Chapter 28: Sentence Improvement · UPESSC TGT English

Part VI — Application & Practice

Chapter 28

Sentence Improvement

📘 50 MCQs⏱ ~27 min read🎯 Exam-focused

Theory

Approach / Strategy

Read the whole sentence first. The error often depends on context outside the underlined part (e.g., the subject lies before the underline; the time-marker fixes the tense).
Identify the error category. Mentally tag it: agreement? tense? preposition? parallelism? Knowing the category narrows the choice instantly.
Predict the correction before looking at the options. Then match your prediction to the closest option.
Scan the options for the smallest valid change. Examiners reward minimal, grammatical, meaning-preserving edits.
Eliminate distractors: options that over-correct, alter meaning, or introduce a new mistake.
Respect "No improvement." If the underlined part is already correct, this is the answer. Roughly 1 in 6 such questions need no change.
Re-read the sentence with your chosen option inserted to confirm fluency and sense.

Golden test: Substitute each option into the sentence. The right answer is the one that is grammatical + idiomatic + meaning-preserving + concise, all at once.

Error Category 1 — Subject–Verb Agreement

Rule: The verb must agree with its subject in number and person, regardless of intervening words. Singular subject → singular verb; plural subject → plural verb. Beware of phrases like along with, as well as, together with (they do not change the number of the subject) and of collective/indefinite pronouns.

Original (bold = underlined)	Improved
One of the boys have won the prize.	One of the boys has won the prize.
The quality of the apples were poor.	The quality of the apples was poor.
Neither the teacher nor the students was present.	Neither the teacher nor the students were present.
Each of the candidates are eligible.	Each of the candidates is eligible.
The committee are divided in its opinion.	The committee is divided in its opinion.

With either…or / neither…nor, the verb agrees with the nearer subject (proximity rule).

Error Category 2 — Tense and Sequence of Tenses

Rule: Keep tense consistent and logical. After a past-tense main verb, the subordinate clause is usually past too (except universal truths). Use the present perfect with since/for, never the simple past with since. The past perfect marks the earlier of two past actions.

Original	Improved
He said that he will come the next day.	He said that he would come the next day.
She has been ill since three days.	She has been ill for three days.
When I reached the station, the train already left.	When I reached the station, the train had already left.
I am knowing him for ten years.	I have known him for ten years.
Hardly had I sat down than the bell rang.	Hardly had I sat down when the bell rang.

Stative verbs (know, believe, understand, own, belong) are not normally used in the continuous form.

Error Category 3 — Articles (a / an / the)

Rule: Use a before a consonant sound, an before a vowel sound (sound, not letter: an hour, a university). Use the for specific/unique nouns, superlatives, rivers, oceans and ordinals. Omit the article before uncountable and general plural nouns.

Original	Improved
He is an university student.	He is a university student.
I shall return in a hour.	I shall return in an hour.
She is most intelligent girl in the class.	She is the most intelligent girl in the class.
The honesty is the best policy.	Honesty is the best policy.
He plays a violin beautifully.	He plays the violin beautifully.

Musical instruments take the (play the flute); meals and games usually take no article (play cricket, have lunch).

Error Category 4 — Prepositions and Collocations

Rule: Many verbs, adjectives and nouns demand a fixed preposition. These collocations must be learnt, since they rarely follow logic.

Original	Improved
She is married with a doctor.	She is married to a doctor.
He is angry on me.	He is angry with me.
I congratulated him for his success.	I congratulated him on his success.
The book is different than mine.	The book is different from mine.
He died from cholera.	He died of cholera.

Common pairs: composed of, capable of, fond of, superior to, inferior to, prefer X to Y, comply with, deal with, insist on, abide by.

Error Category 5 — Pronoun Case and Agreement

Rule: Subject pronouns (I, he, she, we, they) act as subjects; object pronouns (me, him, her, us, them) follow verbs and prepositions. A pronoun must agree with its antecedent in number, gender and person. Use who for subjects, whom for objects.

