English Grammar Questions (MCQs) for Competitive Exams
Practice these 100 important English Grammar MCQs based on common competitive-exam patterns. The questions cover tenses, articles, prepositions, subject-verb agreement, pronouns, adjectives, adverbs, conjunctions, modals, conditionals, voice, narration and sentence correction.
Q1. Choose the correct sentence.
A. Neither of the boys are present.
B. Neither of the boys is present.
C. Neither of the boys were present.
D. Neither of the boys have been present.
View Answer
“Neither” is singular and normally takes a singular verb. Therefore, “is” is correct.
Q2. Identify the part containing an error: “Each of the students have submitted their assignment.”
A. Each of the students
B. have submitted
C. their assignment
D. No error
View Answer
“Each” is singular, so the verb should be “has submitted”.
Q3. He has been working here ___ five years.
A. since
B. from
C. for
D. by
View Answer
“For” is used with a period of time, such as “five years”.
Q4. He has lived in Delhi ___ 2019.
A. for
B. since
C. from
D. by
View Answer
“Since” is used with a specific point of time, such as “2019”.
Q5. By next month, she ___ her training.
A. completes
B. completed
C. will have completed
D. has completed
View Answer
An action that will be completed before a specified future time takes the future perfect tense.
Q6. When I reached the station, the train ___.
A. leaves
B. had left
C. has left
D. will leave
View Answer
The train’s departure occurred before the speaker reached the station, so past perfect is used.
Q7. She ___ to school every day.
A. go
B. goes
C. going
D. gone
View Answer
The subject “She” is singular, so the simple present verb takes “s”.
Q8. I ___ him yesterday.
A. meet
B. have met
C. met
D. had meet
View Answer
“Yesterday” indicates a completed action at a definite time in the past, so simple past is used.
Q9. Choose the correct sentence.
A. He did not went there.
B. He did not go there.
C. He did not gone there.
D. He does not went there.
View Answer
After “did”, the main verb must be in its base form.
Q10. If I ___ you, I would accept the offer.
A. am
B. was
C. were
D. will be
View Answer
In a hypothetical condition, “were” is traditionally used with “I”: “If I were you”.
Q11. Choose the correct article: He is ___ honest officer.
A. a
B. an
C. the
D. no article
View Answer
“Honest” begins with a vowel sound because the “h” is silent. Therefore, “an” is used.
Q12. She wants to become ___ engineer.
A. a
B. an
C. the
D. no article
View Answer
“Engineer” begins with a vowel sound, so “an” is used.
Q13. He is ___ university student.
A. a
B. an
C. the
D. no article
View Answer
“University” begins with the consonant sound /juː/, so “a” is used.
Q14. Mount Everest is ___ highest peak in the world.
A. a
B. an
C. the
D. no article
View Answer
“The” is used before superlative forms such as “highest”.
Q15. He plays ___ guitar very well.
A. a
B. an
C. the
D. no article
View Answer
“The” is commonly used before names of musical instruments when referring to the ability to play them.
Q16. She is good ___ mathematics.
A. in
B. at
C. on
D. with
View Answer
The standard expression is “good at” when referring to ability or skill.
Q17. He is suffering ___ fever.
A. with
B. from
C. by
D. at
View Answer
The correct expression is “suffer from”.
Q18. She insisted ___ going there.
A. to
B. for
C. on
D. at
View Answer
“Insist on” is followed by a noun or gerund.
Q19. He is senior ___ me.
A. than
B. to
C. from
D. with
View Answer
“Senior” is followed by “to” in standard English usage.
Q20. She is afraid ___ dogs.
A. from
B. with
C. of
D. at
View Answer
The correct expression is “afraid of”.
Q21. Neither Ram nor his friends ___ present.
A. was
B. is
C. has
D. were
View Answer
With “neither…nor”, the verb generally agrees with the nearer subject. “Friends” is plural.
Q22. Either the manager or the employees ___ responsible.
A. is
B. are
C. was
D. has
View Answer
The verb agrees with the nearer subject “employees”, which is plural.
Q23. The news ___ true.
A. are
B. were
C. is
D. have
View Answer
“News” is grammatically singular and takes a singular verb.
