Michigan ECPE English Usage Practice — All Questions
4 questions
Which sentence is correct?
- a.Had I known the truth, I would tell you.
- b.Had I known the truth, I would have told you.✓
- c.Had I know the truth, I would have told you.
- d.Had I known the truth, I will have told you.
This inverted third conditional refers to the unreal past, so the main clause needs 'would have + past participle': 'would have told'. The inverted 'if' clause also requires the past participle 'known'.
Which sentence is grammatically correct?
- a.The data suggests that the results is reliable.
- b.The data suggest that the results is reliable.
- c.The data suggests that the results are reliably.
- d.The data suggest that the results are reliable.✓
In formal usage 'data' is treated as plural ('data suggest'), and 'results' is plural ('results are'). The adjective 'reliable' describes the noun 'results', so 'reliably' would be wrong.
Which sentence uses 'whom' correctly?
- a.The candidate whom the panel selected withdrew.✓
- b.The candidate whom applied was selected.
- c.The candidate who the panel selected him withdrew.
- d.The candidate whom was selected withdrew.
'Whom' is correct as the object of 'selected': the panel selected the candidate. When the relative pronoun is the subject of its clause, 'who' is used instead, as in the incorrect options.
Which sentence avoids the misplaced modifier?
- a.Running for the bus, the umbrella was left behind by Sara.
- b.Running for the bus, the umbrella Sara left behind.
- c.Running for the bus, Sara left her umbrella behind.✓
- d.The umbrella running for the bus was left by Sara.
The introductory phrase 'Running for the bus' must attach to the person doing the running, so 'Sara' should follow it. Only 'Running for the bus, Sara left her umbrella behind' places the runner correctly.