Exercise – Unit 08: Relative Clauses – Chapter 1: Grammar Practice – Starter TOEIC – Third Edition – Building TOEIC Test-taking Skills – Anne Taylor – Casey Malarcher

A. Choose the word or phrase that best completes the sentence.

1. ——- he says deserves recording.
(A) Which
(B) Who
(C) That
(D) What

Answer: (D) What
There is no noun before the blank.
“What” is used when there is no antecedent and it means “the thing which.” The sentence implies “The thing which he says deserves recording.”
(A) Which needs a specific antecedent (e.g., “the words which he says”).
(B) Who refers to a person, but there is no antecedent for “who.”
(C) That needs an antecedent, such as “The things that he says.”

2. Yesterday, I met a woman ——- grandfather was Swedish.
(A) who
(B) who’s
(C) whose
(D) which

Answer: (C) whose
This sentence comes from Yesterday I met a woman + Her grandfather was Swedish.
“Whose” is the possessive form of “who” and is used to indicate possession (her grandfather). The sentence means “I met a woman whose grandfather was Swedish.”
(A) Who does not show possession; it refers to the subject of the clause.
(B) Who’s means “who is” or “who has,” which doesn’t fit here.
(D) Which refers to things, not people or possession.

3. Tom, ——- has three sisters, has no interest in getting married.
(A) who
(B) whom
(C) that
(D) which

Answer: (A) who
The relative pronoun required for the clause should be the subject and refer to a person.
“Who” is the correct relative pronoun to use when referring to a person (Tom) as the subject of the relative clause. The sentence adds extra information about Tom.
(B) Whom is used as the object of a verb or preposition, not the subject.
(C) That cannot be used in non-defining relative clauses (clauses with commas).
(D) Which refers to things, not people.

4. She put her prize in a place ——- everyone would notice it.
(A) where
(B) which
(C) in what
(D) to that

Answer: (A) where
What is needed is a relative adverb.
“Where” is used to refer to a location or place. The sentence implies “She put her prize in a place in which everyone would notice it.”
(B) Which refers to a thing, not a location.
(C) In what is not a proper relative pronoun construction in this context.
(D) To that does not fit grammatically or logically in the sentence.

B. Choose the word or phrase that best completes the sentence.

Monet Art Supplies
June 28th

Dear Mr. Lynch,

The set of paint brushes ——- you ordered on June 20th has arrived in our store. Please come by the store before July 15th to collect and pay for your order. Unfortunately, the paint that you required is no longer available. Our supplier no longer stocks that brand. I ——- for the inconvenience.

Regards,
Alvin Westwood

1. (A) which
(B) what
(C) whose
(D) who

2. (A) sorry
(B) apologize
(C) regret
(D) regretful

Answer:

1. (A) which
This word is needed when the antecedent is not a person.
“Which” is the correct relative pronoun because it refers to a thing (the set of paint brushes). It introduces a defining relative clause providing essential information about the paint brushes.
(B) What means “the thing which” and does not follow an antecedent. The clause already refers to “the set of paint brushes.”
(C) Whose indicates possession and is not appropriate here.
(D) Who refers to people, not objects like paint brushes.

2. (B) apologize
The verb used to say sorry directly to someone is “apologize.”
“Apologize” is the correct verb in formal contexts, especially in business letters. It directly expresses regret or saying sorry for something.
(A) Sorry is an adjective, not a verb. The sentence needs a verb here.
(C) Regret requires an object (e.g., I regret the inconvenience). Without an object, it doesn’t fit grammatically in this context.
(D) Regretful is an adjective and cannot act as a verb.

C. Fill the blank with the appropriate word.

1. Let’s not ——- from the point at issue.
(A) avoid
(B) digress
(C) refuse
(D) subtract

Answer: (B) digress
To digress from = to turn aside, especially from the main subject.
“Digress” means to stray away from the main subject or point being discussed, which fits the context perfectly.
(A) Avoid implies deliberately keeping away from something, not moving off-topic.
(C) Refuse means to decline or reject, which doesn’t make sense here.
(D) Subtract refers to taking something away numerically, irrelevant in this context.

2. He is determined to ——- from the government.
(A) stop
(B) quit
(C) free
(D) resign

Answer: (D) resign
To resign = to give up one’s job or position.
“Resign” is the correct verb as it means to formally leave a position or office, fitting the context of someone leaving a role in the government.
(A) Stop is too general and doesn’t specifically indicate leaving a position.
(B) Quit in this formal context; “quit” is more casual.
(C) Free implies liberation rather than leaving a position.

3. The television ——- me when I study.
(A) pays
(B) distracts
(C) focuses
(D) pulls

Answer: (B) distracts
To distract = to cause to turn away from the original focus of attention.
“Distracts” is correct because it means to take someone’s attention away from their focus, which aligns with the idea of the TV disrupting studying.
(A) Pays doesn’t relate to attention or focus.
(C) Focuses implies concentration, which is the opposite of the intended meaning.
(D) Pulls doesn’t make sense in the context of attention and studying.

4. He ——- a favor of me.
(A) told
(B) asked
(C) talked
(D) inquired

Answer: (B) asked
To ask = to request an action.
“Asked” is correct because the phrase “ask a favor of someone” means to request help or assistance from them.
(A) Told means to give information, not request something.
(C) Talked means to speak, not specifically to request.
(D) Inquired means to ask for information, not a favor.