Verbal Ability - Sentence and Paragraph Editing
Test your English verbal skills with questions on sentence improvement, paragraph editing, grammar correction, word choice, and essay structure.
Questions
Which of the following could be deleted without damaging the flow of the paragraph?
Directions for questions:
The following passage is an early draft of an essay. Some parts of the passage need to be rewritten.
Read the passage and select the best answers for the questions that follow. Some questions are about particular sentences or parts of sentences and ask you to improve sentence structure or word choice. Other questions ask to consider organization and development. In choosing answers, follow the requirements of standard written English.
- Sentence 3
- Sentence 4
- Sentence 5
- Sentence 6
- Sentence 8
Which of the following sentences would be the most appropriate to succeed sentence 10 and conclude the essay?
Directions for questions:
The following passage is an early draft of an essay. Some parts of the passage need to be rewritten.
Read the passage and select the best answers for the questions that follow. Some questions are about particular sentences or parts of sentences and ask you to improve sentence structure or word choice. Other questions ask to consider organization and development. In choosing answers, follow the requirements of standard written English.
- Literally now the lion has blood on its paws.
- Next time if hunger overcomes the animal again, it will repeat the same and specializes in human quarry until it is killed.
- And it won't have any end.
- And thus the lion becomes the man eater, actively sought out to be eliminated by the very victims it sought to target.
- The same thing now becomes repetitive and happens again and again.
What best replaces the word “it” in part of sentence 12 reproduced below?
It makes a rush.
Directions for questions:
The following passage is an early draft of an essay. Some parts of the passage need to be rewritten.
Read the passage and select the best answers for the questions that follow. Some questions are about particular sentences or parts of sentences and ask you to improve sentence structure or word choice. Other questions ask to consider organization and development. In choosing answers, follow the requirements of standard written English.
- The human
- The woman
- The child
- The beast
Which of the following is the best revision of the underlined portion of sentence 8 (reproduced below)?
The broken ends of the needle like quills work into the pads and other parts of the body, causing festering sores, pulling the animal over in condition and rendering him helpless for catching his natural and wary prey.
Directions for questions:
The following passage is an early draft of an essay. Some parts of the passage need to be rewritten.
Read the passage and select the best answers for the questions that follow. Some questions are about particular sentences or parts of sentences and ask you to improve sentence structure or word choice. Other questions ask to consider organization and development. In choosing answers, follow the requirements of standard written English.
- pulling the animal down in condition and rendering him helpless for catching
- pulling the animal over in condition and rendering him helpless to catching
- pulling the animal over in condition and rendering him helpless in catching
- pulling the animal down in condition and rendering him helpless in catching
- (Leave it as it is)
Which of the following best improves sentence 5?
Direction:
The following passage is an early draft of an essay. Some parts of the passage
need to be rewritten.
Read the passage and select the best answers for the questions that follow.
Some questions are about particular sentences or parts of sentences and ask you
to improve sentence structure or word choice. Other questions ask to consider
organization and development. In choosing answers, follow the requirements of
standard written English.
(1) The great advantage of early rising is the head start it gives us in our day’s work. (2) The early riser has done a large amount of hard work before other men even get out of bed. (3) In the early morning, the mind is fresh, and there are few sounds or other distractions, so work done at that time is generally well done. (4) In many cases the early riser also finds time to take some exercise in the fresh morning air, and this exercise supplies him with a fund of energy that will last until the evening. (5) By beginning so early, he knows that he has plenty of time to thoroughly do all the work he can be expected to do and is not tempted to hurry over any part of it. (6) All his work being finished in good time, he has a long interval of rest in the evening before the timely hour when he goes to bed. (7) After a sound night’s rest he rises early next morning in good health and spirits for the labors of a new day. (8) He gets to sleep several hours before midnight at the time when sleep is most refreshing.
(9) It is very plain that such a life as his is far more conducive to health than that of the man who shortens his waking hours by rising late. (10) Who lies in bed late, if he wishes to do a full day’s work, goes on working to a corresponding late hour and denies himself the hour or two of evening exercise that he ought to take for the benefit of his health.
- Change 'plenty' to 'lot'.
- Insert 'in the morning' after 'early'.
- Change the place of 'thoroughly'.
- Insert 'he' after 'and'.
- Make no change.
Which of the following best improves sentence 10?
Direction:
The following passage is an early draft of an essay. Some parts of the passage
need to be rewritten.
Read the passage and select the best answers for the questions that follow.
Some questions are about particular sentences or parts of sentences and ask you
to improve sentence structure or word choice. Other questions ask to consider
organization and development. In choosing answers, follow the requirements of
standard written English.
