correct expressions?

Dear teachers,



Would you please tell me which of the following sentences / constructions are correct?



1) The candidates’ level in phonetics was on the whole better than WHAT one could have imagined / expected.



2a) It must have been BECAUSE OF THE EMOTION that they were made to stutter.

b) It is undoubtedly / certainly the motion that made them stammer.



3a) some hundreds of thousands OF gold fish

b) a few hundred thousand X gold fish / trout.



4a) a whole SERIES of furnishings

b) a whole / complete RANGE / LINE of furniture.

Can I use the words “cluster”, ”bunch” or “collection” here?



5) Unfortunately the shyest ones / the more timid ones had difficulties expressing themselves naturally, (a) AT ANY RATE / (b) OR AT LEAST / (c) AT LEAST as well as they would have done in other circumstances.

6) She was convinced that the more they PRACTISED / WOULD PRACTISE (is it possible to use the conditional here ?) their English,

a) the BETTER their chances WERE / WOULD BE to overcome their shyness...

b) the better WERE / WOULD BE their chances OF OVERCOMING their shyness

c) the MORE LIKELY they WOULD BE to overcome their shyness

d) the MORE LIKELY WERE / WOULD BE their chances TO OVERCOME / OF OVERCOMING their shyness

e) the better their chances to overcome their shyness and improve their oral work WOULD BE.



7) She was convinced that the more they would practise (?) the better their chances would be (?) to overcome their shyness and improve



a) their performance(s) in the oral exam

b) their performance(s) in their oral work

c) their speaking skills

d) their oral skills

e) their speech performance(s).

Thank you very much for your help and patience.

Hela