Sentence Improvement Practice Questions

5 questions per page • Detailed step-by-step solutions

Directions (Q. )

In each of the following questions, a part of the sentence is italicised. Alternatives to the italicised part are provided below, one of which may improve the sentence. Choose the best alternative. If no improvement is needed, select 'E' as your answer.

Question 26
Easy
The children have been playing outside since two hours.
A for two hours
B from two hours
C in two hours
D before two hours
E No improvement
Correct Answer: A

Explanation:

'Since' is for a point in time. A period of time takes 'for', so 'for two hours' is correct.
Question 27
Easy
The news are shocking to everyone in the town.
A The news is
B The news was being
C The news have been
D The news are being
E No improvement
Correct Answer: A

Explanation:

'News' is an uncountable noun and takes a singular verb, so 'The news is' is correct.
Question 28
Medium
The river flows through three states and it joins the sea.
A flows through three states and joins
B flowing through three states and joining
C through three states flows and it joins
D flowed through three states and it joins
E No improvement
Correct Answer: A

Explanation:

The sentence already has the subject 'The river', so the second verb 'joins' needs no extra pronoun 'it'. 'Flows ... and joins' is correct.
Question 29
Medium
The children enjoyed very much the zoo visit.
A enjoying the zoo visit very much
B enjoyed the zoo visit very much
C very enjoyed the zoo visit much
D enjoyed the zoo visit much very
E No improvement
Correct Answer: B

Explanation:

The adverb phrase 'very much' goes after the object: 'enjoyed the zoo visit very much'.
Question 30
Easy
She had wrote the letter before the courier arrived.
A wrote had
B had written
C has writing
D had writing
E No improvement
Correct Answer: B

Explanation:

'Had' needs the past participle 'written', not the simple past 'wrote'.