Sentence Correction Practice Test 1

In each of the questions below, part or all of the sentence is underlined. The underlined text may contain an error in sentence construction, grammar, word choice, or punctuation. Choice a repeats the original underlined text. If there is no error in the underlined portion, choose a. If there is an error, select the answer choice that most effectively expresses the meaning of the sentence without any ambiguity or awkwardness.

1. According to a recent survey, 62% of Americans use some form of alternative medicine; significantly more than the previous decade.

a. medicine; significantly more than the previous decade

b. medicine, a significant increase over numbers from the previous decade

c. medicine, which is a significant increase over the previous decade

d. medicine, which, compared to the previous decade, is a significant increase in number.

e. medicine, previously in the last decade the numbers were much higher

2. Nowadays, standard identification tags can be replaced by microchips implanted under a pet’s skin; these high-tech devices contain an owner’s contact information, making it easier than ever to find lost animals.

a. Nowadays, standard identification tags can be replaced by microchips implanted under a pet’s skin;
b. In today’s day and age, standard pet identification tags can be replaced by microchips
implanted under a pet’s skin;

c. Nowadays, microchips implanted under the skin of a pet can replace standard pet  identification tags,
d. Nowadays, microchips can be implanted under a pet’s skin to replace standard identification tags;
e. Nowadays, by implanting microchips under a pet’s skin, you can replace standard identification tags;

3. Internet search engines are revolutionary in their capacity to provide a free service to users, also offering targeted, low-key advertisements that assist users in their search.
a. also offering targeted, low-key advertisements that assist users in their search
b. while offering targeted, low-key advertisements that assist users in their search
c. while, offering advertisements that are low key and targeted to assist users in their search
d. while they offer targeted advertisements that are low key and assist users in finding what
they’re looking for
e. as well as offing targeted, low-key advertisements
to help users find things

4. Cryptography, the art or science of keeping messages secret, which is increasingly important in today’s age of information technology, was developed in or around 1900 B.C.
a. Cryptography, the art or science of keeping messages secret, which is increasingly important in today’s age of information technology, was developed in or around 1900 B.C.
b. Developed long ago, as early as 1900 B.C., cryptography, which is the art or science of
keeping messages secret, is increasingly important in this day and age of information technology.
c. While it is increasingly important in today’s era of information technology, cryptography,
which was developed in 1900 B.C., is the art or science of keeping messages secret.
d. The art or science of keeping messages secret, cryptography was developed as early as 1900 B.C., yet it is increasingly important in the age of information technology.
e. Developed as early as 1900 B.C., cryptography, the art or science of keeping messages secret, is increasingly important in today’s age of information technology.

5. Black holes are masses of infinitely dense matter that attract and pull in other matter, although white holes are infinite sources of mass that continually pour forth matter.

a. although white holes are infinite sources of mass that continually pour forth matter
b. while white holes are infinite sources of mass that continually pour forth matter
c. likewise white holes, which are infinite sources of mass, continually pour forth matter
d. since those that continually pour forth matter and are infinite sources of mass, white holes
e. matter that is continually poured forth from an infinite source of mass is called a white hole

6. Formally known as sleep apnea, more than 12 million Americans suffer from this serious but treatable condition.
a. Formally known as sleep apnea, more than 12 million Americans suffer from this serious but treatable condition.
b. Formally being known as sleep apnea, more than 12 million Americans suffer from this
serious but treatable condition.
c. More than 12 million Americans, who suffer from the serious but treatable disease known
as sleep apnea.
d. Formally, it is known as sleep apnea, and more than 12 million Americans are known to suffer from it.
e. More than 12 million Americans suffer from the serious but treatable condition formally
known as sleep apnea.

7. Ernest Hemingway’s novel For Whom the Bell Tolls takes its title from John Donne’s 1623 Meditation XVII, “No Man Is an Island.”
a. Ernest Hemingway’s novel For Whom the Bell Tolls takes its title from John Donne’s 1623
Meditation XVII, “No Man Is an Island.”
b. The novel of Ernest Hemingway titled For Whom the Bell Tolls takes that title from John
Donne’s 1623 Meditation XVII, called “No Man Is an Island.”
c. For his novel For Whom the Bell Tolls, Ernest Hemingway used the title he found in John
Donne’s 1623 Meditation XVII, “No Man Is an Island.”
d. In Ernest Hemingway’s novel For Whom the Bell Tolls, its title being taken from “No Man Is an Island,” of John Donne’s 1623 Meditation XVII.
e. For Whom the Bell Tolls is a novel by Ernest Hemingway which takes its title from the 1623 Meditation XVII “No Man Is an Island” by John Donne.

