IMO Practice Test — Gap Filling, Editing & Transformation
8 Questions • 15 min • Olympiad level
15:00
Question 1 of 8
Edit the line (give both corrections): 'Neither the teacher nor the students was inform.'
was → were; inform → informed
was → is; inform → informs
Neither → Either
no error
Explanation: Agreement with nearer plural 'students' → 'were'; and 'informed' (passive participle).
Question 2 of 8
Transform, beginning with 'Scarcely': 'The moment the train started, it began to rain.'
Scarcely the train started when it began to rain.
Scarcely had the train started when it began to rain.
Scarcely did the train start than it began to rain.
Scarcely the train had started than it began to rain.
Explanation: 'Scarcely had … when …' with inversion.
Question 3 of 8
Change the voice: 'People believe that he is innocent.'
He is believed innocent.
It is believed that he is innocent.
He believes he is innocent.
It believes he is innocent.
Explanation: Impersonal passive: 'It is believed that …'.
Question 4 of 8
Gap fill (formal): 'Hardly ___ I reached the door when it slammed shut.'
did
had
have
was
Explanation: 'Hardly had I reached …'.
Question 5 of 8
Edit: 'The reason of his failure is because he was careless.'
of → for; because → that
of → from
because → so
no error
Explanation: 'reason for'; and 'The reason … is that …' (not 'because').
Question 6 of 8
Transform using 'in spite of': 'Though he was poor, he was happy.'
In spite of being poor, he was happy.
In spite of he was poor, he was happy.
In spite poor, he was happy.
In spite of poverty he happy was.
Explanation: 'In spite of + noun/gerund': 'In spite of being poor …'.
Question 7 of 8
Combine into a complex sentence: 'He worked hard. He wanted to succeed.'
He worked hard so that he could succeed.
He worked hard and wanted to succeed.
He worked hard, he wanted to succeed.
Working hard he succeeded want.
Explanation: Purpose clause: 'so that he could succeed'.
Question 8 of 8
Narration: 'He said to me, "Do not touch my things."'
He told me not to touch his things.
He said me to not touch his things.
He told that not to touch his things.
He asked me to touch his things.
Explanation: Negative command → 'told me not to + verb'.