Possessive with Gerunds Practice Test — Intermediate

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.

1. Q1We were all surprised by Dr. Smith's arriving without prior notice.

   ADr. Smith's arriving BDr. Smith arriving CDr. Smith to arriv DDr. Smith's for arriving

   Answer: A. Dr. Smith's arriving

   In formal writing, use the possessive noun (Dr. Smith's) before the gerund (arriving) to indicate the agent of the action.

2. Q2The committee voiced strong objections to the director's leaving the proposal.

   Athe director's leaving Bthe director leaving Cthe director to leaving Dthe director's of leaving

   Answer: A. the director's leaving

   The preposition 'to' is followed by a gerund noun clause modified by a possessive noun (the director's).

3. Q3Did anyone foresee the manager's joining from the team?

   Athe manager's joining Bthe manager joining Cthe manager to be joining Dthe manager's to joining

   Answer: A. the manager's joining

   Formal style requires a possessive noun (the manager's) to modify the gerund verb-noun (joining).

4. Q4We were all surprised by Professor Lee's winning without prior notice.

   AProfessor Lee's winning BProfessor Lee winning CProfessor Lee to winn DProfessor Lee's for winning

   Answer: A. Professor Lee's winning

   In formal writing, use the possessive noun (Professor Lee's) before the gerund (winning) to indicate the agent of the action.

5. Q5The committee voiced strong objections to the witness's resigning the proposal.

   Athe witness's resigning Bthe witness resigning Cthe witness to resigning Dthe witness's of resigning

   Answer: A. the witness's resigning

   The preposition 'to' is followed by a gerund noun clause modified by a possessive noun (the witness's).

6. Q6Did anyone foresee the candidate's complaining from the team?

   Athe candidate's complaining Bthe candidate complaining Cthe candidate to be complaining Dthe candidate's to complaining

   Answer: A. the candidate's complaining

   Formal style requires a possessive noun (the candidate's) to modify the gerund verb-noun (complaining).

7. Q7We were all surprised by the officer's helping without prior notice.

   Athe officer's helping Bthe officer helping Cthe officer to help Dthe officer's for helping

   Answer: A. the officer's helping

   In formal writing, use the possessive noun (the officer's) before the gerund (helping) to indicate the agent of the action.

8. Q8The committee voiced strong objections to the author's speaking the proposal.

   Athe author's speaking Bthe author speaking Cthe author to speaking Dthe author's of speaking

   Answer: A. the author's speaking

   The preposition 'to' is followed by a gerund noun clause modified by a possessive noun (the author's).

9. Q9Did anyone foresee the driver's choosing from the team?

   Athe driver's choosing Bthe driver choosing Cthe driver to be choosing Dthe driver's to choosing

   Answer: A. the driver's choosing

   Formal style requires a possessive noun (the driver's) to modify the gerund verb-noun (choosing).

10. Q10We were all surprised by the secretary's interrupting without prior notice.

    Athe secretary's interrupting Bthe secretary interrupting Cthe secretary to interrupt Dthe secretary's for interrupting

    Answer: A. the secretary's interrupting

    In formal writing, use the possessive noun (the secretary's) before the gerund (interrupting) to indicate the agent of the action.

11. Q11The committee voiced strong objections to the pilot's canceling the proposal.

    Athe pilot's canceling Bthe pilot canceling Cthe pilot to canceling Dthe pilot's of canceling

    Answer: A. the pilot's canceling

    The preposition 'to' is followed by a gerund noun clause modified by a possessive noun (the pilot's).

12. Q12Did anyone foresee the client's singing from the team?

    Athe client's singing Bthe client singing Cthe client to be singing Dthe client's to singing

    Answer: A. the client's singing

    Formal style requires a possessive noun (the client's) to modify the gerund verb-noun (singing).

13. Q13We were all surprised by the patient's studying without prior notice.

    Athe patient's studying Bthe patient studying Cthe patient to study Dthe patient's for studying

    Answer: A. the patient's studying

    In formal writing, use the possessive noun (the patient's) before the gerund (studying) to indicate the agent of the action.

14. Q14The committee voiced strong objections to the judge's acting the proposal.

    Athe judge's acting Bthe judge acting Cthe judge to acting Dthe judge's of acting

    Answer: A. the judge's acting

    The preposition 'to' is followed by a gerund noun clause modified by a possessive noun (the judge's).

15. Q15Did anyone foresee the editor's refusing from the team?

    Athe editor's refusing Bthe editor refusing Cthe editor to be refusing Dthe editor's to refusing

    Answer: A. the editor's refusing

    Formal style requires a possessive noun (the editor's) to modify the gerund verb-noun (refusing).

