Download sentence improvement test 2 solved

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SENTENCE IMPROVEMENT ­­ TEST 2 ­­ SOLVED
1. Do inform me of your well being after you reach Bombay.
2. The main point of his speech was well understood.
.C
O
a) will reach b) will have reached c) have reached d) no improvement
M
MAXIMUM TIME: 10 minutes
a) that he spoke b) in the speech of his c) made when he spoke d) no improvement
M
3. The police broke away the meeting, as it turned violent.
U
a) broke up b) broke off c) broke through d) no improvement
R
4. The boy told his father to explain the passage.
FO
a) called his teacher b) said to his teacher c) asked his teacher d) no improvement
5. She was too clever to see through his tricks.
a) see into his tricks b) see his tricks c) see at his tricks d) no improvement
AM
6. I would gladly accompany your sister if you had asked him.
C
EX
a) would have gladly accompanied b) was to have gladly accompanied c) will gladly accompany d) no improvement
7. Before I met Rajeev, I had had a poor opinion of him.
a) had b) have had c) did have d) no improvement
8. He did many mischiefs.
SS
a) made many a mischiefs b) made much mischief c) committed many mischiefs d) no improvement
9. He cannot succeed in business because he works by fits and starts.
a) with fits and starts b) fits and starts c) into fits and starts d) no improvement
10. I shall be grateful to you if you are of help to me now.
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a) would help b) help c) shall help d) no improvement
11. Rohit is as fast as or perhaps faster than Manish.
12. All the allegations leveled against him were found to be baseless.
.C
O
a) leveled for b) level with c) level against d) no improvement
M
a) Equally fast b) almost as fast c) as fast d) no improvement
13. They watched the sea lions being fed with fish.
a) had been fed b) are being fed c) have been fed d) no improvement
M
14. You have no idea what would happen if word of this leaked out.
a) a word of this leaks out b) word of this leaks out c) a word of this leak out d) no U
improvement
R
15. He is so handsome man that people turn round to look at him.
FO
a) such a handsome b) such handsome c) a handsome d) no improvement
16. Wise man catch time by the forelock.
AM
a) hold b) seize c) take d) no improvement
17. Kindly let us know the time of your arrival by return of post.
C
EX
a) by the return of post b) on return of post c) in return post d) no improvement
18. She could not help but laugh.
a) laughing b) but laughing c) laugh d) no improvement
SS
19. Brinjals are dead cheap these days.
a) deadly cheap b) dirt cheap c) dust cheap d) no improvement
20. He has been working off and on for several years to compile a dictionary.
a) on or off b) on and off c) regularly d) no improvement
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21. I do not think I should tell you over and over again that my family are early
risers.
a) my family members are early risers b) my family is an early riser c) my family are an
early riser d) No improvement
O
M
22. The weak man is a slave to his sensuous pleasures.
A.sensory B. sensual C. secondary
.C
23. His trousers are three sizes large.
a) three sizes too b) three size c) three sizes over d) no improvement
M
24. The brown shirt wants washing.
U
a) has to wash b) is in need of a wash c) requires a wash d) no improvement
R
25. To get into the building I will disguise as a reporter.
EX
AM
FO
a) disguise to be b) disguise as one c) disguise myself d) no improvement
26. All his answers were correct.
a) his all answers b) all of his answers c) his answers d) no improvement
27. During the Miss World contest in London, it was a difficult to decide whether
Miss India or Miss Greece is the most beautiful.
a) is more beautiful b) was more beautiful c) was the most beautiful d) no
improvement
28. Avarice was Shylock's chief trait of character.
a) a Shylock's chief trait of character b) the chief trait of Shylock's character c) the
SS
C
Shylock's chief trait of character d) no improvement
29. I wish my bus did not arrive so late; then I could have reached home before
breakfast.
a) has not arrived b) does not arrive c) had not arrived d) no improvement
30. The doctor examined my pulse.
a) observed b) saw c) felt d) no improvement
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ANSWERS
.C
Another example
When you've finished writing the letter, ring me.
O
M
1. HAVE REACHED (option ‘C’). In time clauses we use simple present for future
time when the action denoted by the verb given AFTER is very short. But if the
action takes place over a period of time (means it's not short) we use a perfect
instead. Here the action denoted by the verb REACH is not short; it takes time to
reach a place, so the verb REACH denotes rather a longer action. Hence, we'll use
the present perfect.
