GRE

Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) - General Questions Sample paper

1. When did Mary _____ college?

1) graduate
2) graduate from
3) graduating
4) graduating from

Answer:2

Hint: “Graduate,” in this context, is used with “from.” A question with “did” does not take the -ing form of the verb.

2. You look pale. You had better _____ a doctor.

1) consult
2) consult to
3) consult with
4) consult by

Answer: 1

Hint:Consult is a transitive verb, so it is not used with a preposition.

3. New York is a large city, _____?.

1) aren’t it
2) doesn’t it
3) won’t it
4) isn’t it

Answer: 4

Hint: A tag question uses the same verb as the main part of the sentence.
If the main part is positive, the negative form is used;
if it is negative, the positive form is used in the tag.

4. Japanese houses are made of wood, so they easily _____.

1) catch to fire
2) catch the fire
3) catch on fire
4) catch with fire

Answer: 3

Hint: This means “start burning,” using “catch” in an idiomatic expression.

5. Do you enjoy _____?.

1) to hike
2) hiking
3) hike
4) to hiking

Answer: 2

Hint: “To” is not usually followed by -ing forms. “Enjoy” takes a gerund.

6. Mary has trouble _____.

1) to remember her homework
2) to remembering her homework
3) remember her homework
4) remembering her homework

Answer: 4

Hint: An infinitive means the future in this context. “To” is not followed by -ing forms. Since “has” is the verb here, another verb is not used.

7. Do you have _____ to do this afternoon? If not, I’d like to take you to a movie.

1) many work
2) much work
3) many works
4) much works

Answer: 2

Hint: “Many” is not used with an uncountable noun. “Work” is an uncountable noun.

8. Our friends will _____ for two nights.

1) provide us up
2) provide us in
3) put us up
4) put us in

Answer: 3

Hint: This sentence means that our friends will let us stay with them for two nights. “Provide” is not used in this context. Which idiom is used in this context?

9. When will the conference _____?

1) hold on
2) hold place
3) take on
4) take place

Answer: 4

Hint: This means when the conference will be held. This sentence is an active form. Which idiom is used in this context?

10. The meeting was held _____.

1) at Tuesday
2) on Tuesday
3) with Tuesday
4) in Tuesday

Answer: 2

Hint: The preposition “at” is used with 3 o’clock, and “in” with October. What preposition is used with a day of the week?

11. Why don’t you _____ us ?.

1) go to the party with
2) go together the party with
3) go the party with
4) together the party with

Answer: 1

Hint: “Go” needs “to” before the destination. A sentence needs at least one verb, and “together” is not a verb.

12. That accident occurred _____.

1) before three weeks
2) three weeks before
3) three weeks ago
4) three weeks past

Answer: 3

Hint: “Before” or “ago” is used with a past event. Which is used when the present time is the starting point?

13. Many people like my plan. Will you _____ it ?.

1) agree with
2) agree to
3) agree
4) agree about

Answer: 2

Hint: “Agree” is not a transitive verb and needs a preposition. “With” is used when referring to a person.

14. The minister _____ a member of the church who was ill.

1) called to the house of
2) called on the house of
3) called to
4) called on

Answer: 4

Hint: This sentence states that the minister visited the church member. In English, we say that we visit a person rather than a house. Which idiom is used to mean “visit?”

15. Tomorrow is Mary’s birthday. Let’s _____ it.

1) celebrate
2) praise
3) honor
4) congratulate

Answer: 1

Hint: Some verbs are used with people; others are used for occasions. Which of these words would we use for a birthday?

16. If you don’t understand, don’t hesitate _____.

1) ask a question
2) to ask a question
3) asking a question
4) to asking a question

Answer: 2

Hint: Since “hesitate” is the verb in this sentence, there should not be another verb. “To” is not followed by -ing forms.

17. It’s snowing. Would you like to _____ this weekend?.

1) skiing
2) go to ski
3) go skiing
4) go ski

Answer: 3

Hint: “Go” is used with the “-ing” form, the root form, and “to.” “To” is not followed by -ing forms. Which idiom means going somewhere for the purpose of skiing?

