U.S. Job Growth Rebounds in August as Federal Reserve Weighs Interest Rates

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

C2. 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 best preserves the article’s meaning and formal register.

   1. Although inflation persisted, employment conditions remained firm.
   2. Despite inflation persisted, employment conditions remained firm.
   3. Although inflation persisting, employment conditions remained firm.
   4. Despite employment conditions remained firm, inflation persisted.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Although inflation persisted, employment conditions remained firm.

   The concessive clause accurately balances firm employment against continuing economic pressures.

2. Question 2 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Which sentence correctly uses inversion for formal emphasis?

   1. Nor the report does settle the inflation debate.
   2. Nor does the report settle the inflation debate.
   3. Nor settles the report the inflation debate.
   4. Nor the report settles does the inflation debate.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Nor does the report settle the inflation debate.

   Negative-initial inversion requires auxiliary “does” before the subject.

3. Question 3 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Choose the grammatically correct reduced relative clause.

   1. The report discussing by PBS NewsHour was significant.
   2. The report discussed by PBS NewsHour was significant.
   3. The report was discussed PBS NewsHour was significant.
   4. The report discussed was by PBS NewsHour significant.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   The report discussed by PBS NewsHour was significant.

   “Discussed by PBS NewsHour” correctly reduces “which was discussed.”

4. Question 4 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Which sentence correctly uses a mandative subjunctive construction?

   1. Officials recommend that the figures be reviewed again.
   2. Officials recommend that the figures are reviewed again.
   3. Officials recommend the figures to be reviewed again.
   4. Officials recommend that the figures reviewed again.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Officials recommend that the figures be reviewed again.

   Formal mandative clauses use the base verb after “recommend that.”

5. Question 5 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Choose the sentence with the correct modal perfect.

   1. The data may revise again.
   2. The data may have been revised again.
   3. The data may be revising again yesterday.
   4. The data may had been revised again.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   The data may have been revised again.

   “May have been revised” expresses a possible completed past action.

6. Question 6 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Which sentence correctly uses a cleft construction for emphasis?

   1. What strengthened the picture was the upward revision to July.
   2. What strengthened the picture the upward revision was to July.
   3. What did strengthen the picture was the upward revision to July.
   4. What strengthened was the picture the upward revision to July.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   What strengthened the picture was the upward revision to July.

   The cleft construction correctly foregrounds the upward revision as the emphasized element.

7. Question 7 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Choose the sentence with accurate parallel structure.

   1. The report shows hiring exceeded expectations, unemployment remained unchanged, and figures revised upward.
   2. The report shows that hiring exceeded expectations, unemployment remained unchanged, and earlier figures were revised upward.
   3. The report shows hiring exceeded expectations, unemployment remaining unchanged, and figures were revising upward.
   4. The report shows that hiring exceeds expectations, unemployment remained unchanged, and earlier figures revising upward.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   The report shows that hiring exceeded expectations, unemployment remained unchanged, and earlier figures were revised upward.

   The coordinated verbs share the same grammatical form and complement structure.

8. Question 8 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Which sentence correctly expresses contrast through a concessive adverbial?

   1. Nevertheless the strong report, policy remains uncertain.
   2. Nevertheless of the strong report, policy remains uncertain.
   3. Nevertheless, policy remains uncertain despite the strong report.
   4. Nevertheless policy remains uncertain although of the strong report.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Nevertheless, policy remains uncertain despite the strong report.

   “Nevertheless” appropriately introduces a limitation following favorable evidence.

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.