Quiz Answers (Original Quiz)

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Select the correct sentence from the list:

  • 1) Robert plants trees for a living.
  • 2) Robert plants tree for a living.
  • 3) Robert plants trees for his living.

2) Robert plants tree for a living.
=> There is a missing “a” before “tree”. In addition, when you plant trees for a living, of course you plant more than a single tree. So we say that you plant trees (plural).

3) Robert plants trees for his living.
=> The correct expression is “for a living” (and not for his living). It means “a person’s work or job”.

  • 1) I love to write.
  • 2) I love to write..
  • 3) I love to writing.

2) I love to write..
=> This sentence has two periods at the end. It should only have one.

3) I love to writing.
=> “Writing” is a form of the verb called a gerund (verb+ing). There should be no “to” before it.

  • 2) Alice’s adventures in wonderland by lewis carroll
  • 1) Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
  • 3) Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

1) Alice’s adventures in wonderland by lewis carroll
=> This is a title of a book and the name of the author. So we should capitalize certain words. In this incorrect sentence only the first word is capitalized.

3) Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
=> This sentence is capitalized more correctly, and there is only one mistake: “in” should not be capitalized, according to capitalization rules.

  • 2) I was gave an apple.
  • 3) I was given a apple.
  • 1) I was given an apple.

1) I was gave an apple.
=> This is a passive sentence (the subject is not doing the action, but receiving the action). So we must use the passive form of the verb “given”.

2) I was given a apple.
=> “apple” begins with a vowel, so we should use “an” instead of “a”.

  • 1) Lisa has beautiful short black hair.
  • 2) Lisa has beautiful, short, black hair.
  • 3) Lisa has short beautiful black hair.

2) Lisa has beautiful, short, black hair.

=> “beautiful”, “short”, and “black” are adjectives. In English we can use more than one adjective to help describe something. The adjectives should come in specific order. The relevant order for this sentence is opinion => size => color. So “beautiful” (opinion) => “short” (size) => “black” (color).

When we use adjectives from different categories (in this case, opinion/size/color), we do not need to add commas.

When we do use adjectives of the same category, we can add a comma or the word “and”.

For example: “Lisa has elegant and beautiful hair.”
OR “Lisa has elegant, beautiful hair.”

Both adjectives belong to the opinion category, so we can use a comma or add “and”.

3) Lisa has short beautiful black hair.
=> The adjective order here is incorrect. Opinion (“beautiful”) should come before size (“short”).

  • 1) Did Mike commit the crime?
  • 2) Did Mike make the crime?
  • 3) Was Mike done the crime?

1) Did Mike make the crime?
=> If we say “make the crime” it is not grammatically incorrect. However, it sounds unnatural to a native speaker. A native speaker will usually say “commit the crime”. This is called a “collocation”. Meaning, words that native speakers usually use together. “Commit a crime” is a collocation.

2) Was Mike done the crime?
=> “Was” is the wrong helping verb in this case. The correct helping verb in this case is “has” (“Has Mike done the crime?”). In addition, “commit the crime” sounds more natural than “done the crime” (because “commit a crime” is a collocation).

  • 1) He’s bigger from me.
  • 2) He’s bigger than me.
  • 3) He were bigger than me.

1) He’s bigger from me.
=> The preposition “from” is incorrect in this case. The correct preposition to show comparison is “than”.

2) He were bigger than me.
=> “Were” is a plural form of the verb “to be”. “He” is a singular subject, and should have a singular verb (“was” instead of “were”).

  • 1) I gave her flowers on the Mother’s Day.
  • 2) I gave her a flowers on the Mother’s Day.
  • 3) I gave her flowers on Mother’s Day.

1) I gave her flowers on the Mother’s Day.
=> Mother’s Day is a name of a special day. We don’t add “the” before names.

2) I gave her a flowers on the Mother’s Day.
=> Mother’s Day is a name of a special day. We don’t add “the” before names.
“Flowers” is plural, so we don’t add “a” before it. (“A” means “one, and not specific” so we cannot use it for plurals.)

  • 1) Right before class ended I finished my exam.
  • 2) Right before class ended, I finished my exam.
  • 3) I finished my exam Right before class ended.

1) Right before class ended I finished my exam.
=> “Right before class ended” is a sentence part that shows time. When this sentence part comes at the beginning of a sentence, we should add a comma: “Right before class ended, I … “.

3) I finished my exam Right before class ended.
=> The word “right” is in the middle of the sentence, so it should not be capitalized.