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In this section you will practice the grammar you need to improve your score on Part 5
and Part 6 of the TOEIC® test.
As you work through this Grammar section, try to identify your strengths and
weaknesses. Notice what problems you have, and focus on the areas you need to
improve.
Word Choice
Study these examples of grammar that can often be confused.
There are many things we need to do. Used with countable nouns (problems,
There are few women in senior people, etc.
management.
I do not have much work at the Used with uncountable nouns (time,
moment. money, etc.
We have little control over the project.
Here are some tickets for tonight's Used in positive statements and questions.
movie.
Can I have some help, please?
I do not have any luggage. Used in negative statements and
Are there any letters for me? questions.
This is so easy, it will not take long. Used before an adjective (so heavy, so
cheap).
It is such an easy task it will not take Used before an adjective + noun (such a
long. good idea).
Do not work too hard. more than is necessary
Are there enough chairs? sufficient
We do not have enough money. less than is necessary
There is no ink in this printer. Used before nouns (no work, no food).
The printer is out of ink. There is none Used without a noun, meaning "not any"
left. or "not one.
I called two hotels. They are both Used with a noun to relate two things.
full.
Neither hotel has any vacancies.
I cannot stay at either hotel.
That is the best meal I have ever had. Used in positive statements and
Have you ever gone abroad on questions.
business?
I have never had a long vacation. Used in negative statements.
Most workers have lunch in the the majority of
cafeteria.
Of all my hobbies, I like reading the Used in superlatives.
most.
Almost all the employees have a very nearly
pension.
1. When I got home I was ….. tired that I fell asleep immediately.
(A) such
(B) such a
(C) so
(D) too
2. Susan looked for a place to park her car, but there were ….. spaces left.
(A) none
(B) no
(C) not
(D) nothing
8. James and Bill ….. started working here after high school.
(A) both
(B) either
(C) neither
(D) ever
1. A B C D 4. A B C D 7. A B C D 9. A B C D
2. A B C D 5. A B C D 8. A B C D 10. A B C D
3. A B C D 6. A B C D Score …../10
Auxiliary Verbs
Study these examples of modal auxiliary verbs.
2. This project is very important, so we ….. try our best to make it a success.
(A) can
(B) must have
(C) may
(D) have to
3. Excuse me. ….. you open the door for me, please?
(A) Could
(B) Must
(C) May
(D) Should
4. You ….. checked the details more thoroughly before you signed the agreement.
(A) must have
(B) had to have
(C) may have
(D) should have
7. If you get some professional advice you ….. be able to save the company.
(A) must have
(B) have to
(C) can
(D) might
8. Meeting Room C is the only room that ….. hold sixty people.
(A) should
(B) can
(C) must
(D) has to
9. We ….. try to get to this afternoon's meeting early as we need to set up the
projector.
(A) must
(B) would
(C) cannot
(D) need
10. The store had so many computers I ….. not decide which one to buy.
(A) would
(B) could
(C) should
(D) might
1. A B C D 4. A B C D 7. A B C D 9. A B C D
2. A B C D 5. A B C D 8. A B C D 10. A B C D
3. A B C D 6. A B C D Score …../10
Comparatives and Superlatives
Study these examples of the comparative and superlative form.
Liz works harder than anyone else in Adjectives with one syllable
the office. old / older (than) / the oldest
She is the hardest worker we have. big / bigger (than) / the biggest
long / longer (than) / the longest
I was happier when I worked as a Adjectives ending in -y
teacher. easy / easier (than) / the easiest
Teaching was the happiest time of my lucky / luckier (than) / the luckiest
life. angry / angrier (than) / the angriest
Mumbai is more crowded than Tokyo. Most adjectives with two or more
It is the most crowded city in the syllables
world. painful / more painful (than) / the most
painful
famous / more famous (than) / the most
famous
expensive / more expensive (than) / the
most expensive
The sales figures are better than I Irregular adjectives
expected. good /better / best
They are the best figures we have had bad / worse I worst
all year.
That trip was less expensive than I more...than / less...than
thought. the most / the least
That is the least expensive trip I have
ever taken.
Angela earns as much as me. (just) as... as
Her salary is the same as mine. the same as
2. That hotel room was not ….. the one I had last time.
(A) as comfortable than
(B) as comfortable as
(C) more comfortable
(D) most comfortable
7. If you feel ….. tomorrow than you do today, you should take the day off.
(A) as worse
(B) bad
(C) worst
(D) worse
Subject-Verb Agreement
Study these examples of subject-verb agreement.
The Director has an office on the top floor. A singular subject takes a singular verb form.
All employees have health insurance. A plural subject takes a plural verb form.
The manager, who is very well liked, is The subject and verb must always agree,
retiring. even when separated,
Many of the projects I started last year are
now completed.
Two miles is the most I can run without Distance, time, price, and weight are all
stopping. singular subjects.
Forty minutes is enough time to get to the
station.
Twenty dollars is the ticket price per
person.
Sixty pounds is more than I can lift.
Everyone is very excited about the Every, everyone, nobody, each, one of, etc.,
expansion. Each of these problems has a are all singular subjects.
solution.
A number of issues were raised at the A group of, a number of, a couple of, a lot of,
meeting. etc., are usually used with plural verbs.
A group of scientists have made an
important discovery.
The number of complaints has increased. The group of, the number of, the team of,
The use of cell phones is prohibited. etc., (i.e., with the definite article) are usually
used with singular verbs.
The United States is a major investor in The names of countries, subjects, newspapers,
the region. books, films, etc., are all singular subjects.
Math is not my strong point.
