S T RU C T U R E A N D

W R I T T E N S T R AT E G Y
FOR TOEFL TEST

Lecturer: Riska Sutriyati, M.Pd.

Universitas Serang Raya
E-mail: riska.sutriyati@gmail.com
 1. SUBJECT
Every main clause must have a subject and one main (finite) verb.This is
true for complete dependent clauses as well

PROBABLE DISTRACTORS (wrong answers)

If the main verb is given but the subject is missing:
• The subject is repeated (The weather it is warm)
• There is an anticipatory it + verb (It is a book is on the table)
• There is an expletive there + verb (there is a book is on the table)

If the main clause subject is missing:

• A subordinating element is included (Convinced he was right, which made him
argue longer)
EXERCISE
1. _____ united effort is needed if the problem of the “underground economy” is to be
resolved.
A. It is a B. A C. There is a D. An
2. _____, which certainly look wise, are not thought to be among the most intelligent
of animals.
A. They are owls B. Owls are C. Owls D. There are owls
3. _____ took its name from the nearby Muskingum River.
A. Muskingun Collage C. It was Muskingum Collage
B. Because Muskingum Collage D. Muskingum Collage, which
4. _____ unsuccessful attempts were made to sail through the northwest passage.
A. There were several C. Although several
B. Several Valiant but D. They were several
5. Located in Florida, _____ is the oldest city in the United States.
A. is St. Augustine C. St. Augustine it
B. the city of St. Augustine D. where St. Augustine
 2. NOUN CLAUSE AS SUBJECT
A noun or noun clause may be a subject of a sentence. On the Toefl, noun clauses
are often preceded by an introductory word or expression such as That or The fact
that.This construction is always followed by a singular verb. It id generally used
only in formal written English (That the problems are immense is obvious), in
spoken English it is more common to find an anticipatory it construction (it is
obvious that the problems are immense)

PROBABLE DISTRACTORS (wrong answers)

• The introductory expression is not exactly as given above. (It is a fact that rain may
fall in deserts is true.)
• The introductory expression is omitted. (Corn needs a lot of sun is accepted by
farmers.)
• The noun clause has no verb. (That Einstein a great scientist is undeniable.)
• The noun clause is followed by a plural verb. (That the problems are immense are
obvious.)
EXERCISE
1. _____ a tenth planet may exist is suggested by discrepancies in the motions of Uranus and
Neptune.
A. It is the fact that B. In fact C. That D. The fact
2. _____ the predicted “W” particles do exist was proved in the CERN particle accelerator.
A. The fact is B. In fact C. That is D. The fact that
3. _____ is sometimes disputed.
A. Columbus was an Italian C. An Italian that was Columbus
B. That Columbus was an Italian D. That Columbus an Italian
4. _____ was attributable partly to psychological factors.
A. That a depression C. The fact that a depression occurred
B. What a depression occurred D. a depression occurred
5. _____ frequently escapes comment.
A. The fact that
B. That the computer revolution is in its infancy
C. The fact that the computer revolution
D. Although the computer revolution is in its infancy
 3. NON-REPETITION OF SUBJECT
Every full clause needs a subject. Although the subject may include more than one noun
(Men, women, and children were left homeless by the attack), the subject must not be
repeated (Men, women and children they were left homeless by the attack).

PROBABLE DISTRACTORS (wrong answers)

