PSAT Writing : Improving Sentences
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for PSAT Writing
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Example Questions
Example Question #1 : Correcting Conventional And Idiomatic 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.
Many New Yorkers had no choice but to evacuate the area because of the imminent danger of the approaching snow storm.
because of the imminent danger from the approaching snow storm.
because of the imminent danger of the approaching snowstorm.
because of the eminent danger from the approaching snowstorm.
because of the imminent danger of the approaching snow storm.
because of the eminent danger of the approaching snow storm.
because of the imminent danger of the approaching snowstorm.
“Imminent” means threatening or looming, while “eminent” means well-known or famous. Also, “snowstorm” is a compound word (two words put together).
Example Question #1 : Correcting Conventional And Idiomatic 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 car was determined to be the one which was used in the robbery.
the one which was used in the robbery
the one having been used in the robbery.
that was used in the robbery.
which was used in the robbery.
that which was used in the robbery.
the one which was used in the robbery
While the underlined phrase is a bit convoluted, the phrase is fully grammatically correct. Either "that" or "which" would be appropriate in the sentence, but using both or futher modifying the phrase makes it confusing and unclear.
Example Question #81 : 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.
In order to decrease scrutiny, the organization began holding all there press conferences in secret.
all of there press conferences in secret.
all their press conferences in secret.
all they are press conferences in secret.
all there press conferences in secret.
all they're press conferences in secret.
all their press conferences in secret.
The use of "there," which means a particular place, is incorrect in this sentence. The sentence is written in a way to indicate that "there" should be the third person plural possessive pronoun, "their." Therefore, the correct answer choice is "all their press conferences in secret."
Example Question #3 : Correcting Errors Involving Commonly Confused Words
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 rains came so hard that there football game had to be delayed.
their football game
there own football game
there football games
they're football game
there football game
their football game
The use of "there" is absolutely incorrect in this sentence. What should be used is the third person plural possessive pronoun "their; therefore, "their football game" is the correct answer choice.
Example Question #41 : Conventional And Idiomatic 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.
We're you ever planning on telling me that we're almost out of gas or were you going to wait until the car stopped working?
We're you ever planning on telling me that were almost out of gas or we're you going to wait until the car stopped working?
Were you ever planning on telling me that we're almost out of gas or were you going to wait until the car stopped working?
Were you ever planning on telling me that were almost out of gas or were you going to wait until the car stopped working?
We're you ever planning on telling me that we're almost out of gas or we're you going to wait until the car stopped working?
Were you ever planning on telling me that we're almost out of gas or we're you going to wait until the car stopped working?
Were you ever planning on telling me that we're almost out of gas or were you going to wait until the car stopped working?
"Were" is the past tense of "to be," and "we're" is the contraction of the two words "we are." For the first underlined word, we need the past tense of "to be," and we can tell this by noticing that this "were" needs to function as part of the verb "were . . . ever planning." The second underlined word needs to be the contraction of "we are," since we could replace it with "we are" ("that we are almost out of gas") and the sentence would still make sense. The third word needs to be the past tense of "to be," since, like the first word, it is part of the verb phrase "were . . . going." So, the correct answer is "Were you ever planning on telling me that we're almost out of gas? Or were you going to wait until the car stopped working?"
Example Question #251 : Improving Sentences
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.
Marlene and Josh spent hours debating what to wear and where to go for dinner.
where and wear
were and wear
wear and wear
wear and where
wear and were
wear and where
"Wear" is a verb, "where" is an adverb, and "were" is the plural past tense form of the verb "to be." So, the correct answer is "wear and where."
Example Question #11 : Correcting Errors Involving Commonly Confused Words
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.
Due to the ambivalent wording of many of the questions, the test proved to be more difficult for the students than the teacher had intended it to be.
The teacher's wording, ambivalent on the questions, proved the test to be more difficult for many students than intended.
Due to the ambiguous wording of many of the questions, the test proved to be more difficult for the students than the teacher had intended it to be.
Due to the ambivalent wording of many of the questions, the teacher had not intended it to be as difficult for the students as the test proved to be.
Due to its wording, on the test's questions many students proved it to be more difficult than the teacher intended.
Due to the ambivalent wording of many of the questions, the test proved to be more difficult for the students than the teacher had intended it to be.
Due to the ambiguous wording of many of the questions, the test proved to be more difficult for the students than the teacher had intended it to be.
In the original sentence, the word "ambivalent," meaning having mixed feelings about, is incorrectly used in place of "ambiguous," meaning unclear or open to interpretation. The correct answer choice fixes this word confusion error.
Example Question #251 : Improving Sentences
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.
In order to scare away predators, the insect omits a loud buzzing noise when captured.
In order to scare away predators, the insects omit a loud buzzing noise when they are captured.
In order that it scares away predators, the insect omits a loud buzzing noise when captured.
In order to scare away predators, the insect omits a loud buzzing noise when it has been captured.
In order to scare away predators, the insect emits a loud buzzing noise when captured.
In order to scare away predators, the insect omits a loud buzzing noise when captured.
In order to scare away predators, the insect emits a loud buzzing noise when captured.
In the original sentence, the word "omits," meaning leaves out entirely, was wrongly used in place of the word "emits," meaning produces or releases. The correct answer choice fixes this word choice error.
Example Question #241 : 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.
Each of the students were sick last week, so the professor canceled the lecture.
Each of the students were sick last week, so the professor has canceled the lecture.
Each of the students was sick last week, so the professor canceled the lecture.
Each of the students were sick last week, so the professor canceled the lecture.
Each of the students have been sick last week, so the professor canceled the lecture.
Each of the students were sick last week, and so the professor canceled the lecture.
Each of the students was sick last week, so the professor canceled the lecture.
The simple subject of the sentence is "Each," so the predicate needs to be singular rather than plural. In this sentence, "Each of the students" is the subject, so we need a singular predicate. The only answer choice that contains a singular predicate for the subject "Each of the students" is "Each of the students was sick last week, so the professor canceled the lecture."
Example Question #1 : Correcting Subject Verb 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.
While everyone has heard of the Hatfields and McCoys, many reports of the number of killings during their famous feud has been exaggerated.
number of killings during their famous feud is exaggerated.
number of killings during its famous feud has been exaggerated.
number of killings during their famous feud has been exaggerated.
number of killings during their famous feud have been exaggerated.
number of killings during their famous feud are being exaggerated.
number of killings during their famous feud have been exaggerated.
This sentence contains an error in subject-verb agreement. The sentence's subject is "reports," so the verb "has" needs to be changed to plural "have" in order to agree with the plural subject "reports."
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