📖 Tier 1: Prepare & Study Guide ✓ 100% Solved with Rationales

Sentence Improvement (English) Solved Questions & Notes (2026) - Apex Rankers

General Competitive Exams > English > Sentence Improvement

81 Total Solved Questions
~122 mins Estimated Reading Time
1 Subject Areas / Chapters
Select Topic Area / Chapter: Click any section below to switch questions

Sentence Improvement

100%
Showing 25 of 81 (31%)
🎯 Practice
Jump:
📜 Instructions / Reading Passage
25 Questions in this set
In the following questions a part of the sentences or the whole of the sentence is underlined. Pick up from the answer choices one which improves the presentation from the point of view of syntax, vocabulary and other requirements of good language.
Q. 1 English Language Comprehension
Difficulty: Hard (1 Mark)
It will not rain, $\underline{I \ do \ not \ think}$.
A
I do not think
B
I will not think
C
I should not think
D
I think
✓ Correct
💡 Step-by-Step Explanation & Concept Rationale
The idiomatic expression "I think" at the end of a negative statement emphasizes the speaker's belief.
Q. 2 English Language Comprehension
Difficulty: Hard (1 Mark)
He lost temper because $\underline{your \ remarks \ were \ inciting}$.
A
your remarks were inciting
B
your remarks were instigating
C
you remarks were provoking
D
your remarks were provoking
✓ Correct
💡 Step-by-Step Explanation & Concept Rationale
"Provoking" is the most contextually appropriate word for remarks that cause someone to lose their temper.
Q. 3 English Language Comprehension
Difficulty: Hard (1 Mark)
$\underline{Supposing \ if \ he \ comes}$, what should I say
A
Supposing if he comes
B
In case he will come
C
In the event of this being come
D
If he comes
✓ Correct
💡 Step-by-Step Explanation & Concept Rationale
"Supposing if" is redundant; "if" or "supposing" should be used alone.
Q. 4 English Language Comprehension
Difficulty: Hard (1 Mark)
$\underline{Although \ I \ calculate \ he \ will \ come}$ to me any minute.
A
Although I reckon he will come
B
Although I calculate he would come
C
Although I think he will come
✓ Correct
D
No Change
💡 Step-by-Step Explanation & Concept Rationale
"Think" is the standard verb for expressing an expectation or opinion in this context.
Q. 5 English Language Comprehension
Difficulty: Hard (1 Mark)
$\underline{Using \ it \ wisely}$ leisure promotes health and efficiency.
A
If used wisely
✓ Correct
B
Having used it wisely
C
Because it is used wisely
D
No Change
💡 Step-by-Step Explanation & Concept Rationale
A conditional clause ("If used wisely") correctly introduces the circumstances under which leisure is beneficial.
Q. 6 English Language Comprehension
Difficulty: Hard (1 Mark)
$\underline{We \ want \ the \ leader \ to \ be \ him}$ who works for the people.
A
We want him to be the leader
B
We desire that the leader be him
C
We want the leader to be he
✓ Correct
D
No change
💡 Step-by-Step Explanation & Concept Rationale
The complement of the verb "to be" (when it acts as a linking verb) should be in the subjective case ("he").
Q. 7 English Language Comprehension
Difficulty: Hard (1 Mark)
$\underline{If \ he \ were \ to \ win \ the \ prize}$ I would be happy.
A
If he wins the prize
B
If he is the winter of the prize
C
In the event that he wins the prize
D
No Change
✓ Correct
💡 Step-by-Step Explanation & Concept Rationale
The sentence uses a second conditional structure to talk about an unlikely or hypothetical future event. The correct syntax for this is "If + subject + subjunctive verb (were to + verb), subject + would + verb."
Q. 8 English Language Comprehension
Difficulty: Hard (1 Mark)
The scouts were asked to $\underline{pitch \ camps \ prepare \ dinner \ and \ relaxing}$.
A
Pitching camps, prepare dinner and relaxing.
B
Pitch camps, prepare dinner and relax.
✓ Correct
C
Pitch camps, preparing dinner and relaxing.
D
No Change
💡 Step-by-Step Explanation & Concept Rationale
Parallelism: all items in a list of actions should share the same grammatical form (base verbs).
Q. 9 English Language Comprehension
Difficulty: Hard (1 Mark)
$\underline{He \ not \ only \ was \ competent}$ but also intelligent.
A
Not only he was competent
B
Not only was he competent
C
He was not only competent
✓ Correct
D
No change
💡 Step-by-Step Explanation & Concept Rationale
The correlative "not only" should be placed immediately before the word it modifies ("competent").
Q. 10 English Language Comprehension
Difficulty: Hard (1 Mark)
No one likes to read $\underline{these \ kind \ of \ books}$.
A
this kind of books
✓ Correct
B
these kind of books
C
these kinds of books
D
No change
💡 Step-by-Step Explanation & Concept Rationale
"Kind" is singular and must be paired with the singular demonstrative "this".
Q. 11 English Language Comprehension
Difficulty: Hard (1 Mark)
$\underline{The \ accountant \ has \ already \ given}$ the balance sheet.
A
all ready given
B
all ready make
C
already give
D
No change
✓ Correct
💡 Step-by-Step Explanation & Concept Rationale
The present perfect "has already given" is grammatically correct.
Q. 12 English Language Comprehension
Difficulty: Hard (1 Mark)
$\underline{I \ watched \ him \ fell}$.
A
his fell
B
him to fell
C
him falling
✓ Correct
D
No change
💡 Step-by-Step Explanation & Concept Rationale
Verbs of perception (watch, see) are followed by the object and a gerund (-ing form).
Q. 13 English Language Comprehension
