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Sentence Improvement

English Language · Usage & Vocabulary

Useful for: SSC CGL, IBPS Banking, OSSC RHT — Regular High School Teacher, UPSC NDA/NA, UPSC CDS, OSEPA Primary Teacher / JT Category-I, OSEPA Upper Primary — Arts, OSEPA Upper Primary — Science

and 8 more exams

OSSC English, OSSSC Govt Physical Education Teacher (PET), OSSSC Govt TGT Arts, OSSSC Govt TGT Science — CBZ, OSSSC Govt TGT Science — PCM, SSB Language Teachers, SSB Lecturer (Degree Colleges), SSB TGT Arts

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Overview

Sentence improvement chooses the best replacement for a faulty part, considering grammar, idiom and concision.

Key points

Check agreement, tense and parallel structure.
Fixed pairs: "no sooner … than", "hardly … when", "not only … but also".
Conditionals: "If I were…", "Had I known…".
Concise, idiomatic options are preferred.
Choose "No improvement" only if the original is clearly best.

Explanation

"Lest" takes "should".
Avoid redundancy: "return back", "each and every".
"Not only … but also" must join parallel parts.
Prefer active voice when clearer.

Step by step

Read the full sentence or passage first.
Apply the exact grammar or vocabulary rule.
Re-read the final answer in context.

Examples

"Not only he sings but also dances" → "He not only sings but also dances."
"Had I known, I will help you" → "I would have helped you."
"He returned back the book" → "returned the book".

Traps and advanced points

Trap: Breaking parallelism in "not only … but also".
Trap: Mixing conditional forms.
Trap: Choosing wordy options.

Quick revision

Parallel parts.
Had I known → would have.
Cut redundancy.

Practice MCQs

At the delhi research desk: The new system was introduced to ____ delays in processing.
1. conceal
2. multiply
3. reduce
4. celebrate
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Answer: (c) reduce. Context and grammar support “reduce”.
At the indore admin desk: Candidates should remain ____ when a difficult question appears.
1. calm
2. vacant
3. noisy
4. fragile
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Answer: (a) calm. Context and grammar support “calm”.
At the indore review desk: A careful candidate should ____ the instructions before starting the test.
1. ignore
2. scattered
3. read
4. reading
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Answer: (c) read. Context and grammar support “read”.
At the jaipur admin desk: The editor removed an ____ phrase that repeated the same idea.
1. essential
2. unique
3. precise
4. redundant
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Answer: (d) redundant. Context and grammar support “redundant”.
At the jaipur review desk: The officer asked the team to ____ the figures before publication.
1. verify
2. misplace
3. decorate
4. forget
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Answer: (a) verify. Context and grammar support “verify”.
During an editing drill at the Jaipur support desk, choose the grammatically correct revision of: “He is good in solving numerical puzzles.”
1. He is good for solving numerical puzzles.
2. He is good on solving numerical puzzles.
3. He is good in solving numerical puzzles.
4. He is good at solving numerical puzzles.
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Answer: (d) He is good at solving numerical puzzles.. The standard collocation is “good at”.
In Surat, the heavy rain occurred but the match continued. Choose the correct use of “despite”.
1. Despite the heavy rain occurred, the match continued.
2. Despite of the heavy rain, the match continued.
3. Despite the heavy rain, the match continued.
4. In despite the heavy rain, the match continued.
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Answer: (c) Despite the heavy rain, the match continued.. “Despite” is followed directly by a noun/gerund; it does not take “of”.
During an editing drill at the Kochi research desk, choose the grammatically correct revision of: “He has been working here since three years.”
1. He has been working here since three years.
2. He has been working here since for three years.
3. He has been working here from three years.
4. He has been working here for three years.
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Answer: (d) He has been working here for three years.. Use “for” with a duration and “since” with a starting point.
During an editing drill at the Mysuru research desk, choose the grammatically correct revision of: “She is senior than me in the department.”
1. She is senior over me in the department.
2. She is senior from me in the department.
3. She is senior to me in the department.
4. She is senior than me in the department.
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Answer: (c) She is senior to me in the department.. The standard collocation is “senior to”, not “senior than”.
During an editing drill at the Surat review desk, choose the grammatically correct revision of: “No sooner did the bell ring when the candidates entered.”
1. No sooner did the bell ring then the candidates entered.
2. No sooner did the bell ring than the candidates entered.
3. No sooner did the bell ring that the candidates entered.
4. No sooner did the bell ring when the candidates entered.
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Answer: (b) No sooner did the bell ring than the candidates entered.. “No sooner” pairs with “than”.
In Indore, the first event was “the meeting began” and then “the members took their seats”. Choose the standard “no sooner” construction.
1. No sooner did the meeting begun than the members took their seats.
2. No sooner the meeting begun when the members took their seats.
3. No sooner had the meeting begun than the members took their seats.
4. No sooner had the meeting begun when the members took their seats.
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Answer: (c) No sooner had the meeting begun than the members took their seats.. Use “No sooner … than …” with inversion in this pattern.
In Patna, the equipment fault occurred but the team proceeded. Choose the correct use of “despite”.
1. Despite the equipment fault, the team proceeded.
2. Despite the equipment fault occurred, the team proceeded.
3. In despite the equipment fault, the team proceeded.
4. Despite of the equipment fault, the team proceeded.
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Answer: (a) Despite the equipment fault, the team proceeded.. “Despite” is followed directly by a noun/gerund; it does not take “of”.
During an editing drill at the Ranchi review desk, choose the grammatically correct revision of: “Each of the files have been checked carefully.”
1. Each files has been checked carefully.
2. Each of the files has been checked carefully.
3. Each of the file has been checked carefully.
4. Each of the files have been checked carefully.
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Answer: (b) Each of the files has been checked carefully.. “Each” is singular, so use “has”.
In Lucknow, the late start occurred but the counter stayed open. Choose the correct use of “despite”.
1. In despite the late start, the counter stayed open.
2. Despite of the late start, the counter stayed open.
3. Despite the late start occurred, the counter stayed open.
4. Despite the late start, the counter stayed open.
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Answer: (d) Despite the late start, the counter stayed open.. “Despite” is followed directly by a noun/gerund; it does not take “of”.
In Pune, the long queue occurred but the office opened. Choose the correct use of “despite”.
1. Despite the long queue occurred, the office opened.
2. Despite of the long queue, the office opened.
3. Despite the long queue, the office opened.
4. In despite the long queue, the office opened.
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Answer: (c) Despite the long queue, the office opened.. “Despite” is followed directly by a noun/gerund; it does not take “of”.