Grammar I: Noun Phrase (1) Practice Test
I. Underline every noun in this text. Write “C” or “M” to say whether they are count or mass.
Why are people so interested in politics? The result of many years’ study is that there is a variety of beliefs
and ideas about government. Humans are known for their natural instinct in creating order in society. In time, this
instinct has developed into various types of governments, each of which possesses its own vision and method of
controlling others. By studying literature and history, we can understand how and why these ways of life have come
about.
II. Write the plural of the following nouns:
1. Crisis_________________________
6. Formula_______________________
2. Index_________________________
7. Series_________________________
3. Bother-in-law___________________
8. Mouse________________________
4. Datum________________________
9. Play-off_______________________
5. Goose________________________
10. Oasis_________________________
III. Are these nouns singular (S) or plural (P)? Write (B) if they can be both depending on the context.
1. Cacti
6. Team
2. Jeans
7. Glasses
3. Circus
8. Commas
4. Athletics
9. Deer
5. Lice
10. Virus
IV. State the type of package nouns: unit (U), collective (C), quantifying (Q), or species (S).
1. Hundreds of dollars
7. Flock of pigeons
2. Form of diabetes
8. Bit of luck
3. Pair of jeans
9. Type of chocolate
4. Tribe of Cherokee Indians
10. Bucketful of water
5. Cup of tea
11. Band of thieves
6. Slice of pizza
12. Pile of leaves
13. Piece of cake
15. Tube of toothpaste
14. Breed of hunting dogs
V. Use these nouns in a countable and uncountable way, showing the difference in meaning clearly.
1. trade
(a) countable:_____________________________________________________________
(b) uncountable:___________________________________________________________
2. drink
(a) countable: _____________________________________________________________
(b) uncountable: __________________________________________________________
3. light
(a) countable: _____________________________________________________________
(b) uncountable: __________________________________________________________
4. iron
(a) countable: _____________________________________________________________
(b) uncountable: __________________________________________________________
5. home
(a) countable: _____________________________________________________________
(b) uncountable: __________________________________________________________
VI. Write the form of the genitive (ex: ‘s or of-phrase) which could be related to the following sentences. If two
forms are possible, give them both.
1. What size is the table?_________________________________________
2. The strike continued for a month. _________________________________________
3. Hope has a meaning. _________________________________________
4. The Nile had a flood. _________________________________________
5. The Clintons have strong beliefs. _________________________________________
6. Something has a price. _________________________________________
7. My friend gave his advice. _________________________________________
8. The building was completed. _________________________________________
9. The dog has a long tail. _________________________________________
10. The university has a high-tech computer lab. _____________________________________
11. Anyone can eat the dessert. _________________________________________
12. The mob held a big banner. _________________________________________
VII. Types of genitive: Classify the following phrases according to these categories:
A. Classifying
B. Independent
C. Time & Measure
D. Possessive
E. Attribute
F. Subjective
1. She was amazed by the boy’s acceptance.
2. The store had big sales on men’s pants.
3. He begged his mother to stay at grandma’s for the weekend.
4. The President demanded to be present for the trial of the terrorists.
5. Mrs. Anderson’s purse was found under her desk.
6. We were ashamed of the President’s ineptitude.
7. My father loves listening to Mozart’s music.
8. While in France, we went to visit a cousin of my mother’s.
9. We watched the news to hear about the rape of the young girl.
10. The teacher’s explanation was easy to understand.
11. In London, I visited Reagent’s Park.
12. A minute’s hesitation can alter your fate.
13. Last night, I went to my boyfriend’s for dinner.
14. At the wedding, she sat next to a relative of the bride’s.
15. Who knows where we’d be without Einstein’s light bulb?
16. John’s argument came as a shock to all of us.
17. What business of Larry’s is it if I want to move?
18. My son’s dog is named Blackie.
19. My grandparents went to the Senior Citizen’s event at church.
20. We read about Abraham Lincoln’s honesty.
21. With such a terrible salary, no one was surprised by a two-weeks’ notice.
22. The teachers’ intelligence was apparent after visiting their classes.
23. The students’ pencils were found all over the floor.
G. Double Genitive
H. Origin
I. Objective
Grammar I: Noun Phrase (1) Practice Test-ANSWER KEY
I. Underline every noun in this text. Write “C” or “M” to say whether they are count or mass.
Why are people so interested in politics? The result of many years’ study is that there is a variety of beliefs
and ideas about government. Humans are known for their natural instinct in creating order in society. In time, this
instinct has developed into various types of governments, each of which possesses its own vision and method of
controlling others. By studying literature and history, we can understand how and why these ways of life have come
about.
