Sentence Improvement

Description: Verbal ability sentence improvement online free questions for competitive examination and entrance test preparation and practice
Number of Questions: 25
Created by:
Tags: Learn English English Vocabulary MBA Bank PO English Sentence Improvement Sentence Correction GMAT Grammar Sentence Correction Sentence Correction CAT Prepositions and Conjunctions Parts of Speech Tenses Structural Errors Pronoun Usage Subject Verb Agreement Error Identification
Attempted 0/25 Correct 0 Score 0

Directions: Look at the underlined part of the sentence. Below the sentence three possible substitutions for the underlined part are given. 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 little children were frightened by the old beggar.

  1. frightened of

  2. frightened at

  3. frightened after

  4. No improvement needed


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Case of idiomatic usage. 'Frightened of' means 'to get scared or afraid'.

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

A gentle breeze was blown across the meadow.

  1. was blowing

  2. has blown

  3. has been blown

  4. No improvement needed


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Case of improper sentence formation (active-passive voice).  This is an active sentence, and 'was blown' needs to be replaced by 'was blowing'. Thus, option 1.

Directions: Look at the underlined part of the sentence. Below the sentence three possible substitutions for the underlined part are given. 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 had a child holding on to each hand.

  1. every hand

  2. all hand

  3. both hand

  4. No improvement needed


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

The sentence is perfectly correct. 

Directions: Look at the underlined part of the sentence. Below the sentence three possible substitutions for the underlined part are given. 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 monk burnt him.

  1. burnt himself

  2. burnt he

  3. burnt itself

  4. No improvement needed


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Case of pronoun usage. Reflexive pronouns use 'self/selves' . As the monk is singualr noun, so 'self' is to be used with it. Thus, 'himself'.

Directions: Look at the underlined part of the sentence. Below the sentence three possible substitutions for the underlined part are given. 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 was made to wait for over two years.

  1. has made to

  2. had made to

  3. would make to

  4. No improvement needed


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

Case of passive voice. The sentence is perfectly correct.

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

Could you tell me where can I find a good hotel?

  1. where I can

  2. where could I

  3. where should I

  4. No improvement needed


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Case of sentence formation. Double interrogative words are not allowed. Thus, option 1.

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

It has been raining during the whole of last week.

  1. rained

  2. was raining

  3. is raining

  4. No improvement needed


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Case of past indefinite tense. There is no continuation involved here. In case of words like 'a few days ago', 'last week', 'this morning', etc we use past idefinite tense i.e. only second form of the verb.

Directions: Look at the underlined part of the sentence. Below the sentence three possible substitutions for the underlined part are given. 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 would have agreed, if you were more courteous.

  1. had been

  2. have been

  3. are

  4. No improvement needed


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Case of sentence formation. If the antecedant is in the present perfect, the subsequent needs to be in the past perfect tense. Thus, option 1.

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

We must remember where to turn of the main road.

  1. turn off

  2. turn out

  3. turn in

  4. No improvement needed


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Case of phrasal preposition. 'Turn off' means 'to switch something off so that it stops running or operating'.

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

If he drank less, he wouldn't have developed heart trouble.

  1. wouldn't develop

  2. couldn't have developed

  3. shouldn't have developed

  4. No improvement needed


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Case of sentence formation. If the antecedant is in the past indefinite, the subsequent needs to be in the present indefinite.

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

We endured his tyranny for three years now.

  1. have been enduring

  2. had been enduring

  3. have been endured

  4. No improvement needed


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

Case of past indefinite tense, where a fact has been highlighted. Thus, option 4.

Directions: Look at the underlined part of the sentence. Below the sentence three possible substitutions for the underlined part are given. 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 thing that I don't understand is why they were waiting so long without lodging a complaint.

  1. waited

  2. were to wait

  3. are to wait

  4. No improvement needed


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Case of past indefinite. In cases where we refer to a specific time of the past, we use second form of the verb. Here, the time referred to was the time before lodging the FIR.

