Question 1

Instructions: The following sentences form an essay. Select the correct preposition for each blank. Unsung Innovators Inferior to none as a salesman, William Durant (1861-1947) relied ____ rapid expansion and aggressive marketing to make Buick, within four years, the best-selling American car.

Accepted Answer

The correct preposition to use here is "on" as William Durant relied ON rapid expansion and aggressive marketing to make Buick the best-selling American car within four years. The phrasal verb "relied on" is commonly used to indicate dependence on something or someone, thus "on" is the correct preposition to use in this context.

Question 2

Instructions: Read the following sentence(s) carefully. Then select the correct adjective or adverb in parentheses. Gwen is the ( older , oldest ) of three daughters, but not the ( prettier , prettiest ).

Accepted Answer

"Oldest" should be used to indicate that Gwen is the eldest sister. "Prettiest" should be used to indicate that Gwen is not the most attractive of the three sisters.

Question 3

Instructions: Read the following sentence(s) carefully. Then select the correct adjective or adverb in parentheses. Are you ( certain , certainly ) you know the way to Pedro s apartment?

Accepted Answer

"Certain" is the correct choice because it is an adjective that modifies the noun "you," indicating the speaker's state of certainty. "Certainly" is an adverb that would modify a verb, which is not what is needed in this sentence.

Question 4

Instructions: The following sentences form an essay. Select the correct preposition for each blank. Unsung Innovators Overexpansion and a business slump forced him from the company in 1910, but not for long; Durant soon joined forces ____ the fearless car-racing star Louis Chevrolet (1878-1941).

Accepted Answer

"Joined forces with" is the correct idiom to indicate a partnership between two individuals or groups. "Joined forces at" does not make sense in this context. "Joined forces with" is the correct idiom in this context, meaning to form an alliance or work together closely with someone. "Joined forces at" would not make sense.

Question 5

Instructions: Read the following sentence(s) carefully. Then select the correct adjective or adverb in parentheses. I did ( bad , poorly ) on my Chinese literature final exam. I didn t prepare ( well , good ).

Accepted Answer

The first sentence requires the adverb "poorly" to modify the verb "did". The second sentence requires the adverb "well" to modify the verb "prepare". Therefore, the correct choices are (poorly, well).

Question 6

Instructions: Read the following sentence(s) carefully. Then select the correct adjective or adverb in parentheses. The leak in the pipe is ( badder , worse ) now than it was last week.

Accepted Answer

"Worse" is the correct comparative form of the adjective "bad" to describe the increase in severity of the leak in the pipe. "Badder" is not a standard word in English and is considered non-standard.

Question 7

Instructions: The following sentences form an essay. Select the correct preposition for each blank. Unsung Innovators The ends of all three men s lives were very different ____ their early successes.

Accepted Answer

The preposition "from" is used to show a contrast or difference between two things or situations, such as the difference between the ends of the men's lives and their early successes. The preposition "from" is used to show difference or contrast. Therefore, in this context, "from" is the correct preposition to use to show the difference between the ends of the men's lives and their early successes.

Question 8

Instructions: The following sentences form an essay. Select the correct preposition for each blank. Unsung Innovators Durant manipulated the stock of the new Chevrolet Motor Company to regain control of General Motors. Chevrolet soon argued ____ Durant and pulled out of the company.

Accepted Answer

The verb "argued" takes the preposition "with" to indicate who the argument is directed towards, meaning that option A is the correct choice. Option B, "at," does not fit the context of the sentence. The correct preposition to use in this sentence is "with" as it indicates a disagreement or argument between two parties. "At" is not the correct preposition to use in this context.

Question 9

Instructions: Read the following sentence(s) carefully. Then select the correct adjective or adverb in parentheses. These cookies are more ( crunchier , crunchy ) than the last batch we made.

Accepted Answer

The correct form is "crunchy" because "more" already indicates comparison, making the use of the comparative form "crunchier" redundant.

Question 10

Instructions: Read the following sentence(s) carefully. Then select the correct adjective or adverb in parentheses. I ll have two ( largely , large ) sodas and two ( smaller , small ) orders of French fries.