If the subject already appears in the sentence given:
• The subject is repeated (The children they were left homeless)
• An alternative, non-complementary subject is given (Those two boys, there
should be no fighting)
• The subject of a dependent clause is included, resulting in the absence of a
main clause or in an incomplete main clause (To modernize their economies
which has been a goal of many African countries.)
• Two main (finite) verbs are included in the same clauses, (There are many
problems are to be solved.)
PROBABLE DISTRACTORS (wrong answers)
If as the subject of an adjective clause that is missing, the introductory relative
pronoun, who, which, or that. Is necessary, but:
• The required relative pronoun is missing. (All drive cars must have licenses.)
• The relative pronoun is followed by another subject. (The girl who she lives
here is a graduate student.)
EXERCISE
1. _____ being in the public eye appears to be eminently desireble.
A. For many Californians
B. They are many Californians B. A C. There is a D. An
2. _____, which certainly look wise, are not thought to be among the most intelligent
of animals.
A. They are owls B. Owls are C. Owls D. There are owls
3. _____ took its name from the nearby Muskingum River.
A. Muskingun Collage C. It was Muskingum Collage
B. Because Muskingum Collage D. Muskingum Collage, which
4. _____ unsuccessful attempts were made to sail through the northwest passage.
A. There were several C. Although several
B. Several Valiant but D. They were several
5. Located in Florida, _____ is the oldest city in the United States.
A. is St. Augustine C. St. Augustine it
B. the city of St. Augustine D. where St. Augustine
4. IMPERSONAL OR ANTICIPATORY IT
Impersonal it occurs with:
• A predicate adjective + adverbial (It is usually warm in Austin.)
• Predicate relating to identification, time, weather, and distance (It is
12 o’clock now.)
Probable Distractors (Wrong Answers)
• There is appears instead of it is. (there is generally cold in the
winter)
• The impersonal it is omitted. (is often rainy in England)
• an introductory word is present which would result in a
dependent clause without a main clause. (Although it was an
adventure story)
Anticipatory it anticipates the real subject which occurs in the
predicate. It is always possible to move up this subject to the initial
position to replace it (It was June that the war ended)
EXERCISE
1. _____ from San Diego to the Mexican border.
A. Few miles B. It’s not far C. Not far D. There is not far
2. _____ people in Scotland and Wales to be called English.
A. It offends B. There offends C. They offend D. Offends
3. _____, the match had to be postponed.
A. Because snowing C. Because there was snowing
B. Because was snowing D. Because it was snowing
4. _____ in Florida in the winter.
A. There is usually warm C. It is usually warm
B. Is usually warm D. Though it is usually warm
5. _____ in the 1970’s that America’s steel industry was suffering from a number of
structural disadvantages.
A. It became obvious C. Became it was obvious
B. There was obvious D. An obvious problem
5. EXPLETIVE THERE
There is used as an expletive in the following construction, usually with the linking verb to be,
though certain other verbs are possible. The verb may be in any tense and is singular or plural
according to the following subject.
a. There + be (etc.) + subject + prepositional phrase (There is a tree in front of the house.)
b. There + be + subject + adjective modifier (There are many flowers blooming now.)

Probable Distractors (Wrong Answers)

• The required there + be is omitted. (a bee in the garden.)
• There is replaced by it. (It was enough gas in my car this morning.)
• There is no agreement between the verb following there and its
subject. (There is seven days in a week)
• An inappropriate verb (e.g. have) is used with expletive there.
(There have swallows here in the summer).
EXERCISE
1. _____ no type of plant immune to attack by insect.
A. It exists B. There exist C. Because there exists D. There exists
2. Because _____ of severely harmful effects from chemical dumps, the government
has implemented tougher clean-up measures.
A. Evidence B. is evidence C. there is evidence D. evidence there is
3. _____ salmon in vast numbers readily available to the Kwakiutl Indians.
A. Nutritious B. There was C. It was D. There was
4. _____ penguins in the arctic.
A. There are no B. No C. There are not D. Are not
5. Probably _____ little oil left under the North Sea by the year 2000.
A. will be B. there will be C. it will be D. there will have
6. MAIN VERB REQUIREMENT
Frequently sentences appear on the TOEFL which have a single main clause
containing all the required elements except the main verb.

