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 italic part of the sentence. Three possible substitutions (1), (2) and (3) for the italic part are given. If one of them is better than the italic part, mark it as the answer. If any of the substitution doesn't improve the sentence, mark (4).

It is natural to be enthusiastic about the infinite variety of organic life found in the tropical seas.

  1. enthusiastic with

  2. enthusiastic on

  3. enthusiastic from

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

The preposition about is correct with the adjective enthusiastic. We say enthusiastic about something, not enthusiastic with/on/from. The original sentence is grammatically correct and requires no improvement.

Multiple choice

Directions: Look at the italic part of the sentence. Three possible substitutions (1), (2) and (3) for the italic part are given. If one of them is better than the italic part, mark it as the answer. If any of the substitution doesn't improve the sentence, mark (4).

I asked him that why he is so lazy.

  1. why he was

  2. that is why

  3. that why is he

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

Indirect questions do not use that and require word order change (subject before verb). The correct form is why he was, not why he is. The past tense was is needed because the asking happened in the past. That why is he maintains direct question word order incorrectly.

Multiple choice

Directions: Look at the italic part of the sentence. Three possible substitutions (1), (2) and (3) for the italic part are given. If one of them is better than the italic part, mark it as the answer. If any of the substitution doesn't improve the sentence, mark (4).

I must study my books today, as I have to give an examination tomorrow.

  1. as I have to take

  2. since I have to take

  3. I had to took

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

In English, the standard idiom is to take an exam or take a test, not give an examination. While give an exam exists in some varieties of English, take is the more natural and widely accepted collocation. Since I have to take is the best improvement.

Multiple choice

Directions: Look at the italicised part of the sentence. Three possible substitutions (1), (2) and (3) for the italicised part are given. If one of them is better than the italicised part, mark it as the answer. If any of the substitutions doesn't improve the sentence, mark (4).

The old man looked with caution before he crossed the busy street.

  1. cautiously before

  2. cautiously when

  3. cautiously for

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

To look with caution means to look cautiously.

Multiple choice

Directions: Look at the italic part of the sentence. Three possible substitutions (1), (2) and (3) for the italic part are given. If one of them is better than the italic part, mark it as the answer. If any of the substitutions doesn't improve the sentence, mark (4).

The new bank clerk kicked off a row with a colleague.

  1. up a

  2. on a

  3. from a

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

To kick up a row means to make a disturbance or start a fight.

Multiple choice

Directions: Look at the italicised part of the sentence. Three possible substitutions (1), (2) and (3) for the italicised part are given. If one of them is better than the italicised part, mark it as the answer. If any of the substitutions doesn't improve the sentence, mark (4).

We have instruction from the headquarters not purchase any new car this year.

  1. that not to purchase

  2. not purchasing

  3. not to purchase

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

'not' will be followed by 'to'.

Multiple choice

Directions: Look at the italicised part of the sentence. Three possible substitutions (1), (2) and (3) for the italicised part are given. If one of them is better than the italicised part, mark it as the answer. If any of the substitutions doesn't improve the sentence, mark (4).

Just before the commencement of the examination, the teacher advised us from copying or indulging in any other malpractice.

  1. against

  2. upon

  3. with

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

You advise someone against doing something.

Multiple choice

Directions: Look at the italic part of the sentence. Three possible substitutions (1), (2) and (3) for the italic part are given. If one of them is better than the italic part, mark it as the answer. If any of the substitutions doesn't improve the sentence, mark (4).

By the end of the April every year, the agricultural produce comprising wheat and gram goes to the market.

  1. to market

  2. over to market

  3. into a market

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

The usage of 'the' with 'market' is redundant as no particular market is being talked about.

Multiple choice

Directions: Look at the underlined part of the sentence. Below the sentence is given three possible substitutions for the underlined part. If one of the possible 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.

She hurt her arm as well as breaking her leg.

  1. had broken

  2. broke

  3. break

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

Case of parallelism under past indefinite tense. 'Hurt' is a verb, and needs to be followed with another verb. So, we need to replace 'breaking' (a gerund form) with 'broke' (past of break).

Multiple choice

Directions: Look at the underlined part of the sentence. Below the sentence is given three possible substitutions for the underlined part. If one of the possible 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.

Alice bathed, dressed, took breakfast and was going out.

  1. went out

  2. had gone out

  3. is going out

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

Case of parallelism under past indefinite tense. 'Bathed', 'dressed', etc. need to be followed by second form of the verb. Thus, 'went out'.

Multiple choice

Directions: Look at the underlined part of the sentence. Below the sentence is given three possible substitutions for the underlined part. If one of the possible 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.

Gandhiji, the father of the nation, was living a simple life.

  1. had lived

  2. lived

  3. is living

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

This is a statement of a fact of past. Case of past indefinite tense. And in such cases we use second form of the verb (without any auxilary).

Multiple choice

Directions: Look at the underlined part of the sentence. Below the sentence is given three possible substitutions for the underlined part. If one of the possible 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 weather was fine, they decided to have a picnic.

  1. being fine

  2. is fine

  3. it being fine

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

This is a complex sentence. The former part is a verb of being case and the latter part is a verb of action case. So, the correct formation of the former part is - ''The weather being fine..........''.

Multiple choice

Directions: Look at the underlined part of the sentence. Below the sentence three possible substitutions are given for the underlined part. If one of the possible 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 chairman, got to his feet, rebuked the protesting members who disturbed the meeting.

  1. getting to his feet

  2. was getting to his feet

  3. get to his feet

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

The words “got to his feet” form a parenthetical clause which acts as a complement to the subject. It has a wrong construction in the given sentence because it requires a participle and that too a present participle which is nothing but “getting”. Hence (1) is the correct answer.

Multiple choice

Directions: Look at the underlined part of the sentence. Below the sentence is given three possible substitutions for the underlined part. If one of the possible 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.

Ashoka, conquered Kalinga, decided not to fight any more wars.

  1. being conquered Kalinga

  2. having conquered Kalinga

  3. was conquered Kalinga

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

Case of perfect participle which either makes use of “having + third form” or ”having been + third form”. The sentence implies that 'Ashoka, after conquering Kalinga.........'. Thus, option 2 is the correct usage.

Multiple choice

Directions: Look at the underlined part of the sentence. Below the sentence three possible substitutions are given for the underlined part. If one of the possible 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 is efficient, hardworking and conscientiously.

  1. conscientious

  2. with conscience

  3. with conscientious

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

“Conscientiously” is an adverb while the words preceding it are adjectives. Keeping the similarity, all should be adjectives and the adjective of “conscientiously” is “conscientious”. Hence, (1) is the correct answer.