Question 1

While my brother ____ at the playground, I accompanied my grandmother to the supermarket.

Accepted Answer

D. was playing. Two past actions happening at the same time: the brother's continuous action ('was playing') sets the background while the speaker performed the other past action ('accompanied'). Past continuous is required.

Question 2

The children ____ their way so they are asking a passer-by for directions.

Accepted Answer

C. have lost. The clue 'are asking' (present continuous) shows a present consequence of an earlier action; present perfect ('have lost') correctly links the past loss with the present effect.

Question 3

Can you recall the time you ____ in kindergarten some years ago?

Accepted Answer

B. were. 'Some years ago' is a finished past time marker, requiring the simple past tense 'were'.

Question 4

Although James ____ very hard for his badminton tournament, he still did not manage to win the match.

Accepted Answer

B. had practised. The practising happened before the past action of losing ('did not manage to win'). Past perfect 'had practised' is used for the earlier of two past events.

Question 5

Either the boys or their class monitor ____ responsible for cleaning up the classroom after the Art lesson ended.

Accepted Answer

C. was. With 'either...or...' the verb agrees with the nearer subject ('class monitor', singular). The clause 'after the Art lesson ended' establishes a past time, so the singular past verb 'was' is correct.

Question 6

Mary seldom ____ anything at lucky draws but surprisingly, she has clinched the first prize recently.

Accepted Answer

A. wins. 'Seldom' signals a habitual/general fact about Mary, which takes the simple present tense 'wins'.

Question 7

Shocked at the sight of the rat scurrying towards her, Mary started ____ in fear, "Ahh!"

Accepted Answer

B. shrieking. 'Shrieking' is a high-pitched scream typical of fear or fright, matching Mary's reaction to the rat.

Question 8

The pirate was ____ for his daring robberies and his name struck fear into the hearts of sailors.

Accepted Answer

C. notorious. 'Notorious' means well-known for something bad, fitting a pirate known for robberies and feared by sailors.

Question 9

The teacher shook her head ____ when she saw the students running along the corridor and ordered them to stop.

Accepted Answer

C. disapprovingly. The teacher disapproves of the students' misbehaviour (running along the corridor) and orders them to stop, so 'disapprovingly' best describes the head-shake.

Question 10

The police officer looked at the stranger with ____ when he saw him acting strangely near the shop.

Accepted Answer

B. suspicion. A police officer observing someone behaving strangely would feel 'suspicion' — a belief that something is wrong or dishonest.

Question 11

As the result releasing day ____, Xinyu started to feel nervous because she had not prepared well for the examination.

Accepted Answer

D. drew near. 'Drew near' means approached in time. As the release day approached, Xinyu's nervousness grew.

Question 12

Arun picked up his guitar and started strumming. He remarked to (12) ____ "Music helps me relax after a long (13) ____ nothing beats playing my favourite songs." "That sounds amazing. Can you teach me (14) ____" pleaded Laila. Arun nodded (15) ____ encouraged her to start learning as it was never too late. — Choose the punctuation for blank (12).

Accepted Answer

B. Laila,. A comma is used after the reporting clue ('He remarked to Laila,') before introducing the direct speech that follows.

Question 13

Choose the punctuation for blank (13): "Music helps me relax after a long (13) ____ nothing beats playing my favourite songs."

Accepted Answer

D. day—. A dash is used to introduce an emphatic added thought ('nothing beats playing my favourite songs') within the same spoken sentence.

Question 14

Choose the punctuation for blank (14): "That sounds amazing. Can you teach me (14) ____" pleaded Laila.

Accepted Answer

C. sometime?. Laila's utterance 'Can you teach me sometime' is a question, so a question mark is required.

Question 15

Choose the punctuation for blank (15): Arun nodded (15) ____ encouraged her to start learning as it was never too late.

Accepted Answer

A. . He. 'Arun nodded' is a complete sentence and must be separated from the next sentence ('He encouraged her...') with a full stop and capital letter.

P5 English CA1 2025 — Maha Bodhi

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