FB GROUP: CIVIL SERVICE POINTERS PH

SOURCE: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1765789493694960/
Article, Pronouns, Verb, Adjective
 FB GROUP: CIVIL SERVICE POINTERS PH
SOURCE: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1765789493694960/
Article, Pronouns, Verb, Adjective
 FB GROUP: CIVIL SERVICE POINTERS PH
SOURCE: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1765789493694960/
Article, Pronouns, Verb, Adjective

How to Use the Articles A, An, and The

A, an, and the are called articles. The definite article the is used to refer to a specific noun, while the
indefinite articles a and an are used to refer to non-specific nouns. Consider the following examples.

1.) Please give me the notebook.

In the first sentence, a specific notebook is referred to. It is assumed that both the speaker and the
listener know which notebook is referred to.

2.) Please give me a notebook.

On the other hand, in the second sentence, the speaker asks for a notebook, any notebook will do.

RULES IN USING A AND AN

A and an are both used to refer to non-specific nouns but there are rules that you must remember to use
them.

A is for consonant letter and consonant sounding letter (user/YU-ser,university/YU-NIVERSITY)

Rule 1a: a is used before a SINGULAR noun beginning with a CONSONANT letter (with exception of
Rule 1b).
Examples: a laptop, a car, a mirror, a pen

Rule 1b: a is used before a SINGULAR noun beginning with a VOWEL letter that sounds like a
consonant
Examples: a user (sounds like yooser), a university (yooniversity), a unique (yoonik) trait
In the previous examples, u sounds like yu which starts with y.

Rule 2: an is used before a SINGULAR non beginning with a VOWEL

Examples: an English teacher, an umbrella, an amicable settlement

Rule 3: A and an are both used before words starting with h. If h sounds like a CONSONANT, a is used.
If it sounds like a VOWEL, an is used.
Examples: a hammer, a human being, an hour (sound like “our”), an honorable man (sounds like
“onorable”)

3. __ hour ago, I met ___ beautiful woman.

a.) A, a
b.) An, a
c.) A, an
d.) An, an
Your answer? B

When to Use the Personal Pronouns I and Me

 FB GROUP: CIVIL SERVICE POINTERS PH
SOURCE: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1765789493694960/
Article, Pronouns, Verb, Adjective

“I” when the pronoun is the subject of the verb

“me” if we are referring to the object of the verb.

Quick and dirty tip!

If you are confused, try to temporarily take out the other subject and read out loud. If it sounds nice, then
it should be the correct one.

Example: (I, me) will go to Dumaguete with Jhody.

1. I will go to Dumaguete with Jhody.

2. Me will go to Dumaguete with Jhody.

Exercise:

1. Joy and (I, me) went out for lunch.

2. (I, me) will go with Richard.

3. That is for (I, me), thank you very much!

4. Stephen and (I, me) are going to see the latest installment of the Transformers later.

5. Do you have anything for (I, me)?

6. Raymond and (I, me) love strawberries.

7. It’s you and (I, me) against the world, baby!

8. Sometimes my husband drives (I, me) crazy.

9. Those apples over there at the counter are for you and (I, me).

10. (I, me) beg to differ!

 FB GROUP: CIVIL SERVICE POINTERS PH
SOURCE: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1765789493694960/
Article, Pronouns, Verb, Adjective
 FB GROUP: CIVIL SERVICE POINTERS PH
SOURCE: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1765789493694960/
Article, Pronouns, Verb, Adjective

SUBJECT VERB AGREEMENT

Verbs are actions in sentences. A verb denotes the action or state of being of the subject in a sentence. The
actions can be physical or mental.

Examples of ACTION

She went to the party. (PHYSICAL ACTION)

Anna considers the job easy. . (MENTAL ACTION)

Examples of STATE OF BEING

The base of these verbs is to be. They are the following: am, is, are, was, were, and will be.

TENSE OF THE VERBS indicate the time they happened. Is it the past (was/were), present (is/are) , or future (will
be?)

In the examples below, the subjects in the sentences are underlined the verbs are italicized.

