ODESK BASIC SKILL TEST US VERSION(73 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS)
1. Choose the series of verbs and phrases that best completes the
following passage.
This dish _________ too spicy. Why __________ so much pepper?
Answers:
• is, did the chef have to use
• was, the chef is using
{ANS}• is, did the chef use
• was, the chef used
• a and c
2. Choose the series of articles and
conjunctions that best completes the following sentence.
Neither we ________ Sal, our neighbor,
could understand ________ it had been our dog Rover or Sal's cat's kittens
_________ had destroyed all the flower beds in the middle of _______ night.
Answers:
{ANS}• nor, whether, that,
the
• or, if, who, the
• and, whether, than, a
• nor, if, that, a
3. Choose the series of verbs that best
completes the following sentence.
Alison regrets _________ you with her
remarks; she never meant _________ so.
Answers:
• to hurt, doing
• to hurt, to do
• hurting, doing
{ANS}• hurting, to do
4. Which of the following sentences is NOT
punctuated correctly?
Answers:
• We expect only three things from our
dog: loyalty, affection, and tail wagging.
{ANS}• I need you to pick
up several boxes of paperclips, pens, and pencils; three pounds each of
potatoes, carrots, and peas; and my dry cleaning.
• Marcy, my parrot, squawked for an hour,
before finally calming down.
• All of the above are punctuated
correctly.
5. Which of the following sentences
illustrates the proper use of apostrophes?
Answers:
{ANS}• Helga borrowed her
friend's skates for the day; however, she failed to return them.
• Thousand's of bargains are available
during the holiday season, but I cant find time to shop.
• The koala bear closed it's eyes and fell
fast asleep.
• Although I like the Joneses, I'm angry
at them for breaking all of Ralphs' tools.
6. Which of the following sentences does
NOT illustrate correct verb and verb tense usage?
Answers:
• These repetitive and misleading
guidelines could easily be interpreted in several different ways.
{ANS}• Clarabelle's mother
absolutely hated nicknames and always calls her daughter by her full name.
• The Imagist movement in poetry is
commonly regarded as having begun in the early twentieth century.
• We all danced across the lawn and lifted
Zoe above our heads in triumph.
7. Which of the following sentences
illustrates incorrect pronoun usage?
Answers:
• The wet dog shook itself off, wagged its
tail, and proceeded on its way.
• Don't take the silver goblet out of its
protective case or you'll ruin it.
• You should wear that jacket to their
wedding because it's the nicest one you have.
• It's not too late to answer their ad for
a waitress, is it?
{ANS}• None of the above
8. Which of the following sentences
illustrate(s) the proper use of commas?
Answers:
• Randy wanted to end the meeting, but Amy
wanted to prolong it.
• After pouring herself a glass of water
in silence, Nicky answered my question.
• The committee, which had failed to come
to a consensus decided to meet again on Tuesday.
• Mr. Bridges is never home on the
weekends, he always goes to his home in the country.
{ANS}• a and b
• All of the above
9. Choose the series of pronouns that best
completes the following sentence.
Victor, who stole _______ ideas and used
them to make _______ a millionaire, never once offered _______ a word of thanks.
Answers:
• our, himself, we
• their, them, himself
• your, us, you
{ANS}• our, himself, us
10. Choose the series of prepositions that
best completes the following sentence.
Although the issue was very serious, the
committee disposed ______ it in a few minutes and moved _______ to other
business.
Answers:
• onto, off
{ANS}• of, away
• on, out
• of, on
11. Choose the series of prepositions that
best completes the following passage.
Although Marvin said he had hidden the
keys _______ the flower pot, we were unable to find them _______ the dark. In the end, we waited for
him at the coffee shop ___________ the corner.
Answers:
{ANS}• under, in, around
• in, with, at
• around, at, on
• beside, from, around
12. Rearrange the following words to
create the most logical and grammatically correct sentence.
work . is always to brother willing not My
Answers:
• My brother is not willing to work
always.
{ANS}• My brother is not
always willing to work.
• is not willing to work always My
brother.
• My work is not willing to always
brother.
13. Change the following sentence from a
quotation to indirect speech.
"I'm not feeling well," Agatha
said.
Answers:
• Agatha has said that she doesn't feel
well.
• According to Agatha, she isn't feeling
well.
{ANS}• Agatha said she
wasn't feeling well.
• Agatha says she isn't feeling well.
14. Which of the following sentences
illustrates proper sentence structure?
Answers:
• Everyone knows that a mango is much
sweeter to an orange.
• I saw the girl with my own eyes who said
she had been abducted by aliens.
