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: 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.

He told me that I must carry on, so that one day I will succeed.

  1. I may

  2. I shall

  3. I can

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

Here is the case of 'probability',  or 'likely possibility', rather than certainity. Therefore, modal 'may' is the best choice.

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.

They seem to be on the look for trouble.

  1. look on

  2. look out

  3. look to

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

Case of idiomatic usage. 'On the outlook (for someone or something)' means 'watchful for someone or something'.  'Look to' means 'to expect someone or something to supply something'.

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.

Newspapers sell because of news but it gets revenue from advertisements.

  1. they got

  2. they get

  3. it got

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

Error of noun-pronoun-verb agreement. Here, the subject is 'newspapers', which is a plural noun. It requires a plural pronoun and a plural verb. So, 'it gets' should be replaced by 'they get'.

Multiple choice

Directions: Look at the bold part of each sentence. Below each sentence are given three possible substitutions for the bold part. If one of them (A), or (C) is better than the underlined part, indicate your esponse one the Answer Sheet against the corresponding latter (A, (B) or (C). If none of the substitutions improve the sentence, indicate (D) as your response on the Answer Sheet. Thus a 'No improvement' response will be signified by the letter (D)

He has been absent since three days.

  1. From three days.

  2. During three days.

  3. For three days.

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

The preposition 'since' is used for a specific point in time, while 'for' is used for a duration or period of time. Since 'three days' is a duration, 'for three days' is the correct substitution.

Multiple choice

Directions: Look at the bold part of each sentence. Below each sentence are given three possible substitutions for the bold part. If one of them (A), or (C) is better than the underlined part, indicate your esponse one the Answer Sheet against the corresponding latter (A, (B) or (C). If none of the substitutions improve the sentence, indicate (D) as your response on the Answer Sheet. Thus a 'No improvement' response will be signified by the letter (D)

He bought a new house but disposed it off immediately.

  1. Disposed immediately

  2. Disposed off it immediately

  3. Disposed off immediately

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

Directions: Look at the bold part of each sentence. Below each sentence are given three possible substitutions for the bold part. If one of them (A), or (C) is better than the underlined part, indicate your esponse one the Answer Sheet against the corresponding latter (A, (B) or (C). If none of the substitutions improve the sentence, indicate (D) as your response on the Answer Sheet. Thus a 'No improvement' response will be signified by the letter (D)

Measles is dangerous for adults, too!

  1. With

  2. In

  3. To

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

While 'dangerous for' is sometimes used, 'dangerous to' is the more standard idiomatic expression when referring to health risks or threats to a specific group. Substitution (C) provides the most conventional usage.

Multiple choice

Directions: Look at the bold part of each sentence. Below each sentence are given three possible substitutions for the bold part. If one of them (A), or (C) is better than the underlined part, indicate your esponse one the Answer Sheet against the corresponding latter (A, (B) or (C). If none of the substitutions improve the sentence, indicate (D) as your response on the Answer Sheet. Thus a 'No improvement' response will be signified by the letter (D)

He could not be able to think logically.

  1. Can be not able.

  2. Was not able.

  3. Can be unable.

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

The phrase 'could not be able' is redundant because both 'could' and 'be able to' express ability. The correct past tense form is 'was not able to' or simply 'could not'.

Multiple choice

Directions: Look at the bold part of each sentence. Below each sentence are given three possible substitutions for the bold part. If one of them (A), or (C) is better than the underlined part, indicate your esponse one the Answer Sheet against the corresponding latter (A, (B) or (C). If none of the substitutions improve the sentence, indicate (D) as your response on the Answer Sheet. Thus a 'No improvement' response will be signified by the letter (D)

The money he has given in not sufficient enough for the job.

  1. Mush sufficient

  2. Sufficient

  3. Sufficiently enough

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

The words 'sufficient' and 'enough' have the same meaning, making 'sufficient enough' redundant. Using 'sufficient' alone is grammatically correct and concise.

Multiple choice

Directions: Look at the bold part of each sentence. Below each sentence are given three possible substitutions for the bold part. If one of them (A), or (C) is better than the underlined part, indicate your esponse one the Answer Sheet against the corresponding latter (A, (B) or (C). If none of the substitutions improve the sentence, indicate (D) as your response on the Answer Sheet. Thus a 'No improvement' response will be signified by the letter (D)

She was the oldest of the two sisters.

  1. older of the two sisters.

  2. oldest between the two sisters.

  3. Older than her sister

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

When comparing two people or things, the comparative degree ('older') should be used instead of the superlative degree ('oldest'). Therefore, 'older of the two sisters' is the correct form.

Multiple choice

Directions: Look at the bold part of each sentence. Below each sentence are given three possible substitutions for the bold part. If one of them (A), or (C) is better than the underlined part, indicate your esponse one the Answer Sheet against the corresponding latter (A, (B) or (C). If none of the substitutions improve the sentence, indicate (D) as your response on the Answer Sheet. Thus a 'No improvement' response will be signified by the letter (D)

The gypsies had left the village a few days ago.

  1. Have left

  2. Would

  3. Left

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

The phrase 'a few days ago' indicates a specific finished time in the past, which requires the Simple Past tense ('left') rather than the Past Perfect tense ('had left').

Multiple choice

Directions: Look at the bold part of each sentence. Below each sentence are given three possible substitutions for the bold part. If one of them (A), or (C) is better than the underlined part, indicate your esponse one the Answer Sheet against the corresponding latter (A, (B) or (C). If none of the substitutions improve the sentence, indicate (D) as your response on the Answer Sheet. Thus a 'No improvement' response will be signified by the letter (D)

I'll write to you after I shall arrive.

  1. After I shall have arrived

  2. After I arrived

  3. After I arrive

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

In subordinate clauses of time (starting with words like 'after', 'when', or 'before') that refer to the future, the Simple Present tense is used instead of the future tense. Thus, 'after I arrive' is the correct form.

Multiple choice

Directions: Look at the bold part of each sentence. Below each sentence are given three possible substitutions for the bold part. If one of them (A), or (C) is better than the underlined part, indicate your esponse one the Answer Sheet against the corresponding latter (A, (B) or (C). If none of the substitutions improve the sentence, indicate (D) as your response on the Answer Sheet. Thus a 'No improvement' response will be signified by the letter (D)

I did nothing but cried.

  1. But crying

  2. But cry

  3. But to cry

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

When 'but' is used to mean 'except' after 'do' or 'did', it is followed by a bare infinitive (the base form of the verb without 'to'). Therefore, 'but cry' is the correct grammatical structure.