Test Yourself with This Everyday Grammar Quiz
2020-05-22
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1We have an expression in English that goes "Use it or lose it."
2It means that if you do not use or practice an ability, you might lose that ability.
3That could not be more true about English grammar.
4And here at Everyday Grammar, we do not always give you a chance to review the material we teach you.
5So today I am going to do that with a short quiz on some of the grammar rules I have talked about on the show.
6Ready to test yourself?
7Then let's get started.
8I will ask you questions.
9You will have only a short time to choose your answers.
10Question 1. Imagine someone is giving you directions to a supermarket.
11The person wants to express that finding the place is not difficult at all.
12Which of these could they say?
13a-The supermarket is easy finding.
14b-The supermarket is easy to find.
15c-Both are correct.
16The answer is b. The supermarket is easy to find.
17After some adjectives, such as "easy," we use an infinitive verb - not a gerund. In the correct sentence, the infinitive is "to find."
18Question 2. Since the stay-at-home orders began, many of us have been spending a lot of time at home.
19Suppose things were starting to become boring. How might you express it?
20a-I am bored of staying at home every day.
21b-I am bored to stay at home every day.
22c-Both are correct.
23The answer is a: I am bored of staying at home every day.
24Some adjectives, such as "bored," are followed by a preposition.
25And after a preposition, you will find a gerund or some other noun - not an infinitive verb.
26In the correct sentence, the gerund is "staying."
27Question 3. Suppose you were making dinner and got an important phone call.
28So, you set aside what you were doing and took the call. Which of these could you say?
29a-I stopped to take an important call.
30b-I stopped taking an important call.
31c-Both are correct.
32The answer is a: I stopped to take an important call.
33In the correct sentence, "stop" is followed by the infinitive "to take."
34When we follow "stop" with an infinitive verb, it means someone suspends one action for the purpose of doing something else.
35Question 4. This one is about cleft sentences.
36If you do not remember much about them, try reviewing them before answering the question.
37Which of these is an example of a cleft sentence?
38a-It was the film Avengers: Endgame that led theater box offices last year.
39b-It was the superheroes who held the Infinity Stones before Thanos.
40c-Both are cleft sentences.
41The answer is c. Both are cleft sentences.
42In cleft sentences, the first clause gives information that is new to the listener, such as "It was the film Avengers: Endgame..." The relative clause gives information known to the listener, such as "...that led box offices last year."
43Question 5. Imagine that you wanted to tell people about a fun or unusual skill or ability from your childhood days.
44Which of these is a correct way to say it?
45a-I could walk on my hands when I was 10.
46b-I was able to walk on my hands when I was 10.
47c-Both are correct.
48The answer is c. Both are correct. English speakers almost always use the word "could" to talk about general skills or talents from the past.
49"Was able to" is also possible but used less often in spoken English.
50Question 6. Suppose some tree branches kept hitting the top of your house and making noise.
51So, you went up there and cut down the branches. What could you say after the work was done?
52a-I was able to cut down the branches.
53b-I could cut down the branches.
54c-Both are correct.
55The answer is a. I was able to cut down the branches. When talking about a past ability during a specific occasion, we use "was (or) were able to" - not "could."
56Question 7. As a reminder, a collocation is a group of two or more words that is commonly used together.
57Which of the following is an example of a verb + noun collocation?
58a-a stupid mistake
59b-make a mistake
60c-sadly mistaken
61The answer is b. make a mistake. All three answers are examples of collocations, but only "make a mistake" is an example of a verb + noun collocation.
62The verb is "make" and the noun is "mistake."
63Now for our final question:
64Question 8. This one also deals with collocations. Which of these is an adverb + adjective collocation?
65a-happily married
66b-happily alive
67c-thankfully happy
68The answer is a. happily married.
69The other two answers are not examples of ways we commonly put words together.
70So, how did you do on the quiz? Good, I hope.
71If you would like to review any of the grammar from the program today, visit our website, learningenglish.voanews.com.
72Join us again soon for another chance to test yourself.
73I'm Alice Bryant.