Rule 1: Singular nouns (usually without s) take singular verbs (usually with s). Plural nouns (usually with s) take
plural verbs (usually without s).

Examples:

The bee buzzes every night. (One bee = singular verb)

The bees buzz every night. (More than one bee = plural verb)

Note: The nouns “I” and “you” always take a plural verb.

I eat a lot.

You are so beautiful.

Rule 2: Compound subjects or subjects joined by AND take a plural verb.

Example:

My father and my brother visit me every year.

Rule 3: The conjunction ‘OR’ does not conjoin like ‘and.’ When you use or, the verb takes the the number of the
closest subject.

Your father or his sisters are going to take care of Anna.

Your sisters or your father is going to take care of Anna.

 FB GROUP: CIVIL SERVICE POINTERS PH
SOURCE: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1765789493694960/
Article, Pronouns, Verb, Adjective

Rule 4: Just like in Rule 3, when the subject words are joined by either … or, neither . . . nor, or not only … but , the
verb agrees with the subject closest to it.

Examples:

Either her friend or her mother has the money.

Neither her uncle nor her aunts have the money.

Rule 5: The indefinite pronouns no one, anyone, everyone, someone, anybody, everybody, somebody, and
nobody are always singular. They take singular verbs.

Examples:

No one is above the law.

Everyone was happy.

Rule 6: When word groups or modifiers separate the subject and the verb, locate the subject word to determine
whether to use a singular or plural verb.

Examples:

The flowers in the pot on the balcony need watering.

An apple a day keeps the doctor away.

Rule 7: Phrases starting with the following words are normally not part of the subject: along with, together with,
accompanied by, in addition to, as well as, except, with, no less than.

Risa, together with her friends, goes to a party every weekend.

Dana and Gemma, together with their father, go to church every weekend.

Rule 8: Modifiers between the subject and the verb does not affect the number of the subject.

Jason, who is a father of four, is currently suffering liver cancer.

In this sentence, the phrase “who is a father of four” is a modifier of Jason. It does not affect Jason as a subject and
therefore takes a singular verb ‘is.’

Rule 9: Some nouns (collective nouns) can be used as singular or plural depending on the context and usage.

Rica’s family plans to go on a vacation this summer.

The staff have gone their separate ways after the meeting.

In the first sentence, the family is a collective noun and functions as one group. In the second sentence, the staff
refers to the persons individually.
 FB GROUP: CIVIL SERVICE POINTERS PH
SOURCE: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1765789493694960/
Article, Pronouns, Verb, Adjective

Rule 10: Uncountable nouns or nouns that can’t be counted takes singular verbs.

Too much sugar was put in this coffee.

Money is the root of all evils.”

In this sentence, sugar is an uncountable noun, so we used ‘was’ instead of ‘were.’ It is the same with the second
sentence.

Rule 11: There are words that end in s that are always considered as singular.

The news about her death is spreading very fast.

Mathematics is a very difficult subject.

Diabetes is not a curable disease.

Rule 12: Fractional expressions ‘half of,’ ‘part of,’ ‘portion of’ may take singular or plural verbs depending on the
context.

Half of the audience are asleep because of his boring speech.

A portion of his wealth was donated to cancer patients.

Rule 13: In inverted sentences especially those that use here and there, the subject follows the verb.

Here are the towels.

A good snack is a salad.

 FB GROUP: CIVIL SERVICE POINTERS PH
SOURCE: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1765789493694960/
Article, Pronouns, Verb, Adjective

Subject Verb Agreement Practice Test

1. My brother or my sister are arriving tomorrow.

Correct sentence: My brother or my sister is arriving tomorrow

Explanation: Two singular subjects connected by or require a singular verb. In this sentence, there
brother and sister are both singular, so the sentence should use the singular verb is.

2. Neither Ella nor her friends is available to assist you.

Correct sentence: Neither Ella nor her friends are available to assist you.
When a singular subject and a plural subject are connected by neither/nor or either/or, the verb agrees
with the subject nearest to it. In the sentence above, the plural verb are is used because it is nearer to the
plural subject friends.

