All PSAT Writing Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #131 : 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.
Though meteorologists continue to gain access to more and more advanced technology, their weather forecasts wrong more than 50% of the time.
is their weather forecasts wrong
their weather forecasts which is wrong
their weather forecasts wrong
their weather forecasts that is wrong
their weather forecasts are wrong
their weather forecasts are wrong
This is a sentence fragment because it is lacking a verb. Only "their weather forecasts are wrong" adds a verb in the right tense.
Example Question #511 : 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.
Those who enjoy that author's writing, being those who tend not to read traditional horror, preferring instead the comforts of peaceful stories.
writing tend not to read
writing, being those who tend not to read
writing, tending to be those who do not read
writing being the ones tending not to read
writing are the ones that tend not to be the ones reading
writing tend not to read
Let's break down the originaly sentence: we have "Those who enjoy that author's writing," a subject; "being those who tend not to read traditional horror," an interrupting phrase providing further information about the subject; and "preferring instead the comforts of peaceful stories," a participial phrase again describing the subject. This sentence doesn't contain an actual verb; it is one long description of "those." To correct the sentence's error, we need to introduce a verb, either by adding in a form of "to be" before one of the participles to make it a verb, or changing one of the participles to a different verb form. The only answer choice that corrects the sentence replaces the participle "being those who tend not to read" with the verb "tend not to read." The complete and corrected sentence thus reads, "Those who enjoy that author's writing are those who tend not to read traditional horror, preferring instead the comforts of peaceful stories."
Example Question #2 : Correcting Other Verb Errors
The trail was much steeper than appearing from the bottom of the mountain.
than appearing
than it had appeared
than was appearing
appearing as such
than was appeared
than it had appeared
The non-underlined, and therefore correct, verb in the sentence is "was," which is in the past tense. Therefore, the verb in the underlined portion of the sentence must also be in the past tense. The only answer choice that is both a correct grammatical form and in the past tense is "than it had appeared."
Example Question #581 : Usage Errors
The soldiers were horrified at what they had seeing on the battlefield.
have seeing
had seen
had been seen
being saw
had seeing
had seen
The verb construction "had seeing" is an incorrect form, with the participle "seeing" needing some form of the word "be" to be made correct. The form needs to be changed to something more appropriate. "Had seen," featuring the past tense form of "see," is the correct answer choice.
Example Question #2431 : Act English
The entire town became obsessing with the case, following every detail mentioned in the newspapers.
The entire town became obsessed among the case
The entire town becomes obsessing with the case
The entire town became obsessing with the case
The entire town became obsessed with the case
The entire town became obsessing among the case
The entire town became obsessed with the case
The underlined portion of the sentence contains a strange use of the verb "obsessing," which should not be used with the past tense "became." The correct answer choice must change "obsessing" to an appropriate past tense form; therefore, the correct answer is "The entire town became obsessed with the case."
Example Question #373 : Correcting Usage Errors
Issues began cropping up as soon as the new software was introduced, having angering consumers who bought the initial run of the product.
having angering consumers
angering consumers
having anger consumers
having angry consumers
have angering consumers
angering consumers
"Having angering" is a universally incorrect construction, and needs to be made appropriate grammatically. The -ing verb form following a comma that ends a complete thought is a participial modifier, which modifies the result of that clause. Here the result of "issues began cropping up" is that consumers became angry (at those issues). Using "angering" as the modifier, then, makes complete sense: the issues angered the consumers, so "angering consumers" properly uses a participial modifier to describe the effect of the action that takes place before the comma. "angering consumers" is correct.
Example Question #11 : Correcting Other Verb Errors
Most people ignoring the warnings of the government officials about the storm.
Most people ignored
Many people ignoring
Most people ignoring
Most persons ignores
More people ignoring
Most people ignored
The use of the verb "ignoring" is incorrect in this sentence, as it is a present participle and the sentence needs a past tense active verb; therefore, the correct answer is "Most people ignored."
Example Question #382 : Correcting Usage Errors
The man keeping up with the friends he made in childhood.
The man's keeping up with
The man who had kept up with
The man keeping up with
The man keeps up with
The man keeping with
The man keeps up with
The use of the past participle "keeping" is inappropriate as it needs either an infinitive or a version of "be" to be used as the verb in a sentence. "Keeping" needs to be changed to an appropriate verb form without changing the meaning of the sentence. The only answer choice that does both is "The man keeps up with."
Example Question #122 : Correcting Usage Errors
The power of monarchy in Renaissance Europe questioning by modern scholars.
questioning by modern scholars.
is questioning by modern scholars.
questionable by modern scholars.
questioned by modern scholars.
is questioned by modern scholars.
is questioned by modern scholars.
The use of the verb form "questioning," a gerund, makes the sentence confusing. The word should be changed to a form that properly reflects the "scholars" are questioning "the power of monarchy." The answer choice that best does this is "is questioned by modern scholars."
Example Question #131 : Improving Sentences
Due to his condition, the professor keeping an extra pair of glasses by his podium.
keeping the extra pair of glasses
keeps an extra pair of glasses
by keeping an extra pair of glasses
keeping extra pair of glasses
keeping an extra pair of glasses
keeps an extra pair of glasses
The use of the participle form "keeping" is incorrect without a version of the verb "to be," and needs to either be changed to a non-participle or have the version of "to be" added. This is the only issue with the sentence as it is written. Therefore, the correct answer choice is "keeps an extra pair of glasses."