Q24. Mathematics ___ my favourite subject.
A. are
B. were
C. is
D. have
View Answer
“Mathematics” is treated as singular when referring to the academic subject.
Q25. The furniture in this room ___ expensive.
A. are
B. were
C. is
D. have
View Answer
“Furniture” is an uncountable noun and takes a singular verb.
Q26. Each of the players ___ given a medal.
A. were
B. have been
C. was
D. are
View Answer
“Each” is singular, so the singular verb “was” is required.
Q27. One of my friends ___ coming today.
A. are
B. were
C. is
D. have
View Answer
The subject is “one”, which is singular.
Q28. A number of students ___ absent today.
A. is
B. are
C. was
D. has
View Answer
“A number of” means several and takes a plural verb.
Q29. The number of applicants ___ increasing every year.
A. are
B. were
C. is
D. have
View Answer
“The number of” refers to one total number and takes a singular verb.
Q30. The quality of these products ___ excellent.
A. are
B. were
C. is
D. have
View Answer
The main subject is “quality”, which is singular.
Q31. Choose the correct pronoun: Everyone should do ___ duty.
A. their
B. his or her
C. our
D. your
View Answer
In traditional competitive-exam grammar, “everyone” is treated as singular, so “his or her” is used.
Q32. This is the boy ___ won the prize.
A. which
B. whom
C. who
D. whose
View Answer
“Who” is used as the subject referring to a person.
Q33. The man ___ I met yesterday was a doctor.
A. which
B. whom
C. whose
D. what
View Answer
“Whom” is traditionally used as the object of the verb “met”.
Q34. This is the house ___ roof was damaged.
A. who
B. whom
C. whose
D. which
View Answer
“Whose” indicates possession and can be used with things as well as people.
Q35. Between you and ___, this matter should remain confidential.
A. I
B. me
C. myself
D. mine
View Answer
“Between” is a preposition, so it is followed by the objective pronoun “me”.
Q36. Choose the correct sentence.
A. He himself did the work.
B. Himself he did the work.
C. He did himself the work.
D. Himself did he the work.
View Answer
“himself” is correctly used as an emphatic pronoun after the subject.
Q37. Choose the correct degree: This is the ___ book I have ever read.
A. interesting
B. more interesting
C. most interesting
D. much interesting
View Answer
“Ever” with a comparison among all books generally requires the superlative form “most interesting”.
Q38. He is ___ than his brother.
A. tall
B. taller
C. tallest
D. more tall
View Answer
A comparison between two people takes the comparative form “taller”.
Q39. She runs ___ than her sister.
A. fast
B. faster
C. fastest
D. more fast
View Answer
A comparison between two people requires the comparative adverb “faster”.
Q40. He speaks English ___.
A. fluent
B. fluently
C. fluency
D. more fluent
View Answer
An adverb is required to modify the verb “speaks”. Therefore, “fluently” is correct.
Q41. Choose the correct sentence.
A. She sings very beautiful.
B. She sings very beautifully.
C. She sings much beautiful.
D. She sings beautiful manner.
View Answer
“Beautifully” is the adverb modifying the verb “sings”.
Q42. He worked hard ___ he could pass the examination.
A. so that
B. because
C. although
D. unless
View Answer
“So that” introduces a purpose or intended result.
Q43. ___ he is poor, he is honest.
A. Because
B. Although
C. Unless
D. Since
View Answer
“Although” introduces a contrast between being poor and being honest.
Q44. Hurry up, ___ you will miss the train.
A. and
B. but
C. or
D. because
View Answer
“Or” indicates the consequence of not performing the first action.
Q45. Work hard ___ you will succeed.
A. and
B. but
C. unless
D. because
View Answer
“And” joins the two related clauses and expresses the resulting sequence.
Q46. You will not succeed ___ you work hard.
A. if
B. unless
C. because
D. although
View Answer
“Unless” means “if not”. The sentence means you will not succeed if you do not work hard.
Q47. He is poor ___ honest.
A. and
B. but
C. because
D. so
View Answer
“But” is used to express contrast between the two qualities.
Q48. If you work hard, you ___ succeed.
