TACHS Quiz: Verb Tense And Form Errors
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Verb Tense And Form ErrorsQuestion 1 of 20

One verb below is mismatched in tense. Select it.

After Mario (A) places the dough in the oven, he (B) will sets a timer, (C) washes the dishes, and (D) waits for the crust to brown.

A places
B will sets
C washes
D waits
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TACHS Quiz

TACHS Quiz: Verb Tense And Form Errors

Practice Verb Tense And Form Errors in TACHS 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 Verb Tense And Form Errors, giving you a quick way to practice the rules, question types, and explanations that matter most for TACHS.

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

One verb below is mismatched in tense. Select it.

After Mario (A) places the dough in the oven, he (B) will sets a timer, (C) washes the dishes, and (D) waits for the crust to brown.

  1. A places
  2. B will sets (correct answer)
  3. C washes
  4. D waits
Explanation: When you encounter verb tense questions, you need to identify the sequence of actions and ensure all verbs follow a consistent timeline. This sentence describes a series of actions Mario performs while baking, so the verbs should maintain parallel tense structure. Looking at the sentence structure, we have a time clause beginning with "After Mario places..." followed by a series of actions he performs. The verb "places" (choice A) establishes present tense for the sequence. Following this pattern, the subsequent verbs should also be in present tense to show these actions happen in the same general timeframe. Choice B contains "will sets," which is grammatically incorrect. This attempts to combine the future tense helper "will" with the present tense form "sets." In English, when using "will" to form future tense, you must use the base form of the verb without the "-s" ending. The correct form would be either "will set" (future tense) or "sets" (present tense), but never "will sets." Choice A is correct because "places" properly establishes the present tense pattern. Choice C ("washes") and choice D ("waits") are both correct present tense verbs that maintain parallel structure with "places." For TACHS verb questions, remember that parallel actions in a sentence should generally use the same tense unless there's a clear reason for a time shift. Also watch for the common error of adding "-s" to verbs after helping verbs like "will" — the base form is always used after helpers.

Question 2

Identify the verb that is wrong in form.

The hikers (A) had went farther than planned before they (B) realized the trail (C) looped back toward the river and (D) provided an easier return.

  1. D provided
  2. B realized
  3. C looped
  4. A had went (correct answer)
Explanation: When you encounter questions about verb forms, focus on identifying whether each verb correctly matches its tense and follows proper grammar rules, especially with helping verbs. The error lies in choice D: "had went." This is incorrect because "went" is the simple past tense of "go," but when you use the helping verb "had" (indicating past perfect tense), you need the past participle "gone," not the simple past form. The correct phrase should be "had gone farther than planned." Let's examine why the other choices are correct: Choice A ("provided") is wrong to select because this verb is in the simple past tense, which correctly matches the other past-tense verbs in the sentence. Choice B ("realized") is also wrong to select—it's properly in simple past tense and fits the sentence's timeline. Choice C ("looped") is incorrect to choose because it too is correctly formed in simple past tense, maintaining consistency with the sentence's timeframe. The sentence describes events that happened in the past, with the hiking occurring before the realization. The past perfect "had gone" is needed to show this sequence, but "had went" incorrectly mixes the helping verb "had" with the wrong form of the main verb. Study tip: Remember that past perfect tense always uses "had" + past participle. Common past participles that students confuse include "gone" (not "went"), "seen" (not "saw"), and "done" (not "did"). When you see "had" in a sentence, check that the following verb is in past participle form.

Question 3

Choose the incorrect verb.

Last weekend, the fishermen (A) cast their lines early, (B) catched three trout, and (C) returned home before the storm (D) began.

