PSAT Writing : Improving Sentences

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for PSAT Writing

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Example Questions

Example Question #2442 : Act English

The protesters moving into position to have a confrontation with the police.

Possible Answers:

The protesters moving in towards position

The protesters moving into position

The protesters moves into position

The protesters move into position

The protesters had moving into position

Correct answer:

The protesters move into position

Explanation:

The use of the participle form "moving" makes the sentence have no actual verb, as any participle needs a form of the verb "to be" to function as the verb in a sentence. The form needs to to either have the active form "is" attached or be changed into the active form; therefore, "The protesters move into position" is the correct answer choice.

Example Question #3461 : Sat Writing

Under the terms of the treaty, the victorious nation keeping the territory it acquired during the war.

Possible Answers:

the victorious nation kept the territory

the victorious nation keeping the territory

the victorious nation having keeping the territory

the victorious nation keeping territory

the victorious nation keep the territory

Correct answer:

the victorious nation kept the territory

Explanation:

The use of the verb "keeping," a participle, is incorrect and confusing in the sentence, as a participle always needs to function with a version of the form to be. Either one of these forms needs to be added in or the form should be changed. The only answer choice that appropriately does this is "the victorious nation kept the territory."

Example Question #3462 : Sat Writing

How long a person could live in outer space is a question scientists still debating.

Possible Answers:

debating.

debating still.

still debated.

still debate.

still debating.

Correct answer:

still debate.

Explanation:

The underlined portion of the sentence needs to align with what it describes, the "scientists." To make it grammatically correct, the verb form of "debating" needs to be changed to a simple present form. "Still debate" is the correct answer choice.

Example Question #3463 : Sat Writing

The nervous woman making mistakes every time she tried to make cupcakes.

Possible Answers:

making mistakes

making the mistakes

making, mistakes

made mistakes

makes mistakes

Correct answer:

made mistakes

Explanation:

The use of "making," a participle means the sentence has no verb, as a participle needs some form of "to be" to function as a full verb; therefore, a complete verb form needs to be used, and has to match the past tense usage of "tried." This makes the correct answer choice "made mistakes."

Example Question #51 : Correcting Verb Errors

For a long time, the man having issues with his wife that they could not resolve.

Possible Answers:

the man having had issues

the man has issues

the man had issues

the man have issues

the man having issues

Correct answer:

the man had issues

Explanation:

The use of the patriciple form "having" is incorrect in the sentence, as the participle cannot stand on its own as the verb of the sentence. The word needs to be changed, and must match the later use of the past tense construction "that they could not." The correct answer, therefore, is "the man had issues."

Example Question #21 : Correcting Other Verb Errors

His father was usually ready telling a joke to lighten the mood.

Possible Answers:

telling jokes

to tell a joke

telling a joking

telling a joke

telling the joke

Correct answer:

to tell a joke

Explanation:

The use of "telling" in the sentence is strange and confusing, as the participle form appears to modify "ready." To appropriately explain what the father was "ready" for, an infinitive, which gives a sense of action; therefore, the correct answer choice is "to tell a joke."

Example Question #1461 : Improving Sentences

Most men feel very uncomfortable reveal their feelings to loved ones.

Possible Answers:

reveal they're feelings

revealed their feelings

reveal there feelings

reveal their feelings

revealing their feelings

Correct answer:

revealing their feelings

Explanation:

The use of the present tense verb "reveal" is confusing in the sentence, as it essentially would act as a second verb in the sentence. The verb needs to be changed to a form that can function as a non-verb. The only answer choice that does this is "revealing their feelings," which uses the gerundive form.

Example Question #1462 : Improving Sentences

Politicians having grown increasingly aware of the proper way to deal with the media in recent years.

Possible Answers:

Politicians have grown increasingly aware

Politicians having grown increasing aware

Politicians having grown increasingly aware

Politicians growing increasingly aware

Politicians having grown increased aware

Correct answer:

Politicians have grown increasingly aware

Explanation:

The use of "having grown" in the sentence actually makes the sentence not have a verb, because the use of that verb creates a verbal phrase.  The sentence needs the phrase "having grown" to be turned into an actual verb. Therefore, the correct answer choice is "Politicians have grown increasingly aware."

Example Question #601 : 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 new law was specifically targeted people making over one million dollars each year.

Possible Answers:

specific targeted people

specifically targeted of people

specifically targeted people

specifically targeting people

specific targeting of people

Correct answer:

specifically targeting people

Explanation:

Whlie one might say that something "was targeted," one cannot say that something "was targeted" something else and be grammatically correct. As only "targeted" is underlined, and not "was," it needs to be changed. Of all the answer choices, only "specifically targeting people" corrects the sentence's error without introducing new errors or extraneous words.

Example Question #2451 : Act English

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 soldiers keeping watch through the whole night as ordered.

Possible Answers:

The soldiers keeping watch

The soldiers keep watch

The soldiers keeping watching

The soldier's keeping watch

The soldiers keeping watch

Correct answer:

The soldiers keep watch

Explanation:

The use of "keeping" in the sentence is incorrect, as "keeping" needs some version of the verb "to be" to form a functioning verb. (In the phrase "the soldiers keeping watch," "keeping" is a participle.) The verb must be changed to a form that can work in the sentence. The only choice that does this and keeps the intended meaning is "The soldiers keep watch."

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