PSAT Writing : Correcting Ambiguity and Redundancy Errors
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for PSAT Writing
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Example Questions
Example Question #31 : Correcting Ambiguity And Redundancy Errors
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English.
That topic which was the one that was being debated was extremely complex.
That topic which being debated
The topic being the one that was debated
The topic being debated
That topic which was the one that was being debated
That topic was the one that was being debated
The topic being debated
The underlined portion of the sentence is extremely wordy, repetitive, and confusingly constructed, meaning it must be simplified. A simplification, though, needs to be grammatically correct and keep the sentence's intended meaning. "The topic being debated" is the answer choice that best accomplishes both goals.
Example Question #32 : Correcting Ambiguity And Redundancy Errors
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English.
The undercover agent began to have doubts that the thing which he had seen was actually true.
The undercover agent began to doubt that what he had seen was true.
The undercover agent began to have doubts that the thing which he had seen was actually true.
The undercover agent began to have doubts that the thing he had seen was actually true.
The undercover agent began to have doubts that the thing which he had seen was actually true.
The undercover agent began to have doubts the thing which he had seen was actually true.
The undercover agent began to doubt that what he had seen was true.
The sentence is extremely wordy and complex, and needs to be simplified. While being simplified, the sentence needs to still be correct grammatically and retain its intended meaning. The answer choice which best accomplishes both these goals is "The undercover agent began to doubt that what he had seen was true."
Example Question #33 : Correcting Ambiguity And Redundancy Errors
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English.
Being that which was the thing which was most debated inside the meetings of the group, the topic took prominence inside the association.
Being the most debated thing inside the groups' meetings,
Being that which was the thing which most debated inside the meetings of the group,
Being that which was most debated inside the meetings of the group,
Being the thing which was most debated inside the meetings of the group,
Being that which was the thing which was most debated inside the meetings of the group,
Being the most debated thing inside the groups' meetings,
The underlined portion of the sentence is extremely wordy and confusing, and needs to be simplified. The simplification needs to also keep the sentence's intended meaning intact, and the revised sentence must also be grammatically correct. "Being the most debated thing inside the groups' meetings," is the only answer choice that best accomplishes both.
Example Question #34 : Correcting Ambiguity And Redundancy Errors
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English.
The school journal is self-governing and makes its own bylaws to be indicated the proper protocol for voting on who will be the next editor-in-chief.
that are indicating
indicating
to be indicated
that indicate
when they indicate
indicating
Here, "indicating" is being used as a participle, modifying "bylaws." The other answer choices introduce "indicate" as a verb, which causes the sentence to be more complex than it otherwise has to be.
Example Question #35 : Correcting Ambiguity And Redundancy Errors
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English.
Leonardo da Vinci is seen by many having been the most well-known painter in Italy, if not all of Europe.
to be
having been
for being
as
that he was
as
"As" is the most efficient, and therefore the most grammatically correct answer choice.
Example Question #36 : Correcting Ambiguity And Redundancy Errors
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English.
Having been the one which was that which had been lost, the jewelry's discovery was considered a miracle.
That which was the one which was lost,
That which had been lost,
Having been lost,
That was the one that had been lost,
Having been the one which was that which had been lost,
Having been lost,
The underlined portion of the sentence is extremely long, confusing, and wordy, meaning that it needs to be simplified. The simplification still needs to be grammatically correct and retain the sentence's intended meaning, however. "Having been lost," is the answer choice that is both simplest and correct gramatically.
Example Question #37 : Correcting Ambiguity And Redundancy Errors
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English.
That which was the thing that he did not want to do was his assignment from the officer.
That which was the thing that he did not want to do
That thing that he did not want to do
The thing he did not want to do
That which was that which he did not want to do
That thing he not want to do
The thing he did not want to do
The underlined portion of the sentence is extremely wordy and confusing, and needs to be simplified. While being simplified, the sentence must be kept grammatically correct, and it needs to retain its intended meaning. "The thing he most did not want to do" is the answer choice that best simplifies the sentence.
Example Question #38 : Correcting Ambiguity And Redundancy Errors
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English.
Having been the one which was the thing she most desired, the little girl begged her parents for the toy.
Having been the one which was the thing she most desired
Having been the thing she most desired
Being what she most desired
Having been the one she most desired
Being the one which was the thing she most desired
Being what she most desired
The underlined portion of the sentence is extremely awkward and overly wordy, meaning it needs to be simplified. While being simplified, the sentence needs to retain its intended meaning and be grammatically correct. "Being what she most desired" is the only answer choice that correctly simplifies the sentence.
Example Question #39 : Correcting Ambiguity And Redundancy Errors
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English.
The senator was very popular, and once at one point he was one which had been considered to have been a presidential contender.
at one point he was considered a presidential contender
once at one point he was considered a presidential contender
at once he was considered as been a presidential contender
once at one point he was one which had been considered to have been a presidential contender
once he was considered to have being a presidential contender
at one point he was considered a presidential contender
The underlined portion of the sentence needs to be simplified, as it is repetitive, confusing, and overly wordy. A simplification must still be grammatically correct and retain the sentence's intended meaning. The answer choice which best accomplishes both goals is "as at one point he was considered a presidential contender."
Example Question #40 : Correcting Ambiguity And Redundancy Errors
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English.
The suspect was cornered because he was the one that was the only person who had been near what was the crime scene.
he was the one that was near what was the crime scene
he was the one that was the only person who was near the crime scene
he was the only person who was near the crime scene
he was the one that was the only person who had been near what was the crime scene
he was the only person who had been near what was the crime scene
he was the only person who was near the crime scene
The underlined phrase is extremely wordy, repetitive, and confusing, meaning it needs to be simplified. Any simplification still needs to be grammatically correct and retain the sentence's intended meaning. The only answer choice that accomplishes both of these goals is "he was the only person who was near the crime scene."
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