16. Q16We were all surprised by Dr. Smith's arriving without prior notice.

    ADr. Smith's arriving BDr. Smith arriving CDr. Smith to arriv DDr. Smith's for arriving

    Answer: A. Dr. Smith's arriving

    In formal writing, use the possessive noun (Dr. Smith's) before the gerund (arriving) to indicate the agent of the action.

17. Q17The committee voiced strong objections to the director's leaving the proposal.

    Athe director's leaving Bthe director leaving Cthe director to leaving Dthe director's of leaving

    Answer: A. the director's leaving

    The preposition 'to' is followed by a gerund noun clause modified by a possessive noun (the director's).

18. Q18Did anyone foresee the manager's joining from the team?

    Athe manager's joining Bthe manager joining Cthe manager to be joining Dthe manager's to joining

    Answer: A. the manager's joining

    Formal style requires a possessive noun (the manager's) to modify the gerund verb-noun (joining).

19. Q19We were all surprised by Professor Lee's winning without prior notice.

    AProfessor Lee's winning BProfessor Lee winning CProfessor Lee to winn DProfessor Lee's for winning

    Answer: A. Professor Lee's winning

    In formal writing, use the possessive noun (Professor Lee's) before the gerund (winning) to indicate the agent of the action.

20. Q20The committee voiced strong objections to the witness's resigning the proposal.

    Athe witness's resigning Bthe witness resigning Cthe witness to resigning Dthe witness's of resigning

    Answer: A. the witness's resigning

    The preposition 'to' is followed by a gerund noun clause modified by a possessive noun (the witness's).

21. Q21Did anyone foresee the candidate's complaining from the team?

    Athe candidate's complaining Bthe candidate complaining Cthe candidate to be complaining Dthe candidate's to complaining

    Answer: A. the candidate's complaining

    Formal style requires a possessive noun (the candidate's) to modify the gerund verb-noun (complaining).

22. Q22We were all surprised by the officer's helping without prior notice.

    Athe officer's helping Bthe officer helping Cthe officer to help Dthe officer's for helping

    Answer: A. the officer's helping

    In formal writing, use the possessive noun (the officer's) before the gerund (helping) to indicate the agent of the action.

23. Q23The committee voiced strong objections to the author's speaking the proposal.

    Athe author's speaking Bthe author speaking Cthe author to speaking Dthe author's of speaking

    Answer: A. the author's speaking

    The preposition 'to' is followed by a gerund noun clause modified by a possessive noun (the author's).

24. Q24Did anyone foresee the driver's choosing from the team?

    Athe driver's choosing Bthe driver choosing Cthe driver to be choosing Dthe driver's to choosing

    Answer: A. the driver's choosing

    Formal style requires a possessive noun (the driver's) to modify the gerund verb-noun (choosing).

25. Q25We were all surprised by the secretary's interrupting without prior notice.

    Athe secretary's interrupting Bthe secretary interrupting Cthe secretary to interrupt Dthe secretary's for interrupting

    Answer: A. the secretary's interrupting

    In formal writing, use the possessive noun (the secretary's) before the gerund (interrupting) to indicate the agent of the action.

26. Q26The committee voiced strong objections to the pilot's canceling the proposal.

    Athe pilot's canceling Bthe pilot canceling Cthe pilot to canceling Dthe pilot's of canceling

    Answer: A. the pilot's canceling

    The preposition 'to' is followed by a gerund noun clause modified by a possessive noun (the pilot's).

27. Q27Did anyone foresee the client's singing from the team?

    Athe client's singing Bthe client singing Cthe client to be singing Dthe client's to singing

    Answer: A. the client's singing

    Formal style requires a possessive noun (the client's) to modify the gerund verb-noun (singing).

28. Q28We were all surprised by the patient's studying without prior notice.

    Athe patient's studying Bthe patient studying Cthe patient to study Dthe patient's for studying

    Answer: A. the patient's studying

    In formal writing, use the possessive noun (the patient's) before the gerund (studying) to indicate the agent of the action.

29. Q29The committee voiced strong objections to the judge's acting the proposal.

    Athe judge's acting Bthe judge acting Cthe judge to acting Dthe judge's of acting

    Answer: A. the judge's acting

    The preposition 'to' is followed by a gerund noun clause modified by a possessive noun (the judge's).

30. Q30Did anyone foresee the editor's refusing from the team?

    Athe editor's refusing Bthe editor refusing Cthe editor to be refusing Dthe editor's to refusing

    Answer: A. the editor's refusing

    Formal style requires a possessive noun (the editor's) to modify the gerund verb-noun (refusing).

