PSAT Writing : Improving Sentences
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Example Questions
Example Question #1 : Correcting Word Usage Errors
The information needs to be reviewed by yourself before it is sent out.
reviewed by you
reviews by yourself
reviewing by yourself
reviewed by yourself
reviewing by your
reviewed by you
The use of the reflexive pronoun "yourself" is incorrect in this sentence, as it has no previous "you" to refer back to. "Yourself" needs to simply be replaced by "you," making "reviewed by you" the correct answer choice.
Example Question #491 : Sentence Correction
The supplies were immediately brought to myself as soon as they were purchased.
brought to myself
being brought to myself
bringing to me
brought to me
bringing to myself
brought to me
The use of "myself" in the sentence is incorrect. "Myself" is a reflexive pronoun, meaning it needs an earlier first person pronoun to refer back to. The appropriate word in this situation is just "me," and that is the only issue with the sentence; therefore, "brought to me" is the correct answer.
Example Question #761 : Word Usage Errors
Unlike myself, he has never gotten a speeding ticket on the highway.
Unto like myself,
Unlike myself,
Unlike I,
Unlike me,
Unlikely myself,
Unlike me,
The reflexive pronoun "myself" is absolutely incorrect in this sentence, as there is no regular first person pronoun to which it can refer. "Myself" needs to be changed to the subjective pronoun "me," making "Unlike me" the correct answer choice.
Example Question #762 : Word Usage Errors
Most of the time, he brings the newspaper to myself first, then passes it around the office.
to my own self first
from myself first
to myself firstly
to me first
to myself first
to me first
The use of the reflexive pronoun "myself" is absolutely wrong in this sentence, as there is no previous use of the first person pronoun for it to refer to. The pronoun must be changed to the simple first person objective form, "me." As this is the only issue in the sentence, the correct answer choice is "to me first."
Example Question #11 : Correcting Pronoun Errors: Incorrect Usage
The reports all need to be seen by myself before they are sent out.
by me
to myself
by myself
for myself
as myself
by me
The use of "myself" in the sentence is incorrect, as it is a reflexive pronoun and needs a previous usage of the regular pronoun first. As there is none, the pronoun needs to be changed to the regular pronoun "me." This makes "by me" the correct answer choice.
Example Question #492 : Sentence Correction
I have never questioned the innate abilities of me.
the innate ability of me.
the innate abilities of me.
the innate abilities of myself.
the innate abilities to me.
the innate abilities for me.
the innate abilities of myself.
The use of me, although technically correct as the objective form, is awkward in this sentence after the previous use of "I" as the subject. By placing the reflexive pronoun "myself" in the sentence, the pronoun now appropriately refers back to the subject of the sentence. The correct answer choice is "the innate abilities of myself."
Example Question #11 : 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.
The young woman brought her package directly to myself and no one else.
directly for myself
direct to myself
directly unto myself
directly to myself
directly to me
directly to me
The use of the reflexive pronoun "myself" is incorrect in the sentence, as it needs a previous usage of the first person pronoun to refer back to. The correct pronoun is the simple "me." Therefore, the correct answer choice is "directly to me."
Example Question #11 : Correcting Pronoun Errors: Incorrect Usage
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 report was seen by yourself before anyone else was allowed to have it.
The report being seen by yourself
The report seen by yourself
The report was seen by yourself
The report was saw by yourself
The report was seen by you
The report was seen by you
The use of the reflexive pronoun "yourself" is incorrect in this sentence, as it has no previous use of the second person pronoun "you" to refer to. "Yourself" should be changed to the simple second person pronoun "you." As this is the only issue in the sentence, the correct answer choice is "The report was seen by you."
Example Question #52 : Other Pronoun 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 questions have only been seen by myself.
been seeing myself.
been seen myself.
been seen by myself.
being seen by myself.
been seen by me.
been seen by me.
The use of "myself" is incorrect in the sentence, as it is a reflexive pronoun and needs the first person pronoun "me" to precede it. Therefore, "myself" must be changed to the first person pronoun "me," making the correct answer "been seen by me."
Example Question #12 : Correcting Pronoun Errors: Incorrect Usage
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 game score was reported directly to myself as soon as the contest was over.
was reported direct to myself
was reported directly for myself
was reported directly to myself
was reported directly to me
was reporting directly to myself
was reported directly to me
The use of the reflexive pronoun "myself" is incorrect in this sentence, as there is no previous usage of the first person pronoun for it to be referring to. "Myself" should be replaced by the simple objective pronoun "me." The correct answer is the only answer choice that does this, "was reported directly to me."
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