This document provides strategies and examples for questions on the Structure and Written Expression section of the TOEFL test. It covers skills like subject-verb agreement, parallel structure, verb tense and forms, and other grammar rules. Exercises with multiple choice questions are included to help practice these skills.
2. Questions 16 through 40 in the Structure and Written Expression
section of the TOEFL test.
It measures your knowledge of the correct way to express
yourself in English writing.
Each question in this section consists of one sentence in which
four words or groups of words have been underlined. You must
choose the letter of the word or group of words that is not
correct.
Example:
The result of the study are not accurate.
A B C D
3. • First look at the underlined word or groups of words.
• If you have been unable to find the error by looking
only at the four underlined expressions, then read the
complete sentence.
• Never leave any answers blank.
STRATEGIES FOR THE WRITTEN EXPRESSION QUESTIONS
6. 1. If the subject of a sentence is singular, then the verb
must be singular.
Example:
The dog barks at night
s v
2. If the subject of a sentence is plural, then the verb
must be plural.
Example:
The dogs bark at night
s v
7. 3. Prepositional sometimes cause confusion in TOEFL
TEST. WHY?
Its position is between SUBJECT and VERB.
Example 1:
Incorrect
The door (to the rooms) are locked
Preposition
S V
Correct:
The door (to the rooms) is locked
S V
10. __C__ 1. The subject (of the lectures) was quite interesting.
__I__ 2. The supplies (for the camping trip) needs to be packed.
____ 3. The chairs under the table in the dining room is quite comfortable.
____ 4. The players on the winning team in the competition were very talented.
____ 5. The food for the guests at the party are on the long tables.
EXERCISE 11
____ 6. The cost of the clothes was higher than I had expected.
____ 7. The rugs in the front rooms of the house are going to be washed today.
____ 8. The waiters in this restaurant always serves their job efficiently.
____ 9. The lights in the corner of the room need to be kept on all night.
____10. The meeting of the members of the council begins at 3:00 in the afternoon.
12. 1. All (of the meal) was delicious.
2. Most (of the meals) were delicious.
3. Some (of the food) was delicious.
4. Half (of the meals) were delicious.
5. Part (of the food) was delicious.
Look at the following sentences
6. Most of nurses are handling the patients
7. Most of nurse are handling the patients
8. Most of nurses is handling the patients
Correct
(Correct)
(Incorrect)
(Incorrect)
13. All
Most
Some
Half
Part
Look at the following sentences
(of the SINGULAR OBJECT ) V
SINGULAR VERB
Example:
• Some of student is attending chemistry class
• Half of problem has got the solution.
14. All
Most
Some
Half
Part
Look at the following sentences
(of the PLURAL OBJECT ) V
PLURAL VERB
• Some of students are attending chemistry class
• Half of problems have got the solution.
Example:
15. C 1. Half of the students in the class arrive early.
I 2. Some of the fruit are rotten.
3. All of the next chapter contains very important information.
4. Most of the people in the room is paying attention.
5. Part of the soup is left on the stove.
6. Some of the movie were just too violent for me.
7. All of the details in the report needs to be checked.
8. Most of the money is needed to pay the bills.
9. The first half of the class consists of lecture and note taking.
10. Some of the questions on-the test was impossible to answer
EXERCISE 12
17. Everybody are studying English now
Look at the following sentences
Everybody is studying English now
incorrect
correct
Nobody in the class have laptop
Nobody in the class has laptop
incorrect
correct
18. anybody
anyone
anything
Look at the following Outline
Singular Verb
Everybody
Everyone
Everything
somebody
Someone
Something
Nobody
No one
Nothing
19. Everybody studies TOEFL on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday
Examples:
Every student is studying TOEFL now
Someone in Class studied TOEFL yesterday
Each student has studied TOEFL for one week
No one was lazy to study last week
20. Everybody in the theater are watching* the films attentively
Problems in TOEFL TEST
Every student have to* do the TOEFL Test now
Someone in Class were* our aunt
21. Exercise 13
___I___1. Anybody are welcome at the party.
C 2. No one here is afraid of skydiving.
