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Sentence Correction: Modifier Placement

Practice identifying and fixing dangling modifiers, misplaced phrases, and awkward sentence constructions in English grammar.

15 Questions Published
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Questions

Question 1 Multiple Choice (Single Answer)

Directions: This question presents a sentence, all or part of which is underlined. Beneath the sentence you will find five ways of phrasing the underlined part. The first of these repeats the original; the other four are different. If you think the original is best, choose the first answer; otherwise choose one of the others.

Before considering a candidate for the post of sub-editor, he must have a degree in journalism.

  1. Before considering a candidate for the post of sub-editor, he must have
  2. To consider a candidate for the post of sub-editor, he must have
  3. We will not consider a candidate for the post of sub-editor, if he does not have
  4. We will not consider a candidate for the post of sub-editor, without his having
  5. Before a candidate is considered for the post of sub-editor, one should have
Question 2 Multiple Choice (Single Answer)

<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:" 12px;=""><span new="style=font-size:" 10pt;="" font-family:="" arial;="">Directions:<span new="style=font-size:" 10pt;="" font-family:="" arial;=""> This question presents a sentence, all or part of which is underlined. Beneath the sentence you will find five ways of phrasing the underlined part. The first of these repeats the original; the other four are different. If you think the original is best, choose the first answer; otherwise choose one of the others.

While the book's grandiose subtitle suggests a story blown way out of proportion to hold much conviction, the author does manage to win some confidence and when questioned about the difficulties faced while writing novels, he replied, “while writing novels, door-bells are especially irritating.”

  1. “while writing novels, door-bells are especially irritating.”
  2. “while writing novels, I find door- bells especially irritating”
  3. “while writing novels, door- bells are irritating”
  4. “while I am writing novels, I find door-bells especially irritating”
Question 3 Multiple Choice (Single Answer)

Directions: This question presents a sentence, all or part of which is underlined. Beneath the sentence you will find five ways of phrasing the underlined part. The first of these repeats the original; the other four are different. If you think the original is best, choose the first answer; otherwise choose one of the others.

With cloning technology, scientists are approaching what has long been the ultimate goal of modern husbandry: achieving a consistency of quality and production in farm animals as once thought to be limited to manufactured goods.

  1. achieving a consistency of quality and production in farm animals as once thought to be
  2. achieving farm animals with a consistency of quality and production as were once thought of as
  3. achieving in farm animals a consistency of quality and production that was once thought to be
  4. achievement of farm animals whose consistency of quality and production are the same as what were once thought to he
  5. achievement of farm animals at a consistency of quality and production once thought of as
Question 4 Multiple Choice (Single Answer)

Directions: This question presents a sentence, all or part of which is underlined. Beneath the sentence you will find five ways of phrasing the underlined part. The first of these repeats the original; the other four are different. If you think the original is best, choose the first answer; otherwise choose one of the others.

Using the techniques employed by genetic engineering, a new species of microorganism has been developed by laboratory scientists to aid in cleaning up oil spills by digesting the oil.

  1. Using the techniques employed by genetic engineering, a new species of microorganism has been developed by laboratory scientists to
  2. Using the techniques employed by genetic engineering, a new species of microorganism that was developed by laboratory scientists will
  3. Using the techniques of genetic engineering laboratory scientists have developed a new species of microorganism to
  4. Employing the techniques of genetic engineering there has been a development laboratory scientists of a new species of microorganism that will
  5. Employing the techniques of genetic engineering, a new species of microorganism that was developed by laboratory scientists will
Question 5 Multiple Choice (Single Answer)

Directions: This question presents a sentence, all or part of which is underlined. Beneath the sentence you will find five ways of phrasing the underlined part. The first of these repeats the original; the other four are different. If you think the original is best, choose the first answer; otherwise choose one of the others.

These restrictions had ensured high prices of food, and thereby high cooking cost, and when the servant brought the rich chocolate doughnuts to the table drenched in strawberry syrup and topped with vanilla ice-cream, Aunt- Jessie was taken by surprise.

