Sentence Correction Exercises
61. She gave most of her time to music
(a) devoted
(b) spend
(c) lent
(d) No improvement
Answer: (a) devoted
62. When I was fourteen, I sat the entrance examination for senior secondary school.
(a) sat for
(b) sat in
(c) sat at
(d) No improvement
Answer: (b) sat in
63. He has been working off and on for several years to compile a dictionary.
(a) on or off
(b) on and off
(c) regularly
(d) No correction required
Answer: (b) on and off
64. Rajni unnecessarily picked up a quarrel with Kashish and left the party hurriedly.
(a) picking up
(b) picked on
(c) picked
(d) has picked up
Answer: (c) picked
65. She did not like the movie, nor I did.
(a) nor did I
(b) nor I like it
(c) nor I liked it
(d) No improvement
Answer: (a) nor did I
66. It will take two hours to walk across the forest.
(a) over
(b) between
(c) away
(d) through
Answer: (d) through
67. The unemployment rate has dropped sharply this month, though it may only be temporary.
(a) but it may be only temporary
(b) but the drop may only be temporary
(c) even though the drop may only be temporary
(d) but such a drop may only be a temporary one
Answer: (c) even though the drop may only be temporary
68. In accordance to your instructions, we have remitted the amount in the bank.
(a) by
(b) with
(c) for
(d) No improvement
Answer: (b) with
69. Although he was the most friendly of all present and different from the others, he hadn’t hardly any friends except me.
(a) different from the others, he hardly had any friends except I
(b) different than the others, he hardly had any friends except me
(c) different than the others, he hardly had any friends except I
(d) different from the others, he hardly had any friends except me
Answer: (d) When we use the word ‘hardly’, it implies a negative meaning, there is then no need to use not, so the most suitable use is ‘he hardly had any friends’.
70. Since we are living in Bombay for five years, we are reluctant to move to another city.
(a) Being that we living
(b) Since we were living
(c) Since we have been living
(d) Being that we have been living
Answer: (c) The tense in this sentence should be the present perfect continuous because it refers to an action that started at some time in past and continues till the present time so right use is ‘have been living in Mumbai.’
71. As a child, my parents took me to Jammu to visit my grandmother.
(a) When I was a child, my parents took me to Jammu to visit my grandmother
(b) My parents took me, as a child, to Jammu to visit my grandmother
(c) My parents took me to Jammu to visit my grandmother as a child.
(d) A child, my parents took me to Jammu to visit my grandmother
Answer: (a) As a child, should be followed by a phrase that has ‘child’ as its subject, i.e., as a child I was taken by my parents to visit Jammu & Kashmir or other ways, we can change the first part of the sentence, the second part describes an action so the first should be an adverb clause. Thus when I was child is the most suitable alternative.
72. Anyone interested in the use of computer can learn much if you have access to a state-of-the-art microcomputer.
(a) if he has access to
(b) if access is available to
(c) by access to
(d) from access to
Answer: (a) ‘Anyone’ implies a person involved. So a personal pronoun will be needed to give conditions later in the sentence, there must be a ‘he’ or ‘one’ in the sentence. The noun cannot be in the second person but has to be in the third person because ‘Anyone’ refers to an unknown third person.
73. Start the motor, and then you should remove the blocks.
(a) Start the motor, then removing the blocks
(b) Starting the motor, the blocks should then be removed
(c) Start the motor and then remove the blocks
(d) Starting the motor remove the blocks
Answer: (c) The use of the modal ‘should’ is unnecessary in this statement. It is a statement giving directions.
74. Eaten in Portugal only, the Indians viewed the potato with suspicion for they assumed it had poisonous properties since only the white skinned people consumed it.
(a) Indians viewed the potato with suspicion for they
(b) Indians were suspicious of the potato and they
(c) potato was viewed with suspicion by Indians who
(d) potato was suspicious to Indians, and it was
Answer: (c) The first part of the sentence is directed at a subject, which is ‘eaten in portugal only’, i.e., the potato, therefore the comma should be followed by a phrase with potato as its subject and not Indians. Of (c) & (d), (c) is the right option because ‘suspicious to Indian’ is not an appropriate usage.
