PSAT Writing : Correcting Word Usage Errors

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for PSAT Writing

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Example Questions

Example Question #5 : Correcting Pronoun Antecedent Agreement Errors

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

Small in size, the mongoose may not seem like an imposing creature, but when threatened they can fight off and even slay a large predator such as the king cobra. No error

Possible Answers:

Small in size

they

fight off and even slay

an imposing creature

No error

Correct answer:

they

Explanation:

"They," a plural pronoun, is used in the sentence to refer to "the mongoose," a singular subject. So, "they" should be changed to "it."

Example Question #302 : Correcting 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.

An actress who struggles with memorization should study their lines dailyNo error

Possible Answers:

daily

No error

who

their

memorization

Correct answer:

their

Explanation:

"Their" is a possessive pronoun that indicates that an object belongs to several owners. However, this sentence refers to a single actress, so the lines only belong to one person. Therefore, the best pronoun to use is "her" because it matches the singular nature of the subject: she should study her lines. The correct sentence would be "An actress who struggles with memorization should study her lines daily."

Example Question #5 : Correcting Pronoun Antecedent Agreement 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. One of the answer choices repeats the underlined portion as it is written.

A student should always have access to their notes.

Possible Answers:

its notes

one's notes

it's notes

his or her notes

they're notes

Correct answer:

his or her notes

Explanation:

Whenever a sentence refers to a person of unknown gender and a singular possessive pronoun is required that refers to that person, one typically includes both the masculine and the feminine possessive pronouns in the phrase "his or her." In this case, "his or her" is a better choice than "their" because "student" is a singular noun, and "their," which is a plural pronoun, does not agree with it in number. Considering the other potential answer choices, "they're" is the contraction of "they are," which would not make sense in the sentence, "it's" is the contraction of "it is," which wouldn't make sense in the sentence either, and "its" is the possessive form of the pronoun "it," which is not used to refer to a person. So, none of those answer choices can be correct.

Example Question #11 : Pronoun Antecedent Number 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. One of the answer choices reproduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.

Most books printed before the nineteenth century, even ones that have been carefully preserved, contain materials that cause it to decay.

Possible Answers:

that cause it to decay

that causes it to decay

that cause them to decay

that can cause it to decay

that causes them to decay

Correct answer:

that cause them to decay

Explanation:

The original text contains a pronoun agreement error. The intended antecedent of the pronoun "it" is supposed to be "books," which is plural and would therefore require the plural pronoun "them" instead of the singular pronoun "it."

The only answer choices that contain "them" instead of "it" are "that cause them to decay" and "that causes them to decay." The answer choice with "causes," however, uses this singular verb with a plural subject, "materials," and is therefore incorrect.

Example Question #4 : Correcting Pronoun Antecedent Agreement 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. One of the answer choices reproduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.

The community is currently accepting nominations for the award, which will be given to the person who has most significantly transformed the world through their charitable actions or scientific discoveries.

Possible Answers:

the person who has most significantly transformed the world through their charitable actions or scientific discoveries.

the person that has most significantly transformed the world through his or her charitable actions or scientific discoveries.

the person who has most significantly transformed the world through his or her charitable actions or scientific discoveries.

the person who most significantly transformed the world through their charitable actions or scientific discoveries.

the person that significantly transformed the world through his or her charitable actions or scientific discoveries.

Correct answer:

the person who has most significantly transformed the world through his or her charitable actions or scientific discoveries.

Explanation:

The original text "the person who has most significantly transformed the world through their charitable actions or scientific discoveries" and the answer choice "the person who most significantly transformed the world through their charitable actions or scientific discoveries" contain pronoun agreement errors because they incorrectly use the plural pronoun "their" to refer to the singular noun "person."

The answer choices "the person that has most significantly transformed the world through his or her charitable actions or scientific discoveries" and "the person that significantly transformed the world through his or her charitable actions or scientific discoveries" are incorrect because they use "that" to refer to a person, when "who" or "whom" should be used when referring to a person. (Remember to use "that" only when referring to non-human living things or objects.)

The answer choice "the person who has most significantly transformed the world through his or her charitable actions or scientific discoveries" is correct because it is the only answer choice that correctly uses "who" and the singular pronoun "his or her" to match the singular noun "person."

Example Question #3 : Correcting Pronoun Antecedent Agreement 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. One of the answer choices reproduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.

Mitchell was one of the first members of corporate to realize that employees are most productive when he or she feels to be part of a team.

Possible Answers:

he or she feels to be part of a team

they feel as if they are part of a team

he or she feels part of a team

feeling part of a team is made possible

it's more like a team for them

Correct answer:

they feel as if they are part of a team

Explanation:

The pronoun refers to employees, so the pronoun should be plural rather than the singular he or she.

Example Question #4 : Correcting Pronoun Antecedent Agreement 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. One of the answer choices reproduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.

The loss of a parent at a young age can traumatize a person for the rest of your life.

Possible Answers:

on the rest of your life.

for the rest of yourself's life.

for the rest of his or her life.

for the rest of your living.

for the rest of your life.

Correct answer:

for the rest of his or her life.

Explanation:

The use of "your" at the end of the sentence is confusing, as the only reference in the sentence is "a person," and the second person pronoun has no place in the sentence. Changing "your" to a third person possessive pronoun will straighten out this problem. Because we do not know whether the "person" in question is male or female, we should use the phrase "his or her." The correct answer choice, therefore, is "for the rest of his or her life."

Example Question #301 : 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. One of the answer choices reproduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.

The rites of ancient Roman religion are nearly impossible to recreate centuries after it was no longer an active faith.

Possible Answers:

after the faith not being active.

after it was not an active faith.

after it was no longer active as a faith.

after it was no longer an active faith.

after the faith was no longer active.

Correct answer:

after the faith was no longer active.

Explanation:

The phrase as written in the underlined portion makes an odd reference. The subject of the sentence are the "rites," and not the religion. The faith needs to be specifically referenced, as well as being fully grammatically correct; therefore, "after the faith was no longer active" is the correct answer choice.

Example Question #1 : Correcting Modifier Word Modified Agreement 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. One of the answer choices repeats the underlined portion as it is written.

The belief in evil spirits remains quite widespread in many different part of the world.

Possible Answers:

many different parts of the world.

many different part of a world.

many different part of the world.

many different part of the world.

many differentiated part of the world.

Correct answer:

many different parts of the world.

Explanation:

The error in the underlined portion of the sentence is its use of the singular form "part" after the adjectives "many different." As both adjectives indicate the plurality of the noun they describe, the singular noun "part" needs to be a plural noun to correct the error. "Many different parts of the world" is the correct answer choice because it is the only one in which this error is corrected.

Example Question #232 : Agreement 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. One of the answer choices reproduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.

The appeal of art is largely a subjective experience that critics nonetheless take as an objective studies.

Possible Answers:

a studies of objectivity.

the study's objective.

the objective studies.

an objective study.

an objective studies.

Correct answer:

an objective study.

Explanation:

The key issue with the underlined phrase is the simultaneous use of "an" and the plural form "studies." Either the singular "an" or the plural "studies" needs to be changed to make the forms match. "An objective study" is the correct answer choice.

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