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Kiribati KCSE / KSCE practice questions

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Question 1English

In the KCSE English grammar paper, choose the sentence in which the verb agrees with its subject.

  1. Each of the candidates has written a composition. Correct answer.
  2. Each of the candidates are writing a composition.
  3. Each of the candidates have written a composition.
  4. Each of the candidates were written a composition.

Explanation

The indefinite pronoun "each" is singular, so it requires the singular verb "has"; the phrase "of the candidates" is a prepositional phrase and does not change the subject's number. The other options use plural or passive verb forms that do not agree with the singular subject.

Question 2English

In a KCSE English cloze test, which preposition correctly fills the gap? "The examiner insisted ___ seeing the original manuscript."

  1. at
  2. on Correct answer.
  3. to
  4. for

Explanation

The verb "insist" is followed by the preposition "on" when it introduces a gerund, giving the standard collocation "insisted on seeing". "Insist to", "insist for", and "insist at" are not standard dependent-preposition patterns in this structure.

Question 3English

In the KCSE English editing section, which sentence uses the apostrophe correctly?

  1. The girl's' dormitory was repaired before the KCSE examinations.
  2. The girls' dormitory was repaired before the KCSE examinations. Correct answer.
  3. The girls's dormitory was repaired before the KCSE examinations.
  4. The girls dormitory was repaired before the KCSE examinations.

Explanation

A regular plural noun ending in -s forms the possessive by adding only an apostrophe after the s, so "girls'" is correct. "Girls's" adds an unnecessary extra s, "girls" has no possessive marker at all, and "girl's'" is malformed.

Question 4English

In a KCSE English composition, which verb form correctly completes the sentence? "By the time the examiner collected the scripts, the candidates ___ for over two hours."

  1. have been writing
  2. were written
  3. have written
  4. had been writing Correct answer.

Explanation

The past perfect continuous "had been writing" shows an action that began earlier and continued up to another past event, namely the collecting of scripts. "Have been writing" is anchored to the present, "have written" does not emphasise duration, and "were written" is passive.

Question 5English

In the KCSE English grammar section, choose the correct reported form of: The teacher said, "I will mark your scripts tomorrow."

  1. The teacher said that I would mark your scripts the following day.
  2. The teacher said that she will mark our scripts tomorrow.
  3. The teacher said that she would mark your scripts yesterday.
  4. The teacher said she would mark our scripts the next day. Correct answer.

Explanation

In reported speech, "will" shifts to "would", "tomorrow" becomes "the next day" or "the following day", and "your" changes to "our" because the teacher is addressing the candidates. Option 0 applies these shifts consistently.

Question 6English

In a KCSE English composition, choose the sentence with the correct relative pronoun. "The candidate ___ script was misplaced has appealed to the examination council."

  1. whose Correct answer.
  2. whom
  3. who
  4. which

Explanation

The relative pronoun must show possession of the script, so "whose" is required. "Who" is a subject pronoun, "whom" is an object pronoun, and "which" refers to things rather than showing a person's ownership.

Question 7English

In the KCSE English grammar paper, which verb form completes the third conditional sentence? "If the candidates had read the instructions carefully, they ___ fewer mistakes."

  1. had been making
  2. will have made
  3. would have made Correct answer.
  4. would make

Explanation

A third conditional sentence uses "if + past perfect" in the condition and "would have + past participle" in the result, so "would have made" is correct. The other forms belong to other conditional or tense patterns and do not complete this past unreal structure.

Question 8English

In a KCSE English comprehension passage, the word "meticulous" in "The meticulous candidate checked every answer" most nearly means ___.

  1. reluctant
  2. hurried
  3. careless
  4. thorough Correct answer.

Explanation

"Meticulous" describes a person who shows great attention to detail, so "thorough" is the closest meaning. "Careless" and "hurried" are opposites in this context, while "reluctant" describes unwillingness rather than carefulness.

Question 9English

In a KCSE English editing task, which revision removes the ambiguous pronoun reference in: "When the head teacher met the candidates, they told them the results."?