  1. and when the servant brought the rich chocolate doughnuts to the table drenched in strawberry syrup and topped with vanilla ice-cream, Aunt Jessie was taken by surprise
  2. and when the servant brought the rich chocolate doughnuts, drenched in strawberry syrup and topped with vanilla ice-cream, to the table
  3. and when the servant drenched in strawberry syrup and topped with vanilla ice-cream, brought the rich chocolate doughnuts to the table
  4. and when the servant brought to the table, the rich chocolate doughnuts drenched in strawberry syrup and topped with vanilla ice-cream
  5. and when the servant brought to the table, strawberry syrup drenched and vanilla ice cream topped, rich chocolate doughnut
Question 6 Multiple Choice (Single Answer)

<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:" arial,="" verdana,="" sans-serif;="" font-size:="" 12px;=""><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times" new="" roman";color:black;mso-ansi-language:en-us;mso-fareast-language:en-us;mso-bidi-language:ar-sa="">Directions:<span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times" new="" roman";color:black;mso-ansi-language:en-us;mso-fareast-language:en-us;mso-bidi-language:ar-sa=""> This question presents a sentence, all or part of which is underlined. Beneath the sentence you will find five ways of phrasing the underlined part. The first of these repeats the original; the other four are different. If you think the original is best, choose the first answer; otherwise choose one of the others.

I told those students who were unaware of philosophy as a subject, when the class was over, I would play with them a game about death, the existence of God, the cardinal virtues, and the prospects of happiness.

  1. I told those students who were unaware of philosophy as a subject, when the class was over, I would play with them a game about death, the existence of God, the cardinal virtues, and the prospects of happiness.
  2. When the class was over, I told those students who were unaware of philosophy as a subject that I would play with them a game about death, the existence of God, the cardinal virtues, and the prospects of happiness.
  3. I told those students who were unaware of philosophy as a subject that I would play with them a game about death, the existence of God, the cardinal virtues and the prospect of happiness.
  4. When the class was over, I would play with those students who were unaware of philosophy as a subject, a game about death, the existence of God, the cardinal virtues and the prospects of happiness.
Question 7 Multiple Choice (Single Answer)

<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:" 12px;=""><span new="style=font-size:" 10pt;="" font-family:="" arial;="">Directions:<span new="style=font-size:" 10pt;="" font-family:="" arial;=""> This question presents a sentence, all or part of which is underlined. Beneath the sentence you will find five ways of phrasing the underlined part. The first of these repeats the original; the other four are different. If you think the original is best, choose the first answer; otherwise choose one of the others.

Tasting a variety of cuisine and cooking in the chilling winters of The United States of America, in 2009, I finished writing my first cook book 'The Hollywood effect'

  1. Tasting a variety of cuisine and cooking in the chilling winters of The United States of America, in 2009, I finished writing my first cook book 'The Hollywood effect'
  2. Tasting a variety of cuisine and cooking in the chilling winters of The United States of America, I finished writing my first cook book 'The Hollywood effect' in 2009
  3. Having tasted a variety of cuisine and cooking in the chilling winters of the United States of America, I finished writing my first cook book 'The Hollywood effect'
  4. I, in 2009, finished writing my first cook book 'The Hollywood effect', tasting a variety of cuisine and cooking in the chilling winters of The United States of America
Question 8 Multiple Choice (Single Answer)

Directions: This question presents a sentence, all or part of which is underlined. Beneath the sentence you will find five ways of phrasing the underlined part. The first of these repeats the original; the other four are different. If you think the original is best, choose the first answer; otherwise choose one of the others.

A considerable number of words and a few consecutive texts, transcribed in the magazine necessarily will have to be assessed as evidence of contemporary English pronunciation by students of the subject.

  1. transcribed in the magazine necessarily will have to be assessed
  2. transcribed from the magazine necessarily will have to be assessed
  3. transcribed from the magazine will have to be assessed
  4. transcribed in the magazine will necessarily have to be assessed
  5. transcribed in the magazine will have to be assessed
Question 9 Multiple Choice (Single Answer)

<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:" 12px;=""><span new="style=font-size:" 10pt;="" font-family:="" arial;="">Directions:<span new="style=font-size:" 10pt;="" font-family:="" arial;=""> This question presents a sentence, all or part of which is underlined. Beneath the sentence you will find five ways of phrasing the underlined part. The first of these repeats the original; the other four are different. If you think the original is best, choose the first answer; otherwise choose one of the others.

The greatest expense is the first - the preparation of the land: trees have to be felled, and bush cut down and spread over the land, so that the sun can quickly render it combustible.