• Either one of you should try and to fix
their broken fence.
{ANS}• The queen had
hardly finished her speech when the people began to disperse.
15. Choose the verb that best completes
the following sentence.
Do you know if Harlon ____________Japanese
before moving to Japan?
Answers:
{ANS}• has studied
• has been studying
• will have been studying
• will be studying
16. Which of the following sentences is
NOT punctuated correctly?
Answers:
{ANS}• All of the apple's
at the grocer's were rotten, so I bought oranges instead.
• "Seven canteens full of water
should be enough for the hike," said Tabitha.
• Until the stove is fixed, there's no way
I can bake a lemon meringue pie.
• The woman, whose name escapes me at the
moment, disappeared into the limousine.
17. Choose the series of prepositions that
best completes the following sentence.
Jeremy drove his motorcycle _______ the
bridge, _______ the hill, and _______ the diner before finally parking it
_______ two police cars.
Answers:
• beside, among, behind, near
• beneath, over, under, on
{ANS}• across, down, past,
between
• under, around, through, into
18. Choose the series of prepositions that
best completes the following sentence.
The deer ran quickly _______ the trees, its hooves pounding _______ the forest floor.
Answers:
• amid, from
• over, at
{ANS}• through, on
• throughout, on
19. Which of the following sentences
illustrates correct verb and verb tense usage?
Answers:
• Until the snow is melting, the train is
not able to move.
• Until the snow does not melt, the train
will not be able to move.
{ANS}• Until the snow
melts, the train will not be able to move.
• Until the snow will melt, the train will
not be able to move.
20. Choose the series of articles and conjunctions
that best completes the following sentence.
I think Fran could be ______ great public
speaker, _______ she is still too shy to try it.
Answers:
• the, although
{ANS}• a, but
• an, however
• a, and
21. Which of the following sentences illustrates
proper sentence structure?
Answers:
• Walking down the street, my eyes were
drawn to a diamond in a store window.
• A small red car pulled up behind the
woman with tinted windows.
{ANS}• The man in the
black cape mounted his powerful stallion and rode away.
• The cats chased the birds around the
yard with the yellow beaks.
22. Which of the following sentences
illustrates the proper use of parallel construction?
Answers:
• Terry hoped to find a new job that would
let him earn extra cash in the summer and to work fewer hours.
• Although Tommy was failing his biology
class at college, he was passing his chemistry class.
• Trina loved to sail, skate, swim, and
surfing.
{ANS}• Tatiana declared
that the people in her office are smarter than the people who work in Tad's
office.
23. Choose the series of pronouns that
best completes the following sentence.
After realizing that our hosts hadn't
actually invited ______ to ______ party, ______
excused ______ from the table and
slipped out the back door.
Answers:
{ANS}• us, their, we,
ourselves
• ourselves, theirs, we, us
• them, our, they, themselves
• us, our, we, himself
24. Read the following question and choose
the response that uses the correct corresponding verb tense.
Does Jack wear that furry hat often?
Answers:
• No, he just liked to wear it for fun
sometimes.
• Yes, but don't said anything about it to
him.
• Yes, and it can so annoying!
{ANS}• No, he only wears
it when his ears are cold.
25. Complete the following sentence by
choosing the phrase with the best word order from the options given.
The excited children, who had run toward
the loud _____________ .
Answers:
• music and then told the others about the
ice cream truck outside
• music, are telling to the others about
the ice cream truck outside
• ice cream truck to tell the others about
the music outside
{ANS}• music, told the
others about the ice cream truck outside
26. Choose the series of verbs that best
completes the following passage.
I find it very hard to remember _________
letters that are entrusted to me. In fact, I remember _________ to do so dozens
of times!
Answers:
• to mail, forgetting
• mailing, to forget
• to mail, to forget
{ANS}• mailing, forgetting
27. Choose the series of prepositions that
best completes the following sentence.
Charlotte knew ___________ the secret
investigation _________ her past, but she closed her eyes to it and pretended
it wasn't happening.
Answers:
{ANS}• of, about
• on, of
• about, to
• of, after
28. Which of the following sentences
illustrates correct verb and verb tense usage?
Answers:
{ANS}• Did Annabel
knowingly lie on the witness stand?
• We think the judge will have noticed
something strange in her behavior.
• The lawyers had decided to keep her
testimony a secret.
• Somehow, all of the newspapers gotten
hold of the story.
29. Choose the series of adjectives and
adverbs that best completes the following sentence.
I think Pamela deserves to be punished for
her __________ stupid and __________ behavior.
