ISC ENGLISH LANGUAGE

Practice Worksheet
(i) Rewrite the following sentences according to the instructions after each of them in the
brackets.
1. He would rather die than surrender. (Use: prefer...to)
2. Scarcely had he reached the platform when the train departed. (Begin: No sooner...)
3. The results were not as promising as expected. (Use: fell short of...)
4. Only when he spoke did we realize the gravity of the situation. (Begin: It was only when...)
5. He has too much pride to admit his mistake. (Use: so...that)
6. I was not allowed to speak. (Use: permission)
7. She sings so well that people often mistake her for a professional. (Use: such...that)
8. Despite the weather being harsh, they continued the expedition. (Use: although)
9. He is said to have cheated in the final exam. (Begin: People say...)
10. She would have won if she had trained harder. (Begin: Had...)
11. Everyone thought she was innocent. (Use: taken for)
12. She walked past me without acknowledging my presence. (Use: failed to...)
13. Not only was he tired, but he was also hungry. (Begin: Besides...)
14. In case of a fire, press the red button.
(Begin: Should)
15. He is so arrogant that no one likes him. (Use: too...to)
16. We arrived only to find the gates locked. (Use: only to...)
17. She regretted not attending the meeting. (Use: wish)
18. He had barely reached the station when it started to rain. (Use: hardly...)
19. It is impossible for him to complete the task in two hours. (Begin: He can’t possibly...)
20. I will help you provided you tell me the truth. (Use: condition)
21. He is so wealthy that he doesn’t care about expenses. (Use: such...that)
22. She denied stealing the purse. (Begin: She said that...)
23. I managed to reach the summit, although I was exhausted. (Use: in spite of)
24. He is alleged to have tampered with the evidence. (Begin: It is alleged...)
25. Had it not been for your help, I would have failed. (Use: without)
26. Although she is extremely talented, she remains humble. (Begin: despite)
27. The problem was too complex to be solved immediately. (Use: so...that)
28. The manager had no option but to resign. (Begin: The only option...)
29. The moment the curtain rose, the crowd erupted. (Begin: As soon as...)
30. He left the hall quietly and nobody noticed. (Use: without)
31. The work is too urgent to be delayed. (Use: so...that)
32. She was so shocked that she was speechless. (Use: too)
33. Had it not been for your help, he would have failed. (Begin: But ……….)
34. His explanation was not convincing. (Use: fail)
35. They are unlikely to accept the proposal. (Begin: It is unlikely...)
36. The teacher punished him for cheating. (Use: because)
37. As soon as the boys spot the coach, they hide. (Begin: No sooner………….)
38. His absence from the event was unexpected. (Use: surprisingly)
39. He not only missed the train but also lost his luggage. (Use: besides)
40. I would never lie to you. (Use: under no circumstances)
41. It was unnecessary for her to come so early. (Use: need not)
42. This idea is worth considering. (Use: should be)
43. She had never felt more humiliated. (Begin: Never before...)
44. He left the country and never returned. (Use: having)
45. I should have told the truth. (Use: regret)
46. They did not know that he was a spy. (Use: unaware)
47. The boy was too lazy to complete the homework. (Use: so...that)
48. “Why did Hercules set out to complete these daunting tasks?”, said the teacher to Tom.
(Begin: The teacher……..)
49. She remembered to lock the door before leaving. (Use: not until)
50. His resignation surprised everyone. (Use: taken aback)
(ii) In the following sentences replace the INCORRECT underlined words to make the
sentences meaningful and grammatically correct.
(1) He ran over smoking after his surgery.
(2) The manager looked through the matter quickly and fired the employee.
(3) We need to call out the meeting because of the weather.
(4) She completely broke in her speech when the audience began to mock her.
(5) I will get through touch with my mentor during the conference to clarify my doubts.
(6) They took in the matter and decided to cancel the plan.
(7) The firemen quickly put in the fire.
(8) You must bring down your old school friends when you visit.
(9) He gave in an interesting story during the interview.
(10) The child came through with measles last week.
(11) The police gave out after chasing the thief for miles.
(12) The students were called over to clean the classroom.
(13) We had to set over our journey due to heavy rains.
(14) He looks after his teacher and wants to be like him.
(15) Can you go into the lights before you leave?
(16) They finally worked off a solution to the issue.
(17) The debate died off into silence after the controversial remark.
(18) The actor turned up the role in the new series.
(19) He set off an IT company in Bangalore.
(20) The employees worked away a compromise after hours of negotiation.
