WREN & MARTIN's English grammar-usage of far and away, first and foremost, now and then, now and again

 

 usage of far and away, first and foremost, now and then, now and again

1. What does "far and away" mean? A) In a distant place B) Spread across a large area C) After some time has passed D) By a great amount; without any doubt; by far

✅ Answer: D) By a great amount; without any doubt; by far "Far and away" is an adverbial phrase used to emphasise that something is clearly the best, biggest, or most outstanding — with no close competition. Example: "She is far and away the most talented singer in the competition." It is always used with superlatives or comparisons.

2. Which sentence correctly uses "first and foremost"? A) He was first and foremost to arrive at the party. B) First and foremost, she finished last in the race. C) First and foremost, we must ensure the safety of all passengers. D) They were first and foremost very far away.

✅ Answer: C) First and foremost, we must ensure the safety of all passengers. "First and foremost" means above all else; most importantly; as the primary concern. It is used to introduce the most important point in a list of priorities. It usually appears at the beginning of a sentence, followed by a comma.

3. Choose the sentence that uses "now and then" correctly. A) She now and then always goes to the gym every day. B) He visits his old neighbourhood now and then. C) Now and then, they never miss a Sunday service. D) She now and then continuously repeated the same mistake.

✅ Answer: B) He visits his old neighbourhood now and then. "Now and then" means occasionally; sometimes; not very often. It describes something that happens from time to time — not regularly, not never. It contradicts words like "always," "never," or "continuously."

4. "_______, she is an artist — everything else comes second." A) Now and then B) Now and again C) Far and away D) First and foremost

✅ Answer: D) First and foremost "First and foremost" is the correct choice because the sentence stresses that being an artist is her primary identity — the most important thing about her. It establishes a clear order of priority, which is exactly what "first and foremost" expresses.

5. What is the difference between "now and then" and "now and again"? A) "Now and then" means never; "now and again" means always B) "Now and then" refers to time; "now and again" refers to place C) "Now and then" is formal; "now and again" is used only in questions D) They have the same meaning — both mean occasionally or from time to time

✅ Answer: D) They have the same meaning — both mean occasionally or from time to time "Now and then" and "now and again" are interchangeable synonyms. Both mean occasionally or sometimes. The only difference is stylistic — "now and again" is slightly more common in British English, while both are widely used in general English.

6. "This restaurant is _______ the finest in the entire city — nothing else comes close." A) first and foremost B) now and then C) now and again D) far and away

✅ Answer: D) far and away "Far and away" is used to express that something is clearly superior by a wide margin. The phrase "nothing else comes close" confirms that this is an emphatic comparison. "Far and away" always signals outstanding superiority with no real competition.

7. Which sentence uses "now and again" correctly? A) She now and again always eats pizza for every meal. B) Now and again, he never forgets to call his mother. C) Now and again, I like to take a long walk by the river. D) They now and again continuously argue about everything.

✅ Answer: C) Now and again, I like to take a long walk by the river. "Now and again" means occasionally / from time to time. The sentence correctly shows that the walk happens sometimes — not always, not never. It contradicts words like "always," "never," and "continuously."

8. "_______, our priority must be the welfare of the children, not profit." A) Far and away B) Now and then C) Now and again D) First and foremost

✅ Answer: D) First and foremost "First and foremost" correctly introduces the most important priority in the sentence. The contrast with "not profit" reinforces that child welfare is the primary concern above all else — which is precisely what "first and foremost" communicates.

9. Which sentence uses "far and away" INCORRECTLY? A) He is far and away the best player on the team. B) That was far and away the most exciting match of the season. C) She is far and away more experienced than the other candidates. D) He travelled far and away to visit his relatives.

✅ Answer: D) He travelled far and away to visit his relatives. This is incorrect because "far and away" does not mean travelling a long distance. It is not a phrase of place or movement — it is used exclusively to mean by a great margin; clearly superior. For travelling a long distance, the correct phrase would be "far and wide" or simply "far away."

10. "I don't go to the cinema very often — just _______ when a good film comes out." A) first and foremost B) far and away C) now and then D) far and near

✅ Answer: C) now and then "Now and then" perfectly fits the context of doing something occasionally — not regularly, only sometimes when conditions are right. "First and foremost" sets priorities, "far and away" signals superiority, and "far and near" refers to distances — none of which fit here.

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