Sentence Structure – English Grammar Exercises for A1
Choosing transportation to the cinema
Choose the best answer (A, B, or C) to complete each sentence.
1 Do we take the bus ______ a taxi to the cinema?
(a) or
(b) and
(c) but
2 Is the cinema close to here, ______ is it far away?
(a) so
(b) or
(c) and
3 Do you prefer taking the subway ______ the bus?
(a) nor
(b) because
(c) or
4 Are we taking my car ______ your car to the movie?
(a) but
(b) or
(c) if
5 Do you want to leave now, ______ do you want to wait five minutes?
(a) or
(b) so
(c) then
6 ______ we walk, or do we take a taxi?
(a) Are
(b) Do
(c) Is
7 Does the bus arrive at 7:00 ______ 7:15?
(a) and
(b) to
(c) or
8 Are we taking the train, ______ do we need a taxi?
(a) or
(b) because
(c) but
9 Do we buy the tickets now, ______ do we buy them later?
(a) and
(b) or
(c) so
10 ______ you want to drive, or should I drive?
(a) Does
(b) Are
(c) Do
11 Is it cheaper to take the bus ______ an Uber?
(a) or
(b) but
(c) so
12 Does the movie start at 8 PM, ______ does it start at 9 PM?
(a) if
(b) or
(c) then
13 Do you have a car, ______ do we need to walk?
(a) because
(b) but
(c) or
14 ______ she taking the bus, or is she coming with us?
(a) Is
(b) Does
(c) Do
15 We are late. Do we wait for the train, ______ catch a taxi right now?
(a) and
(b) or
(c) but
16 Do you have a bus pass, ______ do I need to pay cash for you?
(a) or
(b) so
(c) if
17 Is he meeting us at the cinema, ______ is he coming to our house first?
(a) and
(b) but
(c) or
18 Do we walk through the park, ______ go down the main road?
(a) because
(b) or
(c) so
19 Does he want to share a taxi, ______ does he want to go alone?
(a) or
(b) but
(c) and
20 ______ we park near the cinema, or do we have to park far away?
(a) Are
(b) Is
(c) Can
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 a
Explanation: (a) is correct. “Or” is used to offer a choice between two nouns (the bus / a taxi). (b) “and” combines them, which doesn’t make sense if you are choosing one mode of transport. (c) “but” is for contrast, not choices.
2 b
Explanation: (b) is correct. “Or” connects the two opposite questions (close vs. far) to present a choice. (a) and (c) are incorrect conjunctions for making a choice.
3 c
Explanation: (c) is correct. We use “or” to ask about a preference between two things. (a) “nor” is used in negative sentences (neither/nor). (b) “because” gives a reason, not a choice.
4 b
Explanation: (b) is correct. It presents a choice between “my car” and “your car”. (a) is a common mistake. (c) is a structural error.
5 a
Explanation: (a) is correct. “Or” connects two full question clauses to ask for a decision. (b) and (c) do not form a choice question.
6 b
Explanation: (b) is correct. We use the auxiliary “Do” with the subject “we” and the action verb “walk”. (a) is a structural error (mixing “Are” with the base verb “walk”). (c) is a structural error (using “Is” for “we”).
7 c
Explanation: (c) is correct. Offering a choice between two times. (a) is a common mistake (using “and” implies it arrives at both times simultaneously, which is illogical). (b) is a structural error.
8 a
Explanation: (a) is correct. Connecting two different transport scenarios. (b) and (c) are meaning traps that do not offer a choice to the listener.
9 b
Explanation: (b) is correct. Presenting a choice between two timeframes (now or later). (a) is a common mistake. (c) is a meaning error.
10 c
Explanation: (c) is correct. “Do” is the correct auxiliary for “you want”. (a) is a structural error (“Does” is for he/she/it). (b) is a structural error (mixing “Are” and the action verb “want”).
11 a
Explanation: (a) is correct. “Or” is used to compare two options (the bus vs. an Uber). (b) and (c) are meaning errors.
12 b
Explanation: (b) is correct. Connecting two full question clauses about the movie time. (a) and (c) cannot be used to form a choice question in this context.
13 c
Explanation: (c) is correct. Offering two different scenarios based on the first condition. (a) and (b) do not present an alternative choice.
14 a
Explanation: (a) is correct. “Is” is required to form the Present Continuous question “Is she taking…”. (b) and (c) are structural errors (mixing “Do/Does” with an “-ing” verb).
15 b
Explanation: (b) is correct. Giving a choice between waiting or taking a taxi immediately. (a) and (c) do not indicate a decision between two options.
16 a
Explanation: (a) is correct. A classic “either/or” scenario presented as a question. (b) and (c) are meaning traps.
17 c
Explanation: (c) is correct. Connecting two Present Continuous questions to find out his plan. (a) and (b) are incorrect conjunctions here.
18 b
Explanation: (b) is correct. Asking which route to choose. (a) and (c) give reasons or results, not choices.
19 a
Explanation: (a) is correct. Connecting two clauses with the auxiliary “does” to ask about someone else’s preference. (b) and (c) are incorrect.
20 c
Explanation: (c) is correct. “Can” is used to ask about a possibility or ability (parking near the cinema). (a) and (b) are structural errors (mixing “Are/Is” with the base verb “park”).
GRAMMAR POINTS TO REMEMBER
1 Choice Questions: When you want someone to make a decision between two things, use the conjunction “or”.
- Example with nouns: Do we take a bus or a taxi?
2 Connecting Two Full Questions: You can use “or” to connect two complete grammatical questions. Remember that both sides must have the correct question structure (Auxiliary + Subject + Verb).
- Example: Do you want to walk, or do we need a taxi?
3 Punctuation Note: When you connect two short nouns, you usually don’t need a comma (bus or taxi). However, when you connect two long, complete question clauses, it is common to put a comma before “or” to make it easier to read.
- Example: Are we leaving now**, or** are we waiting for John?