PSAT Writing : Correcting Word Usage Errors
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for PSAT Writing
All PSAT Writing Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #873 : Word Usage 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 team working toward a common goal.
The team working toward a common goal.
The team working toward a commoner goal.
The team working toward the common goal.
The team worked toward a common goal.
The team's working toward a common goal.
The team worked toward a common goal.
The use of the participle "working" as the verb in the sentence is incorrect, as a participle needs some form of the verb "to be" with it to complete a full verbal phrase. The verb "working" needs to be changed to a proper verb form. The only answer choice that uses a correct verb form is "The team worked toward a common goal."
Example Question #546 : Correcting Word Usage Errors
The old woman keeping pets in unsafe conditions that were against the law.
The old woman keeping pets around unsafe conditions
The old woman keeping pets in unsafer conditions
The old woman keeping pets in unsafe conditions
The old woman keeping pets in unsafe condition
The old woman kept pets in unsafe conditions
The old woman kept pets in unsafe conditions
The use of the participle "keeping" as the verb in the sentence means the sentence actually does not have a verb, as a participle needs a version of the verb "to be" to make a usable verbal phrase. The only answer choice that appropriately takes care of this problem by changing the verb form is "The old woman kept pets in unsafe conditions."
Example Question #874 : Word Usage 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 reclusive man never keeping up with any of his old friends.
The reclusive man not ever keeping up with any of his old friends.
The reclusive man not keeping up with any of his old friends.
The reclusive man never keeping up with any of his old friends.
The reclusive man never keeping up among any of his old friends.
The reclusive man never kept up with any of his old friends.
The reclusive man never kept up with any of his old friends.
The use of the participle "keeping" makes the sentence have no actual verb, as a participle needs some form of the verb "to be" in order to stand as the main verb of a sentence. The verb form should be changed to one that can actually function as a verb in the sentence. "The reclusive man never kept up with any of his old friends," which uses the past tense verb "kept," is the only answer choice that uses a correct verb form.
Example Question #261 : Verb Formation 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 project's construction workers had never seeing a building like the new concert hall.
had never seeing the building
had never seeing a building
had never seen a building
have never seeing the building
had not ever seeing a building
had never seen a building
"Seeing" is an incorrect verb form, as it is a present participle, used with a past tense verb, "had." The verb form needs to be changed to make it the past participle form. The only answer choice that uses the correct verb form is "had never seen a building."
Example Question #541 : Correcting Word Usage 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 young girl showing great aptitude for playing the piano from an early age.
showing great aptitude for playing the piano
showing great aptitude on playing the piano
showed great aptitude for playing the piano
showing greater aptitude for playing the piano
showing great aptitude at playing the piano
showed great aptitude for playing the piano
The use of the present participle "showing" as the verb in the sentence makes the verb actually not have a verb. A participle needs to be accompanied by some form of the verb "to be" in order to be a workable verb in a sentence. The answer choice that corrects this issue is "showed great aptitude for playing the piano," which uses a straightforward past tense verb.
Example Question #41 : Correcting Other Verb 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 old man worked making sure he could get home before the sunset.
The old man worked making sure that he could get home before the sunset.
The old man worked to make sure that he could get home before the sunset.
The old man working to make sure that he can get home before the sunset.
The old man to work making sure that he could get home before the sunset.
The old man to work to make sure that he could get home before the sunset.
The old man worked to make sure that he could get home before the sunset.
The use of the participle form "making" is awkward in this sentence, as a participle can only be used with a form of the verb "to be." The word can be changed to an infinitive form, making it pair better with a regular past tense verb to show what the man was working towards. Therefore, the correct answer is "The old man worked to make sure that he could get home before the sunset."
Example Question #71 : Correcting Verb 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 novice having few role models in his career, so he took his own route.
The novice had few role models in his career,
The novice having few role models from his career,
The novice having few role models in his career,
The novice, having few role models in his career,
The novice having few role models in his own career,
The novice had few role models in his career,
The use of the present participle "having" as the main verb makes this sentence actually have no verb. A participle can only be a complete verb if it is used with some form of the verb "to be." "The novice had few role models in his career," using the simple past tense form, is the only answer choice that fixes this issue.
Example Question #881 : Word Usage 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 whole group working under an immense amount of pressure from the higher-ups in the office.
working under an immense amount of pressure
working over an immense amount of pressure
working under an immense amounts of pressure
worked under an immense amount of pressure
working under an immensely amount of pressure
worked under an immense amount of pressure
The use of the participle "working" as the verb in this sentence is incorrect, as a participle needs to be preceded by some form of the verb "to be" in order to function as the verb of a sentence. Either the verb needs to be changed to a workable verb, a form of "to be" needs to be inserted into the sentence right before it. The only answer choice that does either is "worked under an immense amount of pressure," which uses a simple past tense verb.
Example Question #82 : Correcting Verb 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 puppies reacting to their mother for the first time soon after their birth.
reacted to their mother for the first time
reacting to their mother in the first time
reacting to their mother for a first time
reacting to there mother for the first time
reacting to their mother for the first time
reacted to their mother for the first time
The use of the participle "reacting" makes the sentence actually have no proper verb, as a participle needs to be preceded by a form of the verb "to be." Either the verb form needs to be changed, or some version of the verb "to be" needs to be added into the sentence to make the sentence have a usable verb. The only answer choice that addresses this problem, by changing the participle to a past tense verb, is "reacted to their mother for the first time."
Example Question #83 : Correcting Verb 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 grandmother baking pies in the kitchen when everybody arrived.
The grandmother was baking pies in the kitchen when everybody arrived.
The grandmother baking pies, in the kitchen, when everybody arrived.
The grandmother baking pies in the kitchen when everybody arriving.
The grandmother baking pies in the kitchen when everybody arrived.
The grandmother, baking pies in the kitchen when everybody arrived.
The grandmother was baking pies in the kitchen when everybody arrived.
The use of the participle "baking" in the sentence means the sentence does not contain an actual verb. A participle needs to be preceded by some version of the verb "to be" in order to be a complete verbal phrase and act as a verb in a sentence. The only answer choice that makes such a change is "The grandmother was baking pies in the kitchen when everybody arrived."
Certified Tutor
All PSAT Writing Resources