(21) I hope they come off with a justification for their unethical actions.
(22) Her car broke away in the middle of the expressway.
(23) The teacher told him to look after the instructions carefully.
(24) The professor has come over a new theory that disproves Newton’s law.
(25) The workers put on their tools after the manager arrived.
(26) Let’s go off the agenda once more before the meeting.
(27) The athlete gave away due to exhaustion.
(28) I’ll drop down at your house on my way home.
(29) We have to make through for the losses somehow.
(30) The girl looked into tears after hearing the news.
(31) Please hand on your homework before Friday.
(32) He was brought down by his uncle after his parents’ death.
(33) We have got off with a new business model.
(34) They backed into of the project due to lack of funds.
(35) She has picked off a strange accent lately.
(36) The plane took in after a delay of 3 hours.
(37) The robber got out with the jewels.
(38) The water supply was cut away for two hours.
(39) He plans to figure on a solution by the end of this quarter.
(40) The board put out the idea without consulting the stakeholders.
(41) He was brought in by his grandparents.
(42) Let’s get on the seminar before the keynote address begins.
(43) He looks out old photographs whenever he’s nostalgic.
(44) I made away with an old friend at the book fair.
(45) The trial was put across to allow the defence to gather more evidence.
(46) She broke off the jury’s attention with her constant interruptions.
(47) I want to bring about the investors’ concerns at the next board meeting.
(48) Please put out your shoes before entering.
(49) The police are looking out the criminal's hideout.
(50) The shipments were checked on multiple times before dispatch.
(51) Despite repeated warnings, he carried off the same mistakes in his project.
(52) The meeting was called over due to the chairman’s illness.
(53) She finally got away her stage fright after a year of counselling.
(54) They have broken out with a new marketing strategy for the product.
(55) We had to put aside the wedding due to financial issues.
(56) His teacher told him to look up to the new rules of the exam.
(57) The journalist came into a scandalous lead during the investigation but ignored it.
(58) The team turned in to be strong enough.
(59) He gave off smoking after the health scare.
(60) The plan was taken on after much discussion in the committee.
(iii) Fill in Blanks in the passage given below with the appropriate form of the verb given in
bracket. do not ride the passage but write the verbs in the correct order.
1. When Galileo Galilei first (1) __________ (propose) the heliocentric model, suggesting that
the Earth revolves around the Sun, his ideas (2) __________ (dismiss) by the powerful Church
authorities of the time. Despite providing evidence through his telescope, he (3) __________
(accuse) of heresy and (4) __________ (force) to recant publicly.
Scientific progress often (5) __________ (meet) with scepticism, especially when it challenges
long-held beliefs. History (6) __________ (show) that many pioneers (7) __________ (ridicule)
before their theories (8) __________ (accept) as truth. Even today, unconventional theories
frequently (9) __________ (view) with doubt until sufficient evidence (10) __________ (gather).
2. The Industrial Revolution (1) __________ (mark) a turning point in human history. Before it,
most goods (2) __________ (make) by hand in small workshops. But by the 19th century, mass
production (3) __________ (transform) economies and societies.
Workers (4) __________ (flock) to urban areas, where factories (5) __________ (establish)
rapidly. While some (6) __________ (benefit) from rising employment, others (7) __________
(trap) in poor working conditions.
Social reformers (8) __________ (begin) to campaign for rights, and child labour (9)
__________ (expose) as inhumane. Eventually, laws (10) __________ (enact) to protect
workers’ interests.
3. Forests (1) __________ (cover) vast portions of the Earth, but in the last century, large areas
(2) __________ (destroy) due to logging, agriculture, and urbanization. This trend (3)
__________ (accelerate) in recent decades.
Scientists (4) __________ (warn) that deforestation (5) __________ (lead) to soil erosion,
climate change, and loss of biodiversity. Indigenous communities (6) __________ (displace), and
countless species (7) __________ (push) toward extinction.
Despite global awareness, effective conservation measures (8) __________ (not/implement)
widely. Forests (9) __________ (must/protect) urgently if the planet’s ecological balance (10)
__________ (preserve).
4. William Shakespeare (1) __________ (consider) the greatest playwright in the English
language. His plays (2) __________ (translate) into every major language and (3) __________
(perform) across the world.
In his time, he (4) __________ (revolutionize) drama by blending tragedy, comedy, and history.
