CSE
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Practice Exams

Grammar and Correct Usage (Professional)

Reviewer's Note: The most common error in CSE is Subject-Verb Agreement. Always identify the core subject first, especially when there are prepositional phrases between the subject and the verb.

This section tests your proficiency in standard English grammar.

Sa madaling salita: Sinusukat nito ang iyong galing sa tamang grammar.

Top Grammar Rules to Master

Understanding these core rules will help you navigate most of the questions in the Verbal Ability section.

1. Subject-Verb Agreement

The "Golden Rule": A singular subject takes a singular verb, and a plural subject takes a plural verb.

  • Rule: Words between the subject and verb do not affect agreement. (Ang mga salita sa pagitan ay hindi nakakaapekto.)
    • Incorrect: The box of chocolates are missing.
    • Correct: The box (singular) of chocolates is missing.
  • Rule: Compound subjects joined by "and" are usually plural.
    • Correct: My brother and his friend are coming.
  • Rule: With "or", "nor", "either/or", "neither/nor", the verb agrees with the subject closest to it. (Mag-aagree ang verb sa pinakamalapit na subject.)
    • Correct: Neither the players nor the coach is present.
    • Correct: Neither the coach nor the players are present.
  • Rule: Indefinite pronouns like everyone, everybody, someone, somebody, anyone, anything, each are singular.
    • Correct: Each of the students has a book. (Not "have")

2. Verb Tenses

Consistency is key. Do not shift tenses unnecessarily.

  • Simple Present: General truths or habitual actions. (The sun rises in the east.)
  • Simple Past: Completed actions in the past. (She walked to school yesterday.)
  • Present Perfect: Actions that started in the past and continue to the present. Uses has/have + past participle.
    • Correct: She has lived here for ten years.
  • Past Perfect: Action completed before another past action. Uses had + past participle.
    • Correct: By the time the police arrived, the thief had escaped.

3. Prepositions

Choosing the correct preposition can be tricky as it often depends on idioms.

  • In / On / At (Time):
    • At: Specific times (at 5:00 PM)
    • On: Days and dates (on Monday, on Christmas)
    • In: Months, years, seasons (in July, in 1999, in winter)
  • In / On / At (Place):
    • At: Specific point (at the corner, at the door)
    • On: Surfaces (on the table, on the wall)
    • In: Enclosed spaces (in the box, in the room)

Practice Questions

  1. Subject-Verb Agreement: "The team of players _____ practicing for the finals."

    • A. is
    • B. are
    • C. were
    • D. have
    • Answer: A (is).
    • Hack (Ibig sabihin): Ang subject ay "team" (collective noun na isang unit lang), kaya singular. Ang "of players" ay extra info lang.

  2. Verb Tense: "When I arrived at the station, the train _____."

    • A. leaves
    • B. left
    • C. has left
    • Answer: D (had left).
    • Hack (Ibig sabihin): Past perfect tense ang gamitin para sa action na natapos NA bago pa nangyari ang isa pang action sa past (arrived).

  3. Prepositions: "She has been waiting _____ 8:00 AM."

    • A. for
    • B. since
    • C. in
    • D. at
    • Answer: B (since).
    • Hack (Ibig sabihin): "Since" ang gamitin kapag may simula ng oras (starting point).

  4. Pronouns: "Between you and _____, I think he is lying."

    • A. I
    • B. me
    • C. mine
    • D. myself
    • Answer: B (me).
    • Hack (Ibig sabihin): "Between" ay preposition, kaya dapat objective case ("me") ang kasunod, hindi "I".

  5. Subject-Verb Agreement: "Each of the employees _____ given a bonus."

    • A. was
    • B. were
    • C. have been
    • D. are
    • Answer: A (was).
    • Hack (Ibig sabihin): Ang "Each" ay laging singular.

  6. Correct Usage: "The reason he was late is _____ his car broke down."

    • A. because
    • B. due to
    • C. that
    • D. for
    • Answer: C (that).
    • Hack (Ibig sabihin): Ang tamang construction ay "The reason is... that...". Mali ang "The reason is because" (redundant).

