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SLLC Preliminary practice questions

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Question 1Latin Language and Grammar

In the sentence 'Poeta puellae rosam dat', what case and function is 'puellae'?

  1. Dative singular, indirect object Correct answer.
  2. Nominative plural, subject
  3. Ablative singular, means
  4. Genitive singular, possessive

Explanation

The verb 'dat' (gives) takes a dative of the person receiving, so 'puellae' is dative singular indirect object, while 'rosam' is the accusative direct object. The genitive singular of 'puella' would also be 'puellae', so context and the verb determine the reading here.

Question 2Latin Language and Grammar

Which form is the correct present active infinitive of 'audire'?

  1. audire Correct answer.
  2. audiens
  3. auditus
  4. audit

Explanation

Fourth-conjugation verbs form the present active infinitive in -ire, so 'audire' means 'to hear'. The other forms are respectively third-person singular present, perfect participle, and present participle.

Question 3Latin Language and Grammar

What is the correct dative singular of 'rex, regis' (m.)?

  1. rege
  2. regis
  3. regem
  4. regi Correct answer.

Explanation

Third-declension nouns form the dative singular by adding -i to the stem 'reg-', giving 'regi'. The ending -i is shared by all genders in this declension, so 'regi' means 'to/for the king'.

Question 4Latin Language and Grammar

In 'Hostes a militibus victi sunt', what does the ablative 'militibus' express?

  1. Agent with a passive verb Correct answer.
  2. Means or instrument
  3. Place where
  4. Degree of difference

Explanation

With a passive verb, a personal agent is expressed by 'a' or 'ab' plus the ablative, so 'a militibus' means 'by the soldiers'. The preposition 'a/ab' is the key marker distinguishing agent from bare ablative of means.

Question 5Latin Language and Grammar

Which Latin word is a first-person plural present active indicative form?

  1. amatis
  2. amem
  3. amamus Correct answer.
  4. amant

Explanation

The ending -mus marks first-person plural in the present active indicative, so 'amamus' means 'we love'. The other forms belong to different persons or moods.

Question 6Latin Language and Grammar

What case does the preposition 'cum' take when it means 'with'?

  1. Dative
  2. Genitive
  3. Accusative
  4. Ablative Correct answer.

Explanation

'Cum' is one of the standard prepositions governing the ablative, as in 'cum amico' ('with a friend'). Prepositions in Latin govern either the accusative or the ablative, and 'cum' belongs to the ablative group.

Question 7Latin Language and Grammar

Which adjective correctly agrees with 'puella' in 'puella ___' (nominative singular feminine)?

  1. bonum
  2. bonus
  3. bona Correct answer.
  4. bonae

Explanation

'Puella' is nominative singular feminine, so the adjective must be feminine nominative singular, 'bona'. Adjectives of the first and second declension take -a for feminine nominative singular.

Question 8Latin Language and Grammar

What is the meaning of the imperfect tense in 'puer ludebat'?

  1. The boy was playing Correct answer.
  2. The boy has played
  3. The boy will play
  4. The boy played (once, completed)

Explanation

The imperfect expresses ongoing, habitual, or repeated past action, so 'ludebat' means 'was playing' or 'used to play'. The perfect 'lusit' would express a single completed act.

Question 9Latin Language and Grammar

In 'Caesar pontem fecit ut milites transirent', what mood is 'transirent' and why?

  1. Subjunctive, in a purpose clause Correct answer.
  2. Indicative, stating a fact
  3. Infinitive, completing 'fecit'
  4. Imperative, giving a command

Explanation

'Ut' introducing a purpose clause takes the subjunctive, so 'transirent' (imperfect subjunctive) expresses the purpose 'so that the soldiers might cross'. Purpose clauses are one of the standard uses of the subjunctive in subordinate clauses.

Question 10Latin Language and Grammar

Which sentence uses the correct form for an indirect statement after 'dicit'?

  1. Dicit puellae venire.
  2. Dicit puellam venit.
  3. Dicit puellam venire. Correct answer.
  4. Dicit puella venit.

Explanation

Indirect statement after a verb of saying uses the accusative-and-infinitive construction, so the subject 'puella' becomes accusative 'puellam' and the verb becomes the infinitive 'venire'. This construction reports what someone says without quotation.

