Language Structure and Grammar
The Language structure and grammar domain checks whether you can see how an English sentence is built - tense and aspect, agreement, articles and prepositions, clause patterns, and modifier placement - and whether you can spot the one form that breaks a rule. Items are usually sentence-level: pick the well-formed option, or identify the error in a line.
Rules that carry the most marks
- Agreement: the verb follows the head noun, not the nearest noun. The list of candidates is long. Words like each, every, neither take a singular verb; number of is singular, a number of is plural.
- Tense and aspect: the perfect links two times (has submitted = before now, still relevant); past perfect marks the earlier of two past events.
- Articles and countability: first mention takes a/an, later mention the; uncountables such as information, advice, equipment take no plural -s and no a.
- Clause shape: after a preposition or despite, use a noun or -ing form, never a bare clause.
Worked example
Having reviewed the files, ___ A. the deadline was extended. B. the committee extended the deadline. The opening is a participle clause, so its implied subject must be whoever did the reviewing - the committee. In A, the deadline would be doing the reviewing. Answer: B.
Traps
Long noun phrases with a plural word next to the verb tempt a wrong agreement. Sentence-correction items often bury the error in a preposition (discuss about, married with) rather than in the verb. Do not “improve” a sentence that is already grammatical; choose the option that fixes only the stated fault.