His characters (5) __________ (develop) with psychological depth that few before him (6)
__________ (achieve).
Today, his phrases (7) __________ (embed) in everyday speech, even by those who (8)
__________ (not/read) his works. His legacy (9) __________ (endure), and his plays (10)
__________ (adapt) to suit modern tastes and audiences.
5. World War II (1) __________ (begin) in 1939 and (2) __________ (last) until 1945. It (3)
__________ (spark) by Germany’s invasion of Poland and (4) __________ (escalate) into a
global conflict.
Millions (5) __________ (kill), and entire cities (6) __________ (reduce) to rubble.
After the war, the United Nations (7) __________ (form) in the hope that such devastation never
(8) __________ (repeat).
Today, historians (9) __________ (study) the war to understand its causes and consequences so
that future generations (10) __________ (learn) from it.
6. Over the past few decades, the issue of climate change (1) __________ (gain) significant
attention. Greenhouse gas emissions (2) __________ (increase) steadily due to industrialization.
Global temperatures (3) __________ (rise), and weather patterns (4) __________ (become)
unpredictable.
Many nations (5) __________ (sign) agreements, but actual implementation (6) __________
(lag) behind promises.
Glaciers (7) __________ (melt), sea levels (8) __________ (rise), and ecosystems (9)
__________ (disrupt).
If urgent action (10) __________ (not/take), irreversible damage may occur.
7. The French Revolution (1) __________ (erupt) in 1789, driven by widespread discontent with
monarchy and inequality.
The king and queen (2) __________ (accuse) of extravagance while commoners (3) __________
(struggle) to survive.
Revolutionaries (4) __________ (storm) the Bastille, a symbolic act that (5) __________ (ignite)
a series of uprisings.
Eventually, the monarchy (6) __________ (abolish), and new political ideas (7) __________
(spread) across Europe.
Though the revolution (8) __________ (begin) with ideals of liberty, it later (9) __________
(descend) into chaos.
Still, it (10) __________ (leave) a lasting legacy on modern democracies.
8. The novel as a literary form (1) __________ (emerge) in the 18th century. Earlier stories (2)
__________ (write) mostly in verse or as epics.
Authors like Daniel Defoe and Jane Austen (3) __________ (pioneer) prose narratives that (4)
__________ (focus) on individual lives.
As literacy rates (5) __________ (rise), novels (6) __________ (become) a dominant form of
entertainment.
Realism, romanticism, and modernism (7) __________ (influence) the novel’s evolution.
Today, novels (8) __________ (explore) diverse themes and (9) __________ (translate) into
various media.
Their role in shaping thought and empathy (10) __________ (remain) critical.
9. Since humans first (1) __________ (launch) Sputnik in 1957, space exploration (2)
__________ (capture) the world’s imagination.
Astronauts (3) __________ (walk) on the Moon, and probes (4) __________ (send) to distant
planets.
Although great progress (5) __________ (make), space travel still (6) __________ (present)
enormous challenges.
Recently, private companies (7) __________ (enter) the field, and Mars colonization (8)
__________ (discuss) seriously.
If humanity (9) __________ (continue) to explore space, new technologies (10) __________
(develop) to sustain life beyond Earth.
10. The fight for women’s rights (1) __________ (begin) in earnest in the 19th century.
Suffragettes (2) __________ (demand) voting rights and legal equality.
Despite resistance, laws gradually (3) __________ (change) to reflect social evolution.
In many countries, women now (4) __________ (enjoy) rights once (5) __________ (deny) to
them.
However, gender inequality (6) __________ (still/persist) in many parts of the world.
Feminist thinkers (7) __________ (challenge) stereotypes, and education (8) __________
(empower) women to break barriers.
Unless cultural attitudes (9) __________ (shift), true equality (10) __________ (remain) elusive.
11. The invention of the printing press by Gutenberg (1) __________ (revolutionize) the spread
of knowledge. Before that, books (2) __________ (copy) by hand, a process that (3) __________
(take) months or even years.
Once printing (4) __________ (introduce), books (5) __________ (mass-produce), and literacy
rates (6) __________ (begin) to rise.
Ideas (7) __________ (circulate) more widely, and the Renaissance (8) __________ (fuel) by
this dissemination of thought.
Censorship, however, (9) __________ (impose) by authorities who (10) __________ (fear) free
expression.
12. The human brain (1) __________ (regard) as the most complex structure in the known
universe. For centuries, its functions (2) __________ (remain) a mystery.
Recent studies (3) __________ (reveal) astonishing insights into how neurons (4) __________
(communicate).
