EXERCISE 45: Sentences-Modifiers

In some sentences in the Structure Section on the Paper-Based TOEFL, you will be asked to
identify the correct modifier. A modifier can be an adjective or an adjectival phrase that
describes a noun or an -ing form. A modifier can also be an adverb or an adverbial phrase
that adds information about the verb, adjective, or another verb. Adjectives do not change
form to agree with the nouns or -ing forms that they describe, but some adjectives are used
only with count nouns and others are used only with noncount nouns. Choose the correct
answer in the incomplete sentences. Choose the incorrect word or phrase in the underlined
choices.

1.           The data on the winter migration patterns of the monarch butterfly is very _____________.
A.       interested
B.       interest
C.       interesting
D.      of interest
2.           There are (A) more potatoes cultivated (B) than any the other (C) vegetable crop (D)
worldwide.
3.           Marian Anderson, recognized both in the U.S. and (A) in Europe as a real great (B)
vocalist, was (C) the first (D) black singer to appear with the Metropolitan Opera Company.
4.             The New England states have had _____________ serious earthquakes since the Ice Age.
A.       none
B.       not any
C.       not
D.      no
5.             _____________ orang-utans live alone.
A.       Near all
B.       Almost all
C.       The all
D.      The most all
6.       Some hybrid flowers retain the fragrant scent of the nonhybrid, and _____________ are bred
without fragrance.
A.       anothers
B.       the other
C.       some other
D.      others
7.        At the core (A) of  a star, temperatures and pressures are so great as (B) particles collide and
connect in a process (C) called (D) fusion.
8.           The Cartwheel Galaxy is (A) 500 million light year (B) away from (C) Earth (D).
9.           According to a recent survey, _____________ doctors do not have a personal physician.
A.       a large amount of
B.       large amount of
C.       a large number of
D.      large number of
10.       Because none of food (A) is as nutritious (B) for a baby as its (C) mother’s milk, many
women (D) are returning to the practice of breast feeding.
11.     John F. Kennedy was the youngest president of the United States, and _____________ to be
assassinated.
A.       the fourth
B.       fourth
 C.       four
D.      the four
12.       Euthanasia, the practice of assisting the death of a person suffering (A) from an incurable
disease, is such a controversial issue as (B) it is (C) illegal in most countries (D).
13.         _____________ in the world export diamonds.
A.       Only little nations
B.       Only few nations
C.       Only a little nations
D.      Only a few nations
14.         Uranus is just _____________ to be seen on a clear night with the naked eye.
A.       bright enough
B.       enough brightly
C.       as enough bright
D.      bright as enough
15.        The conversation on the TOEFL will be spoken (A) just one time; therefore, you must
listen very careful (B) in order to understand (C) what (D) the speakers have said.
16.       Gold, silver, and copper coins are often alloyed with harder (A) metals
to make (B) them (C) hard as enough (D) to withstand wear.
17.         _____________ like McDonald’s and Kentucky Fried Chicken have used franchising to
extend their sales internationally.
A.       Chain’s restaurant
B.       Chains restaurants
C.       Chain restaurant
D.      Chain restaurant
18.    Thirty-six years after his first flight, at the age of 77, John Glenn proved that he was not
_____________ to return to his role as an astronaut.
A.       so old
B.       too old
C.       oldest
D.      very older
19.     _____________ that is known as Art Deco culminated in the exhibits and expositions at the
World’s Fair in 1939.
A.       The art
B.       Arts
C.       An art
D.      Artist
20.         The brightest body in the constellation Hydra, Alphard is only _____________  
A.       a second-magnitude star
B.       a magnitude second star
C.       a star of the magnitude second
D.      a second magnitudes star

ANSWER KEY

EXERCISE 46: Sentences – Modifiers

1.         (C) The –ing form adjective interesting is used to describe the noun data. Choice (A) is not
logical since the scientist, not the data would be interested. Choice (B) is a noun, not an
adjective. Choice (D) would also be correct without the adverb very.
2.          (C) Any other excludes all others. The other should be other.
3.          (B) Real is an adjective used in colloquial speech as an adverb. Real great should be very
great in standard written English.
4.         (D) No is used before the noun earthquakes. Choice (A) is a pronoun that would take the place
of the noun, serious earthquakes. Choices (C) and (D) must be used with a verb such as have
not before the participle had. “The New England states have not had any serious
earthquakes” would also be correct.
5.      (B) Almost is used before all to express approximation. Choices (A), (B),and (D) are not
idiomatic. “Nearly all” would also be correct.
6.        (D) Others is used consecutively with some. Choice (A) is not a word in English unless it has
an apostrophe in it. Choice (B) is used consecutively with one, not some. Choice (C) is used
before a noun.
7.        (B) So is used before the adjective great to express cause. As   should be that to introduce the
clause of result.
8.        (B) when two nouns occur together, the first noun functions as an adjective. Adjectives do not
change form when the noun that follows is plural. Light year should be light years to agree
with the plural number 500 million.
9.          (C) A large number of is used before the plural count noun doctors. Choice (A) is used before
a noncount noun, not a plural count noun. In Choices (B) and (D), the article a is missing.
10.       (A) None of should be no. No before a noun means not any.
11.      (A) A cardinal number is used after a noun. The is used with an ordinal number before a
noun. Choice (B) is incomplete because it does not include the before the ordinal number.
Choice (C) is not used after a noun. Choice (D) is incomplete because it does not have a –
th ending. “President four” would also be correct, but not as an idiomatic.
12.         (B) As  should be that to introduce a clause of result after so and an adjective.
13.      (D) Both a few and a little are used after only, but a few must be used with the count
noun nations. “Few nations in the world” would also be correct.
14.      (A) An adjective is used before enough to express sufficiency. In choice (B), there is an
adverb used after enough. In Choice (C), the adjective is used after, not before, enough, and
the word as is unnecessary and incorrect. In Choice (D), the word as is unnecessary and
incorrect.
15.       (B) Most adverbs of manner are formed by adding –ly to adjectives. Careful should
be carefully  to qualify the manner in which you must learn.
16.       (D) An adjective is used before enough to express sufficiency. As should be deleted.
17.      (D) When two nouns occur together, the first noun functions as an adjective. Choice (A) is not
logical because it implies the ownership of the restaurants by a chain. In Choice (B), the
adjective is plural, but adjectives in English do not change form to agree in number with the
nouns they modify. In Choice (C), the singular noun restaurant does not agree with two
nouns. McDonald’s and Kentucky Fried Chicken, to which it refers.
18.        (B) Too means excessively. When an infinitive follows, too expresses cause, as in too old,
and the infinitive expresses result, as in to return. Choice (A) would be followed by a clause
with that, not an infinitive. Choices (C) and (D) would be used to compare Glen to others, but
a comparison is not implied in the sentence.
19.      (A) The can be used before a noncount noun that is followed by a qualifying phrase. The art is
qualified by the phrase that is known as Art Deco. Choices (B) and (C) use plural and
singular forms for the noncount noun art. The count noun artist in Choice (D) requires
either the or  an for singular, or –s for plural.
20.     (A) The number second  appears as the first in a series of hyphenated adjectives. Choice (B)
reverses the order of the number with the other adjective. Choice (C) is redundant and
indirect. In Choice (D), the adjective magnitude had a plural form, but adjectives in
English do not change form to agree in number with the nouns they modify.