3. Everyone in the world needs love and respect.
4. Someone have to clean up the house.
5. Each plant in the garden appear healthy and strong.
6. You should understand that anything is possible.
7. Everything in the salad are good for you.
8. Nobody in the class have completed the assignment on time.
9. I am sure that -every detail have been considered.
10. Everybody know the rules, but somebody is not following them.
22. TOEFL EXERCISE (Skill 11- 13)
_____1. Nobody know when the process of glass-making was invented.
A B C D
_____ 2. Sugars like glucose is made up of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms.
A B C D
_____3. Part of the electricity used in the United States today come from hydroelectric sources.
A B C D
___ _ 4. The languages of the world presents a vast array of structural similarities and differences.
A B C D
_____ 5. The rise of multinationals have resulted in a great deal of legal ambiguity because
A B
multinationals can operate in so many jurisdictions.
C D
23. ______ 6. All of the east—west interstate highways in the United States has even numbers while
A B
north - south interstate highways are odd-numbered
C D
_____ 7. When a massive star in the large Magellanic Cloud exploded in 1987, a wave of neutrinos
A B
were detected on Earth.
C D
______8. Some of the agricultural practices used today is responsible for fostering desertification.
A B C D
______ 9. Every open space in the targeted area that has grass and a few bushes are occupied by the
A B C D
white-crowned sparrow.
______ 10. Krakatoa is remembered as the volcano that put so much ash into the air that sunsets
A B
around the world was affected for two years afterward
C D
25. Coordinate Connector is used to join together equal expressions.
In other words, what is on one side of these words must be
parallel to what is on the other side.
AND, BUT, OR
Coor. Connector can join nouns, or verbs, or adjectives, or phrases,
or clauses.
COORDINATE CONJUCTIONS:
They must join together the same structure
26. Same Structure
Look at the following chart outline:
And
But
Or
Same Structure
Same Structure,
And
But
Or
Same Structure
Same Structure
27. Noun
Adjective
Verb
Phrases
Clause
Look at the following chart outline:
And
But
Or
And
But
Or
Noun
Adjective
Verb
Phrases
Clause
Noun
Adjective
Verb ,
Phrases
Clause
Noun
Adjective
Verb
Phrases
Clause
Noun
Adjective
Verb
Phrases
Clause
28. Example:
• He discussed the problem with the nurse and the doctor
• The Professor was knowledgeable but boring
• She hikes, jogs, or rides her bicycles whenever she can
• You can do the work because you want to do it later or
because you have to do it
29. Problems in TOEFL Test:
• The evening dress was beauty* but expensive
• The student reads each chapter, takes a lot of notes,
and memories* the material
30. Exercise. 14
__I_ 1. The pastries in that shop are very expensive but quite deliciously
C 2. You can find some change to buy a paper in the drawer, on top of
the dresser, or in the jar
____ 3. The living room was decorated with expensive paintings and
elegance lamps.
____ 4. He knew that the financial problems were serious, that the situation
was not going to improve, and that he needed to get a job.
____ 5. All day long during the trip to the mountains, they were skiing,
sledding, or played in the snow.
31. ____ 6. The car needs new tires but not a new engine.
____ 7. He stops working when he gets too tired to continue or when he has
finished.
____ 8. To get to the office, you should go through this door, turn to the left,
and continuation down the hall.
____ 9. For dessert we could serve lemon pie, fruit tarts, chocolate cake, or
butter cookies.
____ 10. The sick child needs some medicine, some juice, and to rest.
35. Examples:
The lecture was both informative and enjoyable
Either the history exam or the physics exam is on Tuesday.
The missing papers are neither on his desk nor in the file
He visited not only his cousin but also his grandmother.
36. Problems in TOEFL TEST:
• He lent me both some paper or* a pencil
• Either breakfast nor* lunch is included in the price.
