oDesk U.S English Basic Skills Test Answers

Question 1:

Choose the series of prepositions that best completes the following sentence.

Charlotte knew________the secret investigation_________her past, but she closed her eyes to it and pretended it wasn’t happening.

Answer: a. of, about

Question 2:

Choose the series of adjectives and adverbs that best completes the following sentence.

I think Pamela deserves to be punished for her________stupid and________behavior.

Answer: b. totally, irresponsible

Question 3:

Which of the following sentences punctuated correctly?

a. Tracy bought three suits; seven scarves; and ten pairs of shoes.

Answer: b. We are expecting a hurricane this afternoon, therefore we have closed the school early.

Question 4:

Choose the series of adjectives and adverbs that best completes the following sentence.

While_________of our relatives live on the__________hill in the county, _________of our friends live in the _________areas of the valley.

Answer: c. many, windiest, most, more, protected

Question 5:

Complete the following sentence by choosing the phrase with the best word order from the options given.

Those who are not wise_____________.

Answer: d. does not need to be necessarily stupid.

Question 6:

Choose the series of pronouns that best completes the following sentence.

Don’t _________think Larry should call__________wife if______________is going to be late for dinner?

Answer: a. you, his, he

Question 7:

Rearrange the following words to create most logical and grammatically correct sentence.

days for last has good weather few The been the not

Answer:d. The weather has not been good for the last few days

Question 8:

Choose the series of adjectives and adverbs that best completes the following sentence.

Knowing that February was the___________month of the year, Cheryl planned her vacation____________.

Answer: b. shortest, accordingly

Question 9:

Rearrange the following words to create most logical and grammatically correct sentence.

Answer: e. Whenever I can’t spend time with my friend, I always speak to him on the phone.

Question 10:

Read the following question and choose the response that uses the correct corresponding verb tense.

Does Jack wear that furry hat often?

Answer: d. No, he only wears it when his ears are cold.

Question 11:

Which of the following sentence illustrates correct pronoun usage?

a. is those the set of plates the bride wanted, or did she want this set?

d.Whose book is that-his or our?

Answer: e. None of the above

Question 12:

Which of the sentence illustrates proper sentence structure?

a. Everyone knows that a mango is much sweeter to an orange

Answer: d. The queen had hardly finished her speech when the people began to disperse.

Question 13:

Change the following sentence from a quotation to indirect speech.

“It may snow tomorrow.” he said.

Answer: d. He said it might snow tomorrow.

Question 14:

Which of the following sentence punctuated correctly?

Answer: d. “Come here.” she said, “and let me get a good look at you.”

Question 15:

Change the following sentence from a quotation to indirect speech.

“Sharon must go to the bank today.” said Albert.

Answer: d. Albert said Sharon had to go to the bank today.

Question 16:

Choose the option that correctly changes original sentence from active to passive.

ORIGINAL SENTENCE:

That tall man is carrying a lot of lumber.

REWRITTEN SENTENCES:

Answer: d. A lot of lumber is being carried by that tall man.

Question 17:

Choose the series of prepositions that best completes the following sentence.

I placed my notes__________my desk and referred to them____________ the meeting.

Answer: b. beside, during

Question 18:

Rearrange the following words to create most logical and grammatically correct sentence.

Sleeping likes the . midday Katie until on weekends

Answers: Katie likes sleeping until midday on the weekends.

Question 19:

Choose the series of verbs that best completes  the following sentence.

Everyone ____________too busy cooking and __________ the campsite ____________ the family _________ from the woods.

Answers: d. was, setting up, to notice, watching

Question 20:

Choose the series of verbs that best completes  the following sentence.

I find it very hard to remember ______________ letters that are entrusted to me. In fact, I remember_____________to do so dozens of times!

Answer: d. mailing, forgetting

Question 21:

Choose the series of articles and conjunctions that best completes  the following sentence.

Lilacs ___________ violets are usually purple, I have seen some _________ are white.

Answer: c. and, although, that

Questions 22:

Complete the following sentence by choosing the phrase with the best word order from the options given.

Only after they had an exhaustive study__________ how to adapt the technology to the needs of our company.

Answer: c. they did begin to understand

Question 23:

Which of the following sentence illustrates proper use of comma?

a. Randy wanted to end the meeting, but Amy wanted to prolong it.

e. a and b

answer: f. All of the above

Question 24:

Which of the following sentence does NOT illustrates correct verb and tense usage?

Answer: b. Clarabelle’s mother absolutely hated nicknames and always calls her daughter by her full name.

Question 25:

Choose the series of prepositions that best completes the following sentence.

Victor, who stole ____________ ideas and used them  to make _________ a millionaire, never once offered ______________ a world of thanks.

Answer: d. our, himself, us

Question 26:

Choose the series of prepositions that best completes the following sentence.

______________ is the name of the opera, and ___________ role did you say Maria would play?

Answer: c. What, which

Question 27:

Choose the verbs and phrases that best completes the following sentence.

This dish _____________ too spicy. Why ___________ so pepper?

Answer: e. a and c

Question 28:

Change the following sentence from a quotation to indirect speech.

Carol has said, “I am responsible for this project.”

Answer: a. Carol has said that she is responsible for this.

Question 29:

Choose the series of prepositions that best completes the following sentence.

Although Marvin said he had the keys___________ the flower pot, we were unable to find them___________ the dark. In the end, we waited for him at the coffee shop ____________ the corner.

Answer: a. under, in. around

Question 30:

Complete the following sentence by choosing the phrase with the best word order from the options given.

The excited children who had run toward the loud _______________.

Answer:d. music, told the others about the ice cream truck outside.

Question 31:

Rearrange the following words to create most logical and grammatically correct sentence.

your company name? of what the is

Answer: c. What is the name of your company?

Question 32:

Which of the following sentences NOT punctuated correctly?

a. All of the apple’s at the grocers were rotten so I bought oranges instead.

Answer: b. “Seven canteens full of water should enough for the hike,” said Tabitha.

Question 33:

Choose the series of prepositions that best completes the following sentence.

After realizing that our hosts hadn’t actually invested _________ to ____________ party. ____________ excused ____________ from the table and slipped out the back door.

Answer: a. us, their, we, ourselves.

Question 34:

Which of the following sentences illustrates the proper use of parallel construction?

Answer: b. We painted the conference room yellow, hung a poster on the wall, and are rearranging the chairs.

Question 35:

Which of the following sentence uses correct pronoun usage?

a. to whom are your employees going to report while you’re gone?

Answer: e. All of the above

Question 36:

Choose the series of adjectives and adverbs that best completes the following sentence.

The archeologists were_____________ to discover such a __________ and__________ ____________ artifact at that mostly uncovered site.

Answer: b. amazed, rare, incredibly, beautiful

Ashif Khan
ashifgsm@gmail.com