Circle the right option

Answers: has reduced — who — the highest — thinking — towards — where.

Move EN-LANG-03. since it opened → present perfect (has been reducing is also grammatical, but the paper counts one option and the completed result has reduced is the intended one; when two options look possible, prefer the one the time marker names directly); relative for people → who; superlative with for years and the article → the highest; is … of extending → thinking (progressive after is, followed by of); direction of a line → towards; place relative for the university → where.

Answers: published — of — leave — mainly — to raise — although — too.

Move EN-LANG-03. Reduced relative → past participle published; warn of; general truth → present simple leave; adverb before a clause → mainly; promise to + infinitive; a clause follows → conjunction although, not the preposition despite nor the adverb however; too … to structure.

Idea: in a connector triplet the three options usually belong to three different classes, so grammar decides before meaning. A conjunction (although, whereas, unless, so) is followed by a clause; a preposition (despite, instead of) by a noun phrase or an -ing form; a linking adverb (however, yet, therefore, besides, moreover) stands apart, with a comma. Only when two options share a class does meaning decide: contrast, addition, result or condition. unless means if … not: test it by that paraphrase.

1. Although — a full clause follows (the owner, Amira, hated this waste) and a main clause comes after the comma: conjunction of concession. Despite would need a noun (despite her hatred of waste); However cannot join two clauses.
2. Yet — sentence-initial linking adverb + comma, and a turn of events after she saw no solution for years. Besides adds, Therefore gives a result: neither announces a contrast.
3. so — a clause follows and it is the consequence of the bags being paid for. whereas would oppose two facts; unless would give « if the bags are not paid for », the opposite of the sense.
4. despite — only a noun phrase follows (a slow start in the first weeks), and it concedes something against the result; although would need a verb, however a comma and a new clause.
5. Moreover — the sentence adds a second benefit to the first. Instead would replace something, Otherwise would announce what happens if something does not.
6. however — at the end of a clause, after a comma, only a linking adverb can stand; although and despite would need something after them.
7. instead of — an -ing form follows (buying fresh bread); unless and although need a subject and a verb.

What is marked. 0.5 per bracket (7 × 0.5 = 3.5 marks); two options circled in one bracket score zero.

Idea: look-alikes are chosen to look right at a glance. Settle the class first — noun or verb? — then the exact sense: say the sentence with each option and keep the one whose meaning fits the paragraph, not the one that sounds familiar. The same triplet comes twice here on purpose: effect is the noun (item 2), affect the verb (item 7).

1. advent — the advent of = the arrival of something new; an adventure is an exciting experience, an admission is being let in.
2. effect — a noun after a serious and before on: have an effect on. affect is a verb; afford is a verb of money.
3. staff — the people who work in the wing (its medical staff has doubled). stuff means things, stiff means rigid.
4. acquire — acquire experience = gain it. enquire = ask for information, require = need.
5. contributed — contribute to the cost = pay part of it. attribute to = say something is caused by; distribute = hand out.
6. grant — grant someone a budget (or a visa) = give it officially. grade = mark, grasp = seize or understand.
7. affect — a verb after used to: the journeys changed the life of the whole family.

What is marked. 0.5 per bracket (7 × 0.5 = 3.5 marks); a look-alike copied with a spelling change (aquire) scores zero.

Idea: when the three options are forms of one verb, the time marker chooses the tense and the subject chooses the voice. Underline the marker first — in 2016, Since then, last Sunday, So far, At present — then ask whether the subject does the action or undergoes it; a past reporting verb (announced that) moves a future back to would.

1. took — in 2016 is a finished date: past simple.
2. has grown — Since then runs from 2016 to now: present perfect.
3. crossed — last Sunday: a finished event, past simple.
4. had been broken — the record undergoes the action (passive) and it happened before they discovered: past perfect passive. had broken is active and would need an object; was broken is passive but does not show that the record fell before the discovery.
5. has been — So far → present perfect; the route undergoes the change: has been changed.
6. would host — the mayor said « will host »; after announced that it becomes would host.
7. are looking — At present: an action in progress now, present continuous.

What is marked. 0.5 per bracket (7 × 0.5 = 3.5 marks); two options circled in one bracket score zero.