  1. A cast
  2. B catched (correct answer)
  3. C returned
  4. D began
Explanation: This question tests your knowledge of irregular verb forms in the past tense. When you encounter verb identification questions, you need to recognize whether each verb follows regular or irregular conjugation patterns. The error lies in choice (B) "catched." The verb "catch" is irregular, meaning it doesn't follow the standard pattern of adding "-ed" to form the past tense. The correct past tense of "catch" is "caught," not "catched." This makes (B) the incorrect verb you're looking for. Let's examine why the other options are correct: Choice (A) "cast" is properly used because "cast" is an irregular verb where the present, past, and past participle forms are identical (cast/cast/cast). Choice (C) "returned" correctly follows the regular verb pattern, adding "-ed" to "return." Choice (D) "began" is the proper irregular past tense form of "begin" (begin/began/begun). The sentence structure also provides a clue—notice the parallel construction with "cast," "catched," and "returned." Since two of these verbs are correctly formed, the one that sounds awkward likely contains the error. Study tip: Memorize common irregular verbs and their past tense forms, especially tricky ones like catch/caught, bring/brought, and teach/taught. On the TACHS, incorrect verb questions often feature irregular verbs that students mistakenly treat as regular by adding "-ed." When you see a verb that sounds wrong when you read it aloud, trust that instinct—it's often the error.

Question 4

Select the incorrect verb.

Once the announcement (A) had been made, the passengers (B) rose from their seats, (C) grabbed their luggage, and (D) begun forming a line at the gate.

  1. A had been made
  2. B rose
  3. C grabbed
  4. D begun (correct answer)
Explanation: This question tests your understanding of verb tenses and parallel structure within a sentence. When you encounter a sentence with multiple verbs describing a sequence of actions, each verb must be in the correct tense and form to maintain consistency. Let's examine the sentence: "Once the announcement had been made, the passengers rose from their seats, grabbed their luggage, and begun forming a line." The three main actions (rose, grabbed, and begun) should all be in the same tense since they describe consecutive actions that happened in the past. Option D is incorrect because "begun" is the wrong form. The verb "begin" becomes "began" in simple past tense, not "begun." The word "begun" is the past participle, which requires a helping verb like "had" or "have." Since the sentence lists three parallel actions without helping verbs, all should be in simple past tense: "rose," "grabbed," and "began." Option A is correct—"had been made" uses past perfect tense appropriately to show the announcement happened before the passengers' actions. Option B is correct—"rose" is the proper simple past form of "rise." Option C is correct—"grabbed" is the standard simple past form of "grab." Remember that when verbs are connected by "and" in a series, they must maintain parallel structure. Watch for past participles (words ending in -en, -ed, or irregular forms like "begun") that are missing their required helping verbs—this is a common error pattern on grammar tests.

Question 5

Choose the verb that contains an error in tense or form.

While the thunderstorm (A) raged outside, we (B) were tryed to keep the puppies calm, but one of them (C) has escaped and (D) hidden under the couch.

  1. A raged
  2. B were tryed (correct answer)
  3. C has escaped
  4. D hidden
Explanation: This question tests your ability to identify errors in verb tense and form within a complex sentence. When examining verb errors, you need to check both whether the tense is appropriate for the timeline and whether the verb form itself is correct. The error lies in choice B: "were tryed." This contains a fundamental mistake in verb formation. The past participle of "try" is "tried," not "tryed." Additionally, when forming the past continuous tense with "were," you need the present participle (trying), not the past participle. The correct form should be "were trying" to show an ongoing action in the past. Let's examine why the other options are correct: Choice A, "raged," properly uses the simple past tense to describe the thunderstorm's action. Choice C, "has escaped," correctly uses present perfect tense to show a completed action with present relevance. Choice D, "hidden," works as part of the compound verb phrase "has escaped and hidden" - both past participles are linked by the auxiliary verb "has." The sentence describes events that happened in the past, so the past continuous "were trying" makes sense to show what you were doing while the storm was raging. The present perfect "has escaped and hidden" indicates that the puppy's actions are complete but still affect the current situation. When checking verb forms, remember that irregular verbs like "try" follow specific patterns (try/tried/tried), and continuous tenses always use the -ing form, never past participles with helping verbs like "were."

Question 6

Identify the misused verb tense.

Every year the festival (A) featured local artists who (B) display their work, but this year many painters (C) has withdrawn due to renovations that (D) limited space.

