Q.1
Which of these contains a mis-spelling of the common word?
  • Our plane came down in to land out of a clear night sky over London, and we could see all the landmarks lit up.
  • Please send any important documents by Registered Post, but in a plain brown envelope.
  • Salisbury Plain is a good example of a large flat expanse of land within the British Isles; often, as here, such formations are on the floodplain of a river.
  • Carpenters use a plain to flatten off the surface of a piece of wood.
Q.2
Which of the four similar-sounding words here is NOT a noun?
  • Most metals are obtained by smelting from the ore which is mined out of the ground.
  • When you go on a river cruise in London, and see the Tower and pass under Tower Bridge, you cannot help being struck with awe at the scale and history of it all.
  • Would you prefer the chicken or the fish this evening?
  • The boat had vanished without trace, but a single oar was found floating downstream later in the day.
Q.3
In which of these sentences is the like-sounding word an Adverb?
  • I always feel a bit silly sending cards to people for important occasions like weddings and funerals; I mean, what on earth can you write that won't sound weak or silly?
  • The key thing is not just to do a thing well, but to do it right.
  • Many British people have the surname 'Wright': it means 'someone who makes things', such as a wheelwright or cartwright, cheesewright, plowright (originally ploughwright) ... or indeed a playwright (this latter, containing an obvious pun ~ when you consider it for a moment!).
  • Key occasions in a person's life, such as their formal name-giving as a baby, their transition into adulthood, maybe their marriage, and in due course their funeral, are known to anthropologists and sociologists as 'rites of passage'.
Q.4
In which of these sentences is the similar-sounding word NOT a verb?
  • She saw through his plan straight away.
  • The engineers then saw through this layer to reveal the inner core.
  • I wouldn't mention holidays to her if I were you: that's been a bit of a sore point with her since the year before last.
  • It can be a wonderful experience to attend a full sung service in a cathedral, and hear the children's voices soar up into the ancient roofing.
Q.5
In only ONE of these sentences, the apparent 'echo pair' does not work correctly: which one?
  • During a Mental Maths test, only the teacher is allowed to speak numbers aloud.
  • This photograph shows the planes all arrayed on the ground, prior to taking off on a raid.
  • When we speak of leaving a door ajar, as it happens, the gap between the door and its lintel would typically be just about wide enough to pass a small object through, such as a jar of jam, but not a complete human being.
  • 'Keep alert: Britain needs lerts'.
Q.6
In which of these sentences is the word that LOOKS as though it should sound like others, actually pronounced differently?
  • He rowed the boat out into the middle of the lake, and there, he quietly went down on one knee in classic fashion to propose marriage to her.
  • Carry on towards the end of the road until you pass the pillar-box, then it's in the next street on your left.
  • I'm hardly surprised they are getting divorced: last time we were there, they rowed almost constantly about the most trivial things.
  • 'Why did the chicken only walk halfway across the street?' 'Because it was a Rhode Island Red.'
Q.7
In ONE of the following sentences, the similar-sounding words have been written in each other's place by mistake: which one?
  • The poor girl was practically as pale as the milk in her pail.
  • I tried the diet; but in my experience, it can be a very long and dispiriting weight before you begin to lose any significant amount of wait.
  • Even nowadays, more of the employees of the Royal Mail are male than female.
  • 'Any idea how we can manage to untie this knot?' 'I'm afraid not.'
Q.8
In only ONE of the following sentences is the pun-word a Noun: which one?
  • We hope you will find you now have everything you need for the trip.
  • Because people out there need bread, bakers get up at extraordinarily early hours to knead their dough so we can enjoy it fresh-baked at breakfast.
  • 'It's outrageous that she should be the one facing court on an assault charge: after all, he was the one who was trying to force his unwanted attentions onto her ~ but, as she'd been taught to do in any such desperate situation, she kneed him in the groin and he could barely even run away.'
  • Even just a few days after that awful storm in the Philippines, the BBC's 'Children in Need' appeal was able to raise a magnificent total again this year.
Q.9
All but ONE of the punning pairs (or groups) here work acceptably in English: which is the weak or mis-handled example?
  • Unless (or until) the rain comes in, you can see the island out there across the sea; it's one of the most beautiful seens to be scene in this part of the British Isles.
  • A good sailor is one who has been taught to coil any unused ropes neatly ready for action; and meanwhile, even more importantly, to keep all active ropes on their vessel good and taut.
  • The attacking troops fought long and hard until they had surrounded and captured the fort.
  • Even with the might of modern medicine behind you, and try as you might to avoid potential infection, the chance remains of a sudden and massive allergic reaction to something as tiny as a common mite.
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