3. Armand, together with his friends, are going on a camping trip tomorrow.

Correct sentence: Armand, together with his friends, is going on a camping trip tomorrow.
Explanation: In general, phrases such as together with, along with, as well as, should be ignored when
considering the verb of the sentence. The verb should always agree with the subject. In this sentence,
Armand is the singular subject, so the singular verb is is used.

4. Jim and Mike are going to take the Subprofessional Civil Service Examination next month.

Explanation: No error. Jim and Mike is a plural subject, so the plural verb are is used.

5. Each of the boys play piano well.

Correct sentence: Each of the boys plays piano well.

Explanation: The pronouns each, anyone, anybody, everyone, every one, everybody are singular and
require singular verbs. In the sentence, each is singular so, the singular verb plays must be used.

6. Neither of them are available to meet you at the airport.

Correct sentence: Neither of them is available to meet you at the airport.

Explanation: Sentences that use either or neither (without or) always require singular verb.

7. Ten years are such a long time to wait my love.

Correct sentence: Ten years is such a long time to wait my love.

Explanation: Periods of time take singular verb.

8. Five thousand pesos are a high price to pay for a single T-shirt.

Correct sentence: Five thousand pesos is a high price to pay for a single T-shirt.
Explanation: Amount of money takes singular verb.
 FB GROUP: CIVIL SERVICE POINTERS PH
SOURCE: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1765789493694960/
Article, Pronouns, Verb, Adjective

9. Fifty percent of the cake have disappeared after just two minutes.

Correct sentence: Fifty percent of the cake has disappeared after just two minutes.
Explanation: The verb used in words that indicate portions such as percent, fraction, part, all, some, etc.
depends on the noun in the “of phrase.” In the sentence above, the cake in “of the cake” phrase is
singular, therefore, the singular verb has should be used.

10. Everybody is happy about the result of the examination

Explanation: No Error. See no. 5 for explanation.

11. One-tenth of the people in this city are unemployed.

Explanation: No error. See no. 9 for explanation.

12. He is one of the men who does the work without complaining.

Correct sentence: He is one of the men who do the work without complaining.
Explanation: The pronouns who, which, and that which is the subject of the verb in the middle of the
sentence become singular or plural according to the noun directly in front of them. In the sentence above,
the noun in front of who is men which is plural, so the plural verb do must be used.

13. The team are going to practice tomorrow for the final competition

Correct sentence: The team is going to practice tomorrow for the final competition
Explanation: Collective nouns such as team and staff may either be singular or plural depending on their
use in the sentence. In the sentence above, the team acts as a unit and therefore requires a singular
verb.

14. The committee are in disagreement whether to use the fund in a feeding program or donate it
to a hospital.

Explanation: No error. Unlike in number 13, the committee in this sentence act as individuals and not as a
unit.

15. Nina, as well as his brother and sister, is attending a birthday party.

Explanation: No error. See no. 3 for explanation.

 FB GROUP: CIVIL SERVICE POINTERS PH
SOURCE: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1765789493694960/
Article, Pronouns, Verb, Adjective

English Verbal Ability Sample Questions with Answers

1. Which sentence uses “famish” correctly?

1. After the straight exam, I felt too exhausted and famished to eat my favourite foods.
2. I could eat a horse, I am famish now.
3. I famished my stomach next time you treat me to a meal out.
4. I will bring lots of pizza, that’s a famish.

2. Priscila _______ rather not invest her savings in the stock market.

1. must
2. has to
3. could
4. would

3. Did you have any problem ______ our house?

1. search
2. to search
3. searching
4. for searching

4. I hope you don’t mind _____ joining you.

1. to be
2. I had been
3. that I may
4. my

5. Most basketball players are 6 ____ tall or more.

1. foot
2. feet
3. foots
4. feets

6. These children _____ how to improvise more props for the play.

1. knew
2. knows
3. know
4. known

7. The company will upgrade ______ computer systems next week.

1. there
2. their
3. its
4. it’s
 FB GROUP: CIVIL SERVICE POINTERS PH
SOURCE: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1765789493694960/
Article, Pronouns, Verb, Adjective

