IMO Practice Test — Cleft Sentences, Ellipsis & Substitution
8 Questions • 15 min • Olympiad level
15:00
Question 1 of 8
Rewrite to emphasise the reason: 'He resigned because he was overworked.'
It was because he was overworked that he resigned.
What he resigned was overworked.
It was he who resigned overworked.
Because overworked it was he resigned.
Explanation: It-cleft emphasising the reason clause.
Question 2 of 8
Spot the error: 'What I like about her are her honesty and warmth.'
are → is (notional singular) OR keep 'are' for two nouns
What → That
like → likes
no error — debatable
Explanation: Style varies: with two coordinated nouns 'are' is acceptable; many prefer 'is'. The item highlights this subtlety.
Question 3 of 8
Choose the correct substitution: 'A: She has finished. B: ___ '
So she has.
So has she.
Has so she.
She so has.
Explanation: Confirming inversion: 'So has she.'
Question 4 of 8
Rewrite with ellipsis: 'You can stay if you want to stay.'
You can stay if you want to.
You can stay if you want stay.
You can stay if want you to.
You can if you want stay to.
Explanation: Verbal ellipsis after 'to': '…if you want to.'
Question 5 of 8
Which is a correctly formed pseudo-cleft?
What he needs is encourage.
What he needs is encouragement.
What needs he is encouragement.
He needs what is encouragement.
Explanation: Balance with a noun phrase: 'encouragement'.
Question 6 of 8
Choose the correct response with 'not': 'A: Do you think they'll cancel it? B: ___ '
I hope not.
I hope no.
I not hope.
I hope so not.
Explanation: 'I hope not' substitutes the negative clause.
Question 7 of 8
Rearrange into an it-cleft: 'that / it / patience / was / saw / her / through'
It was patience that saw her through.
It was that patience saw her through.
Patience it was that saw her through.
That it was patience saw through her.
Explanation: 'It was patience that saw her through.'
Question 8 of 8
Which sentence best uses ellipsis for economy?
Some students passed the test and some students failed the test.
Some students passed the test and some failed.
Some passed and some students failed the test.
Some students the test passed and some failed it the test.
Explanation: 'Some passed and some failed' omits the repeated subject and object cleanly.