Question 11Latin Language and Grammar

What is the function of 'consulis' in 'consulis filius'?

  1. Genitive of possession Correct answer.
  2. Dative of possession
  3. Ablative of agent
  4. Accusative direct object

Explanation

'Consulis' is the genitive singular of 'consul' and expresses possession: 'the son of the consul'. The genitive commonly marks the possessor, especially with nouns denoting persons.

Question 12Latin Language and Grammar

Which form is the correct imperfect subjunctive active of 'esse' in the third-person singular?

  1. erit
  2. erat
  3. sit
  4. esset Correct answer.

Explanation

The imperfect subjunctive of 'esse' is formed from the present infinitive 'esse' plus personal endings, giving 'essem, esses, esset'. It expresses past unreal or dependent subjunctive meaning such as 'he might be'.

Question 13Latin Language and Grammar

In 'Milites fortiter pugnaverunt', what does 'fortiter' modify?

  1. The noun 'pugna'
  2. Nothing, it is a conjunction
  3. The subject 'milites'
  4. The verb 'pugnaverunt' Correct answer.

Explanation

'Fortiter' is an adverb derived from 'fortis' and modifies the verb 'pugnaverunt', meaning 'the soldiers fought bravely'. Adverbs qualify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs, not nouns.

Question 14Latin Language and Grammar

Which pronoun correctly completes '___ librum dedi' meaning 'I gave the book to him'?

  1. Eius
  2. Eo
  3. Ei Correct answer.
  4. Eum

Explanation

The recipient of 'dedi' is an indirect object in the dative, and the dative singular masculine of 'is' is 'ei'. 'Ei' can also be dative feminine, but context selects the masculine reading.

Question 15Latin Language and Grammar

Which is the correct comparative form of 'bonus'?

  1. optimus
  2. bonissimus
  3. magis bonus
  4. melior Correct answer.

Explanation

'Bonus' has the irregular comparative 'melior' (better) and superlative 'optimus' (best). Latin uses suppletive stems for this adjective rather than adding -ior to 'bonus'.

Question 16Latin Language and Grammar

In 'Urbs Roma magna erat', what is the case of 'Roma'?

  1. Nominative, in apposition to 'urbs' Correct answer.
  2. Accusative, direct object
  3. Genitive, expressing possession
  4. Ablative, expressing place from which

Explanation

'Roma' is nominative singular and stands in apposition to the nominative subject 'urbs', identifying the city. Appositives agree with the noun they define in case.

Question 17Latin Language and Grammar

What does the gerundive express in 'Carthago delenda est'?

  1. A completed action
  2. A condition contrary to fact
  3. A wish for the future
  4. Obligation or necessity Correct answer.

Explanation

The gerundive is a passive verbal adjective expressing obligation, so 'delenda est' means 'must be destroyed'. This use is often called the passive periphrastic and typically implies necessity.

Question 18Latin Language and Grammar

Which word correctly completes 'Hostes ___ oppidum venerunt' meaning 'The enemies came into the town'?

  1. cum
  2. ab
  3. ad
  4. in Correct answer.

Explanation

Motion into a place is expressed by 'in' with the accusative, so 'in oppidum' means 'into the town'. 'Ad' with accusative means 'to, toward' a person or place but is not used for entering a town.

Question 19Latin Language and Grammar

What is the correct passive form of 'laudant' (they praise)?

  1. laudabant
  2. laudantur Correct answer.
  3. laudatur
  4. laudant

Explanation

The passive of the third-person plural present is formed with the ending -ntur, giving 'laudantur' ('they are praised'). The active ending -nt becomes -ntur in the passive.

Question 20Latin Language and Grammar

In 'Si pluisset, domi mansissemus', what type of conditional is this?

  1. Future more vivid
  2. Simple factual
  3. Present contrary to fact
  4. Past contrary to fact Correct answer.

Explanation

Both clauses use the pluperfect subjunctive ('pluisset', 'mansissemus'), which marks a past contrary-to-fact condition: 'If it had rained, we would have stayed home'. The pluperfect subjunctive in both parts is the standard signature of this type.

Question 21Latin Language and Grammar

Which form is a correct ablative absolute in '___ victis, Caesar discessit' meaning 'with the enemies conquered'?

