PSAT Writing : Improving Sentences
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for PSAT Writing
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Example Questions
Example Question #81 : 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.
He is hindered by his deformities; he cannot speak to Josephine face-to-face, because he is ashamed of his appearance.
Hindering him were his deformities
His deformities hindering him
His deformities hindered him
His deformities hinder him
He is hindered by his deformities
His deformities hinder him
The phrase "his deformities hinder him" uses active voice, which is preferable over passive voice. The phrase "his deformities hindering him" makes a dependent clause, which is incorrect before a semicolon. The phrase "his deformities hindered him" is in the past tense, while the rest of the excerpt is in the present tense.
Example Question #11 : 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. One of the answer choices repeats the underlined portion as it is written.
Horses were domesticating by humans thousands of years ago.
were domesticating
were domesticated
domesticated taking place
domestication
domesticating
were domesticated
The sentence describes what humans did to horses in the past, a fact that needs to be reflected in the verb's tense and transitivity. The correct answer must indicate that the domesticating being discussed took place in the past and was done by humans to horses, leading to "were domesticated" as the only possible answer choice.
Example Question #716 : Sentence Correction
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.
As the suit was finished quickly, that it still needed alterations did not surprise Henry.
Henry was not surprised that it still needed alterations.
because it still needed alterations, which surprised Henry.
it still needed alterations, which did not surprise Henry.
that it still needed more alterations did not surprise Henry.
it was not surprising to Henry that it still needed alterations.
Henry was not surprised that it still needed alterations.
Avoid the passive voice of the original ("it still needed alterations") and choose the simplest answer which preserves the meaning of the original sentence.
Example Question #1 : Correcting Verb Tense 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.
Before he signed up for the arctic expedition in July, Robert had been researching cold-weather survival techniques and deciding that he might have a chance.
had to research cold-weather survival techniques and to decide that
researched cold-weather survival techniques and deciding that
had been researching cold-weather survival techniques and deciding that
had researched cold-weather survival techniques and decided that
researched cold-weather survival techniques and had been deciding that
had researched cold-weather survival techniques and decided that
The problem with this sentence is in the tenses of the verbs. Each answer choice uses a different combination of past tenses, infinitives, and "-ing" verbs. Since each event happens at a specific point in the past, no "-ing" verbs or infinitives are needed. The correct answer is correct because it uses “had researched” to show that Robert researched cold-weather survival techniques before he decided or signed up.
Example Question #2 : Correcting Verb Tense 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 little girl looked around the yard timidly, had being extremely embarrassed by her fall from the scooter.
she had been extremely embarrassed
been extremely embarrassed
she was extremely embarrassed
extremely embarrassed
had been extremely embarrassed
extremely embarrassed
Since there is a comma separating the clauses, “extremely embarrassed” is the only answer choice that corrects the sentence's error. “She had been” and “she was” could work if the comma were a period, but it is not, so these answer choices are incorrect.
Example Question #3 : Correcting Verb Tense 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.
Over the past few years, breakthroughs in navigational technology almost completely rendered paper maps obsolete.
have almost completely rendered paper maps obsolete
almost completely rendered paper maps obsolete
has almost completely rendered paper maps obsolete
has managed to almost completely render paper maps obsolete
almost completely has rendered paper maps obsolete
have almost completely rendered paper maps obsolete
The original text contains a tense error. It uses the simple past to describe an event that we are told took place "over the past few years." The appropriate tense to describe an event in this context is present perfect.
Answer choices "has almost completely rendered paper maps obsolete," "almost completely has rendered paper maps obsolete," "has managed to almost completely render paper maps obsolete,", and "have almost completely rendered paper maps obsolete" contain forms of the present perfect, but of these, only answer choice "have almost completely rendered paper maps obsolete" correctly uses the plural form to match the plural subject "breakthroughs."
Example Question #4 : Correcting Verb Tense 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 little boy was nervous about going to the farm because he had never rode a horse before.
because he is never ridden a horse before.
because he had not ever rode a horse before.
because he has never ridden a horse before.
because he had never rode a horse before.
because he has never rode a horse before.
because he has never ridden a horse before.
The past participle of the verb “to ride” is “ridden.” “Rode” is the simple past tense.
Example Question #3 : Correcting Verb Tense 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.
After Miguel left the store, he had gone to the gas station.
After Miguel were to have left the store, he had gone to the gas station.
After Miguel left the store, he will have gone to the gas station.
After Miguel left the store, he had gone to the gas station.
After Miguel left the store, he went to the gas station.
After Miguel was leaving the store, he had gone to the gas station.
After Miguel left the store, he went to the gas station.
The original sentence uses the pluperfect verb form ("had gone to the gas station") erroneously because the event of going to the gas station happened after Miguel left the store.
Example Question #315 : Correcting 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.
If I would have used the coupon, I could have saved forty dollars.
If I had used the coupon, I could have saved forty dollars.
Forty dollars could have been saved had the coupon I had used.
If I would have used the coupon, forty dollars could have been saved by me.
If I would have used the coupon, I could have saved forty dollars.
If I will have used the coupon, I could have saved forty dollars.
If I had used the coupon, I could have saved forty dollars.
One can never say “If I would have done”. One can only say “If I had done”, which is called the past perfect verb form.
Example Question #4 : Correcting Verb Tense 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.
Many parents mistakenly thinking babies should be on low-fat diets; however, fat is crucial to infants’ brain and nerve development.
Many parents mistakenly had thought babies should be on low-fat diets; however, fat is crucial to infants’ brain and nerve development.
Many parents mistake and think babies should be on low-fat diets; however, fat is crucial to infants’ brain and nerve development.
Many parents mistakenly thinking babies should be on low-fat diets; on the other hand, fat is crucial to infants’ brain and nerve development.
Many parents mistakenly thinking babies should be on low-fat diets; however, fat is crucial to infants’ brain and nerve development.
Many parents mistakenly think babies should be on low-fat diets; however, fat is crucial to infants’ brain and nerve development.
Many parents mistakenly think babies should be on low-fat diets; however, fat is crucial to infants’ brain and nerve development.
The word "thinking" is acting like a participle in the original sentence, making the first clause lack a verb. Changing "Many parents mistakenly thinking" to "Many parents mistakenly think" corrects the sentence's error.
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