8. The first interspecies transplant is believed to have been completed in the early 1800s, when scientists grafted the tail of a rat onto the comb of a rooster.
a. when scientists grafted the tail of a rat onto the comb of a rooster
b. with the grafting of the tail of a rat onto the comb of a rooster by scientists
c. when scientists, with the tail of a rat, grafted it onto the comb of a rooster
d. scientists had grafted the tail of a rat onto the comb of a rooster
e. thus, the tail of a rat had been grafted onto a rooster’s comb

9. Seated high in the amphitheater, ancient Greek actors wore masks so that audience members could see their facial expressions.
a. Seated high in the amphitheater, ancient Greek actors wore masks so that audience
members could see their facial expressions.
b. Being seated high in the amphitheater, ancient Greek actors wore masks so that audience
members could see their facial expressions.
c. Ancient Greek actors wore masks so that audience members, seated high in the amphitheater, could see their facial expressions.
d. Ancient Greek actors wore masks so that audience members could see their facial expressions, seated high in the amphitheater.
e. Seated high in the amphitheater, the audience members could see the facial expressions of
the ancient Greek actors, who wore masks.

10. “Bloody Sunday” refers to two different historical events: the 1905 massacre of hundreds of civilians engaged in a peaceful march in St. Petersburg, Russia, whereas in 1972, in Derry, Ireland, British soldiers killed 13 peaceful demonstrators.
a. whereas in 1972, in Derry, Ireland, British soldiers killed 13 peaceful demonstrators
b. and the 1972 killing by British soldiers of 13 peaceful demonstrators in Derry, Ireland
c. but in 1972, there were 13 peaceful demonstrators killed by British soldiers in Derry, Ireland
d. in contrast, the 1972 killing by British soldiers of 13 peaceful demonstrators in Derry, Ireland
e. and in 1972, there was the killing by British soldiers of 13 people who were demonstrating peacefully in Derry, Ireland

Answers:
1. b. Choice a incorrectly uses the semicolon and does not clearly indicate what is significantly more—the percentage of Americans using alternative medicines or the frequency with which they use alternative medicines. Choice b corrects the semicolon error and correctly identifies exactly what the increase is: an increase in numbers. Choice c merely states that the increase is over the decade, which is incorrect. Choice d is wordy. Choice e is a run-on sentence, is wordy, and has awkward sentence structure.

2. d. Choice d is the most concise version of this sentence. Choice a uses the passive voice (can be replaced by microchips). Choice b is wordy and still retains the passive voice. Choice c is wordy and awkward and a run-on sentence; by adding you, e creates an improper shift in pronoun person.

3. b. This is the most concise version and the one that best expresses the relationship between the clauses. The use of also in choice a expresses addition when the relationship is really one of simultaneity. Choice c has a superfluous comma after while and uses a wordy that clause. Choice d is wordy. Choice e makes the same error as a and uses the vague phrase find things.
4. e. Choices a, b, and c are wordy. The yet in choice d does not express the right relationship between the clauses.

5. b. The main issue here is proper subordination/coordination. Although in choice a does not express the right kind of contrast; black holes do one thing while white holes do another—they exist simultaneously. Choice c makes the same mistake with likewise, which expresses similarity. Choice d uses the wrong subordinator and is wordy. Choice e omits the subordinating or coordinating word and is a run-on sentence.
6. e. The original item has a misplaced modifier. The sentence reads as if more than 12 million Americans are formally known as sleep apnea. Choice b uses the ungrammatical phrase being known as. Choice c is a fragment. Choice d has a vague pronoun reference; it is not clear to what exactly it refers.
7. a. This is the most clear and concise version. Choices b, c, and e are wordy. Choice d is a fragment and uses the preposition of where from is required.
8. a. This is the most clear and concise version. Choice b is wordy, using the passive construction by scientists. Choice c uses the wordy and awkward (even illogical) construction with the tail of a rat, grafted it. Choice d is a run-on and uses the wrong tense (it should be the simple past tense grafted, not had grafted). Choice e is a run-on and uses the wrong conjunctive adverb: Thus does not express the relationship between the clauses. It also makes tense mistake in d and uses a passive construction.
9. c. Choices a, b, and d have misplaced modifiers. Choice b also uses the ungrammatical phrase being seated. Choice e is grammatically correct but wordier than c, which is more direct and logical in its structure.
10. b. Coordination/subordination, parallel structure, and wordiness are the main issues here. Choice a uses the illogical subordinating conjunction whereas and lacks parallel structure—the elements of the second Bloody Sunday (date, event, place) are not in the same order or form as the first. Choice c uses an incorrect conjunction, is wordy because it uses the passive voice, and is not parallel. Choice d incorrectly uses in contrast instead of a word that expresses addition and uses the passive voice. Choice e expresses a logical relationship between the clause but is wordy and uses the passive voice.