Show:
Clarity of Expression
Improving Sentences Practice
Identifying Sentence Errors A
Identifying Sentence Errors B
How to approach improving sentences
100

Italy's Tower of Pisa has been leaning southward since the initial (A stages of it’s B stage’s of its’ C stage’s of it’s D stages of its) construction over 800 years ago.

Choice D is the best answer because it correctly provides the plural noun “stages” and the singular possessive pronoun “its” (no apostrophe).

100
Enter committee member John Burland, (he is) a geotechnical engineer from England who saved London’s clock tower Big Ben from collapse. A) NO CHANGE B) Burland is C) his being D) DELETE the portion in parentheses.
Choice D is the best answer because deleting “he is” eliminates the comma splice that exists in the original sentence. Two independent clauses cannot be joined by only a comma.
100

Both by merit and from necessity, PAs are likely to greet more patience than ever before. A) NO CHANGE B) patience, than C) patients then D) patients than

Choice D is the best answer because the word “patients” correctly identifies the people served by PAs. Additionally, the comparative conjunction “than” is used correctly in the comparison introduced by the adverb “more.”

100
His characterization, as established in Superman #1(1939), was relatively simple. He could“hurdle skyscrapers” and “leap an eighth of a mile”; “run faster than a streamline train”; withstand anything less than a “bursting shell”; and A) lift a car over his head. B) hold down a regular job as a newspaper reporter. C) wear a bright blue costume with a flowing red cape. D) live in the big city of Metropolis instead of the small town where he grew up.
Choice A is the best answer because the phrase “lift a car over his head” is consistent with the other examples of Superman’s superhuman physical abilities: “hurdle skyscrapers,” “leap an eighth of a mile,” etc.
100
For both commercial and, arguably, creative reasons, then, no transition was more successful than (A those B these C that D DELETE the underlined portion.) from the Golden to Silver Age.
Choice C is the best answer because the singular pronoun “that” agrees in number with its singular antecedent “transition.”
200
Italy's Tower of Pisa has been leaning southward since the initial stages of its construction over 800 years ago. (A Indeed, B Therefore, C Nevertheless, D However,) if the tower’s construction had not taken two centuries and involved significant breaks due to war and civil unrest, which allowed the ground beneath the tower to settle, the tower would likely have collapsed before it was completed.
Choice A is the best answer because “indeed” appropriately points back to and elaborates on the fact provided in the previous sentence (that the Tower has been leaning from the very beginning).
200
Burland began a years-long process of drilling out small amounts of soil from under the tower (that took several years to complete) and then monitoring the tower’s resulting movement. A) NO CHANGE B) —taking several years to complete— C) that took him several years to complete D) DELETE the portion in parentheses.
Choice D is the best answer because the earlier phrase “a years-long process” is sufficient to indicate that Burland’s work spanned several years.
200

The shift from the Golden to the Silver Age is probably the most successful (example:of publishers) responding to changing times and tastes. A) NO CHANGE B) example, of publishers C) example of publishers, D) example of publishers

Choice D is the best answer because no punctuation is needed to set off the prepositional phrase “of publishers.”

200
Such efforts have yielded diminishing returns, as even the complete relaunch of DC (A Comics’ superhero’s, B Comic’s superhero’s C Comics superhero’s D Comics’ superhero) line in 2011 has failed to arrest the steep two-decade decline of comic book sales.
Choice D is the best answer because the possessive plural noun “Comics’” and adjective “superhero” appropriately indicate that the “superhero line” is a feature of the comics.
200
How could this sentence be better? -You need to work quick and decisively.
-You need to work quickly and decisively.
300
By virtue of there medical training, PAs can perform many of the jobs traditionally done by doctors, including treating chronic and acute conditions A) NO CHANGE B) they’re C) their D) his or her
Choice C is the best answer because the plural possessive pronoun “their” correctly refers to its plural antecedent “PAs.”
300
PAs can perform many of the jobs traditionally done by doctors, including treating chronic and acute conditions, performing minor (surgeries:) and prescribing some medications. A) NO CHANGE B) surgeries; and C) surgeries, and, D) surgeries, and
Choice D is the best answer because the comma is used correctly to separate the items in the list of jobs that PAs can perform.
300

Since (#1 there is) two pencils, a pad of paper, and a ruler on each desk, students (#2 do not have) (#3 to bring) (#4 their own) supplies. (#5 No error.)

#1 ("There is" is followed by something singular. "There are" is followed by something plural.) Correction: Since (#1 there are) two pencils, a pad of paper, and a ruler on each desk, students (#2 do not have) (#3 to bring) (#4 their own) supplies. (#5 No error.)

