IMO Practice Test — Absolute Phrases & Participial Structures
8 Questions • 15 min • Olympiad level
15:00
Question 1 of 8
Identify the correctly formed absolute construction: 'The negotiations ___, both sides signed the treaty.'
concluding
concluded
having concluded
Both B and C are acceptable
Explanation: 'concluded' or 'having concluded' both work as the participle in the absolute phrase.
Question 2 of 8
Which sentence corrects the dangling modifier? 'After finishing the report, the printer jammed.'
After finishing the report, I found the printer had jammed.
After finishing the report, the printer had jammed on me.
The printer jammed after finishing the report.
Finishing the report the printer jammed.
Explanation: The finisher must be the subject ('I').
Question 3 of 8
Combine elegantly: 'His speech ended. The hall erupted in applause.'
His speech ended, the hall erupted in applause.
His speech having ended, the hall erupted in applause.
Ending his speech, the hall erupted.
The hall erupted his speech ended.
Explanation: Absolute phrase 'His speech having ended, …' is the most polished combination.
Question 4 of 8
Spot the punctuation error: 'All things considered it was a fair decision.'
Add a comma after 'considered'.
Add a colon after 'considered'.
Remove 'considered'.
No error.
Explanation: The absolute phrase 'All things considered' must be set off with a comma.
Question 5 of 8
Which uses a perfect participle correctly?
Having warned several times, he still ignored the advice.
Having been warned several times, he still ignored the advice.
Warning several times, he ignored the advice.
Warned having, he ignored the advice.
Explanation: He received the warnings → passive perfect participle 'Having been warned'.
Question 6 of 8
Choose the best absolute phrase of cause: '___, the flight was delayed.'
A thick fog settling over the airport
The thick fog having settled over the airport
Settling the thick fog over the airport
The airport fog thick
Explanation: 'The thick fog having settled over the airport' is a well-formed absolute phrase of cause.
Question 7 of 8
Rearrange into a sentence with a present-participle opener: 'the / hill / climbing / steep / we / paused / often'
Climbing the steep hill, we paused often.
We climbing the steep hill paused often.
The steep hill climbing, we often paused.
Often we paused climbing the steep hill the.
Explanation: 'Climbing the steep hill, we paused often.'
Question 8 of 8
Which sentence shows an absolute phrase of accompanying detail done well?
The soldier stood firm, his rifle ready, his gaze steady.
The soldier stood firm and his rifle and his gaze.
Standing firm the soldier rifle ready gaze steady.
His rifle ready stood the soldier firm gaze steady.
Explanation: Two parallel absolute phrases add vivid detail: 'his rifle ready, his gaze steady'.