Understanding English Grammar: Choosing the Correct Words for Fill-in-the-Blanks

In English grammar, choosing the right word for sentence completion can be challenging. Here, we will look at some common grammar questions and explain how to choose the best answers. By understanding these examples, you can improve your sentence construction and grammar skills.

1. Sentence Completion: Using ‘say’, ‘speak’, ‘tell’, or ‘know’?

The sentence is: ‘This book ( ) you everything that you want to know about English grammar.’ The correct answer is: tells. The verb ‘tell’ is used when you provide information or explain something to someone.

Example: ‘She tells me everything I need to know.’ The other options don’t fit because ‘say’ refers to expressing something out loud, ‘speak’ is more general for communication, and ‘know’ implies awareness, not giving information.

2. When to Use ‘before’, ‘by’, ‘so’, or ‘within’?

The sentence is: ‘I’m going shopping now, but I’ll be back ( ) long.’ The correct answer is: within. ‘Within’ refers to a time period, indicating that you will be back before the specified period ends.

Example: ‘I will return within an hour.’ The other options don’t work because ‘before’ implies a specific point in time, ‘by’ can indicate a deadline, and ‘so’ doesn’t fit the context.

3. Understanding ‘It is high time’ and Verb Tenses

The sentence is: ‘It is high time we ( ) the environmental problem.’ The correct answer is: discussed. When using ‘It is high time,’ the verb should be in the past tense, even if it refers to something in the present.

Example: ‘It is high time we addressed the issue of climate change.’ This expresses that the action should have already been taken. ‘Discuss’ in the base form and ‘discuss on’ or ‘about’ would be grammatically incorrect.

4. Verb Choice: ‘Reach’, ‘Come’, ‘Become’, or ‘Arrive’?

The sentence is: ‘When and where did you ( ) to know her?’ The correct answer is: come. ‘Come to know’ is a common phrase used when you gradually get to know someone or something over time.

Example: ‘I came to know her through mutual friends.’ ‘Reach’ refers to physical movement, ‘become’ is about transformation, and ‘arrive’ refers to reaching a destination, so they don’t fit in this context.

5. Correct Use of ‘Will be sold’, ‘Will sell’, ‘Is sold’, or ‘Selling’?

The sentence is: ‘I am sure that the new model ( ) well.’ The correct answer is: will be sold. ‘Will be sold’ is the passive form of the verb, indicating that the new model will be available for sale in the future.

Example: ‘The product will be sold in stores next month.’ ‘Will sell’ implies an active subject doing the selling, ‘is sold’ refers to a completed action, and ‘selling’ is the present participle, none of which fit this context.

6. Prepositions with ‘wrong’ in Context

The sentence is: ‘Something is wrong ( ) this computer.’ The correct answer is: with. The phrase ‘something is wrong with’ is commonly used to indicate a problem or malfunction.

Example: ‘There is something wrong with my phone.’ ‘In’ refers to physical location, ‘about’ implies a broader topic, and ‘by’ is used for agents or means, so none fit this sentence.

7. Conclusion

By practicing sentence completion questions like these, you can improve your understanding of English grammar. Pay attention to the context of each sentence and the proper use of verbs, prepositions, and other grammar rules. Understanding the nuances of word choices will help you become more proficient in English communication.