CELSA CELSA - Combined English Language Skills Assessment Pronoun Usage and Agreement Questions and Answers

Question 1

Which sentence uses pronoun-antecedent agreement correctly?

Accepted Answer

Every student must bring his or her own pencil.

Answer

When the antecedent is a singular indefinite pronoun like 'every student,' use 'his or her' for formal agreement.

Question 2

Choose the correct pronoun case: 'The winner of the contest was ___.'

Accepted Answer

he

Answer

After a linking verb like 'was,' use the subject pronoun (nominative case), so 'he' is correct.

Question 3

Which sentence contains a pronoun reference error?

Accepted Answer

Maria told her sister that she had won the prize.

Answer

In the first sentence, 'she' is ambiguous—it could refer to either Maria or her sister.

Question 4

Select the correct reflexive pronoun: 'She made the dress ___.'

Accepted Answer

herself

Answer

'Herself' is the correct reflexive pronoun for a feminine singular subject; 'hisself' and 'theirselves' are nonstandard.

Question 5

Which sentence uses an objective pronoun correctly?

Accepted Answer

The teacher praised both him and me.

Answer

'Him' and 'me' are both objective pronouns, correctly used as objects of the verb 'praised.'

(CELSA) Combined English Language Skills Assessment Practice Test