A. would
B. will
C. would have
D. had
View Answer
This is a first conditional: “If + present simple, will + base verb.”
Q49. If I had known the truth, I ___ helped you.
A. will have
B. would have
C. would
D. will
View Answer
This is a third conditional expressing an unreal past condition: “If + past perfect, would have + past participle.”
Q50. If he had worked hard, he ___ the examination.
A. would pass
B. will pass
C. would have passed
D. passed
View Answer
The past perfect condition “had worked” requires “would have + past participle” in the result clause.
Q51. Choose the correct modal: You ___ obey the rules.
A. may
B. must
C. might
D. could
View Answer
“Must” expresses strong obligation or necessity.
Q52. ___ I come in, sir?
A. Must
B. May
C. Should
D. Would
View Answer
“May” is commonly used to ask for permission politely.
Q53. You ___ consult a doctor if the problem continues.
A. should
B. need
C. dare
D. ought
View Answer
“Should” is used to express advice or recommendation.
Q54. He ___ be at home; the lights are on.
A. must
B. need
C. ought
D. dare
View Answer
“Must” can express a strong logical deduction based on available evidence.
Q55. Choose the correct passive voice: “The police arrested the thief.”
A. The thief arrested the police.
B. The thief was arrested by the police.
C. The thief has arrested by the police.
D. The thief is arrested by the police.
View Answer
The active sentence is in the simple past tense. Its passive form is “was/were + past participle”.
Q56. Choose the correct passive voice: “They are repairing the road.”
A. The road is repaired by them.
B. The road is being repaired by them.
C. The road was repaired by them.
D. The road has been repaired by them.
View Answer
The present continuous passive is formed with “is/am/are being + past participle”.
Q57. Choose the correct passive voice: “Someone has stolen my wallet.”
A. My wallet has been stolen.
B. My wallet was stolen by someone.
C. My wallet is stolen.
D. My wallet had stolen.
View Answer
The present perfect passive uses “has/have been + past participle”.
Q58. Choose the correct passive voice: “The manager will announce the results.”
A. The results will announce.
B. The results will be announced by the manager.
C. The results are announced by the manager.
D. The results were announced by the manager.
View Answer
The future simple passive is formed with “will be + past participle”.
Q59. Choose the correct passive form: “Open the door.”
A. Let the door be opened.
B. Let the door opened.
C. The door is opened.
D. The door was opened.
View Answer
The passive form of an imperative can be formed using “Let + object + be + past participle”.
Q60. Choose the correct passive voice: “People speak English all over the world.”
A. English is spoken all over the world.
B. English was spoken all over the world.
C. English has spoken all over the world.
D. English speaks all over the world.
View Answer
The simple present passive is formed with “is/am/are + past participle”.
Q61. Change into indirect speech: He said, “I am busy.”
A. He said that I am busy.
B. He said that he was busy.
C. He says that he was busy.
D. He said that he is busy.
View Answer
When the reporting verb is in the past tense, “am” normally changes to “was”.
Q62. Change into indirect speech: She said, “I have finished my work.”
A. She said that she has finished her work.
B. She said that she had finished her work.
C. She says that she had finished her work.
D. She said that I had finished my work.
View Answer
The present perfect normally changes to the past perfect after a past reporting verb.
Q63. Ravi said to me, “Do you know him?”
A. Ravi asked me if I knew him.
B. Ravi told me if I knew him.
C. Ravi asked me that I know him.
D. Ravi said me whether I knew him.
View Answer
A yes/no question is reported using “if” or “whether”, followed by statement word order.
Q64. He said to me, “Please help me.”
A. He ordered me to help him.
B. He requested me to help him.
C. He told me that please help him.
D. He said me to help him.
View Answer
A polite request introduced by “please” is generally reported using “requested + object + to-infinitive”.
Q65. The teacher said, “The Earth revolves around the Sun.”
A. The teacher said that the Earth revolved around the Sun.
B. The teacher said that the Earth revolves around the Sun.
C. The teacher said that the Earth had revolved around the Sun.
D. The teacher says that the Earth revolved around the Sun.
View Answer
A universal or scientific truth generally remains in the present tense in reported speech.