• He doesn’t only get the highest score and also* became the student
• Neither the doctor nor the nursing* have no time to do the surgery.
• They like both playing football and do weight training*.
37. Exercise. 15
I 1. He either lied or telling an unbelievable story
C 2. The music at the concert was neither well played nor well liked.
_____ 3. He regularly studies both in the morning or in the evening.
_____ 4. The play that we saw last night was not only rather delightful but also quite meaningful.
_____ 5. He married her neither for her ability to cook nor her ability to clean house.
_____ 6. The discussion was both exciting and interest.
_____ 7. He withdrew all the money not only from the checking account but also from the
savings account.
_____ 8. Neither the teacher or the students are ready to leave the classroom.
_____ 9. You can meet with me either in the next few minutes or at 4:00.
_____ 10. John is an adventurous person who enjoys not only skydiving but also goes parasailing.
38. _____1. Ballpoint pens are less versatile but more population than fountain pens
A B C D
_____ 2. Riddles vary greatly in both grammatical and phonology form
A B C D
_____ 3. Blood pressure is measured by feeling the pulse and apply a force to the arm.
A B C D
_____ 4. The Moon has no atmosphere, no air, and no watery
A B C D
_____ 5. The first matches were too hard to ignite, a mess or too dangerously easy to ignite.
A B C D
TOEFL Exercise (Skill 14- 15)
39. ______6 . A 1971 U.S. government policy not only put warnings on cigarette packs but
A B
also banning television advertising of cigarettes.
C D
_____ 7. Demand beauty, durability, rare, and perfection of cutting determine the value of a gemstone.
A B C D
_____ 8. The Harvard Yard, which was Harvard’s original campus, is still a major attraction for both
A B C
students and visiting
D
_____ 9. In 1862, the American Confederacy raised the Merrimack, renamed it the Virginia, covered it
A B
with iron plates and an outfit it with ten guns.
C D
_____ 10. The liquid crystals in a liquid crystal display (LCD) affect the polarized light so that it is
A B C
either blocked and reflected by the segments of the display.
D
41. Past Participle (V3)
HAVE
HAS
HAD
HAVING
Example
• The students have studied TOEFL for six months
• She has lived in her apartment
• They had finished their home works when the teacher came
• I am having my hair cut after class.
42. Problems in TOEFL
• We had complete* the work
• They have went* to the market
• My sister has buy* some fruit yesterday
• He is having his shoes polish* after class.
43. I 1. We have already hearing the good news.
C 2. She has ridden her bicycle to school every day.
____ 3. I have always believe you.
____ 4. He has find the missing car keys.
____ 5. They have put their money in a savings account.
____ 6. Their parents have allowed them to stay up late.
____ 7. She has never ran away from home before.
____ 8. Have you ever saw a ghost?
____ 9. They have taken three tests already this week.
____ 10. He has offer me a high-paying job.
Exercise. 16
45. Present Participle (V-ing)
AM
IS
ARE
WERE
WAS
BE
BEEN
BEING
Past participle (V3)
Example
• We are completing the work
• The work is completed
• Breakfast is prepared by mother everyday
• They are visiting their parents’ house
• He is being visited by his family.
46. Problem in TOEFL Test
They are turn* on all the lamps
The office door is lock* in the morning
The lunch is preparing* by the chef
They are visited* their parents’ house
47. I 1. She was study the textbooks all night long.
C 2. The pie was cut into six equal pieces.
____ 3. Today the teacher is allow the students to leave class a few minutes early.
____ 4. The class is teach every other semester.
____ 5. Tom is bringing some drinks to the party.
____ 6. The sick child was taken to see a doctor.
____ 7. The children are swim in the backyard pool.
____ 8. The diamond jewelry is always keep in a safe place.
____ 9. The teacher is preparing a difficult exam for the students.
____ 10. Dinner is served from 6:00 to 8:00.
Exercise. 17
50. Problems in TOEFL Test
• She can playing* football well
• They will went* to Jakarta Tomorrow
• My brother may bought* some fruit
• He should visits* the doctor
51. C 1. You should try to respond politely.
I 2. Everyone must leaves the room immediately.
