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: The word/phrase, (1), (2), and (3) should replace the word/phrase given in italics in the following sentence so as to make it most effective and meaningfully correct. If the sentence is correct and needs no change, mark (4).

More than 50 teachers has found it correct.

  1. have been found

  2. were found

  3. have found

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

Error of subject-verb agreement. We need a plural auxilary to qualify a plural noun. Thus, option 3.

Multiple choice

Directions: The word/phrase, (1), (2), (3), and (4) should replace the word/phrase given in italics in each of the following sentences so as to make it most effective and meaningfully correct. If the sentence is correct and needs no change, mark (4).

I cannot remember where I did leave my black shirt.

  1. did I have

  2. I left

  3. left I

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

Antecedent of past indefinite is present indefinite. So, to rectify the sentence we need past indefinite.

Multiple choice

Directions: The word/phrase, (1), (2), and (3) should replace the word/phrase given in italics in the following sentence so as to make it most effective and meaningfully correct. If the sentence is correct and needs no change, mark (4).

Only three-fourth of the work are complete.

  1. is complete

  2. has completed

  3. have completed

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

We take ratios and proportions as a singular unit. Here three-fourth means 'a share' of the total. Hence, we need a singular auxilary. Thus, option 1.

Multiple choice

Directions: The word/phrase, (1), (2), and (3) should replace the word/phrase given in italics in the following sentence so as to make it most effective and meaningfully correct. If the sentence is correct and needs no change, mark (4).

He insisted on he was innocent.

  1. insisted on that

  2. insisted that

  3. insists that

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

'Insisted on' is followed by a noun. 'Innocent' is not a noun,  but a verb of being. 'Insisted that' takes verb of being. Hence, option 2.

Multiple choice

Directions: The word/phrase, (1), (2), and (3) should replace the word/phrase given in italics in the following sentence so as to make it most effective and meaningfully correct. If the sentence is correct and needs no change, mark (4).

They have responded still not to our proposal.

  1. have not still responded

  2. have not responded now

  3. not have still responded

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

Case of modifier usage. 'Sill not' is a modifier that qualifies to verb 'responded'. Option 1 is the correct usage.

Multiple choice

Directions: The word/phrase, (1), (2), and (3) should replace the word/phrase given in italics in the following sentence so as to make it most effective and meaningfully correct. If the sentence is correct and needs no change, mark (4).

To lock up a man and let him doing nothing is a cruel punishment.

  1. let him do nothing

  2. letting him do nothing

  3. to let him do nothing

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

Case of parallelism. 'To lock somebody' is a verb and needs to be followed by other verb form, if any. So, change 'doing' (gerund form) into 'do' (verb form).

Multiple choice

Directions: The word/phrase, (1), (2), and (3) should replace the word/phrase given in italics in the following sentence so as to make it most effective and meaningfully correct. If the sentence is correct and needs no change, mark (4).

At last we realized what was truth.

  1. what was the truth

  2. what the truth was

  3. the truth was

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

This is a statement of past rather than an interrogative case. Opitonn 2 is the correct usage.

Multiple choice

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

Soldiers were determined to stay at their post.

  1. off

  2. in

  3. on

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

No improvement is required as “at” is used to indicate an activity also. So, it is correct.

Multiple choice

Directions: In the given question, a sentence or a part of the sentence is underlined to which alternatives (1), (2) and (3) are given below which may improve the sentence. Choose the correct alternative. If no improvement is needed, your answer is (4).

They were all surprised at his success in the competition.

  1. were surprised all

  2. was very surprised

  3. had all shocked at

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

No improvement is needed as it is already a correct sentence.