Preparing for the Philippine Merchant Marine Academy Entrance Examination? This PMMA English grammar reviewer will help you revisit essential grammar rules before answering the practice test. Learning how sentences work can make it easier to recognize errors, compare similar answer choices, and express ideas clearly.
Start with the short review below, then use the quiz to check your understanding. These materials are independently prepared for practice and are not official PMMA examination questions. The topics are suggested grammar fundamentals to study, not a guaranteed list of questions that will appear in the examination.
PMMA Grammar Practice Test
Ready to test your skills? Read each question carefully and choose the answer that makes the sentence grammatically correct. Try answering without consulting your notes first so you can identify the rules you already understand and those that need more attention.
After completing the quiz, review your mistakes and explain why your chosen answers were incorrect. If you guessed correctly, revisit that item too. Understanding the rule is more useful than remembering an answer.
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English Grammar Topics to Review
1. Subject-Verb Agreement
A verb must agree with its subject in number. In the simple present tense, a singular third-person subject generally takes a verb ending in -s or -es, while a plural subject takes the base form.
- Correct: The cadet follows the instructions.
- Correct: The cadets follow the instructions.
- Incorrect: The cadets follows the instructions.
Be careful when words appear between the subject and the verb. In “The box of supplies is heavy,” the subject is box, not supplies, so the correct verb is is.
Words such as each, everyone, and somebody also take singular verbs: “Each applicant has an examination permit.”
2. Verb Tenses
Verb tenses show when an action happens. Review the simple present, simple past, and simple future before studying the continuous and perfect forms.
- Simple present: Maria reviews her notes every evening.
- Simple past: Maria reviewed her notes yesterday.
- Simple future: Maria will review her notes tomorrow.
- Present perfect: Maria has reviewed three chapters so far.
Look for time expressions, but also consider the meaning of the whole sentence. Avoid unnecessary tense changes when actions happen within the same time frame.
Remember that did is followed by the base form of the verb. Write “He did not bring his notebook,” rather than “He did not brought his notebook.”
3. Pronouns and Their Uses
Pronouns replace nouns, but their forms depend on their roles in a sentence. Subject pronouns include I, he, she, we, and they. Object pronouns include me, him, her, us, and them.
- Correct: She and I completed the exercise.
- Correct: The instructor spoke to him and me.
A useful technique is to remove the other person temporarily. You would say “The instructor spoke to me,” so me remains correct when another person is included.
Make pronoun references clear as well. If a sentence mentions two people and then uses he or she, check whether the reader can tell who is being discussed.
4. Adjectives and Adverbs
Adjectives describe nouns and pronouns. Adverbs can modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs.
Compare these sentences:
- The applicant gave a careful answer.
- The applicant answered carefully.
In the first sentence, careful describes the noun answer. In the second, carefully describes how the applicant answered.
Linking verbs often take adjectives: “The instructions seem clear.” Here, clear describes the instructions, so clearly would not fit.
5. Prepositions and Articles
Prepositions express relationships involving time, place, direction, and other ideas. Familiar combinations include at noon, on Monday, and in November. Pay attention to expressions such as interested in, responsible for, and capable of.
Articles also affect sentence accuracy. Use a before a consonant sound and an before a vowel sound:
- a university
- an hour
- a uniform
- an examination
The choice depends on pronunciation, not simply the first letter. Use the when referring to something specific or already identified.
6. Sentence Structure and Parallelism
Check whether a sentence expresses a complete thought. A dependent clause such as “Although the examination was difficult” needs a main clause: “Although the examination was difficult, she remained calm.”
Parallelism means using matching grammatical forms for related ideas.
- Incorrect: He enjoys reading, swimming, and to jog.
- Correct: He enjoys reading, swimming, and jogging.
Watch for lists and paired expressions such as both…and and either…or. The words or phrases they connect should fit the same grammatical structure.
How to Improve Your Grammar Test Score
Read the entire sentence. A word near the end may determine the correct tense, pronoun, or verb form. Choosing an answer before finishing the sentence can lead to avoidable mistakes.
Identify the subject and main verb. This is especially helpful in long sentences with descriptive phrases. Temporarily set those phrases aside to check the basic structure.
Keep a short error log. Write down the rule you missed and create your own correct example. Revisit the list regularly instead of repeatedly answering only familiar questions.
Build accuracy before speed. Begin with untimed practice, then introduce a time limit once you can apply the rules confidently.
For additional exercises in English and other subject areas, visit our PMMA entrance exam reviewer and coverage guide. Use each practice session to understand your mistakes and strengthen the skills that still need work.