Adult ESL/ELL Intermediate Quiz: Editing Preposition And Article Errors
10 questions · exam conditions
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Editing Preposition And Article ErrorsQuestion 1 of 10

A student wrote the following sentences in a health class assignment:

"Doctors recommend that people exercise at least thirty minutes in day. Walking is one of the easiest ways to stay active. Even a short walk around the neighborhood can improve your health."

The first sentence contains a preposition error. Which option correctly fixes it, and which explanation is most accurate?

Change "in day" to "a day" because "a day" is a fixed expression meaning "per day" or "each day," and no preposition is needed in this context.
Change "in day" to "in a day" because adding the indefinite article makes "in" the correct preposition for referring to time within a single day.
Change "in day" to "per each day" because health recommendations always use "per each" to show frequency in formal writing.
Change "in day" to "on day" because frequency expressions with day, week, or month require the preposition "on" in standard English.
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Adult ESL/ELL Intermediate Quiz

Adult ESL/ELL Intermediate Quiz: Editing Preposition And Article Errors

Practice Editing Preposition And Article Errors in Adult ESL/ELL Intermediate with focused quiz questions that help you check what you know, review explanations, and build confidence with test-style prompts.

What this quiz covers

This quiz focuses on Editing Preposition And Article Errors, giving you a quick way to practice the rules, question types, and explanations that matter most for Adult ESL/ELL Intermediate.

How to use this quiz

Try each quiz question before looking at the correct answer. Use the explanations to review missed ideas, then come back to similar questions until the pattern feels familiar.

All questions

Question 1

A student wrote the following sentences in a health class assignment:

"Doctors recommend that people exercise at least thirty minutes in day. Walking is one of the easiest ways to stay active. Even a short walk around the neighborhood can improve your health."

The first sentence contains a preposition error. Which option correctly fixes it, and which explanation is most accurate?

  1. Change "in day" to "a day" because "a day" is a fixed expression meaning "per day" or "each day," and no preposition is needed in this context. (correct answer)
  2. Change "in day" to "in a day" because adding the indefinite article makes "in" the correct preposition for referring to time within a single day.
  3. Change "in day" to "per each day" because health recommendations always use "per each" to show frequency in formal writing.
  4. Change "in day" to "on day" because frequency expressions with day, week, or month require the preposition "on" in standard English.
Explanation: When you see a question about time and frequency expressions in English, ask yourself: does this phrase need a preposition at all, or is there a fixed expression that works better? In the original sentence, "exercise at least thirty minutes in day" sounds unnatural because "in day" is not a standard English phrase. The correct fix is simply "a day" — no preposition needed. "A day" is a fixed expression meaning "per day" or "each day," and it attaches directly to the time measurement: "thirty minutes a day," "three times a week," "twice a month." This structure is extremely common in health recommendations and everyday English, and answer A correctly identifies both the fix and the reason. Answer B might seem reasonable because "in a day" is grammatically possible in some contexts ("I finished it in a day"), but that phrase means "within a single 24-hour period," not "each day." Using it here would change the meaning — it would sound like someone exercising within one particular day rather than as a daily habit. Answer C introduces "per each day," which is never correct in standard English. "Per" and "each" both express the same idea of individual units, so using both together is redundant and ungrammatical. No formal or informal writing style uses this combination. Answer D suggests "on day," which is also wrong. The preposition "on" is used with specific days ("on Monday," "on Tuesday"), not with general frequency expressions like "thirty minutes a day." As a study tip, memorize this pattern: [amount] + a + [time unit] (a day, a week, a month) expresses frequency without any preposition.

Question 2

Below is a paragraph from a student's narrative about moving to a new city:

"When I first arrived to the city, I felt very nervous. Everything was different from what I was used to. I had to find an apartment, learn a new bus system, and make the new friends."

The paragraph contains one preposition error and one article error. Which revision correctly fixes BOTH without changing any other words?

