All PSAT Writing Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #1042 : Gmat Verbal
Under the terms of the treaty, the victorious nation keeping the territory it acquired during the war.
the victorious nation kept the territory
the victorious nation having keeping the territory
the victorious nation keeping territory
the victorious nation keeping the territory
the victorious nation keep the territory
the victorious nation kept the territory
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 #13 : Correcting Other Verb Errors
How long a person could live in outer space is a question scientists still debating.
still debating.
still debate.
debating still.
debating.
still debated.
still debate.
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 #12 : Correcting Other Verb Errors
The nervous woman making mistakes every time she tried to make cupcakes.
making the mistakes
makes mistakes
making, mistakes
making mistakes
made mistakes
made mistakes
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 #144 : Improving Sentences
For a long time, the man having issues with his wife that they could not resolve.
the man had issues
the man have issues
the man has issues
the man having had issues
the man having issues
the man had issues
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 #131 : Correcting Word Usage Errors
His father was usually ready telling a joke to lighten the mood.
telling jokes
telling a joke
to tell a joke
telling the joke
telling a joking
to tell a joke
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 #821 : Psat Writing Skills
Most men feel very uncomfortable reveal their feelings to loved ones.
reveal there feelings
revealed their feelings
reveal they're feelings
reveal their feelings
revealing their feelings
revealing their feelings
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 #241 : Verb Formation Errors
Politicians having grown increasingly aware of the proper way to deal with the media in recent years.
Politicians have grown increasingly aware
Politicians having grown increased aware
Politicians having grown increasing aware
Politicians having grown increasingly aware
Politicians growing increasingly aware
Politicians have grown increasingly aware
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 #242 : Verb Formation 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.
specifically targeting people
specifically targeted people
specific targeting of people
specifically targeted of people
specific targeted people
specifically targeting people
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 #35 : Other Verb 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 soldiers keeping watch through the whole night as ordered.
The soldier's keeping watch
The soldiers keep watch
The soldiers keeping watching
The soldiers keeping watch
The soldiers keeping watch
The soldiers keep watch
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."
Example Question #61 : Correcting Verb 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 tiny force holding down the fort until help came three days later.
The tiny force holds down the fort
The tiny force, holding down the fort,
The tiny force holding down the fort
The tiny force that holding down the fort
The tiny force held down the fort
The tiny force held down the fort
The use of the participle "holding" means that there is no actual verb in the sentence. Not only does the form have to change, but the use of "came" later in the sentence means the verb form needs to be the past tense. "The tiny force held down the fort" is the only answer choice that uses the correct tense.
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