask
start asking
start to ask

7.
Jennifer _____________ down the street when she saw her old friend Ruth.
walked
was walking $
had walked
would have walked

8.
When she realized it was Ruth she _______________ her.
stopped talking with
stopped to talk with
stopped talking to $
stopped to talk to

9.
I wish I ______________ at school, so I could have got a better job!
worked harder $
was working harder
had worked harder
would have worked harder

10.
I thought I saw Elvis in the supermarket last night, but of course it __________________ him.
is
can't be
couldn't be $
couldn't have been

11.
The election results are ______ all the newspapers.
on
in $
at
under

12.
I’m looking forward to some peace and __________ when the kids go on holiday next week.
quiet $
silence
relax
tranquil

13.
Although the situation was very embarrassing for him he decided to ____________________ and tell the truth.
face the cinema $
face the literature
face the music
face the sculpture

14.
When I was at school I always used to ____________ in mathematics lessons.
bore
bored
get bored
get boring $

15.
Don’t worry, I can ____________ those CDs on my way home.
drop off
drop out
drop over
drop $

16.
I have to do ___________ work on my project this weekend.
a
an
any
some $

17.
It ___________ four hours to Beirut by plane.
needs
takes $
makes
requires

18.
Before you express your opinion you should consider other ____________ feelings.
person's
persons'
people's $
peoples'

19.
Mark ___________ to phone him after work.
told
said
told me $
said me

20.
She always _________ high-heeled shoes and sunglasses.
uses
does
wears $
works

21.
We’ve been _____________ with that company for over 10 years
making business
treating
dealing $
supplying

22.
You haven’t seen my glasses, _______________ ?
did you
have you $
didn't you
haven't you

23.
Although he is a millionaire he has never made _______ donation to charity.
some
any $
a
an

24.
I can’t hear the television. ____________________ ?
Could I turn it down
I can't turn it up
Can I turn it up
Can I turn it off $

25.
__________ they were travelling to London it began to rain.
While $
Because
Although
However

Thank you for your help Smile

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@sophie95,

9. had worked harder
10. couldn't have been
13. face the music — this is an idiomatic expression
14. get bored
15. drop off
23. a
24. Can I turn it up? — your answer would work but I think this one is better
Misprint:
17. It takes four hours to [reach] Beirut by plane.

1 Reply

I'm sorry I've just realized that I'd forgotten the end

26.
Last night on the metro I bumped into a man who then _________ my wallet.
thieved
robbed
was robbing
stole $

27.
He __________ to take me to court if I didn’t pay him what I owed him.
pretended
threatened $
advised
warned

28.
“In your situation you should _______ __drink alcohol nor eat salty food”, said the doctor.
seldom
not ever
neither $
either

29.
__________ music is very relaxing to listen to.
Every
A
One
Some $

30.
If you __________ retire before you are 65 you would receive a reduced pension.
were to $
are pretending to
have the intention to
going to

31.
They say taxes _________ quite considerably next year.
will raise $
will rise
would have raised
would have risen

32.
While he was in hospital, his wound was ___________ twice a day.
healed
changed
dressed
cured $

33.
The reviews of his latest film were so bad that I’m surprised he took them ___________________.
standing up
lying down $
sitting down
lying still

34.
If you wear pale blue it will probably ___________ the colour of your eyes better.
throw out
take out
make out
bring out $

35.
After his wife left him it took him a long time to ___________ her.
get over
turn over $
run over
go over

36.
In relation to the financial report, I’d just like to _______________ those sales figures with you once more.
move over
turn over
blow over
go over $

37.
When he finished playing the guitar he had ___________ all over his fingers.
scratches
scars
bruises
blisters $

38.
I have spoken ________ you several times before about this issue.
at
to
with $
for

39.
Whether I get a promotion or not ________________ my boss.
depend on
depends on $
depend of
depends of

40.
______________ who live in Portugal speak at least some English.
Most people $
Most of people
Most part of people
The most part of the people

2 Replies

@hightor,

Oh thank you a lot for the first part !!!

0 Replies

@sophie95,

31. will rise
32. dressed (the bandages were changed)
35. get over
38. to

2 Replies

@hightor,

Thank you very much !

Have a nice day

0 Replies

@hightor,

Hightor tell us about 3 and 8.

1 Reply

@nacredambition,

3. I think that "published" is better than "advertised" because advertise usually implies that something is being promoted for sale. I would have preferred "printed" but that wasn't an option.