  1. The head teacher met the candidates and told them the results. Correct answer.
  2. When the head teacher met the candidates, they told the results.
  3. When the head teacher met the candidates, it told them the results.
  4. When the head teacher met the candidates, they told them the results, didn't they?

Explanation

The original "they" and "them" can refer to either the head teacher or the candidates, so the reference is unclear. Option 0 makes the head teacher the clear subject of "told" and uses "them" for the plural candidates, removing the ambiguity.

Question 10English

In a KCSE English composition, which sentence corrects the dangling modifier in: "Having revised all night, the examination room felt cold to the candidate."?

  1. Having revised all night, the candidate felt cold in the examination room. Correct answer.
  2. Having revised all night, the examination room was cold to the candidate.
  3. Having revised all night, the candidate was felt cold by the examination room.
  4. Having revised all night, coldness was felt in the examination room by the candidate.

Explanation

A participial phrase at the beginning of a sentence must modify the subject that follows it. In option 1, "the candidate" is the one who revised, so the modifier is attached correctly; the other options make the room or coldness the logical subject of "having revised".

Question 11English

In the KCSE English grammar section, choose the question tag that correctly completes this sentence: "The candidates submitted their scripts early, ___?"

  1. did they
  2. didn't they Correct answer.
  3. didn't he
  4. don't they

Explanation

A positive statement in the simple past with a plural subject takes a negative tag formed with "did" and the matching pronoun. "The candidates" is plural, so "didn't they" is the appropriate tag.

Question 12English

In the KCSE English composition paper, choose the article that correctly fills the gap: "She is ___ honest prefect who reports every case to the head teacher."

  1. no article
  2. an Correct answer.
  3. a
  4. the

Explanation

The choice between "a" and "an" depends on the sound that begins the next word, not on its first letter. "Honest" begins with a vowel sound because the "h" is silent, so "an" is required.

Question 13English

In the KCSE English grammar paper, choose the form that correctly completes the comparison: "Of the two compositions, Maria's is the ___ ."

  1. most good
  2. best
  3. better Correct answer.
  4. more good

Explanation

When two people or things are compared, English uses the comparative form, not the superlative. "Better" is the comparative of "good", while "best" is reserved for three or more items.

Question 14English

In the KCSE English grammar section, choose the correct passive form of this sentence: "The invigilator collected all the answer sheets before noon."

  1. All the answer sheets were being collected by the invigilator before noon.
  2. All the answer sheets were collected by the invigilator before noon. Correct answer.
  3. All the answer sheets was collected by the invigilator before noon.
  4. All the answer sheets had collected by the invigilator before noon.

Explanation

The active sentence is in the simple past, so its passive form uses "were" plus the past participle "collected". The plural subject "sheets" requires "were", and the agent is introduced with "by".

Question 15English

In the KCSE English editing task, choose the sentence that uses the colon correctly.

  1. The candidate packed: a pen, a ruler and a calculator for the test.
  2. The candidate packed three items; a pen, a ruler and a calculator.
  3. The candidate packed three items, a pen, a ruler and a calculator.
  4. The candidate packed three items: a pen, a ruler and a calculator. Correct answer.

Explanation

A colon may introduce a list only after a complete independent clause, and it should not be placed directly after a verb such as "packed". The clause "The candidate packed three items" is complete, so the colon is correctly used there.

Question 16English

In the KCSE English grammar section, choose the sentence that uses "despite" correctly.

  1. Despite he revised for weeks, he failed the test.
  2. Despite revising for weeks, he failed the test. Correct answer.
  3. Despite of revising for weeks, he failed the test.
  4. Despite his revise for weeks, he failed the test.

Explanation

"Despite" is a preposition and must be followed by a noun, a pronoun, or a gerund, not by a full clause. "Despite revising for weeks" correctly supplies the gerund phrase.

Question 17English

In the KCSE English vocabulary task, choose the word that correctly fills the gap: "The head teacher praised the prefect for her ___ in handling the dispute."

  1. tactfully
  2. tactful
  3. tactless
  4. tact Correct answer.

Explanation

The possessive determiner "her" must be followed by a noun, and the sentence needs a noun meaning sensitivity in dealing with others. "Tact" supplies that noun, while the other options are adjectives or adverbs.