31. Q31We were all surprised by Dr. Smith's arriving without prior notice.

    ADr. Smith's arriving BDr. Smith arriving CDr. Smith to arriv DDr. Smith's for arriving

    Answer: A. Dr. Smith's arriving

    In formal writing, use the possessive noun (Dr. Smith's) before the gerund (arriving) to indicate the agent of the action.

32. Q32The committee voiced strong objections to the director's leaving the proposal.

    Athe director's leaving Bthe director leaving Cthe director to leaving Dthe director's of leaving

    Answer: A. the director's leaving

    The preposition 'to' is followed by a gerund noun clause modified by a possessive noun (the director's).

33. Q33Did anyone foresee the manager's joining from the team?

    Athe manager's joining Bthe manager joining Cthe manager to be joining Dthe manager's to joining

    Answer: A. the manager's joining

    Formal style requires a possessive noun (the manager's) to modify the gerund verb-noun (joining).

34. Q34We were all surprised by Professor Lee's winning without prior notice.

    AProfessor Lee's winning BProfessor Lee winning CProfessor Lee to winn DProfessor Lee's for winning

    Answer: A. Professor Lee's winning

    In formal writing, use the possessive noun (Professor Lee's) before the gerund (winning) to indicate the agent of the action.

35. Q35The committee voiced strong objections to the witness's resigning the proposal.

    Athe witness's resigning Bthe witness resigning Cthe witness to resigning Dthe witness's of resigning

    Answer: A. the witness's resigning

    The preposition 'to' is followed by a gerund noun clause modified by a possessive noun (the witness's).

36. Q36Did anyone foresee the candidate's complaining from the team?

    Athe candidate's complaining Bthe candidate complaining Cthe candidate to be complaining Dthe candidate's to complaining

    Answer: A. the candidate's complaining

    Formal style requires a possessive noun (the candidate's) to modify the gerund verb-noun (complaining).

37. Q37We were all surprised by the officer's helping without prior notice.

    Athe officer's helping Bthe officer helping Cthe officer to help Dthe officer's for helping

    Answer: A. the officer's helping

    In formal writing, use the possessive noun (the officer's) before the gerund (helping) to indicate the agent of the action.

38. Q38The committee voiced strong objections to the author's speaking the proposal.

    Athe author's speaking Bthe author speaking Cthe author to speaking Dthe author's of speaking

    Answer: A. the author's speaking

    The preposition 'to' is followed by a gerund noun clause modified by a possessive noun (the author's).

39. Q39Did anyone foresee the driver's choosing from the team?

    Athe driver's choosing Bthe driver choosing Cthe driver to be choosing Dthe driver's to choosing

    Answer: A. the driver's choosing

    Formal style requires a possessive noun (the driver's) to modify the gerund verb-noun (choosing).

40. Q40We were all surprised by the secretary's interrupting without prior notice.

    Athe secretary's interrupting Bthe secretary interrupting Cthe secretary to interrupt Dthe secretary's for interrupting

    Answer: A. the secretary's interrupting

    In formal writing, use the possessive noun (the secretary's) before the gerund (interrupting) to indicate the agent of the action.

41. Q41The committee voiced strong objections to the pilot's canceling the proposal.

    Athe pilot's canceling Bthe pilot canceling Cthe pilot to canceling Dthe pilot's of canceling

    Answer: A. the pilot's canceling

    The preposition 'to' is followed by a gerund noun clause modified by a possessive noun (the pilot's).

42. Q42Did anyone foresee the client's singing from the team?

    Athe client's singing Bthe client singing Cthe client to be singing Dthe client's to singing

    Answer: A. the client's singing

    Formal style requires a possessive noun (the client's) to modify the gerund verb-noun (singing).

43. Q43We were all surprised by the patient's studying without prior notice.

    Athe patient's studying Bthe patient studying Cthe patient to study Dthe patient's for studying

    Answer: A. the patient's studying

    In formal writing, use the possessive noun (the patient's) before the gerund (studying) to indicate the agent of the action.

44. Q44The committee voiced strong objections to the judge's acting the proposal.

    Athe judge's acting Bthe judge acting Cthe judge to acting Dthe judge's of acting

    Answer: A. the judge's acting

    The preposition 'to' is followed by a gerund noun clause modified by a possessive noun (the judge's).

45. Q45Did anyone foresee the editor's refusing from the team?

    Athe editor's refusing Bthe editor refusing Cthe editor to be refusing Dthe editor's to refusing

    Answer: A. the editor's refusing

    Formal style requires a possessive noun (the editor's) to modify the gerund verb-noun (refusing).