  1. The greatest expense is the first - the preparation of the land : trees have to be felled, and bush cut down and spread over the land,
  2. The preparation of the land is the first and greatest expense; trees would have to be felled, and bush cut down and spread over the land,
  3. The preparing of the land is the first and greatest expense; trees have to be felled, and bush cut down and spread out over the land,
  4. The preparation of the land is the first and greatest expense; trees have to be felled, and bush cut down and spread over the land,
Question 10 Multiple Choice (Single Answer)

Directions: This question presents a sentence, all or part of which is underlined. Beneath the sentence you will find five ways of phrasing the underlined part. The first of these repeats the original; the other four are different. If you think the original is best, choose the first answer; otherwise choose one of the others.

Lying in the soul of meditation and concentration, our sages found divine knowledge.

  1. Lying in the soul of meditation and concentration, our sages found divine knowledge.
  2. Lying in the soul of meditation and concentration, divine knowledge was found by our sages.
  3. Our sages, lying in the soul of meditation and concentration found divine knowledge.
  4. Our sages found divine knowledge lying in the soul of meditation and concentration.
  5. Our sages lay both in the soul of meditation and concentration, and found divine knowledge.
Question 11 Multiple Choice (Single Answer)

Directions: This question presents a sentence, all or part of which is underlined. Beneath the sentence you will find five ways of phrasing the underlined part. The first of these repeats the original; the other four are different. If you think the original is best, choose the first answer; otherwise choose one of the others.

The manager delegated to each of his juniors, who was an effective administrator too, a task commensurate to his strength.

  1. delegated to each of his juniors, who was an effective administrator too,
  2. who was an effective administrator too, delegated to each of his juniors
  3. was an effective administrator too, and delegated to each of his juniors
  4. was an effective administrator too, who delegated to each of his juniors
  5. was an effective administrator, who delegated to each of his juniors
Question 12 Multiple Choice (Single Answer)

Directions: This question presents a sentence, all or part of which is underlined. Beneath the sentence you will find five ways of phrasing the underlined part. The first of these repeats the original; the other four are different. If you think the original is best, choose the first answer; otherwise choose one of the others.

Low interest environment and a sustained performance in the service sector should contribute to, if possible, a reasonable future growth.

  1. Low interest environment and a sustained performance in the service sector should contribute to, if possible, a reasonable future growth.
  2. Low interest environment and a sustained performance in the service sector should, if possible, contribute to a reasonable future growth.
  3. It could be possible, low interest environment and a sustained performance in the service sector should contribute to a reasonable future growth.
  4. Low interest environment and a sustained performance in the service sector, if possible, should contribute to a reasonable future growth.
  5. Reasonable future growth is possible if low interest environment and a sustained performance in the service sector contributes to it.
Question 13 Multiple Choice (Single Answer)

Directions: This question presents a sentence, all or part of which is underlined. Beneath the sentence you will find five ways of phrasing the underlined part. The first of these repeats the original; the other four are different. If you think the original is best, choose the first answer; otherwise choose one of the others.

When five years old, my mother enrolled in medical school and she still says that once we truly understand and accept that studying medicine is difficult, then it is no longer difficult, because once it is accepted, the fact no longer matters.

  1. When five years old, my mother enrolled in medical school
  2. My mother, when I was five years old, enrolled in medical school
  3. When my mother enrolled me in medical school, I was five years old
  4. When I was five years old, my mother enrolled in medical school
  5. My mother enrolled herself in medical school, when I was five years old
Question 14 Multiple Choice (Single Answer)

Directions: This question presents a sentence, all or part of which is underlined. Beneath the sentence you will find five ways of phrasing the underlined part. The first of these repeats the original; the other four are different. If you think the original is best, choose the first answer; otherwise choose one of the others.

The managing director of the company said on Saturday, any change in a personal business relationship should be brought to his notice.

  1. The managing director of the company said on Saturday, any change in personal business relationship should be brought to his notice.
  2. The managing director of the company on Saturday said, any change in personal business relationship should be brought to his notice.
  3. The managing director of the company said, any change in personal business relationship should be brought to his notice by Saturday.
  4. The managing director of the company said, any change in personal business relationships on Saturday should be brought to his notice.
  5. On Saturday, the managing director of the company said, any change in the personal business relationship should be brought to his notice.
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