(1) The great advantage of early rising is the head start it gives us in our day’s work. (2) The early riser has done a large amount of hard work before other men even get out of bed. (3) In the early morning, the mind is fresh, and there are few sounds or other distractions, so work done at that time is generally well done. (4) In many cases the early riser also finds time to take some exercise in the fresh morning air, and this exercise supplies him with a fund of energy that will last until the evening. (5) By beginning so early, he knows that he has plenty of time to thoroughly do all the work he can be expected to do and is not tempted to hurry over any part of it. (6) All his work being finished in good time, he has a long interval of rest in the evening before the timely hour when he goes to bed. (7) After a sound night’s rest he rises early next morning in good health and spirits for the labors of a new day. (8) He gets to sleep several hours before midnight at the time when sleep is most refreshing.
(9) It is very plain that such a life as his is far more conducive to health than that of the man who shortens his waking hours by rising late. (10) Who lies in bed late, if he wishes to do a full day’s work, goes on working to a corresponding late hour and denies himself the hour or two of evening exercise that he ought to take for the benefit of his health.
- Insert pronoun 'he' before goes.
- Change 'bed' to 'bad'.
- No change required.
- Add 'one' at the beginning of the sentence.
- Insert 'the person' before the relative pronoun 'who'.
Which of the following is the best revision of the underlined part of sentence 6 reproduced below?
All his work being finished in good time, he has a long interval of rest in the evening before the timely hour when he goes to bed.
Direction:
The following passage is an early draft of an essay. Some parts of the passage
need to be rewritten.
Read the passage and select the best answers for the questions that follow.
Some questions are about particular sentences or parts of sentences and ask you
to improve sentence structure or word choice. Other questions ask to consider
organization and development. In choosing answers, follow the requirements of
standard written English.
(1) The great advantage of early rising is the head start it gives us in our day’s work. (2) The early riser has done a large amount of hard work before other men even get out of bed. (3) In the early morning, the mind is fresh, and there are few sounds or other distractions, so work done at that time is generally well done. (4) In many cases the early riser also finds time to take some exercise in the fresh morning air, and this exercise supplies him with a fund of energy that will last until the evening. (5) By beginning so early, he knows that he has plenty of time to thoroughly do all the work he can be expected to do and is not tempted to hurry over any part of it. (6) All his work being finished in good time, he has a long interval of rest in the evening before the timely hour when he goes to bed. (7) After a sound night’s rest he rises early next morning in good health and spirits for the labors of a new day. (8) He gets to sleep several hours before midnight at the time when sleep is most refreshing.
(9) It is very plain that such a life as his is far more conducive to health than that of the man who shortens his waking hours by rising late. (10) Who lies in bed late, if he wishes to do a full day’s work, goes on working to a corresponding late hour and denies himself the hour or two of evening exercise that he ought to take for the benefit of his health.
- After finishing all his work done in good time
- All his work having been finished in good time
- All his works are being finished in good time
- All his work finishing in good time
- All his work being finished in time
Which of the following, if placed after sentence 10, would be the most effective concluding sentence for the essay?
Direction:
The following passage is an early draft of an essay. Some parts of the passage
need to be rewritten.
Read the passage and select the best answers for the questions that follow.
Some questions are about particular sentences or parts of sentences and ask you
to improve sentence structure or word choice. Other questions ask to consider
organization and development. In choosing answers, follow the requirements of
standard written English.
(1) The great advantage of early rising is the head start it gives us in our day’s work. (2) The early riser has done a large amount of hard work before other men even get out of bed. (3) In the early morning, the mind is fresh, and there are few sounds or other distractions, so work done at that time is generally well done. (4) In many cases the early riser also finds time to take some exercise in the fresh morning air, and this exercise supplies him with a fund of energy that will last until the evening. (5) By beginning so early, he knows that he has plenty of time to thoroughly do all the work he can be expected to do and is not tempted to hurry over any part of it. (6) All his work being finished in good time, he has a long interval of rest in the evening before the timely hour when he goes to bed. (7) After a sound night’s rest he rises early next morning in good health and spirits for the labors of a new day. (8) He gets to sleep several hours before midnight at the time when sleep is most refreshing.
(9) It is very plain that such a life as his is far more conducive to health than that of the man who shortens his waking hours by rising late. (10) Who lies in bed late, if he wishes to do a full day’s work, goes on working to a corresponding late hour and denies himself the hour or two of evening exercise that he ought to take for the benefit of his health.
- Thus he misses out on the exercise both in the morning and the evening.
- After finishing the work nicely he goes to sleep in the night when sleep is needed most.
- But in spite of all his efforts, he will probably not produce as good results as the early riser.