Q66. Identify the error: “He is one of those men who always keeps his promises.”
A. He is one of those men
B. who always keeps
C. his promises
D. No error
View Answer
“Who” refers to “men”, which is plural. Therefore, the verb should be “keep”.
Q67. Identify the error: “She is one of the best student in the class.”
A. She is
B. one of the
C. best student
D. in the class
View Answer
After “one of the”, a plural noun is required. The correct phrase is “one of the best students”.
Q68. Identify the error: “He has gone to Delhi yesterday.”
A. He has gone
B. to Delhi
C. yesterday
D. No error
View Answer
“Yesterday” refers to a definite past time, so simple past “went” should be used.
Q69. Identify the error: “The sceneries of Kashmir are beautiful.”
A. The sceneries
B. of Kashmir
C. are beautiful
D. No error
View Answer
“Scenery” is generally an uncountable noun. The correct sentence is “The scenery of Kashmir is beautiful.”
Q70. Identify the error: “He is accustomed to get up early.”
A. He is
B. accustomed to
C. get up
D. early
View Answer
“Accustomed to” is followed by a noun or gerund. The correct form is “getting up”.
Q71. Choose the correct sentence.
A. He is senior than me.
B. He is senior to me.
C. He is senior from me.
D. He is senior with me.
View Answer
“Senior” is followed by the preposition “to”.
Q72. Choose the correct sentence.
A. I prefer tea than coffee.
B. I prefer tea to coffee.
C. I prefer tea from coffee.
D. I prefer tea over than coffee.
View Answer
The standard construction tested in competitive-exam grammar is “prefer A to B”.
Q73. Choose the correct sentence.
A. He is good in mathematics.
B. He is good at mathematics.
C. He is good on mathematics.
D. He is good for mathematics.
View Answer
“Good at” is used when referring to ability or skill.
Q74. Choose the correct sentence.
A. Despite of being tired, he continued working.
B. Despite being tired, he continued working.
C. Despite he was tired, he continued working.
D. Despite of tired, he continued working.
View Answer
“Despite” is not followed by “of”. It can be followed by a noun, pronoun or gerund phrase.
Q75. Choose the correct sentence.
A. He has less books than I have.
B. He has fewer books than I have.
C. He has lesser books than I have.
D. He has few books than I have.
View Answer
“Fewer” is generally used with countable plural nouns such as “books”.
Q76. Choose the correct form: She is looking forward to ___ you.
A. meet
B. met
C. meeting
D. meets
View Answer
In “look forward to”, “to” is a preposition and is followed by a noun or gerund.
Q77. Choose the correct form: He prevented me from ___ there.
A. go
B. going
C. went
D. to go
View Answer
The expression “prevent someone from” is followed by a gerund.
Q78. Choose the correct form: I am interested in ___ English.
A. learn
B. learning
C. learned
D. to learn
View Answer
The preposition “in” is followed by a gerund in this construction.
Q79. Choose the correct form: He is used to ___ early.
A. get up
B. getting up
C. got up
D. gets up
View Answer
In “be used to”, “to” is a preposition and is followed by a noun or gerund.
Q80. Choose the correct form: I look forward to ___ from you.
A. hear
B. hearing
C. heard
D. have heard
View Answer
“Look forward to” takes a gerund after the preposition “to”.
Q81. Choose the correct form: He would rather ___ at home than go out.
A. stayed
B. staying
C. stay
D. to stay
View Answer
“Would rather” is followed by the base form of the verb.
Q82. Choose the correct form: It is time we ___ home.
A. go
B. went
C. will go
D. have gone
View Answer
After “It is time” followed by a subject and verb, the simple past is commonly used to express that something should already be done.
Q83. Choose the correct form: I wish I ___ a car.
A. have
B. had
C. will have
D. am having
View Answer
“Wish + past simple” is used to express an unreal or contrary-to-present situation.
Q84. Choose the correct form: I wish I ___ there yesterday.
A. was
B. am
C. had been
D. have been
View Answer
“Wish + past perfect” is used to express regret about a past situation.
Q85. Choose the correct form: No sooner did he arrive ___ it started raining.