____ 3. I could sat on the beach for hours.
____ 4. She will asking you many difficult questions.
____ 5. You can look at the book, but you cannot borrow it.
____ 6. He may lies to you because he is not very truthful.
____ 7. He knew that he would forgot the phone number.
____ 8. The weatherman said that it might snowing tonight.
____ 9. Perhaps we could bought a new car this year.
____ 10. This course will satisfy the graduation requirement.
Exercise. 18
52. ____ 1. By the 1920s, many radio transmitters had been build
A B C D
____ 2. Fish farming has rose in the United States in recent years.
A B C D
____ 3. In areas of volcanic activity, beach sand may contains dark minerals and little quartz.
A B C D
____ 4. Cro-Magnon man was names after the caves in southwest France where the first remains
A B C
were discovered.
D
____ 5. Lassie, the famous collie who made her first screen appearance in 1943, has always
A B
be played by a male dog.
C D
TOEFL Exercise (Skill 16-18)
53. ____ 1. By the 1920s, many radio transmitters had been build
A B C D
____ 2. Fish farming has rose in the United States in recent years.
A B C D
____ 3. In areas of volcanic activity, beach sand may contains dark minerals and little quartz.
A B C D
____ 4. Cro-Magnon man was names after the caves in southwest France where the first remains
A B C
were discovered.
D
____ 5. Lassie, the famous collie who made her first screen appearance in 1943, has always
A B
be played by a male dog.
C D
57. He just finished several book*
She studied each chapters*
My mother likes watching various movie*
The woman is a single mothers*
Problems in TOEFL Test
58. Exercise 19
__ I 1. She talked to each people in the room.
C 2. There is not a single bit of food in the refrigerator.
____ 3. You need two piece of identification to cash a check.
____ 4. Both classes started on time.
____ 5. We took a new routes to the beach house.
____ 6. He gave many different reasons for his actions.
____ 7. You must answer every questions on the test.
____ 8. She tried several times to call me.
____ 9. He offered me only one glass of water.
____ 10. We had various kind of drinks with the meal.
62. Problems in TOEFL Test
Example:
1. They have taken much* trips recently
2. There was not many* water in the pool
3. She is keeping a number* of money
4. Government solve fewer complicated problem*.
63. Exercise 20
_ C 1. She will visit in a few months.
I 2. Many are unnecessary.
____ 3. You need to show a little kindness.
____ 4. You have a number of choice.
____ 5. There was a large amount of apples in the bowl.
____ 6. We have fewer opportunities now.
____ 7. How much money is left?
____ 8. He caused less problems this time.
____ 9. They need a little times to finish their work.
____ 10. He visited many exotic places.
64. TOEFL Exercise (Skill 19-20)
____ 1. Cone shells live in much different seas and feed mainly on small fish and worms
A B C D
____ 2. The leaves of the common sunflower are rough to the touch on both side.
A B C D
____ 3. Hemoglobin enables the red blood cells to carry oxygen and small numbers of carbon dioxide.
A B C D
____ 4. Those with narcolepsy experience the uncontrollable desire to sleep, perhaps several time in
A B C
one day.
D
____ 5. Another great artists of the time and possibly the most gifted silversmith in the colonies was
A B C D
Paul Revere.
65. ____ 6. Alzheimer’s disease afflicts two in ten person over the age of seventy in the
A B C D
United States.
____ 7. The red cardinal spends many of its time feeding on the ground.
A B C D
____ 8. In the 1920s, Tulsa had a higher number of millionaire than any other U.S. city
A B C D
____ 9. Because Washington is a district and not a state, its residents have less rights than other
A B C D
citizens.
____ 10. Implosive consonants occur in many different language but they are particularly common in
A B C D
American Indian and African languages.