- He always has to rush the work.
- Very late in the night is he ready for sleep.
Which of the following best replaces the phrase “fund of energy” in sentence 4?
Direction:
The following passage is an early draft of an essay. Some parts of the passage
need to be rewritten.
Read the passage and select the best answers for the questions that follow.
Some questions are about particular sentences or parts of sentences and ask you
to improve sentence structure or word choice. Other questions ask to consider
organization and development. In choosing answers, follow the requirements of
standard written English.
(1) The great advantage of early rising is the head start it gives us in our day’s work. (2) The early riser has done a large amount of hard work before other men even get out of bed. (3) In the early morning, the mind is fresh, and there are few sounds or other distractions, so work done at that time is generally well done. (4) In many cases the early riser also finds time to take some exercise in the fresh morning air, and this exercise supplies him with a fund of energy that will last until the evening. (5) By beginning so early, he knows that he has plenty of time to thoroughly do all the work he can be expected to do and is not tempted to hurry over any part of it. (6) All his work being finished in good time, he has a long interval of rest in the evening before the timely hour when he goes to bed. (7) After a sound night’s rest he rises early next morning in good health and spirits for the labors of a new day. (8) He gets to sleep several hours before midnight at the time when sleep is most refreshing.
(9) It is very plain that such a life as his is far more conducive to health than that of the man who shortens his waking hours by rising late. (10) Who lies in bed late, if he wishes to do a full day’s work, goes on working to a corresponding late hour and denies himself the hour or two of evening exercise that he ought to take for the benefit of his health.
- Reserve of energy.
- Resource of energy.
- It cannot be replaced.
- Surplus of energy.
Which is the best way to combine sentences (9) and (10)?
Directions for questions:
The following passage is an early draft of an essay. Some parts of the passage need to be rewritten.
Read the passage and select the best answers for the questions that follow. Some questions are about particular sentences or parts of sentences and ask you to improve sentence structure or word choice. Other questions ask to consider organization and development. In choosing answers, follow the requirements of standard written English.
- If a fight happens between two lions, the injured lion wanders here and there and becomes man eater.
- If the fight is severe between two lions the winner gets the able bodied prey, the loser doesn't get any.
- When a severe fight takes place between two lions, the lion or lioness injured wanders aimlessly.
- A lion or lioness crippled from a fight with other lions or animals has to depend on leftovers.
- After fighting a severe battle the injured lion becomes very hungry and has to depend on easy prey.
Which of the following best improves sentence 1?
Directions for questions:
The following passage is an early draft of an essay. Some parts of the passage need to be rewritten.
Read the passage and select the best answers for the questions that follow. Some questions are about particular sentences or parts of sentences and ask you to improve sentence structure or word choice. Other questions ask to consider organization and development. In choosing answers, follow the requirements of standard written English.
- Insert 'not' before 'by chance'.
- Join 'man' and 'eater' to make one word.
- Delete the part after 'circumstances'.
- Change 'A lion' to 'The lion'.
- No change needed.
Which is the best way to deal with sentence 8?
Direction:
The following passage is an early draft of an essay. Some parts of the passage
need to be rewritten.
Read the passage and select the best answers for the questions that follow.
Some questions are about particular sentences or parts of sentences and ask you
to improve sentence structure or word choice. Other questions ask to consider
organization and development. In choosing answers, follow the requirements of
standard written English.
(1) The great advantage of early rising is the head start it gives us in our day’s work. (2) The early riser has done a large amount of hard work before other men even get out of bed. (3) In the early morning, the mind is fresh, and there are few sounds or other distractions, so work done at that time is generally well done. (4) In many cases the early riser also finds time to take some exercise in the fresh morning air, and this exercise supplies him with a fund of energy that will last until the evening. (5) By beginning so early, he knows that he has plenty of time to thoroughly do all the work he can be expected to do and is not tempted to hurry over any part of it. (6) All his work being finished in good time, he has a long interval of rest in the evening before the timely hour when he goes to bed. (7) After a sound night’s rest he rises early next morning in good health and spirits for the labors of a new day. (8) He gets to sleep several hours before midnight at the time when sleep is most refreshing.
(9) It is very plain that such a life as his is far more conducive to health than that of the man who shortens his waking hours by rising late. (10) Who lies in bed late, if he wishes to do a full day’s work, goes on working to a corresponding late hour and denies himself the hour or two of evening exercise that he ought to take for the benefit of his health.
- Leave it as it is.
- Place it before sentence 9.
- Delete it.
- Place it before sentence 7.
- Connect it to sentence 7 with 'and.
What support does paragraph 2 provide to the thought in paragraph 1?