Accepted Answer

"Large" is the correct adjective to describe the size of the sodas, and "small" is the correct adjective to describe the size of the French fries.

Question 11

Instructions: Read the following sentence(s) carefully. Then select the correct adjective or adverb in parentheses. Juan considered childhood to be the ( happier , happiest ) time of his life.

Accepted Answer

"Happiest" is the correct form because it is a superlative - Juan is referring to the one specific time in his life that bring him the most happiness, making it the "happiest" time.

Question 12

Instructions: Read the following sentence(s) carefully. Then select the correct adjective or adverb in parentheses. We got to know each other ( quick , quickly ).

Accepted Answer

"Quickly" is the correct choice here because it describes how we got to know each other - quickly. "Quick" would be appropriate to describe a noun, but "quickly" is the appropriate adverb to describe the action of getting to know each other.

Question 13

Instructions: Read the following sentence(s) carefully. Then select the correct adjective or adverb in parentheses. Steve knows Lena ( good , well ); they ve been coworkers for ten years.

Accepted Answer

"Well" should be used here because it describes how Steve knows Lena, which is an action that requires an adverb. "Good" is an adjective and would describe a noun or subject, not the action of knowing someone.

Question 14

Instructions: The following sentences form an essay. Select the correct preposition for each blank. Unsung Innovators By 1923, Durant, not sensitive ____ economic shifts, had again overexpanded and lost General Motors.

Accepted Answer

"Sensitive to" is the correct phrase meaning "responsive to" or "affected by." Therefore, the correct preposition is "to" in this sentence. The preposition "sensitive to" is the correct collocation that means to be aware of and respond to changes or differences. Therefore, the correct preposition to complete the sentence is "sensitive to".

Question 15

Instructions: The following sentences form an essay. Select the correct preposition for each blank. Unsung Innovators Chevrolet, after designing cars that won the Indianapolis 500 in 1920 and 1921, failed ____ many business ventures and died a poor man.

Accepted Answer

The correct preposition is "in" because it is used to indicate the context or situation in which something happens, such as failing in business ventures.

Question 16

Instructions: The following sentences form an essay. Select the correct preposition for each blank. Unsung Innovators Buick s last job was as a clerk ____ a vocational school; Durant went bankrupt and died penniless.

Accepted Answer

The sentence refers to Buick's job at a vocational school, so the appropriate preposition to use is "in" to indicate his position within the school. "Clerk in a vocational school" is a proper usage of the preposition "in" to indicate the location of Buick's last job.

Question 17

Instructions: The following sentences form an essay. Select the correct preposition for each blank. Unsung Innovators He was angry ____ Durant s marketing a small, inexpensive car bearing his prestigious name.

Accepted Answer

The correct preposition is "about" because it indicates the cause of the anger, which is Durant's marketing decision.

Question 18

Instructions: The following sentences form an essay. Select the correct preposition for each blank. Unsung Innovators By that time, Durant had formed General Motors, which also consisted ____ Oldsmobile and Cadillac.

Accepted Answer

The preposition "consisted of" is used to show the components or the parts that make up something. Therefore, the correct preposition to be used in this sentence is "of". "Consisted of" is the correct phrase to indicate the parts that make up General Motors, while "consisted in" would not make sense in this context.

Question 19

Instructions: The following sentences form an essay. Select the correct preposition for each blank. Unsung Innovators The two men agreed ____ producing a stylish and powerful car that would sell for a moderate price.

Accepted Answer

"Agreed on" is the correct phrase, meaning they reached a mutual agreement about something. "Agreed in" does not make sense in this context. To agree "on" something means to come to a mutual decision or understanding on a particular matter.

Question 20

Instructions: Read the following sentence(s) carefully. Then select the correct adjective or adverb in parentheses. At age eight, Tanya can play the drums ( more good , better ) than her teenage brother.

Accepted Answer

"Better" is the correct comparative form of the adjective "good" to describe Tanya's drum playing ability in comparison to her brother's.

Quiz 1: Writing Effective Paragraphs