Original	Improved
Between you and I, the plan is risky.	Between you and me, the plan is risky.
Let he and I go together.	Let him and me go together.
Everyone must do their duty.	Everyone must do his duty.
He is the man who I met yesterday.	He is the man whom I met yesterday.
These books are your's.	These books are yours.

After than/as in comparisons, use the subject pronoun: "He is taller than I (am)."

Error Category 6 — Adjectives and Degrees of Comparison

Rule: Use the comparative for two, the superlative for three or more. Do not double the comparative (more better). Some adjectives (perfect, unique, complete, supreme) are absolute and admit no degree. Use than with comparatives, of/in with superlatives.

Original	Improved
This is the more better option.	This is the better option.
He is the cleverest of the two boys.	He is the cleverer of the two boys.
Her design is more unique than his.	Her design is unique; his is ordinary.
No other metal is so useful than iron.	No other metal is so useful as iron.
He is senior than me in service.	He is senior to me in service.

Senior, junior, superior, inferior, prior, prefer take to, never than.

Error Category 7 — Conjunctions and Correlatives

Rule: Correlative conjunctions come in fixed pairs: either…or, neither…nor, both…and, not only…but also, no sooner…than, hardly…when, scarcely…when, whether…or. Each part must precede parallel grammatical elements.

Original	Improved
No sooner had he arrived when it rained.	No sooner had he arrived than it rained.
He is not only intelligent but he is also diligent.	He is not only intelligent but also diligent.
Neither he or his brother came.	Neither he nor his brother came.
Although he was tired, but he continued.	Although he was tired, he continued.
Both Ram as well as Shyam attended.	Both Ram and Shyam attended.

Never combine although/though with but/yet, or because with so, in the same sentence.

Error Category 8 — Parallelism

Rule: Items in a list or joined by coordinating conjunctions must share the same grammatical form (all gerunds, all infinitives, all nouns, etc.).

Original	Improved
She likes reading, swimming and to paint.	She likes reading, swimming and painting.
He is honest, hardworking and a man of vision.	He is honest, hardworking and visionary.
To know is one thing; practising is another.	To know is one thing; to practise is another.
The job calls for skill, patience and being punctual.	The job calls for skill, patience and punctuality.
We came, we saw and conquering followed.	We came, we saw and we conquered.

Error Category 9 — Redundancy (Pleonasm)

Rule: Avoid using two words that express the same idea. Delete the redundant element.

Original	Improved
Please return back my book.	Please return my book.
Do not repeat it again.	Do not repeat it.
He is my cousin brother.	He is my cousin.
Let us discuss about the matter.	Let us discuss the matter.
The two twins both look alike.	The twins look alike.

Other pleonasms: revert back, final conclusion, free gift, new innovation, advance planning, true facts, end result, mutual cooperation, sufficient enough.

Error Category 10 — Wrong Word / Diction

Rule: Choose the word that fits the exact sense. Confused homophones and near-synonyms are common traps.

Original	Improved
The new policy will affect several changes.	The new policy will effect several changes.
Please borrow me your pen.	Please lend me your pen.
The medicine had no affect on him.	The medicine had no effect on him.
I will revert back to you shortly.	I will reply to you shortly.
He laid on the sofa all day.	He lay on the sofa all day.

Error Category 11 — Double Negatives

Rule: Two negatives in the same clause cancel out and are non-standard. Words like hardly, scarcely, barely, seldom, never are already negative and must not be paired with another negative.

Original	Improved
I don't know nothing about it.	I know nothing about it.
He hasn't hardly any money.	He has hardly any money.
She cannot scarcely walk.	She can scarcely walk.
We didn't see no one there.	We saw no one there.
I won't never forget you.	I will never forget you.

Error Category 12 — Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers

Rule: A modifier must sit beside the word it describes. An introductory participial phrase must logically modify the subject that immediately follows.

Original	Improved
Walking down the road, the tower came into view.	Walking down the road, I saw the tower.
She almost failed nearly every paper.	She failed nearly every paper.
Being a hot day, we stayed indoors.	It being a hot day, we stayed indoors.
I saw a dog going to school.	Going to school, I saw a dog.
He only sleeps for four hours.	He sleeps for only four hours.

