TOEFL - Test of English as a Foreign Language General 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Neither the students nor the teacher _____ aware of the schedule change.
- were
- was (Correct answer)
- are
- have been
Correct answer: was
When 'neither...nor' joins subjects, the verb agrees with the subject closest to it. 'Teacher' is singular, so the verb must be singular: 'was'.
Question 2: The committee _____ its decision after reviewing all the evidence.
- have announced
- announcing
- announced (Correct answer)
- announce
Correct answer: announced
'The committee' is a collective noun treated as singular in American English. The sentence needs a simple past verb, making 'announced' the correct choice.
Question 3: He insisted that the report _____ submitted before the deadline.
- is
- was
- be (Correct answer)
- will be
Correct answer: be
After verbs of insistence like 'insist', 'demand', or 'require', the subjunctive mood is used, which requires the base form of the verb: 'be'.
Question 4: The new regulations will affect everyone _____ works in the building.
- whom
- who (Correct answer)
- which
- whose
Correct answer: who
'Who' is the correct relative pronoun for people when it acts as the subject of the relative clause ('who works'). 'Whom' is used for objects, not subjects.
Question 5: She has been living in Canada _____ she graduated from university.
- for
- during
- since (Correct answer)
- while
Correct answer: since
'Since' is used with the present perfect tense to indicate a starting point in time. 'For' is used with a duration, not a specific point.
Question 6: Despite _____ hard all semester, Marcus struggled on the final exam.
- studied
- to study
- study
- studying (Correct answer)
Correct answer: studying
After prepositions (and 'despite' functions like one here), a gerund (verb + -ing) must be used. 'Studying' is the correct gerund form.
TOEFL - Test of English as a Foreign Language General 2
Neither the students nor the teacher _____ aware of the schedule change.