How to Eliminate Wrong Options in Grammar MCQs
Learn how to eliminate wrong options in grammar MCQs using agreement rules, tense checks, article logic, and elimination strategies with examples and practice.
Most students try to find the right answer in a grammar MCQ. Strong test-takers do the opposite — they remove the wrong ones first.
Question: Each of the boys ___ a pen.
a) have b) has c) having d) were
You do not need to know the full rule immediately. You can see that having is not a finite verb and were does not match a singular subject. That leaves has. Two options eliminated, one step from the answer.
This article teaches you the elimination patterns that work across grammar MCQs. For related technique, see How to Solve Fill in the Blanks Using Grammar Clues.
MCQ elimination means rejecting options that violate a grammar rule, even if you are not 100% sure of the final answer. Most grammar MCQs have two obviously wrong options, one close distractor, and one correct answer.
The main elimination filters are:
- Agreement filter — does the verb match the subject in number?
- Tense filter — does the verb match the time marker?
- Article filter — does the article match the sound that follows?
- Negation filter — does the sentence avoid double negatives in standard English?
Rule box: Use grammar rules to remove impossible choices before choosing between close options.
If the subject is singular, reject plural verbs. If the subject is plural, reject singular verbs.
Every student ___ present.
a) are b) is c) were d) have
Every makes the subject singular. Reject are, were, and have. Only is survives.
| Subject cue | Reject |
|---|---|
| each / every / neither + noun | plural verbs |
| plural subject without each/every | singular verbs |
| collective noun (formal) | plural verbs (usually) |
Time words eliminate tense options quickly.
She ___ yesterday.
a) has arrived b) arrives c) arrived d) will arrive
Yesterday is finished past time. Reject has arrived (present perfect), arrives (present), and will arrive (future). Only arrived fits.
| Time marker | Reject |
|---|---|
| yesterday, ago, last year | present perfect, present, future |
| since, for (with present perfect) | simple past |
| tomorrow, next week | past tenses |
Articles depend on sound, not spelling.
___ honest man
a) a b) an
Honest starts with a silent h, so the first sound is a vowel. Reject a. Choose an.
| First sound | Correct article |
|---|---|
| vowel sound | an |
| consonant sound | a |
Common traps: an honest man (silent h), a university (yoo- sound), an hour (silent h), a European (yoo- sound).
Standard English does not use two negatives to express one negative meaning.
I do not need ___ help.
a) no b) any
Do not is already negative. Reject no (double negative). Choose any.
| Already negative | Reject |
|---|---|
| do not / did not / cannot + no | double negative |
| neither / never / hardly + no | double negative |
- Read the full sentence. Do not look at options first.
- Identify the grammar point. Agreement? Tense? Article? Preposition? Negation?
- Apply the rule mentally. What should the answer look like?
- Scan the options. Reject the ones that clearly break the rule.
- Compare the remaining options. If two survive, check meaning, register, or collocation.
- Choose the best answer.
Each of the girls ___ a chair.
a) have b) has c) having d) were
- Having is not a finite verb → reject.
- Were is plural past → reject (subject is singular).
- Have is plural → reject.
- Has is singular → correct.
She ___ to school yesterday.
a) has gone b) goes c) went d) will go
- Yesterday → finished past time.
- Reject has gone, goes, will go.
- Went is simple past → correct.
He is ___ honest person.
a) a b) an
- Honest starts with a vowel sound (silent h).
- Reject a.
- An is correct.
- Every student has a book. (singular agreement)
- She went yesterday. (finished past time)
- An hour ago. (vowel sound)
- I do not need any help. (no double negative)
- Neither of them is ready. (singular pronoun)
- A university student. (consonant sound “yoo”)
- They have completed the work. (plural subject)
- An MBA degree. (vowel sound “em”)
- He has lived here since 2020. (present perfect + since)
- I submitted it last night. (simple past + finished time)
Wrong: Each of the boys have done it.
Right: Each of the boys has done it.
The plural noun boys sits next to the verb, but each is the subject. Eliminate plural verbs.
Wrong: A honest man.
Right: An honest man.
Go by sound, not spelling. Honest begins with a vowel sound.
Wrong: I do not know nothing.
Right: I do not know anything.
Two negatives cancel each other in standard English or are considered non-standard. Eliminate the second negative.
Wrong: I have seen him yesterday.
Right: I saw him yesterday.
Yesterday eliminates present perfect.
Wrong: She is capable to do it.
Right: She is capable of doing it.
The adjective capable takes of + gerund, not infinitive. Eliminate the infinitive option.
| Wrong | Right | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Each of the students have passed. | Each of the students has passed. | Each is singular. |
| I do not need no help. | I do not need any help. | Double negative. |
| A honest man. | An honest man. | Vowel sound. |
| She has gone yesterday. | She went yesterday. | Finished past time. |
Choose the best answer by elimination.
- Every child ___ a uniform.
a) have b) has c) having d) were - He ___ to Delhi last week.
a) has gone b) goes c) went d) will go - She is ___ M.A. graduate.
a) a b) an - I cannot find ___ book.
a) no b) any - Error spotting: Each of the members have signed.
- Error spotting: I have completed it last Monday.
- Error spotting: He is a honest boy.
- Fill in the blank: ___ European country (a / an)
- Rewrite correctly: I do not want no trouble.
- Choose: She is capable ___ solving this. (of / to)
- has — every is singular.
- went — last week is finished past time.
- an — M starts with vowel sound “em”.
- any — cannot is already negative.
- Each of the members has signed.
- I completed it last Monday.
- He is an honest boy.
- A — European starts with “yoo” sound.
- I do not want any trouble.
- of — capable + of + gerund.
Final rule: Eliminate first, choose second. Remove options that break agreement, tense, article, or negation rules before deciding between the remaining ones.
Memory trick: Wrong answers die first. The survivor wins.
Revise these:
- Each of the students has passed.
- She went yesterday.
- An honest man.
- I do not need any help.