  1. A featured
  2. B display
  3. C has withdrawn (correct answer)
  4. D limited
Explanation: This question tests your ability to maintain consistent verb tenses throughout a sentence, particularly when dealing with subject-verb agreement and parallel structure. Let's examine each verb in context. The sentence discusses a festival that happens "every year" but contrasts it with what happened "this year." Choice A, "featured," correctly uses past tense to describe the festival's historical pattern. Choice D, "limited," appropriately uses past tense to describe the renovations that already occurred. Choice B, "display," uses present tense, which works here because it describes the general, ongoing action of what local artists do at the festival year after year. This maintains parallel structure with the habitual nature of the festival. Choice C, "has withdrawn," is incorrect because it uses a singular verb form with a plural subject. "Many painters" is plural, so the verb should be "have withdrawn," not "has withdrawn." This is a subject-verb agreement error disguised within a verb tense question. Looking at why the other choices work: A uses past tense appropriately for the historical description, B maintains present tense for habitual actions, and D correctly uses past tense for completed renovations. Only C violates grammatical rules by mismatching singular and plural forms. Strategy tip: When checking verb tenses, always identify the subject first and ensure the verb agrees in number (singular/plural). Don't let complex sentence structure distract you from basic subject-verb agreement rules, especially with phrases like "many" or "several" that clearly signal plural subjects.

Question 7

Identify the incorrect verb form or tense.

The newsletter stated that the marathon (A) starts at dawn, but later emails (B) have clarified that it actually (C) start at 7 a.m. because several streets (D) were still closed.

  1. A starts
  2. B have clarified
  3. C start (correct answer)
  4. D were
Explanation: When examining verb forms and tenses, you need to ensure that each verb agrees with its subject and maintains logical consistency within the sentence's timeframe. Let's work through each verb systematically. In choice (A), "starts" is correctly written in third person singular present tense, agreeing with the singular subject "marathon." Choice (B) uses "have clarified" appropriately—this present perfect tense fits with the plural subject "emails" and indicates an action that began in the past but has relevance to the present moment. Choice (D) employs "were" correctly as the past tense plural form matching the plural subject "streets." Choice (C) contains the error. Here we have "it actually start at 7 a.m." The subject "it" (referring back to "the marathon") is singular and requires the third person singular verb form "starts," not the base form "start." The sentence should read "it actually starts at 7 a.m." Choice (A) might seem wrong if you mistakenly think the newsletter's statement should be in past tense, but reported speech can maintain present tense when stating ongoing facts. Choice (B) could appear incorrect if you confuse subject-verb agreement, but "emails" is clearly plural. Choice (D) might look wrong if you expect present tense throughout, but the street closures logically occurred in the past. Remember this key strategy: always identify the subject of each verb and check that they agree in number (singular/plural). Third person singular subjects almost always require verbs ending in "-s" in present tense.

Question 8

Select the verb that contains a tense error.

By the time the fire department (A) arrives, the neighbors (B) had already formed a bucket brigade and (C) was dousing the flames that (D) threatened the shed.

  1. A arrives
  2. B had formed
  3. C was dousing (correct answer)
  4. D threatened
Explanation: This question tests your ability to maintain consistent verb tenses within a complex sentence that establishes a clear timeline of events. When you encounter sentences with multiple clauses and time references like "by the time," you need to ensure all verbs work together logically. The sentence describes events happening before the fire department's arrival. The phrase "by the time" signals that everything else occurred prior to that moment. Let's trace the timeline: neighbors had already formed a bucket brigade (past perfect), they were dousing flames (past continuous), and flames threatened the shed (simple past) — all before the fire department arrives (present). Choice C "was dousing" is incorrect because it uses a singular verb form with the plural subject "neighbors." The correct form should be "were dousing" to match the plural subject. This is a subject-verb agreement error disguised within a tense consistency question. Choice A "arrives" is correct — this present tense verb establishes the reference point for all other actions. Choice B "had already formed" correctly uses past perfect to show this action was completed before the fire department's arrival. Choice D "threatened" appropriately uses simple past to describe the flames' action during this earlier timeframe. Watch for questions that combine multiple grammar concepts. Here, what appears to be purely about tense actually involves subject-verb agreement. Always check that verbs agree with their subjects in both number and tense, especially in complex sentences with multiple clauses.

Question 9

In the sentence below, one underlined verb is incorrect. Which one is it?

(A) The choir was rehearsing when (B) the lights suddenly go out, leaving everyone (C) feeling confused and (D) searching for flashlights.