II. Write the plural of the following nouns:
1. Crisis___CRISES________________
6. Formula__FORMULAE/FORMULAS_
2. Index___INDICES/INDEXES____
7. Series_SERIES_______________
3. Bother-in-law_BROTHERS-IN-LAW__
8. Mouse___MICE______________
4. Datum__DATA________________
9. Play-off__PLAY-OFFS________
5. Goose___GEESE______________
10. Oasis__OASES______________
III. Are these nouns singular (S) or plural (P)? Write (B) if they can be both depending on the context.
1. Cacti P
6. Team S
2. Jeans P
7. Glasses P
3. Circus S
8. Commas P
4. Athletics S
9. Deer B
5. Lice P
10. Virus S
IV. State the type of package nouns: unit (U), collective (C), quantifying (Q), or species (S).
1. Hundreds of dollars Q
7. Flock of pigeons C
2. Form of diabetes S
8. Bit of luck U
3. Pair of jeans Q
9. Type of chocolate S
4. Tribe of Cherokee Indians C
10. Bucketful of water Q
5. Cup of tea Q
11. Band of thieves C
6. Slice of pizza U
12. Pile of leaves Q
13. Piece of cake U
15. Tube of toothpaste Q
14. Breed of hunting dogs S
V. Use these nouns in a countable and uncountable way, showing the difference in meaning clearly.
1. trade
(a) countable:_Josh went to college in order to learn a trade.____________________
(b) uncountable:__The President is a strong supporter of fair trade with other nations._______
2. drink
(a) countable: _Jesse ordered 5 drinks for her friends at the bar_______________________
(b) uncountable: _Food and drink were not included in the price of the restaurant reservation_______
3. light
(a) countable: _I forgot my matches, so I had to ask for a light for my cigarette__________
(b) uncountable: _It’s important to pay the electricity bill so that you have light__________
4. iron
(a) countable: _I bought an iron at the department store______________________
(b) uncountable: _The mountains of Jujuy contain iron and other minerals_________
5. home
(a) countable: _My grandmother lives in a home in Florida__________________________
(b) uncountable: _Home is where the heart is_______________________________
VI. Write the form of the genitive (ex: ‘s or of-phrase) which could be related to the following sentences. If two
forms are possible, give them both.
1. What size is the table?__size of the table (inanimate)_______________________________________
2. The strike continued for a month. _month’s strike (time)________________________________________
3. Hope has a meaning. __the meaning of hope (abstraction)___________________________________
4. The Nile had a flood. __the Nile’s flood OR the flood of the Nile (geography)_____________
5. The Clintons have strong beliefs. __the Clintons’s beliefs (personal)__________________
6. Something has a price. _the price of something (abstraction)__________________
7. My friend gave his advice. _my friend’s advice (personal)________________________
8. The building was completed. _the completion of the building (process)___________
9. The dog has a long tail. _the dog’s tail (part of the body)________________________________________
10. The university has a high-tech computer lab. _the university’s computer lab OR the computer lab of the
university (institution)____________________________________
11. Anyone can eat the dessert. __anyone’s dessert (personal)_______________________________________
12. The mob held a big banner. _the mob’s banner OR the banner of the mob (collective)____________
VII. Types of genitive: Classify the following phrases according to these categories:
A. Classifying
B. Independent
C. Time & Measure
D. Possessive
E. Attribute
F. Subjective
G. Double Genitive
H. Origin
I. Objective
1. She was amazed by the boy’s acceptance. F
2. The store had big sales on men’s pants. A
3. He begged his mother to stay at grandma’s for the weekend. B
4. The President demanded to be present for the trial of the terrorists. I
5. Mrs. Anderson’s purse was found under her desk. D
6. We were ashamed of the President’s ineptitude. E
7. My father loves listening to Mozart’s music. H
8. While in France, we went to visit a cousin of my mother’s. G
9. We watched the news to hear about the rape of the young girl. I
10. The teacher’s explanation was easy to understand. F
11. In London, I visited Reagent’s Park. A
12. A minute’s hesitation can alter your fate. C
13. Last night, I went to my boyfriend’s for dinner. B
14. At the wedding, she sat next to a relative of the bride’s. G
15. Who knows where we’d be without Einstein’s light bulb? H
16. John’s argument came as a shock to all of us. F
17. What business of Larry’s is it if I want to move? G
18. My son’s dog is named Blackie. D
19. My grandparents went to the Senior Citizen’s event at church. A
20. We read about Abraham Lincoln’s honesty. E
21. With such a terrible salary, no one was surprised by a two-weeks’ notice. C
22. The teachers’ intelligence was apparent after visiting their classes. E
23. The students’ pencils were found all over the floor. D