Civil Service Exam Verbal Reasoning: Grammar Usage 3

Question 1

Which sentence correctly uses 'fewer' vs. 'less'?

Accepted Answer

The department received fewer complaints this quarter.

Answer

'Fewer' is used with countable nouns. 'Fewer complaints' is correct.

Question 2

Which sentence correctly uses 'lay' and 'lie'?

Accepted Answer

She laid the documents on the supervisor's desk.

Answer

'Laid' is the past tense of 'lay' (to place something). 'She laid the documents' correctly uses the transitive verb with a direct object.

Question 3

Which revision best improves: 'The manager told the supervisor that she needed to review her report before the deadline.'

Accepted Answer

The manager told the supervisor to review the supervisor's report before the deadline.

Answer

The original has ambiguous pronoun references. Option B eliminates ambiguity by specifying 'the supervisor's report.'

Question 4

Select the correct transitional phrase usage.

Accepted Answer

The project was completed on time; moreover, it came in under budget.

Answer

Option B correctly uses a semicolon before 'moreover' and a comma after it to join two related clauses.

Question 5

Which sentence contains a split infinitive?

Accepted Answer

The officer decided to carefully examine the evidence.

Answer

'To carefully examine' is a split infinitive — 'carefully' is between 'to' and 'examine.' In formal writing: 'to examine the evidence carefully.'

Civil Service Exam Practice Test