Adverb clause worksheet

Underline the adverb clauses in the following sentences.

1. He went out before I could say anything.

2. Forgive us as we forgive our enemies.

3. The soldiers fought so bravely that the enemy fled.

4. Although I worked hard, I didn’t pass the test.

5. He spoke in such a low voice that nobody could hear him.

6. As he was not there, I left a message with his brother.

7. I helped him because I loved him.

8. You can come whenever you want.

9. You can stay where you are.

10. Will you wait here until I come back?

11. While you were playing video games, I was learning my lessons.

12. She smiled as if she knew everything.

Answers
1. He went out before I could say anything. (Adverb clause of time modifying the verb ‘went out’)

2. Forgive us as we forgive our enemies. (Adverb clause of manner modifying the verb ‘forgive’)

3. The soldiers fought so bravely that the enemy fled. (Adverb clause of result modifying the verb
‘fought’)

4. Although I worked hard, I didn’t pass the test. (Adverb clause of concession)

5. He spoke in such a low voice that nobody could hear him. (Adverb clause of result)

6. As he was not there, I left a message with his brother. (Adverb clause of reason)

7. I helped him because I loved him. (Adverb clause of reason)

8. You can come whenever you want. (Adverb clause of time)

9. You can stay where you are. (Adverb clause of place)

10. Will you wait here until I come back? (Adverb clause of time)

11. While you were playing video games, I was learning my lessons. (Adverb clause of time)
12. She smiled as if she knew everything. (Adverb clause of manner)

Grammar exercise | Correct the sentences

A part of the given sentence may be incorrect. From the given options, you have to choose the one
that will make the sentence grammatically correct.

1. The police said she was driving over 110 mph.

a) Over
b) At over
c) At on
d) At above

2. Electricity cables stretch through the fields.

a) Through
b) Along
c) On
d) Across

3. We often walk in the fields in the evening.

a) over
b) Across
c) On
d) In

4. According to the timetable, the train gets on at 8.30.

a) Gets in at
b) Gets on at
c) Gets up at
d) Gets down at

5. I am interested at learning to cook.

a) To learn to cook
b) In learn to cook
c) at learning to cook
d) In learning to cook

6. It is important that everybody feels comfortable.

a) That everybody shall feel comfortable
b) That everybody should feel comfortable
c) For everybody to feel comfortable
d) That everybody feels comfortable

7. It was a so warm day that I could hardly work.

a) A so warm day
b) So warm a day
c) A warm so day
d) A day so warm

8. I like your so beautiful country.

a) I like your country – it is so beautiful.

b) I like so beautiful country.
c) I like your so beautiful a country.
d) I like your so beautiful country

9. Under no circumstances children are allowed in the bar.

a) Under no circumstances are children

b) Children under no circumstances are
c) Under no circumstances is children
d) No circumstances are children under

10. Some of us want a new system; and, not everybody agrees.

a) Also
b) And
c) However
d) Since

Answers
1. The police said she was driving at over 110 mph.

2. Electricity cables stretch over the fields.

3. We often walk over the fields in the evening.

4. According to the timetable, the train gets in at 8.30.

5. I am interested in learning to cook.

6. It is important that everybody should feel comfortable. / It is important that everybody feel
comfortable. (The second sentence is an example of the subjunctive.)

7. It was so warm a day that I could hardly work.

8. I like your country – it is so beautiful.

9. Under no circumstances are children allowed in the bar.

10. Some of us want a new system; however, not everybody agrees.

Sentence completion | CBSE Class X

grammar worksheets with explanations
Complete the following sentences.

Question 1
The railway’s decision to increase fare to establish emergency medical rooms at stations across the
country …………………. flak from various organizations.

a) drew

b) draws

c) has drawn

d) is drawn

e) is drawing

Answer: c) has drawn

Explanations
Option a) draws

The simple past tense is possible here but the present perfect tense is the most normal tense for
giving news of recent events.

Option b) draws

The simple present tense is used to talk about facts – actions and situations that are always true.

Option c) has drawn

The present perfect tense is the most normal tense for giving news of recent events.

Option d) is drawn

Is drawn is the passive form of the active verb draw/draws. It is not possible here.

Option e) is drawing
The present continuous tense is used to talk about ongoing actions and situations.

Question 2
Mumbai Port Trust’s plan to set up a floating hotel and restaurant near the coastlines of South
Mumbai …………………. by the high rentals in the area.

a) has hit

b) has been hit

c) is being hit

d) have been hit

e) had hit

Answer: Option b) has been hit

Explanation
Option a) has hit

‘Has hit’ is in the active voice. Here the preposition ‘by’ clearly indicates that a passive verb is
required.

Option b) has been hit

This is the correct answer. The high rentals in the area have hit Mumbai Port Trust’s decision to
setup a hotel. When we convert that idea into the passive voice, we use the verb ‘has been hit’.

Option c) is being hit

This is the passive form of the active verb ‘is/are hitting’. It is not possible here because we are not
talking about an ongoing situation.