68. Example:
1. My parents have taken many trips recently
They have taken many trips recently
2. Mary saw the film with Barry
She saw it with him
69. Problem in TOEFL Test
1. Me* and my friend are taking a trip
2. Our neighbors are going with you and I*
3. My family will visit he* next week.
70. Exercise 21
C 1. You should do it for her.
I 2. They helped she with the work.
____ 3. Her and Bob came over to visit me.
____ 4. I brought it for you and them.
____ 5. He opened the refrigerator and took some food from it.
____ 6. She lent it to you and I.
____ 7. She spent all the money on them.
____ 8. You forgot to give it to they.
____ 9. We offered she a place to stay.
____ 10. They watched us play with it.
73. Example
1. Beth gave us her television
2. Beth gave us hers
3. The students are doing their homework.
4. The teacher is checking theirs.
74. Problem in TOEFL Test
1. The students turned in theirs* papers.
2. I would like to borrow your*
3. He loves her idea and their*.
4. Ours* country is a developing country.
75. Exercise 22
__I 1. She cut hers hair recently.
C 2. We will take our car or theirs.
____ 3. Please lend me yours notes from the history lecture.
____ 4. I like his ideas and hers.
____ 5. The tree fell on its side during the storm.
____ 6. My desk is located near hers.
____ 7. Theirs suggestion was unrealistic.
____ 8. Our appointment is just after your.
____ 9. Your friends and my friends are coming to our party
____ 10. You don’t have yours gloves with you, but I have mine.
78. Example:
1. The students are doing their homework hard so they
look tired
2. My mother went to Bali to visit her family
3. He loves his sister, that is why he always buys present for
her.
79. Problem in TOEFL Test
1. The cookies are for you, so please take it*.
2. Each person has to sign their* application letter.
80. Exercise 23
I 1. If my friend calls, please tell them that I will return the call.
C 2. I don’t like the idea because it is too costly.
____ 3. The tables at the restaurant are so large that it can seat 12 people.
____ 4. The soup needs more salt because he does not taste very good.
____ 5. The girls ran too fast, and she fell down.
____ 6. In the autumn, the tree lost its leaves.
____ 7. The windows were open, so I closed it.
____ 8. The travelers lost their way in the storm.
____ 9. The boy got the box, and he opened it carefully.
____ 10. The woman left their earrings at home, so she wasn’t wearing them.
81. TOEFL Exercise (Skill 21-23)
____ 1. Animals like frogs have waterproof skin that prevents they from drying out quickly in air,
A B C
sun, or wind
D
____ 2. Because of its ability to survive close to human habitations, the Virginia deer has actually
A B C
increased their range and numbers.
D
____ 3. John D. Rockefeller was the founder of the Standard Oil Company, and he was the richest
A B
man in the world at the time of her retirement.
C D
____ 4. The aorta arches out of the heart, and then its moves down toward the lower body.
A B C D
____ 5. Global average temperatures are now .6 degrees Celsius warmer than we were 100 years ago
A B C D
.
82. ____ 6. During the Civil War, Clara Barton became known as the “Angel of the Battlefield” for hers
A B C
fearless care of wounded soldiers.
D
____ 7. Our Sun is a medium-sized star orbiting near the edge of a collection of stars that our call the
A B C D
Milky Way.
____ 8. Francis Scott Key wrote the words to “The Star-Spangled Banner” as they stood alone
A B C D
watching the British bombardment of Fort McHenry.
____ 9. Some scallops can open and close theirs valves and swim away rapidly when they are disturbed
A B C D
____ 10. Pearl S. Buck began her first novel, East Wind, West Wind, in 1925, while her was traveling
A B C D
between the United States and China.
84. • Sometimes in the Written Expression section of the
TOEFL test, adjectives are incorrectly used in place of
adverbs, or adverbs are incorrectly used in place of
adjectives.
• Adjectives and adverbs have very different uses in
sentences.
