Intermediate common grammar mistakes. 45 questions on who vs whom, less/fewer, that vs which, and common confusable word pairs.
What this test covers
- Who vs Whom
- Less vs Fewer and Amount vs Number
- That vs Which and Other Confusable Pairs
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All 45 questions with answers
Pick an answer for each question to see if you are right, with the explanation. Submit when you are done; you can submit before answering them all.
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Q1___ did you invite to the annual conference last week?
Answer: D. Whom
In formal English, 'Whom' is the object pronoun used when the person is receiving the action of the verb. Here, 'you' is the subject and 'Whom' is the person being invited. While 'Who' is common in casual speech, 'Whom' is technically correct for the object position.
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Q2We have ___ employees than we did last year.
Answer: B. fewer
The noun 'employees' is a plural countable noun. Use 'fewer' for countable items and 'less' for uncountable mass nouns (like 'water' or 'time'). 'Amount' and 'number' are nouns and do not function as comparative adjectives here.
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Q3The company has lost ___ market share this quarter.
Answer: B. its
'Its' is the possessive adjective meaning 'belonging to it.' In contrast, 'it's' is a contraction for 'it is' or 'it has.' Since the market share belongs to the company, the possessive 'its' is required.
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Q4The person ___ I spoke to yesterday was very helpful.
Answer: B. whom
'Whom' is the object pronoun used in relative clauses when the person is the object of a preposition (here, 'to'). Although 'who' is often used in modern conversation, 'whom' is the standard choice in formal grammar when following the subject 'I' and the verb 'spoke'.
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Q5A large ___ of data was lost during the update.
Answer: B. amount
'Amount' is used for uncountable (mass) nouns like 'data' or 'information.' 'Number' is reserved for plural countable nouns (e.g., 'a large number of files'). 'Many' and 'fewer' are adjectives and do not fit the 'A large [noun] of' structure.
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Q6They left their laptops over ___ on the desk.
Answer: B. there
'There' is an adverb used to indicate a place or position. Do not confuse it with 'their' (possessive adjective) or 'they're' (contraction of 'they are'). 'There's' is a contraction of 'there is,' which does not fit the context of location.
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Q7___ is coming to the office party tonight?
Answer: C. Who
'Who' is a subject pronoun, meaning it performs the action of the verb ('is coming'). 'Whom' is an object pronoun. Since we are asking about the person doing the action, 'Who' is the correct choice.
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Q8Please use ___ paper for the final report.
Answer: A. less
'Paper' is treated as an uncountable noun in this context. Use 'less' for uncountable nouns and 'fewer' for countable nouns (like 'fewer sheets'). 'Many' and 'number' would require a plural countable noun to follow.
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Q9She is taller ___ her brother.
Answer: C. than
'Than' is a conjunction used specifically for comparisons. It is often confused with 'then,' which is an adverb used to indicate time or a sequence of events. 'There' and 'that' do not function as comparative particles.
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Q10To ___ should I address this formal letter?
Answer: B. whom
In formal English, when a pronoun follows a preposition like 'To,' you must use the object form 'whom.' While 'who' is common in spoken English, 'To whom' is the standard grammatical construction. 'Which' and 'that' refer to things, not people.
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Q11A large ___ of people attended the seminar.
Answer: A. number
'Number' is used for plural countable nouns like 'people.' Use 'amount' for uncountable nouns (e.g., 'a large amount of money'). 'Little' and 'less' are used for quantities and comparisons of uncountable nouns and do not fit the structure of this sentence.
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Q12Identify the correct sentence with a defining relative clause:
Answer: D. The laptop that I bought last week is faulty.
A defining relative clause provides essential information to identify the noun and should not be set off by commas. 'That' is the standard pronoun for these clauses. Adding commas (as seen in the other options) would turn it into a non-defining clause, which is for extra, non-essential information.
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Q13___ wrote this article about the new software?
Answer: A. Who
'Who' is the subject pronoun required to perform the action of the verb 'wrote.' 'Whom' is an object pronoun. 'Which' is used for choosing between options, and 'To whom' is a prepositional phrase that does not fit the subject position.
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Q14The team has been working long hours. There are ___ mistakes in this draft than the previous one.
Answer: D. fewer
The word 'mistakes' is a plural countable noun. In comparisons, use 'fewer' for countable nouns and 'less' for uncountable nouns (like 'less work'). 'Number' and 'amount' are nouns and cannot modify 'mistakes' directly as comparative adjectives.