1We have an expression in English that goes "Use it or lose it." It means that if you do not use or practice an ability, you might lose that ability. 2That could not be more true about English grammar. 3And here at Everyday Grammar, we do not always give you a chance to review the material we teach you. So today I am going to do that with a short quiz on some of the grammar rules I have talked about on the show. 4Ready to test yourself? Then let's get started. I will ask you questions. You will have only a short time to choose your answers. 5Question 1. Imagine someone is giving you directions to a supermarket. The person wants to express that finding the place is not difficult at all. Which of these could they say? 6a-The supermarket is easy finding. 7b-The supermarket is easy to find. 8c-Both are correct. 9The answer is b. The supermarket is easy to find. After some adjectives, such as "easy," we use an infinitive verb - not a gerund. In the correct sentence, the infinitive is "to find." 10Question 2. Since the stay-at-home orders began, many of us have been spending a lot of time at home. Suppose things were starting to become boring. How might you express it? 11a-I am bored of staying at home every day. 12b-I am bored to stay at home every day. 13c-Both are correct. 14The answer is a: I am bored of staying at home every day. Some adjectives, such as "bored," are followed by a preposition. And after a preposition, you will find a gerund or some other noun - not an infinitive verb. In the correct sentence, the gerund is "staying." 15Question 3. Suppose you were making dinner and got an important phone call. So, you set aside what you were doing and took the call. Which of these could you say? 16a-I stopped to take an important call. 17b-I stopped taking an important call. 18c-Both are correct. 19The answer is a: I stopped to take an important call. In the correct sentence, "stop" is followed by the infinitive "to take." When we follow "stop" with an infinitive verb, it means someone suspends one action for the purpose of doing something else. 20Question 4. This one is about cleft sentences. If you do not remember much about them, try reviewing them before answering the question. Which of these is an example of a cleft sentence? 21a-It was the film Avengers: Endgame that led theater box offices last year. 22b-It was the superheroes who held the Infinity Stones before Thanos. 23c-Both are cleft sentences. 24The answer is c. Both are cleft sentences. 25In cleft sentences, the first clause gives information that is new to the listener, such as "It was the film Avengers: Endgame..." The relative clause gives information known to the listener, such as "...that led box offices last year." 26Question 5. Imagine that you wanted to tell people about a fun or unusual skill or ability from your childhood days. Which of these is a correct way to say it? 27a-I could walk on my hands when I was 10. 28b-I was able to walk on my hands when I was 10. 29c-Both are correct. 30The answer is c. Both are correct. English speakers almost always use the word "could" to talk about general skills or talents from the past. "Was able to" is also possible but used less often in spoken English. 31Question 6. Suppose some tree branches kept hitting the top of your house and making noise. So, you went up there and cut down the branches. What could you say after the work was done? 32a-I was able to cut down the branches. 33b-I could cut down the branches. 34c-Both are correct. 35The answer is a. I was able to cut down the branches. When talking about a past ability during a specific occasion, we use "was (or) were able to" - not "could." 36Question 7. As a reminder, a collocation is a group of two or more words that is commonly used together. Which of the following is an example of a verb + noun collocation? 37a-a stupid mistake 38b-make a mistake 39c-sadly mistaken 40The answer is b. make a mistake. All three answers are examples of collocations, but only "make a mistake" is an example of a verb + noun collocation. The verb is "make" and the noun is "mistake." 41Now for our final question: 42Question 8. This one also deals with collocations. Which of these is an adverb + adjective collocation? 43a-happily married 44b-happily alive 45c-thankfully happy 46The answer is a. happily married. The other two answers are not examples of ways we commonly put words together. 47So, how did you do on the quiz? Good, I hope. 48If you would like to review any of the grammar from the program today, visit our website, learningenglish.voanews.com. 49Join us again soon for another chance to test yourself. 50I'm Alice Bryant. 51Alice Bryant wrote this story for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor. 52________________________________________________________________ 53You can review the following programs to learn more about the grammar from today's quiz. And be sure to practice the grammar at home in your speaking and writing! 54A Common Form: Be + Adjective + Infinitive (for Question 1) 55What Are You Excited About Learning? (for Question 2) 56Verbs that change with Gerunds and Infinitives (for Question 3) 57Cleft Sentences in Speaking, Writing (for Question 4) 58Past Ability: Could, Was Able To, Managed To (for Questions 5 and 6) 59Do These Things to Improve Your Collocations (for Questions 7 and 8) 60________________________________________________________________ 61Words in This Story 62practice - v. to do something again and again in order to get better at it 63review - v. to study or look at something again 64quiz - n. a short spoken or written test that is often taken without preparation 65infinitive - n. the basic form of a verb (to + verb) 66gerund - n. an English noun formed from a verb by adding -ing 67boring - adj. dull and uninteresting 68box office - n. an area in a theater where tickets are sold for a movie or performance 69clause - n. a part of a subject that has its own subject and verb 70branch - n. a part of a tree that grows out from the trunk 71occasion - n. a particular time when something happens