MLAT Grammatical Structure Analysis 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In the sentence 'The book that she borrowed was overdue,' what grammatical role does 'that she borrowed' play?
- Adverbial clause
- Relative clause modifying 'book' (Correct answer)
- Noun clause as subject
- Prepositional phrase
Correct answer: Relative clause modifying 'book'
The clause 'that she borrowed' is a relative clause that modifies the noun 'book.'
Question 2: Which sentence demonstrates correct subject-verb agreement with a collective noun?
- The committee are disagreeing among themselves.
- The committee is ready to vote. (Correct answer)
- The committee were issuing a statement today.
- The committee have decided their position.
Correct answer: The committee is ready to vote.
In American English, collective nouns like 'committee' typically take singular verbs when acting as a unit.
Question 3: Identify the gerund phrase in: 'Swimming in cold water requires mental toughness.'
- in cold water
- requires mental toughness
- Swimming in cold water (Correct answer)
- mental toughness
Correct answer: Swimming in cold water
'Swimming in cold water' is a gerund phrase functioning as the subject of the sentence.
Question 4: What is the function of 'quickly' in 'She quickly answered the question'?
- Adjective modifying 'She'
- Adverb modifying 'answered' (Correct answer)
- Noun serving as object
- Conjunction linking clauses
Correct answer: Adverb modifying 'answered'
'Quickly' is an adverb that modifies the verb 'answered.'
Question 5: Which of the following contains a dangling modifier?
- Running through the park, the dog chased a squirrel. (Correct answer)
- Running through the park, she spotted a rabbit.
- The children, running quickly, reached the gate.
- She was running when she fell.
Correct answer: Running through the park, the dog chased a squirrel.
In option A, 'Running through the park' illogically modifies 'the dog' rather than a human subject implied by the action.
Question 6: In 'Neither the students nor the teacher was prepared,' why is 'was' correct?
- 'Students' is the nearest subject and is singular
- 'Teacher' is the nearest subject and is singular (Correct answer)
- 'Neither…nor' always takes a plural verb
- Both nouns together form a singular unit
Correct answer: 'Teacher' is the nearest subject and is singular
With 'neither…nor,' the verb agrees with the nearer subject, which is the singular 'teacher.'
Question 7: Which sentence uses the passive voice correctly?
- The storm destroyed the bridge.
- The bridge was destroyed by the storm. (Correct answer)
- The bridge destroying by the storm.
- The storm had the bridge destroy.
Correct answer: The bridge was destroyed by the storm.
Passive voice is formed with 'to be' + past participle; 'was destroyed by the storm' fits this structure.
MLAT Grammatical Structure Analysis 2
In the sentence 'The book that she borrowed was overdue,' what grammatical role does 'that she borrowed' play?