When it comes to learning English, there are certain grammatical concepts that can be difficult for Japanese learners to master. In particular, the correct usage of tenses and relative pronouns can be a challenge. In this post, we’ll cover some of the most common confusions and provide quizzes to help you practice.
Tense Confusions
One of the most common tense confusions for learners of English is the difference between the present simple and present continuous tenses. Here’s a quiz to test your understanding:
She _____ every day.
A) study
B) studies
C) studied
D) is studying
B) studies
The correct verb form for the present tense is “studies,” not “study” or “studied.” The present continuous tense “is studying” could also be correct depending on the context, but in this sentence, the present simple tense is more appropriate.
“I’m sorry, I can’t talk right now. I _______ dinner.”
A) am cooking
B) cook
C) cooked
D) will cook
A) am cooking.
The present continuous tense is used to describe actions that are happening right now, or are in progress at the time of speaking. In this sentence, the speaker is apologizing for not being able to talk and states the reason why – they are cooking dinner at that moment. Therefore, the correct form of the present continuous tense to fill in the blank is “am cooking.”
Another tense that can be confusing for learners is the past simple tense. Here’s a quiz to test your understanding:
He _____ to school yesterday.
A) walk
B) walks
C) walked
D) walking
C) walked
The correct verb form for the past tense is “walked,” not “walk,” “walks,” or “walking.” Remember that in the past tense, regular verbs end in “-ed.”
Present perfect and past perfect tense can also confuse learners. Here’s a quiz to test your understanding:
I _______ a lot of books this year so far.
A) read
B) have read
C) am reading
D) will read
B) have read
“Have read” is the present perfect tense, which is used to describe actions that started in the past and continue up to the present. In this sentence, the action of reading books started at some point in the past and continues up to the present time. The other options do not convey this continuous action.
By the time I arrived at the party, everyone ___________.
A) left
B) had left
C) leaves
D) had been leaving
B) had left
The past perfect tense is used to talk about an action that was completed before another action in the past. It is formed using the auxiliary verb “had” followed by the past participle of the main verb. In the given sentence, “had left” is the correct form of the past perfect tense to show that the action of leaving occurred before the action of arriving.
Relative Pronoun Confusions
Another common area of confusion for learners of English is the usage of relative pronouns. Here’s a quiz to test your understanding:
The person _____ you met yesterday was my boss.
A) that
B) which
C) who
D) whom
C) who
In this sentence, “who” is the correct relative pronoun because we are referring to a person. “That” and “which” are used to refer to things, while “whom” is used as the object of a verb or preposition.
Another tricky relative pronoun is “whose,” which is used to show possession and “whom,” which is used as the object of the relative clause. Here’s a quiz to test your understanding:
The man _____ car was stolen reported the theft to the police.
A) that
B) whose
C) who
D) whom
B) whose
In this sentence, we are referring to the man’s car, so “whose” is the correct relative pronoun to show possession. “That,” “who,” and “whom” are not appropriate in this context.
The person to _____ I gave my number was friendly.
A) who
B) whose
C) whom
D) which
C) whom
In this sentence, “the person” is the object of the verb “gave,” so “whom” is the correct relative pronoun to use in this sentence. “Who” is used as the subject of the relative clause, and “whose” is used to show possession, and “which” is used to refer to things or animals, not people.
Finally, another common confusion with relative pronouns is when to use “that” vs. “which.” Here’s a quiz to test your understanding:
I need a pen _____ works.
A) that
B) which
C) who
D) whom
B) which
In this sentence, “which” is the correct relative pronoun because we are providing additional information about the pen. Use “which” when the information provided by the relative clause is not necessary for the sentence to make sense. Use “that” when the information is essential for the sentence.
The movie _______ we watched last night was really scary.
A) who
B) which
C) where
D) that
D) that
In this sentence, “movie” is a thing, not a person, so we use a relative pronoun that refers to things, such as “that” or “which”. “That” is the correct choice here, as it introduces a defining relative clause that specifies which movie we are referring to. The sentence could be rewritten as “The movie that we watched last night was really scary.”
With these quizzes, you can start practicing your understanding of tenses and relative pronouns in English. By mastering these concepts, you’ll be able to communicate more effectively and confidently in English.
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