English Language

Sentence Improvement

821 Questions
All Tense and Time Sequence 181 Verb-Governed Prepositions 145 Lexical Confusables 75 Subject-Verb Agreement 59 Modifiers 48 Determiners and Quantifiers 47 Infinitive vs. Gerund 47 Correlative and Paired Conjunctions 35 Conditional Sentences 30 Pronoun Case and Agreement 24 Redundancy 24 Parallel Structure 20 Question Tags 10 Reported Speech 8

Sentence Improvement Questions

Multiple choice

Directions: Look at the underlined part of the sentence. Below the sentence are given three possible substitutions for the underlined part. If one of the substitutions improves the sentence, indicate it as your answer. If none of the substitutions improves the sentence, indicate (4) as your answer.

For centuries we have been trying to cure the ills of the world.

  1. are trying

  2. were trying

  3. had been trying

  4. No improvement
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Case of present perfect continuous tense. To show the continuity of an event of the past in the present, we use 'has/have been' along with the ' verb+ing'. Thus, option 4.

Multiple choice

Directions: Look at the underlined part of the sentence. Below the sentence are given three possible substitutions for the underlined part. If one of the substitutions improves the sentence, indicate it as your answer. If none of the substitutions improves the sentence, indicate (4) as your answer.

In her way home from work, Alice often stops at her neighbourhood bookstore to buy a copy of Cosmopolitan magazine.

  1. On her way home

  2. At her way home

  3. By her way home

  4. No improvement
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Case of prepositional usage. 'On her way home' here means 'while moving towards her home'.

Multiple choice

Directions: Look at the underlined part of the sentence. Below the sentence are given three possible substitutions for the underlined part. If one of the substitutions improves the sentence, indicate it as your answer. If none of the substitutions improves the sentence, indicate (4) as your answer.

His courteous behaviour with others always creates a good impact.

  1. courteously behaviour with

  2. courteous behaving with

  3. behaviour with courtesy

  4. No improvement
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Adjective 'courteous' means 'polite and gracious; considerate toward others; well-mannered'. So, 'courteous behaviour' seems to be correct. Thus, option 4.

Multiple choice

Directions: Look at the underlined part of the sentence. Below the sentence are given three possible substitutions for the underlined part. If one of the substitutions improves the sentence, indicate it as your answer. If none of the substitutions improves the sentence, indicate (4) as your answer.

The thieves had already been escaped, before the police arrived.

  1. had already escaped

  2. had been escaped

  3. were escaped

  4. No improvement
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Case of past perfect tense. In such cases where two incidents happen in a sequence, we use 'had and third form of the verb' for the former incident. Usage of 'been' is redundant here.

Multiple choice

Directions: Look at the underlined part of the sentence. Below the sentence are given three possible substitutions for the underlined part. If one of the substitutions improves the sentence, indicate it as your answer. If none of the substitutions improves the sentence, indicate (4) as your answer.

Although he is aware of the futility of his plans, he insisted on their completion.

  1. was aware

  2. has been aware

  3. had aware

  4. No improvement
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Case of sentence formation. Rule says that both the principal and the subsidiary clauses of the sentence need to be in the same tense. Here, use of word 'insisted' (in past tense) needs to be preceded with 'was' in place of 'is'.

Multiple choice

Directions: Look at the underlined part of the sentence. Below the sentence are given three possible substitutions for the underlined part. If one of the substitutions improves the sentence, indicate it as your answer. If none of the substitutions improves the sentence, indicate (4) as your answer.

Through my work and my personal experiences, I have become convinced that effective decision-making is fundamental to full enjoyment of life.

  1. am become convinced

  2. had become convinced

  3. was convinced

  4. No improvement
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The sentence is perfectly correct.

Multiple choice

Directions: Look at the underlined part of the sentence. Below the sentence are given three possible substitutions for the underlined part. If one of the substitutions improves the sentence, indicate it as your answer. If none of the substitutions improves the sentence, indicate (4) as your answer.

My communication with nature rejuvenates me and balances my health.

  1. communion

  2. company

  3. commitment

  4. No improvement
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Communion is the act of sharing one's thoughts and emotions with another or others; intimate converse. While communication is an act of giving or exchanging of information, signals, or messages as by talk, gestures, or writing the information, signals, or message. As our contact with nature is indirect, thus option 1 seems more relevant.

