exam questions

[Casiopea]

True, true. Especially if the exam is based on prescribed, or traditional grammar. Grammar, with a capital "G", has a system of rules and regulations, or codes, and speakers are forever changing those codes as a way of making speech more efficient, so there always will be a difference between Grammar and usage. For example, "me" is an object pronoun, but speakers will often use it as a subject pronoun,

Grammar: It is I. ('I' is a subject pronoun)
Usage: It is me. ('me' is an object pronoun)

Since "me" comes after the verb elsewhere in the grammar, speakers carry that rule on over to structures like copular X = Y (It is I), where Y takes a subject pronoun. The new rule, changing "I" to "me", creates an incorrect form, but speakers do it because it's more efficient to remember one rule instead of two rules.

Usage: One rule, use "me" after the verb.
Grammar: Two rules, use "me" after the verb, except after a linking verb. In that case, use "I".

Hope that helps.

[Marylin]

4. That was not the first time he __C_ us. I think it's high time we ____ strong actions against him.
A. betrayed...take B. had betrayed...took
C. has betrayed...took D. has betrayed...take

Sorry for goofing up on #4. I thought it said: "That's not the first time"...
Since the sentence is in Past Tense, it needs "had betrayed" instead. Sorry about that.