ANSWERS to 'Test your English'

How well did you do? Find out by checking the answers below.

Choose the correct sentence:

1. (C). Well, he wrote a lot of plays
2. (B). He ought to arrive at the office earlier
3. (C). They didn't forget to lock the door
4. (D). I saw George in London.

Word Usage

Affect and Effect:

1. How will this affect my career prospects?
2. What effect will this have on my children?

'Affect' is a verb. 'Effect' is commonly used as a noun.

Raise and Rise:

1. She raised an important point at the meeting yesterday.
2. Bank lending rates rose by 0.5% last month.

'Raise' is a regular verb and takes a direct object. 'Rise' is an irregular verb and never takes a direct object.

Note that in British English, an increase in salary is called a rise; in American English it's a raise.

Advice and Advise:

1. Take some advice: be careful.
2. I advise you not to go there.

'Advice' is a noun. 'Advise' is a verb.

Stationary and Stationery:

1. Can you get me a pen from the stationery cupboard, please?
2. The car was stationary when I hit it.

Stationary means 'standing still'. Stationery is a collective term for pens, paper, ink, envelopes, etc.

Understanding the meaning

'Because it was too expensive...'

In sentence 1 (because ...) the reader does not already know that the order was too expensive. In sentence 2 (since ...), he does already know.

'Because' introduces a new fact and also gives a reason; 'since' mentions a fact which is already known, and gives a reason.

'Best Breaks Ltd propose...'

The correct answer is sentence 1 (propose to settle...). Best Breaks are suggesting to pay the amount that they owe. In other words, they have a debt which they must pay. In sentence 2 (propose you settle...) they are suggesting that their customer pays the money in three parts.

Punctuation

The apostrophe:

1. It's strange because my dog wouldn't eat its food at my parents' house.

* It's is a contraction for it was. Therefore, an apostrophe is required;
* Wouldn't is a contraction for would not.  Therefore, an apostrophe is required;
* Personal possessive pronouns (its, his, hers) do not use apostrophes;
* If a plural is formed by adding an s (eg: parents), add an apostrophe to the end;
* If a plural is irregular, add an apostrophe and an s (eg: the children's party).

The comma:

1. The game was over, but the crowd refused to leave.

2. While I was eating, the cat scratched at the door.

3. Because her alarm clock was broken, she was late for class.

4. They missed the bus because they had the wrong timetable.

5. That Tuesday, which happens to be my birthday, is the only day I am available to meet.

* Use commas to separate independent clauses when they are joined by any of these seven co-ordinating conjunctions: and, but, for, or, nor, so, yet.
* Use commas after introductory clauses, phrases, or words that come before the main clause.
* However, don't put a comma after the main clause when a dependent (subordinate) clause follows it (except for cases of extreme contrast).
* Use a pair of commas in the middle of a sentence to set off clauses, phrases and words that are not essential to the meaning of the sentence.