  1. A was rehearsing
  2. B go out (correct answer)
  3. C feeling
  4. D searching
Explanation: This question tests your understanding of verb tense consistency within a sentence. When multiple actions occur in the same time frame, the verbs should maintain consistent tenses to show their relationship clearly. The sentence describes events that all happened in the past: the choir was rehearsing when the lights went out. Since "was rehearsing" establishes the past tense timeframe, all other verbs describing simultaneous or sequential actions should also be in past tense. The correct version would read: "The choir was rehearsing when the lights suddenly went out, leaving everyone feeling confused and searching for flashlights." Looking at each option: (A) "was rehearsing" correctly uses past continuous tense to show an ongoing action in the past. (C) "feeling" is correct as a present participle following "leaving," which properly describes the result of the lights going out. (D) "searching" works correctly as another present participle in parallel with "feeling" to describe the people's simultaneous reactions. However, (B) "go out" incorrectly shifts to present tense in the middle of a past-tense narrative. This creates an inconsistency that confuses the timeline. The sudden tense shift from "was rehearsing" to "go out" breaks the logical flow of past events. When you encounter verb tense questions, look for the dominant tense established early in the sentence, then check whether all related actions maintain consistency with that timeframe. Mixed tenses are only acceptable when describing actions that genuinely occurred at different times or when using reported speech.

Question 10

One verb below is incorrectly formed. Identify it.

By next June, the engineers (A) will have builded a prototype, (B) tested it thoroughly, and (C) presented their findings to the board that (D) commissioned the project.

  1. D commissioned
  2. B tested
  3. C presented
  4. A will have builded (correct answer)
Explanation: This question tests your knowledge of irregular verb forms, specifically past participles used in perfect tenses. When you see "will have" followed by a verb, you're looking at the future perfect tense, which requires the past participle form. The error is in choice D: "will have builded." The verb "build" is irregular, meaning its past participle isn't formed by simply adding "-ed." The correct past participle of "build" is "built," so it should read "will have built." This is a common mistake because many students apply regular verb patterns to irregular verbs. Let's examine why the other choices are correct. Choice A, "commissioned," is the simple past tense of a regular verb, properly formed with "-ed." Choice B, "tested," is also a regular past tense form used correctly in the parallel structure "tested it thoroughly." Choice C, "presented," follows the same pattern as a regular past tense verb in the series. Notice that choices B and C work in this sentence because they're part of a parallel structure where the auxiliary "will have" applies to all three verbs: "will have [built], [tested], and [presented]." The sentence uses ellipsis, omitting the repeated "will have" before the second and third verbs. Study tip: Memorize common irregular past participles like built, bought, brought, caught, and taught. These don't follow the regular "-ed" pattern and frequently appear on standardized tests. When you see perfect tenses (has/have/will have + verb), always double-check that irregular verbs use their correct past participle forms.

Question 11

Choose the verb that is incorrect in form or tense.

During the press conference, (A) the mayor announced that repairs (B) begin tomorrow, but she (C) admitted they might (D) have been delayed by bad weather.

  1. A announced
  2. B begin (correct answer)
  3. C admitted
  4. D have been delayed
Explanation: This question tests your understanding of verb tense consistency and sequence of tenses in reported speech. When you encounter verb tense questions, look for timeline clues and check whether all verbs align logically with when events actually occur. The sentence describes a press conference where the mayor made announcements about future repairs. Since this is reported speech about past events, you need to ensure the verb tenses properly reflect the timeline. The mayor "announced" (past tense) during the press conference, and she was talking about repairs that would happen in the future from that point. Choice B is incorrect because "begin" is present tense, but it should be future tense or conditional to match the context. Since the mayor was speaking about future repairs during a past press conference, she would have said the repairs "would begin" or "will begin" tomorrow. The present tense "begin" doesn't fit the sequence of tenses in reported speech. Choice A is correct - "announced" appropriately uses past tense for the press conference event. Choice C is correct - "admitted" maintains the past tense established for the press conference actions. Choice D is correct - "have been delayed" uses present perfect, which works here because the mayor was discussing a possibility that could affect the future repairs. Remember that in reported speech, you often need to shift tenses backward from what was originally said. When the timeline involves past reporting of future events, pay special attention to whether verbs properly sequence from past to conditional or future forms.

Question 12

Which underlined verb is incorrect in tense or form?

