English

(c) do they?

"None" is negative in meaning, so the question tag must be positive. With a plural-type reference ("my friends") the tag pronoun is "they", and the main verb "has" (a lexical verb) takes the auxiliary "do".

(c) I haven't passed the test yet.

In negative sentences "already" changes to "yet", and "yet" goes at the end of the sentence.

(c) When did Ramesh sell mobile phone?

The underlined answer "last week" is a time expression, so the question word is "When". The past simple needs "did" plus the base verb "sell".

(c) My father asked me if I had bought some mangoes for him the previous day.

A yes/no question is reported with "asked ... if", the past simple becomes the past perfect (had bought), and "yesterday" becomes "the previous day". Option (c) is the only one that fits these rules and ends as a statement rather than a question.

(d) The secret was not known.

"Nobody" gives the negative meaning, so the passive is made negative: past simple passive "was not known". Options (a) and (b) use the wrong tense, and (b) has a double negative.

(a) When I opened the fridge, I saw a packet of sausages.

Both actions are in the simple past, one following the other, so "open" becomes "opened".

(b) a

"European" begins with the consonant sound /j/ (as in "yoo"), so we use "a", not "an".

(a) on

"Keep on" is a phrasal verb meaning to continue, so "Keep on your attempts" means do not stop trying.

(b) can't

Because he is very careless, the speaker is sure he will not pass. "Can't" expresses strong negative certainty (impossibility), whereas "must" and "may/might" do not fit the meaning.

(a) to wash

With "get" used causatively and a person as the object, the verb that follows takes "to": get someone to do something.

(b) when

The antecedent "time of the year" is a time word, so the relative adverb "when" is used.

(a) is

"Together with" does not make the subject plural. The verb agrees with the first subject, "My sister", which is singular, so "is".

(a) Despite

"Despite her hard work" is correct, since "despite" is followed by a noun phrase. "Although" and "even though" need a full clause, and "Inspite" is a wrong spelling (it should be "in spite of").

(d) Suggesting

"Let's" + verb is used to propose an activity that includes the speaker, which is a suggestion.

(b) To start a conversation.

"Break the ice" means to say or do something that eases tension and starts a conversation among people who do not know each other.

(a) yourself

The sentence addresses Ramesh directly (imperative, subject "you"), so the reflexive pronoun is "yourself".

(b) would have won

This is a third conditional (If + past perfect, would have + past participle), expressing an unreal past situation.

(b) Downpour

"Raining cats and dogs" means raining very heavily.

(d) pediatrician

A pediatrician treats children. A cardiologist treats the heart, an oncologist cancer, and a urologist the urinary system.

(c) four

Ed-u-ca-tion: /ˌedʒuˈkeɪʃn/ has four syllables.

(d) is

"News" is an uncountable noun that looks plural but takes a singular verb. The sentence is in the present ("today"), so "is".

(d) stomach

Bench, which and much all end in the sound /tʃ/. In "stomach" the final "ch" is pronounced /k/ (/ˈstʌmək/).

(a) optimist

An optimist always looks at the bright side. A pessimist sees the dark side, and a skeptic doubts claims.

(b) poor

An adjective is needed before the noun "family", so "poor" is correct. "Poorly" is an adverb, and "poorer" is comparative.

(a) principal

"Principal" means the head of a school. "Principle" means a rule or belief, and the other two are misspellings.

(b) happiness

Disappointment is the feeling of sadness when hopes fail; its opposite is happiness (satisfaction).

(d) Which pen did Ram buy?

The passive "Which pen was bought by Ram?" has the object "which pen" as subject. In the active voice the question uses the auxiliary "did" with the base verb: "Which pen did Ram buy?"

(c) polished

The causative "get + object + past participle" means to have something done by someone else: "I got my shoes polished."

(d) to

"Forbid someone to do something" takes a to-infinitive: "forbade my grandfather to walk". "Not to" would double the negation.

(d) Did Tony go to the dentist last week?

For a simple past statement, a Yes/No question uses "Did" + subject + base form of the verb ("go", not "went").

(c) will melt.