Error Category 13 — Idiom Errors

Rule: Idiomatic expressions have fixed forms; do not alter their wording or prepositions.

Original	Improved
He is at the verge of ruin.	He is on the verge of ruin.
She takes pride of her work.	She takes pride in her work.
Please put off the lights when you leave.	Please put out / switch off the lights when you leave.
He made up his mind on resigning.	He made up his mind to resign.
They did away the rule.	They did away with the rule.

Error Category 14 — Conditionals (If-Clauses)

Rule: Type 1: If + present, will + base. Type 2: If + past, would + base. Type 3: If + past perfect, would have + past participle. Use were (not was) in the subjunctive. Never use would/will directly in the if-clause.

Original	Improved
If I will see him, I shall tell him.	If I see him, I shall tell him.
If he was rich, he would help us.	If he were rich, he would help us.
If she had tried, she would succeed.	If she had tried, she would have succeeded.
If you would have called, I would have come.	If you had called, I would have come.
I wish I was a bird.	I wish I were a bird.

After wish, as if, as though, if only (unreal present), use were for all persons.

Common Exam Errors

#	Wrong	Correct	Explanation
1	One of my friend	One of my friends	"One of" takes a plural noun.
2	discuss about the issue	discuss the issue	"Discuss" is transitive; no "about".
3	married with her	married to her	Fixed collocation "married to".
4	since two years	for two years	"Since" needs a point in time; "for" a duration.
5	more taller	taller	Double comparative is wrong.
6	cousin brother	cousin	Redundant; "cousin" suffices.
7	return back	return	"Return" already implies "back".
8	between you and I	between you and me	Object pronoun after a preposition.
9	each of the students are	each of the students is	"Each" is singular.
10	an university	a university	"University" begins with a /j/ sound.
11	superior than	superior to	"Superior" takes "to".
12	No sooner...when	No sooner...than	Correlative pair is "no sooner...than".
13	prefer tea than coffee	prefer tea to coffee	"Prefer...to".
14	If I will go	If I go	No "will" in the if-clause (Type 1).
15	I am knowing him	I know him	Stative verb not used in continuous.
16	hardly...than	hardly...when	"Hardly/scarcely...when".
17	the man who I met	the man whom I met	Object relative pronoun "whom".
18	different than	different from	British usage: "different from".
19	good in English	good at English	"Good at" a skill/subject.
20	comprises of	comprises / is composed of	"Comprise" takes no "of".
21	lesser than ten	fewer than ten	"Fewer" for countable nouns.
22	much books	many books	"Many" with countable nouns.
23	scarcely...nor	scarcely...when	No second negative needed.
24	the both girls	both the girls	"Both" precedes "the".
25	insist to do	insist on doing	"Insist on + gerund".

Exam Tricks

Locate the subject first. Mentally remove intervening phrases (of the apples, along with his friends) to test verb agreement.
Spot the time-marker. Words like yesterday, since, by the time, already, ago, next day dictate the tense and unmask the error.
Prefer the concise option. When two options are grammatical, the shorter, non-redundant one is usually correct.
Beware of "meaning-changers." A distractor may be grammatically fine yet alter the sense; reject it.
Watch for over-correction. An option that "corrects" something already correct, or changes part outside the underline's logic, is a trap.
Fixed pairs are gold. If you see not only, either, neither, no sooner, hardly, both, immediately check the matching partner word.
Preposition pairs are memorised, not reasoned. Keep a personal list and revise it.

When "No improvement" is the answer:

When every other option introduces an error, changes meaning, or is wordier.
When the underlined part already follows a correct collocation/idiom that distractors distort.
When the sentence is idiomatic British English and the alternatives are Americanisms or learner-errors.
Tip: Do not avoid "No improvement" through nervousness — it is the intended answer in roughly 12–18% of questions.