8. Clara ___________ three thousand words for her essay.

1. have wrote
2. has wrote
3. have written
4. has written

9. You have too many _______ but few time to prove you’re right.

1. hypothesis
2. hypotheses
3. hyphothesises
4. hypothesess

10. Neither Sarah nor Tina _______ the crime yesterday.

1. witness
2. witnesses
3. witnessed
4. witnessing

11. You do like going to the party alone. _____ you?

1. Does
2. Doesn’t
3. Do
4. Don’t

12. We had our house _______ in yellow.

1. painting
2. painted
3. paint
4. to paint

13. He has been exercising but his immune system was steadily _________.

1. weak
2. weaken
3. weakened
4. weakening

14. I was ______ that the weather would be sunny and we would be able to enjoy our swimming.

1. hopeless
2. hopeful
3. hopelike
4. hopely
 FB GROUP: CIVIL SERVICE POINTERS PH
SOURCE: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1765789493694960/
Article, Pronouns, Verb, Adjective

15. I think it’s not a great idea. I totally ______.

1. misagree
2. unagree
3. inagree
4. disagree

16. So many ___________ I found in the library, now I’m ready to report.

1. information
2. informations
3. infoes
4. infos

17. My grandpa always feed his flock of _______ early in the morning.

1. sheeps
2. sheep
3. ships
4. ship

18. Happy memories are always remembered, not ________.

1. forget
2. forgets
3. forgot
4. forgotten

19. Flight Z735 ______ yesterday. 350 passengers died in that accident.

1. crush
2. crushed
3. crash
4. crashed

20. There is a ________ message when you look closely at her painting.

1. hid
2. hide
3. hided
4. hidden
 FB GROUP: CIVIL SERVICE POINTERS PH
SOURCE: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1765789493694960/
Article, Pronouns, Verb, Adjective

English Grammar and Correct Usage Test Answers:

1. (1) After the straight exam, I felt so exhausted and famished to eat my favorite foods.
2. (4) would
3. (3) searching
4. (4) My
5. (2) feet
6. (3) know
7. (3) its
8. (4) has written
9. (2) hypotheses
10. (3) witnessed
11. (4) Don’t
12. (2) painted
13. (4) weakening
14. (2) hopeful
15. (4) disagree
16. (2) information
17. (2) sheep
18. (4) forgotten
19. (4) crashed
20. (4) hidden
 FB GROUP: CIVIL SERVICE POINTERS PH
SOURCE: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1765789493694960/
Article, Pronouns, Verb, Adjective

1. The inventor stood to except the award.

Correct Sentence: The inventor stood to accept the award.

Explanation: Accept means “to receive”, except means “to exclude.”

2. Between the three of us, I think I am the slowest runner.

Correct Sentence: Among the three of us, I think I am the slowest runner.
Explanation: Among is used to refer to 3 or more members of the group, while between is used to refer to
two member of the group.

3. There are scarcely no more birds in this city.

Correct sentence: There are scarcely any birds in this city.

Explanation: Double negative. Scarcely and no more are both negative word/phrase.

4. This fruit contains fewer sugar.

Correct sentence: This fruit contains less sugar.

Explanation: Fewer is used to describe plural nouns (how many) while less is used to describe singular
nouns (how much). Sugar is singular.

5. I have never seen nothing as beautiful as this city.

Correct sentence: I have never seen anything as beautiful as this city.

Explanation: Double negative. Never seen and nothing are both negative word/phrase.

6. Place the mirror on the wall to give you an allusion of bigger room.

Correct sentence: Place the mirror on the wall to give you an illusion of bigger room.
Explanation: Allusion means “a passing or casual reference,” while illusion means “something that
deceives by producing a false or misleading impression of reality.”

7. We were lucky we didn’t have typhoon this month.

(No Error)

8. My favorite vegetable are peas.

Correct sentence: May favorite vegetable is peas.

Explanation: The subject is favorite is singular, therefore the verb are should be is.
 FB GROUP: CIVIL SERVICE POINTERS PH
SOURCE: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1765789493694960/
Article, Pronouns, Verb, Adjective

9. Either James or John are going to lead the choir in the recital tommorow.

Correct sentence: Either James or John is going to lead the choir in their recital tomorrow.
Explanation: In either or statements, the verb considers the subject after the or statement. The subject
John is singular, so the verb should be is. The correct spelling is tomorrow.

