FY BCOM/BSc/BA SEC_Advanced Communication Skills in English-I Grammar (Pathmaker)

Article 

A. Fill in the blanks with suitable articles (‘a’, ‘an’, ‘the’) or put (X) where no article is needed.

1.     The peacock is in danger of extinction.

2.     Could you get me a kilogram of tea, please?

3.     There is a European and an Eskimo among the tourists.

4.     The Sally I know lives in Bhubaneswar.

5.     Sajita found a wallet on her way home. She took the wallet to the police station.

6.     We must work to save the tigers from becoming extinct.

7.     Have you had X breakfast?

8.     You must reach X school before 9 a.m.

9.     It is an awe-inspiring sight to see the Brahmaputra in spate.

10. This is a painting of the Western Ghats, and that is a photograph of the Mahabaleshwar peak.

11. Mary will go to X school when she is three.

12. Our library has three copies of the Mahabharata.

 

B. Correct the sentences (if wrong in article usage).

1.     Oranges and lemons are citrus fruits. ✅

2.     Asif is going to visit Oxford University. ❌ (no “the”)

3.     Elephants and lions are found in India. ❌ (no “the”)

4.     Have you been to the Nilgiri Hills? ✅ (needs “the”)

5.     History is not really Lisa’s favourite subject, but she finds the history of the Greeks fascinating. ✅

6.     You can take the Visaka Express to Mumbai. ❌ (needs “the”)

7.     The children have been sent to bed. ❌ (no “the”)

8.     The gold you buy here is of excellent quality. ❌ (add “the”, remove “the”)

9.     Manoj heard an old tale about a unicorn. ❌ (article corrections)

10. The philosophy discussed in this book is very difficult to understand. ❌ (needs “the”)

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C. Fill in the blanks with indefinite articles (‘a’ or ‘an’).

1.     She doesn’t own a car.

2.     He came from a humble beginning.

3.     I saw X bears at the zoo.

4.     He asked for X milk.

5.     She didn’t get an invitation.

6.     I saw an eagle fly by.

7.     She was an English teacher. She taught at a European university.

8.     He bought X milk, X butter, and a loaf of bread.

9.     The table is made of X wood.

10. Dr Abdul Kalam was an honest man.

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D. Insert suitable articles.

1.     There is a book in my backpack. The book is very heavy.

2.     Do you know where I left the car keys?

3.     I enjoy reading detective novels, especially ones by the famous author Arthur Conan Doyle.

4.     The French drink wine, while the Americans drink beer.

5.     A group of MBA students from the University of Mumbai visited Harvard University in the United States.

6.     The Bible was the first book to be printed by Gutenberg in the fifteenth century.

7.     I am fond of the music of Mozart. My grandfather owns an antique piano.

8.     Cloth is sold by the metre. A metre of this fabric cost me a moon.

9.     The Sun is at the highest point in the sky at noon.

10. After humans, the chimpanzee is the most intelligent among animals.  

Prepositions

A. Fill in the blanks with suitable prepositions.

1. The guests are coming at six o'clock in the evening on Thursday.
2. We will have completed the work by tomorrow.
3. I lived with my parents in Bengaluru for four years.
4. She is on leave till/until the end of the week.
5. I read your brother's article in this journal. It is on page 36.
6. The house is near the park on the right of the school.
7. They go to the office by train.
8. This dog belongs to Sheila. She brought it from Pune.
9. They were talking about their son.
10. He got off the bus and walked to the theatre.

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B. Fill in the blanks with the correct prepositions (choose from brackets).

1. He lives at 19, Tower Road. [at, on]
2. We will be gone for two days. [for, since]
3. Tom and his friend will divide the money between themselves. [among, between]
4. Many foods besides milk contain calcium. [beside, besides]
5. I will arrive at six o'clock. [at, in]
6. I have known her since last year. [for, since]
7. Social media is still in its infancy. [on, in, near]
8. They are too focused on talking. [on, about, regarding]
9. Minhaj is fond of reading. [about, off, of]
10. I told them about my experience in Istanbul. [inside, in, from]

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C. Fill in the blanks with the missing prepositions.

1. Since the restaurant is usually crowded, it is advisable to make reservations in advance.
2. Because we have no car, we go everywhere on foot.
3. I was out of breath after running up the long flight of stairs.
4. We walked out of the room on tiptoe, so as not to disturb the sleeping baby.
5. We made out the report at the Rio Hotel.
6. I received a tweet in triplicate.
7. He smiled at her.
8. They were good to Anju.
9. What is the documentary about?
10. Gita needed something to wipe the plates with.

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D. Fill in the blanks with the correct prepositions.

1. We played a joke on him. [of, on]
2. Who else has access to the computer files? [of, to]
3. Missing the bus is no excuse for being late. [for, of]
4. I have confidence in his ability. [for, in]
5. The report should shed some light on the situation. [for, on]
6. She has a reputation for having the ability to deal with any situation. [for, of]
7. People often make fun of what they do not understand. [of, to]
8. We will take a survey of the participants. [of, on]

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E. Rewrite the following sentences correctly.

