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: In the following sentence, three substitutions are given for each italicised part. If one of them is better than the italicised part, that should be your answer. If none of the substitutions improves the sentence, the answer should be (4).

I am not the person to recommend as to how the job should be done.

  1. as to however the job

  2. how the job

  3. as how the job

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

'As to' is incorrect here. So, option 2 is the correct answer.

Multiple choice

Directions: In the following sentence, three substitutions are given for each italicised part. If one of them is better than the italicised part, that should be your answer. If none of the substitutions improves the sentence, the answer should be (4).

His job required that he defends the indefensible.

  1. that he should defend

  2. that he defend

  3. that he would defend

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

Here, the sentence is in the past tense and defend the indefensible has been used as a phrase which stands independent from the preceding noun/pronoun.

Multiple choice

Directions: Look at the underlined part of the sentence. Below 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.

The traveler asked the stranger if he had known the way to the nearest inn.

  1. knew

  2. has known

  3. knows

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

In indirect speech, when the reporting verb 'asked' is in the past tense, the state of knowing is typically expressed in the simple past 'knew'. 'Had known' would imply he knew it at a time even further in the past before the asking occurred.

Multiple choice

Directions: Look at the underlined part of the sentence. Below 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.

The dentist suggested me to change my toothpaste.

  1. suggested that I should change

  2. suggested to change

  3. suggested me changing

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

The verb 'suggest' cannot be followed by an object and a to-infinitive (suggest me to change). It requires a 'that' clause or a gerund; 'suggested that I should change' is the correct grammatical structure.

Multiple choice

Directions: Look at the underlined part of the sentence. Below 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.

There is no question of denying the fact that she broke it.

  1. no denying the fact

  2. no denial the fact

  3. no way to deny the fact

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

'There is no denying the fact' is a standard English idiom. The original phrase 'no question of denying the fact' is wordy and less natural than the concise version in option A.

Multiple choice

Directions: Look at the underlined part of the sentence. Below 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.

He threatened that he would shoot me unless I didn't give him the money.

  1. if

  2. whether

  3. if not

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

'Unless' means 'if not', so using 'unless' with 'didn't' creates an incorrect double negative. Changing 'unless' to 'if' results in 'if I didn't give him the money', which is grammatically sound.

Multiple choice

Directions: Give the appropriate replacement for the underlined word(s) in the given sentence to make it grammatically correct. If no improvement is needed, mark (4) as the answer.

Don't take my words to heart.

  1. in heart

  2. by heart

  3. at heart

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

The idiom 'to take something to heart' is a standard English expression meaning to be deeply affected or upset by something. The sentence is grammatically correct and uses the idiom properly, so no improvement is needed. 'By heart' refers to memorization, which does not fit the context.

Multiple choice

Directions: Give the appropriate replacement for the underlined word(s) in the given sentence to make it grammatically correct. If no improvement is needed, mark (4) as the answer.

We must work for the upliftment of our city.

  1. uplifting

  2. upliftment to

  3. uplift of

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

'Upliftment' is a recognized noun, particularly in Indian and British English, meaning the improvement of social, moral, or spiritual conditions. Since it is used correctly in the sentence to denote the improvement of the city, no change is required. 'Uplift of' is also acceptable, but 'upliftment' is not incorrect.

Multiple choice

Directions: Give the appropriate replacement for the underlined word(s) in the given sentence to make it grammatically correct. If no improvement is needed, mark (4) as the answer.

No one needs to worry about me.

  1. need worry

  2. has to worry

  3. shall worry

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

The subject 'No one' is singular, and the verb 'needs' correctly agrees with it. The phrase 'needs to worry' is grammatically sound as it uses the standard 'need' as a principal verb followed by a to-infinitive.

Multiple choice

Directions: Give the appropriate replacement for the underlined word(s) in the given sentence to make it grammatically correct. If no improvement is needed, mark (4) as the answer.

The police force is searching for the notorious criminal.

  1. has been

  2. are

  3. was

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

The term 'police force' is a collective noun treated as a single unit, so the singular verb 'is' is appropriate. While 'police' alone is plural, 'police force' emphasizes the organization as one entity.

Multiple choice

Directions: Give the appropriate replacement for the underlined word(s) in the given sentence to make it grammatically correct. If no improvement is needed, mark (4) as the answer.

The father was angry at Meena for late coming to home.

  1. with

  2. about

  3. on

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

The standard idiomatic expression is to be 'angry with' a person and 'angry at' a situation or thing. Since Meena is a person, 'with' is the correct preposition to use.

Multiple choice

Directions: Give the appropriate replacement for the underlined word(s) in the given sentence to make it grammatically correct. If no improvement is needed, mark (4) as the answer.

The matter must be considered in every point of view.

  1. from

  2. with

  3. at

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

The correct idiomatic phrase is 'from every point of view' or 'from a point of view'. The preposition 'in' is incorrect in this context as it does not convey the intended meaning of perspective.