Question 1

Sentence improvement – confirm correct idiom: 'warn against + gerund' is standard; the sentence 'You are warned against committing the same mistake again' is already correct and formal.

Accepted Answer

Given sentence 'You are warned against committing the same mistake again.' Concept/Approach After 'warn against', use a gerund: 'against committing'. The sentence is concise and idiomatic. Why alternatives are incorrect 'to commit' → wrong structure after 'against'.'for committing' → changes meaning (sounds like 'punished for').'against to commit' → ungrammatical double marker. Final Answer No improvement

Question 2

Sentence improvement – correlative conjunction and inversion with 'No sooner … than …': correct both the auxiliary inversion and the linker so it reads 'No sooner did he return home than his mother felt happy.'

Accepted Answer

Given sentence 'No sooner he had returned home then his mother felt happy.' Concept/Approach With negative/limiting adverbials like 'No sooner', English requires inversion (auxiliary before subject) and the fixed correlative '… than …' (not 'then'). Two accepted patterns are:• Past perfect: 'No sooner had he returned home than …'• Simple past with do-support: 'No sooner did he return home than …' Step-by-step correction 1) Invert: 'did he return' (or 'had he returned').2) Replace 'then' → 'than'.3) Final (keyed): 'No sooner did he return home than his mother felt happy.' Why other options fall short 'had he returned … when' → uses 'when' instead of the required 'than'.'he had returned … than' → lacks inversion.'No improvement' → keeps both errors. Final Answer did he return home than

Question 3

Sentence improvement – idiom and collocation: prefer the fixed phrase 'harp upon/on one string only' to express tedious repetition; correct the noun 'string' and appropriate preposition.

Accepted Answer

Given sentence 'He should move on to the next point, and not harp one sting only.' Concept/Approach The idiom is 'harp on/upon one string' (or 'the same string') meaning to dwell tediously on one point. Fix both the preposition and the misspelling 'sting' → 'string'. Step-by-step correction Use the full idiom: '… and not harp upon one string only.' Why other options are incorrect 'harp on string only' → missing article; sounds awkward.'harp only one string' → wrong structure (missing preposition).'No improvement' → keeps two errors. Final Answer harp upon one string only

Question 4

Sentence improvement – verb agreement with correlative 'either … or …': keep the verb in agreement with the nearer subject and retain 'Either he or I am going.' as correct standard usage.

Accepted Answer

Given sentence 'Either he or I am going.' Concept/Approach With 'either … or …', the finite verb generally agrees with the nearest subject. Here the subject closest to the verb is 'I', so 'am' is correct. Option check 'are going' → plural verb despite singular subjects.'he is going or I am' → awkward split clause.'I or he is going' → changes order for politeness (place 'I' last); also mismatched agreement. Final Answer No improvement

Question 5

Sentence improvement – polite pronoun order and case in a compound subject: revise to '… when my wife, you and I were present in the hall' for natural order and correct subject pronoun case.

Accepted Answer

Given sentence 'I hope you vividly remember the premier of the film when I, my wife and you were present in the hall.' Concept/Approach In a compound subject, use subject case ('I', not 'me') and conventional polite order: third person → second person → first person ('my wife, you and I'). This also improves rhythm and clarity. Step-by-step correction Replace the sequence 'I, my wife and you' with 'my wife, you and I'. Why other options are suboptimal 'my wife, I and you' → unusual order and less polite.'you, I and my wife' → odd ordering.'No improvement' → retains a nonstandard ordering for formal English. Final Answer my wife, you and I

Question 6

Sentence improvement — Choose the most natural and idiomatic adjective to replace ‘‘hot’’ in ‘‘To get one's name in the Rowland Ward's book of hunting records was the hot ambition of every serious hunter.’’ Ensure the collocation with ‘‘ambition’’ r…