Probable Distractors (Wrong Answers)

• There is an introductory word, creating a subordinate clause with a
non-existent or incomplete main clause. (A box which contains 12
oranges)
• The subject is repeated in addition to the main verb. (Einstein he
discovered the theory of relativity)
• No finite form of the verb is given. (Paper being made from trees.)
• The subject and verb do not agree or the verb is in the
inappropriate tense or form. (It often is raining in April)
 EXERCISE
1. A laser beam _____ a concentration of pure light.
A. consists of B. which consists of C. it consists of D. consisting of
2. Ely Whitney, a northerner, _____ the cotton gin that revolutionized the economy of
the South.
A. who invented B. when he invented C. invented D. he invented
3. Diamonds _____ an unstable form of carbon.
A. which are B. being C. although they are D. are
4. Lightning rarely _____ twice in the same place.
A. is striking B. strikes C. does it strike D. it strikes
5. The regular major league baseball season _____ each team to play 162 games.
A. which requires B. requiring C. it requires D. requires
7. ACTIVE-PASSIVE DISTINCTION
It is important to check whether the required main verb should be in the active or
the passive voice.

Probable Distractors (Wrong Answers)

In addition to those listed in Exercise 6:
• The verb is otherwise correct, but is in the active voice where the
passive is required. (Penicillin makes from mold)
• The combination of to be + participle is incorrect. (It has being
established that ice takes up more volume than water.)
EXERCISE
1. Many doctors believe cures many forms of cancer _____ soon.
A. consists of B. which consists of C. it consists of D. consisting of
2. Aspirin, _____ from the bark of willow trees.
A. was first extracted B. it was first extracted C. extracted D. first extracted
3. _____ that India’s annual harvest takes 18.5 million tons of nutrients from the soil.
A. It has estimated C. Has been estimated
B. It has been estimated D. It has being estimated
4. A scientific process _____ to turn natural gas into animal feed.
A. have been developed C. have developed
B. it has been developed D. has been developed
5. While the East prospered in the early nineteenth century, much of the western part
of
the United States _____ by the trail blazers.
A. was been opened up C. was being opened up
B. was opening up D. was being opening up
8. SUBJECT-VERB INVERSION
If certain words or expressions appear in the initial position in a clause. The
subject and verb are inverted as they are in questions. Expressions requiring such
inversion include: negative conjunctions (not only, neither, no sooner, etc.);
adverbials of negation or semi-negation (in no case, never, rarely, hardly); adverbial
expressions with only and so.

Probable Distractors (Wrong Answers)

In an expression of the type described is given in the sentence, or if the entire
clause must be chosen:
• The subject and verb are not inverted. (Rarely I have heard such non-sense.)
• Inversion is present but not in correct interrogative order. (No sooner came
she in, than she created a scene.)
Probable Distractors (Wrong Answers)
If what is given in the sentence is the inversion:
• Expressions given are not of the type described above. (If does it snow before
December.)
• Expression given are of the type described but inappropriate in meaning. (Not
only warm sunshine, did we have , since it was pleasant.)
EXERCISE
1. Not only _____, but he also owned a movie studio.
A. Hughes owned Las Vegas hotels C. owned Hughes Las Vegas hotels
B. did Hughes own Las Vegas hotels D. Las Vegas Hotels owned Hughes
2. _____ great was the destruction that the South took decades to recover.
A.Very B. Too C. Such D. So
3. _____, when the Chargers found themselves 7-0 down.
A. Hardly had the game begun C. The game hardly begun
B. Hardly the game had begun D. Hardly had begun the game
4. _____ does an individual find himself sought by both parties as their presidential
candidate, as did General Eisenhower.
A. Not only B. Sometimes C. Rarely D. If
5. Only when in danger _____ human beings.
A. snakes will most attack C. most snakes will attack
B. will most snakes attack D. will attack most snakes
9. NOUN OR NOUN PHRASE IN APPOSITION
A second noun or noun phrase may be used to define or explain the first in any
position in the sentence. In this case, the second noun or noun phrase is always
separated off by commas. This construction may be replaced by a relative clause.
Check to be sure the noun or noun phrase (adjective + noun; noun +
prepositional phrase) redefines the previous one.