Question 18English

In the KCSE English editing section, choose the sentence with the correctly punctuated direct speech.

  1. "Bring your admission cards," the invigilator said, "and sit at the front".
  2. "Bring your admission cards," the invigilator said "and sit at the front."
  3. "Bring your admission cards," the invigilator said, "and sit at the front." Correct answer.
  4. "Bring your admission cards", the invigilator said politely, "and sit at the front."

Explanation

In direct speech, a comma separates the spoken words from the reporting clause and stays inside the quotation marks. The final full stop also belongs inside the closing quotation mark when the quoted sentence ends there.

Question 19English

In the KCSE English grammar paper, choose the direct-speech sentence that correctly reports: "The prefect denied having taken the missing register."

  1. The prefect said, "I have not taken the missing register."
  2. The prefect said, "I did not take the missing register." Correct answer.
  3. The prefect said, "I had not taken the missing register."
  4. The prefect said, "I will not take the missing register."

Explanation

The reporting verb "denied" introduces a negative statement about a past action, so the direct speech should use the simple past negative "did not take". "Having taken" refers to an earlier completed act, and the denial is expressed in the past.

Question 20English

In the KCSE English comprehension paper, a writer states: "The village committee met, argued for three hours, and finally agreed to postpone the decision until after the feast." Which statement best describes the writer's attitude?

  1. anger at the committee's dishonesty
  2. indifference to the committee's meeting
  3. mild criticism of the committee's delay Correct answer.
  4. open admiration for the committee's decisive and prompt action

Explanation

The committee argues for three hours and then postpones the decision, a detail that suggests avoidance rather than decisive action. The writer's tone is therefore mildly critical, not admiring, angry, or indifferent.

Question 21English

In the KCSE English grammar section, choose the correct plural form to complete the sentence: "Three ___ reported the accident to the head teacher."

  1. passers-bys
  2. passer-by's
  3. passer-bys
  4. passers-by Correct answer.

Explanation

Compound nouns made of a noun plus a preposition or adverb form the plural by adding -s to the first element, so passer-by becomes passers-by. The other forms either pluralise the wrong part or use an apostrophe, which marks possession rather than plurality.

Question 22English

In the KCSE English editing task, which sentence uses "its" or "it's" correctly?

  1. The committee praised the choir for it's discipline and harmony during the concert.
  2. The prefect said it's cover was torn during the rehearsal.
  3. The school celebrated its fiftieth anniversary with a drama festival. Correct answer.
  4. Its important that every candidate carries a pen and a ruler into the examination hall.

Explanation

The possessive determiner "its" shows ownership and takes no apostrophe, as in "its fiftieth anniversary". "It's" is a contraction of "it is" or "it has", so it cannot replace the possessive form before a noun.

Question 23English

In the KCSE English composition paper, choose the correctly spelled word that completes the sentence: "The head teacher commended the candidates for their ___ in the debate."

  1. perseverance Correct answer.
  2. persaverance
  3. perseverence
  4. perserverance

Explanation

The correct spelling is "perseverance", formed from "persevere" plus "-ance". It keeps the final -e of the base and has a single r after the first e; the other spellings are common slips.

Question 24English

In the KCSE English grammar paper, choose the correct pronoun to complete the sentence: "The prize was awarded to the candidate ___ the judges considered most persuasive."

  1. whom Correct answer.
  2. which
  3. whose
  4. who

Explanation

The pronoun is the object of "considered", so the objective case "whom" is required. "Who" is subjective, "whose" is possessive, and "which" refers to things rather than people.

Question 25English

In the KCSE English editing section, choose the revision that makes the list parallel: "The prefect was praised for organising debates, supervising the dining hall, and she trained the choir."

  1. The prefect was praised for organise debates, supervising the dining hall, and training the choir.
  2. The prefect was praised for organising debates, supervising the dining hall, and she trains the choir.
  3. The prefect was praised for organising debates, to supervise the dining hall, and training the choir.
  4. The prefect was praised for organising debates, supervising the dining hall, and training the choir. Correct answer.

