GRADE 9 English – GRAMMAR IN USE:WORLD CLASSES - NUMERALS AND ORDINALS Quiz
1. Choose the correct word: She finished _____ in the 800m race at the county games.
We use the ordinal adjective 'first' to say position in a race (She finished first). 'Firstly' is a discourse marker used when listing points, not for race positions.
2. Which is the correct written form for the number 21?
Compound numbers between twenty-one and ninety-nine are written with a hyphen (twenty-one). Writing them without a hyphen is incorrect in standard English.
3. Pick the correct sentence: _____ students have submitted their essays for Social and Mass Media class.
A cardinal numeral (five) must be followed by a plural noun (students). 'Five student' is singular and incorrect.
4. Choose the correct form: She lives on the _____ floor of the apartment building.
When stating which floor someone lives on in running text, use the ordinal adjective 'third' (She lives on the third floor). Using 'thirdly' is for listing points, and bare numerals like 'three' are incorrect here.
5. Which is correct for referring to age in a description: "a _____-year-old student" ?
When a compound adjective comes before a noun, use hyphens: 'ten-year-old student'. 'Ten years old' is used after a verb (He is ten years old).
6. Choose the grammatically correct sentence: _____ of the three athletes has qualified for nationals.
'Each' is singular and takes a singular verb: 'Each ... has'. 'Every' cannot be used with 'of' in this structure, and 'have/are' are plural verbs.
7. Pick the correct expression: Kenya celebrates Independence Day on the _____ of December, 1963.
When giving a date in a sentence with 'of' (the twelfth of December), include the article 'the': 'the twelfth of December, 1963.'
8. Choose the correct use of 'dozen': I bought _____ eggs from the market.
When referring to exactly twelve, use 'a dozen' (a dozen eggs). 'Dozens' implies many groups of twelve and needs 'of' when used with a noun (dozens of eggs).
9. Which sentence is correct about group agreement with percentages? "_____ of the students are absent." (50%)
When the noun after 'percent of' is plural (students), use a plural verb: 'are'. 'Fifty percent of the student' is wrong because 'student' should be plural.
10. Choose the correct phrasing: He is _____ in line for the media club registration.
When stating someone's position in line, use the ordinal without 'the': 'He is second in line.' Using 'the second' is possible in some contexts but 'second' is the natural choice here.
11. Which is correct when referring to 'half' with a plural noun? "_____ of the students have completed the survey."
When 'half of' refers to a plural noun (students), we usually use a plural verb: 'Half of the students have completed...'.
12. Choose the correct written form for fractions used as nouns: "_____ of the class were present." (2/3)
Fractions written as words are hyphenated: 'Two-thirds of the class were present.' The hyphen is standard and clear.
13. Pick the correct sentence for ranking in a report: "She came _____ in the journalism competition."
Use the ordinal adjective 'third' to state rank or position: 'She came third.' 'Thirdly' is for listing points, not ranks.
14. Which is correct when writing numbers in formal school work (KCSE style) for numbers below ten?
A common style rule in formal writing is to write numbers below ten in words: 'seven students.' This is preferred in many school exams and formal assignments.
15. Choose the correct order: Which sentence is correct for two final chapters of a book?
When specifying the final items in a sequence, the correct order is 'the last two chapters.' 'The two last chapters' is less natural and generally incorrect in standard English.
16. Select the grammatically correct sentence: "_____ of the pupils in class 8B are in the drama club." (one)
'One of the pupils' requires a singular verb because the subject is 'one': 'One of the pupils is in the drama club.'
17. Choose the correct phrase for giving dates in formal Kenyan writing: "School opens on _____ September."
In formal prose structures like 'School opens on the seventh September' it's better to use 'the seventh' or more commonly 'on 7 September'. 'The 7th of' would need the month after it ('the 7th of September').
18. Which is correct: 'both' with verb agreement? "Both the reporters _____ available for interview."
'Both' refers to two people and takes a plural verb: 'Both the reporters are available.'
19. Pick the correct form when using 'million' with a number: There are _____ people in the city.
When a specific number precedes 'million', 'million' remains singular: 'two million people.' 'Millions' is used without a specific number (millions of people).
20. Choose the correct construction: "First, _____ we will gather footage for the documentary."
When sequencing steps in writing, 'First,' is concise and preferred. 'Firstly' is acceptable in some styles, but 'First,' is the clearer choice for listing actions.
21. Which is correct for using ordinals in headlines: "School wins _____ place in regional debate"?
In headlines and short reports, use the ordinal adjective + noun: 'second place.' Using 'secondly' is for lists, and 'place second' is not the usual order.
22. Pick the correct hyphenation when using compound number adjectivally: "a _____-minute video about social media" (5 minutes)
When a duration is used as an adjective before a noun, hyphenate it: 'a five-minute video.' 'Five minutes' would be used after a verb (The video is five minutes long).
23. Choose the correct sentence about ordering attendance: "She was _____ to arrive; her name was called first."
When describing order of arrival, use 'first' without 'the': 'She was first to arrive.' 'The first' would need an explicit noun after it ('the first to arrive').
24. Which is correct when writing a list of points in an essay? Use the ordinal words: (1) _____, (2) Secondly, (3) Finally.
When starting a list of points in formal student writing, 'First,' is concise and preferred over 'Firstly,' though both are used; 'First,' is recommended.
25. Choose the correct sentence about membership numbers: "There are _____ members in the media club this term." (a small exact number)
Use 'a dozen' to refer to exactly twelve members: 'There are a dozen members.' 'Dozens' implies many groups of twelve and is not precise.