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 sentence. Below the sentence are given three possible substitutions for the underlined part. If one of the substitutions is better than the underlined part, indicate it as your answer. If none of the substitutions improves the sentence, indicate (4) as your answer.

I looked up and found we had water dripping through the ceiling.

  1. we had water was dripping

  2. we had water dripped

  3. we have water dripping

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

The sentence is correct as given.

Multiple choice

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

She was hardly inside the house than the kids started screaming.

  1. when

  2. by

  3. as soon as

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

The conjuction pair is 'Hardly....when'.

Multiple choice

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

No sooner has she agreed to marry him than she started having terrible doubts.

  1. No sooner had she agreed

  2. She no sooner had agreed

  3. No sooner did she agreed

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

'Had she'

Multiple choice

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

She was a nice girl, but she should talk about herself all the time.

  1. would

  2. must

  3. could

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

Would is often used as a kind of past tense of  will. Since the sentence is in past tense, 'would' is the correct answer. 

Multiple choice

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

As well as he breaking his leg, he hurt his arm.

  1. As well as breaking

  2. As well as he broke

  3. As well as broke

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

When we put a verb after 'as well as' we often use the -ing form. Also, there is no need of 'he' in the first clause.

Multiple choice

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

Cold though it was, we went out.

  1. As it was cold

  2. It was cold though

  3. Cold it was though

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

The sentence is correct as given.

Multiple choice

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

You look tired. Yes, I had been running.

  1. have been

  2. was

  3. were

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

The present perfect tense  'have been' should be used to indicate the activity has just been completed.

Multiple choice

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

I asked her whether if she believed in God.

  1. whether she believed

  2. about whether she believed

  3. about if she believed

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

We can use one of the two words 'whether' or 'if'. 'If' is an unnecessary addition.

Multiple choice

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

Neither of her five children go to school.

  1. None of her

  2. Either of her

  3. Any of her

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

Neither is used for two people or two things. None is used for more than two. Either is used for 2 people or two things, but in a positive way.

Multiple choice

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

They were built this house in 1990.

  1. built

  2. build

  3. have built

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

Simple past tense 'built' will be used.

Multiple choice

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

Bravely as they fought, they had no chance of winning.

  1. Bravely as though they fought

  2. Bravely they fought though

  3. As they fought bravely

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

The sentence is correct as given.

Multiple choice

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

Are you free on this evening?

  1. this evening

  2. at this evening

  3. in this evening

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

'Next, last, this' do not require a preposition.

Multiple choice

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

God will, we shall meet again.

  1. If God is willing

  2. God is willing

  3. Willing God

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

The correct syntax is ' God willing' or ' If God is willing'.

Multiple choice

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

We met at a cold morning in early spring.

  1. on

  2. in

  3. with

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

'On' is used for specific days.

Multiple choice

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

Being too costly for him, he could not buy the coat.

  1. It being too costly for him

  2. He being too costly

  3. Being it too costly

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

This is a case of a dangling modifier. It is not clear what the sentence ( Being too costly) modifies. The inclusion of 'it' clarifies that it is the coat.