PSAT Writing : Identifying Sentence Errors

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for PSAT Writing

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Example Questions

Example Question #17 : Identifying Verb Tense Errors

Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.

Ralph was having quite a hard time at lunch that day due to the fact that the cafeteria was serving chicken noodle soup and had ran out of spoons. No error

Possible Answers:

quite a hard time at lunch

had ran out of

No error

was having

due to the fact that

Correct answer:

had ran out of

Explanation:

This sentence contains an error in verb tense in the phrase "had ran out of." "Had" is a past tense helping verb, so the verb that follows it needs to be an infinitive. For example, one wouldn't say "He thought I didn't go to the concert, but I did went." You would say, "He thought I didn't go to the concert, but I did go." The corrected version of the given sentence is, "Ralph was having quite a hard time at lunch that day due to the fact that the cafeteria was serving chicken noodle soup and had run out of spoons."

Example Question #18 : Identifying Verb Tense Errors

Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.

Sharleen, who knew and appreciated how much work her mother put into preparing supper each night, often misses dinners with friends because she insisted on eating at home with her family. No error

Possible Answers:

preparing

who

eating

No error

misses

Correct answer:

misses

Explanation:

This sentence has an issue of verb tense agreement. Because the given verbs are all in past tense—"knew," "appreciated," and "insisted"—the verb "misses" also needs to also be in the past tense. So, the corrected sentence reads, "Sharleen, who knew and appreciated how much work her mother put into preparing supper each night, often missed dinners with friends because she insisted on eating at home with her family."

Example Question #111 : Identifying Word Usage Errors

Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.

Earlier this morning, I was walking to the bus station, when I suddenly was realizing that I forgot my bus pass, so I had to go home to retrieve it. No error

Possible Answers:

No error

had to go

was realizing

forgot

was walking

Correct answer:

was realizing

Explanation:

"Was realizing" is grammatically incorrect and awkward. "Was realizing" implies a gradual process of realizing, when this is not the case; we can especially tell that this is true because of the sentence's use of "suddenly," which suggests a definite, one-time action in the past, not something that happened over time. So, to correct the sentence's error, the past progressive verb "was realizing" should be changed to the simple past tense verb "realized."

Example Question #281 : Identifying Sentence Errors

Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.

Prior to accepting the post of head developer in London, Mrs. Reynolds has been spending time in France. No error

Possible Answers:

Prior to

No error

accepting

of

has been spending

Correct answer:

has been spending

Explanation:

The verb "has been spending" does not work with the timeline of the sentence because Mrs. Reynolds is no longer in France. The verb should be a past participle instead. Changing "has been spending" to "had been spending" corrects the sentence's error. The corrected sentence reads, "Prior to accepting the post of head developer, Mrs. Reynolds had been spending time in France."

Example Question #21 : Identifying Verb Tense Errors

Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.

Margaret carried her dog, which was often clad in a pink and white argyle sweater, everywhere she goesNo error

Possible Answers:

often

pink and white argyle sweater

No error

she goes

clad

Correct answer:

she goes

Explanation:

The first part of the sentence is in the past tense ("carried"), but the second is in the present ("goes"). These should be kept consistent. Changing "goes" to "went" corrects the sentence's error. The corrected sentence reads, "Margaret carried her dog, which was often clad in a pink and white argyle sweater, everywhere she went."

Example Question #22 : Identifying Verb Tense Errors

Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.

The man peered around the corner, checked to see if the coast was clear. No error

Possible Answers:

peered

No error

corner, checked

was

if

Correct answer:

corner, checked

Explanation:

The verb "checked" is written in the simple past tense, and the following phrase is not coordinated correctly with the rest of the sentence. This can be fixed by turning it into a gerund: "The man peered around the corner, checking to see if the coast was clear."

Example Question #111 : Identifying Word Usage Errors

Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.

As he resigned himself to eating instant noodles for the rest of the month, Alex thinks longingly of prime rib. No error

Possible Answers:

thinks

for the rest of 

himself

of

No error

Correct answer:

thinks

Explanation:

This sentence switches tense from past ("as he resigned") to present ("thinks") in the middle of the sentence. In the logical timeline of events, these should both be in the past: "As he resigned himself to eating instant noodles for the rest of the month, Alex thought longingly of prime rib."

Example Question #112 : Identifying Word Usage Errors

Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.

Jose did not understand howlecture on sea turtles is relevant to a course on the politics of the Middle East. No error

Possible Answers:

No error

how

relevant to

lecture on

is

Correct answer:

is

Explanation:

This sentence uses inconsistent verb tenses. It starts out in the past ("did not understand") and switches to the present ("is relevant"). Changing "is" to "was" corrects the sentence's error. The corrected sentence reads, "Jose did not understand how a lecture on sea turtles was relevant to a course on Middle-Eastern politics."

Example Question #113 : Identifying Word Usage Errors

Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.

Testing the new model rocket would not be possible since it was being a rainy day. No error

Possible Answers:

since

No error

would not

Testing

was being

Correct answer:

was being

Explanation:

The second phrase of this sentence is needlessly in the progressive tense. It sounds clearer and more concise to put this in the simple past: "Testing the new model rocket would not be possible since it was a rainy day."

Example Question #114 : Identifying Word Usage Errors

Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.

Despite his initial skepticism, Rory found the conference on urban chicken raising being fascinating, informative, and inspirationalNo error

Possible Answers:

the conference on

No error

being

Despite

and inspirational

Correct answer:

being

Explanation:

This sentence uses the wrong form of the verb “to be.” Since "being" follows another verb, "raising," it needs to be in the infintive form, "to be." The corrected sentence reads: "Despite his initial skepticism, Rory found the conference on urban chicken raising to be fascinating, informative, and inspirational."

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