Option d) have been hit

The word ‘plan’ is a singular noun and hence have is not possible here.

Option e) had hit

‘Had hit’ is in the active voice. We require a passive verb here.

Complete the news item 2 | CBSE class X

grammar worksheets

Question 1
The Hinduja Group ………………… Britain’s iconic Old War Office building, once occupied by Winston
Churchill.

a) was buying

b) has bought

c) bought

d) has been bought

e) buys

Answer: b) has bought

Explanation
Option a) was buying

The past continuous tense is not possible here. It is used to talk about an action that was going on at
a particular point of time in the past.

Option b) has bought

We use the present perfect tense to announce recent events.

Option c) bought

The simple past tense is possible in this sentence, but we prefer to use the present perfect tense for
giving news of recent events.

Option d) has been bought

Has been bought is in the passive voice, but we need an active verb here because the Hinduja group
is the doer.

Option e) buys

The simple present tense is only used to talk about facts and general truths.

Question 2
India ………………….. for nearly 30% of the global demand for gold.

a) is accounting

b) accounts
 c) accounted

d) has been accounting

e) have been accounting

Answer: option b) accounts

Explanation
Option a) is accounting

The present continuous tense is used to talk about actions and situations that are going on at the
moment of speaking.

Option b) accounts

We use the simple present tense to express facts.

Option c) accounted

The simple past tense is not used to talk about facts.

Option d) has been accounting

The present perfect continuous tense is not used to talk about facts.

Option e) have been accounting

The auxiliary verb ‘have’ does not agree with the singular noun ‘India’. Also, perfect continuous
tenses are not used to talk about facts.

Complete the news item | CBSE Class X

grammar worksheets
Complete the given news item.
1. Mehdi Biswas, a 24 year old man working for a multinational company, ………………. on Saturday
on charges of being the voice of ISIS on Twitter.

a) is arrested

b) was arrested

c) had arrested
 d) have been arrested

e) has arrested

Answer: b) was arrested

Explanation
Option a) is arrested
The simple present tense is not used to talk about something that happened in the past.

Option b) was arrested

‘Was arrested’ is the passive form of the active verb ‘arrested’. We use the simple past tense to say
that something happened in the past.

Option c) had arrested

The verb ‘had arrested’ is in the active voice, but we require a passive verb here because Mehdi
Biswas didn’t do anything. Something was done to him – he was arrested.

Option d) have been arrested

‘Have been arrested’ is the passive form of the active verb ‘have arrested’. We do not use the
present perfect tense when we say when something took place.

Option e) has arrested

We do not use the present perfect tense when we say when something took place.

Conjunctions exercise (sentence

correction)
Correct the following sentences.

1. She is taller than he.

2. Though he was poor but he was happy.

3. No sooner did the tiger appear when he shot it down.

4. Unless do not apologize you will be punished.

5. He asked that what was my name.

6. The car either dashed against a dog or a goat.

7. He did like he was told.

8. He inquired that where was the office.

9. Scarcely had I reached the station than the train steamed out.

10. Scarcely I had solved one problem when another cropped up.

Answers
1. She is taller than he is. OR She is taller than him. (We usually use object pronouns after as and
than. Note that subject pronouns are used before a verb.)

2. Though he was poor he was happy. OR He was poor but he was happy. (When one conjunction is
enough to express the idea, we do not normally use two.)

3. No sooner did the tiger appear than he shot it down. (It is wrong to use when instead of than in
sentences with no sooner…)

4. Unless you apologize you will be punished. OR If you do not apologize you will be punished.
(Unless means if not and, therefore, there is no need to use another not.)

5. He asked what my name was. (It is wrong to use that before interrogatives like what, where,
when, whether and why.)

6. The car dashed against either a goat or a dog. (Conjunctions like either…or, neither…nor,
both…and, not only…but also are placed immediately before the words they relate to.)

7. He did as he was told. (This is a common mistake. Students often confuse as with like.)

8. He inquired where the office was. (It is wrong to use that before interrogatives like what, where,
when, whether and why.)

9. Scarcely had I reached the station when the train steamed out. (It is wrong to use than instead of
when in sentences with scarcely had …)

10. Scarcely had I solved one problem when another cropped up. (The auxiliary had should come
immediately after scarcely.)

Conjunctions exercise
Correct the following sentences.
1. She was upset, because didn’t know what to do.

2. Although she was tired, but she went to work.

3. Because I liked him, so I tried to help him.

4. As you know, that I work hard.

5. Though he is fat, still he runs fast.

6. As he is fat, so he runs slowly.

7. Unless you do not try, you will not win.

8. No sooner I had spoken, than he left.

9. Neither he comes nor he writes.

10. Not only he will go, but also he will remain there.

Answers
1. She was upset because she didn’t know what to do. (Words for repeated ideas cannot be
dropped in subordinate clauses.)

2. Although she was tired, she went to work. OR She was tired but she went to work. (One
conjunction is enough to join two clauses – we do not normally use two.)