85. ADJECTIVE
• Adjectives have only one job: they describe
nouns or pronouns.
It is a delicious meal.
ADJ. NOUN
It is delicious.
PRON. ADJ.
86. ADVERB
• Adverbs have three different uses: they describe
adjectives, verbs, or other adverbs
He writes letters quickly.
VERB ADV.
It is a quickly written letters.
Adv Adj. Noun.
87. It is an extremely quickly written letters.
Adv Adv. Adj. Noun.
88. They were seated at a largely* table.
ADV. NOUN
The child talked soft* to her mother.
VERB ADJ.
We read an extreme* long story.
ADJ. ADJ.
She speaks unbelievable* quickly.
ADJ. ADV.
Problems in TOEFL Test
89. Exercise 24
I 1. Her hair was an unusually color of red.
C 2. The weather is really comfortable.
____ 3. We attended a poor planned conference.
____ 4. He talked slowly and carefully.
____ 5. The composition was careful prepared.
____ 6. She had an incredible story about her long trip.
____ 7. He sent me a quickly written note.
____ 8. The cat meowed sad.
____ 9. The children are hungry and tired.
____ 10. The lecturer spoke extremely loud..
91. • She spoke nicely
• He always sings beautifully
• She looks nice
• The food always tastes delicious
Look at the following sentences
92. Example:
1. The children played the football happily
2. Agnes Monica always sings professionally
3. Please, do your tasks seriously
Regular verbs:
• play
• sing
• dance
• study
• watch
• do
ADV ERBS
93. • appear
• feel
• seem
• become
• prove
• taste
• be
• look
• smell
ADJECTIVE
Example:
1. The children look happy
2. Agnes Monica always feel energetic when singing
3. Does the food smell delicious?
Linking verbs:
94. 1. The cakes taste extremely nice
ADV. ADJ
2. He seems unusually nice
ADV. ADJ
3. They became very happy after getting money
ADV. ADJ
• After linking Verb is ADJECTIVE, but
• Linking verb isn’t always directly followed by ADJECTIVE,
it can be follow by ADVERB
Example:
95. 1. The Test looks easily* to me
2. Sally feels unbelievable* happy about the news
3. The ice cream tastes too coldly*
Problems in TOEFL TEST
96. Exercise 25
I 1. Kathy looks gorgeously in that dress.
C 2. The children have grown considerably.
____ 3. Steve walked rapid to the corner to catch the bus.
____ 4. The boys became sick with the flu.
____ 5. The mother closed the door careful.
____ 6. Tom appeared rather unhappily at what had happened. -
____ 7.The choir members sang enthusiastically.
____ 8. The soup tastes too salty.
____ 9. The book seemed easily for the students.
____ 10. In the late afternoon, the sun set slow in the west.
97. TOEFL Exercise (Skill 24-25)
____ 1. Sounds quieter than 10 decibels are impossibly for the human ear to hear
A B C D
____ 2. Often the best farmland is next to a river that floods periodical
A B C D
____ 3. The planet Mercury has a moderately elliptically orbit.
A B C D
____ 4. An 18-watt fluorescent bulb seems as brightly as a 75-watt incandescent bulb.
A B C D
____ 5. The telephone works by changing the voice’s sound waves into electrically signals.
A B C D
98. ____ 6. In the northern United States, two European species of small white birch are extensive planted
A B C
as ornamentals.
D
____ 7. Fifty million Americans continue to smoke despite abundant evidence that smoking is
A B
extremely unhealthfully
C D
____ 8. The U.S. Military Academy sits on scenic heights overlooking a strategically bend in the
A B C D
Hudson River.
____ 9. The Erie Canal became so successfully at providing cheap transportation that it was greatly
A B C
enlarged between 1835 and 1862.
D
____ 10. The Infra-Red Astronomy Satellite (IRAS), launched in 1983, contained a special coded
A B C
reflecting telescope that detected infrared rays.
D