18. Our company didn’t pay _____ for that advertisement.

1) much funds
2) many funds
3) many money
4) much money

Answer: 4

Hint: “Funds” is used for money saved for a certain purpose. Is “money” countable or uncountable?

19. Do you feel like _____ now?.

1) dancing
2) to dance
3) dance
4) to go dancing

Answer: 1

Hint: The main verb of this sentence is “feel.”

20. Tom was happy to be _____ such a famous person.

1) introduced
2) introduced at
3) introduced with
4) introduced to

Answer: 1

Hint: “Introduce” takes a direct object and indirect object. I’d like to introduce you to Mary.

21. “We will order merchandise now.” “But payment should be made _____.”

1) for advance
2) advancing
3) in advance
4) to advance

Answer: 3

Hint: What is the idiomatic expression for “prior?”

22. “Where do you live now?” “I live in Kansas City; my _____.”

1) parents too do
2) parents do
3) parents do, too
4) parents also do

Answer: 3

Hint: The speaker’s parents live in Kansas City, the same town that the speaker lives in. This is an affirmative sentence. Think about which word is used where.

23. I cannot hear every word in her lecture. I wish she would _____.

1) speak clearer
2) clearer speak
3) more clearly speak
4) speak more clearly

Answer: 4

Hint: “Clear” cannot modify “speak.” You can say “Speak clearly” but not “Clearly speak.”

24. Why do you walk so fast?, “I’m _____.”

1) must be hurry
2) in hurry
3) in a hurry
4) hurrying

Answer: 3

Hint: “Am” and “must” are not used together. What is an idiomatic expression meaning “to hurry?” 25. We have a large selection of men’s clothes for sale. We _____ many women’s clothes in stock.

1) also have
2) have too
3) too have
4) have further

Answer: 1

Hint: This means that the store has many women’s clothes for sale, too. What could you use with “have” in this context?

26. This is our new library. _____ like it?.

1) How do you
2) How
3) What you
4) What do you

Answer: 1

Hint: This is a question. The speaker is asking you whether you like the new library.

27. I have to go now. I have _____ the dentist.

1) appointments to
2) an appointment to
3) appointment with
4) an appointment with

Answer: 4

Hint: You can make many appointments, but you make one appointment each time. What preposition is used with “appointment?”

28. We can meet at Grand Central Station. Will _____?

1) convenient for you
2) that convenient
3) that be convenient
4) you be convenient

Answer: 3

Hint: “Will” needs a verb. The speaker is asking whether this arrangement is convenient for you.

29. This store does not have any oranges today. It _____ tomorrow.

1) have any
2) may have any
3) have some
4) may have some

Answer: 4

Hint: The speaker is not sure whether the store will have oranges tomorrow. “Some” is used when the meaning is positive, and “any” is used when it is negative.

30. She doesn’t want anything alcoholic now. She would rather _____ a soft drink.

1) have
2) to have
3) prefer
4) prefer to have

Answer: 1

Hint: “Would” is used with a verb. She prefers soft drinks to liquor.

31. I have heard your views on the tax reform. Let me _____.

1) express my opinion
2) express my viewing
3) make my views
4) make my opinion

Answer: 1

32. When are these assignments due?”
“The professor told us that they must be turned in _____.”

1) by Friday
2) until Friday
3) Friday before
4) Friday beginning

Answer: 1

Hint: This means anytime before the end of the day on Friday.

33. They are visiting the Rockies. I hear the Rockies have _____.

1) beautiful scenery that is much
2) many beautiful landscapes
3) many beautiful sceneries
4) much beautiful scenery

Answer: 4

Hint: “Scenery” and “landscape” are, in this context, uncountable.

34. “Where is ABC Store?”
“It is _____ the apartment house.”

1) before
2) ahead of
3) in front of
4) preceding

Answer: 3

Hint: S ABC Store is facing the front of the apartment house.

35. “Most ski resorts are crowded. There are many people _____ skiing.

1) enjoy
2) that enjoying
3) who enjoy
4) who enjoying

Answer: 3

Hint: The main verb of the second sentence is “are.