Brain plasticity (5) __________ (show) that learning and memory (6) __________ (not/fix) but
can change over time.
Technologies like MRI (7) __________ (enable) scientists to observe brain activity.
Still, many cognitive processes (8) __________ (not understand).
Continued research (9) __________ (hope) to answer questions that (10) __________ (baffle)
humanity for ages.
13. The Partition of India in 1947 (1) __________ (result) in one of the largest mass migrations
in history.
Millions (2) __________ (displace) as borders (3) __________ (draw) hastily.
Communal violence (4) __________ (erupt), and families (5) __________ (separate) overnight.
Though independence (6) __________ (achieve), the trauma of Partition (7) __________ (linger)
in the collective memory.
Literature and cinema (8) __________ (depict) these experiences with emotional depth.
Efforts (9) __________ (make) even today to reconcile the pain that (10) __________ (inflict) on
generations.
14. As digital technology (1) __________ (advance), concerns over data privacy (2) __________
(grow).
Users often (3) __________ (share) personal information online without realising how it (4)
__________ (collect) and (5) __________ (use).
Although privacy laws (6) __________ (enact) in some countries, enforcement (7) __________
(remain) inconsistent.
Tech companies (8) __________ (criticize) for prioritizing profit over ethics.
Until stricter regulations (9) __________ (implement), user data (10) __________ (continue) to
be vulnerable.
15. The Romantic poets of the 19th century (1) __________ (react) against industrialisation and
reason.
Poets like Wordsworth and Keats (2) __________ (emphasise) nature, emotion, and
individualism.
Their works (3) __________ (inspire) by a sense of wonder and awe.
Romanticism (4) __________ (not/confine) to poetry; it (5) __________ (spread) to music and
art as well.
Themes of loss, beauty, and imagination (6) __________ (explore) deeply.
Although initially misunderstood, their legacy (7) __________ (now/celebrate) worldwide.
Many literary movements (8) __________ (trace) back to ideas first (9) __________ (express)
by the Romantics, who (10) __________ (leave) a lasting mark on literature.
16. After World War II, the world (1) __________ (divide) into two superpowers: the USA and
USSR.
The Cold War (2) __________ (not/fight) directly on battlefields, but ideologies (3) __________
(clash) fiercely.
Nuclear arms (4) __________ (stockpile), and proxy wars (5) __________ (wage) across Asia
and Africa.
Espionage (6) __________ (become) a key tool of influence.
Eventually, with the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Soviet Union (7) __________ (collapse), and the
Cold War (8) __________ (end).
Today, scholars (9) __________ (analyse) this period to understand how diplomacy (10)
__________ (prevent) full-scale conflict.
17. Artificial Intelligence (1) __________ (emerge) as a transformative technology in the 21st
century.
Algorithms (2) __________ (develop) to perform tasks that once (3) __________ (require)
human intelligence.
From voice assistants to autonomous cars, AI (4) __________ (integrate) into everyday life.
However, ethical concerns (5) __________ (arise), particularly regarding job loss and decision-
making.
If not regulated properly, AI (6) __________ (pose) serious risks.
While automation (7) __________ (increase) efficiency, it also (8) __________ (disrupt)
traditional employment.
Governments (9) __________ (debate) how best to manage this change as technology (10)
__________ (advance) rapidly.
18. Globalization (1) __________ (shrink) distances between countries through trade and
communication.
While it (2) __________ (promote) economic growth, it also (3) __________ (impact) local
cultures.
Languages, traditions, and identities (4) __________ (threaten) by the dominance of global
brands and media.
Many fear that cultural diversity (5) __________ (erode).
On the other hand, globalization (6) __________ (allow) ideas to (7) __________ (share) and
exchanged widely.
Cultural festivals (8) __________ (celebrate) globally, and international dialogue (9)
__________ (encourage).
How this balance (10) __________ (strike) will shape the future of global identity.
19. The Harlem Renaissance (1) __________ (occur) in the 1920s in the United States.
It (2) __________ (mark) a flourishing of African-American literature, music, and art.
Writers like Langston Hughes (3) __________ (highlight) racial pride and struggle.
Jazz and blues (4) __________ (gain) popularity during this period.
Though the movement (5) __________ (originate) in Harlem, its influence (6) __________
(spread) across the country.
African-American voices (7) __________ (amplify), and stereotypes (8) __________
(challenge).
This cultural explosion (9) __________ (lay) the groundwork for civil rights activism that (10)
__________ (follow).
20. Over the past century, medical science (1) __________ (achieve) remarkable breakthroughs.
Diseases once thought incurable (2) __________ (treat) or even eradicated.