Accepted Answer

Given data To get one's name in the Rowland Ward's book of hunting records was the hot ambition of every serious hunter. Concept/Approach We are testing adjective–noun collocation. With the noun ‘‘ambition’’, standard formal combinations are ‘‘high ambition’’ and ‘‘burning ambition’’. ‘‘Hot ambition’’ sounds colloquial and is not an established collocation in educated English prose. Step-by-step option check extreme — Yields ‘‘extreme ambition’’ which can work, but it slightly over-intensifies and is less idiomatic than the conventional pairings.burning — ‘‘burning ambition’’ is idiomatic, but it stresses intensity of desire rather than loftiness common to all hunters; it subtly shifts nuance.high — Best fit; ‘‘high ambition’’ collocates naturally to mean a lofty aim shared widely.No improvement — Retains the nonstandard ‘‘hot ambition’’. Verification/Alternative Replacing only the adjective keeps the sentence's scope and register intact: ‘‘...was the high ambition of every serious hunter.’’ Common pitfalls Assuming that synonyms of ‘‘intense’’ are interchangeable with set collocations; in exams, collocation naturalness is decisive. Final Answer high

Question 7

Sentence improvement — Replace the modal phrase in ‘‘Taxpayers are to be conscious of their privileges.’’ with a more accurate expression of obligation suited to civic guidance and formal instruction.

Accepted Answer

Given data Taxpayers are to be conscious of their privileges. Concept/Approach ‘‘Are to’’ can indicate arrangement/command, but in modern usage ‘‘have to’’ expresses clear obligation/necessity for general rules. The sentence is guidance for all taxpayers, so a necessity modal reads best. Step-by-step option check have to — Conveys required awareness: ‘‘Taxpayers have to be conscious...’’need — Weaker, suggests advisability rather than obligation.ought to — Moral recommendation, softer than intended rule-like tone.No improvement — Leaves the less idiomatic ‘‘are to’’ here. Verification/Alternative Other acceptable forms are ‘‘must be’’ (strongest) or ‘‘should be’’ (advisory). The keyed best balance is ‘‘have to’’. Common pitfalls Confusing ‘‘are to’’ (scheduled/command nuance) with general obligation in policy statements. Final Answer have to

Question 8

Sentence improvement — Choose the standard collocation with ‘‘examination’’ to improve ‘‘As she was suffering from high fever, she could not face the examination.’’ without altering the medical condition context or time frame.

Accepted Answer

Given data As she was suffering from high fever, she could not face the examination. Concept/Approach In academic contexts, the natural verb is ‘‘take an examination/test’’ rather than ‘‘face’’ an examination. We correct the verb while keeping the causal clause intact. Option analysis bear — Wrong collocation; we ‘‘bear pain’’, not an exam.suffer — Would yield ‘‘suffer the examination’’, unidiomatic.take — Correct: ‘‘she could not take the examination.’’No improvement — Retains the awkward verb ‘‘face’’. Verification/Alternative ‘‘Sit for the examination’’ also works in BrE; ‘‘take the exam’’ is standard globally. Common pitfalls Using dramatic verbs like ‘‘face’’ where a fixed academic collocation is expected. Final Answer take

Question 9

Sentence improvement — Decide if the phrasal verb in ‘‘The demonstration passed off peacefully.’’ already conveys the correct meaning ‘‘took place/happened’’ and therefore requires no change.

Accepted Answer

Given data The demonstration passed off peacefully. Concept/Approach ‘‘Pass off’’ as an intransitive phrasal verb means ‘‘to happen/occur (often successfully or without incident)’’. That is exactly the intended meaning here, so no change is needed. Option analysis passed out — Means ‘‘fainted’’; irrelevant.passed away — Means ‘‘died’’; wrong.passed on — Means ‘‘died’’/‘‘transmitted’’ depending on context; wrong here.No improvement — Correct choice. Common pitfalls Confusing similar-looking phrasal verbs that diverge in meaning (off/out/on/away). Final Answer No improvement

Question 10

Sentence improvement — Improve the collocation ‘‘go in a lift’’ in ‘‘Every time I go in a lift to my sixth floor apartment...’’ by choosing the most natural expression for using an elevator in standard English.