36.It is already nine o’clock. Can you _____ time to catch the train? 1) have enough
2) have it in
3) make in
4) make it in

Answer: 4

Hint: The speaker wants to know if the hearer will arrive at the station in time to catch the train.

37.Tom went to see the optician. He wants to have his glasses _____.

1) fit
2) fitted
3) fit on
4) fitted on

Answer: 2

Hint: “Have (something)” with a past participle is used to mean “get someone to do something. For example, he wants to have his toys fixed. Opticians fit glasses.

38.Mary’s house is _____ the post office. Do you think you can find it easily?

1) along
2) near to
3) against
4) next to

Answer: 4

Hint: This means that Mary’s house is beside the post office.

39.The rope was catching fire. Nancy let _____ just in time.

1) alone it
2) go alone it
3) go it
4) go of it

Answer: 4

Hint: “Let” takes an infinitive without “to,” and “go” cannot take an object.

40.It costs 100 dollars. Do we have _____ money?

1) a lot of
2) plentiful
3) plenty of
4) enough

Answer: 4

Hint: In this case, the speaker is not asking whether there is much money, but whether there is more than 100 dollars.

41.I need some physical exercise. I decided _____ golf.

1) to begin
2) to commence
3) to take up
4) to start up

Answer: 3

Hint: The speaker has decided to learn to play golf.

42.”Would you like to go to a movie or a play?”
“It _____ to me.”

1) makes no difference
2) makes not a difference
3) is indifferent
4) is not a difference

Answer: 1

Hint: The second speaker means that it does not matter whether they go to a movie or a play.

43.We were hiking in the mountains all day today. Therefore, we are _____.

1) wear out
2) outworn
3) weary out
4) worn out

Answer: 4

Hint: This is an idiom meaning “tired.”

44. Were there many people waiting in line at the stadium?”
“Yes, I saw _____.”
1) quite a few
2) quite much
3) quite many
4) quite some

Answer: 1

Hint: Only certain words can follow “quite.”

45. Tom and Mary have not come yet. I think we should _____ them.

1) await for
2) wait for
3) await on
4) wait on

Answer: 2

Hint: This means that we should stay until they come, not that we should serve them.

46. When I woke up, everything was _____ snow.

1) covered
2) covered by
3) covered with
4) covering

Answer: 3

Hint: This means that snow covered everything. Does “cover” take nothing, “by,” or “with” in the passive voice?

47. Do earthquakes _____ often in the United States?

1) break
2) break out
3) happen to
4) occur

Answer: 4

Hint: This is asking whether they often have earthquakes in the United States.

48. We had better _____ soon.

1) leave
2) leaving
3) to leave
4) to leaving

Answer: 1

Hint: What form of the verb follows “had better?”

49. A large crowd _____ in front of the station.

1) gathering
2) to gather
3) had gathered
4) had gathering

Answer: 3

Hint: This Sentence needs a Verb

50. In the winter, accidents occur quite _____ in the mountains.

1) frequently
2) many
3) much
4) a few

Answer: 1

Hint: This means that accidents occur often in the mountains in the winter.

51. Do you want to _____ to the United States?

1) trip
2) voyage
3) travel
4) went

Answer: 3

Hint: What follows “want to?”

52. Most people have a feeling _____.

1) responsible
2) responsibility
3) of responsibility
4) to be responsible

Answer: 3

Hint: This means that most people are concerned about doing the right thing.

53. This movie theater can hold ______.

1) much audience
2) a large audience
3) much audiences
4) many audiences

Answer: 2

Hint: “Audience” refers to a group of people, not individual people.

54. When the forests _____ , there can be forest fires.

1) become dry
2) becoming dry
3) become drying
4) drying

Answer: 1

Hint: There should be a verb in a clause.

55. “What kind of work are you doing here?” , “I’m _____ as an accountant.”

1) worked
2) occupied
3) hired
4) employed

Answer: 4

Hint: This means that he/she is working as an accountant.

56.”I don’t want to buy anything in this store, do you?”
“Yes, I’d like to buy _____”

1) pencil
2) much pencils
3) any pencils
4) some pencils

Answer: 4

Hint: “Pencil” is a countable noun. You need to indicate

57.The rainy season is over, and the weather is nice. We can _____ sports.
1) do
2) have
3) play
4) enjoy

Answer: 4

Hint: Which verb can be used with “sports?”

