Basics of phrases. 45 questions on noun phrases, verb phrases, and prepositional phrases.
What this test covers
- Noun Phrases
- Verb Phrases
- Prepositional Phrases
Answer the 45 questions below. Each answer is checked straight away, with an explanation. Press Submit at the end to get your score and save it to your dashboard. Answers are not kept if you leave before submitting.
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___ cat is sleeping on the sofa. (The specific cat we discussed)
Answer: A. The
We use 'The' when we are talking about one specific thing that both people know about. 'A' or 'An' are used for any general thing.
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Q2She has a ___ bag.
Answer: C. small red
In English, we usually put size words (like small) before color words (like red). So, 'small red' is the correct order.
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Q3In the sentence 'The tall boy runs', which part is the noun phrase?
Answer: D. The tall boy
A noun phrase is a group of words that names a person or thing. It usually includes the noun (boy) and describing words (The tall).
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Q4Choose the grammatically correct version: 'I bought a red big apple.'
Answer: B. I bought a big red apple.
When using two describing words, size (big) usually comes before color (red). We say 'a big red apple' without needing commas between them.
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Q5What is the subject noun phrase in: 'The happy child plays outside.'
Answer: B. The happy child
The subject is the person or thing doing the action. In this sentence, 'The happy child' is the one who is playing.
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Q6What is the object noun phrase in: 'I ate the delicious pizza.'
Answer: C. the delicious pizza
The object is the thing that receives the action. Here, 'the delicious pizza' is what was eaten.
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Q7Choose the correct noun phrase:
Answer: A. an old book
We use 'an' before words that start with a vowel sound (a, e, i, o, u). Since 'old' starts with 'o', we say 'an old book'.
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Q8Identify the noun phrase in: 'He bought the new car.'
Answer: A. the new car
A noun phrase is the group of words naming the thing. Here, 'the new car' is the group naming the object he bought.
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Q9___ students are quiet today.
Answer: B. These
We use 'These' for plural words (more than one). Since 'students' is plural, 'This', 'An', and 'A' are incorrect because they are for single things.
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Q10Choose the grammatically correct version: 'That car red is fast.'
Answer: C. That red car is fast.
In English, describing words like 'red' must come before the noun they describe. So, 'red car' is correct.
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Q11Choose the correct noun phrase:
Answer: B. the beautiful white house
The correct order is: the/a + opinion (beautiful) + color (white) + noun (house). Words like 'the' always come at the very beginning.
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Q12Identify the noun phrase in: 'The cold water feels good.'
Answer: D. The cold water
The noun phrase is the whole group of words naming the subject. 'The cold water' names what we are talking about.
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Q13___ books are on the table.
Answer: D. Those
We use 'Those' for plural words (more than one). 'That', 'An', and 'A' are only used for single things.
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Q14Choose the grammatically correct version: 'I saw an apple green.'
Answer: C. I saw a green apple.
Describing words like 'green' go before the noun ('apple'). Since 'green' starts with a consonant sound, we use 'a' instead of 'an'.
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Q15What is the role of 'The clever student' in 'The clever student studied hard'?
Answer: C. Subject
The subject is the person or thing doing the action. 'The clever student' is the person who performed the action of studying.
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Q16He ___ reading a book right now.
Answer: B. is
For 'He', 'She', or 'It', we use the helper word 'is' with an '-ing' action word. Example: 'He is eating.'
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Q17Identify the verb phrase in: 'She has been working.'
Answer: D. has been working
A verb phrase includes the main action word ('working') and any helper words ('has been').
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Q18Choose the grammatically correct version: 'He are eating lunch.'
Answer: B. He is eating lunch.
We use 'is' for one person (He, She, It) and 'are' for many people (They, We) or 'You'. 'He is eating' is correct.
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Q19Choose the correct verb phrase:
Answer: C. will play
After the helper word 'will', we always use the simplest form of the action word. We say 'will play', not 'will playing'.
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Q20They ___ playing football in the park.
Answer: B. are
We use 'are' for plural subjects like 'They' and 'We'. 'They are playing' describes what they are doing now.
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Q21Which of these is a verb phrase?
Answer: D. is sleeping
A verb phrase describes an action. 'Is sleeping' is an action. The others are noun phrases because they name things like a dog or a car.
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Q22Choose the grammatically correct version: 'She has go to school.'
Answer: C. She has gone to school.
When we use 'has' or 'have' to talk about the past, we need the third form of the verb. For 'go', that form is 'gone'.
