IMO Practice Test — Grammar in Literature
8 Questions • 15 min • Olympiad level
15:00
Question 1 of 8
Identify the dominant device: 'We shall not flag or fail. We shall go on to the end. We shall fight in France…'
epistrophe
anaphora
asyndeton
apposition
Explanation: Each sentence opens with 'We shall' — anaphora.
Question 2 of 8
Which effect does polysyndeton typically create?
speed and abruptness
a slow, accumulating, weighty rhythm
suspense by delaying the verb
an impersonal academic tone
Explanation: Many conjunctions slow the pace and pile ideas up.
Question 3 of 8
Choose the correctly punctuated parenthesis.
The plan, bold though it was failed.
The plan — bold though it was — failed.
The plan bold though it was, failed.
The plan; bold though it was; failed.
Explanation: Dashes set off the parenthetical aside on both sides.
Question 4 of 8
Which sentence is periodic?
He won, after years of effort, at last.
After years of effort, against all odds, he won.
He won and celebrated.
He won; she lost.
Explanation: The main clause 'he won' is delayed to the very end.
Question 5 of 8
Identify the device: 'Government of the people, by the people, for the people.'
pure anaphora
epistrophe combined with parallelism
asyndeton only
absolute phrases
Explanation: Repetition of 'the people' at phrase ends, in parallel structures.
Question 6 of 8
Which is a correctly formed cumulative (loose) sentence?
She walked on, head high, eyes bright, heart steady.
Head high, eyes bright, heart steady, she on walked.
On she walked head high eyes bright.
She, head high eyes bright heart steady, walked on.
Explanation: Main clause first, then accumulating absolute phrases.
Question 7 of 8
Spot the error in this absolute construction: 'The decision making, the board adjourned.'
making → made/having been made
board → boards
adjourned → adjourn
no error
Explanation: An absolute needs a proper participle: 'The decision made, …'.
Question 8 of 8
Which device best suits a tense, fast-moving action scene?
polysyndeton
asyndeton
periodic delay
heavy nominalisation
Explanation: Asyndeton (clipped, conjunction-free) speeds and sharpens action.