  1. Change "arrived to" to "arrived to the" and change "make the new friends" to "make new friends" because adding "the" strengthens the preposition phrase, and removing "the" before "new friends" fixes the article error.
  2. Change "arrived to" to "arrived at" and change "make the new friends" to "make a new friends" because "arrive at" is used for all destinations, and plurals need "a" to show they are indefinite.
  3. Change "arrived to" to "arrived in" and change "an apartment" to "the apartment" because the writer eventually found one specific apartment, making it definite, and "in" corrects the preposition error.
  4. Change "arrived to" to "arrived in" and change "make the new friends" to "make new friends" because "arrive" takes "in" before cities or large places, and "new friends" is a general indefinite plural that does not take "the." (correct answer)
Explanation: When identifying grammar errors in English, it helps to tackle each error type separately before checking which answer fixes both. This question tests two specific rules: preposition use with "arrive" and article use with plural nouns. For the preposition, English uses "arrive in" before cities, countries, and large regions (places you can be inside of), and "arrive at" before specific, smaller locations like buildings or airports. Since "the city" is a large place, "arrived in the city" is correct — making "arrived to" the preposition error. For the article, "the" is a definite article used when both the speaker and listener know which specific thing is meant. "New friends" refers to friends in general — no specific group — so using "the" makes it sound like particular friends were already identified. The correct form is simply "make new friends," an indefinite general plural that needs no article. Answer D fixes both errors correctly and for the right reasons, making it the answer. Answer A incorrectly adds "the" to the preposition phrase rather than changing "to" to "in," and it doesn't address an actual preposition rule — it just rearranges without fixing anything. Answer B suggests "arrive at" for all destinations, which is wrong — "at" works for specific points, not cities — and "a new friends" is impossible because "a/an" is never used with plural nouns. Answer C changes the article on "an apartment" to "the apartment," but "an apartment" is correct as written — the writer hadn't found it yet, so it's indefinitely one of many. A useful memory trick: "in" for big places, "at" for specific spots — and never use "the" with a general plural.

Question 3

A student wrote the following paragraph for an environmental science class:

"People should be more careful about the way they dispose their trash. Leaving garbage on streets or in parks harms both animals and environment. Simple habits, like using a recycling bin, can make a big difference."

The paragraph contains one preposition error and one article error. Which answer correctly identifies BOTH errors and their fixes?

  1. "on streets" should be "in streets" because enclosed or bounded areas always require "in," and "environment" should be "the environment" because the definite article is needed for shared global concepts.
  2. "dispose their trash" should be "dispose off their trash" because "off" signals removal in English, and "animals and environment" should be "animals and an environment" because the noun is introduced without context.
  3. "dispose their trash" should be "dispose of their trash" because "dispose" requires the preposition "of" to complete its meaning, and "environment" should be "the environment" because it refers to the natural world as a specific, shared concept. (correct answer)
  4. "dispose their trash" should be "dispose of their trash" because "dispose" requires the preposition "of," and "a recycling bin" should be "the recycling bin" because the writer is referring to a bin the reader already knows about.
Explanation: When editing for grammar errors, it helps to tackle each error type separately — first prepositions, then articles — before looking for an answer that correctly fixes both. The verb "dispose" is a fixed expression in English: it always requires the preposition "of" to connect it to its object. You dispose of something. Without "of," the sentence is grammatically incomplete, like saying "I will take care my homework." The second error involves the article before "environment." When a noun refers to something universally shared or well-understood — like the natural world — English uses "the" to signal that shared, specific reference. "The environment" means the one we all live in, so the definite article is required. Answer C correctly identifies both fixes: "dispose of their trash" and "the environment." Answer A correctly fixes "the environment" but misidentifies the preposition error. Saying "on streets" vs. "in streets" is actually a style or regional variation issue — neither is clearly wrong — and it ignores the real error with "dispose." Answer B introduces "dispose off," which is not standard English usage. "Off" does not complete the verb "dispose" correctly, making this a made-up fix. It also incorrectly suggests "an environment," which would imply one of many possible environments rather than the shared natural world. Answer D correctly fixes "dispose of their trash" but then misidentifies the article error. "A recycling bin" is perfectly correct — the writer is introducing a general example, not a specific bin the reader already knows. A useful strategy: when you see article questions, ask yourself whether the noun refers to something specific and shared (use "the") or something general (use "a/an"). That distinction catches most article errors on this exam.