3. Because I liked him, I tried to help him. OR I liked him, so I tried to help him.

4. As you know, I work hard. OR You know that I work hard.

5. Though he is fat, he runs fast. OR He is fat; still he runs fast.

6. As he is fat, he runs slowly. OR He is fat, so he runs slowly.

7. Unless you try, you will not win.

8. No sooner had I spoken, than he left. (Sentences beginning with negative expressions like no
sooner, hardly and neither have an inverted word order. That means the auxiliary verb comes before
the subject.)

9. Neither does he come, nor does he write. OR He neither comes nor writes.

10. Not only will he go, but he will also remain there.
Commonly confused expressions

In the way and on the way

These expressions have different meanings. In the way or in my way is used to talk about obstacles
– things that stop people from getting where they want to.

■ Please don’t stand in the door – you are in my way.

‘On the way’ or ‘on my way’ means ‘during the journey or movement’ or ‘coming’.

■ We had lunch on our way.

■ Summer is on the way. (= Summer is coming.)

Way of and means of

We do not use way of before a noun. Instead, we use means of or method of.

■ We tried all possible means of communication, but we couldn’t contact him. (NOT We tried all
possible ways of communication, but we couldn’t contact him.)

Backward and backwards

The expressions backwards, forwards, northwards, outwards etc can only be used as adverbs.

■ Why are you moving backwards and forwards?

The expressions backward, forward, northward, outward etc can be used both as adjectives and
as adverbs.

■ You can’t make a forward pass in rugby. (NOT You can’t make a forwards pass in rugby.) (Adjective
modifying the noun pass)

■ Keep going upward and you will get to the top. OR Keep going upwards and you will get to the top.
(Adverb modifying the verb going)

Used + infinitive and be used to + -ing

These structures have quite different meanings.

Compare:

■ I didn’t use to live in a big city. (= Once I didn’t live in a big city, but now I do.)
■ I wasn’t used to driving in a big city. (= Living in a big city was a new experience – I hadn’t done
that before.)

Too and too much

Before adjectives without nouns and before adverbs we use too, not too much.

■ You are too kind to me. (NOT You are too much kind to me.)
■ He arrived too late. (NOT He arrived too much late.)

Too much is used before a noun.

■ There is too much noise. (NOT There is too noise.)

■ You have bought too much meat. (NOT You have bought too meat.)

At what time or what time

Prepositions are usually dropped before common expressions of time.

■ I am busy. Can you come another time? (More natural than ‘Can you come at another time?’)
■ What time does the train arrive? (More natural than ‘At what time does the train arrive?’
■ I won’t lose this time.

Surely and certainly

Surely does not usually mean the same as certainly. Compare:

■ You are certainly not going out in that old coat. (= I am certain that you are not going out in that
old coat.)

Surely, you are not going out in that old coat? (= I will be surprised if you go out in that old coat.)

Such and so
Such is used before a noun with or without an adjective.

■ She is such a beautiful woman.

■ She is such a lady.

So is used before an adjective without a noun or an adverb.

■ She is so beautiful. (NOT She is such beautiful.)

Difference between so and then

So and then can both be used to mean ‘since that is so’. There is a slight difference. So is used when
the same speaker wants to connect two ideas.

Both so and then can be used when one speaker replies to another.

Compare:

■ ‘I will need the car, so I think you will have to hire a taxi.’ (NOT I will need the car then I think you
will have to hire a taxi.) (One speaker)
■ ‘I will need the car.’ ‘So / then I think I will have to hire a taxi.’ (Two speakers)
■ ‘He isn’t ready yet, so we will have to go without him.’ (One speaker)
■ ‘He isn’t ready yet.’ ‘Then / so we will have to go without him.’ (Two speakers)
English Games
In the puzzle given below, names of six objects are hidden. Try to find them and then write them
down in the space provided.

A P S I L K R
M U P N O Q S
E A L K C V X
M A N G O P N
H I C O P E N
E N G I N E O
N M D C F L J
Answers

A P S I L K R
M U P N O Q S
E A L K C V X
M A N G O P N
H I C O P E N
E N G I N E O
N M D C F L J
1. Silk, 2. Mango, 3. Pen, 4. Hen, 5. Engine, 6. Ink

Plural nouns worksheet

Complete the following sentences by using the plural form of the words given in the box.

Skirt Pumpkin Box Shoe Letter

Brush Tiger Dog Dress book
1. Look out! How big those ——————- are!

2. She has many long ———————-

3. I have to post these ————————

4. Put the ————————- on the table.

5. These ————————- are big for me.

6. Painters use ———————– of different sizes.

7. ————————- are faithful to their masters.

8. ————————- are ferocious animals.

9. These ———————- have shrunk.

10. I have two lunch —————————

Answers
1. Look out! How big those pumpkins are!

2. She has many long books.

3. I have to post these letters.

4. Put the books on the table.

5. These shoes are big for me.

6. Painters use brushes of different sizes.

7. Dogs are faithful to their masters.

8. Tigers are ferocious animals.

9. These dresses have shrunk.

10. I have two lunch boxes.