Sentence Correction | Verbal Ability Questions And Answers
This verbal ability questions and answers are helpful for students preparing for MBA admission, Bank PO and other competitive exams.
From the given options choose the word or phrase which is incorrectly used in the sentence. If there are no errors choose option e as the answer.
1. The basic objective of the Right to Information Act is to empowering the citizens by promoting transparency and accountability in the working of the Government.
a. objective
b. empowering
c. promoting
d. accountability
e. No error
Answer: b. empowering
Explanations
a. objective
Explanation: Objective is the subject of this sentence. It is a noun meaning aim and as such it is used correctly as the subject.
b. empowering (correct answer)
Explanation: The ing form empowering is incorrectly used in this sentence. Here ‘to’ is not a preposition. It is an infinitive marker and hence it should be followed by the first form of the verb. To can be followed by an ing form only when it is used as a preposition.
c. promoting
Explanation: Promoting is used correctly. It is the object of the preposition by. A verb form used after a preposition should be in its ing form.
d. accountability
Explanation: Accountability is a noun. It is correctly used as the object of the verbal phrase by promoting.
e. No error
2. Quite often by the time technology users have figured out how to use an invention, a new technology came along to replace the old one.
a. quite
b. have figured
c. came
d. replace
e. No error
Answer: c. came
Explanations
a. Quite
Explanation: Quite is an adverb modifying the adverb often. Only an adverb can modify another adverb.
b. have figured
Explanation: The present perfect is correctly used in this sentence because we are talking about the completion of a task. The plural auxiliary have agrees with the plural subject users.
c. came (correct answer)
Explanation: The simple past verb came is incorrectly used here. It should be replaced by ‘comes’. We are talking about what happens in the present time. Hence a present tense is required here.
d. replace
Explanation: The infinitive marker to should be followed by the first form of the verb.
e. No error
3. I understand that the proposed airport will bring development to the area, but I do not think that it should be at the expense of one of the oldest historical landmark in the city.
a. proposed
b. to
c. at
d. landmark
e. No error
Answer: d. landmark
Explanations
a. proposed
Explanation: Proposed is correctly used here. The proposed airport means the airport that is proposed to be built.
b. to
Explanation: The preposition to shows direction. It is correctly used here.
c. at
Explanation: At is correctly used here. The expression at the expense is correct.
d. landmark (correct answer)
Explanation: The singular noun landmark should be replaced by the plural noun landmarks. We use a plural noun after one of.
e. No error
4. Even as technologies become more sophisticated, people need to spend more time learning how to use them.
a. Even as
b. become
c. learning
d. them
e. No error
Answer: a. even as (It should be replaced by as.)
Explanations
a. Even as
Explanation: Even as means while. It shows time. We need a conjunction showing the reason here. Even as should be replaced by as.
b. become
Explanation: The present simple verb become is correctly used here. It agrees with the plural subject technologies.
c. learning
Explanation: The ing form learning is correctly used as the complement of the object time.
d. them
Explanation: The plural pronoun them is correctly used to refer to the plural noun technologies.
e. No error
5. According to a recent conducted survey in the UK, people attribute poor attendance in schools to a number of causes.
a. recent
b. in
c. attribute
d. to
e. No error
Answer: a – recent
Explanations
a. recent
Explanation: Recent is an adjective. It should be replaced by the adverb recently. Here the adjective conducted modifies the noun survey. An adjective cannot modify another adjective. Only an adverb can modify an adjective. Hence, recent should be replaced by recently.
b. in
Explanation: The preposition in is correctly used. It shows position inside a large area.
c. attribute
Explanation: Attribute agrees with the plural subject people.
d. to
Explanation: To is correctly used. The verb attribute is followed by the preposition to.
e. No error
6. Some people see the introduction of digital technologies as a window of opportunity to deal effectively with such problems like unemployment.
a. see
b. as
c. effectively
d. like
e. No error
Answer: d – like (It should be replaced by as.)
