BECE - Basic Education Certificate Examination Grammar and Sentence Structure Questions and Answers 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Choose the option that is grammatically correct. Neither the students nor their teacher ______ present at the assembly.
- is
- were
- was (Correct answer)
- are
Correct answer: was
The correct answer is 'was'. According to the rule of proximity in subject-verb agreement, when subjects are joined by 'neither...nor', the verb agrees with the subject closer to it. In this sentence, the subject closer to the verb is 'teacher', which is singular, so the singular past tense verb 'was' is required.
Question 2: Which of the following sentences is an example of a complex sentence?
- The boy wept loudly, and his mother consoled him.
- Because she was late for school, she missed the first lesson. (Correct answer)
- The team played well but lost the match.
- Kofi and Ama are intelligent students.
Correct answer: Because she was late for school, she missed the first lesson.
A complex sentence contains an independent clause and at least one dependent clause. The sentence 'Because she was late for school, she missed the first lesson' is a complex sentence. 'Because she was late for school' is the dependent clause, and 'she missed the first lesson' is the independent clause.
Question 3: From the options lettered A to D, choose the one which most suitably completes the sentence: The headmaster was very angry ______ the notorious students.
- by
- with (Correct answer)
- on
- at
Correct answer: with
The correct preposition to use with 'angry' when referring to a person is 'with'. One is angry 'with' a person and angry 'at' a thing or situation.
Question 4: In the sentence, 'The hardworking student was rewarded by the school,' which part of the sentence is the subject?
- by the school
- was rewarded
- The hardworking student (Correct answer)
- rewarded by the school
Correct answer: The hardworking student
The subject of a sentence is the person, place, thing, or idea that is doing or being something. In this sentence, 'The hardworking student' is the one who 'was rewarded'. Therefore, it is the subject.
Question 5: Identify the figure of speech in the sentence: 'The wind whispered through the trees.'
- Metaphor
- Simile
- Personification (Correct answer)
- Hyperbole
Correct answer: Personification
Personification is a figure of speech where human qualities or abilities are given to inanimate objects. In this sentence, the wind (an inanimate thing) is described as 'whispering', which is a human action. This makes it an example of personification.
Question 6: Which of the following underlined words is a conjunction? 'Although it was raining, the children played outside.'
- played
- raining
- outside
- Although (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Although
A conjunction is a word used to connect clauses or sentences. 'Although' is a subordinating conjunction that introduces a dependent clause ('Although it was raining') and connects it to the independent clause ('the children played outside').
BECE - Basic Education Certificate Examination Grammar and Sentence Structure Questions and Answers 1
Choose the option that is grammatically correct.
Neither the students nor their teacher ______ present at the assembly.