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

Should it prove to be true, I should resign from the committee.

  1. shall

  2. were to

  3. had to

  4. No improvement needed


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Case of modal usage. The sentence implies that 'if phenomenon X happens, Y shall follow it'. 'Shall' is the future of 'should'.

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

Newton saw the apple to fall to the ground.

  1. fall

  2. fell

  3. fallen

  4. No improvement needed


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Case of redundancy. Here, infinitive 'to' is not required.

Directions: Look at the underlined part of the sentence. Below the sentence three possible substitutions for the underlined part are given. 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 enough rich to pay for his expenses.

  1. rich enough

  2. too rich

  3. very rich

  4. No improvement needed


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The word enough can be either before or after a noun. 'Rich enough' shows the 'capability to do something', like the capability to pay for one's expenses.

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

If they were knowing about the riots, they would not have decided to picnic there.

  1. had known

  2. knew

  3. did know

  4. No improvement needed


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Case of sentence formation. If the subsequent is in the present perfect (would not have decided), the antecedent must be in past perfect tense. Thus, option 1.

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

His behaviour was very impudent for me to tolerate.

  1. too impudent

  2. enough impudent

  3. so impudent

  4. No improvement needed


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Case of adjectival usage. Adjective 'too' is negative in connotation. It means something that is impossible. 'Very' means 'to a large extent'.

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

India has made rapid progress since the dawn of independence.

  1. for

  2. from

  3. before

  4. No improvement needed


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

Case of prepositional usage. Reffering to a specific point of time in the past takes preposition 'since' for itself.

Directions: Look at the underlined part of the sentence. Below the sentence three possible substitutions for the underlined part are given. 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 little monkey jumped on to his mother's back as she swing through the trees.

  1. swung

  2. was swinging

  3. had swung

  4. No improvement needed


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Error of sentence formation. As per the rules, if the pricipal clause is in the past tense, the subsidiary clause should also be in the past. Therefore, 'jumped' is to be followed by 'swung'.

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

No sooner had she read the telegram than she fall down fainting.

  1. fell down

  2. had fallen down

  3. has fallen down

  4. No improvement needed


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Case of past perfect tense. In past perfect tense, the latter action takes the second form of the verb. So, 'fall' should be changed to 'fell'.

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

I hear that one of your neighbours have filed a suit against you.

  1. has filed

  2. filed

  3. was filed

  4. did filed


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Error of subject-verb agreement. Words 'one of' are always followed by a singular auxilary verb. So, 'have' should be replaced with 'has'.

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

Scarcely did the game started, when the rain came pouring down.

  1. had the game

  2. the game had

  3. were the game

  4. No improvement needed


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Case of past perfect tense. Whenever two incidents in the past happen in a sequence, we use 'had' with the former one. Moreover, in this sentence 'did' is inappropriate as 'did' is always followed by 'first form of the verb', but here 'started' is used, which is the second form of verb.

Directions: Look at the underlined part of the sentence. Below the sentence three possible substitutions for the underlined part are given. 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 policeman didn't run enough fast to catch the thief.

  1. fast enough

  2. too fast

  3. so fast

  4. No improvement needed


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

'Fast enough' shows the capability to do something.

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

Many high school students are not even understanding the basics of physics and chemistry.

  1. don't even understand

  2. was not even understand

  3. have not even understood

  4. No improvement needed


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Error of sentence formation. In cases like this, where we reveal a general fact of present times, present indefinite tense is used. Moreover, 'verb of being' is preffered to 'the main verb' in such cases.

Directions: Look at the underlined part of the sentence. Below the sentence three possible substitutions for the underlined part are given. 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 has become too much of a nuisance to put with.

  1. put up with

  2. put down with

  3. put off with

  4. No improvement needed


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

'Put up with' is an idiom that means 'to bear or suffer patiently; tolerate'.

- Hide questions