ALCPT Grammar and Sentence Correction 10 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Select the correct sentence.
- Can you tell me what time is it?
- Can you tell me what time it is? (Correct answer)
- Can you tell me what time it was?
- Can you tell me what time is?
Correct answer: Can you tell me what time it is?
Embedded (indirect) questions use statement word order (subject + verb): 'what time it is.' Direct question word order ('what time is it') is incorrect in embedded questions.
Question 2: Choose the correct preposition: 'The exercise was called _______ due to bad weather.'
- off (Correct answer)
- out
- up
- away
Correct answer: off
'Called off' is a phrasal verb meaning canceled. 'Called out' means summoned, 'called up' means telephoned or drafted, and 'called away' means summoned to leave.
Question 3: Identify the correct sentence.
- Not only he is smart, but he is also hard-working.
- Not only is he smart, but he is also hard-working. (Correct answer)
- Not only he is smart, but also he is hard-working.
- Not only he smart is, but also hard-working.
Correct answer: Not only is he smart, but he is also hard-working.
When 'not only' begins a clause, it requires inverted word order (verb before subject): 'Not only is he smart.' The second clause uses normal word order.
Question 4: Choose the correct word: 'The report must be submitted _______ Friday.'
- until
- by (Correct answer)
- since
- from
Correct answer: by
'By' indicates a deadline — the report must be submitted no later than Friday. 'Until' means up to that point, 'since' marks a start time, and 'from' marks a beginning.
Question 5: Select the sentence with the correct use of 'much' or 'many'.
- How much soldiers are in the platoon?
- How many soldiers are in the platoon? (Correct answer)
- How much of soldiers are in the platoon?
- How many of soldier are in the platoon?
Correct answer: How many soldiers are in the platoon?
'Many' is used with countable plural nouns (soldiers). 'Much' is used with uncountable nouns. 'How many soldiers' correctly asks about the quantity of countable people.
Question 6: Identify the error: 'The commander explained us the new rules.'
- 'explained' should be 'explains'
- 'us' should be 'to us' (Correct answer)
- 'the' should be 'a'
- 'new' should be 'newly'
Correct answer: 'us' should be 'to us'
'Explain' requires the preposition 'to' before the indirect object. The correct form is 'explained to us the new rules' or 'explained the new rules to us.'
ALCPT Grammar and Sentence Correction 10
Select the correct sentence.