Grammar

Sentence Correction - 2

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Sentence Correction - 2

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10 Questions
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Which of phrases given below each sentence should replace the phrase printed in bold and underline type to make the grammatically correct? If the sentence is correct as it is, mark 'E' as the answer.

Question 11
Warning that terrorists remain determined to strike the country, senior government officials urged citizens to remain vigilant and report suspicious behavior, taking actions necessary to speed up the recovery from an economic catastrophe should terrorists succeed in launching an attack.

A
to be more vigilant in reporting suspicious behavior and taking actions necessary to speed up the recovery from an economic catastrophe
B
to remain vigilant, reporting suspicious behavior and take actions to speed up the recovery from an economic catastrophe
C
to be remaining vigilant, reporting suspicious behavior, and taking actions necessary to speed up the recovery from an economic catastrophe
D
to remain vigilant, report suspicious behavior, and take actions to speed up the recovery from an economic catastrophe
E
No correction required
Correct Answer: Option D

Option(D) is correct

There are two main problems with the original sentence:

(1) The government authorities urged citizens to do three things: remain vigilant, report suspicious behavior, and take actions to speed up the recovery from an economic catastrophe. Consequently, these three requests from the government need to be parallel. In this case, each command should be in the infinitive form (e.g., to remain, to report, andto take). The original sentence wrongly constructs the phrase taking actions necessary to speed up the recovery from an economic catastrophe such that it modifies the two previous actions. Instead, this phrase should reflect the fact that taking actions... is a third action that the government is urging citizens to take. In short, the three actions that the government is urging are not parallel and they should be.

(2) taking actions necessary... illogically modifies the command to remain vigilant and report suspicious behavior because these two actions would not speed up the recovery from an economic catastrophe. In other words, it does not make sense that remaining vigilant and reporting suspicious behavior (two actions that would occur before an attack) would be modified such that these are actions that speed up the recovery from an attack.

A. The meaning of the original sentence is distorted as this sentence indicates that the government asked citizens to be more vigilant in reporting suspicious behavior (a single command) while the original sentence separated the command to remain vigilant and the command to report suspicious behavior; the three actions that the government urged are not parallel

B. The three actions that the government urged are not parallel (i.e., to remain is not parallel with reporting and take)

C. The three actions that the government urged are not parallel (i.e., to remain is not parallel with reporting and taking); the word necessary is not needed

D. The sentence is correctly constructed as the three actions that the government urged are parallel; the un-needed word necessary is omitted

E. The three actions that the government urged are not parallel (i.e., to remain is not parallel with taking); the word necessary is not needed

Question 12
If the gardener would sow the seeds in the greenhouse rather than the garden, he might get a better display of flowers.

A
If the gardener would sow the seeds in the greenhouse instead of the garden
B
If the gardener would sow the seeds in the greenhouse rather than the garden
C
If the gardener would sow the seeds in the greenhouse rather than in the garden
D
If the gardener were to sow the seeds in the greenhouse rather than in the garden
E
No correction required
Correct Answer: Option D

Option(D) is correct

The conditional clause (the "if" clause) does not require would. Also we should write "in the garden" to be parallel to "in the greenhouse".

Question 13
The population of tigers in the National Park is increasing steadily, and this is a source of encouragement to those who have worked so hard to fund the conservation effort.

A
steady, and this
B
steadily: which
C
steadily; this trend
D
steadily, this increase
E
No correction required
Correct Answer: Option C

Option(C) is correct

Both which and this should refer to a specific noun. Since the first part of the sentence does not provide a suitable noun, we must introduce a word such as increase or trend. D is incorrect as it uses a comma to link two sentences.

Question 14
World War II, which resulted in the death of over 70 million individuals, proved to be the deadliest conflict in human history, claiming nearly twice as many lives than would be killed in World War I.

A
lives as World War I
B
lives as would World War I
C
lives than those who were killed in World War I
D
lives than World War I
E
No correction required
Correct Answer: Option A

Option(E) is correct

There are two main problems with the original sentence.

(1) The original sentence contains an improper idiom. The idiom as many x than is not idiomatically correct and should be replaced by the idiomatically correct phrase as many x as.

(2) would be killed in World War I is illogical as it is in the future tense, implying that World War I occurred after World War II. The phrase could be made significantly more concise using as many lives as World War I. The words would be killed in or were killed in are not necessary and should be omitted.

A. The correct idiom is used (as many ... as); the sentence correctly implies that World War II occurred after World War I; the unnecessary phrase were killed in is omitted

B. The use of the future tense causes the sentence to illogically imply that World War I occurred after World War II

C. The idiom as many ... than is incorrect; those who were killed in is awkward and unnecessary

D. The idiom as many ... than is incorrect

E. The idiom as many ... than is incorrect; the use of the future tense causes the sentence to illogically imply that World War I occurred after World War II

Question 15
In the fine print at the end of the document lies the clauses that make us liable for any expenses that result from civil unrest.

