GCSE SPaG 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which sentence uses the passive voice?
- The chef cooked the meal.
- The meal was cooked by the chef. (Correct answer)
- Cooking the meal took an hour.
- She cooked the meal quickly.
Correct answer: The meal was cooked by the chef.
In passive voice, the subject receives the action; 'the meal' is acted upon by 'the chef.'
Question 2: Which option correctly uses 'who' vs 'whom'?
- Who did you speak to?
- Whom is coming to the party?
- To whom did you speak? (Correct answer)
- Who gave it to whom's friend?
Correct answer: To whom did you speak?
'Whom' is used as the object of a preposition, so 'To whom' is grammatically correct.
Question 3: Identify the type of clause in bold: 'She left **before the show ended**.'
- Main clause
- Relative clause
- Adverbial clause (Correct answer)
- Noun clause
Correct answer: Adverbial clause
'Before the show ended' is an adverbial clause modifying when she left.
Question 4: Which word is spelled correctly?
- goverment
- parlament
- committee (Correct answer)
- privelige
Correct answer: committee
'Committee' is spelled with double m, double t, and double e.
Question 5: What is the function of parentheses (brackets) in formal writing?
- To introduce a list
- To add supplementary or clarifying information (Correct answer)
- To show strong emotion
- To separate two main clauses
Correct answer: To add supplementary or clarifying information
Parentheses enclose supplementary information that is useful but not essential to the main sentence.
Question 6: Which sentence demonstrates correct subject-verb agreement?
- The team are playing well today. (Correct answer)
- Neither the students nor the teacher were ready.
- Each of the boys have a ticket.
- Neither of them were correct.
Correct answer: The team are playing well today.
In British English, collective nouns like 'team' can take a plural verb when referring to members acting individually.
Question 7: Which of the following is an example of direct speech punctuated correctly?
- She said, "I will be late".
- She said "I will be late."
- She said, 'I will be late.' (Correct answer)
- She said 'I will be late'.
Correct answer: She said, 'I will be late.'
In British English, single quotation marks are standard, with a comma before the opening quote and the period inside the closing mark.
GCSE SPaG 3
Which sentence uses the passive voice?