Cloze Test Grammar & Syntax in Context 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: The scientist _____ the experiment three times before publishing the results.
- conduct
- conducted (Correct answer)
- conducting
- conducts
Correct answer: conducted
'Conducted' is the correct simple past tense to describe a completed action that occurred before another past event.
Question 2: She is interested _____ learning new languages.
- in (Correct answer)
- on
- for
- at
Correct answer: in
'Interested in' is the fixed prepositional phrase used in English when expressing interest in an activity or topic.
Question 3: Neither the manager nor the employees _____ aware of the new policy.
- was
- were (Correct answer)
- is
- are
Correct answer: were
When using 'neither...nor,' the verb agrees with the subject closer to it ('employees'), which is plural, requiring 'were.'
Question 4: The report will be submitted _____ the deadline passes.
- after
- before (Correct answer)
- since
- until
Correct answer: before
'Before' correctly indicates that the submission must happen prior to the deadline, which is the logical and grammatical fit.
Question 5: He had already left _____ she arrived at the office.
- when (Correct answer)
- while
- before
- after
Correct answer: when
'When' pairs naturally with the past perfect ('had left') to show that his departure was completed at the moment she arrived.
Question 6: The teacher, _____ students admire her greatly, retired last year.
- who
- whose (Correct answer)
- whom
- which
Correct answer: whose
'Whose' is the possessive relative pronoun correctly modifying 'students' to show they belong to the teacher.
Question 7: They have been working on this project _____ three months.
- since
- for (Correct answer)
- during
- by
Correct answer: for
'For' is used with a duration of time (three months), while 'since' requires a specific starting point.
The scientist _____ the experiment three times before publishing the results.