R
U
M
2. No improvement. Option 'a' is not possible as it's not indicating that gives us
an idea of PART of a thing, which is necessary here. Option 'b' also not possible as
OF and HIS can't stand together. If we use the option 'd' the sentence will be
grammatically incorrect as the verb WAS won't have any subject in reference.
AM
FO
3. BROKE UP (option 'a')
.
BREAK STH OFF = (i) to separate sth, using force: e.g. SHE BROKE OFF A
PIECE OF CHOCOLATE AND GAVE IT TO ME.
(ii) to end sth suddenly: e.g. THEY HAVE BROKEN OFF THEIR
ENGAGEMENT.
EX
BREAK STH UP (in one of its meanings) = to make people leave sth or stop doing
sth, especially by using force: e.g. POLICE WERE CALLED IN TO BREAK UP
THE FIGHT.
4. ASKED HIS TEACHER (option 'c'). (This is indirect speech of an imperative
sentence)
SS
C
5. No improvement. SEE THROUGH STH = to realize the truth about sth. I CAN
SEE THROUGH THROUGH YOUR LITTLE GAME. = I am aware of the trick you
are trying to play on me.
6. WOULD HAVE GLADLY ACCOMPANIED (option 'a'). When the verb in the
IFCLAUSE is in the past perfect, the verb in the main clause is in the perfect
conditional.
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7. HAD (option 'a'). When a situation described in the main clause lasts until the time indicated in the BEFORE/UNTIL­clause, the simple tense is used in the main clause. Here HAVING A M
POOR OPINION OF RAJEEV ends only when I met him.
.C
O
8. MADE MUCH MISCHIEF (option 'b'). MISCHIEF is an uncountable noun, so you can't make its form plural, and also you can't use MANY with an uncountable noun.
U
M
9. No improvement. The idiom is BY/IN FITS AND STARTS, and it means FREQUENTLY STARTING AND STOPPING AGAIN; NOT CONTINUOUSLY.
R
10. No improvement. BE (are) OF HELP = If someone or something is of help, they make a FO
situation easier or better. After BE OF HELP we use the preposition TO, which is the case here.
AM
11. No improvement. Here it's a comparison between two persons. Comparison can also be made by AS......AS. 'Equally fast' or any other option is not is not possible here as it must have a preposition to have a link with the noun MANISH.
SS
C
EX
12. No improvement. LEVEL ST AGAINST/AT SOMEBODY = to say publicly that somebody is to blame for sth, especially a crime or a mistake. You can't use option 'c' here as the past participle is needed here because of the tense of the verb FIND; which is the past (here WERE FOUND).
13. No improvement. SEA LION=a large seal (a see animal with thick fur, that eats fish and lives around the coast). Also a finite verb (a verb that has a subject subject) is not required here; rather a participle (non­finite verb doing function as an adjective) is needed. All first three options are finite verbs, so not possible).
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14. No improvement. The verb in the IF-clause is in the past tense when the verb
in the main clause is in the CONDITIONAL TENSE (would happen). So LEAKED
(past tense of LEAK) should be there.
.C
O
M
Here WORD=a piece of information or news. Note this: SHE SENT WORD THAT
SHE WOULD BE LATE. When this is the meaning the word WORD does not
precede by article. Tumhe koi idea nahin hai ki kyaa ho jaata agar ye information
leak ho jaati.
M
15. SUCH A HANDSOME (option 'a'). When the noun is singular we can use
either SUCH+A/AN+ADJECTIVE+NOUN or SO+ADJECTIVE+A/AN+NOUN.
Therefore, here it will be SUCH A HANDSOME. As earlier said SO HANDSOME
A MAN is also possible, but it's not in the answer options.
R
U
But when the noun is plural you cannot say SO BIG MEN for example, then the
construction only with SUCH is correct; so you'll say SUCH BIG MEN.
EX
AM
FO
16. SEIZE (option 'b'). First you need to understand the meaning of the following
words.
LOCK = a few hairs that hang or lie together on your head. As in: He brushed a
lock of hair from his eyes. (maathe pe lataki hui baalon ki lat)
LOCKS = a person's hair. As in: She shook her long flowing locks. (kisi ke baal)
FORELOCK = a piece of hair that grows at the front of the head and hangs down
over your forehead. (baal jo maathe pe hi uga hua ho)
BY (in one of its uses)=used to show the part of sb/sth that sb touches, holds,
etc.: I took him by the hand. She seized her by the hair.
