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

The underlined portion of the following sentence has some errors. Four options are given below the sentence. Choose the correct option to improve the sentence.

The term 'hacking' originated probably in the 1960's while the modern computing system was evolving and people were studying computers in the labs of Massachusetts Institute of technology.

  1. The term 'hacking' originated probably in the 1960's when the modern computing system was evolving

  2. The term 'hacking' probably originated in the 1960's when the modern computing system was evolving

  3. The term 'hacking' probably originated in the 1960's while the modern computer system was evolving

  4. The term 'hacking' probably originated in the 1960's when the modern computer system was evolving

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

 Here, 'probably' and 'when' rectify the errors. An adverb qualifies an adjective, verb and another adverb. Here, adverb 'probably' qualifies the verb 'originated'. 'When' is used in that condition when an action is completed. Here, an action (the origination of the term hacking) is completed. 

Multiple choice

Directions: A sentence/part of the sentence is underlined. Choose from the alternatives (1), (2) and (3), the one that best improves the underlined sentence/part of the sentence. In case no alternative is needed, your answer is (4).

My father and my brother usually goes shopping together.

  1. usually have gone shopping together

  2. usually go shopping together

  3. usually are going shopping together

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

When two singular nouns are combined as a subject, a plural verb is used.

Multiple choice

Directions: A sentence/part of the sentence is underlined. Choose from the alternatives (1), (2) and (3), the one that best improves the underlined sentence/part of the sentence. In case no alternative is needed, your answer is (4).

The food had cooked before the cook came.

  1. The food had been cooked before the cook came.

  2. The food was cooked before the cook came.

  3. The food had cooked before the cook had come.

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

The food will not cook itself. So, we need the passive voice ‘had been’.

Multiple choice

Directions: A sentence/part of the sentence is underlined. Choose from the alternatives (1), (2) and (3), the one that best improves the underlined sentence/part of the sentence. In case no alternative is needed, your answer is (4).

Not only Shyam, but also Shiv were given a prize for each event.

  1. were given prizes for each event

  2. were given a prize for the event

  3. was given a prize for each event

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

In case of use of ‘not only, but also’, the verb connects with the second subject, which is singular in this case.

Multiple choice

Directions: A sentence/part of the sentence is underlined. Choose from the alternatives (1), (2) and (3), the one that best improves the underlined sentence/part of the sentence. In case no alternative is needed, your answer is (4).

Children should be educated in first aid by the school authorities, so that, in the case of emergency, the latter do not panic.

  1. the former do not panic

  2. they do not panic

  3. such children do not panic

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

There are two plural subjects here. The sentence must clarify who do not panic -  the children or the authorities.

Multiple choice

Directions: A sentence/part of the sentence is underlined. Choose from the alternatives (1), (2) and (3), the one that best improves the underlined sentence/part of the sentence. In case no alternative is needed, your answer is (4).

Shelly who broke the chair, she was reprimanded.

  1. Shelly, who broke the chair, was reprimanded.

  2. Shelly, who had broken the chair, was reprimanded.

  3. Shelly, who broke the chair, had been reprimanded.

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

Obviously the ‘breaking’ had happened before she was reprimanded.

Multiple choice

Directions: Look at the underlined part of each sentence. Below each sentence three possible substitutions are given for the underlined part. If one of them is better than the underlined part, then choose that option else choose the fourth option that indicates that no improvement can be made.

We stayed at Jaipur for three days.

  1. by

  2. in

  3. for

  4. No improvement

  5. .
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The preposition ‘in’ is used to indicate when a place is referred to as an area or destination. This is correct in this context as Jaipur is the place where we stayed.

Multiple choice

Directions: Look at the underlined part of each sentence. Below each sentence three possible substitutions are given for the underlined part. If one of them is better than the underlined part, then choose that option else choose the fourth option that indicates that no improvement can be made.

I had the privilege by knowing him intimately during his stay in Delhi.

  1. for knowing

  2. from knowing

  3. of knowing

  4. No improvement

  5. .
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The preposition ‘of’ indicates a connection, relationship, or association with someone. This is correct in this context. ‘Of knowing’ here indicates the connection between the subjects. Thus, the privilege of knowing someone is the correct answer in this context.

Multiple choice

Directions: Look at the underlined part of each sentence. Below each sentence three possible substitutions are given for the underlined part. If one of them is better than the underlined part, then choose that option else choose the fourth option that indicates that no improvement can be made.

He would be at the party yesterday.

  1. is

  2. was

  3. had been

  4. No improvement

  5. .
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

This is the correct answer as 'was' indicates simple past tense and is correct in this context as the party was yesterday and he was present there.