Explanation

Parallelism requires items in a list to share the same grammatical form. The revised list uses three gerunds: organising, supervising, and training; the other options mix a clause or an infinitive with gerunds.

Question 26English

In the KCSE English grammar paper, choose the sentence that expresses past regret correctly.

  1. The candidate should checked the spelling of "government".
  2. The candidate should have checked the spelling of "government". Correct answer.
  3. The candidate should have had checked the spelling of "government".
  4. The candidate should of checked the spelling of "government".

Explanation

Past regret about something that was not done is expressed with should + have + past participle: "should have checked". "Should of" is a mishearing of "should have", and the other forms either double the auxiliary or omit it.

Question 27English

In the KCSE English editing section, choose the word that correctly completes the sentence: "The new library rule will ___ all candidates who borrow books."

  1. effected
  2. effect
  3. affecting
  4. affect Correct answer.

Explanation

The verb needed after "will" is the base form "affect", meaning to influence. "Effect" is usually a noun meaning a result, so it does not fit the verb slot after "will"; "effected" and "affecting" are wrong forms here.

Question 28English

In the KCSE English grammar paper, choose the correct reported form of the question: "Have you completed your project?" the teacher asked.

  1. The teacher asked that I had completed my project.
  2. The teacher asked me if I have already completed my project.
  3. The teacher asked whether had I completed my project.
  4. The teacher asked whether I had completed my project. Correct answer.

Explanation

When a yes/no question is reported, use asked whether or asked if and backshift the present perfect to the past perfect. The other options keep the wrong tense, use the wrong conjunction, or invert the word order after "whether".

Question 29English

In the KCSE English editing section, choose the sentence that uses "fewer" and "less" correctly in a report on exam entries.

  1. Less candidates sat the paper this year, and less time was allowed for the composition.
  2. Fewer candidates sat the paper this year, and fewer time was allowed for the composition.
  3. Fewer candidates sat the paper this year, and less time was allowed for the composition. Correct answer.
  4. Less candidates sat the paper this year, and fewer time was allowed for the composition paper.

Explanation

Use fewer with plural countable nouns such as candidates and less with uncountable nouns such as time. The other options reverse the pair or use less with a countable noun and fewer with an uncountable one.

Question 30English

In the KCSE English editing task, choose the sentence that correctly uses a semicolon with the conjunctive adverb "however".

  1. The candidate revised thoroughly however; she still misread the final question on the paper.
  2. The candidate revised thoroughly; however she, still misread the final question on the paper.
  3. The candidate revised thoroughly, however, she still misread the final question on the paper.
  4. The candidate revised thoroughly; however, she still misread the final question. Correct answer.

Explanation

A semicolon can join two independent clauses when a conjunctive adverb like however introduces the second; a comma normally follows however. The other options create a comma splice, misplace the comma, or put the semicolon after the adverb.

Question 31English

In the KCSE English grammar section, choose the verb form that correctly completes the sentence: "Neither the head prefect nor the class monitors ___ willing to collect the examination cards."

  1. is
  2. was
  3. were Correct answer.
  4. am

Explanation

With a neither ... nor construction, the verb agrees with the subject nearer to it. The nearer subject is "class monitors", which is plural, so the past plural form "were" is required here. "Was", "is" and "am" are singular forms and do not agree with "monitors".

Question 32English

In the KCSE English grammar section, choose the preposition that correctly completes the sentence: "The candidates were congratulated ___ passing the KCSE examination."

  1. about
  2. with
  3. on Correct answer.
  4. for

Explanation

The verb "congratulate" is followed by the preposition "on" when it names the achievement. The standard pattern is "congratulate someone on doing something". "For", "about" and "with" do not form this fixed collocation.

Question 33English

In the KCSE English vocabulary section, choose the phrasal verb that correctly completes the sentence: "The literature club agreed to ___ the play until the following term because the hall was flooded."

  1. put on
  2. put aside
  3. put out
  4. put off Correct answer.

Explanation

"Put off" means to postpone, which fits the idea of moving the play to the following term. "Put on" means to stage a performance, while "put out" means to extinguish or trouble someone. "Put aside" means to save or set something apart, not to postpone an event.