Probable Distractors (Wrong Answers)

• Incomplete clauses or phrases are given but more than noun/noun phrases.
(The tallest building, the Empire State building is, used to be located in New
York City.)
• The relative clause is also a redefining main clause. (Digitalis, it is a cardiac drug,
was used in Pre-Columbian America.)
EXERCISE
1. The world’s highest peak, _____, in in the Himalayas.
A. Mount Everest B. this is Mount Everest C. it is Mount Everest D. being Mount Everest
2. Hannibal chose an unlikely mode of transportation, _____, for crossing the Alps.
A. were African elephants C. African elephants
B. they were African elephants D. African elephants they were
3. The Great Bear, _____, is probably the most recognized constellation in the northern hemisphere.
A. in the shape of a plow seven stars C. seven stars in the shape of a plow
B. it is seven stars in the shape of a plow D. they are seven stars in the shape of a plow
4. Canada has two official languages, _____.
A. they are French and English C. which they are French and English
B. French and English D. French and English they are
5. The duck-billed platypus, _____, has been described as the world’s strangest animal.
A. is an Australian marsupial C. Australian marsupial
B. which an Australian marsupial D. an Australian marsupial
10. DEPENDENT CLAUSES

A dependent clause cannot exist alone. It must be attached to a main clause.

Dependent adverbial clauses contain an introductory word (Before the show began,
the performers were introduced to the audience). Dependent adjectival clauses contain
an introductory relative pronoun (He bought a machine which could carry out a
variety of operations).
Full dependent clauses, like main clauses, must contain both a subject and a main
verb. In the case of adjectival clauses, the relative pronoun itself constitutes the
subject.
Probable Distractors (Wrong Answers)
• The dependent clause has no subject. (Although are famous, not many people
have actually seen the northern lights.)
• There is no main (finite) verb. (Despite their injuries, they winning the game.)
• An adverbial dependent clause has no introductory word. (it is sent express, the
package will get there sooner.)
• An adverbial dependent clause has an inappropriate introductory word.
(Sometimes strawberries are easy to grow, you must watch them for mold.)
• The subject of an adjectival clause is repeated. (They live in Boston, which it is in
New England)
• Adjectival clause has no subject. (Amsterdam has many canals were once
important for shipping.)
• Dependent clause has no attached main clause. ( because so many people
depend on railroads as well as on highways.)
EXERCISE
1. _____ there, the southwest desert contains a remarkable variety of flora and fauna.
A. Although rarely rains C. Although it rarely rains
B. It rarely rains D. Sometimes it rains
2. Because morals are both rare and highly prized, _____.
A. they are very expensive C. are very expensive
B. very expensive D. as well as very expensive
3. _____, litmus paper turns blue.
A. If in an alkali it is dipped C. Is dipped in an alkali
B. If is dipped in an alkali D. If it is dipped in an alkali
4. East Liverpool, _____, is located in a spot where potter’s clay was discovered.
A. which was founded in 1798 C. in 1798 was founded
B. was founded in 1798 D. which it was founded in 1798
5. Peas_____ lose much of their flavor.
A. which overcooked C. which they have been overcooked
B. have been overcooked D. which have been overcooked
11. ABRIDGED DEPENDENT CLAUSES
Some dependent adverbial clauses are incomplete and leave out both subject and main verb. The
subject of the main clause then becomes the subject of the dependent clause as well, with some
meaning of the verb to be understood (When buying a computer, you should seek professional advice =
When you are buying a computer, you should seek professional advice). An abridged dependent clause is
not possible if the subject of the main clause cannot logically function as the subject of the
dependent clause (Though twenty-one, John’s work is that of an eight year old. John’s work is the
subject of the main clause and cannot logically be the subject of the abridged clause).