During the debate, Carlos (A) was arguing confidently until his microphone (B) suddenly cut off and the moderator (C) have to repeat the question he (D) had posed.

  1. A was arguing
  2. B cut off
  3. C have to repeat (correct answer)
  4. D had posed
Explanation: This question tests your ability to identify verb tense errors within a single sentence that describes a sequence of past events. When multiple actions occur in the past, you need to ensure each verb matches the appropriate tense for when that action happened relative to the others. The sentence describes events during a debate that already ended, so all verbs should be in past tense forms. Looking at the sequence: Carlos was arguing (ongoing past action), his microphone cut off (simple past interruption), the moderator had to repeat the question (simple past response), and he had posed the question (past perfect for an action completed before the repetition). Choice C contains the error: "have to repeat" uses the present tense "have" instead of the past tense "had." Since the moderator's action of repeating the question happened during the past debate, it should be "had to repeat." Choice A is correct because "was arguing" appropriately shows an ongoing past action that was interrupted. Choice B uses the simple past "cut off" correctly for the sudden interruption. Choice D properly uses "had posed" in the past perfect tense, indicating the question was originally asked before it needed to be repeated. Remember that consistency in time frame is crucial in written expression. When a sentence or passage is set in the past, present tense verbs will usually stand out as errors unless they're in dialogue or expressing universal truths. Always check that verb tenses logically match the timeline being described.

Question 13

Which underlined verb is wrong?

(A) By the time we arrived, Jenna (B) has cooked dinner, (C) set the table, and (D) poured the drinks.

  1. A arrived
  2. B has cooked (correct answer)
  3. C set
  4. D poured
Explanation: When you encounter a sentence with multiple verbs describing past actions, pay close attention to verb tense consistency and sequence. This question tests your ability to recognize when verbs don't work together properly in time. The phrase "By the time we arrived" establishes a past time frame and signals that all the actions (cooking, setting, pouring) were completed before the arrival happened. This requires the past perfect tense for the completed actions. The correct structure should use "had" + past participle for all three verbs in the series: "had cooked," "had set," and "had poured." Looking at each option: Choice A ("arrived") is correct because it properly uses simple past tense for the reference point in time. Choice B ("has cooked") is wrong because it uses present perfect tense, which connects past actions to the present moment. Since we're describing actions completed before a past event, present perfect doesn't fit the timeline. Choice C ("set") appears to be simple past, but it's actually the past participle form that would follow "had" - the issue is that "had" is missing due to the error in choice B. Choice D ("poured") has the same issue as C - it's the correct past participle form but lacks the auxiliary verb "had." The error in B creates a domino effect, making the entire verb series inconsistent. Remember: when you see "by the time" followed by a past tense verb, the actions that happened before that moment need past perfect tense (had + past participle).

Question 14

Select the verb that contains a tense or form error.

Whenever the librarian (A) opens the doors, students (B) were rushing in to (C) claim seats and (D) check out laptops.

  1. A opens
  2. B were rushing (correct answer)
  3. C claim
  4. D check out
Explanation: When you encounter a sentence with multiple verbs, you need to check that all the tenses work together logically and consistently. This sentence describes a habitual or repeated action, so the verb tenses should reflect that pattern. The word "whenever" signals that this describes something that happens repeatedly. The main clause should use present tense verbs to show this ongoing, habitual action. Looking at the sequence: when the librarian opens the doors (present tense), students rush in and check out laptops (both should be present tense to match). Choice B "were rushing" is incorrect because it uses past continuous tense, which doesn't fit with the habitual present-tense pattern established by "whenever" and "opens." The past continuous suggests an action that was ongoing at a specific time in the past, but this sentence describes a repeated present action. Choice A "opens" is correct because it's present tense, matching the habitual nature of the action described by "whenever." Choice C "claim" is also correct present tense, maintaining consistency with the repeated action pattern. Choice D "check out" is properly in present tense as well, fitting the established tense sequence. For TACHS written expression questions about verb tense, pay special attention to time signal words like "whenever," "usually," "often" (present habitual) versus "yesterday," "last week" (past), or "tomorrow," "next year" (future). These words tell you which tense pattern the entire sentence should follow, and all verbs should align with that timeframe.

Question 15

Find the verb error.