  7. Misplaced Modifier: Choose the sentence with the correct modifier placement:

    • A. I only ate breakfast today.
    • B. I ate only breakfast today.
    • C. Today, I ate breakfast only.
    • D. I ate breakfast today only.
    • Answer: B (I ate only breakfast today).
    • Hack (Ibig sabihin): Ang "Only" ay dapat katabi ng salitang minomodify nito (breakfast). Kung "I only ate...", ibig sabihin kumain ka lang (hindi ka uminom, hindi ka natulog).

  8. Pronoun Case: "The manager selected two people for the project, Maria and _____."

    • A. I
    • B. me
    • C. myself
    • D. mine
    • Answer: B (me).
    • Hack (Ibig sabihin): Object ng verb na "selected" kaya "me".

  9. Verb Tense Consistency: "She started the project yesterday and _____ on it all day."

    • A. works
    • B. will work
    • C. worked
    • D. has worked
    • Answer: C (worked).
    • Hack (Ibig sabihin): Dapat pareho ang tense. "Started" (past) kaya "worked" (past) din.

  10. Prepositions: "The committee will deliberate _____ the proposal tomorrow."

    • A. on
    • B. about
    • C. over
    • D. (no preposition)
    • Answer: D (no preposition).
    • Hack (Ibig sabihin): Ang "deliberate" ay hindi na kailangan ng preposition. Direct object na agad ang kasunod.

  11. Subject-Verb Agreement: "Neither the director nor the actors _____ satisfied with the performance."

    • A. is
    • B. was
    • C. were
    • D. has been
    • Answer: C (were).
    • Hack (Ibig sabihin): Sa "neither/nor", sundin ang subject na mas malapit sa verb ("actors" -> plural).

  12. Correct Usage (Less vs. Fewer): "There are _____ people in the room today than yesterday."

    • A. less
    • B. fewer
    • C. little
    • D. lesser
    • Answer: B (fewer).
    • Hack (Ibig sabihin): "Fewer" para sa nabibilang (people). "Less" para sa hindi nabibilang.

  13. Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement: "Every employee must submit _____ report by Friday."

    • A. his or her
    • B. their
    • C. its
    • D. our
    • Answer: A (his or her).
    • Hack (Ibig sabihin): "Every employee" ay singular. Sa formal writing, "his or her" ang gamit. (Pero tanggap na rin ang "their" sa modern usage).

  14. Verb Mood (Subjunctive): "I wish I _____ richer."

    • A. am
    • B. was
    • C. were
    • D. would be
    • Answer: C (were).
    • Hack (Ibig sabihin): Sa "wish" o hypothetical, "were" ang gamitin.

  15. Parallel Structure: "He enjoys hiking, swimming, and _____."

    • A. to bike
    • B. biking
    • C. to go biking
    • D. bike
    • Answer: B (biking).
    • Hack (Ibig sabihin): Dapat pare-pareho ang form (parallel). Lahat ay -ing form (hiking, swimming). Kaya "biking".

  16. Prepositions: "She is very good _____ convincing people."

    • A. in
    • B. on
    • C. at
    • D. with
    • Answer: C (at).
    • Hack (Ibig sabihin): Ang tamang idiom ay "good at".

  17. Dangling Modifier: "After finishing the report, _____."

    • A. the computer was turned off.
    • B. it was time for a break.
    • C. I took a short break.
    • D. the lights were switched off.
    • Answer: C (I took a short break.)
    • Hack (Ibig sabihin): Sino ang tumapos ng report? Dapat ang kasunod na subject ay yung gumawa ng action ("I").

  18. Subject-Verb Agreement: "The news from the capital _____ not good."

    • A. are
    • B. were
    • C. is
    • D. have been
    • Answer: C (is).
    • Hack (Ibig sabihin): "News" ay singular.

  19. Pronouns: "The person _____ is responsible for this should be held accountable."

    • A. who
    • B. whom
    • C. which
    • D. whose
    • Answer: A (who).
    • Hack (Ibig sabihin): Subject ng "is responsible" kaya "who".

  20. Correct Usage (Affect vs. Effect): "The new law will _____ the economy."

    • A. affect
    • B. effect
    • C. have an affect on
    • D. have an effected
    • Answer: A (affect).
    • Hack (Ibig sabihin): "Affect" (verb) = to influence. "Effect" (noun) = result.