SEIZE (in one of its meanings)=to make good use of a chance, an opportunity,
time, etc.
SS
C
Now if you see it carefully you'll find the word SEIZE correct here. Buddhiman
aadmi apne maathe ke baal ko pakad ke aur us se khelte hue apne time ka
achchha use karte hain.
17. No improvement. BY RETURN OF POST=immediately. It's an idiom.
18. NO IMPROVEMENT (option 'd'). SB CAN NOT HELP BUT DO STH is an
idiom which is used to say that it is impossible to prevent or avoid sth. For
example: She couldn't help but wonder what he was thinking. SHE COULD NOT
HELP BUT LAUGH=It was impossible for
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herself to avoid laughing.
M
19. Option 'b' is correct. DIRT CHEAP = very cheap.
SS
C
EX
AM
FO
R
U
M
.C
O
20. REGULARLY (option 'c'). OFF AND ON=from time to time/now and again/now and then/occasionally. OFF AND ON and ON AND OFF are similar in meaning.
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21. Option 'd' (No improvement) is correct.
CREW, FAMILY, JURY, TEAM., are collective nouns and can take a singular or plural verb.
They take a singular verb if we consider the word to mean a single group or unit: e.g. Our TEAM
IS the best.
O
M
OR They take a plural verb if we take it to mean a number of individuals: e.g. Our TEAM ARE
WEARING their news jerseys.
Though option 'a' too is correct, the given sentence is correct already. Option 'b' & 'c' are
.C
incorrect as the word FAMILY here is plural.
M
22. SENSUAL (option 'B'). SENSUAL = connected with your physical feelings or giving pleasure
to your physical senses, especially sexual pleasure.
U
SENSORY = connected with your physical senses: e.g. sensory organs
SENSUOUS = giving pleasure to your senses: e.g.
R
I'm drawn to the poetic, sensuous qualities of her paintings.
EX
AM
FO
Both SENSUOUS and SENSUAL are adjectives and therefore their use is a cause of confusion.
The word SENSUOUS is used when we have to mean GIVING PLEASURE TO ONE'S SENSES;
as in 'I'm drawn to the poetic, sensuous qualities of the paintings'. But the word SENSUAL is
used differently; it means: CONNECTED WITH ONE'S PHYSICAL FEELINGS; GIVING
PLEASURE TO ONE'S PHYSICAL SENSES.
The word SENSORY is not possible at all; This word can only be used when one is concerned to
the system.
23. NO IMPROVEMENT (option 'd'). Here SIZE = a standard measurement of clothes etc. For
SS
C
example you can say SMALL/MEDIUM/LARGE size of sth. This measurement can be in
numbers also like ONE/TWO/THREE/FOUR/FIVE size.
24. Option 'd' (no improvement) is correct. The verb WANT takes either a noun/pronoun or the
gerund normally. Though options 'b' and 'c' too are correct but in IMPROVEMENT questions if
the sentence given is already fine, we keep it intact. We do an improvement only when it is
needed.
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25. Option 'c' (disguise myself) is correct. When the person in the subject has to disguise
himself; and the verb DISGUISE appears just after the subject the reflexive pronoun like myself,
O
M
himself. is used just after the verb.
26. The correct structure involving the word ALL is: All + possessive adjective + noun or All +
noun. The word OF too is possible after the word ALL; but often omitted. So ALL HIS
M
.C
ANSWERS is correct.
U
27. Option 'b' (was more beautiful). Here the comparison is between two.
R
28. Option 'b' is correct. AVARICE = extreme desire for wealth (greedy). TRAIT = a particular
quality in one's personalty. SHYLOCK is a character in the novel MERCHANT OF VENICE
EX
AM
FO
written by Shakespeare. Now we have to see what AVARICE was; obviously it was a trait. So
option 'b' is correct. Option 'c' is faulty as the article THE can't have a possessive noun.
29. HAD NOT ARRIVED (option 'c'). Here the WISH is expressing regret about a past situation
(I could have reached home before breakfast). In such a case we use WISH + SUBJECT + PAST
PERFECT or WISH THAT + SUBJECT + PAST PERFECT.
30. No improvement. Though FELT is also correct; but we improve a sentence only when it's
SS
C
faulty.
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