Probable Distractors (Wrong Answers)

• The subject is present but the finite verb is missing. (When they hungry,
children cry)
• The finite verb is present but the subject is missing. (While is very easy to drive
a car, you must be careful.)
• There is no introductory subordinating word. (It is very expensive, well-made
furniture will last a long time.)
EXERCISE
1. The 55-mile per hour speed limit must be observed_____.
A. where applicable C. where is applicable
B. where it applicable D. where application
2. _____, Alice in Wonderland appeals to many adult readers, too.
A. Though it written for children C. Though written for children
B. Though for children written D. It was written for children
3. Armadillos seek protection from nearby undergrowth _____.
A. when are they threatened C. when are threatened
B. when they threatened D. when threatened
4. _____, nitroglycerine is extremely volatile.
A. It is highly effective C. While highly effective
B. Highly effective it is D. Highly while effective
5. _____ the ancient and honored style of wrestling, the professional version of the
sport
is largely amateur theatrics.
A. Compare it to B. If compare to C. It compared to D. Comparing
12. PARTICIPIAL PHRASES
Participial phrases are verbal constructions which do not function as verbs. Those functioning as
adverbs or adjectives are dealt with here. Like abridged dependent clause, they contain neither
subject nor verb. But unlike an abridged clause, they do not necessarily imply the verb to be. The
subject of the participial phrase is the same as the subject in the main clause. These phrases may
contain a present participle or a past participle. The negative form contains not in the initial
position.
Probable Distractors (Wrong Answers)
• The principle is not in the initial position in the phrase. It follows a word other
than not or an adverb. (About the accident hearing, the family rushed to the
hospital.)
• A subject and/or finite verb is included. (She believing the worst, Jane called the
doctor.)
• The choice of participle (present or past) is logically inconsistentwith the
subject of the main clause. (Melted quickly, the snow disappeared the same
day.)
EXERCISE
1. The doctor, _____, apologized.
A. his mistake realizing C. realizing his mistake
B. he realized his mistake D. realized his mistake
2. _____, the Greeks resorted to a trick.
A. They finding the walls impregnable C. Finding they the walls impregnable
B. Finding the walls impregnable D. finding impregnable the walls
3. _____ the law of the time, Margaret Sanger opened the country’s first birth-control
clinic in Brooklyn in 1916.
A. Disregarded B. She disregarded C. It was disregarded D. Disregarding
4. _____, mainly along the eastern seaboard and once used as legal tender, tobacco
became America’s most important export in colonial times.
A. Grown B. Grew C. To grow D. It grew
5. _____ London Bridge was then rebuilt as part of a tourist attraction.
A. It was sold to an Arizona entrepreneur C. Sold to an Arizona entrepreneur
B. to an Arizona entrepreneur selling D. Selling to an Arizona entrepreneur
13. WORD ORDER
There is a wide range of possible mistakes in this category. The main thing to
remember is that the normal word order in an English clause is SUBJECT-VERB-
REST OF PREDICATE.

NOTE: The exercise excludes subject-verb inversion, which is dealt with in focused
Exercise 8.
Probable Distractors (Wrong Answers)

The issues dealt with here are:

A. Relative Clauses
1. The relative is followed by the question word order. (Houses made of wood,
when do they need painting, must first be properly prepared.)
2. The clause contains some other variation on standard word order indicated
above. (Gardens, which planted have been in shade, do not grow well.)
B. Position of object
The object appears between the subject and the verb.
(When the ruler the two kingdoms unified, he used the symbols of both in his crown)
C. Position of Prepositional Phrases
The prepositional phrase appears between the verb and the object.
(Grape growers need for picking their crops much seasonal labor.)
D. Phrases with fixed word order (however + adjective + determiner + noun /
whatever + determiner + noun)
The fixed word order is ignored. (Whatever is the problem, I am sure a solution can be found.)
EXERCISE
1. Medicare provided the first federally-funded hospital insurance for the over sixty-fives _____ in 1965.
A. when it was introduced C. was when it introduced
B. when was it introduced D. it was when introduced
2. _____ there can be no avoiding it.
A. However the decision is difficult C. The decision however difficult
B. However difficult the decision D. However the difficult decision
3. The famous concord coach of the Wild West was named after the New Hampshire town_____.
A. where was it manufactured C. where it manufactured
B. it was manufactured D. where it was manufactured
4. When Robert Beamon _____ hardly anyone present could believe it.
A. made his incredible jump in 1968 C. his incredible jump in 1968 made
B. made in 1968 his incredible jump D. his incredible jump made in 1968
5. The ancient Greeks _____.
A. crowned with laurel leaves their champions C. crowned their champions with laurel leaves
B. with laurel leaves crowned their champions D. their champions crowned with laurel leaves
14. PARALLELISM

