Writing Practice Questions 2

Read the following sentences and select the choice that best replaces the underlined section.

  1. Hours of driving laid ahead of us.
  1. have lain
  2. lay
  3. has lay
  4. lie
  5. No change needed
Show Answer
The correct answer is B!

The past tense of “to lie” is lay. Laid (A) is the past tense of transitive “to lay” (e.g., “He laid the books on the table.”). Present perfect “have lain” (B) makes no sense in this sentence. “Has lay” (D) is a nonexistent construction. Has is singular, whereas the subject hours is plural. Lie (E) changes the meaning to present tense.

 

  1. By the time we get to the picnic area, the rain will stop.
  1. shall stop
  2. will has stopped
  3. shall have stopped
  4. will have stopped
  5. No change needed
Show Answer
The correct answer is D!

Future perfect “will have stopped” is correct with “By the time…” Simple future will stop (A) would agree with “when we get to the picnic area,” but “by the time” indicates something already completed, which in this case is predicted. Shall (B and D) is an auxiliary verb similar to will. Future perfect is will have; there is no such construction as will has (C).

 

  1. If Judy would not have missed the deadline, the yearbook delivery would have been on time.
  1. should have not missed
  2. wouldn’t have missed
  3. had not missed
  4. would have not missed
  5. No change needed
Show Answer
The correct answer is C!

In conditional-subjunctive (if/then) constructions like this, the conditional is “If Judy had not missed the deadline…” The auxiliary would is never used in the conditional, but only in the subjunctive portion (“…the yearbook delivery would have been on time”).

 

  1. We spent Sunday afternoon wandering aimless in the park.
  1. wandering aimlessly
  2. wandering without purpose
  3. wandering in an aimless manner
  4. wandering almost aimlessly
  5. No change needed
Show Answer
The correct answer is A!

The adverb aimlessly correctly modifies the participle wandering. The other choices are wordier or keep the incorrect adjective aimless.

 

  1. Only after I went home did I remember my dental appointment.
  1. had went home
  2. got home
  3. gone home
  4. should go home
  5. No change needed
Show Answer
The correct answer is B!

The idiomatic verb is “got home.” “Had went” is a non‑standard past perfect; “gone home” lacks the auxiliary had; “should go” changes tense; the original “went” is awkward after the introductory phrase.

 

  1. The book lay open at page 77.
  1. laid open
  2. lied open
  3. lain open
  4. was laid open
  5. No change needed
Show Answer
The correct answer is E!

Lay is the simple‑past form of the intransitive verb “to lie.” The other options confuse tense or use the transitive verb “to lay.”

 

  1. By this time next year, Johanna will begin classes at the University of Colorado.
  1. will have begun classes
  2. has began classes
  3. should begin classes
  4. should have begun classes
  5. No change needed
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The correct answer is A!

“By this time next year” calls for the future perfect: will have begun. The other verbs use incorrect tense or meaning.

 

  1. After comparing my air conditioner with the one on sale, I decided that mine was the most efficient.
  1. should be the most efficient
  2. was the more efficient
  3. was by far the most efficient
  4. should be considered the most efficient
  5. No change needed
Show Answer
The correct answer is B!

When comparing only two items, the comparative more efficient is required. Superlative most is used for three or more.

 

  1. I would have liked to have gone swimming yesterday.
  1. to go swimming
  2. to had gone swimming
  3. to go to swim
  4. to of gone swimming
  5. No change needed
Show Answer
The correct answer is A!

After would have liked, a simple infinitive (to go swimming) is standard. The perfect infinitive is unnecessary; the other options are ungrammatical.

 

  1. I wish I read the chapter before I tried to answer the questions.
  1. would read the chapter
  2. should of read the chapter
  3. could have read the chapter
  4. had read the chapter
  5. No change needed
Show Answer
The correct answer is D!

After I wish referring to a past unreal situation, use the past perfect: had read. Other choices misuse tense or the non‑standard of.

 

  1. Nathanael West said that he’d never have written his satirical novel if he had not visited Hollywood.
  1. would have written his
  2. could of written his
  3. could have written his
  4. should of written his
  5. No change needed
Show Answer
The correct answer is A!

In this past‑unreal conditional, the auxiliary would is required: “would never have written.” The other options are non‑standard or change meaning.

 

  1. The smell from the paper mill laid over the town like a blanket.
  1. has lain
  2. will lie
  3. lay
  4. has laid
  5. No change needed
Show Answer
The correct answer is C!

The past tense of intransitive “lie” is lay. Laid and has laid are forms of transitive “lay,” while has lain is the past participle.

 

  1. When I was halfway down the stairs, I suddenly knew what I had wanted to have said.
  1. too say
  2. to have been said
  3. to had say
  4. to say
  5. No change needed
Show Answer
The correct answer is D!

After wanted, the simple infinitive to say is correct. The perfect infinitive is unnecessary; other choices are ungrammatical.

 

  1. I would be more careful if I had been you.
  1. would have been
  2. was
  3. were
  4. could have been
  5. No change needed
Show Answer
The correct answer is C!

In hypothetical present‑time conditions, use the subjunctive were (“if I were you”). The other options are wrong tense or mood.

 

  1. They read where the governor has appointed a special committee to improve the school calendar.
  1. how
  2. were
  3. of where
  4. wear
  5. No change needed
Show Answer
The correct answer is A!

The informal “read where” should be replaced. Of the available choices, how is the only grammatical option; standard usage would be that.

 

  1. In study hall I sit besides Paul Smith, who is captain of the swim team and one of the best swimmers in the state.
  1. sat beside
  2. have set beside
  3. sit beside
  4. have sit beside
  5. No change needed
Show Answer
The correct answer is C!

The correct preposition is beside, not besides. Present tense sit matches the time frame.

 

  1. Anna Karenina has been read with enjoyment for over 100 years.
  1. will have been read
  2. shall have been read
  3. is being read
  4. was read
  5. No change needed
Show Answer
The correct answer is E!

The present perfect passive has been read correctly describes an action that began in the past and continues.

 

  1. Many 19th‑century biographers rely on their imaginations, not on real facts.
  1. relied on their imaginations,
  2. have relied on their imaginations
  3. could have relied on their imaginations,
  4. could rely on their imaginations:
  5. No change needed
Show Answer
The correct answer is A!

Because the biographers lived in the 19th century, use the simple past relied. Present tense rely is illogical.

 

  1. The private lives of politicians, generals, and other notables fascinates the reading public.
  1. have fascinated the reading
  2. will fascinate the reading
  3. fascinate the reading
  4. has fascinate the reading
  5. No change needed
Show Answer
The correct answer is C!

The subject lives is plural, so the verb must be plural: fascinate, not fascinates.

 

  1. The small man chose a seat near the door and carefully sat down.
  1. will sit
  2. could of sat
  3. have sit down
  4. set down
  5. No change needed
Show Answer
The correct answer is E!

The simple past sat is already correct and needs no change. Other choices mis‑handle tense or confuse sit/set.

 

  1. Last summer I worked in the chemical laboratory at the Brass Company; most of the work came into the lab for testing marked with the words top priority.
  1. words‑top priority.
  2. words: Top priority.
  3. words, “Top Priority.”
  4. words “top priority.”
  5. No change needed
Show Answer
The correct answer is C!

The phrase should be set off with a comma and quotation marks: words, “Top Priority.” Hyphenation, a colon, or lower‑case quotes are less conventional here.