Answers:
• irresponsible, totally
• totally, irresponsibility
{ANS}• totally,
irresponsible
• total, irresponsibly
30. Rearrange the following words to
create the most logical and grammatically correct sentence.
with can't phone . on Whenever always to
the time spend I speak I my friend , him
Answers:
• Whenever I always phone on my friend to
speak, I can't spend the time with him.
• Whenever I spend time on the phone to
him, I can't always speak with my friend.
• Whenever I speak to him, I can't always
spend time with my friend on the phone.
• Whenever I can't speak to him on the
phone, I always spend time with my friend.
{ANS}• Whenever I can't
spend time with my friend, I always speak to him on the phone.
31. Choose the series of articles and
conjunctions that best completes the following sentence.
_______ she was feeling ill, Teresa wanted
to eat only _____ apple _____ some soup.
Answers:
• Yet, the, or
• After, an, and
{ANS}• Because, an, or
• If, a, and
32. Choose the series of pronouns that
best completes the following sentence.
That house used to be ______ , but ______
have given it to ______.
Answers:
• my, I, her
• mine, me, her
{ANS}• mine, I, her
• myself, she, her
33. Change the following sentence from a
quotation to indirect speech.
"It may snow tomorrow," he said.
Answers:
• He said it should snow tomorrow.
• He might say it will snow tomorrow.
• He says it may snow tomorrow.
{ANS}• He said it might
snow the next day.
34. Which of the following sentences
illustrates correct usage of articles and conjunctions?
Answers:
• The cake that I ate was better that the
one you had.
• An house is not the home, or so they
saying goes.
{ANS}• For my birthday, I
would like a book, an hourglass, and the keys to a new boat.
• Has a package I've been waiting for been
delivered yet, nor must I wait longer?
35. Change the following sentence from a
quotation to indirect speech.
Rhonda says, "I get to work early
every day."
Answers:
{ANS}• Rhonda says she
gets to work early every day.
• Rhonda said she gets to work early every
day.
• Rhonda has said that she got to work
early every day.
• Rhonda says she had gotten to work early
every day.
36. Which of the following sentences
illustrates correct usage of articles and conjunctions?
Answers:
{ANS}• Celine lives on
Arthur Street; however, she works on Beatrice Boulevard.
• I would eat a peach every day if I
could, nor the doctor told me I couldn't.
• Will Gertrude play the piano or an harp
at the concert?
• Although she is angry at them, neither
her son and her father will be at the party.
37. Read the following question and choose
the response that uses the correct corresponding verb tense.
Did you see the show last night?
Answers:
{ANS}• No, because by the
time I got there all the tickets had already been sold.
• Yes, and it was one of the best shows I
had ever seen.
• Yes, but my seat was behind a pole so I
couldn't barely see anything.
• No, but I am hope to see it tonight.
38. Choose the series of adjectives and
adverbs that best completes the following sentence.
While __________ of our relatives live on
the __________ hill in the county, __________ of our friends live in the
__________ __________ areas of the valley.
Answers:
• more, windy, many, most, protection
• most, windier, more, most, protective
{ANS}• many, windiest,
most, more, protected
• many, winding, more, most, protected
39. Rearrange the following words to
create the most logical and grammatically correct sentence.
last what ! it's did you night, over After
Answers:
• After what night, it's over you did
last!
{ANS}• After what you did
last night, it's over!
• over what you did last night, it's
After!
• After, it's over what you did last
night!
40. Choose the series of pronouns that
best completes the following sentence.
_______
is the name of the opera, and _______ role did you say Maria would play?
Answers:
• This, which
• Who, that
{ANS}• What, which
• Which, what
41. Which of the following sentences does
NOT illustrate proper use of articles and conjunctions?
Answers:
• I thought about keeping an orangutan as
a pet; however, my apartment complex does not allow exotic animals on the
premises.
{ANS}• Bertha decided to
change a locks of her house after burglars stole a computer or an oil painting.
• After thinking about the problem for
half an hour, Glen finally came up with a perfect solution.
• Arlene loves nature and the outdoors in
general, yet she spends most of her time inside because of her job.
42. Choose the series of adjectives and
adverbs that best completes the following sentence.
The helium-__________ balloon rose
__________ into the air; the villagers knew then that their __________ leader
was off on another mission.
Answers:
• power, powerful, powered
• powered, powered, powerful
{ANS}• powered,
powerfully, powerful
• powerful, powered, powerfully
43. Rearrange the following words to
create the most logical and grammatically correct sentence.
days . for last has good weather few The
been the not
Answers:
• weather for The last few good has not
been the days.
• The good days has not been for the last few
weather.