10. The additional supplies that we need to bring are: band aids, cottons, alcohol, and gauze.

Correct sentences:
The additional supplies that we need to bring are band aids, cottons, alcohol, and gauze. (The colon was
deleted).
The additional supplies that we need to bring are the following: band aids, cottons, alcohol, and gauze.
Explanation: The colon is used before a list of items especially after expressions like the following and as
follows. Do not use a colon before a verb or a preposition.

11. All the students has finished their report.

Correct sentence: All the students have finished their report.

Explanation: In this sentence, “all” refers to many students, therefore “have” is the correct verb.

12. He was a honorable man.

Correct sentence: He was an honorable man.

Explanation: A is used before words beginning with a consonant sound (a car, a pencil), while an is used
to before words beginning with vowel sounds (an ant, an egg). An is also used to before words beginning
with the consonant h when h is not pronounced (such as honorable).

13. The recently heavy flooding effected the crops of farmers.

Correct sentence: The recently heavy flooding affected the crops of farmers.
Explanation: Affect means “to influence” while effect means “the result of some actions.”

14. Emmanuel could of passed the examinations if he had studied hard enough.

Correct sentence: Emmanuel could have passed the examinations if he studied hard enough.
Explanation: The word “of” is not used after the verb could.

15. I believe that were going to have a prosperous new year.

Correct sentence: I believe that we’re going to have a prosperous new year.
Explanation: The word were is the past tense of was while we’re is the contraction of we are.
 FB GROUP: CIVIL SERVICE POINTERS PH
SOURCE: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1765789493694960/
Article, Pronouns, Verb, Adjective

Order of Adjectives

We can use more than one adjective before a noun. The order of adjectives in front of a noun is
as follows:

1.) quality / opinion + size, etc. The most general adjective usually comes first:
a beautiful large French handmade teak cupboard

2.) size / age / shape / color + where from? + past participle:

a large French handmade cupboard

3.) Where from? + past participle:

a French handmade kitchen cupboard

Or: past participle + where from?

a handmade French kitchen cupboard

We order adjectives according to their meaning. This is the normal order:

1. Opinion (how good?)
2. Size (how big?)
3. Age (how old?)
5. Color (which?)
6. Origin (where from?)
7. Material (made of?)
8. Type (what kind?)
9. Purpose (what for?)

Examples:
a small green insect (size, color)
Japanese industrial designers (origin, type)
a wonderful new face cream (opinion, age, purpose)
a long boring train journey (size, quality, type)

Exercises: Put the adjectives in proper order. Begin each sentence with I’m looking for…

1. clock radio – white – Taiwanese – cheap – for my bedside table

2. polished – beautiful – antique – dining-table – mahogany – English
3. canvas – American – a pair of – trainers – grey and red – which I can use for jogging
4. cottage –stone-built – small – old – country
5. cotton – dress – summer – pink and white – for my holiday

Answers:

1. a cheap white Taiwanese clock radio for my bedside table

2. a beautiful antique English polished mahogany dining-table
3. a pair of grey and red American canvas trainers which I can use for jogging
4. a small old stone-built country cottage
5. a pink and white cotton summer dress for my holiday
 FB GROUP: CIVIL SERVICE POINTERS PH
SOURCE: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1765789493694960/
Article, Pronouns, Verb, Adjective

DIRECTIONS: Read each of the following sentences carefully, then choose which among the
several choices in each group is expressed most satisfactorily in terms of grammar and
correct usage. On your sheet, shade completely the box that corresponds to your answer.

51. 1.Plumbers who work efficiently from the point of view of a homemaker are worthy of their wages.
2. Plumbers are worthy of their wages who work efficiently from the point of view off a homemaker.
3. Plumbers, from the point of view of a homemaker, who work efficiently, are worthy of their wages.
4. From the point of view of a homemaker, plumbers who work efficiently are worthy of their wages.
5. Worthy of their wages are plumbers who work efficiently from the point of view of a homemaker.

