PSAT Writing : Improving Sentences
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for PSAT Writing
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Example Questions
Example Question #21 : Correcting Sentence Fragment And Sentence Combination Errors
Some politicians believe that the role of government should be limited; others claiming that a strong government can improve economic growth and fairness.
limited; however, there are others who claim that
limited; others claim that
limited and others claiming that
limited, others with the claim that
limited; others claiming that
limited; others claim that
The initial sentence contains a sentence fragment. The correct answer is the most concise and most complete.
Example Question #21 : Correcting Sentence Fragment And Sentence Combination 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.
Under the new terms of the treaty, reduce all stockpiles begins immediately.
reduce all stockpiles
stockpiles reduced
all stockpiling reduction
the reduction of all stockpiles
reduced stockpiles
the reduction of all stockpiles
The underlined phrase needs to be improved to make the second part of the sentence contain a complete sentence. As it is currently written, the sentence does not contain a subject. "The reduction of all stockpiles" is the only answer choice which makes the sentence complete by providing it with a subject. "All stockpiling reduction" may look like a tempting answer, but it does not convey the notion that the stockpiles are being reduced as well as does "the reduction of all stockpiles," since in "all stockpiling reduction," "stockpiling" is acting as a participle instead of as an object of a preposition.
Example Question #22 : Correcting Sentence Fragment And Sentence Combination 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.
Having command of detail, the novelist's excellent descriptions of characters.
Having command of details, the novelist describing characters excellently.
The novelist's excellent depictions of characters demonstrate his command of detail.
Having command of details, the novelist's excellent descriptions of characters.
Having command of details is the novelist's excellent descriptions of characters.
The novelist's excellent descriptions of characters, having command of details.
The novelist's excellent depictions of characters demonstrate his command of detail.
The chief issue with the sentence as it is written is the lack of any verb. "Having" is a gerund, a noun formed from a verb. The best way to correct the sentence, and give it the same meaning, is to essentially reverse the phrases and add a verb in the middle. "The novelist's excellent depictions of characters demonstrate he has a command of details." is the best answer choice.
Example Question #34 : Correcting Sentence Fragment And Sentence Combination 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 rains were so strong that layers of soil were washed away from fields but most of the buidings remained standing.
The rains were so strong that layers of soil were washed away from fields, but most of the buidings remained standing.
The rains were so strong that layers of soil were washed away from fields; but most of the buidings remained standing.
The rains were so strong that layers of soil were washed away from fields and most of the buidings remained standing.
The rains were so strong that layers of soil were washed away from fields so most of the buidings remained standing.
The rains were so strong that layers of soil were washed away from fields but most of the buidings remained standing.
The rains were so strong that layers of soil were washed away from fields, but most of the buidings remained standing.
The sentence is a compound sentence, meaning it is two complete thoughts joined together to show the relationship between them. Since the conjunction "but" is already connecting the two, inserting a comma before "but" is the only change that needs to be made to make the sentence grammatically correct.
Example Question #174 : Correcting Phrase, Clause, And Sentence 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 ate an excessive amount of junk food as a child, explains the later health problems.
which explains his later health problems.
explains later health problems.
explain his later health problems.
explaining the later health problems.
explains the later health problems.
which explains his later health problems.
The underlined portion is a dependent clause, meaning it needs the rest of the sentence to complete it, but also gives meaning to the sentence. The construction of the phrase as written makes it unclear what the health problems are or how they are explained. "Which explains his later health problems," is the only choice that properly explains the sentence.
Example Question #181 : Other Phrase, Clause, And Sentence 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.
Publically, the school admitted no wrongdoing, secretly was investigating the accusations.
secretly investigate
but secretly, it was investigating
secretly investigated
secretly, was investigating
but investigate secretly
but secretly, it was investigating
The construction of the sentence means the second phrase, featuring the underlined portion, needs to draw a contrast with the opening clause. The correct answer must have a conjunction to separate the two parts, and still show the school's actions. Thus, "but secretly, it was investigating" is the best choice among the answers.
Example Question #181 : Phrase, Clause, And Sentence 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.
Although Vladimir Nabokov, who is best known for his novels, he also published numerous scientific articles about butterflies.
Nabokov is best known for his novels, he
Nabokov wrote novels for which he is best known, he
Nabokov’s novels are what is best known, he
Nabokov, who is best known for his novels, he
Nabokov, whose novels are best known, he
Nabokov is best known for his novels, he
The initial sentence contains an incomplete thought. The correct answer is by far the most direct, concise, and complete.
Example Question #141 : Correcting Phrase, Clause, And Sentence 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.
Philosophers believe their musings are deeply valuable to the public but they often put them in such complicated language they are hard to understand.
to the public and they often
to the public, they often
to the public, but they often
to the public they often
to the public but they often
to the public, but they often
The sentence is written as a compound sentence, one that joins two complete thoughts together to show the relationship between them. A compound sentence always needs to be joined either by a comma and a conjunction or a semicolon. "[T]o the public, but they often" is the only answer choice that does this appropriately.
Example Question #192 : Other Phrase, Clause, And Sentence 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 administrators no longer wanted to listen to the protestors, they were tired of hearing their demands.
The administrators no longer wanted to listen to the protestors, but they were tired of hearing their demands.
The administrators no longer wanted to listen to the protestors (they were tired of hearing their demands).
The administrators no longer wanted to listen to the protestors they were tired of hearing their demands.
The administrators no longer wanted to listen to the protestors, so they were tired of hearing their demands.
The administrators no longer wanted to listen to the protestors; they were tired of hearing their demands.
The administrators no longer wanted to listen to the protestors; they were tired of hearing their demands.
The sentence in question contains a comma splice, or two independent clauses connected by a comma. Independent clauses should be connected using a semicolon or a comma followed by a conjunction. We can ignore the answer choice that uses a parenthetical to enclose the second clause because it does not use a semicolon or a comma followed by a conjunction, and the resulting sentence is awkward. While "protestors, but they" and "protestor, so they" each employ a comma followed by a conjunction, the word "but" sets the two clauses in opposition to one another, which is not an accurate representation of the sentence's content, and the word "so" introduces a cause-and-effect relationship between the two clauses that does not work with the sentence's content either. So, the best answer choice is "protestors; they."
Example Question #141 : Correcting Phrase, Clause, And Sentence 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 quetzal is a tropical bird that is famous for its vivid plumage it is also important in Mayan mythology.
The quetzal is—a tropical bird that is famous for its vivid plumage—it is also important in Mayan mythology.
The quetzal is a tropical bird that is famous for its vivid plumage, it is also important in Mayan mythology.
The quetzal is a tropical bird that is famous for its vivid plumage; it is also important in Mayan mythology.
The quetzal is a tropical bird that is famous for its vivid plumage it was also important in Mayan mythology.
The quetzal, is a tropical bird, that is famous for its vivid plumage it is also important in Mayan mythology.
The quetzal is a tropical bird that is famous for its vivid plumage; it is also important in Mayan mythology.
This sentence is a run-on sentence because it contains two independent clauses, "The quetzal is a tropical bird that is famous for its vivid plumage" and "it is also important in Mayan mythology." To correctly connect these two sentences, you can use a semicolon or a comma followed by a conjunction. (Writing the independent clauses as two separate sentences would also be a way to correct the error.) The only answer choice that correctly uses one of these methods is "The quetzal is a tropical bird that is famous for its vivid plumage; it is also important in Mayan mythology."
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