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Q23Identify the verb phrase in: 'We have finished our task.'
Answer: C. have finished
The verb phrase is the part that shows the action. It includes the helper word 'have' and the action word 'finished'.
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Q24You ___ go now if you are tired.
Answer: A. should
We use 'should' to give advice or a suggestion. 'Should go' is a verb phrase used to say it is a good idea to leave.
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Q25In 'is walking', which part is the auxiliary?
Answer: D. is
An auxiliary is a 'helper' word. In 'is walking', the word 'is' helps the main action 'walking' show that it is happening now.
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Q26Choose the grammatically correct version: 'They was running home.'
Answer: D. They were running home.
In the past, we use 'were' for more than one person (They, We). We use 'was' for only one person (I, He, She, It). 'They is running home' uses the wrong auxiliary for a plural subject, and 'They be running home' is non-standard in formal English.
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Q27I ___ already eaten my dinner.
Answer: C. have
To talk about an action that happened before now, we use 'have' with the past form of the verb ('eaten'). We always use 'have' with 'I'.
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Q28Choose the correct verb phrase:
Answer: A. must study
After helper words like 'must', 'can', or 'should', we use the base form of the verb. We say 'must study', not 'must studying'.
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Q29Identify the verb phrase in: 'They might have finished.'
Answer: C. might have finished
The whole verb phrase includes the modal word ('might'), the helper ('have'), and the main action ('finished').
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Q30The book is ___ the table.
Answer: D. on
We use 'on' when something is resting on top of a surface. 'In the table' would mean inside the table. 'Above the table' means floating or hanging over it without touching. 'Into' is a direction word (showing movement toward the inside of something), not a position word.
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Q31In 'We ate at noon', what information does the prepositional phrase give?
Answer: A. Time
The phrase 'at noon' tells us when something happened, so it is a phrase about time.
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Q32In 'She lives in London', what information does the prepositional phrase give?
Answer: C. Place
The phrase 'in London' tells us where she lives, so it is a phrase about place.
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Q33Choose the grammatically correct version: 'He goes to school on bus.'
Answer: B. He goes to school by bus.
When talking about travel, we use 'by' followed by the type of transport, such as 'by bus', 'by car', or 'by train'.
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Q34Choose the correct prepositional phrase:
Answer: D. in the morning
In English, we always say 'in the morning', 'in the afternoon', and 'in the evening'. But we say 'at night'.
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Q35In 'He walked with care', what does 'with care' describe?
Answer: D. Manner
'Manner' means how an action is done. 'With care' explains how he walked.
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Q36The cat is ___ the box.
Answer: D. in
We use 'in' when something is inside a space or a container, like a box or a drawer. 'At the box' is not a natural phrase for a cat's location. 'Above the box' means floating or hanging over it. 'Onto the box' implies movement — climbing onto it — not a static position.
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Q37Identify the prepositional phrase in: 'The cat is under the bed.'
Answer: C. under the bed
A prepositional phrase starts with a word like 'under', 'on', or 'at' and includes the noun that follows it ('the bed').
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Q38Choose the grammatically correct version: 'The party is at Saturday.'
Answer: B. The party is on Saturday.
We use 'on' for specific days of the week, like 'on Monday' or 'on Saturday'. We use 'at' for times like 'at 5:00'.
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Q39Choose the correct prepositional phrase for a location inside a room:
Answer: A. in the room
We use 'in' when someone or something is inside a building or a room.
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Q40In 'We met at 5 PM', what information does the phrase give?
Answer: D. Time
The phrase 'at 5 PM' tells us the exact time of the meeting.
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Q41She spoke ___ a loud voice.
Answer: D. in
We use the word 'in' to describe the way someone speaks. For example, 'in a quiet voice' or 'in a loud voice'.
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Q42Choose the correct prepositional phrase for time:
Answer: D. in the afternoon
We use 'in' for parts of the day, such as 'in the morning' or 'in the afternoon'.
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Q43In 'The key is on the hook', what type of phrase is 'on the hook'?
Answer: A. Prepositional phrase
It is a prepositional phrase because it starts with a preposition ('on') and describes a location.
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Q44Choose the grammatically correct version: 'The meeting is at the Monday.'
Answer: B. The meeting is on Monday.
We use 'on' for days of the week. We do not need the word 'the' before the day. So, 'on Monday' is correct.
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Q45Choose the correct prepositional phrase:
Answer: D. at the park
We say 'at the park' to describe being at a specific location or place.
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