  1. Hostibus Correct answer.
  2. Hostium
  3. Hostes
  4. Hostibusque

Explanation

An ablative absolute consists of a noun and a participle in the ablative, so 'hostibus victis' means 'with the enemies having been conquered'. The ablative plural of 'hostis' is 'hostibus'.

Question 22Latin Language and Grammar

In 'Tanta erat virtus militum ut hostes fugerent', what does the 'ut' clause express?

  1. Result Correct answer.
  2. Concession
  3. Purpose
  4. Indirect question

Explanation

After 'tanta' (so great), 'ut' introduces a result clause, 'so great was the courage of the soldiers that the enemies fled'. Result clauses take the subjunctive and are signalled by correlatives such as 'tam', 'ita', or 'tantus'.

Question 23Latin Language and Grammar

Which correctly expresses 'I fear that the enemy may come' in Latin?

  1. Timeo quod hostes veniunt.
  2. Timeo hostes venire.
  3. Timeo ut hostes veniant.
  4. Timeo ne hostes veniant. Correct answer.

Explanation

Verbs of fearing take 'ne' plus the subjunctive for a positive fear ('that...may'), and 'ut' for a negative fear ('that...not'). Thus 'timeo ne hostes veniant' means 'I fear that the enemy may come'.

Question 24Latin Language and Grammar

What is the case and use of 'Romae' in 'Romae multi poetae vixerunt'?

  1. Locative, expressing place where Correct answer.
  2. Ablative of means
  3. Dative of reference
  4. Genitive of possession

Explanation

Names of towns and small islands use the locative case for place where, and the locative of first-declension 'Roma' is 'Romae'. So 'Romae' means 'at Rome', not 'of Rome'.

Question 25Latin Language and Grammar

In 'Dux, cuius consilium omnes laudaverunt, discessit', what is the function of 'cuius'?

  1. Demonstrative adjective modifying 'dux'
  2. Relative pronoun in the accusative, direct object
  3. Relative pronoun in the genitive, possessive Correct answer.
  4. Interrogative pronoun asking a question

Explanation

'Cuius' is the genitive singular of the relative pronoun 'qui, quae, quod', here meaning 'whose plan'. The relative pronoun takes its case from its function in the relative clause, which is possessive genitive with 'consilium'.

Question 26Latin Language and Grammar

Which form of the relative pronoun correctly completes 'Puella ___ librum legi' meaning 'The girl whose book I read'?

  1. cuius Correct answer.
  2. cui
  3. quam
  4. quae

Explanation

The relative pronoun takes its case from its function inside the relative clause. Here the book belongs to the girl, so the genitive 'cuius' is required, while gender and number come from the antecedent 'puella'.

Question 27Latin Language and Grammar

In the sentence 'Discipuli a magistro laudantur', what is the voice and person of 'laudantur'?

  1. third person plural active
  2. third person singular passive
  3. first person plural passive
  4. third person plural passive Correct answer.

Explanation

The ending -ntur marks the third person plural passive of the present tense. The subject 'discipuli' receives the praise, confirming passive voice with a personal agent in the ablative after 'a'.

Question 28Latin Language and Grammar

Which Latin word correctly completes '___ veniunt' meaning 'They come with the queen'?

  1. reginae
  2. reginam
  3. reginarum
  4. regina Correct answer.

Explanation

The preposition 'cum' takes the ablative case. The ablative singular of 'regina' is 'regina', so 'cum regina' means 'with the queen'.

Question 29Latin Language and Grammar

What is the tense and mood of 'amavisset'?

  1. perfect subjunctive active
  2. pluperfect subjunctive active Correct answer.
  3. pluperfect indicative passive
  4. future perfect indicative active

Explanation

The ending -isset signals the pluperfect subjunctive active, formed from the perfect stem plus -isse- plus personal endings. It commonly appears in past contrary-to-fact conditions and past indirect questions.

Question 30Latin Language and Grammar

Which form of 'fero' correctly completes 'Milites arma ___' meaning 'The soldiers were carrying weapons'?

  1. ferebant Correct answer.
  2. ferunt
  3. tulerunt
  4. ferent

Explanation

The imperfect indicative active third person plural of 'fero' is 'ferebant', expressing ongoing action in the past. The stem 'fere-' plus -ba- plus -nt marks this tense.

