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Sentence Improvement (Level: Easy)

Description: Questions requiring students to make a sentence grammatically correct are often asked in various exams. Here is a collection of such questions.
Number of Questions: 25
Created by:
Tags: Learn English English vocabulary MBA Bank PO GRE SAT Sentence Improvement Sentence Formation Parts of Speech Modals (can,could,may,might) Structural Errors The Future Continuous Tense Compound and Conditional Sentences
Attempted 0/25 Correct 0 Score 0

Directions: Look at the underlined part of sentence. Below the sentence are given three possible substitutions for the underlined part. If one of the 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 fog lifted, the plane took off.

  1. Having lifted the fog

  2. Lifting the fog

  3. The fog having lifted

  4. No improvement needed


Correct Option: C
Explanation:

Since, the clause 'the plane took off' is an independent clause, there has to be a dependent clause to make the sentence complete. 'The fog lifted'is an independent clause. So, we have to turn 'The fog lifted' into a subordinate or dependent clause. It can be 'As the fog lifted,' or 'The fog having lifted'.

Directions: Look at the underlined part of sentence. Below the sentence are given three possible substitutions for the underlined part. If one of the 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 complained of having tortured by the police.

  1. having been tortured

  2. tortured

  3. been tortured

  4. No improvement needed


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

'By the police' makes it a sentence in the passive voice with 'the police' as the subject. So, the object case is tortured and complains of 'having been tortured'.

Directions: Look at the underlined part of sentence. Below the sentence are given three possible substitutions for the underlined part. If one of the 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 sea rough, they abandoned the swim.

  1. Sea being rough

  2. The sea being rough

  3. It being rough

  4. No improvement needed


Correct Option: B
Explanation:

'Being' indicates  the current condition of the sea.

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

We were all happy at Mr. Sen being awarded the Nobel Prize.

  1. at Mr Sen's being awarded

  2. at Mr Sen awarded

  3. at Mr Sen been awarded

  4. No improvement needed


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

 No improvement required.

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

Being a rainy day, we had to abandon the match.

  1. Having been a rainy day

  2. It being a rainy day

  3. It been a rainy day

  4. No improvement needed


Correct Option: B
Explanation:

There is a  dangling modifier( Being a rainy day) in the sentence, the inclusion of a pronoun 'it'  clarifies what is being modified.

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

If she hadn't been so bad-tempered, I could have married her.

  1. might have married her

  2. should have married her

  3. must have married her

  4. No improvement needed


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

'Might have'  suggests that there was a small possibility of something happening.

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

Hurry lest you should not miss the train.

  1. should miss

  2. should

  3. would not

  4. No improvement needed


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Some words like lest, unless, until etc. are not followed by negative sentence.

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

Hadn't we cancelled the journey at the last moment, we should all have been killed in the crash.

  1. If we had not cancelled

  2. Had we cancelled

  3. If we had cancelled

  4. No improvement needed


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The first clause needs to be a conditional statement, hence, the inclusion of 'if'.

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

No less than 50 students turned up for the presentation.

  1. No fewer

  2. Less

  3. Few

  4. No improvement needed


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Few and fewer is used for countable nouns. Less is used for uncountable nouns. Because '50'  is a specific number, we use 'fewer'. 

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

This time tomorrow I will lie on the beach.

  1. will be lying

  2. will have been lying

  3. will have lied

  4. No improvement needed


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The future continuous tense is used to refer to events that will happen at a particular time in the future, (will + be + verb+ing).

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

I looked up and found we had water dripping through the ceiling.

  1. we had water was dripping

  2. we had water dripped

  3. we have water dripping

  4. No improvement needed


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

The sentence is correct as given.

Directions: Look at the underlined part of sentence. Below the sentence are given three possible substitutions for the underlined part. If one of the 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 was hardly inside the house than the kids started screaming.

  1. when

  2. by

  3. as soon as

  4. No improvement needed


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The conjuction pair is 'Hardly....when'.

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

No sooner has she agreed to marry him than she started having terrible doubts.

  1. No sooner had she agreed

  2. She no sooner had agreed

  3. No sooner did she agreed

  4. No improvement needed


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

'Had she'

Directions: Look at the underlined part of sentence. Below the sentence are given three possible substitutions for the underlined part. If one of the 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 was a nice girl, but she should talk about herself all the time.

  1. would

  2. must

  3. could

  4. No improvement needed


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Would is often used as a kind of past tense of  will. Since the sentence is in past tense, 'would' is the correct answer. 

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

As well as he breaking his leg, he hurt his arm.

  1. As well as breaking

  2. As well as he broke

  3. As well as broke

  4. No improvement needed


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

When we put a verb after 'as well as' we often use the -ing form. Also, there is no need of 'he' in the first clause.

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

Cold though it was, we went out.

  1. As it was cold

  2. It was cold though

  3. Cold it was though

  4. No improvement needed


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

The sentence is correct as given.

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

You look tired. Yes, I had been running.

  1. have been

  2. was

  3. were

  4. No improvement needed


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The present perfect tense  'have been' should be used to indicate the activity has just been completed.

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

I asked her whether if she believed in God.

  1. whether she believed

  2. about whether she believed

  3. about if she believed

  4. No improvement needed


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

We can use one of the two words 'whether' or 'if'. 'If' is an unnecessary addition.

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

Neither of her five children go to school.

  1. None of her

  2. Either of her

  3. Any of her

  4. No improvement needed


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Neither is used for two people or two things. None is used for more than two. Either is used for 2 people or two things, but in a positive way.

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

They were built this house in 1990.

  1. built

  2. build

  3. have built

  4. No improvement needed


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Simple past tense 'built' will be used.

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

Bravely as they fought, they had no chance of winning.

  1. Bravely as though they fought

  2. Bravely they fought though

  3. As they fought bravely

  4. No improvement needed


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

The sentence is correct as given.

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

Are you free on this evening?

  1. this evening

  2. at this evening

  3. in this evening

  4. No improvement needed


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

'Next, last, this' do not require a preposition.

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

God will, we shall meet again.

  1. If God is willing

  2. God is willing

  3. Willing God

  4. No improvement needed


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The correct syntax is ' God willing' or ' If God is willing'.

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

We met at a cold morning in early spring.

  1. on

  2. in

  3. with

  4. No improvement needed


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

'On' is used for specific days.

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

Being too costly for him, he could not buy the coat.

  1. It being too costly for him

  2. He being too costly

  3. Being it too costly

  4. No improvement needed


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

This is a case of a dangling modifier. It is not clear what the sentence ( Being too costly) modifies. The inclusion of 'it' clarifies that it is the coat.

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