SENTENCE CORRECTION PRACTICE 1

If the books have been cataloged last week, why haven’t they been placed on the shelf?

• have been cataloged 

• would have been cataloged 

• was cataloged 

• were cataloged 

• had been cataloged

Answer explanation

“Last week” dictates simple past tense “were.” Present perfect “have been” (A) refers to the status now of something already accomplished in the past-e.g. “have been cataloged since last week.” Subjunctive present perfect “would have been” (B) is never used in a conditional “If” clause/phrase, only as its complement (“If…, then they would…”). Singular “was” (C) disagrees with plural “books.” Past perfect “had been” (E) would require “why hadn’t they been…/weren’t they…?” to agree.

Jessica Mitford wrote The American Way of Death, a best-selling book that led eventually to an official investigation of the funeral industry.

• that led eventually 

• that had led eventually

• that eventually led 

• which eventually led 

• who eventually led

Answer explanation

With an indirect object, the transitive verb and preposition should be a unit, i.e. “led to” here, like “take from,” “give to,” etc., uninterrupted by the modifying adverb “eventually.” “Who” (E) only applies to people, not inanimate objects like books.

Sabotage came from the French saboter, which means “to clatter with wooden shoes (sabots).”

• which means “to 

• which means, “to 

• that means “to 

• that means-“to 

• that means, “to

Answer explanation

No punctuation should be placed between “means” and “to” here. Hence a comma [(B), (E)] or dash (D) is incorrect. A nonrestrictive relative clause introduces additional information, requiring a comma and “which”-not “that” [(C), (D), and (E)]. “That” is used without a comma and only with a restrictive relative clause, i.e. one that is necessary to understand the meaning of the noun it modifies.

When studying an assignment, it is wise to read it over quickly at first, than see the major points, and finally outline the material.

• first, than 

• first: then 

• first-then 

• first, then 

• first-than

Answer explanation

“Then” is an adverb indicating time or sequence here. “Than” [(A), (E)] is a conjunction indicating comparison, e.g. “He is taller than I am” or “We would rather go now than later.” When listing three sequential steps as in this sentence, the comma after the first and second steps is correct punctuation; a colon (B) or hyphen [(C), (E)] is incorrect.

To judge the Tidy City contest, we picked an uninterested party.

• picked an uninterested party. 

• picked an interested party! 

• picked a disinterested party.

• are in the process of picking an uninterested party. 

• picked an disinterested party.

Answer explanation

The correct word choice for this sentence is “disinterested,” meaning not personally involved or invested and (presumably) impartial. “Uninterested” means literally not interested, i.e. oblivious or not caring. In this context, they would not pick an “interested” party to judge a contest, and the exclamation mark (B) is inappropriate punctuation. “An” (E) is incorrect preceding a consonant.

Linda decides they had better scram before the killers find them.

• had better scram 

• had better leave 

• should hurry and scram 

• could hurry and leave 

• had better get out

Answer explanation

“Scram” is a slang word meaning “leave,” a more acceptable choice when writing (excepting intentional slang like Mark Twain used in dialogue, narrative, etc.). “Could” (D) means they can leave, whereas “had better” and “should” means they ought to leave. “Get out” (E), similarly to “scram,” is less acceptable than “leave.”

I really dug the character of Brutus.

• dug

• thought about 

• thought of 

• admired 

• gazed

Answer explanation

“Admired” is an acceptable word in writing for the desired meaning, whereas “dug” (A) is slang. “Thought about (B), “thought of” (C), and “gazed at” (E) do not convey the same meaning at all.

Once upon a point a time, a small person named Little Red Riding Hood initiated plans for the preparation, delivery and transportation of foodstuffs to her Grandmother.

• and transportation of foodstuffs to her Grandmother. 

• and transportation of food stuffs to her Grandmother. 

• and transportation of food supplies to her Grandmother. 

• and transportation of foodstuffs to her grandmother. 

• and, transportation of food supplies to her grand mother.

Answer explanation

When used as a noun rather than a name (proper noun), “grandmother” is not capitalized. Used either way, it is still one word, not two (E); the same is true of “foodstuffs” (B).

The setting of a story effects the story’s plot.

• effects the story’s plot. 

• effects the stories plot. 

• affect the story’s plot. 

• affects the story’s plot.

• affects the story’s plots.

Answer explanation

To affect means to influence. This meaning, and hence this spelling, apply here. To effect [(A), (B)] means to cause, initiate, create, implement, or accomplish. “Stories” (B) is plural, not possessive. “Affect” (C) goes with a plural, not singular, subject. “Plots” (E) is plural, not singular.

Arctic trees are scrubbiest than trees in milder climates.

• scrubbiest than trees 

• scrubbier then trees 

• scrubbiest than are trees 

• scrubbier than are trees 

• scrubbier than trees

Answer explanation

When comparing two things, the comparative “-er” is used rather than the superlative “-est,” which is only used when comparing more than two things. The adverb “than” is used with the comparative, not the conjunction “then” (B), which indicates time sequence (e.g. “and then…”), cause and effect (e.g. “If…,then…”). Adding “are” (D) is unnecessary.