Question 31Latin Language and Grammar

In 'Caesar, vir summae virtutis, milites hortatus est', what is the function of 'summae virtutis'?

  1. dative of indirect object
  2. accusative of respect
  3. genitive of description modifying 'vir' Correct answer.
  4. ablative of means

Explanation

A noun in the genitive, often with an adjective, can describe a person's quality, as in 'vir summae virtutis' meaning 'a man of the greatest courage'. The phrase is in apposition to 'Caesar'.

Question 32Latin Language and Grammar

Which sentence correctly expresses a future less vivid condition ('If he should come, we would see him')?

  1. Si venit, eum videmus.
  2. Si venisset, eum vidissemus.
  3. Si veniat, eum videamus. Correct answer.
  4. Si veniet, eum videbimus.

Explanation

The future less vivid condition uses the present subjunctive in both clauses. 'Si veniat, eum videamus' presents the condition as a hypothetical possibility rather than a fact.

Question 33Latin Language and Grammar

What is the case and use of 'multis' in 'Multis civibus discedentibus, urbs deserta erat'?

  1. ablative in an ablative absolute Correct answer.
  2. nominative plural subject
  3. dative of indirect object
  4. ablative of place from which

Explanation

The phrase 'multis civibus discedentibus' consists of a noun and participle in the ablative with no governing preposition, a classic ablative absolute expressing the circumstances. It means 'with many citizens leaving'.

Question 34Latin Language and Grammar

Which pronoun correctly completes '___ liber est?' meaning 'Whose book is it?'

  1. Cui
  2. Quis
  3. Cuius Correct answer.
  4. Quem

Explanation

The interrogative pronoun in the genitive singular is 'cuius', used to ask whose something is. It agrees with the noun 'liber' in gender and number but its case is determined by possession.

Question 35Latin Language and Grammar

Which is the correct superlative form of 'facilis'?

  1. maxime facilis
  2. facilimus
  3. facilissimus
  4. facillimus Correct answer.

Explanation

Adjectives ending in -lis form the superlative by adding -limus to the stem, giving 'facillimus'. The same pattern appears in 'difficillimus' and 'simillimus'.

Question 36Latin Language and Grammar

In 'Roma condita est a Romulo', what does the passive construction emphasize?

  1. the place of the founding
  2. the time of the founding
  3. the agent as the topic
  4. the action done to the subject Correct answer.

Explanation

In a passive sentence the grammatical subject 'Roma' receives the action, and the agent appears in the ablative with 'a'. The construction shifts focus onto what happened to the subject rather than on who did it.

Question 37Latin Language and Grammar

Which word correctly completes 'Imperator milites ___ pugnare iussit' meaning 'The general ordered the soldiers to fight'?

  1. fortes
  2. fortibus
  3. fortiter Correct answer.
  4. fortium

Explanation

The adverb 'fortiter' modifies the infinitive 'pugnare', describing how the fighting is to be done. Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs, not nouns.

Question 38Latin Language and Grammar

What is the mood of 'esset' in 'Rogavit quid faciendum esset'?

  1. future indicative in a conditional
  2. imperfect subjunctive in an indirect question Correct answer.
  3. present subjunctive in a purpose clause
  4. imperfect indicative in a direct statement

Explanation

After a verb of asking, the dependent clause is an indirect question and takes the subjunctive. Because the main verb 'rogavit' is past, the sequence of tenses requires the imperfect subjunctive 'esset'.

Question 39Latin Language and Grammar

Which Latin form correctly expresses 'he will have been praised'?

  1. laudatus est
  2. laudatus erat
  3. laudabitur
  4. laudatus erit Correct answer.

Explanation

The future perfect passive combines the perfect passive participle with the future of 'esse'. 'Laudatus erit' literally means 'he will have been praised'.

Question 40Latin Language and Grammar

In 'Tanta erat diligentia ut omnes mirarentur', what does the result clause express?

  1. a consequence of the degree described Correct answer.
  2. a condition contrary to fact
  3. a purpose intended by the subject
  4. a command given to others

Explanation

The correlatives 'tanta...ut' introduce a result clause, showing what followed from such great diligence. The subjunctive 'mirarentur' is standard in result clauses.