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Q15Does the cold weather ___ your health?
Answer: B. affect
'Affect' is typically a verb meaning 'to influence' or 'to produce a change in.' 'Effect' is usually a noun meaning 'the result.' Since the sentence needs a verb to follow the auxiliary 'does,' 'affect' is the correct choice.
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Q16The manager ___ we interviewed last week has accepted the job.
Answer: A. whom
'Whom' is the object pronoun used when the person receives the action of the verb (we interviewed 'him' or 'her'). 'Who' is a subject pronoun, 'whose' shows possession, and 'which' is used for objects. In formal writing, 'whom' is preferred as the object of 'interviewed'.
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Q17Traffic was very heavy this morning. The ___ of cars on the highway has increased significantly.
Answer: C. number
'Number' is used for plural countable nouns like 'cars.' 'Amount' is used for uncountable mass nouns (e.g., 'the amount of traffic'). 'Fewer' and 'less' are adjectives and do not fit after the article 'The' in this noun position.
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Q18___ a beautiful day for a walk.
Answer: C. It's
'It's' is the contraction of 'it is,' which provides the subject and verb for this sentence. Do not confuse it with 'its,' which is a possessive adjective. 'It has' and 'It's been' would require a past participle to be complete here.
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Q19___ are you planning to take to the airport?
Answer: D. Whom
'Whom' is the object pronoun used because the person is the object being taken by the subject 'you.' While 'Who' is common in casual English, 'Whom' is the correct formal choice for the object of a verb. 'Which' and 'Whose' do not fit the context of identifying a person.
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Q20We need ___ time to finish the project.
Answer: B. less
'Time' is an uncountable noun in this context. 'Less' is the comparative adjective used for uncountable nouns, whereas 'fewer' is used for countable nouns (like 'fewer hours'). 'Number' and 'many' are only used with countable nouns.
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Q21___ going to the meeting later.
Answer: D. They're
'They're' is a contraction of 'they are,' serving as the subject and verb of the sentence. 'Their' is a possessive adjective, and 'there' is an adverb of place. 'Theirs' is a possessive pronoun used to replace a noun.
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Q22___ do you think is the best candidate for the position?
Answer: D. Who
'Who' is the subject pronoun for the verb 'is.' Even though 'do you think' is inserted into the sentence, 'Who' remains the subject performing the action of 'being' the candidate. 'Whom' is an object pronoun and would be incorrect here.
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Q23A significant ___ of resources were allocated to the project.
Answer: B. number
'Resources' is a plural countable noun, so 'number' is the correct collective noun. Use 'amount' for uncountable items like 'money' or 'equipment.' 'Fewer' and 'many' are adjectives and cannot fill the noun slot in the phrase 'A significant [noun] of...'
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Q24He finished the report, ___ he went home.
Answer: A. then
'Then' is an adverb used to indicate a sequence of time, meaning 'after that.' 'Than' is used only for comparisons. 'There' refers to place, and 'that' is a relative pronoun or conjunction that does not indicate time order.
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Q25With ___ did you discuss the project proposal?
Answer: C. whom
Formal grammar requires the object pronoun 'whom' after a preposition like 'with.' 'Who' is a subject pronoun and is considered incorrect following a preposition. 'That' and 'which' are used for objects, not people.
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Q26___ cars are on the road during the holiday.
Answer: D. Fewer
'Fewer' is the comparative adjective used with plural countable nouns like 'cars.' 'Less' is used for uncountable mass nouns (e.g., 'less traffic'). 'Amount' is a noun and cannot modify 'cars' directly in this sentence.
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Q27The car, ___ was parked outside, has been moved.
Answer: A. which
This is a non-defining relative clause, which provides extra, non-essential information and is separated by commas. 'Which' is the correct pronoun for non-defining clauses referring to objects. 'That' is generally used for defining clauses without commas.
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Q28___ called the office while I was at lunch?
Answer: B. Who
'Who' is the subject pronoun needed to perform the action of the verb 'called.' 'Whom' is an object pronoun. 'Which' implies a choice from a limited group, and 'To whom' is a prepositional phrase that doesn't fit the subject position.
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Q29A small ___ of participants expressed concerns.