Directions for questions:
The following passage is an early draft of an essay. Some parts of the passage need to be rewritten.
Read the passage and select the best answers for the questions that follow. Some questions are about particular sentences or parts of sentences and ask you to improve sentence structure or word choice. Other questions ask to consider organization and development. In choosing answers, follow the requirements of standard written English.
(1) The proper conduct of universities is a matter of first rate importance to the state, because it is in them that leaders of the country are trained. (2) The university education is calculated to produce and is producing, men who will be able to play worthy part in public life. (3) It is true that legislative and administrative capacities are developed largely by experience and by practical knowledge of affairs, foundations need to be laid at a much earlier stage. (4) It is from this university teaching that a young man should learn to examine critically the material before him, to arrive at a balanced judgment; and not to be carried away by mere catchwords.
(5) But in public affairs something more than the power of criticism and intellectual judgment is needed. (6) It is mainly outside the classroom that the boy learns the lesson of corporate life, how to understand the views of others and to work with them, how to sacrifice cheerfully his private inclination for the common good. (7) How to lead others by influence rather than by authority? (8) He learns these lessons daily contact which he follows in clubs and societies, in playing fields and common rooms and also not the least by the guidance of wise teachers from whom a timely word may mean so much.
- It gives further strength to the argument.
- It provides additional information in support
- It is repetitive
- It provides information to weaken the thought
- It provides a larger frame of reference
In the context of the paragraph, which revision is most needed in sentence (3)?
Directions for questions:
The following passage is an early draft of an essay. Some parts of the passage need to be rewritten.
Read the passage and select the best answers for the questions that follow. Some questions are about particular sentences or parts of sentences and ask you to improve sentence structure or word choice. Other questions ask to consider organization and development. In choosing answers, follow the requirements of standard written English.
(1) The proper conduct of universities is a matter of first rate importance to the state, because it is in them that leaders of the country are trained. (2) The university education is calculated to produce and is producing, men who will be able to play worthy part in public life. (3) It is true that legislative and administrative capacities are developed largely by experience and by practical knowledge of affairs, foundations need to be laid at a much earlier stage. (4) It is from this university teaching that a young man should learn to examine critically the material before him, to arrive at a balanced judgment; and not to be carried away by mere catchwords.
(5) But in public affairs something more than the power of criticism and intellectual judgment is needed. (6) It is mainly outside the classroom that the boy learns the lesson of corporate life, how to understand the views of others and to work with them, how to sacrifice cheerfully his private inclination for the common good. (7) How to lead others by influence rather than by authority? (8) He learns these lessons daily contact which he follows in clubs and societies, in playing fields and common rooms and also not the least by the guidance of wise teachers from whom a timely word may mean so much.
- Omit 'it is true'.
- Change comma to semicolon.
- Replace' need to be' with' is needed'.
- Put 'but' after comma.
- Omit the word 'largely'.
Which of the following is the best revision of the underlined portion of sentence (2) below?
The university education is calculated to produce and is producing, men who will be able to play worthy part in public life.
Directions for questions:
The following passage is an early draft of an essay. Some parts of the passage need to be rewritten.
Read the passage and select the best answers for the questions that follow. Some questions are about particular sentences or parts of sentences and ask you to improve sentence structure or word choice. Other questions ask to consider organization and development. In choosing answers, follow the requirements of standard written English.
(1) The proper conduct of universities is a matter of first rate importance to the state, because it is in them that leaders of the country are trained. (2) The university education is calculated to produce and is producing, men who will be able to play worthy part in public life. (3) It is true that legislative and administrative capacities are developed largely by experience and by practical knowledge of affairs, foundations need to be laid at a much earlier stage. (4) It is from this university teaching that a young man should learn to examine critically the material before him, to arrive at a balanced judgment; and not to be carried away by mere catchwords.
(5) But in public affairs something more than the power of criticism and intellectual judgment is needed. (6) It is mainly outside the classroom that the boy learns the lesson of corporate life, how to understand the views of others and to work with them, how to sacrifice cheerfully his private inclination for the common good. (7) How to lead others by influence rather than by authority? (8) He learns these lessons daily contact which he follows in clubs and societies, in playing fields and common rooms and also not the least by the guidance of wise teachers from whom a timely word may mean so much.
- is calculated to produce, and is producing
- was calculated to produce and is producing
- has been calculated to produce and is producing
- was originally calculated to produce and is producing
- is calculated to produce
Which of the following is the best revision of the underlined part of sentence 7 (reproduced below)?
He learns these lessons daily contact which he follows
Directions for questions:
The following passage is an early draft of an essay. Some parts of the passage need to be rewritten.