Frequently Confused Pairs

Pair	Sense / Usage	Correct Example
affect / effect	affect (verb) = influence; effect (noun) = result, (verb) = bring about	The drought affected crops; its effect was severe.
lend / borrow	lend = give temporarily; borrow = take temporarily	Lend me a pen / I borrowed his pen.
lay / lie	lay = put down (transitive); lie = recline (intransitive)	Lay the book down; lie on the bed.
fewer / less	fewer = countable; less = uncountable	Fewer cars; less traffic.
among / between	between = two; among = more than two	Between the two; among the many.
each other / one another	each other = two; one another = more than two	The two loved each other; the team helped one another.
since / for	since = point in time; for = duration	Since 2010; for ten years.
principal / principle	principal = chief/head; principle = rule	The principal upheld the principle of fairness.

Exceptions — Important, Rare and Advanced

Collective nouns can take a plural verb when members act individually: "The jury were divided in their views."
"A number of" vs "the number of": "A number of students are…" (plural) but "The number of students is…" (singular).
"More than one" takes a singular verb: "More than one candidate was rejected."
Plural-form, singular-sense nouns (news, mathematics, physics, politics, economics) take a singular verb: "Mathematics is hard."
Pair nouns (scissors, trousers, spectacles, tongs) take a plural verb unless preceded by "a pair of".
Subjunctive after demand, suggest, insist, recommend, propose, order: "I suggest that he go at once" (base form, no "-s").
"Had better / would rather" are followed by the bare infinitive: "You had better go" (not "to go").
Inversion after negative openers: "Never have I seen…", "Hardly had he spoken…".
"One of the + plural + who/that" takes a plural verb: "He is one of those who love music."
Absolute adjectives (unique, perfect, ideal, complete) may take "almost/nearly" but not "more/most".

50 MCQs

Easy (1–15)

1. Choose the best improvement for the bold part: She have been working since morning.

(a) has been (b) is being (c) had being (d) No improvement
Answer: (a) has been
Explanation: The singular subject "She" requires "has been".

2. Choose the best improvement: One of the boys have stolen my pen.

(a) has (b) are (c) were (d) No improvement
Answer: (a) has
Explanation: "One of the boys" is singular, so "has".

3. Choose the best improvement: He is married with a teacher.

(a) to (b) of (c) from (d) No improvement
Answer: (a) to
Explanation: The collocation is "married to".

4. Choose the best improvement: I have known him since five years.

(a) for (b) from (c) by (d) No improvement
Answer: (a) for
Explanation: "For" expresses a duration; "since" needs a point in time.

5. Choose the best improvement: He is an university professor.

(a) a university (b) the university (c) an universities (d) No improvement
Answer: (a) a university
Explanation: "University" begins with a /j/ consonant sound, so "a".

6. Choose the best improvement: Please return back my notes.

(a) return (b) returning (c) return out (d) No improvement
Answer: (a) return
Explanation: "Return back" is redundant; "return" suffices.

7. Choose the best improvement: This pen is more better than that one.

(a) better (b) best (c) more good (d) No improvement
Answer: (a) better
Explanation: A double comparative is incorrect.

8. Choose the best improvement: Between you and I, this is a secret.

(a) me (b) myself (c) mine (d) No improvement
Answer: (a) me
Explanation: After the preposition "between", use the object pronoun "me".

9. Choose the best improvement: Each of the students are present today.

(a) is (b) were (c) have (d) No improvement
Answer: (a) is
Explanation: "Each" is singular and takes "is".

10. Choose the best improvement: He is senior than me in office.

(a) senior to (b) more senior than (c) senior from (d) No improvement
Answer: (a) senior to
Explanation: "Senior" is followed by "to", not "than".

11. Choose the best improvement: He is my cousin brother.

(a) cousin (b) cousin sibling (c) brother cousin (d) No improvement
Answer: (a) cousin
Explanation: "Cousin brother" is redundant; "cousin" is correct.

12. Choose the best improvement: If I will see him, I shall inform you.

(a) see (b) saw (c) would see (d) No improvement
Answer: (a) see
Explanation: In a Type 1 conditional, the if-clause uses the present tense.

13. Choose the best improvement: Let us discuss about the problem.

(a) discuss (b) discussing about (c) discuss on (d) No improvement
Answer: (a) discuss
Explanation: "Discuss" is transitive and takes no preposition.

