NTS NTS - National Testing Service English Grammar and Composition 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Choose the correct indirect speech for: He said, "I am tired."
- He said that he is tired.
- He said that he was tired. (Correct answer)
- He said that I was tired.
- He told that he was tired.
Correct answer: He said that he was tired.
When the reporting verb is past tense, the present "am" shifts to past "was" in indirect speech.
Question 2: What is the plural of "criterion"?
- Criterions
- Criterias
- Criteria (Correct answer)
- Criteriae
Correct answer: Criteria
"Criteria" is the standard Greek-derived plural of "criterion," following the -on to -a pattern.
Question 3: Identify the figure of speech in: "The wind whispered through the trees."
- Simile
- Metaphor
- Personification (Correct answer)
- Hyperbole
Correct answer: Personification
Attributing the human action of whispering to the wind is personification.
Question 4: Which sentence contains a dangling modifier?
- Walking to school, I saw a dog.
- Walking to school, a dog was seen. (Correct answer)
- While I was walking to school, I saw a dog.
- I saw a dog while walking to school.
Correct answer: Walking to school, a dog was seen.
In the second sentence, "walking to school" incorrectly modifies "a dog" because no person is named as the subject.
Question 5: What is the antonym of "benevolent"?
- Generous
- Charitable
- Malevolent (Correct answer)
- Compassionate
Correct answer: Malevolent
"Malevolent" means wishing harm to others, which is the direct opposite of "benevolent" (wishing good).
Question 6: Which sentence demonstrates correct subject-verb agreement?
- The team are playing well.
- The data shows a clear trend. (Correct answer)
- The committee have decided.
- Mathematics are difficult.
Correct answer: The data shows a clear trend.
In American English, "data" is treated as singular, so "shows" is the correct verb form.
NTS NTS - National Testing Service English Grammar and Composition 2
Choose the correct indirect speech for: He said, "I am tired."