Items joined by coordinate conjunctions (and / or) should have the same
grammatical form. This issue may be tested in either questions 1-15 or questions
16-40.
In questions 1-15 the wrong answers will have a different grammatical form from
the other item(s) in the sentence. Frequently, the missing part (question 1-15) or
the underlined item (questions 16-40) will be part of a series of three when
parallelism is the issue
EXERCISE
1. Presbyterian minister, collage professor, and _____ James Naismith is best remembered as the
inventor of basketball.
A. he was athletic director C. athletic director
B. directing athletics D. directed athletics
2. With its 151-mile long reservoir, the Grand Coulee Dam provides hydro-electric power, _____
and water for irrigation.
A. in addition flood control B. offers flood control C. it controls floods D. flood control
3. Exceeding speed limits and _____ safety belts are two common causes of automobile death.
A. not to wear B. failing to wear C. don’t wear D. not having worn
4. In recent times, the invention which has most changed the face of the world, most influenced the
industrial development of the world, and _____ is the automobile.
A. most affected its culture C. with most effect on its culture
B. most affecting its culture D. most to affect its culture
5. While not lacking in presence, _____ poise, this actor is simply not suited to leading roles.
A. he is charming and B charming C. charm, or D. he has charm or
15. COMPARISON

The issue of correct comparison form appears both in questions 1-15 and
questions 16-40. However, in questions 1-15, the comparative expressions are less
common and often link up with issues or word order and parallelism.
No probable incorrect answers are given since the issues dealt with are so varied.
EXERCISE

1. _____ a person wears eyeglasses, the more dependent on them he/she tends to become.
A. When B. The longest C. The longer D. If
2. A radiologist deals with objective reproducible evidence _____ with patients’ subjective
descriptions.
A. rather than B. instead than C. than D. than rather
3. _____ powerful member of the entire cat family is the tiger.
A. Most B. The most C. More D. The more
4. The problems facing engineers in Yakutia, the coldest inhabited place on earth, are_____ anywhere
else.
A. alike those B. those unlike C. unlike to D. unlike those
5. The Florida panther is _____ as well as most striking of America’s native wild-life species..
A. among the rarest C. exceedingly rare
B. ferocious and rare D. among the rarer
16. SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT
Check that the verb agrees in number with its subject (both singular or both
plural). It is possible that the verb may be widely separated from the subject in the
sentence.

EXERCISE:
1. The recession, which has been attributed to a variety of factors, have resulted in the
A B C D
highest unemployment levels since the Great Depression.

2. In the early 1980’s, major league baseball, in spite of public opposition to players’
A
salaries, were more popular than ever before and attracted record crowds.
B C D
3. Binary stars are twin stars which forms close enough together for their mutual gravitation
A B
to set them orbiting each other.
C D
17. NOUN-PRONOUN AGREEMENT
Check that pronouns and quantifiers are appropriate to the nouns to which they
refer, particularly in terms of number.

EXERCISE:
1. Producers of basic chemicals and their derivatives for industrial use find its fortunes tied
A B C D
closely to the business cycle.

2. Considering their vast numbers in the seventeenth century, not much sheep are raised in
A B C D
Spain today.

3. With their country’s citizens suffering from the effects of the Great Depression, President
A B C
Franklin D Roosevelt introduced his “New Deal.”
D
 18. REPEATED SUBJECT
Check that a subject is not repeated within the same clause or following the relative
which.