Read the passage and select the best answers for the questions that follow. Some questions are about particular sentences or parts of sentences and ask you to improve sentence structure or word choice. Other questions ask to consider organization and development. In choosing answers, follow the requirements of standard written English.
(1) The proper conduct of universities is a matter of first rate importance to the state, because it is in them that leaders of the country are trained. (2) The university education is calculated to produce and is producing, men who will be able to play worthy part in public life. (3) It is true that legislative and administrative capacities are developed largely by experience and by practical knowledge of affairs, foundations need to be laid at a much earlier stage. (4) It is from this university teaching that a young man should learn to examine critically the material before him, to arrive at a balanced judgment; and not to be carried away by mere catchwords.
(5) But in public affairs something more than the power of criticism and intellectual judgment is needed. (6) It is mainly outside the classroom that the boy learns the lesson of corporate life, how to understand the views of others and to work with them, how to sacrifice cheerfully his private inclination for the common good. (7) How to lead others by influence rather than by authority? (8) He learns these lessons daily contact which he follows in clubs and societies, in playing fields and common rooms and also not the least by the guidance of wise teachers from whom a timely word may mean so much.
- He learns these lessons daily through contacts which he follows
- He learns these lessons daily in contact which he follows
- He learns these lessons in daily contacts which he follows
- He learns these lessons daily by contacts
- He learns these lessons daily more by contact which he follows
What is the best way to deal with sentence (1)?
Directions for questions:
The following passage is an early draft of an essay. Some parts of the passage need to be rewritten.
Read the passage and select the best answers for the questions that follow. Some questions are about particular sentences or parts of sentences and ask you to improve sentence structure or word choice. Other questions ask to consider organization and development. In choosing answers, follow the requirements of standard written English.
(1) The proper conduct of universities is a matter of first rate importance to the state, because it is in them that leaders of the country are trained. (2) The university education is calculated to produce and is producing, men who will be able to play worthy part in public life. (3) It is true that legislative and administrative capacities are developed largely by experience and by practical knowledge of affairs, foundations need to be laid at a much earlier stage. (4) It is from this university teaching that a young man should learn to examine critically the material before him, to arrive at a balanced judgment; and not to be carried away by mere catchwords.
(5) But in public affairs something more than the power of criticism and intellectual judgment is needed. (6) It is mainly outside the classroom that the boy learns the lesson of corporate life, how to understand the views of others and to work with them, how to sacrifice cheerfully his private inclination for the common good. (7) How to lead others by influence rather than by authority? (8) He learns these lessons daily contact which he follows in clubs and societies, in playing fields and common rooms and also not the least by the guidance of wise teachers from whom a timely word may mean so much.
- Leave it as it is.
- Omit the article at the beginning.
- Change 'first rate' to 'prime'
- Change 'state' to 'country'.
- Change 'in them' to 'there'.
In context, which is the best way to revise and combine the underlined portions of sentences 6 and 7 (reproduced below)?
It is mainly outside the classroom that the boy learns the lesson of corporate life, how to understand the views of others and to work with them, how to sacrifice cheerfully his private inclination for the common good. How should they be led to lead others by influence rather than by authority?
Directions for questions:
The following passage is an early draft of an essay. Some parts of the passage need to be rewritten.
Read the passage and select the best answers for the questions that follow. Some questions are about particular sentences or parts of sentences and ask you to improve sentence structure or word choice. Other questions ask to consider organization and development. In choosing answers, follow the requirements of standard written English.
(1) The proper conduct of universities is a matter of first rate importance to the state, because it is in them that leaders of the country are trained. (2) The university education is calculated to produce and is producing, men who will be able to play worthy part in public life. (3) It is true that legislative and administrative capacities are developed largely by experience and by practical knowledge of affairs, foundations need to be laid at a much earlier stage. (4) It is from this university teaching that a young man should learn to examine critically the material before him, to arrive at a balanced judgment; and not to be carried away by mere catchwords.
(5) But in public affairs something more than the power of criticism and intellectual judgment is needed. (6) It is mainly outside the classroom that the boy learns the lesson of corporate life, how to understand the views of others and to work with them, how to sacrifice cheerfully his private inclination for the common good. (7) How to lead others by influence rather than by authority? (8) He learns these lessons daily contact which he follows in clubs and societies, in playing fields and common rooms and also not the least by the guidance of wise teachers from whom a timely word may mean so much.
- the common good, how should they be led by influence rather than by authority?
- the common good, and how to lead others by influence rather than by authority.
- the common good; how to lead others by influence rather than by authority.
- the common good, how should they be led by influence rather than by authority.
- the common good, how to lead others by influence rather than by authority?