New Mexico’s Alien Throne Rock Formation Collapses After Heavy Rain

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 with correct present perfect form.

   1. Alien Throne has collapsed after heavy rain.
   2. Alien Throne have collapsed after heavy rain.
   3. Alien Throne has collapse after heavy rain.
   4. Alien Throne have collapse after heavy rain.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Alien Throne has collapsed after heavy rain.

   The present perfect uses “has” plus the past participle.

2. Question 2 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Choose the sentence with correct subject–verb agreement.

   1. Rock formations may take a long time to develop.
   2. Rock formations may takes a long time to develop.
   3. Rock formations may taking a long time to develop.
   4. Rock formations may took a long time to develop.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Rock formations may take a long time to develop.

   The plural subject “formations” takes the plural verb “may.”

3. Question 3 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Choose the sentence with a correctly formed passive construction.

   1. The exact date has not been stated.
   2. The exact date has not stated.
   3. The exact date have not been stated.
   4. The exact date has not be stated.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   The exact date has not been stated.

   A passive verb combines “be” with a past participle.

4. Question 4 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Choose the sentence with correct modal verb form.

   1. Rain can affect exposed rock.
   2. Rain can affects exposed rock.
   3. Rain can affected exposed rock.
   4. Rain can affecting exposed rock.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Rain can affect exposed rock.

   A modal verb is followed by the base form “affect.”

5. Question 5 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Choose the sentence that correctly uses “although.”

   1. Although rain can shape landscapes, the specific cause is unknown.
   2. Although rain can shape landscapes, but the specific cause is unknown.
   3. Although can rain shape landscapes, the specific cause is unknown.
   4. Although rain shaping landscapes, the specific cause is unknown.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Although rain can shape landscapes, the specific cause is unknown.

   “Although” introduces a dependent clause with a subject and verb.

6. Question 6 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Choose the sentence with correct reported information.

   1. Visitors wondered whether the pillar would remain visible.
   2. Visitors wondered whether would the pillar remain visible.
   3. Visitors wondered whether the pillar will remained visible.
   4. Visitors wondered whether did the pillar remain visible.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Visitors wondered whether the pillar would remain visible.

   The indirect question uses statement word order after “whether.”

7. Question 7 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Choose the sentence with a correctly formed relative clause.

   1. The feature, which stood out from the terrain, was memorable.
   2. The feature, who stood out from the terrain, was memorable.
   3. The feature, which stood out from the terrain, were memorable.
   4. The feature, which standing out from the terrain, was memorable.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   The feature, which stood out from the terrain, was memorable.

   “Which” correctly refers to the singular noun “feature.”

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.