• The few days has not been good for the
last weather.
{ANS}• The weather has not
been good for the last few days.
44. Which of the following sentences is
punctuated correctly?
Answers:
• 'Come here, she said, and let me get a
good look at you.'
• Come here she said, and let me get a
good look at you.
• "Come here," she said.
"and let me get a good look at you."
{ANS}• "Come
here," she said, "and let me get a good look at you."
45. Change the following sentence from a
quotation to indirect speech.
Carol has said, "I am responsible for
this project."
Answers:
{ANS}• Carol has said that
she is responsible for this project.
• Carol says she is responsible for this
project.
• Carol said that she was responsible for
this project.
• Carol had said that she would be
responsible for this project.
46. Choose the phrase that best completes
the sentence below without creating a run-on sentence.
Mr. Peach has sent his four children to
Ivy League colleges __________ he has sacrificed his health working day and
night in that dusty factory.
Answers:
• however
• ; however,
{ANS}• , however
• however,
47. Choose the series of pronouns that
best completes the following sentence.
Don't ________ think Larry should call
________ wife if ________ is going to be late for dinner?
Answers:
{ANS}• you, his, he
• we, your, his
• he, his, he
• you, his, himself
48. Choose the series of adjectives and
adverbs that best completes the following sentence.
Knowing that February was the _________
month of the year, Cheryl planned her vacation ___________.
Answers:
• short, in accordance
{ANS}• shortest,
accordingly
• shorter, according
• shortness, accordion
49. Choose the series of prepositions that
best completes the following sentence.
I placed my notes _______ my desk and
referred to them _______ the meeting.
Answers:
• at, among
{ANS}• beside, during
• with, at
• upon, around
50. Which of the following sentences
illustrates correct pronoun usage?
Answers:
• Is those the set of plates the bride
wanted, or did she want this set?
• Which of these glasses is half full—that
one or this one?
• To whom did them give the gold medal?
• Whose book is that—his or our?
{ANS}• None of the above
51. Choose the series of prepositions that
best completes the following sentence.
Jack, leaning casually ________ the tree,
watched as Sally walked slowly ________ him.
Answers:
{ANS}• against, toward
• toward, against
• upon, past
• off, beside
52. Read the following question and choose
the response that uses the correct corresponding verb tense.
Will you be going to the company picnic
this year?
Answers:
• Yes, I will have always gone every year.
• No, unfortunately I didn't have time
this year.
{ANS}• Yes, and I plan on
swimming, fishing, and eating all day!
• I might go if I had known about it
sooner.
53. Choose the series of verbs that best
completes the following sentence.
Everyone __________ too busy cooking and __________ the campsite
__________ the family of bears __________ from the woods.
Answers:
• were, setting up, to notice, watch
• was, set up, noticing, to watch
• is, setting, to notice, watching
{ANS}• was, setting up, to
notice, watching
54. Change the following sentence from a
quotation to indirect speech.
"I can meet with you at noon,"
said Peter.
Answers:
• Peter says he can meet with me at noon.
• Peter said he will meet with me at noon.
{ANS}• Peter said he could
meet with me at noon.
• Peter can meet with me at noon, so he
said.
55. Choose the phrase that best completes
the sentence below without creating a run-on sentence.
It's never too late to learn how to swim
________________ you may fall off a boat!
Answers:
{ANS}• , you never know
when
• you never know when
• —you never know as
• ; you never know when
56. Complete the following sentence by
choosing the phrase with the best word order from the options given.
Only after they had completed an
exhaustive study __________ how to adapt the technology to the needs of our
company.
Answers:
• did they understand to begin
• did they begin to understand
{ANS}• they did begin to
understand
• to understand did they begin
57. Choose the series of adjectives and
adverbs that best completes the following sentence.
Of the two books, Sam's is definitely the
__________ ; however, even though Sandra's didn't turn out as __________ as
expected, she still did a __________ job of writing it.
Answers:
{ANS}• better, well, good
• best, good, good
• better, good, better
• best, well, well
58. Change the following sentence from a
quotation to indirect speech.
"I will be moving soon," said
Alma.
Answers:
{ANS}• Alma said she would
be moving soon.
• Alma said she will move soon.
• Alma says she'll be moving soon.
• Alma says she would move soon.
59. Choose the series of adjectives and
adverbs that best completes the following sentence.
The archaeologists were ________ to
discover such a __________ and __________ _________ artifact at that mostly
uncovered site.