1. Annie went into the bedroom to get her shawl.
2. He goes to the university on foot.
3. The doctor has been practising here for many years.
4. They were shocked at the sight of the destruction.
5. Are you going to the party?
6. Please put the books back on the table.
7. He climbed over the wall and ran to the main road.
8. The burglar got in through the window beside the door.
9. The purse is under the pillow.
10. Don’t be afraid. You’re among friends here.

 

Tense

A. Fill in the blanks with the right form of the verb.

1. Listen, they are making (make) an announcement. Please pay attention. ✅
2. I have a sister, Priya. She lives (live) with her family in Bhopal, where her husband and his brothers run (run) a business. Priya has (have) a daughter, who is studying (study) journalism. Priya works (work) in the Chief Minister’s office.
3. The players are practising (practice) in the gym right now.
4. Ravi seems happy. He has been smiling (smile) since morning.
5. Plants produce (produce) their own food through the process of photosynthesis. During this process, plants take in (take in) carbon dioxide from the air and give out (give out) oxygen.
6. We are moving (move) to Ahmedabad in a week’s time. The furniture has already gone.
7. I have bought (buy) tickets for the match, so you needn’t worry about our getting in.
8. James is working (work) part-time in a hotel these days while waiting for his visa to be approved.

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B. Write 3–5 lines with verbs.

1. My college is very big. It has many classrooms and labs. The teachers are very supportive. Students love to participate in cultural events.
2. My mother loves cooking. She works at a school and also teaches me new recipes. She is very caring.

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C. Fill in the blanks with the right tense or used to/would.

1. When we were watching TV on Sunday night, we heard a noise outside. We went out and saw that it was Vikram. He was struggling to get out of the compost pit in the garden.
2. I had seen the film and went again today only to keep mother company.
3. Panini was an Indian grammarian who lived around 400 BCE.
4. The guests had come by the time we dressed.
5. Padmaja first visited Nagaland in 1980, when she was only 15 years old. She fell in love with the place at once. Later, she returned to Nagaland many times, and became an expert on its history and culture.
6. Namrata cleaned the garage last week. She was home on leave and wanted to help father before going back to work.
7. Ishita worked in a Kolkata law firm for a while. She lived at the YWCA hostel. She went to office at nine every morning and returned at seven. She did her shopping at the weekends.
8. Before we got to the bridge, the water had risen above the danger mark.

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D. Fill in the blanks (interview).

Interviewer: Mr Bhonsle, what do you do?
Bhonsle: I am a teacher.

Interviewer: How many years of experience do you have, Mr Bhonsle?
Bhonsle: I have been teaching for the last twelve years.

Interviewer: What subjects do you teach?
Bhonsle: I usually teach chemistry, but I am teaching biology this year.

Interviewer: Why?
Bhonsle: Our biology teacher, Ms Sharma, is expecting a baby, and she has been on leave since February. The principal asked me to take her classes when she went on leave.

Interviewer: Do you have any experience of working in a foreign country?
Bhonsle: Yes, I worked in Kuwait. I was there from 2002 to 2007.

Interviewer: Would you like to go back there?
Bhonsle: Not at all. As a matter of fact, I have got offers from several employment agencies in Kuwait, but I have not accepted anything so far.

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E. Fill in the blanks with the right tense.

1. According to the weather forecast, there is going to be heavy rainfall all over the state tomorrow. ✅
2. I have decided to become a sculptor when I grow up. I am going to join an art school.
3. The doctor is busy now but he will see you after an hour.
4. You are neglecting your health. You will fall sick.
5. We are visiting Mumbai next Tuesday. We have already bought our tickets.
6. Raghav will be waiting at the airport when you reach Delhi tomorrow.
7. Our exams have begun, and by next Saturday I will have done the last one.
8. My father will have been working in the fields since dawn when we get home on Saturday afternoon.
9. By the time you call Rahul tonight, he will have got a message from Alok.

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F. Complete the dialogues.

Dialogue 1
1: Sunil, I have brought work home… Could someone help me?
2: Of course. I will wash the clothes and put them out. Ranjana will cook dinner, and Puneet will do the dishes.

Dialogue 2
1: How have you planned our annual dance recital?
2: Yes, Minu will start with the traditional alarippu and Ganesh vandana. Sonali and Krittika will do the jatiswaram and varnam, and Bhavna will perform the padam. Finally, Gita will end the programme with the tillana.

Dialogue 3
1: What does the programme say about the PM’s visit?
2: The Prime Minister will arrive at 7.30 a.m. sharp. He will go first to the Raj Bhavan. Then he will visit the State Museum and will unveil a statue of the former chief minister. He will return to Delhi at 8.30 p.m.

Dialogue 4
1: Why can’t we go to Children’s World today?
2: Because it’s already eight. The park will have closed by the time we get there.