The committee (A) met for hours, yet no one (B) knowed how to (C) resolve the budget shortfall that (D) threatened new programs.

  1. A met
  2. B knowed (correct answer)
  3. C resolve
  4. D threatened
Explanation: When you encounter verb error questions, you need to check each verb form for proper tense, agreement, and irregular verb patterns. This question tests your knowledge of irregular past tense forms. The error is in choice (B) "knowed." The verb "know" is irregular, meaning it doesn't follow the standard pattern of adding "-ed" for past tense. The correct past tense of "know" is "knew," not "knowed." Since the sentence describes a completed action in the past ("The committee met for hours"), the past tense form is required here. Let's examine why the other choices are correct: (A) "met" is the proper past tense of the irregular verb "meet" and matches the past tense context of the sentence. (C) "resolve" is correct because it follows the infinitive "to," which requires the base form of the verb. (D) "threatened" is the correct past tense form of the regular verb "threaten," formed by adding "-ed." The key trap here is that "knowed" might sound acceptable in casual speech in some dialects, but it's grammatically incorrect in standard written English. Many students struggle with irregular verbs because they assume all verbs follow the regular "-ed" pattern for past tense. Study tip: Memorize common irregular verbs and their past tense forms (know/knew, go/went, see/saw, etc.). When you spot a verb error question, always check whether irregular verbs are using their correct past tense forms rather than incorrectly adding "-ed" to the base form.

Question 16

Find the verb form mistake.

If I (A) had knew about the concert earlier, I (B) would have reserved seats and (C) invited you to (D) come with me.

  1. D come
  2. B would have reserved
  3. C invited
  4. A had knew (correct answer)
Explanation: This question tests your understanding of past perfect verb forms, which express actions completed before another past action. When you see conditional sentences starting with "If I had...", pay attention to the verb construction. The error is in choice (D) "had knew." The past perfect tense requires "had" plus the past participle of a verb. The past participle of "know" is "known," not "knew." The correct form should be "had known." "Knew" is the simple past tense of "know," but after "had," you must use the past participle. Looking at the incorrect choices: (A) "come" is correct here as an infinitive following "invited you to." (B) "would have reserved" is the proper conditional perfect form for the main clause in this type of conditional sentence. (C) "invited" is correctly used as a past participle in the phrase "would have...invited," forming another conditional perfect construction. This sentence follows the third conditional pattern: "If I had [past participle], I would have [past participle]." The speaker is expressing regret about a hypothetical past situation that didn't happen. Study tip: Memorize the principal parts of irregular verbs: base form, past tense, and past participle. For "know," it's know-knew-known. When you see "had" or "have" as helping verbs, they're always followed by past participles, never simple past forms. Practice identifying these three-part verb forms to avoid mixing up "knew" and "known."

Question 17

Which of the following verbs is misused?

If the scientist (A) proves the theory, the institute (B) will funding additional research, and experts worldwide (C) are expected to (D) cite her findings.

  1. A proves
  2. B will funding (correct answer)
  3. C are expected
  4. D cite
Explanation: When analyzing verb usage in complex sentences, you need to check that each verb form matches its grammatical function and maintains proper tense consistency throughout the sentence. Looking at this conditional sentence, option B contains the error "will funding." This phrase attempts to use "funding" as the main verb after the modal auxiliary "will," but "funding" is a gerund (a verb form ending in -ing that functions as a noun). After modal auxiliaries like "will," you need the base form of the verb. The correct form should be "will fund" - using "fund" as the main verb meaning "to provide money for." Option A uses "proves" correctly as a present tense verb in the conditional clause. Option C properly uses "are expected" as a passive voice construction in present tense. Option D correctly uses "cite" as an infinitive after "expected to," which is the standard pattern for this expression. The sentence structure follows an if-then conditional pattern: "If [present tense action], then [future consequence]." The error in B disrupts this logical flow because "will funding" isn't a valid verb construction in English. Study tip: When you see modal auxiliaries (will, can, should, must), remember they're always followed by the base form of the verb, never by gerunds (-ing forms) or past participles. If you spot an -ing word immediately after a modal auxiliary, it's likely an error unless it's part of a progressive tense (like "will be funding").

Question 18

Which verb below is wrong?

