Linguaskill English Usage Practice — All Questions
22 questions
By the time the client arrived, we ___ the presentation. Which choice is correct?
- a.finish
- b.have finished
- c.had finished✓
- d.were finishing
The past perfect 'had finished' shows that one past action was completed before another past event ('the client arrived'). This sequencing is exactly what the past perfect signals.
The report ___ by the finance team before it is sent to the board. Which choice is correct?
- a.is reviewed✓
- b.reviews
- c.is reviewing
- d.has reviewing
The report receives the action, so a passive form is needed: 'is reviewed'. The active 'reviews' would wrongly suggest the report performs the review itself.
If the supplier had delivered on time, we ___ the deadline. Which choice is correct?
- a.would meet
- b.will meet
- c.met
- d.would have met✓
This is a third conditional about an unreal past situation. The pattern is 'if + past perfect, would have + past participle', so 'would have met' is correct.
We look forward to ___ from you regarding the proposal. Which choice is correct?
- a.hear
- b.hearing✓
- c.have heard
- d.heard
'Look forward to' ends with the preposition 'to', which is followed by the -ing form. 'Hearing' is therefore correct, not the base verb 'hear'.
The manager asked the team ___ the figures before lunch. Which choice is correct?
- a.to check✓
- b.checking
- c.check
- d.checked
After 'ask someone', English uses the 'to' infinitive: 'asked the team to check'. The other forms do not fit this reporting pattern.
We need to ___ a meeting to discuss the quarterly budget. Which word fits best?
- a.do
- b.arrange✓
- c.make
- d.put
The natural collocation is 'arrange a meeting'. 'Make a meeting' and 'do a meeting' are not standard, and 'put a meeting' is incomplete without a particle like 'off'.
Sales have grown steadily and the company is now highly ___. Which word fits best?
- a.profit
- b.profited
- c.profiting
- d.profitable✓
After 'highly' an adjective describing the company is needed, and 'profitable' means earning good profit. The others are a noun or verb forms that do not fit this slot.
The two firms decided to ___ forces and bid for the contract together. Which word fits best?
- a.join✓
- b.connect
- c.attach
- d.combine
The fixed expression is 'join forces', meaning to work together. 'Combine', 'connect', and 'attach' do not form this idiom with 'forces'.
Please find the invoice ___ to this email. Which word fits best?
- a.included
- b.added
- c.attached✓
- d.connected
In business correspondence, files sent with an email are 'attached'. 'Attached to this email' is the standard collocation; the other verbs are not used this way for email files.
The new software should ___ the ordering process and save staff time. Which word fits best?
- a.complicate
- b.streamline✓
- c.delay
- d.interrupt
'Streamline' means to make a process simpler and more efficient, which matches saving time. The other options describe making a process slower or more difficult.
The board praised the ___ of the new logistics system. Which form is correct?
- a.efficient
- b.efficiently
- c.efficiency✓
- d.efficiencies
After 'the' a singular noun is needed, and 'efficiency' is the noun. 'Efficient' is an adjective and 'efficiently' an adverb.
Our clients expect us to respond ___ to their enquiries. Which form is correct?
- a.promptly✓
- b.prompt
- c.promptness
- d.prompted
The blank describes how we respond, so an adverb is needed: 'promptly'. 'Prompt' is an adjective and 'promptness' a noun.
The consultant offered several ___ suggestions for cutting costs. Which form is correct?
- a.practise
- b.practice
- c.practically
- d.practical✓
Before the noun 'suggestions' an adjective is needed, and 'practical' means useful and realistic. 'Practise' and 'practice' are verb or noun forms, and 'practically' is an adverb.
The company plans to ___ its operations into two new markets next year. Which form is correct?
- a.expansion
- b.expand✓
- c.expansive
- d.expandable
After 'plans to' a base verb is needed, and 'expand' is the verb. 'Expansion' is a noun and 'expansive' an adjective.
Costs rose sharply; ___, the company still made a small profit. Which connector fits best?
- a.however✓
- b.therefore
- c.furthermore
- d.so
There is a contrast between rising costs and still making a profit, so 'however' is correct. 'Therefore' and 'so' show result, and 'furthermore' adds information.
The launch was delayed ___ a shortage of components. Which phrase fits best?
- a.so that
- b.in order to
- c.due to✓
- d.although
'Due to' introduces a cause expressed as a noun phrase ('a shortage of components'). 'Although' needs a full clause, and the other options express purpose, not cause.
The team is responsible ___ managing the company's social media accounts. Which preposition fits?
- a.of
- b.to
- c.on
- d.for✓
The adjective 'responsible' is followed by 'for' when naming the duty. 'Responsible of', 'responsible to', and 'responsible on' are not the correct pattern here.
We should focus ___ improving customer retention this quarter. Which preposition fits?
- a.at
- b.on✓
- c.in
- d.to
The verb 'focus' takes the preposition 'on'. 'Focus on' something is the fixed pairing; the other prepositions do not follow 'focus'.
Which sentence is correct?
- a.The staff is looking forward the conference.
- b.The staff looks forward the conference.
- c.The staff is looking forward to the conference.✓
- d.The staff looking forward to the conference.
The phrase is 'look forward to' plus a noun, and the sentence needs the auxiliary 'is' with the -ing form. Only 'The staff is looking forward to the conference' has both the correct preposition and a complete verb.
Which sentence uses the correct amount of detail without a double comparative error?
- a.This model is more expensive than the previous one.✓
- b.This model is more expensiver than the previous one.
- c.This model is expensiver than the previous one.
- d.This model is the most expensive than the previous one.
Long adjectives form the comparative with 'more' alone: 'more expensive'. You cannot add '-er' to 'expensive' or combine 'more' with '-er', and 'most ... than' mixes a superlative with a comparative.
Which sentence is grammatically correct?
- a.We have made a good progress this year.
- b.We have made good progress this year.✓
- c.We have made good progresses this year.
- d.We have make good progress this year.
'Progress' is uncountable, so it takes no article 'a' and has no plural form. The present perfect also needs the past participle 'made', so 'We have made good progress' is correct.
Which sentence reports the request correctly?
- a.He suggested me to review the contract.
- b.He suggested me reviewing the contract.
- c.He suggested to review the contract.
- d.He suggested that we review the contract.✓
'Suggest' is not followed by 'someone to do'. A correct pattern is 'suggest that + subject + verb', so 'He suggested that we review the contract' is right.