Question 4

Read the following paragraph from a student's personal statement for a job application:

"I have been interested on working in healthcare since I was a child. My grandmother was an nurse who inspired me to pursue this career. I believe that helping others is one of the most rewarding jobs in a world."

The paragraph contains one preposition error and TWO article errors. Which answer correctly identifies all three errors and their fixes?

  1. "interested on" should be "interested at" because job-related interests use "at," "an nurse" should be "a nurse" because of the consonant sound rule, and "in a world" should be "in the world" to refer to the shared global concept.
  2. "interested on" should be "interested in," "an nurse" should be "a nurse" because "nurse" begins with a consonant sound /n/, and "one of the most rewarding jobs" should be "one of a most rewarding jobs" because "a" makes the superlative phrase indefinite.
  3. "interested on" should be "interested in," "an nurse" should be "a nurse" because "nurse" begins with a consonant sound /n/, and "in a world" should be "in the world" because "world" refers to the one shared world we all live in. (correct answer)
  4. "interested on" should be "interested in," "a child" should be "the child" because the writer is referring to a specific period in their own life, and "in a world" should be "in the world" to indicate a universal superlative context.
Explanation: When editing writing for grammar errors, tackle each error type separately — prepositions and articles follow their own rules, and mixing them up is a common trap. The paragraph has three errors. The preposition error is "interested on," which should be "interested in." In English, the fixed phrase is "interested in" something — this is simply a collocation you memorize, like "good at" or "afraid of." Next, "an nurse" should be "a nurse." The article rule isn't about spelling — it's about sound. Use "an" before vowel sounds (an apple, an hour) and "a" before consonant sounds. "Nurse" starts with the /n/ sound, a consonant, so "a nurse" is correct. Finally, "in a world" should be "in the world." When we refer to the one shared world everyone lives in, we use the definite article "the" — it signals a unique, shared concept with only one instance. Answer C correctly identifies all three fixes: "interested in," "a nurse" (consonant sound rule), and "in the world" (shared, unique world). That makes C correct. Answer A fails immediately because "interested at" is not a real English phrase — no correction should introduce a new error. Answer B correctly fixes the first two errors but then wrongly changes "in a world" to "in a most rewarding jobs," which is both grammatically broken and irrelevant to the actual error. Answer D correctly fixes the preposition but misidentifies "a child" as an error — "since I was a child" is a perfectly standard, idiomatic English phrase requiring no change. Your study tip: memorize high-frequency preposition collocations (interested in, good at, proud of) and always check article errors by asking: Is this sound a vowel? Is this noun unique or shared?

Question 5

Read the following paragraph from a student's essay about public transportation:

"Taking a bus is often cheaper than driving an own car. Most cities have bus routes that connect the downtown area to the suburbs. Riders can save both time and money by using the public transportation."

The paragraph contains TWO article errors. Which answer choice correctly identifies both errors and their fixes?