Difficulty: Hard (1 Mark)
Ali may be $\underline{a \ better \ player \ to \ me}$.
A
a better player than me
B
a better player than I
✓ Correct
C
the better player to me
D
No change
💡 Step-by-Step Explanation & Concept Rationale
Comparison requires "than" and the subjective case "I" (short for "than I am").
Q. 14 English Language Comprehension
Difficulty: Hard (1 Mark)
Of these two books $\underline{which \ is \ the \ least \ costly}$.
A
which one is the least costly
B
which is less costly one
C
which is less costly
✓ Correct
D
No change
💡 Step-by-Step Explanation & Concept Rationale
When comparing only two items, the comparative degree ("less") is used instead of the superlative ("least").
Q. 15 English Language Comprehension
Difficulty: Hard (1 Mark)
$\underline{He \ is \ used \ to \ copy}$ in the examination.
A
He is accustomed to copy
B
He is habituated to copy
C
He is used to copying
✓ Correct
D
No change
💡 Step-by-Step Explanation & Concept Rationale
"Used to" meaning "accustomed to" requires a gerund (-ing form).
Q. 16 English Language Comprehension
Difficulty: Hard (1 Mark)
This rule is of $\underline{the \ most \ universal \ application}$.
A
most universal application
B
the more universal application
C
universal application
✓ Correct
D
No change
💡 Step-by-Step Explanation & Concept Rationale
"Universal" is an absolute adjective and cannot have degrees of comparison like "most".
Q. 17 English Language Comprehension
Difficulty: Hard (1 Mark)
$\underline{For \ John \ as \ well \ as \ for \ Rico}$ sake I did this.
A
For John's as well as For Rico
✓ Correct
B
For John's as well as for Rico's
C
In John's as well as Rico's sake
D
No change
💡 Step-by-Step Explanation & Concept Rationale
When two people possess something separately (or when an action is done for the individual sake of two different people), both names must take the possessive apostrophe-s ('s). Additionally, repeating the preposition "for" maintains perfect parallel structure in the sentence.
Q. 18 English Language Comprehension
Difficulty: Hard (1 Mark)
$\underline{Besides \ betty \ and \ I}$ who else was present.
A
Beside Betty and I
B
Beside Betty and me
✓ Correct
C
Besides Betty and me
D
No change
💡 Step-by-Step Explanation & Concept Rationale
"Beside" (meaning in addition to) acts as a preposition and requires the objective case "me".
Q. 19 English Language Comprehension
Difficulty: Hard (1 Mark)
$\underline{If \ I \ am \ a \ king}$ I would give this order.
A
If I was a king
B
If I were a king
✓ Correct
C
If I being a king
D
No change
💡 Step-by-Step Explanation & Concept Rationale
The past subjunctive "were" is used for hypothetical or counterfactual "if" clauses.
Q. 20 English Language Comprehension
Difficulty: Hard (1 Mark)
$\underline{A \ body \ of \ volunteers \ have \ been}$ organized.
A
A body of volunteers are
B
A body of volunteers has been
✓ Correct
C
A body of volunteers were
D
No change
💡 Step-by-Step Explanation & Concept Rationale
The subject is the singular noun "body", requiring a singular verb ("has").
Q. 21 English Language Comprehension
Difficulty: Hard (1 Mark)
Whatever his intention may be $\underline{he \ should \ consider \ them \ properly}$.
A
he would considers them properly
B
he should consider it properly
✓ Correct
C
he should considers them properly
D
No change
💡 Step-by-Step Explanation & Concept Rationale
The pronoun must agree with its singular antecedent "intention".
Q. 22 English Language Comprehension
Difficulty: Hard (1 Mark)
You are a great deal $\underline{more \ sociable \ than \ him}$.
A
more sociable than he is
✓ Correct
B
more social than him
C
most social than him
D
No change
💡 Step-by-Step Explanation & Concept Rationale
Comparisons using "than" should be completed with a subjective pronoun and verb for clarity.
Q. 23 English Language Comprehension
Difficulty: Hard (1 Mark)
He had $\underline{not \ scarcely \ entered \ when}$ I shouted.
A
scarcely entered than
B
scarcely entered when
✓ Correct
C
not hardly entered when
D
No change
💡 Step-by-Step Explanation & Concept Rationale
"Scarcely" carries a negative sense; using "not" creates an incorrect double negative.
Q. 24 English Language Comprehension
Difficulty: Hard (1 Mark)
He is $\underline{nothing \ else \ but \ a \ dishonest \ fellow}$.
A
nothing else but a dishonest
B
nothing else than a dishonest
C
nothing else except a dishonest
D
No change
✓ Correct
💡 Step-by-Step Explanation & Concept Rationale
The sentence is already grammatically perfect as written: "He is nothing else but a dishonest fellow."

The phrase "nothing else" is idiomatically paired with the conjunction "but" when it means "except" or "other than." Therefore, "nothing else but" is the correct and standard structure.
Q. 25 English Language Comprehension
Difficulty: Hard (1 Mark)
$\underline{Despite \ of \ his \ age \ his \ skill \ at \ tennis}$ is good.
A
Despite his age his skill at tennis
✓ Correct
B
Despite his age his skill of tennis
C
Despite his age his skill in tennis
D
No change
💡 Step-by-Step Explanation & Concept Rationale
"Despite" is a preposition that does not take the word "of".
Study Stream Progress: Showing 25 of 81 Questions (31%)
Jump to:

Ready to Test Your Retention & Speed?

Now that you have reviewed the study questions and rationales, test yourself in our interactive 1-by-1 practice engine or take the full official timed mock exam.