Question 34English

In the KCSE English grammar section, choose the words that correctly complete the sentence: "Hardly ___ entered the examination hall when the invigilator asked for silence."

  1. the candidates have
  2. the candidates had
  3. have the candidates
  4. had the candidates Correct answer.

Explanation

When a sentence opens with the negative adverb "hardly", the auxiliary verb comes before the subject. The fixed pattern is "Hardly had + subject + past participle ... when ...". This inverted order gives "Hardly had the candidates entered ...".

Question 35English

In the KCSE English grammar section, choose the relative pronoun that correctly completes the sentence: "The candidate ___ script was misplaced reported the matter to the examinations officer."

  1. whose Correct answer.
  2. which
  3. of which
  4. who's

Explanation

The missing word must show possession: the script belongs to the candidate. "Whose" is the possessive relative pronoun used for people and things. "Who's" is a contraction of "who is" or "who has", and "which" or "of which" cannot stand directly before "script" in this way.

Question 36English

In the KCSE English grammar section, choose the words that correctly complete the sentence: "It was ___ difficult examination ___ several candidates left early."

  1. such a / that Correct answer.
  2. so a / that
  3. so / that
  4. such an / that

Explanation

The pattern "such a + adjective + singular noun + that" introduces a result. "Examination" is a singular countable noun beginning with a consonant sound, so "such a difficult examination that" is correct. "So" is used with adjectives alone, as in "so difficult that", not with "a" before the noun in this order.

Question 37English

In the KCSE English grammar section, choose the conjunction that correctly completes the sentence: "The candidates will not be admitted into the hall ___ they produce their index numbers."

  1. provided
  2. if
  3. in case
  4. unless Correct answer.

Explanation

"Unless" means "if not" and introduces the only condition under which the candidates will be admitted. The sentence needs the negative condition: they will not be admitted if they do not produce their index numbers. "If", "provided" and "in case" would reverse or blur that condition.

Question 38English

In the KCSE English grammar section, choose the form that correctly completes the sentence: "The candidates would rather ___ the results on Friday than wait until Monday."

  1. receiving
  2. to receive
  3. receive Correct answer.
  4. received

Explanation

The structure "would rather" is followed by the bare infinitive, without "to". When two actions are compared, the pattern is "would rather do X than do Y". Therefore "would rather receive ... than wait" is correct.

Question 39English

In the KCSE English editing section, choose the completion that avoids a dangling modifier: "Having completed the composition, ___."

  1. the answer script was handed to the invigilator
  2. the bell was rung by the invigilator
  3. the candidate handed in the answer script Correct answer.
  4. the invigilator collected the answer scripts

Explanation

The opening participial phrase "Having completed the composition" must describe the subject of the main clause. Only "the candidate" can logically complete the composition, so the main clause must begin with "the candidate". The other completions make the phrase dangle because their subjects did not complete the composition.

Question 40English

In the KCSE English editing section, choose the words that correctly complete the sentence: "The results of this year's mock examination are not as encouraging as ___ last year."

  1. those of Correct answer.
  2. that of
  3. that from
  4. them of

Explanation

The comparison is between "results" in the plural, so the plural demonstrative pronoun "those" is needed. "Those of last year" stands for "the results of last year" and keeps the comparison parallel. "That" is singular, and "them" cannot be used as a determiner before "of".

Question 41Mathematics

Express 0.000406 in standard form.

  1. 4.06 × 10^-3
  2. 4.06 × 10^-4 Correct answer.
  3. 0.406 × 10^-4
  4. 40.6 × 10^-4

Explanation

Standard form is written as A × 10^n, where 1 ≤ A < 10 and n is an integer. Moving the decimal point in 0.000406 four places to the right gives 4.06, so the index of 10 is -4. Therefore 0.000406 = 4.06 × 10^-4.

Question 42Mathematics

Solve the linear equation 5x - 7 = 3x + 9.

  1. -8
  2. 1
  3. 2
  4. 8 Correct answer.

