Sentence Improvement — Set 2
Questions 11–20 of 120
Select the correct form:
Correct Answer: B. The statistics show that crime has increased significantly.
When 'statistics' refers to a collection of data or figures (plural concept), it takes a plural verb 'show'. The correct sentence is 'The statistics show that crime has increased significantly.' However, 'statistic' in singular means a single figure.
Choose the sentence with correct comparative form:
Correct Answer: B. This book is better than the previous one.
Do not use 'more' with comparative adjectives that already have '-er' ending. The correct form is 'better' (not 'more better'). We say 'This book is better than the previous one.' The word 'better' is already the comparative form of 'good'.
Identify the correct superlative form:
Correct Answer: B. She is the most intelligent student in the class.
The superlative form of 'intelligent' is 'most intelligent' (not 'more intelligent'). We use 'most' with multi-syllable adjectives to show the highest degree. The correct sentence is 'She is the most intelligent student in the class.'
Choose the sentence with correct parallel structure:
Correct Answer: A. The manager asked them to work quickly and efficiently and to maintain quality.
Parallel structure requires consistent grammatical forms. The correct form uses two infinitives: 'to work quickly and efficiently' and 'to maintain quality'. Both phrases use the 'to + verb' structure for parallel construction.
Identify the sentence with correct subject pronoun:
Correct Answer: A. Between you and me, I think this decision is wrong.
After prepositions like 'between', we use objective pronouns 'me', not subjective 'I' or reflexive 'myself'. The correct sentence is 'Between you and me, I think this decision is wrong.' The 'I' in the second clause is correct as it is the subject of 'think'.
Which sentence has correct pronoun usage:
Correct Answer: B. He and she went to the market together.
When pronouns are the subject of a sentence, use subjective pronouns. The correct sentence is 'He and she went to the market together.' Both 'he' and 'she' are subjects of the verb 'went', so we must use the nominative case.
Choose the correct passive voice form:
Correct Answer: B. The cake was eaten by the children.
In passive voice with past tense, use 'was' + past participle. The past participle of 'eat' is 'eaten'. The correct sentence is 'The cake was eaten by the children.' The auxiliary 'was' must be followed by the past participle, not the base form.
Identify the correct passive construction:
Correct Answer: A. The house was being repaired when I visited yesterday.
The sentence correctly uses past continuous passive 'was being repaired' with simple past 'visited'. The tense sequence is correct: the ongoing action (being repaired) was interrupted by another past action (visited). No changes are needed.
Which sentence has the correct modal verb usage:
Correct Answer: B. He could have gone to the meeting, but he was sick.
With modal verbs in past tense, use the structure 'could have' + past participle. The past participle of 'go' is 'gone'. The correct sentence is 'He could have gone to the meeting, but he was sick.'
Choose the sentence with correct gerund usage:
Correct Answer: B. They enjoyed playing cricket in the evening.
The verb 'enjoy' is followed by a gerund (verb+ing), not an infinitive. The correct sentence is 'They enjoyed playing cricket in the evening.' Other verbs like enjoy, appreciate, and consider always take gerunds, not infinitives.