300
For both commercial and, arguably, creative reasons, (A then, B however, C nevertheless, D yet,) no transition was more successful than those from the Golden to Silver Age.
Choice A is the best answer because the conjunctive adverb “then” correctly shows that given previously stated information, the conclusion that can be drawn is that the transition between the Golden and Silver Ages of comic books was more successful than others.
300
How could you alter this sentence? The construction of the Great Wall of China was an enormous undertaking that occurred on a very large scale and required over 3,000 workers.
The construction of the Great Wall of China was an enormous undertaking and required over 3,000 workers.
400
Experiments like these can help people understand the unintended consequences of using certain household products. Of course,regulating the use of certain chemical compounds can be a controversial issue. Selectively establishing remote study locations, such as the Experimental Lakes Area,can provide scientists with opportunities to safely conduct controlled research. This research can generate evidence solid enough to persuade policy makers to take action in favor of protecting the larger environment. Which choice most effectively anticipates and addresses a relevant counter argument to the argument in favor of the types of experiments described in passage? A) NO CHANGE B) Many companies now offer phosphate-free alternatives for household cleaning products. C) Obviously, scientists should not be allowed to randomly perform experiments on just any body of water. D) Phosphates are sometimes used in agricultural fertilizers, in addition to being used in cleaning products.
Choice C is the best answer because it offers a counterargument to the previous sentence’s claim in favor of “experiments like these.” Acknowledging that “scientists should not be allowed to randomly perform experiments on just any body of water” shows that the writer is aware of the potential problems with these experiments.
400
However, although well compensated earning in 2012 a median annual salary of $90,930, PAs cost healthcare providers less than do the physicians who might otherwise undertake these tasks. A) NO CHANGE B) compensated (earning in 2012 a median annual salary of $90,930), C) compensated, earning in 2012 a median annual salary of $90,930 D) compensated: earning in 2012 a median annual salary of $90,930,
Choice B is the best answer because the parentheses are used correctly to enclose information that is interesting but not essential to the sentence. If the parenthetical information were to be deleted, the sentence would still make sense.
400

In the winter of 1968, scientists David Schindler and Gregg Brunskill poured nitrates and phosphates into Lake 227, this is one of the 58 fresh water bodies that compose Canada’s remotely located Experimental Lakes Area. A) NOCHANGE B) 227. Which is one C) 227. One D) 227, one

Choice D is the best answer because a comma is needed to separate the main independent clause (“In the winter . . . Lake 227”) from the dependent clause that describes the lake. The pronoun “one” is used correctly to refer to its antecedent “Lake 227.”

400
Schindler and Brunskill’s findings were shown off by the journal Science.There search demonstrated a clear correlation between introducing phosphates and the growth of blue-green algae. (A For example, B Similarly, C However, D Subsequently) legislators in Canada passed laws banning phosphates in laundry detergents,which had been entering the water supply.
Choice D is the best answer because “subsequently” logically indicates that after the research demonstrated a clear correlation between the growth of blue-green algae and the introduction of phosphates into the water, Canadian legislators passed laws banning phosphates in laundry detergent.
400
Which of the following are full sentences? -As soon as I get home. -Forgetting where I was supposed to go, I took a left. -Though she was intelligent. -Many of the teenagers, who sat in the class quietly. -By alerting the store in time, a disaster was prevented.
-Forgetting where I was supposed to go, I took a left. -By alerting the store in time, a disaster was prevented.
500
At this point, the writer wants to add a second policy outcome of the research described. Which choice best accomplishes this goal? A) Lake 226 continued to develop blooms of blue-green algae for eight consecutive years after the experiment took place. B) In the United States, many individual states have also adopted legislation to eliminate, or at least reduce, phosphorus content in laundry detergents. C) In 1974,Schindler initiated a study of the effects of acid rain, using Lake 223 to examine how sulfuric acid altered aquatic ecosystems. D) Aerial photos of the lakes taken before and during algal blooms helped convey the effects of phosphates in water to the public.
Choice B is the best answer because it deals with a “policy outcome” related to the research. The adoption of legislation to reduce or eliminate phosphates in detergents is a policy outcome (a change in official policy concerning detergents) that was clearly informed by Schindler and Brunskill’s research.
500
A recent review of the scholarly literature by Texas researchers found that PAs lend cost-efficient, widely appreciated services in underserved areas. (A In addition, B Thus, C Despite this, D On the other hand,) rural-based PAs often provide a broader spectrum of such services than do their urban and suburban counterparts, possibly as a consequence of the limited pool of rural-based physicians.
Choice A is the best answer because the transitional phrase “in addition” correctly introduces another example of PAs’ “extraordinary contribution to rural health care.”
500
Moreover, the training period for PAs is markedly shorter than (those for) physicians—two to three years versus the seven to eleven required for physicians. A) NO CHANGE B) that compared with C) that for D) DELETE the underlined portion.
Choice C is the best answer because “that for” agrees with the singular antecedent “period” and compares two similar things: the training period for PAs and that (the training period) for physicians.
500
The starling is (#1 such a) pest in rural areas that it (#2 has become) necessary (#3 to find ways) of controlling the growth (#4 of their) population. (#5 No error.)
#4 Agreement of nouns and pronouns The starling is (#1 such a) pest in rural areas that it (#2 has become) necessary (#3 to find ways) of controlling the growth (#4 of its) population. (#5 No error.)
500

London, which is a very old city has some extremely modern parts.

London, which is a very old city, has some extremely modern parts.