The New York Times reports record growth
in imports.
News of the merger was well received. Some collective nouns use only singular
How much money is in our savings verbs.
account?
All the people I work with are very Some collective nouns use only plural verbs.
helpful.
The police were investigating the company
for fraud.
The committee is going to meet next In American English, the following collective
month. The audience was enjoying the nouns are usually treated as singular:
presentation, committee, audience, class, company, crowd, family,
government, school.
MINI TEST Subject-Verb Agreement
Choose the most appropriate answer: (A), (B), (C), or (D), to complete each sentence.
1. Bates Bicycles ….. been here for over thirty years.
(A) has
(B) have
(C) are
(D) was
3. One of the senior managers ….. dismissed for misconduct last week.
(A) were
(B) has
(C) is
(D) was
8. Do you think that two hours ….. enough to complete all this work?
(A) are
(B) is
(C) have
(D) be
10. We are pleased to announce that our latest restaurant, The Three Chefs, ….. to
open next month.
(A) is
(B) are
(C) will
(D) have
1. A B C D 4. A B C D 7. A B C D 9. A B C D
2. A B C D 5. A B C D 8. A B C D 10. A B C D
3. A B C D 6. A B C D Score …../10
Pronouns
Study these examples of the correct use of pronouns.
4. Please take good care of Mr. Lee because ….. is our best customer.
(A) he
(B) him
(C) his
(D) himself
8. Ms. Howe decided to tell ….. boss she wanted to leave the company.
(A) she
(B) herself
(C) hers
(D) her
1. A B C D 4. A B C D 7. A B C D 9. A B C D
2. A B C D 5. A B C D 8. A B C D 10. A B C D
3. A B C D 6. A B C D Score …../10
Verb Forms and Tenses
Study these examples of different tenses and their forms.
4. Mr. Denny called to say the package you sent ….. arrived yet.
(A) was not
(B) did not
(C) has not
(D) is not
9. It was the first time the creative team ….. since January, so there was a lot to
discuss.
(A) meets
(B) is meeting
(C) had met
(D) will meet
10. It is definitely true that we ….. a period of great uncertainty at the moment.
(A) experience
(B) are going to experience
(C) have experienced
(D) are experiencing
1. A B C D 4. A B C D 7. A B C D 9. A B C D
2. A B C D 5. A B C D 8. A B C D 10. A B C D
3. A B C D 6. A B C D Score …../10
Gerund
Smoking is not permitted in this office. as the subject of a sentence
Experts agree that swimming relieves as the object of a sentence
stress.
I recommend buying this stock as soon after certain verbs (e.g. admit, adore,
as possible. appreciate, avoid, delay, deny, dislike,
enjoy, feel, finish, imagine, involve, justify,
keep (on), mention, mind, miss, postpone,
practice, quit, recommend,
risk, suggest, waste)
Kim never travels by plane because he is after certain adjectives + prepositions
afraid of flying. (e.g., interested in, good/bad at, angry
about, etc.)
Infinitive
Why did you choose to cancel the after certain verbs (e.g. agree, arrange,
order? attempt, choose, dare, decide, expect,
help, hope, intend, learn, manage, need,
offer, plan, pretend, promise, refuse,
seem, want)
Unfortunately, it is not possible to after certain adjectives (e.g. difficult,
change the date of your next easy, happy, pleased, possible)
appointment.
The security guard wouldn't allow us to after certain verbs that take an object
enter the building without a ticket. with to
(e.g. advise, allow, beg, expect, forbid,
help, tell, want, warn)
I have called this meeting to discuss to express a purpose
our training program.
Please let me show you to your room. after certain verbs that take an object
without to (e.g., let, make)
George and Kylie do not like to work Some verbs take either the gerund or the
on weekends. infinitive with no significant difference in
I like working on weekends. meaning (e.g. begin, continue, hate, like,
love, prefer, start).
Janet remembered to send the invoice. Some verbs take either the gerund or the
(The action happened after she infinitive but the meanings are different
remembered.) (e.g., forget, regret, remember, stop, try).
Janet remembered sending the
invoice.
(The action happened before she
remembered.)
1. A B C D 4. A B C D 7. A B C D 9. A B C D
2. A B C D 5. A B C D 8. A B C D 10. A B C D
3. A B C D 6. A B C D Score …../10
Are you preferring to go by bus or take a Stative verbs cannot be used in the
taxi? continuous form.
Do you prefer to go by bus or take a taxi?
We do not have no time to watch TV. Avoid double negatives.
We do not have any time to watch TV.
They asked me to wait by themselves. Make sure pronouns agree.
They asked me to wait by myself.
Our Europe sales have fallen this year. Adjectives modify nouns.
Our European sales have fallen this year.
I did not work enough hard to pass the Be careful of word order.
exam.
I did not work hard enough to pass the
exam.
She asked me how long had I worked Indirect questions do not use inversion.
for DNG Corp.
She asked me how long I had worked for
DNG Corp.
The accident was happened while Intransitive verbs cannot be used in the
workers were leaving the factory. passive form.
The accident happened while workers
were leaving the factory.
Everyone was very boring by the long Be careful of participles that end in -ed
presentation. and -ing.
Everyone was very bored by the long
presentation.
The report who Daniel sent was very Check the use of relative pronouns (who,
thorough. which, that, etc.).
The report which Daniel sent was very
thorough.
Brigit works hard, so she never leaves Make sure adverbs are used correctly.
work late.
Brigit works hard, so she often leaves
work late.
I will call you when the client will arrive. The present simple tense can be used for
I will call you when the client arrives. future time after when, while, after,
before, as soon as, until.