This is the first conditional: present simple in the if-clause and "will" + verb in the main clause, giving a certain result.

(b) are

With "either...or", the verb agrees with the noun nearest to it. The nearer noun is "paintings" (plural), so "are" is used; "today" shows present time.

(d) glitters.

"All that glitters is not gold" is a proverb. "That" refers to a singular thing and the verb is in the simple present, so "glitters" is used.

(a) She will buy a new sari tomorrow.

To change an interrogative into a statement, put the subject before the auxiliary and keep the same tense: "Will she buy...?" becomes "She will buy...".

(b) She is not the only one who can solve it.

"Only she can solve it" means no one else can. Its negation denies this, so someone other than she can also solve it. Options (a), (c) and (d) restate or change the meaning rather than negate it.

(a) painted

The causative "have + object + past participle" is used when someone else does the work for us: "is having his house painted".

(c) cry

After the causative verb "make" in the active voice, the object is followed by the bare infinitive: "make me cry".

(d) might

The speaker is not certain where Rahul is, so a modal of possibility is needed. "Might" expresses a weak possibility.

(b) She can speak three languages fluently.

"Can" expresses ability. "Should" gives advice, "must" shows obligation and "might" shows possibility.

(d) whose

The relative pronoun shows possession: "the doctor's suggestion" becomes "whose suggestion".

(b) whom

"Whom" is the object of "trust" in the relative clause: everyone can trust her. The preposition is not needed, so "with whom" or "at whom" would change the meaning.

(c) both are adverbs

"Fast" modifies the verb "runs" and is an adverb here. "Very" modifies the adverb "fast", so it is also an adverb.

(c) as heavy as metal

"Metal is heavier than wood" means wood is less heavy, so wood is not as heavy as metal.

(a) a soothing song sung to put a baby to sleep.

A lullaby is a gentle song sung to calm a baby and help it fall asleep.

(b) Balancing greenhouse gas emissions with removal from the atmosphere.

Net zero means the greenhouse gases we emit are balanced by an equal amount removed, so the net addition to the atmosphere is zero. It does not mean zero emissions.

(d) a

"Unit" begins with the consonant sound /j/, so the indefinite article "a" is used: the family is a unit of society.

(a) the

The hospital is a specific, known one (where the relative was admitted), so the definite article is used.

(c) to

The verb "marry" or "be married" takes the preposition "to": "was married to".

(b) by

"By the river" means beside or near the river, which suits a house location.

(a) won't leave

This is a promise made at the moment of speaking, so "will" (here negative) is used: "I won't leave without you".

(b) had already left

Two past actions are described, and the bus's leaving happened first. The earlier action takes the past perfect, and "already" fits naturally.

(c) Despite

"Her age" is a noun phrase, so a preposition is needed. "Despite" is a preposition of contrast; "although" and "though" need a clause.

(b) She didn't like the movie; however, she watched it till the end.

As a conjunctive adverb, "however" is preceded by a semicolon and followed by a comma. Option (a) makes a comma splice and (c) misuses "however" as a clause opener.

(c) shall we?

A sentence beginning with "Let's" takes the tag "shall we?".

(a) don't we?

"Have to" is a main verb needing the auxiliary "do" in questions, and the subject is "we", so the tag is "don't we?".

(c) Sumana thanked me for my help.

The reporting verb "said to" with an expression of thanks becomes "thanked", followed directly by the object ("me") and "for ...". "Thanked to me" is wrong because "thank" takes no preposition before its object.

(d) The girls have eaten

The passive "has been eaten" is present perfect, so the active form is "have eaten" with the agent "the girls" as subject.

(b) having my photograph taken.

"Don't like" is followed by a gerund. The causative-passive form "having + object + past participle" means someone else does the action for/to me.

(d) I am followed home every evening.

The active sentence is simple present, so the passive is "am/is/are + past participle". "Somebody" is an indefinite agent and is normally omitted. "Being followed" would be continuous, which changes the tense.

(a) would have had

This is a third conditional (inverted "Had I been" = "If I had been"), so the main clause takes "would have + past participle": would have had.