  1. "a bus" should be "the bus" because the writer means a specific bus, and "the public transportation" should be "a public transportation" because transportation options are countable in this context.
  2. "an own car" should be "your own car" or "one's own car," and "the public transportation" should be "public transportation" because possessive pronouns replace articles before "own," and uncountable general nouns do not take "the" when used in a general sense. (correct answer)
  3. "an own car" should be "a own car" because the correct indefinite article before a consonant sound is "a," and "the downtown area" should be "a downtown area" because it is introduced for the first time.
  4. "the suburbs" should be "suburbs" because place names do not take articles, and "the public transportation" should be "a public transportation" to make the noun phrase indefinite.
Explanation: When you see article errors in English writing, ask yourself three questions: Is this noun countable or uncountable? Is it general or specific? Does another word (like a possessive) already do the article's job? In the passage, "an own car" is grammatically impossible. The word "own" always follows a possessive pronoun — you say my own car, your own car, or one's own car. You cannot place an article like "a" or "an" directly before "own" because the possessive already performs that role. The second error is "the public transportation." Transportation is an uncountable noun used here in a general, non-specific sense. When uncountable nouns are used generally, they take no article at all — just "public transportation." Adding "the" implies you mean one specific, already-identified transportation system, which isn't the writer's intent. Answer B correctly identifies and fixes both errors, making it the right choice. Answer A wrongly claims "a bus" is an error — it isn't. The writer means any bus in general, so the indefinite article "a" is perfectly correct. A also incorrectly suggests "public transportation" is countable, which it is not. Answer C misidentifies the "an own car" fix — changing it to "a own car" just swaps one wrong article for another wrong one. It also incorrectly flags "the downtown area," which is fine since "downtown area" refers to a specific, understood location. Answer D incorrectly says "the suburbs" needs no article. Geographic regions like suburbs commonly take "the," so that phrase contains no error at all. Your tip: Always check whether a possessive pronoun (my, your, one's) is needed before "own" — no article can stand there instead.

Question 6

A student wrote the following paragraph about a cooking class:

"Last week, I attended the cooking class at my community center. The instructor taught us how to make an Italian pasta dish. By end of the class, everyone had prepared their own meal and was very proud."

One sentence in the paragraph contains an article error that makes the meaning unclear or incorrect. Which of the following correctly identifies and repairs that error?

  1. "their own meal" should be "the own meal" because the meals were specific items already prepared by the end of class, making them definite and requiring the article "the" in place of the possessive.
  2. "the cooking class" should be "a cooking class" because the class is mentioned for the first time in the passage and has not been previously identified, so the indefinite article is required on first mention.
  3. "an Italian pasta dish" should be "a Italian pasta dish" because "Italian" begins with the letter 'I,' which is a vowel letter, so it should follow the same rule as other vowel-initial words and use "a."
  4. "By end of the class" should be "By the end of the class" because "end" refers to a specific, singular point in time and requires the definite article "the" in this fixed expression. (correct answer)
Explanation: When working with articles in English, you need to think about two things: whether a noun is definite (specific/known) or indefinite (general/new), and whether certain fixed expressions require a particular article. This question tests both skills. The error appears in "By end of the class." The phrase by the end of is a fixed expression in English — "end" here refers to one specific, identifiable moment: the conclusion of that particular class. Whenever a noun refers to something unique or already understood in context, it takes the definite article "the." So the correct version is "By the end of the class," making D the right answer. Now let's look at why the other choices miss the mark. Choice A suggests replacing "their own meal" with "the own meal," but this is never grammatically correct in English — "the" and "own" cannot combine that way. Possessive pronouns like "their" already show specificity, so no article is needed. Choice B argues that "the cooking class" should become "a cooking class" because it's the first mention. While it's true that first mentions typically use "a," a writer can use "the" on first mention if they're treating the noun as already understood or part of the reader's shared context — so this isn't a clear error. Choice C claims "an Italian" should be "a Italian" because "I" is a vowel letter. This reverses the actual rule: you use "an" before words that sound like they start with a vowel. Since "Italian" begins with the vowel sound /ɪ/, "an" is correct. A useful tip: memorize common fixed expressions like by the end of, in the morning, and at the beginning of — articles in fixed phrases don't always follow the standard rules, and they're frequent test targets.

Question 7

Read the following job application cover letter excerpt:

"I have a experience working in customer service for over three years. During this time, I have helped hundreds of clients solve their problems. I am confident I would be a great addition to your team."

The excerpt contains one article error. Which of the following correctly identifies the error AND explains why it is an error?

