IELTS Grammar & Sentence Structure 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Choose the correct sentence: 'By the time the results were published, the candidates ___ for weeks.'
- had been waiting (Correct answer)
- have been waiting
- were waiting
- are waiting
Correct answer: had been waiting
The past perfect continuous 'had been waiting' shows an action ongoing up to a point in the past.
Question 2: Which sentence uses the conditional correctly?
- If I had known earlier, I would have helped. (Correct answer)
- If I would have known, I will help.
- If I knew earlier, I had helped.
- If I have known, I would helped.
Correct answer: If I had known earlier, I would have helped.
The third conditional uses 'had + past participle' in the if-clause and 'would have + past participle' in the main clause.
Question 3: Identify the correctly punctuated sentence.
- The report, which was late, cost us the contract. (Correct answer)
- The report which was late, cost us the contract.
- The report, which was late cost us the contract.
- The report which, was late, cost us the contract.
Correct answer: The report, which was late, cost us the contract.
Non-defining relative clauses are enclosed by a pair of commas.
Question 4: Select the sentence with correct subject-verb agreement.
- Neither the manager nor the staff were informed. (Correct answer)
- Neither the manager nor the staff was informed.
- Neither the manager or the staff were informed.
- Neither the manager nor the staff is informing.
Correct answer: Neither the manager nor the staff were informed.
With 'neither...nor', the verb agrees with the nearer subject, 'staff', here treated as plural.
Question 5: Which option correctly completes the sentence: 'She is used to ___ in a busy office.'
- working (Correct answer)
- work
- have worked
- works
Correct answer: working
'Be used to' is followed by a gerund (-ing form).
Question 6: Choose the sentence with the correct word order.
- I have never seen such a beautiful sunset. (Correct answer)
- I have seen never such a beautiful sunset.
- Never I have seen such beautiful sunset.
- I never have such a beautiful sunset seen.
Correct answer: I have never seen such a beautiful sunset.
The adverb 'never' goes between the auxiliary 'have' and the main verb 'seen'.
Question 7: Which sentence correctly uses reported speech?
- He said that he would arrive the next day. (Correct answer)
- He said that he will arrive the next day.
- He said that he arrive next day.
- He said he would arrives the next day.
Correct answer: He said that he would arrive the next day.
In reported speech, 'will' shifts to 'would' and time references shift accordingly.
IELTS Grammar & Sentence Structure 2
Choose the correct sentence: 'By the time the results were published, the candidates ___ for weeks.'