Question 41Latin Language and Grammar

Which form of 'eo' correctly completes 'Caesar Romam ___' meaning 'Caesar went to Rome'?

  1. iit Correct answer.
  2. it
  3. ibat
  4. ivit

Explanation

'Romam' is an accusative of place to which without a preposition, and the verb 'eo' takes the perfect 'iit' to express a completed journey. Both 'iit' and 'ivit' are perfect forms; here 'iit' is the required completion of the pattern.

Question 42Latin Language and Grammar

What is the function of the dative in 'Liber mihi placet'?

  1. dative with a verb of pleasing Correct answer.
  2. dative of possession
  3. dative of agent
  4. dative of purpose

Explanation

Verbs such as 'placeo', 'noceo', and 'credo' take a dative of the person affected. 'Mihi placet' means 'it pleases me', i.e. 'I like it'.

Question 43Latin Language and Grammar

Which word correctly completes 'Hostes, ___ virtute cognita, fugerunt' meaning 'The enemy, having learned of our courage, fled'?

  1. nostram
  2. nostra Correct answer.
  3. nostrae
  4. nostris

Explanation

The ablative absolute 'nostra virtute cognita' uses the ablative singular feminine of the possessive adjective to agree with 'virtute'. The phrase means 'with our courage having been learned of'.

Question 44Latin Language and Grammar

What does the prefix in 'revertit' contribute to the verb's meaning?

  1. intensification, 'turns greatly'
  2. repetition or reversal, 'turns back' Correct answer.
  3. motion downward, 'turns down'
  4. negation, 'does not turn'

Explanation

The prefix 're-' conveys a backward or repeated motion, so 'revertit' means 'he turns back' or 'returns'. Prefixes in Latin regularly modify the direction or aspect of the base verb.

Question 45Latin Language and Grammar

Which correctly expresses 'I fear that the enemy may come' using a fear clause?

  1. Timeo hostes venire.
  2. Timeo ne hostes veniant. Correct answer.
  3. Timeo ut hostes veniant.
  4. Timeo quod hostes veniunt.

Explanation

After verbs of fearing, 'ne' introduces the feared outcome, and the clause takes the subjunctive. 'Timeo ne hostes veniant' means 'I fear that the enemy may come'.

Question 46Latin Language and Grammar

Which is the correct present infinitive passive of 'capio'?

  1. capere
  2. captus esse
  3. capiebatur
  4. capi Correct answer.

Explanation

For third conjugation -io verbs, the present passive infinitive ends in -i, so 'capio' gives 'capi'. The active infinitive is 'capere'.

Question 47Latin Language and Grammar

In 'Dux milites ad flumen duxit', what is the use of the accusative 'flumen'?

  1. subject of an infinitive
  2. direct object of the verb
  3. accusative of extent of space
  4. object of a preposition expressing motion toward Correct answer.

Explanation

The preposition 'ad' takes the accusative and here expresses motion toward a place, 'to the river'. The direct object of 'duxit' is 'milites'.

Question 48Latin Language and Grammar

Which form of 'possum' correctly completes 'Non ___ eum convincere' meaning 'I could not convince him'?

  1. potui Correct answer.
  2. potero
  3. possem
  4. possum

Explanation

The perfect 'potui' expresses completed ability in the past, 'I was not able'. The infinitive 'convincere' depends on it, giving 'I could not convince him'.

Question 49Latin Language and Grammar

Which adjective correctly completes 'Via ___ est' meaning 'The road is long'?

  1. longae
  2. longa Correct answer.
  3. longus
  4. longum

Explanation

'Via' is a first-declension feminine noun, so the predicate adjective must be feminine nominative singular, 'longa'. Adjectives agree with their nouns in gender, number, and case.

Question 50Latin Language and Grammar

In 'Imperator, quamquam vulneratus erat, tamen pugnavit', what does 'quamquam' introduce?

  1. a causal clause with the subjunctive
  2. a purpose clause with the subjunctive
  3. a concessive clause with the indicative Correct answer.
  4. a temporal clause with the future indicative

Explanation

'Quamquam' means 'although' and regularly takes the indicative, here the pluperfect passive 'vulneratus erat'. The main clause is marked by 'tamen', 'nevertheless'.