Explanation

Subtract 3x from both sides to obtain 2x - 7 = 9. Then add 7 to both sides to get 2x = 16, and divide by 2 to find x = 8. Substituting 8 back into both sides gives 33 = 33, so the solution checks.

Question 43Mathematics

The interior angles of a triangle are in the ratio 2 : 3 : 4. What is the size of the largest angle?

  1. 40°
  2. 60°
  3. 100°
  4. 80° Correct answer.

Explanation

The angles of a triangle add up to 180°, and the ratio has 2 + 3 + 4 = 9 equal parts. One part is 180° ÷ 9 = 20°, so the largest angle is 4 × 20° = 80°. The three angles are therefore 40°, 60° and 80°.

Question 44Mathematics

A trader bought a bicycle for $240 and sold it for $300. Calculate the percentage profit.

  1. 30%
  2. 25% Correct answer.
  3. 60%
  4. 20%

Explanation

The profit is $300 - $240 = $60. Percentage profit is calculated using the cost price, so it is (60 ÷ 240) × 100% = 25%. Using the selling price instead would give 20%, but that is not the percentage profit on cost.

Question 45Mathematics

A cylindrical water tank has radius 7 cm and height 10 cm. Taking π = 22/7, calculate its volume.

  1. 3080 cm^3
  2. 1540 cm^3 Correct answer.
  3. 770 cm^3
  4. 440 cm^3

Explanation

The volume of a cylinder is V = πr^2h. Substituting r = 7 and h = 10 gives V = (22/7) × 7^2 × 10 = (22/7) × 49 × 10 = 1540 cm^3. The calculation uses the radius squared, not the diameter or the curved surface area.

Question 46Mathematics

In triangle ABC, angle A = 90°, AB = 8 cm and angle ABC = 30°. Find the length of AC, correct to 1 decimal place.

  1. 4.6 cm Correct answer.
  2. 13.9 cm
  3. 9.2 cm
  4. 4.0 cm

Explanation

Angle A is the right angle, so AB is the side adjacent to the 30° angle at B and AC is the opposite side. Thus tan 30° = AC ÷ AB, giving AC = 8 tan 30° = 8 × 0.5774 ≈ 4.6 cm. The tangent ratio is used because the known side is adjacent to the given angle.

Question 47Mathematics

The mean mass of 5 students is 48 kg. When a sixth student joins the group, the mean mass becomes 49 kg. What is the mass of the sixth student?

  1. 50 kg
  2. 49 kg
  3. 54 kg Correct answer.
  4. 60 kg

Explanation

The total mass of the first 5 students is 5 × 48 = 240 kg. After the sixth student joins, the total mass of 6 students is 6 × 49 = 294 kg. The sixth student therefore has mass 294 - 240 = 54 kg.

Question 48Mathematics

Solve the simultaneous equations 3x + 2y = 16 and x - y = 2.

  1. (4, 2) Correct answer.
  2. (2, 4)
  3. (5, 3)
  4. (3, 1)

Explanation

From x - y = 2, we get x = y + 2. Substituting into 3x + 2y = 16 gives 3(y + 2) + 2y = 16, so 5y + 6 = 16 and y = 2. Then x = 2 + 2 = 4, so the solution is (4, 2).

Question 49Mathematics

The quadratic equation x^2 + kx + 9 = 0 has equal roots. Find the possible values of k.

  1. k = 6 only
  2. k = ±6 Correct answer.
  3. k = 9 only
  4. k = ±9

Explanation

A quadratic equation has equal roots when its discriminant b^2 - 4ac is zero. Here a = 1, b = k and c = 9, so k^2 - 4(1)(9) = 0, which gives k^2 = 36. Hence k = 6 or k = -6, written as k = ±6.

Question 50Mathematics

A bag contains 4 red balls and 6 blue balls. Two balls are taken at random without replacement. What is the probability that both balls are red?

  1. 2/15 Correct answer.
  2. 4/25
  3. 8/45
  4. 1/5

Explanation

The probability that the first ball is red is 4/10. After a red ball is removed, 3 red balls remain among 9 balls, so the probability that the second is also red is 3/9. Multiplying gives (4/10) × (3/9) = 12/90 = 2/15.