  1. "a experience" should be "an experience" because the article "a" must become "an" before words beginning with a vowel sound, and "experience" begins with the vowel sound /ɛ/. (correct answer)
  2. "a experience" should be "the experience" because work history that has already been described is specific and definite, requiring the definite article "the."
  3. "a great addition" should be "an great addition" because "great" begins with a vowel letter, triggering the use of "an" instead of "a."
  4. "your team" should be "the team" because the writer is referring to a specific, known group, which always requires the definite article "the" instead of a possessive pronoun.
Explanation: When using articles in English, the key rule to remember is that the choice between "a" and "an" depends entirely on sound, not spelling. Use "an" before any word that begins with a vowel sound, and "a" before any word that begins with a consonant sound. In the cover letter, the phrase "a experience" is the error. The word "experience" starts with the vowel sound /ɛ/ (like the "e" in "egg"), so it requires "an" — making the correct phrase "an experience." This is exactly what answer A identifies, and that's why A is correct. Answer B incorrectly suggests replacing "a" with "the." The definite article "the" is used for something specific and already known to both the reader and writer. Here, the writer is introducing their work history for the first time — it hasn't been defined yet — so "the" would be wrong regardless of the "a"/"an" issue. Answer C describes the opposite mistake. It claims "great" should trigger "an" because it begins with a vowel letter. But "great" starts with the consonant sound /ɡ/, so "a great addition" is already correct. Remember: it's always about the sound, not the letter. Answer D incorrectly flags "your team" as an error. Possessive pronouns like "your," "my," and "their" already indicate specificity, so replacing "your" with "the" would actually lose important meaning — it's grammatically fine as written. Your study tip: whenever you're checking articles, say the next word out loud. If it starts with a vowel sound, use "an." Don't let spelling fool you.

Question 8

Read this excerpt from a student's report on sleep habits:

"Most teenagers do not get enough sleep on weeknights. According to the research, teenagers need between eight and ten hours of sleep per night. However, many students go to bed after midnight and wake up early in the morning for the school."

The excerpt contains one article error. Which option correctly identifies the error and provides the most accurate grammatical explanation?

  1. "the research" should be "research" because the student is referring to research in a general sense, and uncountable nouns used generically never take the definite article "the" in any context.
  2. "for the school" should be "for school" because when "school" refers to the purpose or activity of attending classes rather than a physical building, it functions as an abstract concept and takes no article in standard English. (correct answer)
  3. "the morning" should be "a morning" because the sentence does not specify which particular morning is meant, making it indefinite and requiring the indefinite article "a" instead of "the."
  4. "enough sleep" should be "enough the sleep" because "sleep" refers to the specific type of rest that teenagers require, making it a definite concept that needs "the" before uncountable nouns in health contexts.
Explanation: When you see article questions like this, ask yourself: is the noun referring to a specific, physical thing — or is it referring to an abstract purpose or activity? That distinction is the key to solving this problem. In the phrase "for the school," the student is not talking about a specific school building. Instead, "school" here refers to the activity of attending classes — an abstract, institutional concept. In standard English, nouns used this way drop the article entirely. Think of similar expressions: "go to bed," "go to work," "go to church," "be in prison." These all describe a purpose or function, not a physical location. The correct phrasing is simply "for school," making B the right answer. Now let's look at why the other options miss the mark. A is partially right that "the research" could raise eyebrows, but the claim that uncountable nouns never take "the" is false — you absolutely can say "the research published last year" when referring to something specific. The phrase "According to the research" is actually acceptable here, pointing to a known body of findings. C suggests changing "the morning" to "a morning," but "the morning" is correct — it refers to the same recurring, understood time period (each school morning), so the definite article is perfectly appropriate. D is grammatically nonsensical; inserting "the" between "enough" and an uncountable noun like "sleep" is never standard in English, regardless of context. Your takeaway: memorize common "zero article" expressions in English — go to school, go to work, go to bed — because these idioms are frequently tested and easy to overlook.

Question 9

Marta is writing an email to her supervisor about a meeting. Read her draft and answer the question below.

"Dear Ms. Chen,

I am writing to confirm our meeting on next Monday at 10:00 a.m. I will be at the conference room in the third floor. Please let me know if you need to reschedule. I look forward to speak with you.