A
lie the clauses that make us liable for any expenses that
B
lies the clauses that make us liable for any expenses which
C
lies the clause that make us liable for any expenses that
D
lie the clauses that makes us liable for any expenses which
E
No correction required
Correct Answer: Option A

Option(A) is correct

The subject the clauses requires a plural verb; change lies to lie. Similarly, make is required to agree with clauses.

Question 16
Environmentalists associated with the United Nations Environment Programme predict that if the current trends associated with global warming continue, thousands of acres of pristine land is in danger to undergo potentially irrevocable changes that could alter the planet's ecosystem forever.

A
are in danger for undergoing
B
are in danger of undergoing
C
is in danger of undergoing
D
are in danger to undergo
E
No correction required
Correct Answer: Option B

Option(B) is correct

There are two main problems with the original sentence.

(1) The subject (thousands of acres, which is plural) does not agree with the verb (is, which is singular and should be replaced with the plural are). Some students argue that land is singular, even if it is thousands of acres. While land is singular, the phrase of pristine land is not the subject, but rather a prepositional phrase that describes the subject thousands of acres, which is plural.

(2) in danger to is not idiomatically correct and should instead be in danger of

A. in danger for is not idiomatically correct

B. The subject (thousands of acres, which is plural) agrees with the verb (are, which is plural); in danger of is idiomatically correct

C. The subject (thousands of acres, which is plural) does not agree with the verb (is, which is singular)

D. in danger to is not idiomatically correct

E. The subject (thousands of acres, which is plural) does not agree with the verb (is, which is singular); in danger to is not idiomatically correct

Question 17
The young man was surprised to find that his experience as a tutor had been used as the basis for the protagonist in a short story written by a former girlfriend.

A
that his experience as a tutor had been used as the basis for events in the life of the protagonist in
B
his experience as a tutor having been used as the protagonist in
C
his experience as a tutor had been used as the basis for the protagonist's in
D
his experience as a tutor being used as the basis for the protagonist of
E
No correction required
Correct Answer: Option A

Option(A) is correct

The tutor was the basis for the protagonist, or the tutor's experience was the basis for the experience of the protagonist. Only A makes this relation clear.

Question 18
After meeting together near Mediolanurn in 313, Roman Emperors Constantine Augustus and Licinius Augustus issued The Edict of Milan in the hopes to ending years of internal religious strife and the persecution of minorities. The Edict expanded religious toleration and ordered the return of property confiscated from Christians, even if it had been subsequently resold.

A
in the hope to end
B
in the hope to ending
C
with the hope to ending
D
with the hope of ending
E
No correction required
Correct Answer: Option D

Option(D) is correct

This question tests the correct use of two idioms.

(1) to issue x with y; The original sentence incorrectly writes issued x in y (i.e., issued The Edict of Milan in the hopes to ending).

(2) with the hope of y; The original sentence incorrectly writes in the hopes toy (i.e., in the hopes to ending).

A. issued The Edict of Milan in is not a proper idiom; in the hope to is not a proper idiom

B. issued The Edict of Milan in is not a proper idiom; in the hope to is not a proper idiom

C. with the hope to is not a proper idiom

D. issued The Edict of Milan with is a proper idiom; with the hope of ending is a proper idiom

E. issued The Edict of Milan in is not a proper idiom; in the hopes to is not a proper idiom

Question 19
In the engineering sector at the moment there are no jobs for those without experience, which makes it difficult for we recent graduates to get started on our careers.

A
there are no jobs at the moment for those without experience, a fact which makes it difficult for we
B
at the moment there are no jobs for those without experience, which makes it difficult for us
C
there are no jobs at the moment for those without experience, a fact that makes it difficult for us
D
there are no jobs at the moment for those without experience, which makes it difficult for us
E
No correction required
Correct Answer: Option C

Option(C) is correct

The object us is required after the preposition for. Which requires a clear antecedent. Only C corrects both problems.

Question 20
After the Detroit Lions' abysmal 0 win and 16 loss season in 2008, the owner of the team fired the head coach. In the days that followed this decision, one professional sporting analyst said: "the prospects of the Lions becoming a competitive franchise depends on if the team can procure a talented and disciplined coach."

A
depend whether
B
depend on whether
C
depends on whether
D
depend on if
E
No correction required
Correct Answer: Option B

Option(B) is correct

There are two main problems with this sentence.

(1)The subject (prospects, which is plural) does not agree with the verb (depends, which is singular and should be replaced by the plural verb depend).

(2)The idiom depend on whether is correct not depend on if

A. the phrase the prospects ... depend whether the team can procure is awkward and the correct idiom depend on whether should be used

B. the subject prospects (plural) agrees with the verb depend (plural); depend on whether is idiomatically correct

C. the verb depends (singular) should be replaced by the verb depend (plural) as a plural subject (prospects) requires a plural verb

D. depend on if is not idiomatically correct

E. the verb depends (singular) should be replaced by the verb depend (plural) as a plural subject (prospects) requires a plural verb; the phrase depends on if is not idiomatically correct

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