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 each sentence are given three possible substitutions for the underlined part. If one of them (1), (2) or (3) is better than the underlined part, indicate your response against the corresponding number (1), (2) or (3. If none of the substitutions improve the sentence, indicate (4) as your response 'No improvement'. The spirit of democracy had sped into our way of thinking.

  1. leaked into

  2. permeated

  3. soaked into

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

To 'permeate' means to spread throughout something. It is the correct verb to describe how an idea or spirit influences a way of thinking.

Multiple choice

Directions:- Look at the underlined part of the sentence. Below each sentence are given three possible substitutions for the underlined part. If one of them (1), (2) or (3) is better than the underlined part, indicate your response against the corresponding number (1), (2) or (3. If none of the substitutions improve the sentence, indicate (4) as your response 'No improvement'.

The building will redecorate during the summer season.

  1. will be redecorated

  2. will be redecorating

  3. will be redecorate

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

The building is the receiver of the action, not the doer, so the passive voice 'will be redecorated' is required.

Multiple choice

Directions:- Look at the underlined part of the sentence. Below each sentence are given three possible substitutions for the underlined part. If one of them (1), (2) or (3) is better than the underlined part, indicate your response against the corresponding number (1), (2) or (3. If none of the substitutions improve the sentence, indicate (4) as your response 'No improvement'.

The preservation of peace is necessary.

  1. maintenance of peace

  2. establishment of peace

  3. persuasion of peace

  4. No improvement

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

While 'preservation' is not strictly wrong, 'maintenance of peace' is the standard, more common collocation used in political and social contexts to describe keeping peace ongoing.

Multiple choice

Directions:- Look at the underlined part of the sentence. Below each sentence are given three possible substitutions for the underlined part. If one of them (1), (2) or (3) is better than the underlined part, indicate your response against the corresponding number (1), (2) or (3. If none of the substitutions improve the sentence, indicate (4) as your response 'No improvement'.

The decent from the mountain peak was slow and painful.

  1. descent

  2. decline

  3. decrease

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

The word 'decent' means conforming to standards of behavior. The word 'descent' refers to the act of moving downwards, which is what is needed for a mountain peak.

Multiple choice

Directions:- Look at the underlined part of the sentence. Below each sentence are given three possible substitutions for the underlined part. If one of them (1), (2) or (3) is better than the underlined part, indicate your response against the corresponding number (1), (2) or (3. If none of the substitutions improve the sentence, indicate (4) as your response 'No improvement'.

The two thieves distributed the loot between themselves.

  1. among them

  2. among themselves

  3. with themselves

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

The sentence uses "between" correctly because it refers to exactly two thieves. "Among" would be used if there were three or more thieves. Therefore, the original phrasing is grammatically sound and requires no improvement.

Multiple choice

Directions In the given question, a part of the sentence is underlined. Below are given three alternatives for the underlined part which may improve the sentence. Choose the correct alternative. In case no improvement is needed, mark your answer as (4)

While crossing the road, a snake was seen.

  1. a snake was moving

  2. he saw a snake

  3. a snake was observed

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

It is not clear who saw the snake. An introduction of a pronoun removes this ambiguity.

Multiple choice

Directions: In the given question, a part of the sentence is underlined. Below are given three alternatives for the underlined part which may improve the sentence. Choose the correct alternative. In case no improvement is needed, mark your answer as (4).

The new Sultan has been able to bear up all opposition.

  1. Bear off

  2. Bear down

  3. Bear out

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

'Bear down' means to 'intensify', 'bear out' is to confirm or substantiate. The correct verb phrase is 'bear off' which means to steer away.

Multiple choice

Directions In the given question, a part of the sentence is underlined. Below are given three alternatives for the underlined part which may improve the sentence. Choose the correct alternative. In case no improvement is needed, mark your answer as (4)

The watchman was on alert all night

  1. was on the alert

  2. was off the alert

  3. was alert

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

 The verb 'alert' does not necessarily require a preposition.

Multiple choice

Directions In the given question, a part of the sentence is underlined. Below are given three alternatives for the underlined part which may improve the sentence. Choose the correct alternative. In case no improvement is needed, mark your answer as (4)

Rice is to the Japanese while potatoes are to many Europeans.

  1. which

  2. that

  3. what

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

 'What' is used to compare the importance of the food items to each of the communities.

Multiple choice

Directions In the given question, a part of the sentence is underlined. Below are given three alternatives for the underlined part which may improve the sentence. Choose the correct alternative. In case no improvement is needed, mark your answer as (4)

The enemy, beaten at every point, fled from the field.

  1. having been beaten

  2. was beaten

  3. to be beaten

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

 The correct form is 'having been beaten'.

Multiple choice

Directions In the given question, a part of the sentence is underlined. Below are given three alternatives for the underlined part which may improve the sentence. Choose the correct alternative. In case no improvement is needed, mark your answer as (4)

On her way home, Jane found a gold man's watch.

  1. gold men watch

  2. man's gold watch

  3. watch of gold

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

 A case of misplaced modifier. The modifier 'gold' should be placed before the word it modifies, i.e 'watch'.

Multiple choice

Directions In the given question, a part of the sentence is underlined. Below are given three alternatives for the underlined part which may improve the sentence. Choose the correct alternative. In case no improvement is needed, mark your answer as (4)

She did not like the movie, nor I did.

  1. nor did I

  2. nor I liked it

  3. nor I like it

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

 When a sentence or clause begins with a negative word(e.g nor), the helping verb comes before the subject.