TOEFL
SKILL
1 : SUBJECTS AND VERBS
Some sentences in English have just one subject and
verb, and it is very important for you to find the subject and verb in these
sentences. In some sentences it is easy to find the subject and verb. However,
certain structures, such as objects of prepositions, appositives, and
participles, can cause confusion in locating the subject and verb because each
of these structures can look like a subject or verb. An object of the
preposition or an appositive can be mistaken for a subject, while a participle
can be mistaken for a verb.
Therefore, you should be able to do the following in
sentences with one subject and verb: 1) be sure the sentence has a subject and
a verb, 2) be careful of objects of prepositions and appositives when you are
looking for the subject, and 3) be careful of present participles and past
participles when you are looking for the verb.
You know that a sentence in English should have a
subject and a verb. The most common types of problems that you will encounter
in the Structure section of the TOEFL test are related to subjects and verbs;
perhaps the sentence is missing either the subject, or the verb, or both;
perhaps the sentence has an extra subject or verb. A preposition is followed by
a noun or pronoun that is called an object of the preposition. If a word is an
object of a preposition, it is not the subject.
Example I
______ was ringing continuously for hours.
(A) Loudly
(B) In the morning
(C) The phone
(D) The bells
Analysis:
In this example, you should notice immediately that
there is a verb, was ringing, but there is no subject. Answer (C) is the best
answer because it is a singular subject that agrees with the singular verb was
ringing. Answer (A), loudly, and answer (B), in the morning, are not subjects,
so they are not correct. Although answer (D), bells, could be a subject, it is
not correct because bells is plural and it does not agree with the singular
verb was ringing.
Example II
Newspapers _______ every morning and every evening.
(A) delivery
(B) are delivered
(C) on time
(D) regularly
Analysis:
In this example, you should notice immediately that
the sentence has a subject, newspapers, but that there is no verb. Because
answer (B), are delivered, is a verb, it is the best answer. Answers (A), (C),
and (D) are not verbs, so they are not correct.
Example III
The plane __________ landing at the airport in five
minutes.
(A) it is
(B) it really is
(C) is descending
(D) will be
Analysis:
This sentence has a subject, plane, and has part of a
verb, landing; to be correct, some form of the verb be is needed to make the
verb complete. Answers (A) and (B) are incorrect because the sentence already
has a subject, plane, and does not need the extra subject it. Answer (C) is
incorrect because descending is an extra part of a verb that is unnecessary
because of landing. Answer (D) is the best answer; will be together with
landing is a complete verb.
Example IV
The boy ______________
going to the movies with a friend.
(a) He is
(b) He always was
(c) Is relaxing
(d) Will be
Analysis:
This sentence has a subject (boy) and has part of a
verb ( going ) ; to be correct, some from of the verb be is needed to make the
sentence complete. Answer (A) and (B) are incorrect because the sentence
already has a subject (boy) and does not need the extra subject he. Answer (C)
is incorrect because relaxing is an extra verb part that is unnecessary because
of going. Answer (D) is the best answer; will be together with going is a
complete verb.
Example V
_________ was backed up for miles on the freeway.
(A) Yesterday
(B) In the morning
(C) Traffic
(D) Cars
Analysis:
In the above example you see immediately that there is
a verb ( verb) , but no subject . Answer ( C ) is the right answer because it
contains a single subject "traffic " and in accordance with the
singular verb "was " . Answer ( A) , " Yesterday" , and the
answer ( B ) , " in the morning " , not the subject , hence both are
not true . Although the answer to ( D ) , " cars" , could be the
subject , it was not true . Because the " cars" in the plural , so it
does not correspond with the singular verb "was " .
Example VI
Engineers________ for work on the new space program.
(A) necessary
(B) are needed
(C) hopefully
(D) next month
Analysis:
In this example , that the sentence above , Engineers
as a subject , but not found verb ( verb). Therefore , the answer ( B ) is the
best answer . Because " are needed" is a verb . Meanwhile , the
answer ( A) , ( C ) and ( D ) is not a verb , so it is not the right answer .
Example VII
Fitzgerald_______ the society of the 1920's in his
novel, The Great Gatsby.
(A) reflect
(B) reflects
(C) are reflecting
(D) have reflected
Analysis:
Fitzgerald is the subject of the third person singular
. Thus , the verb that follows it should also be in the singular . Therefore ,
the correct answer is ( B ) .
Example VIII
My best friend always helpful with problems.
(A) Are
(B) Who
(C) Was
(D) Is
Analysis:
Subject of this sentence is My best friend , but do
not have a Verb . The most suitable answer is ( D ) is , therefore, the correct
sentence should My best friend is always helpful and with problems .
Example IX
Mark Twain _____ the years after the Civil War the
“Gilded Age.”
(A)called
(B)calling
(C he called
(D)hiscalls
Analysis:
The above sentence own Subject namely Mark Twain , but
do not have a verb . The best answer is ( A) called for the sentence berbetuk
simple past .
Example X
The customer paying the clerk for the clothes.
(A) Is
(B) Want
(C) Can
(D) No
Analysis:
Subject above sentence already have the customer and
paying part of verb . The sentence above need tobe to make complete verb , then
the answer to the question above is ( A) is , for the correct sentence should
be The customer is paying the clerk for the clothes.