Accepted Answer

Given data Every time I go in a lift to my sixth floor apartment, I remember the calm and serenity of my ancestral home in the village. Concept/Approach The idiomatic verb with ‘‘lift’’/‘‘elevator’’ is ‘‘take’’ («take a lift / take the elevator»). ‘‘Go in a lift’’ is understandable but not the cleanest standard phrasing. Option analysis move in a lift — Unidiomatic.ascend in a lift — Overly formal and uncommon in everyday English.take a lift — Best collocation for routine use.No improvement — Keeps a suboptimal phrase. Verification/Alternative ‘‘Go up in a lift’’ is also acceptable; the exam-keyed concise collocation is ‘‘take a lift’’. Final Answer take a lift

Question 11

Sentence improvement — Evaluate whether any change is needed in ‘‘if it hadn't been for his invaluable advice... I wouldn't have achieved anything...’’ considering correct adjective choice and uncountable noun usage with ‘‘advice.’’

Accepted Answer

Given data In fact, if it hadn't been for his invaluable advice on so many occasions I wouldn't have achieved anything in life. Concept/Approach ‘‘Advice’’ is an uncountable noun; it does not take a plural advices. ‘‘Invaluable’’ correctly means ‘‘extremely valuable/priceless’’ and is standard in formal praise. Option analysis remarkable advice — Possible, but weaker than the intended meaning and needlessly changes emphasis.valuable advices — Grammatically wrong (plural count form).priceless suggestion — Changes the noun from ‘‘advice’’ to ‘‘suggestion’’ (countable); alters meaning.No improvement — Retains the correct and idiomatic phrase ‘‘invaluable advice’’. Final Answer No improvement

Question 12

Sentence improvement — Correct the preposition with ‘‘arrive’’ in ‘‘Mr. Smith arrived at India in June last year.’’ to follow standard travel-grammar usage for countries and large places.

Accepted Answer

Given data Mr. Smith arrived at India in June last year. Concept/Approach We use ‘‘arrive in’’ with large areas (countries, big cities) and ‘‘arrive at’’ with smaller points (airports, stations, buildings). Therefore, with the country name ‘‘India’’, the correct preposition is ‘‘in’’. Option analysis to — ‘‘arrived to’’ is incorrect.by — Indicates agency/means; wrong here.in — Correct: ‘‘arrived in India’’.No improvement — Leaves the error ‘‘at India’’. Common pitfalls Overgeneralizing ‘‘at’’ for all destinations; remember the size rule (in = countries/cities, at = points/addresses). Final Answer in

Question 13

Sentence improvement — Fix agreement and complement structure in ‘‘But in all these cases conversion from scale have well-formulated.’’ so that the verb form and predicate are grammatically complete and precise.

Accepted Answer

Given data But in all these cases conversion from scale have well-formulated. Concept/Approach Two issues: (1) Subject–verb agreement: ‘‘conversion(s) ... are’’ not ‘‘have’’; (2) The predicate needs a linking verb with the adjective complement: ‘‘are well-formulated.’’ The intended sense is that such conversions possess a well-defined formulation. Option analysis can be well-formulated — Adds modal possibility, changing meaning.are well-formulated — Corrects agreement and provides a complete copular predicate.well-formulated — Fragment; lacks a verb.No improvement — Retains grammatical errors. Verification/Alternative If the intended subject is singular ‘‘conversion’’, then ‘‘is well-formulated’’ would be used; the plural reading is more likely given ‘‘in all these cases’’. Final Answer are well-formulated

Question 14

Sentence improvement — Replace the motion verb in ‘‘the huge rocket soared up from the launching pad’’ with the most precise aerospace collocation describing initial ascent from a pad.

Accepted Answer

Given data With a thundering roar the huge rocket soared up from the launching pad. Concept/Approach For aircraft and rockets, the set phrase for the moment of leaving the pad/runway is ‘‘take off’’. ‘‘Soared up’’ is redundant and less technical. Option analysis flew up — Colloquial and imprecise.went upwards — Wordy and non-technical.took off — Exact aerospace term; concise and idiomatic.No improvement — Leaves a weaker verb choice. Common pitfalls Using poetic verbs where a precise phrasal verb is expected in technical narration. Final Answer took off

Question 15

Sentence improvement — Correct number and noun form in ‘‘There is dearth of woman doctor in our state. We shall have to recruit some from the other states.’’ so the quantified noun phrase is grammatically sound.