52. 1. The time for most people has come to change their attitudes and lifestyles.
2. The time has come when people must change their attitudes and lifestyles.
3. The time when the attitudes and lifestyles of the people has come to change.
4. The people must change their attitudes and lifestyles and the time had come to change.
5. People must change their attitudes and lifestyles, and it is because the time has come to change.

53. 1. Her brother, whom I met in the party, is more richer than you think.
2. Her brother, I met him in the party, is very much richer than you think.
3. Her brother, whom I had met in the party, is richer than you think.
4. Her brother, whom I met in the party, is much richer than you think.
5. I met her brother in the party and he is richer than you think.

54. 1. The fisher folks decided to go to the nearby hut finally drenched with rain.
2. The fisher folks finally decided to go to the nearby hut drenched with rain.
3. Drenched with rain, the fisher folks finally decided to go the nearby hut.
4. Finally drenched with rain, the fisher folks decided to go the nearby hut.
5. Finally deciding to go to the nearby hut, the fisher folks were drenched with rain.

55. 1. The Filipino people have regained their respect and trust in their government.
2. The Filipino people have regained their respect and trust for their government.
3. The Filipino people have regained their respect for their government and even their trust in it.
4. The Filipino people have regained their respect for and trust in their government.
5. The Filipino people have regained, for their government their respect and trust in it.

56. 1. The education of his children is most paramount in his plans.

2. The education of his children is more paramount in his plans.
3. The education of his children is paramount in his plans.
4. The most paramount of all his plans is how to educate his children.
5. Paramount in his plans more than any other things is the education of his children.

57. 1. As soon as the tabulation of the figures have been completed, someone should check the
accuracy.
2. As soon as tabulated, someone should check on the accuracy of those figures.
3. As soon as the tabulation is finished, someone was to check its accuracy.
4. Once the tabulation was completed, the accuracy of the figures should be checked.
5. Someone had ought to check the accuracy of those figures when they have been tabulated.
 FB GROUP: CIVIL SERVICE POINTERS PH
SOURCE: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1765789493694960/
Article, Pronouns, Verb, Adjective

58. 1. Sa pamamagitan ng kasaysayan ay natutunghayan muli ang makukulay na lumipas ng

magigiting na tao.
2. Sa pamamagitan ng kasaysayan, ang lumipas na makukulay ng magigiting na tao ay muling
natutunghayan.
3. Ang makukulay na lumipas ay natutunghayan muli ng magigiting na tao sa pamamagitan ng
kasaysayan.
4. Muli ang makukulay na lumipas ng mga taong magigiting ay natutunghayan sa pamamagitan ng
kasaysayan.
5. Natutunhayan muli ang lumipas ng magigiting na tao na makukulay sa pamamagitan ng
kasaysayan.

59. 1. One has to be either 65 or blind to claim an extra personal exemption.

2. One has either to be 65 or blind to claim an extra personal exemption.
3. One either has to be 65 or blind to claim an extra personal exemption.
4. Either one has to be 65 or blind to claim an extra personal exemption.
5. To claim an extra personal exemption, one either has to be 65 or blind.

60. 1. I will never, unless he apologizes first, work with him again.
2. I will never, unless he apologized first, work with him again.
3. I will never work with him again, unless he asks for an apology.
4. I will never work with him again, unless he apologizes first.
5. Unless he asks for an apology, I will never work with him again.

51. 4
52. 1
53. 5
54. 1
55. 1
56. 3
57. 3
58. 1
59. 1
60. 4
 Article, Pronouns, Verbs, Adjectives

DIRECTIONS: Some of the sentences in this section contain an error in grammar or correct usage. On
your Answer sheet, shade completely the box that corresponds to that section of the sentence that
contains the error. If there is no error in the sentence, shade completely box.

20
 Article, Pronouns, Verbs, Adjectives

36. 1
37. 3
38. 2
39. 3
40. 3
41. 4
42. 5
43. 2
44. 5
45. 2
46. 1
47. 4
48. 3
49. 1
50. 1

21