EXERCISE:
1. Gabriel Garcia Marquez, after receiving his 1982 Nobel Prize for literature, he
A B C
appeared on the cover of time magazine.
D
2. Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont they are all in New England, and their inhabitants
A B
are renowned for their independent spirit.
C D
3. In spite of the recent surge in stock-market prices, these have still failed to keep pace
A B
with inflation, which it rose sharply throughout the late seventies.
C D
 19. PERSONAL PRONOUN FORMS
Check that personal pronouns are in the correct form (do they function as subject,
object, or possessive pronouns?) and that reflexive pronouns are spelled correctly.

EXERCISE:
1. While shields obviously enabled medieval kings and their knights to protect theirselves, the
A B
device on the shield eventually became more important for its bearer than the shield itself.
C D
2. After leaving the beach where it was born and swimming hundreds of miles in the ocean, the green
A
turtle can find it way back to dig its own nest in virtually the same spot it was born in.
B C D
3. Howard Hughes not only financed his “Spruce Goose” but also piloted it hisself on its only flight.
A B C D
 20. RELATIVE PRONOUNS
Check that the appropriate relative pronoun has been used (especially what/which and
who/which) and that where has not been used after a preposition.

EXERCISE:
1. Calcium channel blockers are agent which act on the chemical substance what most
A B C
affects the heart’s functioning calcium
D
2. One area of the United States which has grown enormously in importance is “Silicon Valley”
A B
in California at where many developments in computer technology have taken place.
C D
3. The Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court is the person which administers the
A
oath of office and from whom the new president receives his first congratulations.
B C D
 21. ARTICLES
Check that the appropriate article (the/a) has been used and that the form of the
indefinite article (a/an) is correct.

EXERCISE:
1. A soccer match starts with the ball being kicked forwards from a spot in a center of
A B C
the field.
D
2. The sperm whale is an unique organism in that it is the largest mammal on earth.
A B C D
3. Dizzy Dean was never as good a pitcher again after the toe was injured as a result
A B C
being hit by a batted ball
D
22. ADJECTIVES AND NOUNS
Check that an adjective has not been used where a noun is required and vice versa.

EXERCISE:
1. The deep of the ocean is measured using sophisticated sonar equipment.
A B C D
2. Competitors in the luge events usually claim to be motivated by a spirit of
A B C
adventurous.
D
3. The unicorn, a fabled one-horned beast of the Middle Ages, was actually a non-
A B C D
existence animal.
D
 23. ADJECTIVES AND ADVERBS
Check that an adjective has not been used where an adverb is required and vice versa.

EXERCISE:
1. Ships can only reach Antarctica during a relatively short period because of the extreme
A B C
cold conditions.
D
2. Initially the natives behaved friendly towards Magellan and his crew, but subsequently
A B C
their attitude changed drastically.
D
3. Breaking the sound barrier seemed extraordinarily in 1947, but it has since become
A B
commonplace thanks to swiftly-developing technology.
C D
24. COMPARISONS (FORM OF ADJECTIVE OR ADVERB)
Check the following: (1) superlative form after the; (2) comparative form with
than;
(3) no redundant comparative form (more + -er)
EXERCISE:
1. For a number of years, electronic games were the faster-growing Christmas items of all
A B
as well as being among the most expensive.
C D
2. Though ostriches can run quickest than any other bird, they are not as fast as the swiftest
A B C D
mammal, the cheetah.

3. Although the British Isles are farther north than New York City, winters are more mild
A B C
because the waters of the Gulf Stream are warmer than those of the North Atlantic.
D
25. COMPARISONS (FORM OF CONJUNCTIONS)
Check particularly for than/that; too/very; and so/too mistakes

EXERCISE:
1. The quality control standards for space equipment are very high indeed and some items have been
A B
rejected as being very unreliable to be acceptable.
C D
2. Some educators claim that more of the money that is spent on education should be earmarked for
A B C
mathematics and science that is spent now.
D
3. When they have switched from typewriters to the new word-processors that have recently been
A B
developed, some writers have become too enthusiastic that their output has more than doubled.
C D