PSAT Writing : Improving Sentences

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for PSAT Writing

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Example Questions

Example Question #12 : Misplaced Or Interrupting Modifier 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.

He barely pushed the stone five yards, making him the contestant in last place after the round.

Possible Answers:

He pushed the stone barely five yards,

He barely pushed the stone five yards,

He pushed the barely stone five yards,

Barely he pushed the stone five yards,

He barely pushed the stone five yards barely,

Correct answer:

He pushed the stone barely five yards,

Explanation:

The placement of "barely" in the sentence is extremely odd, as it seems to imply that the subject only lightly pushed, but still got the stone "five yards." The word "barely" needs to be moved to clarify that the stone "barely" made the distance. Thus, "He pushed the stone barely five yards," is the correct answer choice.

Example Question #113 : Modifier Placement 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.

Only the issue that mattered was the territorial rights of each nation.

Possible Answers:

Only the issue that matters

Only the issue that mattered

Only the issue that is mattering

Only that issue that mattered

The only issue that mattered

Correct answer:

The only issue that mattered

Explanation:

The use of "Only" at the beginning of the sentence is strange and confusing, making it unclear what it is modifying. The construction of the rest of the sentence means the word should modify "issue" directly. "The only issue that mattered" is the answer choice that correctly deploys the adjective.

Example Question #13 : Misplaced Or Interrupting Modifier 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.

After a full night of work, the team had barely dug two feet into the hard ground.

Possible Answers:

the team had dug barely two feet into the hard ground.

the team had dug two feet barely into the hard ground.

the team had barely dug two feet into the hard ground.

the team had dug two feet into the barely hard ground.

barely the team had dug two feet into the hard ground.

Correct answer:

the team had dug barely two feet into the hard ground.

Explanation:

The placement of "barely" in the sentence as confusing, as it modifies "dug" and makes the sentence read that the team was not digging very much. The meaning of the sentence is more clear if "barely" modifies the "two feet" to show how little was actually done. The answer choice that correctly deploys "barely" is "the team had dug barely two feet into the hard ground."

Example Question #14 : Misplaced Or Interrupting Modifier 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 vogue for mixed breed dogs helps to improve actually the health of canines overall.

Possible Answers:

The vogue for mixed breed dogs helps to improve the health of canines actually overall.

The vogue for actually mixed breed dogs helps to improve the health of canines overall.

The vogue for mixed breed dogs actually helps to improve the health of canines overall.

The vogue actually for mixed breed dogs helps to improve the health of canines overall.

The vogue for mixed breed dogs helps to improve actually the health of canines overall.

Correct answer:

The vogue for mixed breed dogs actually helps to improve the health of canines overall.

Explanation:

The adverb "actually" is stuck in a place in the sentence where it is unclear what verb it is supposed to be modifying. An adverb like "actually" modifies verbs, and should be placed directly next to the word it modifies. The only answer choice that places the adverb next to a verb is "The vogue for mixed breed dogs actually helps to improve the health of canines overall."

Example Question #15 : Misplaced Or Interrupting Modifier 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 attorney was highly still idealistic, taking on cases that had no chance of paying her well.

Possible Answers:

The young attorney was high still idealistic

The young attorney were highly still idealistic

The young attorney was highly still idealistic

The young attorney was highly still idealist

The young attorney was still highly idealistic

Correct answer:

The young attorney was still highly idealistic

Explanation:

The insertion of "still" between "highly" and "idealistic" is awkward, as "highly" should directly modify "idealistic." The word order of the sentence should be modified, so that "still" is placed before "highly." "The young attorney was still highly idealistic" is therefore the correct answer choice.

Example Question #16 : Misplaced Or Interrupting Modifier 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 only young girl was interested in math among her required school subjects.

Possible Answers:

The young girl was interested in math among her required school subjects only.

The young girl was interested in math only among her required school subjects.

The young girl was interested in math among her required only school subjects.

The young girl was only interested in math among her required school subjects.

The only young girl was interested in math among her required school subjects.

Correct answer:

The young girl was only interested in math among her required school subjects.

Explanation:

The use of "only" to modify "young girl" is confusing, and makes the sentence unclear. If the word "only" is shifted, it can more clearly show that the "young girl" was "interested" in math and little else "among her required school subjects." The answer choice which most clearly uses "only" is "The young girl was only interested in math among her required school subjects."

Example Question #17 : Misplaced Or Interrupting Modifier 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.

Only they read the author's books, and refuse to touch books by anyone else.

Possible Answers:

They read only the author's books,

Only they read the author's books,

Only they are reading the author's books,

They read the only author's books,

They read the books only of the author,

Correct answer:

They read only the author's books,

Explanation:

The use of the word "only" is incorrect in this sentence, as the second part of the sentence makes it clear that the subjects read "only" the individual's author's work. The sentence is written to make it seem like the subjects are the only people reading the author's work. "They read only the author's books" is the answer choice that best fixes the problem.

Example Question #351 : 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.

Currency has had rarely any uniform shape or design throughout human history.

Possible Answers:

Currency has had rarely any uniform shape or design human history throughout.

Currency has had rarely any uniform shape or design through out human history.

Currency has had rarely any uniform shape or design throughout human history.

Currency has had rarely any uniform shape nor design throughout human history.

Currency has rarely had any uniform shape or design throughout human history.

Correct answer:

Currency has rarely had any uniform shape or design throughout human history.

Explanation:

The insertion of the adverb "rarely" after "had" makes its usage confusing and unclear, since the reader is not sure which verb it is modifying. By placing "rarely" between "has" and "had," the meaning of the sentence becomes clearer, and thus the correct answer is "Currency has rarely had any uniform shape or design throughout human history."

Example Question #352 : 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.

He was the only third driver to win ten races in one season.

Possible Answers:

He only was the third driver to win ten races in one season.

He was the only third driver to win ten races in one season.

He was the third driver to only win ten races in one season.

He was only the third driver to win ten races in one season.

He was the third driver only to win ten races in one season.

Correct answer:

He was only the third driver to win ten races in one season.

Explanation:

The placement of "only" in the sentence makes the sentence confusing, as it seems as if the subject were "only" one of many "third drivers" "to win ten races in one season," which doesn't make sense. The sentence only makes sense if it suggests that the driver in question was just "the third driver" ever to achieve the feat. The answer choice that correctly deploys "only" is, "He was only the third driver to win ten races in one season."

Example Question #431 : 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.

Widespread structural reform is only the way the organization can remain solvent in the future.

Possible Answers:

Widespread structural reform is only the way the organization can remain solvent in the future.

Widespread structural reform is only the way that organization can remain solvent in the future.

Widespread structural reform is the only way the organization can remain solvent in the future.

Widespread structural reform is only the way the organization could remain solvent in the future.

Widespread structural reform is only the way the organization can remain solvent for the future.

Correct answer:

Widespread structural reform is the only way the organization can remain solvent in the future.

Explanation:

The insertion of "only" between "is" and "the" makes it unclear what the word is modifying in the sentence. As "only" is modifying "way," it should be placed next to it in the sentence; therefore, the correct answer choice is "Widespread structural reform is the only way the organization can remain solvent in the future."

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