Multiple choice

Directions: Look at the underlined part of the sentence. Below the sentence are given three possible substitutions for the underlined part. If one of the substitutions improves the sentence, indicate it as your answer. If none of the substitutions improves the sentence, indicate (4) as your answer.

Everything would be fine, if you hadn't decided to change your solicitor.

  1. would have been fine

  2. will be fine

  3. was fine

  4. No improvement
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Case of improper sentence formation. Here, it is a wish that 'if nothing had gone wrong, so every thing would have been fine'. Thus, option 1.

Multiple choice

Directions: Look at the underlined part of the sentence. Below the sentence are given three possible substitutions for the underlined part. If one of the substitutions improves the sentence, indicate it as your answer. If none of the substitutions improves the sentence, indicate (4) as your answer.

They were sent Lucas to prison for five years.

  1. sent

  2. are sent

  3. send

  4. No improvement
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Case of past indefinite tense. In such cases, we use second form of the verb (without any auxilary verb). Thus, option 1.

Multiple choice

Directions: Look at the underlined part of the sentence. Below the sentence are given three possible substitutions for the underlined part. If one of the substitutions improves the sentence, indicate it as your answer. If none of the substitutions improves the sentence, indicate (4) as your answer.

What would you have done if the train had been late?

  1. would have you done

  2. will you do

  3. would you have did

  4. No improvement
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Case of sentence formation. In interrogative sentences like this, auxilary always precedes the subject. Thus, option 1.

Multiple choice

Directions: Look at the underlined part of the sentence. Below the sentence are given three possible substitutions for the underlined part. If one of the substitutions improves the sentence, indicate it as your answer. If none of the substitutions improves the sentence, indicate (4) as your answer.

A leader who is keen to acquiring a strong will power must begin by exercising his will whenever opportunities present themselves.

  1. keen on acquiring

  2. keen at acquiring

  3. keen for acquiring

  4. No improvement
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Case of sentence formation. We can use either 'keen on' or 'keen to'. The difference is that 'keen on' is followed by 'gerund, while 'keen to' takes 'infinitive'. As all the options have gerunds, so 'keen on acquiring' is better usage.

Multiple choice

Directions: Look at the underlined part of the sentence. Below the sentence are given three possible substitutions for the underlined part. If one of the substitutions improves the sentence, indicate it as your answer. If none of the substitutions improves the sentence, indicate (4) as your answer.

He can not able to go today.

  1. were not able to be

  2. is not able to

  3. won't be

  4. No improvement
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The use of word 'today' makes the tense of the sentence to be present.

Multiple choice

Directions: Look at the underlined part of the sentence. Below the sentence are given three possible substitutions for the underlined part. If one of the substitutions improves the sentence, indicate it as your answer. If none of the substitutions improves the sentence, indicate (4) as your answer.

Sometimes I wish I had never born.

  1. I had never been born

  2. I have never born

  3. I was never been born

  4. No improvement needed
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Case of passive voice. 'Bear' (i.e., to give birth) is the active voice, while 'born' (i.e., have taken birth) is the passive voice. And in passive voice we need to show the continuity. Thus, option 1. 

Multiple choice

Directions: Look at the underlined part of the sentence. Below the sentence are given three possible substitutions for the underlined part. If one of the substitutions improves the sentence, indicate it as your answer. If none of the substitutions improves the sentence, indicate (4) as your answer.

She smiled friendly.

  1. in a friendly way

  2. friendlily

  3. a friendly way

  4. No improvement
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Case of adverb-adjective usage. Here, adverb 'friendly' needs to be replaced by noun with adjective i.e. 'in a friendly manner'.

Multiple choice

Directions: Look at the underlined part of the sentence. Below the sentence are given three possible substitutions for the underlined part. If one of the substitutions improves the sentence, indicate it as your answer. If none of the substitutions improves the sentence, indicate (4) as your answer.

After two days marching through the foothill, they found themselves at the base of the mountain proper.

  1. in the bottom of the mountain

  2. under the mountain

  3. beneath the mountain

  4. No improvement
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The sentence is perfectly correct.