Best regards, Marta"

Marta's email contains a preposition error that changes the intended meaning. Which of the following corrects ONLY that preposition error while leaving the rest of the sentence unchanged?

  1. Change "in the third floor" to "on the third floor" because surfaces and levels use "on," not "in." (correct answer)
  2. Change "on next Monday" to "in next Monday" because future scheduled events use "in" before day references.
  3. Change "at 10:00 a.m." to "in 10:00 a.m." because times of day require "in" when a specific hour is given.
  4. Change "in the third floor" to "at the third floor" because locations within a building always require "at" to show a precise point.
Explanation: When working with prepositions of place and time in English, it helps to remember that different prepositions signal different spatial or temporal relationships. A small preposition swap can quietly change what a sentence communicates, which is exactly what this question tests. The error in Marta's email appears in the phrase "in the third floor." In English, floors and levels of a building use the preposition on — you stand on a surface or level. Saying "on the third floor" correctly tells the reader which level of the building the conference room is located. That makes A the correct answer: changing "in the third floor" to "on the third floor" fixes a real preposition error without touching anything else in the sentence. The other choices each introduce new errors rather than fix existing ones. B is wrong because "on next Monday" is actually correct — days of the week use "on" in English ("on Monday," "on Friday"). Changing it to "in next Monday" would be grammatically incorrect. C is wrong for a similar reason: specific clock times use "at," not "in." "At 10:00 a.m." is already correct, and swapping it to "in" would create an error, not solve one. D is tempting because "at" can indicate a precise location, but in the context of building floors, "at the third floor" sounds unnatural and is not standard usage. "On the third floor" is the accepted phrase. A useful memory trick: think on for floors and surfaces ("on the second floor," "on the table"), at for specific times and addresses, and in for enclosed spaces ("in the room," "in the building").

Question 10

A student wrote the following paragraph in a community college writing class:

"My uncle has worked at the same company since fifteen years. He started the job when he was in his twenties, and now he is a manager. He is very proud of his progress."

The paragraph contains one preposition error. Which revision correctly fixes it without introducing a new error?

  1. Change "since fifteen years" to "for fifteen years" because "for" is used with a duration of time, while "since" is used with a specific point in time (e.g., "since 2009"). (correct answer)
  2. Change "since fifteen years" to "since fifteen years ago" because "ago" transforms the duration into a time point, and this is the preferred correction in all formal writing contexts.
  3. Change "at the same company" to "in the same company" because workplaces are enclosed spaces that require "in" rather than "at" to show the worker is inside the building.
  4. Change "in his twenties" to "on his twenties" because age ranges are described with "on" to indicate a position along a timeline of life stages.
Explanation: When using the present perfect tense ("has worked") with a time expression, the preposition choice depends on whether you're describing a duration or a point in time. "For" goes with a length of time (fifteen years, two months, a long time), while "since" goes with a specific moment when something began (since 2009, since Tuesday, since childhood). This distinction is one of the most common preposition errors among English learners, and it's exactly what this question tests. In the original sentence, "fifteen years" describes how long — a duration — so answer A is correct. Changing "since" to "for" produces "has worked at the same company for fifteen years," which is grammatically accurate and natural in both formal and informal writing. B is tempting because "since fifteen years ago" is technically not wrong in casual speech, but it's awkward and nonstandard in written English. More importantly, "ago" is typically paired with simple past, not present perfect ("He started fifteen years ago" ✓). This option introduces an awkward construction rather than a clean fix, making it a poor revision choice. C incorrectly targets "at the same company," which is actually standard. While "in" works for general locations like cities or countries, "at" is the conventional preposition for workplaces and institutions ("at the bank," "at school"). No error exists here, so this choice creates a problem rather than solving one. D is simply wrong. "On" is never used with age ranges in English. The correct preposition is "in" — "in his twenties" is already correct as written. Your study tip: memorize the pair "for + duration / since + point in time" — it appears frequently on ESL writing assessments and in everyday editing tasks.