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Sentence Improvement
Chapter Significance: Sentence improvement is very important. This is now a trendy topic in the English section competitive examinations. This topic has special weightage in Banking and SSC examinations. To attempt questions from this topic, one must know all the grammatical rules which we have discussed in the other chapters.
For better understanding, go through the following chapters-
Noun, Pronoun, Adjectives, Adverbs, Verb, Prepositions, Sentence and Clauses, Modals, Question Tags, Tenses, Narration, Voice Change.
We will understand how to solve questions from sentence improvement with the following examples.
Example:
Read the following sentences carefully, some parts are highlighted. Find out if the highlighted part can be improved. If no improvement required, mark ‘no improvement’ from the option.
1. Murli has not visited much countries due to his busy schedule of work.
a) Many countries
b) Some countries
c) A few countries
d) No country
e) No improvement
For countable noun, ‘many’ is used.
2. Sheep was grazing in the field yesterday.
a) Sheep is grazing
b) Sheep were grazing
c) Sheep are grazing
d) Sheep has been grazing
e) No improvement
For both singular and plural form the noun is ‘sheep’. To denote singular ‘a’ article is added.
3. What song shall I play tonight in the party from the playlist that you have provided me?
a) Which song will played
b) What song will be played
c) Which song is played
d) Which song shall I play
e) No improvement
In case of choice between two or more things, ‘which’ is used.
(refer to the chapter Pronoun)
4. These are your favourite toys, isn’t it?
a) Aren’t it?
b) Aren’t they?
c) Weren’t they?
d) Is it?
e) No improvement
For question tags, ‘these’ become ‘they’ and also the verb will be according to it i.e. ‘aren’t’
(refer to the chapter Question tags)
5. Gagan is staying in Patna for five years.
a) Was staying at
b) Stay in
c) Has been staying in
d) Should stayed at
e) No improvement
The sentence implies that the subject is still staying in Patna. The appropriate tense is present perfect continuous tense.
6. Madhav has received the call from the company in the morning.
a) Have received the call
b) Did receive the call
c) Is receiving the call
d) Has been receiving the call
e) No improvement
The call was received in the morning and the effect of it is still fresh. Hence the tense used is correct and no improvement needed.
7. Kush not have chosen such an expensive flat.
a) No have chosen
b) Need not have chosen
c) Need not be chosen
d) Have not chosen
e) No improvement
‘need not + have + V3’ – used to denote any past action which was not required.
8. Rahul visited the temple everyday when he was young.
a) Visits the temple
b) Had visited the temple
c) Used to visit the temple
d) Used to visited the temple
e) No improvement
‘used to’ is used to denote any past habitual action.
9. Liza realize her mistake and she was ashamed of it.
a) Liza realizes her mistake
b) Liza have realized her mistake
c) Liza will be realizing her mistake
d) Liza realized her mistake
e) No improvement
The last part of the sentence denotes the tense which is ‘simple past tense’ and therefore it will be ‘Liza realised’.
10. The Indian Constitution is republic and democracy in nature.
a) Republic and democratic in nature
b) Republic and democrat nature
c) Republic and democracy by nature
d) By nature republic and democrats
e) No improvement
Democracy- noun ; Democratic- adjective
The sentence is highlighting the nature of the Indian Constitution and therefore an adjective will be used.
(refer to the chapter Noun and Adjective)
Exercise:
Read the following sentences carefully, some parts are highlighted. Find out if the highlighted part can be improved. If no improvement required, mark ‘no improvement’ from the option.
1. What should I wear out of these three shirts tomorrow for the interview?
a) What I wear
b) Which should I wear
c) Which should be wear
d) How should I wear
e) No improvement
For choice ‘which’ is used
(refer to the chapter Pronoun)
2. Payal said that the Sun rose in the east.
a) Rose at the
b) Will rise in the
c) Rises in the
d) Used to rise in the
e) No improvement
For indirect speech, the simple present tense is used for eternal truth.
(refer to the chapter Narration)
3. Varun is on the way and was coming in an hour.
a) Is coming in
b) Has come in
c) Will come in
d) Came in
e) No improvement
For near future, present continuous tense is used.
4. I have a huge syllabus to complete but I don’t know how will I cope it up.
a) How I will cope up
b) How I shall cope up, say?
c) How will I cope with it.
d) How can I cope it up.
e) No improvement
Cope up- wrong; Cope with- adjustment
(refer to the chapter Preposition)
5. Neha as well as her friends are going to watch a movie tonight.
a) Were going to watch
b) Will be gone to watch
c) Have gone to watch
d) Is going to watch
e) No improvement
‘as well as’ – when two or more subjects are linked with it, the verb will be according to the first subject.
Here the first subject is Neha and that is why ‘is going’ will be correct.