14. Choose the best improvement: She is the cleverest of the two sisters.

(a) of the two (changed to "cleverer of the two") (b) cleverer of the two (c) most clever of the two (d) No improvement
Answer: (b) cleverer of the two
Explanation: With two persons, the comparative "cleverer" is used.

15. Choose the best improvement: He don't know nothing about it.

(a) doesn't know anything (b) don't know anything (c) doesn't know nothing (d) No improvement
Answer: (a) doesn't know anything
Explanation: "He" needs "doesn't", and the double negative must be removed.

Moderate (16–35)

16. Choose the best improvement: No sooner did he reach when the meeting started.

(a) than (b) then (c) that (d) No improvement
Answer: (a) than
Explanation: The correlative is "no sooner…than".

17. Choose the best improvement: The committee are unanimous in its decision.

(a) is (b) were (c) have been (d) No improvement
Answer: (a) is
Explanation: Acting as one body ("its decision"), the collective noun takes "is".

18. Choose the best improvement: He said that he will come the following day.

(a) would come (b) shall come (c) had come (d) No improvement
Answer: (a) would come
Explanation: After the past "said", back-shift "will" to "would".

19. Choose the best improvement: This book is quite different than that one.

(a) from (b) to (c) with (d) No improvement
Answer: (a) from
Explanation: Standard British usage is "different from".

20. Choose the best improvement: She likes singing, dancing and to read.

(a) reading (b) read (c) to be reading (d) No improvement
Answer: (a) reading
Explanation: Parallelism requires the gerund "reading".

21. Choose the best improvement: He is the man who I admire most.

(a) whom (b) which (c) whose (d) No improvement
Answer: (a) whom
Explanation: The object of "admire" requires "whom".

22. Choose the best improvement: Hardly had I entered than the phone rang.

(a) when (b) than that (c) then (d) No improvement
Answer: (a) when
Explanation: "Hardly…when" is the fixed pair.

23. Choose the best improvement: If he was in my place, he would understand.

(a) were (b) is (c) had been (d) No improvement
Answer: (a) were
Explanation: An unreal Type 2 conditional uses the subjunctive "were".

24. Choose the best improvement: The quality of these mangoes are excellent.

(a) is (b) were (c) have been (d) No improvement
Answer: (a) is
Explanation: The subject is the singular "quality".

25. Choose the best improvement: He prefers tea than coffee.

(a) to (b) over (c) from (d) No improvement
Answer: (a) to
Explanation: "Prefer X to Y".

26. Choose the best improvement: I will revert back to you by evening.

(a) reply to you (b) revert you (c) reverting back to you (d) No improvement
Answer: (a) reply to you
Explanation: "Revert back" is redundant; the natural idiom is "reply to you".

27. Choose the best improvement: Neither the manager nor the clerks was available.

(a) were (b) is (c) has been (d) No improvement
Answer: (a) were
Explanation: With "neither…nor", the verb agrees with the nearer subject "clerks".

28. Choose the best improvement: When we arrived, the film already started.

(a) had already started (b) has already started (c) already starts (d) No improvement
Answer: (a) had already started
Explanation: The earlier of two past actions takes the past perfect.

29. Choose the best improvement: He is good in mathematics.

(a) at (b) for (c) with (d) No improvement
Answer: (a) at
Explanation: "Good at" precedes a subject or skill.

30. Choose the best improvement: I am knowing the answer since long.

(a) (changed to "have known the answer for") have known the answer for (b) am knowing for (c) know the answer since (d) No improvement
Answer: (a) have known the answer for
Explanation: "Know" is stative; use the present perfect with "for".

31. Choose the best improvement: Although he was poor, but he was honest.

(a) (omit "but") he was honest (b) yet but (c) so (d) No improvement
Answer: (a) he was honest
Explanation: "Although" must not be paired with "but".

32. Choose the best improvement: The number of applicants were very large.

(a) was (b) are (c) have been (d) No improvement
Answer: (a) was
Explanation: "The number of" takes a singular verb.