SKILL
3: PRESENT PARTICIPLES
Present participles can-cause confusion in the
Structure section of the TOEFL test because a present participle can be either
an adjective or a part of the verb. A present participle is the – ing form of
the verb. It is part of the verb when it is preceded by some form of the verb
be.
(I) The train is arriving at the station now.
(Arriving is VERB)
In this sentence, arriving is part of the verb because
it is accompanied by is.
(II) The train arriving at the station now is an hour
late. (Arriving is ADJECTIVE)
In this sentence, arriving is an adjective and not
part of the verb because it is not accompanied by some form of be. The verb in
this sentence is is.
The following example shows how a present participle
can be confused with the verb in the Structure section of the TOEFL test.
Example I
When we came home last night we saw a man ____ to get
on our roof.
A. try
B. tried
C. he tries
D. to try
E. trying
Analysis:
Participle in the form of matter using Central
sentence and meaningful Active ON Who's Trying man ( man tries )
Answer : E
Example II
The first school day is a frightening experience for
many children. The underlined phrase means ; an experience ____ many children.
A. that frightens
B. it frightens
C. who frightens
D. which will frightens
E. it is frightening
Analysis:
Phrase a frightening experience significantly active .
The layout of the participle in the matter of an experience ____ many children
; shows the use of the adjective clause in the sentence and meaningful active
too ( an experience that frightens many children )
Answer : A
Example III
Talking excitedly to each other, they forgot to finish
the exercises.
The underlined word means ____ , they forgot to finish
the exercises.
A. Although they talked excitedly
B. In order that they could talk excitedly
C. Because they were talking excitedly
D. When they had talked excitedly
E. If they talked excitedly
Analysis:
The use of the participle in the beginning of
meaningful sentences Because / as / since ( because of ) . The relationship
between the first and second clauses indicate a causal relationship ; Talking
excitedly to each other , they forgot to finish the exercises. So as to
complement the above question is the most appropriate clause Because they were
talking excitedly , they forgot to finish the exercises.
Answer : C
Example IV
Being an outstanding student in our school, he has
been offered a scholarship to study in Australia.
The underlined words means ____ of our school.
A. If he is an outstanding student
B. Although he is an outstanding student
C. When he is an outstanding student
D. As he is an outstanding student
E. Before he is an outstanding student
Analysis:
The use of the participle in the beginning of
meaningful sentences Because / as / since ( because of ) . The relationship
between the first and second clauses indicate a causal relationship ; Being an
outstanding student in our school , he has been offered a scholarship to study
in Australia . So as to complement the above question is the most appropriate
clause As he is an outstanding student of our school .
Answer : D
Example V
The young man ____ by this Institute are all good
university graduates.
A. employ
B. employed
C. to employee
D. employing
E. be employer
Analysis:
The use of " by " in a matter of showing
traits participe passive means ( Past participle ) , so the answer is ; "
Involved "
Answer : B
Example VI
A few days after the interview, I received a letter
____ me a job.
A. has offered
B. offered
C. being offered
D. offering
E. it was offering
Analysis:
The use of meaningful amid active participle (present
participle ) . ... I received a letter roomates offered me a job . ( A few days
after the interview , I received a letter that offered me a job )
Answer : D
Example VII
____ by mountains, the city has a cool climate.
A. Be surrounded
B. Surrounded
C. Surrounding
D. Having surrounded
E. It was surrounded
Analysis:
The use of " by " in a matter of showing
traits participe passive means ( Past participle ) , so that the full sentence
is " Surrounded by mountains , the city has a cool climate . "
Answer : B
Example VIII
The people ____ during the war were mostly young
soldiers.
A. killing
B. killed
C. were killed
D. were killing
E. be killed
Analysis:
Usage Participle passive amid a meaningful sentence is
" people killed " ( the people killed )
Answer : B
Example IX
_____ her mistakes, the stewardess immediately
apologized to the passenger.
A. Realized
B. In realizing
C. Realizes
D. She realized
E. Realizing
Analysis:
Relationship clause of the first to the second show
cause and effect relationship with the same subject , namely " the
stewardess " ( Because / as / since the stewardess Tirrenus her mistakes ,
she Immediately apologized to the passenger ) . for meaningful active , then
the present participle form is used.
Answer : E
Example X
The accident ____ a bus and two cars took the lives of
four people and injured numerous others.
A. to involve
B. involving
C. to be involved
D. it involves
E. involved
Analysis:
The use of a meaningful sentence amid participle
active is " an accident involving " ( the accident involving )
Answer : B
Sumber
:
http://pusattoefl.blogspot.com
http://www.toeflskill.com
http://englishahkam.blogspot.com
http://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/TOEFL
http://www.toeflskill.com/
http://www.toeflskill.com/2011/01/skills-of-structure-question-in-toefl.html
http://adityasiswantara.blogspot.co.id/2015/04/structure-and-written-expression-1st.html
http://kumpulansoaltoefl.blogspot.co.id/2016/02/cara-cepat-menjawab-soal-toefl-structure.html
