Identify the word that should be removed from the sentence to make it grammatically correct.
Have you ever tried to get a toothpaste back into the tube?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → a
Uncountable nouns and "a":
- The article a/an is used only with singular countable nouns.
- Toothpaste is an uncountable (mass) noun, like milk or sugar, so it takes no "a".
- Removing "a" gives the correct sentence.
Corrected: Have you ever tried to get toothpaste back into the tube?
Example: Please buy some toothpaste on your way home.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: ever — Incorrect. Correct use: "have you ever tried" is the normal present perfect question about experience.
Option 3: back — Incorrect. Correct use: "get back into" shows a return to where it came from; it is needed for the meaning.
Option 4: into — Incorrect. Correct use: "into" shows movement to the inside of the tube; without it the sentence is incomplete.