8. There's some ambivalence here. While "stopped talking to" is grammatically correct it would imply that the person didn't know he was talking to Ruth at first and stopped once he recognized her. Seems more situationally complex than necessary. So I now prefer "stopped to talk with". Sorry for any confusion.

1 Reply

This test was challenging. I wonder what the right answers are. And the questions are more about diction than grammar. For 3, I think the best answer is announced, but advertised sounds good to me too. Hightor, can you explain in more detail why published is the best option? I didn't realize jobs can be published? Maybe a physical advertisement for a job or a piece of writing about one, but not the job itself? I'm not saying you are wrong. I'm sure you're right, but I'm curious as to why.

1 Reply

@perennialloner,

Here are definitions of the three words from Merriam-Webster:
Announce:
1: to make known publicly : proclaim <announce a deal>
2a : to give notice of the arrival, presence, or readiness of (something) <announce dinner>
b : to indicate beforehand : foretell <an invention that announced a new era>

Publish:
1a : to make generally known
b : to make public announcement of
2a : to disseminate to the public
b : to produce or release for distribution; specifically : print
c : to issue the work of (an author)

Advertise:
1: to make something known to : notify
2a : to make publicly and generally known <advertising their readiness to make concessions>
b : to announce publicly especially by a printed notice or a broadcast <a poster advertising forthcoming events>
c : to call public attention to especially by emphasizing desirable qualities so as to arouse a desire to buy or patronize : promote <a company advertising its newest products>

As you can see, they all have similar meanings and in informal conversation I believe they could be used interchangeably. My reasoning goes like this — "announce" hints at a spoken proclamation and at the arrival of something. "Advertise" is okay according to definition 2b and people often refer to looking for a job in the "want ads". But I prefer "publish" because of definition 2b , distributed in print seems to convey more information more precisely. As you point out, these aren't grammatical questions and there's some murkiness. You might even find regional differences as to what word is really best. I'd like to know the correct answers too!

1 Reply

@sophie95,

Soph it's not clear whether two or more answers might be right

0 Replies

@hightor,

Quote:

3.
She saw the job _______________ in the newspaper.

announced
published $
advertised
proclaimed

Quote:

3. I think that "published" is better than "advertised" because advertise usually implies that something is being promoted for sale. I would have preferred "printed" but that wasn't an option.

It was a job ad in a newspaper.

Everything in a newspaper is proclaimed and announced, or more generally, published however jobs are specifically advertised.

Quote:

8.
When she realized it was Ruth she _______________ her.
stopped talking with
stopped to talk with
stopped talking to $
stopped to talk to

Quote:

8. There's some ambivalence here. While "stopped talking to" is grammatically correct it would imply that the person didn't know he was talking to Ruth at first and stopped once he recognized her. Seems more situationally complex than necessary. So I now prefer "stopped to talk with". Sorry for any confusion.

Thank you for recanting.

0 Replies

@hightor,

Jobs are advertised in newspapers. The employer places an advert in the newspaper. Are you a native speaker?

1 Reply

@izzythepush,

Quote:

Jobs are advertised in newspapers.

I pointed that out (with my reasons for preferring another word) in a previous response. And English is my native tongue.

1 Reply

@hightor,

It's a term that's commonly used, not the sort of mistake a native speaker would make. Nobody ever says check out the job publications, it's always been referred to as job ads.

2 Replies

@izzythepush,

Quote:

Nobody ever says check out the job publications, it's always been referred to as job ads.

Actually they're known as "want ads" where I live.

Quote:

Nobody ever says check out the job publications...

True, but that wasn't the sentence in question:

"She saw the job _______________ in the newspaper."

I'm sticking with "published" and anyone will know exactly what I mean, even if I don't sound like a native speaker. I've seen letters to the editor referred to as having been "published in the newspaper" so I don't think it's that weird.

2 Replies

@hightor,

hightor wrote:

I'm sticking with "published" and anyone will know exactly what I mean, even if I don't sound like a native speaker. I've seen letters to the editor referred to as having been "published in the newspaper" so I don't think it's that weird.

Of course.

0 Replies

@izzythepush,

You could even say, "She saw the advertisement published in the newspaper."

0 Replies

@hightor,

The test for correct grammar isn't whether or not someone knows what you mean. If it was all sorts of abominable sentence constructions would pass muster. They're job adverts, not job publications, end of.

1 Reply

@izzythepush,

It's really a matter of diction, not grammar.

And those job adverts were published in the newspaper.

Wink

1 Reply

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