Accepted Answer

Given data There is dearth of woman doctor in our state. We shall have to recruit some from the other states. Concept/Approach After ‘‘a/there is (a) dearth of’’ referring to a plural shortage, the noun should be plural: ‘‘women doctors’’. Also, ‘‘a dearth of’’ commonly takes the article ‘‘a’’ in polished style, but the key correction is plural agreement with ‘‘some’’ in the next sentence. Option analysis women doctor — Plural first word with singular head noun; mismatched.woman doctors — Mismatched modifier; acceptable in compounds like ‘‘woman doctor’’ (singular), but plural should be ‘‘women doctors’’.women doctors — Fully correct plural noun phrase.No improvement — Leaves number disagreement. Verification/Alternative Revised sentence: ‘‘There is a dearth of women doctors in our state; we shall have to recruit some from other states.’’ Final Answer women doctors

Question 16

Sentence improvement — conditional warning and idiomatic phrasing: retain the first conditional 'If + present simple, will + base' and the standard collocation 'cross the line' in 'If you cross the line you will be disqualified.'

Accepted Answer

Given sentence If you cross the line you will be disqualified. Concept/Approach This is a standard first conditional: If + present simple → will + base verb to show a real future consequence. The idiomatic sports collocation is 'cross the line' (not 'upon/on/out the line'). Why the original is best • Tense sequence is correct: 'cross' (present) → 'will be disqualified' (future passive).• Preposition use is correct: no preposition after 'cross' when the object is 'the line'. Eliminating options 'cross upon the line' → archaic and unidiomatic.'cross on the line' → wrong preposition.'cross out the line' → 'cross out' means delete/strike through text. Final Answer No improvement

Question 17

Sentence improvement — noun clause as subject: keep the structure 'Why + clause + is not known'; the sentence 'Why the dinosaurs died out is not known' is already precise and formal.

Accepted Answer

Given sentence Why the dinosaurs died out is not known. Concept/Approach A wh- clause ('Why the dinosaurs died out') can function as a subject. This impersonal, academic pattern is standard: 'Why … is not known.' Option analysis 'it is not known'/'the reason is not known' → would require rephrasing the entire sentence and are less concise.'that is not known' → vague pronoun reference. Final Answer No improvement

Question 18

Sentence improvement — future time clause after 'until': use present simple for future reference and write 'until they arrive', not perfect/future forms.

Accepted Answer

Given sentence His father won't be able to leave for Varanasi until they have arrived. Concept/Approach In time clauses introduced by 'until/when/after/before', English uses the present simple to refer to future time. Therefore, prefer 'until they arrive' (not future or perfect forms) when the arrival is simply a future event. Correction 'have arrived' → arrive Why others are wrong 'will have arrived'/'will arrive' → future tenses are not used in subordinate time clauses.'No improvement' → keeps a tense mismatch. Final Answer until they arrive

Question 19

Sentence improvement — first conditional with 'if' about tomorrow: use present simple in the if-clause — 'if it rains tomorrow' — not 'shall/will'.

Accepted Answer

Given sentence I will not go to school, if it shall rain tomorrow. Concept/Approach In real future conditions (first conditional), the if-clause takes present simple; the main clause takes future: 'If it rains tomorrow, I will not go to school.' 'Shall/will' are not used in the if-clause. Correction if it rains tomorrow Eliminating options 'would rain' → unreal/second-conditional suggestion.'will rain' → wrong in the if-clause.'No improvement' → keeps the modal error. Final Answer it rains tomorrow

Question 20

Sentence improvement — unreal present with subjunctive 'were': write 'the whole world were banded' to match 'If I stood … I would …' structure.

Accepted Answer

Given sentence If I stood alone in defence of truth, and the whole world is banded against me and against truth, I would fight them all. Concept/Approach This is a hypothetical (unreal present) structure. Use past forms or the subjunctive were in the condition to match 'would' in the result: 'If I stood … and the whole world were banded …, I would …' Correction were banded (not 'is banded') Option check 'will be banded' → real future, not hypothetical.'banded' → fragment; missing auxiliary.'No improvement' → tense mismatch persists. Final Answer were banded

Sentence Improvement Questions