Answer: A. number
'Participants' is a plural countable noun, so 'number' is the correct noun to use. 'Amount' is used for uncountable nouns. 'Less' and 'much' are adjectives and do not fit the structure 'A small [noun] of...'
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Q30The ___ of the new law is still unknown.
Answer: D. effect
'Effect' is the noun meaning 'the result' or 'the consequence.' 'Affect' is usually a verb meaning 'to influence.' Since the word follows the article 'The,' a noun is required.
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Q31___ did the committee choose for the new role?
Answer: A. Whom
'Whom' is the object pronoun used because the person is the object of the action 'choose' (the committee chose him/her). While 'Who' is common in speech, 'Whom' is correct for objects in formal grammar.
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Q32This task requires ___ effort than the previous one.
Answer: D. less
'Effort' is an uncountable noun. Use 'less' for uncountable comparisons and 'fewer' for plural countable nouns (e.g., 'fewer tasks'). 'Many' and 'number' are used for countable items and do not fit here.
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Q33The cat licked ___ paw.
Answer: D. its
'Its' is the possessive adjective meaning 'belonging to it.' Do not confuse it with 'it's,' which is the contraction for 'it is' or 'it has.' A cat licks its own paw, so the possessive form is required.
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Q34The client ___ we met yesterday was very impressed.
Answer: B. whom
'Whom' is the object pronoun used here because 'the client' is the object of the verb 'met' (we met the client). Although 'who' is often used in speech, 'whom' is formally correct. 'Which' and 'what' are not used to refer to people.
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Q35The ___ of students in the class is growing.
Answer: D. number
'Number' is used for plural countable nouns like 'students.' 'Amount' is for uncountable nouns. 'Fewer' and 'less' are adjectives and cannot follow the article 'The' in this noun position.
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Q36___ the ones who signed the contract.
Answer: A. They're
'They're' is the contraction of 'they are,' providing the subject and verb for the sentence. 'Their' is a possessive adjective, 'there' refers to a place, and 'theirs' is a possessive pronoun.
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Q37For ___ are you holding these documents?
Answer: D. whom
After a preposition like 'For,' the object pronoun 'whom' must be used. Using 'who' after a preposition is grammatically incorrect in formal English. 'That' and 'which' are used for things, not people.
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Q38___ options are available in the basic subscription plan.
Answer: B. Fewer
'Options' is a plural countable noun. 'Fewer' is the correct adjective for countable nouns in comparisons or quantities. 'Less' and 'Much' are used for uncountable mass nouns like 'money' or 'data'.
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Q39I would rather have tea ___ coffee.
Answer: A. than
'Than' is the conjunction used to introduce the second element in a comparison or preference. 'Then' refers to time or sequence. 'There' and 'that' do not function as comparative markers.
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Q40___ has been assigned to the new research team?
Answer: A. Who
'Who' is the subject pronoun needed to serve as the subject of the passive verb 'has been assigned.' 'Whom' is an object pronoun. 'To whom' would only be used if the sentence were 'To whom was the task assigned?'
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Q41An enormous ___ of money was spent on marketing.
Answer: D. amount
'Money' is an uncountable noun, so 'amount' is the correct word. 'Number' is used for countable nouns (e.g., 'a number of dollars'). 'Fewer' and 'many' are adjectives and do not fit the structure of the noun phrase 'An enormous [noun] of...'
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Q42The report, ___ was finished yesterday, is on your desk.
Answer: C. which
The commas indicate a non-defining relative clause, which adds extra information about the report. 'Which' is the correct relative pronoun for non-defining clauses referring to things. 'That' is typically used for defining clauses without commas.
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Q43___ did you see at the trade fair?
Answer: C. Whom
'Whom' is the object pronoun required here because the person is the object of the verb 'see' (you saw him/her). While 'who' is common in everyday speech, 'whom' is the correct formal choice for the object position.
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Q44There are ___ opportunities for promotion here.
Answer: B. fewer
'Opportunities' is a plural countable noun, so 'fewer' is the correct comparative adjective. 'Less' is used for uncountable nouns like 'work' or 'space.' 'Number' and 'amount' are nouns and do not fit the adjective position here.
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Q45The new policy had a positive ___ on employee morale.
Answer: C. effect
In this context, we need a noun meaning 'result' or 'influence.' 'Effect' is the noun, while 'affect' is usually the verb. 'Effective' is an adjective, and 'effects' is the plural noun, but the singular 'effect' fits the article 'a'.
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