A. when
B. than
C. then
D. and
View Answer
The standard correlative construction is “no sooner…than”.
Q86. Choose the correct form: Hardly had I reached the station ___ the train left.
A. than
B. when
C. then
D. and
View Answer
The standard construction is “hardly…when”.
Q87. Choose the correct sentence.
A. He as well as his friends are coming.
B. He as well as his friends is coming.
C. He as well as his friends were coming.
D. He as well as his friends have coming.
View Answer
With “as well as”, the verb agrees with the main subject “He”, which is singular.
Q88. Choose the correct sentence.
A. The captain along with his players are ready.
B. The captain along with his players is ready.
C. The captain along with his players were ready.
D. The captain along with his players have ready.
View Answer
Phrases such as “along with” do not change the number of the main subject. “Captain” is singular.
Q89. Choose the correct sentence.
A. Neither he nor I is responsible.
B. Neither he nor I am responsible.
C. Neither he nor I are responsible.
D. Neither he nor I was responsible.
View Answer
With “neither…nor”, the verb agrees with the nearer subject. The nearer subject is “I”, which takes “am”.
Q90. Choose the correct sentence.
A. The committee have taken its decision.
B. The committee has taken its decision.
C. The committee are taken its decision.
D. The committee have takes its decision.
View Answer
Here, the committee is treated as a single unit, so the singular verb “has” is appropriate.
Q91. Choose the correct sentence.
A. He returned back home yesterday.
B. He returned home yesterday.
C. He returned to back home yesterday.
D. He had returned back to home yesterday.
View Answer
“Return” already conveys the meaning of going back, so “back” is unnecessary in this sentence.
Q92. Choose the correct sentence.
A. Discuss about the matter.
B. Discuss the matter.
C. Discuss on the matter.
D. Discuss over the matter.
View Answer
“Discuss” is normally used directly with its object and does not require “about” in this construction.
Q93. Choose the correct sentence.
A. He ordered for a cup of tea.
B. He ordered a cup of tea.
C. He ordered to a cup of tea.
D. He ordered with a cup of tea.
View Answer
When “order” means request or ask for something, it can take the object directly.
Q94. Choose the correct sentence.
A. He entered into the room.
B. He entered the room.
C. He entered in the room.
D. He entered to the room.
View Answer
“Enter” can take a direct object, so “into” is unnecessary in this standard construction.
Q95. Choose the correct sentence.
A. She resembles with her mother.
B. She resembles her mother.
C. She resembles to her mother.
D. She resembles from her mother.
View Answer
“Resemble” takes a direct object and is not normally followed by “with” or “to”.
Q96. Choose the correct sentence.
A. He is capable to do the work.
B. He is capable of doing the work.
C. He is capable for doing the work.
D. He is capable in doing the work.
View Answer
The standard construction is “capable of + gerund”.
Q97. Choose the correct sentence.
A. She is married with a doctor.
B. She is married to a doctor.
C. She is married from a doctor.
D. She is married by a doctor.
View Answer
The standard expression is “married to someone”.
Q98. Choose the correct sentence.
A. He is addicted with smoking.
B. He is addicted to smoking.
C. He is addicted for smoking.
D. He is addicted in smoking.
View Answer
The correct construction is “addicted to”, followed here by the gerund “smoking”.
Q99. Choose the correct sentence.
A. The teacher made him to apologize.
B. The teacher made him apologize.
C. The teacher made him apologized.
D. The teacher made him apologizing.
View Answer
After the causative verb “make” in the active voice, the object is followed by the base form of the verb.
Q100. Choose the correct sentence.
A. Let us to go for a walk.
B. Let us go for a walk.
C. Let us going for a walk.
D. Let us gone for a walk.
View Answer
“Let” is followed by an object and the base form of the verb. Therefore, “let us go” is correct.
These 100 Grammar MCQs cover the core rules most useful for competitive-exam English, including tenses, articles, prepositions, subject-verb agreement, pronouns, conjunctions, modals, conditionals, voice, narration and common sentence errors. Regular practice can help improve grammatical accuracy and speed in SSC, Banking, NDA, UPSC, State PSC and other competitive examinations.
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Explore important General English topics and practice questions for competitive exams.
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