Answers:
• amazing, rarely, incredible, beautifully
{ANS}• amazed, rare,
incredibly, beautiful
• beautiful, rarity, amazingly, incredible
• amazingly, beautiful, rarely, incredible
60. Read the original sentence below and
then choose the rewritten sentence that illustrates proper sentence structure.
ORIGINAL SENTENCE:
It is easy to carry solid objects, but the
same cannot be said of liquids.
REWRITTEN SENTENCES:
Answers:
• Unlike liquids, solid objects are easy
to carry.
• Unlike liquids, we can easily carry
solid objects.
{ANS}• Unlike liquids;
solid objects can easily be carried.
• Unlike liquids, solid objects easy to be
carried.
61. Complete the following sentence by
choosing the phrase with the best word order from the options given.
Those who are not wise ____________ .
Answers:
• do not need be necessarily stupid
• need not necessarily be stupid
{ANS}• need not to be
necessarily stupid
• does not need to be necessarily stupid
62. Change the following sentence from a
quotation to indirect speech.
Jerry said, "I saw my cousin at the
fair."
Answers:
• Jerry had said he'd seen his cousin at
the fair.
{ANS}• Jerry said he had
seen his cousin at the fair.
• Jerry said he'd saw his cousin at the
fair.
• Jerry says he saw his cousin at the
fair.
63. Choose the series of adjectives and
adverbs that best completes the following sentence.
The _______ , _______ odor was ________
coming from the chemistry lab up the street.
Answers:
• pungent, nastily, clearness
• pungently, nastily, clearly
• pungently, nasty, clear
{ANS}• nasty, pungent,
clearly
64. Choose the series of verbs that best
completes the following sentence.
If Harry __________ to the party too
early, don't let him in; he __________ outside like everyone else.
Answers:
{ANS}• gets, will have to
wait
• got, waits
• gets, is waiting
• has gotten, must be waiting
65. Choose the series of prepositions that
best completes the following sentence.
Whiskey, my pet squirrel, jumped ________
my head and ________ the windowsill.
Answers:
{ANS}• over, onto
• through, into
• from, under
• into, onto
66. Rearrange the following words to
create the most logical and grammatically correct sentence.
sleeping likes the . midday Katie until on
weekends
Answers:
• sleeping Katie likes until midday on the
weekends.
• Katie likes sleeping until weekends on
the midday.
• Katie likes on sleeping until the midday
weekends.
• Katie likes sleeping on midday until the
weekends.
{ANS}• Katie likes
sleeping until midday on the weekends.
67. Choose the series of adjectives and
adverbs that best completes the following sentence.
We were surprised when the ________ parade
________ turned into a ________ party!
Answers:
{ANS}• dull, suddenly,
wild
• duller, all of a sudden, wilder
• dullest, suddenly, wildest
• dull, sudden, wild
68. Choose the option that correctly
changes the original sentence from active voice to passive voice.
ORIGINAL SENTENCE:
That tall man is carrying a lot of lumber.
REWRITTEN SENTENCES:
Answers:
• The tall man carries a lot of lumber.
• Is being carried by that tall man, the
lumber.
• The lumber is carried by the tall man.
{ANS}• A lot of lumber is
being carried by that tall man.
69. Rearrange the following words to
create the most logical and grammatically correct sentence.
would I have it anything if had . I you
known said would not bother
Answers:
• Would I have not said anything if you
had known it would bother I?
{ANS}• I would not have
said anything if I had known it would bother you.
• Had I known if it would bother you I
would not have said anything.
• If I had known it would not bother you I
would have said anything.
70. Change the following sentence from a
quotation to indirect speech.
"Sharon must go to the bank
today," said Albert.
Answers:
• Albert says Sharon will have to go to
the bank today.
• Albert said Sharon has to go to the bank
today.
• Albert says Sharon must go to the bank
today.
{ANS}• Albert said Sharon
had to go to the bank that day.
71. Choose the series of articles and
conjunctions that best completes the following sentence.
Lilacs ______ violets are usually purple,
______ I have seen some ______ are white.
Answers:
{ANS}• and, however, that
• or, yet, which
• and, although, that
• or, but, and
72. Choose the series of articles and
conjunctions that best completes the following sentence.
Julia, who is studying to be
_______foreign correspondent, is currently doing _______ internship in _______
Middle East _______ will return before
the end of _______ year.
Answers:
• (no article required), an, the, but, the
• the, a, the, however, a
• a, an, (no article required), yet, a
{ANS}• a, an, the, but,
the
73. Rearrange the following words to
create the most logical and grammatically correct sentence.
your company name ? of What the is
Answers:
• What is the company of your name?
• your company What is the name of?
{ANS}• What is the name of
your company?
