How to Fight With the People We Care About, Illustrated

Study the questions and tasks

Work through the material below, or start the interactive practice above to complete an attempt. Try the exercises before opening any answer or transcript sections, then use them to review your work.

Practice level

B2. Try this level if you can follow the instructions and understand most of the language; choose an earlier level if you need more support.

Question formats

Single choice

How to approach this practice

Read the complete sentence and notice the subject, verb form, time reference and word order before answering.

1. Question 1 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Choose the sentence that correctly uses a modal perfect form.

   1. They should have approached the issue with greater care.
   2. They should approached the issue with greater care.
   3. They should have approach the issue with greater care.
   4. They should approaching the issue with greater care.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   They should have approached the issue with greater care.

   “Should have approached” expresses criticism about an earlier action.

2. Question 2 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Choose the correct inversion after “Not only.”

   1. Not only the beginning matters, but the ending does too.
   2. Not only does the beginning matter, but the ending does too.
   3. Not only the beginning does matter, but the ending too.
   4. Not only matters the beginning, but the ending does too.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Not only does the beginning matter, but the ending does too.

   Negative-fronted “not only” requires auxiliary inversion in formal writing.

3. Question 3 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Choose the sentence with a correct reduced relative clause.

   1. Everyone involving in the conflict felt anxious.
   2. Everyone involved in the conflict felt anxious.
   3. Everyone was involved felt anxious.
   4. Everyone who involved felt anxious.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Everyone involved in the conflict felt anxious.

   “Involved” correctly reduces “who are involved” after “everyone.”

4. Question 4 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Choose the best connector for contrast.

   1. Although disagreement remains, the relationship may continue.
   2. Because disagreement remains, the relationship may continue.
   3. Unless disagreement remains, the relationship may continue.
   4. Therefore disagreement remains, the relationship may continue.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Although disagreement remains, the relationship may continue.

   “Although” introduces a concession before the main clause.

5. Question 5 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Choose the correct reported speech sentence.

   1. Parker explained that care was important.
   2. Parker explained that care is important yesterday.
   3. Parker explained care be important.
   4. Parker explained that care being important.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Parker explained that care was important.

   Reported present information normally shifts into the past after “explained.”

6. Question 6 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Choose the sentence with correct parallel structure.

   1. People may recognize the issue and approaching others carefully.
   2. People may recognizing the issue and approach others carefully.
   3. People may recognize the issue and approach others carefully.
   4. People may recognized the issue and approaching others carefully.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   People may recognize the issue and approach others carefully.

   The coordinated verbs “recognize” and “approach” share the same grammatical form.

7. Question 7 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Choose the correct use of a participle clause.

   1. By consider both stages, people may reduce anxiety.
   2. By considering both stages, people may reduce anxiety.
   3. By considered both stages, people may reduce anxiety.
   4. By to consider both stages, people may reduce anxiety.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   By considering both stages, people may reduce anxiety.

   “By considering” correctly explains the method for reducing conflict anxiety.

What to review next

After checking an answer, explain the rule in your own words and write a new sentence using the same pattern. Revisit any rules you could not explain.

A focused practice result shows how you did on these tasks. Use several activities across skills to decide what to study next; one practice score does not certify an overall CEFR level.