(A) Each of the scholars (B) have submitted a proposal, and the committee (C) expects to (D) announce the finalists next week.

  1. A Each
  2. B have submitted (correct answer)
  3. C expects
  4. D announce
Explanation: This question tests subject-verb agreement, specifically with indefinite pronouns. When you encounter sentences with phrases like "each of," "one of," or "either of," you need to identify the true subject to choose the correct verb form. The subject of the first clause is "Each," which is a singular indefinite pronoun. Even though it's followed by "of the scholars" (a plural phrase), the verb must agree with "Each," not with "scholars." Since "Each" is singular, it requires the singular verb "has submitted," not the plural "have submitted." Looking at each answer choice: (A) "Each" is correct as the subject of the sentence. (C) "expects" is correct because "committee" is a collective noun treated as singular, and the singular verb form matches. (D) "announce" is correct in the infinitive form after "to." (B) "have submitted" is wrong because it's a plural verb paired with the singular subject "Each." The sentence should read: "Each of the scholars has submitted a proposal, and the committee expects to announce the finalists next week." Remember this rule: indefinite pronouns like "each," "every," "either," "neither," and "one" are always singular, regardless of any plural nouns that follow in prepositional phrases. When you see "each of the [plural noun]," mentally cross out the prepositional phrase and focus on "each" alone to choose your verb. This is a common trap on grammar exams.

Question 19

Find the verb error in the following sentence.

Whenever the bell (A) rings, the dog (B) runned to the door, convinced that a treat (C) awaits and that someone (D) has come to visit.

  1. A rings
  2. B runned (correct answer)
  3. C awaits
  4. D has come
Explanation: This question tests your knowledge of irregular verb forms, specifically past tense conjugations. When checking for verb errors, you need to identify whether each verb is correctly formed for its tense and agrees with its subject. The error occurs in choice (B) with "runned." The verb "run" is irregular, meaning it doesn't follow the standard pattern of adding "-ed" to form the past tense. The correct past tense of "run" is "ran," not "runned." Since the sentence describes a habitual action using present tense in the main clause ("rings"), the coordinated verb should also be in present tense: "runs." Let's examine why the other options are correct: (A) "rings" is the proper present tense form for the third-person singular subject "bell." (C) "awaits" correctly uses present tense and agrees with the singular subject "treat." (D) "has come" is the correct present perfect form, using the irregular past participle "come" rather than "came." Choice (A) is incorrect because "rings" is properly conjugated for present tense, third-person singular. Choice (C) is wrong because "awaits" follows standard conjugation rules and matches its subject. Choice (D) is incorrect because "has come" correctly forms the present perfect tense with the appropriate past participle. When tackling verb error questions, pay special attention to irregular verbs like run/ran, come/came, and go/went. These don't follow standard "-ed" patterns and are frequent test targets. Always check that verb tenses are consistent throughout coordinate clauses and that each verb agrees with its subject.

Question 20

Which verb is incorrect?

(A) Had the bus (B) arrive on schedule, we (C) would have reached the theater before the previews (D) started.

  1. A Had
  2. B arrive (correct answer)
  3. C would have reached
  4. D started
Explanation: This question tests your understanding of conditional sentences, specifically the third conditional form used to describe hypothetical past situations. The sentence expresses a past hypothetical: "If the bus had arrived on schedule, we would have reached the theater before the previews started." In third conditional sentences, the "if" clause requires the past perfect tense (had + past participle), while the main clause uses "would have" + past participle. The correct answer is (B) because "arrive" should be "arrived." The third conditional pattern demands: "Had the bus arrived on schedule..." The past participle of "arrive" is "arrived," not the base form "arrive." Looking at the other options: (A) "Had" is correct because it's the proper auxiliary verb for past perfect in the inverted conditional structure (instead of "If the bus had..."). (C) "would have reached" correctly follows the third conditional pattern for the main clause. (D) "started" is correct as the simple past tense describing when the previews began in the past. The inverted form "Had the bus..." is equivalent to "If the bus had..." and is a sophisticated way to express third conditionals, but it still requires the past participle. When you encounter conditional sentences on the TACHS, identify which type you're dealing with (first, second, or third conditional) and check that each clause follows the correct tense pattern. Third conditionals always pair past perfect with "would have" + past participle.