58.It is the height of the tourist season now. _____ the rooms in the hotels are reserved.

1) Almost
2) Almost of
3) Almost all of
4) Most of all

Answer: 3

Hint: This means that most rooms, but not all rooms, in the hotels are reserved.

59.”Where did you work before?”
“I worked only ten yards _____ railroad track.”

1) from
2) from the
3) near
4) away

Answer: 2

Hint: This means that the railroad tracks were only ten yards from where the second speaker worked.

60.”I don’t think it will rain today, do you?”
“No, I _____ so.”

1) think not
2) not think
3) don’t think
4) do think not

Answer: 3

Hint: In English, even if the form of a question is changed, the answer is the same.

61. He coughs a lot. I have advised him _____ smoking.

1) give up
2) giving up
3) to give up
4) to giving up

Answer: 3

Hint: “Advised” is the main verb in the second sentence. Does it take an infinitive (to + verb) or the -ing form of the verb?

62. “What would you like to do this summer?” , “I’d like to _____ swimming every day.”

1) do
2) enjoyed
3) play
4) go

Answer: 4

Hint: This is an idiomatic expression.

63. We will have an examination next week. It is necessary _____.

1) study hard
2) to study hard
3) hard study
4) to hard study

Answer: 2

Hint: Which sounds correct, “I study hard” or “I hard study?” The main verb of the second sentence is “is.”

64. They open the door at noon. Some people are already _____.

1) in line to wait
2) in line waiting
3) line in waiting
4) waiting in line

Answer: 4

Hint: This means that some people are in the line already.

65. The audience cheered after the curtain went down. The performance _____.

1) succeed
2) successful
3) was success
4) was a success

Answer: 4

Hint: The second sentence needs a verb.

66. “When you visited Jack, did you find his house easily?”
“No, I had _____ finding it.”

1) quite time
2) a quite time
3) a time quite
4) quite a time

Answer: 4

Hint: This is an idiom that means “had difficulty.”

67. “Guess who I _____ yesterday. I saw Mr. White at the bank.”

1) into run
2) into ran
3) ran into
4) run into

Answer: 3

Hint: The speaker is talking about someone he/she happened to see yesterday. This is a two-word verb.

68. The next train will arrive _____.

1) three o’clock
2) at three o’clock
3) on three o’clock
4) in three o’clock

Answer: 2

Hint: in 1988, in December, on Thursday, _____ one o’clock

69. “Many of your students were studying hard in the library.”
“They are _____ have an examination today.”

1) supposed
2) supposing
3) supposed to
4) supposing to

Answer: 3

Hint: “Are” is the main verb in this sentence.

70. “Why are you walking so fast?”
“I have _____ with my doctor.”

1) an appointment
2) a pledge
3) a promise
4) a contract

Answer: 1

Hint: What do you make when you want to see your doctor, dentist, etc.?

71. “Let’s _____ a movie tomorrow.”
“Yes, let’s.”

1) take in
2) take into
3) take to
4) taking

Answer: 1

Hint: What form of the verb comes after “let’s?” This is an idiomatic expression.

72. I will stay in the Atlantic Hotel in New York. Why don’t you _____?

1) visits
2) visit in
3) drop in
4) call in

Answer: 3

Hint: This is a suggestion that the hearer come see the speaker at the hotel. This is an idiomatic expression.

73. We will serve dinner to our guests soon. We had better ____ now.

1) have table set
2) set table
3) setting table
4) set the table

Answer: 4

Hint: This means “put the dishes on the table.” This is an idiomatic expression.

74. “I don’t think Tom did it intentionally.”
“Yes, I think he did it _____.”

1) at purpose
2) for purpose
3) in purpose
4) on purpose
>
Answer: 4

Hint: This is an idiomatic expression which means “intentionally.”.

75. How are you _____ these days? I hope you are doing well.

1) get along
2) get to along
3) getting along
4) to getting along

Answer: 3

Hint: This is an idiomatic expression that asks how you are doing. Pay attention to “are.”

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