33. Choose the best improvement: She takes great pride of her achievements.

(a) in (b) on (c) for (d) No improvement
Answer: (a) in
Explanation: The idiom is "take pride in".

34. Choose the best improvement: He is one of those leaders who inspires millions.

(a) inspire (b) is inspiring (c) has inspired (d) No improvement
Answer: (a) inspire
Explanation: "One of those…who" takes the plural verb agreeing with "leaders".

35. Choose the best improvement: There is no point to argue with him.

(a) in arguing (b) of arguing (c) to arguing (d) No improvement
Answer: (a) in arguing
Explanation: The idiom is "no point in + gerund".

Difficult (36–50)

36. Choose the best improvement: Scarcely had the train left the platform than it began to rain.

(a) when (b) then (c) that (d) No improvement
Answer: (a) when
Explanation: "Scarcely…when" is the correct correlative.

37. Choose the best improvement: Walking along the beach, the sunset looked magnificent.

(a) Walking along the beach, I found the sunset (b) The sunset, walking along the beach, looked (c) Walking the beach, magnificent looked the sunset (d) No improvement
Answer: (a) Walking along the beach, I found the sunset
Explanation: The dangling participle must modify a logical subject ("I").

38. Choose the best improvement: If you would have informed me, I would have helped.

(a) had informed (b) have informed (c) informed (d) No improvement
Answer: (a) had informed
Explanation: Type 3 if-clause uses the past perfect, not "would have".

39. Choose the best improvement: The jury was divided in their opinions.

(a) were (b) is (c) has been (d) No improvement
Answer: (a) were
Explanation: Members acting individually ("their opinions") take the plural "were".

40. Choose the best improvement: He insisted to go with us.

(a) on going (b) for going (c) to going (d) No improvement
Answer: (a) on going
Explanation: "Insist on + gerund".

41. Choose the best improvement: I would rather to die than beg.

(a) die (b) dying (c) died (d) No improvement
Answer: (a) die
Explanation: "Would rather" takes the bare infinitive "die".

42. Choose the best improvement: This is the most unique painting I have ever saw.

(a) have ever seen (b) had ever saw (c) ever saw (d) No improvement
Answer: (a) have ever seen
Explanation: The present perfect requires the past participle "seen".

43. Choose the best improvement: The teacher suggested that he goes home immediately.

(a) go (b) went (c) should goes (d) No improvement
Answer: (a) go
Explanation: After "suggest that", the subjunctive base form "go" is used.

44. Choose the best improvement: Hardly anyone could scarcely hear the speaker.

(a) (omit "scarcely") hear the speaker (b) barely scarcely hear (c) not hear (d) No improvement
Answer: (a) hear the speaker
Explanation: "Hardly" and "scarcely" together form a double negative.

45. Choose the best improvement: She is more intelligent than any girl in her class.

(a) any other girl (b) all girls (c) some girls (d) No improvement
Answer: (a) any other girl
Explanation: Since she belongs to the class, "any other" excludes her from the comparison.

46. Choose the best improvement: No sooner did the bell ring and the children rushed out.

(a) than (b) when (c) then (d) No improvement
Answer: (a) than
Explanation: "No sooner…than" is the fixed correlative pair.

47. Choose the best improvement: He spoke as if he was the owner of the house.

(a) as if he were (b) as though he was (c) like he was (d) No improvement
Answer: (a) as if he were
Explanation: "As if" expressing an unreal situation takes the subjunctive "were".

48. Choose the best improvement: The new committee comprises of ten members.

(a) (omit "of") comprises ten members (b) comprising of (c) is comprised ten (d) No improvement
Answer: (a) comprises ten members
Explanation: "Comprise" takes no "of".

49. Choose the best improvement: Each boy and each girl were given a prize.

(a) was (b) are (c) have been (d) No improvement
Answer: (a) was
Explanation: "Each…and each…" takes a singular verb.

50. Choose the best improvement: He has been living here for the year 2010.

(a) since 2010 (b) from 2010 (c) in 2010 (d) No improvement
Answer: (a) since 2010
Explanation: A starting point in time takes "since" with the perfect tense.