Antibiotics (3) __________ (discover), and vaccines (4) __________ (save) millions of lives.
With the mapping of the human genome, treatments (5) __________ (tailor) to individual
patients.
Yet challenges (6) __________ (persist), such as antibiotic resistance and access to healthcare.
While technology (7) __________ (aid) diagnosis, it cannot (8) __________ (replace) human
judgment entirely.
Medical ethics (9) __________ (debate) intensely as new procedures (10) __________
(develop).
21. Education (1) __________ (serve) as the cornerstone of development.
Informed citizens (2) __________ (empower) to contribute to progress.
Historically, access to education (3) __________ (limit) by class, gender, and geography.
Efforts (4) __________ (make) worldwide to promote inclusive education.
Digital learning platforms (5) __________ (expand) opportunities in remote areas.
However, quality and affordability (6) __________ (remain) concerns.
If education (7) __________ (treat) as a right and not a privilege, inequality (8) __________
(reduce).
Ultimately, a society’s strength (9) __________ (depend) on how well its youth (10) __________
(educate).
22. Charles Darwin (1) __________ (propose) the theory of evolution in the 19th century.
His observations (2) __________ (base) on years of travel and study.
The idea that species (3) __________ (change) over time through natural selection (4)
__________ (initially/reject).
Critics (5) __________ (argue) it conflicted with religious teachings.
Over time, scientific evidence (6) __________ (support) Darwin’s views.
Today, evolution (7) __________ (accept) as a cornerstone of biology.
Yet debates (8) __________ (continue) in educational and political arenas.
Darwin’s work (9) __________ (inspire) generations of scientists and (10) __________
(transform) our understanding of life.
23. While the internet (1) __________ (connect) billions globally, it also (2) __________ (create)
a new kind of inequality.
Rural and poor communities (3) __________ (often/leave) behind due to lack of access.
The digital divide (4) __________ (widen) educational and economic gaps.
Governments (5) __________ (attempt) to provide digital infrastructure, but progress (6)
__________ (be) uneven.
Without intervention, disparities (7) __________ (deepen), and opportunities (8) __________
(miss).
Bridging this divide (9) __________ (require) cooperation across sectors, or technology (10)
__________ (benefit) only a few.
24. Satire (1) __________ (use) for centuries to criticize society and politics.
Writers like Jonathan Swift (2) __________ (employ) wit and irony to expose hypocrisy.
Through humour, difficult truths (3) __________ (reveal).
In modern times, satire (4) __________ (thrive) in television and digital media.
However, some argue that satire (5) __________ (blur) the line between fact and fiction.
While censorship (6) __________ (threaten) freedom of expression, satire (7) __________
(prove) resilient.
Its role (8) __________ (extend) beyond entertainment; it (9) __________ (encourage) critical
thought and civic engagement.
As long as power exists, satire (10) __________ (continue) to challenge it.
25. By the time the army (1) __________ (arrive) at the gates of the capital, the city (2)
__________ (already/fall) into complete disarray.
The emperor (3) __________ (ignore) repeated warnings about rebellion and (4) __________
(continue) to celebrate festivals, unaware of the looming threat.
Months before, his advisors (5) __________ (urge) him to strengthen defences, but their advice
(6) __________ (go) unheeded.
When the first wall (7) __________ (breach), panic (8) __________ (spread) among the citizens.
Some tried to flee, but the invaders (9) __________ (cut off) all escape routes.
By dawn, the once-great empire (10) __________ (crumble) under the weight of its own neglect.
Answers:
(ii) 1. Up, 2. Into, 3. Off, 4. Off, 5. In, 6. Into, 7. Out, 8. Along, 9. up with, 10. Down,11. up, 12.
In, 13. Off, 14. up to, 15. Off, 16. Out, 17. Down, 18. Down, 19. Up, 20. out, 21. Up, 22. Down,
23. Over, 24. Across, 25. Away, 26. Over, 27. In, 28. In, 29. Up, 30. Into, 31. In, 32. Up, 33. up,
34. Out, 35. Up, 36. Off, 37. Away, 38. Off, 39. Out, 40. Forward, 41. Up, 42. To, 43. Through,
44. up, 45. Off, 46. Into, 47. Up, 48. Off, 49. For, 50. Over, 51. On, 52. Off, 53. Over, 54. Up, 55.
Off, 56. Over, 57. Across, 58. Out, 59. Up, 60. up