75. Though he was more faster than his opponent on the field, his chances of winning the race was low as he lacked the killer instinct.
(a) Though he was more faster than his opponent on the field
(b) As he was more faster than his opponent on the field
(c) Though he was more fast from his opponent on the field
(d) Though he was faster than his opponent on the field
Answer: (d) The comparative degree for verb ‘fast’ is ‘faster’ and there is no need to add more to it.
76. Ever since the sting operation, there has been much opposition from they who maintain that it was an unauthorised act.
(a) Ever since the sting operation, there has been much opposition from they who maintain that it had been an unathorised act.
(b) ever since the sting operation, there has been much opposition from they who maintain that it was an unauthorised act.
(c) Ever since the sting operation, there has been much opposition from they who maintain that it was an unauthorised act.
(d) Ever since the sting operation, there has been much opposition from those maintaining that it was an unauthorised act.
Answer: (d) Replace ‘they’ with ‘those’.
77. Anita liked to watch television, of which she found the science programme especially fascinating.
(a) television, of which she found the science programme especially fascinating.
(b) television; she found the science programme especially fascinating.
(c) television, and it was especially the science programme that were of fascination.
(d) television; the fascination of the science programme especially.
Answer: (b) Option (b) depicts the best way of presenting the underlined part. The two parts of the sentence ‘Anita liked to watch television’ and ‘she found the…especially fascinating’ are independent of each other. So the usage of the phrase ‘of which’ in option (a), is inappropriate as to whom it refers is unclear and it also depicts the link between the two parts of sentence.
Option (c) is wordy. In option (d), the word ‘especially’ in the end is wrong as the sentence does not continue further. Also, it does not make any sense. Hence, option (b) is the correct option.
78. Although gale force winds often pass through the Eiffel Tower, causing it to sway no more than four inches.
(a) causing it to sway no more
(b) and yet it sways no more
(c) they do not cause it to sway more
(d) and they do not cause it to sway
Answer: (c) Option (c) depicts the best way of presenting the underlined part. Option (a) is incorrect as the phrase ‘causing it’ does not goes with the word ‘although’, which begins the sentence.
The word ‘although’ itself means ‘in spite of the fact’. So the phrase ‘and yet’ in option (b) is inappropriate to use with it. Option (d) is incorrect as the two parts of the sentence, one showing the action and other the effect, are dependent on each other. But the use of ‘and’ shows that they are independent. Hence, option (c) is the correct option.
79. Underestimating its value, breakfast is a meal many people skip.
(a) Underestimating its value, breakfast is a meal many people skip.
(b) Breakfast is skipped by many people because of their underestimating its value.
(c) Many people, underestimate the value of breakfast and skip it.
(d) Many people skip breakfast because they underestimate its value.
Answer: (d) Option (d) depicts the best way of presenting the underlined part as it is grammatically correct and concise.
Option (a) is incorrect as it is not clear that ‘its’ refers to what. Also, the phrase ‘many people skip’ is related to breakfast. In order to show this relation, a relative pronoun ‘which’ should be used before it.
Option (b) is incorrect as it depicts an unnecessary shift from active voice to passive voice, thus making it wordy. Underestimation of breakfast serves as a reason for people skipping breakfast.
But in option (c), the usage of ‘and’ shows no such relationship of cause and effect. Hence, option (d) is the correct option.
80. Certain shipwrecks have a particular fascination for those people which have a belief in finding the treasure in them.
(a) which have a belief in finding the treasure in them.
(b) who believe they hold treasure and that they can find it.
(c) who believe that there is treasure to be found in them.
(d) who believe about treasure to be found in them.
Answer: (c) Option (c) depicts the best way of presenting the underlined part as it is grammatically correct and concise.
Option (a) is incorrect as the relative pronoun ‘which’ is used for a thing and not for ‘people’.
Option (b) is incorrect as it is not clear that ‘they’ refers to ‘people’ or ‘shipwrecks’. Also, the emphasis is on the finding of treasure in shipwrecks and not simply on the finding of treasure.
Option (d) is incorrect as with the word ‘believe’, the use of ‘that’ is more appropriate than the word ‘about’ in the given context. Hence, option (c) is the correct option.