Explanations
a. see
Explanation: The plural verb see agrees with the plural subject see.
b. as
Explanation: The preposition as shows the purpose of something. It is correctly used here.
c. effectively
Explanation: The adverb effectively correctly modifies the verb deal.
d. like
Explanation: Like should be replaced by as. The correct expression is such..as…
e. No error
7. Some people think that recent innovations in technology have made life more comfortable and help us to be more efficient by saving us time.
a. think
b. innovations
c. more
d. help
e. No error
Answer: d) help
Explanations
a. think
Explanation: The plural verb think correctly agrees with the plural subject people.
b. innovations
Explanation: The plural noun innovations is correctly used here.
c. more
Explanation: More is used correctly here. It helps form the comparative.
d. help
Explanation: Help should be replaced by helped. The correct expression is ‘have made life more comfortable and helped’. Here the auxiliary have applies to both the verbs made and helped.
e. No error
8. For a long time, there have been concern about the quality of the food we eat because of additives and contaminants.
a. for
b. have
c. about
d. because of
e. No error
Answer: b. have
Explanations
a. for
Explanation: The preposition for indicates duration. It is correctly used here.
b. have
Explanation: Have should be replaced by has. If the noun following there is singular, the verb too should be singular. Here concern is a singular noun; hence, we say ‘there has been’, not ‘there have been’.
c. about
Explanation: The preposition about is used correctly.
d. because of
Explanation: Because of is a preposition. It should be followed by a noun or pronoun. Here it is used correctly.
e. No error
9. The literacy rates are the highest in Europe, Oceania and America with over 90 percent of the population capable to read and write.
a. highest
b. over
c. capable
d. write
e. No error
Answer: c. capable
Explanations
a. highest
Explanation: Highest is the superlative form of high. It is used correctly.
b. over
Explanation: We usually use over with numbers. It is used correctly here.
c. capable
Explanation: Capable should be replaced by able. Able is followed by a to-infinitive. Capable is followed by of + ing form – capable of reading and writing.
d. write
Explanation: Write is used correctly here. The correct expression is to read and write.
e. No error
10. Many people refuse buying products that contain artificial colorings or preservatives or foods that come from genetically modified crops, fearing that these foods are unhealthy.
a. buying
b. that
c. or
d. fearing
e. No error
Answer: a. buy
Explanations
a. buying
Explanation: Buying should be replaced by to buy. Some verbs are followed by a to-infinitive. Refuse is one of them.
b. that
Explanation: The relative pronoun that is used correctly here. That can refer to both people and things.
c. or
Explanation: The conjunction or is used correctly. It presents the alternative.
d. fearing
Explanation: Fearing is used correctly. When both clauses have the same subject, we can use a present participle to connect them. People refuse to buy these foods. People fear that these foods are unhealthy. We can combine these two sentences with the participle fearing.People refuse to buy these foods, fearing that these foods are unhealthy.
e. No error
11. I believe that the only practical solution to the ever increasing demand for food is to grow more GM crops.
a. believe
b. solution to
c. increasing
d. to grow
e. No error
Answer: e. No error
Explanations
a. believe
Explanation: Believe is used correctly. It agrees with the subject I.
b. solution to
Explanation: We say solution to. It is used correctly here.
c. increasing
Explanation: Ever increasing demand means demand that keeps increasing. It is used correctly.
d. to grow
Explanation: The to-infinitive is correctly used here. The only solution is to grow more GM crops.
e. No error
12. The invention of the microchip has enabled engineers to shrink electronic devices to sizes which makes them practical to use.
a. invention
b. enabled
c. to shrink
d. makes
e. No error
Answer: d. makes
Explanation
a. invention
Explanation: Invention is correct. To invent is to build something that did not exist before.
b. enabled
Explanation: Enabled is used correctly here. It is the past participle form of enable. In the present perfect, we use the past participle form after has/have.
c. to shrink
Explanation: Enable is followed by a to-infinitive. Hence, to shrink is used correctly here.
d. makes
Explanation: Makes should be replaced by make. The verb following a relative pronoun should agree with its antecedent (the noun preceding the relative pronoun). Here the singular verb makes does not agree with the plural antecedent sizes.
e. No error
13. Although there is some expense involved in terms of good food and medical treatment, there are still many benefits to keep a pet.
a. although
b. is
c. many
d. keep
e. No error
Answer: d. keep
Explanations
a. Although
Explanation: The conjunction although is used correctly. It connects two contrasting ideas.
b. is
Explanation: The singular verb is agrees with the singular noun expense. If the noun following there is singular, the verb too should be singular.
c. many
Explanation: Many is used correctly. It is a determiner used with plural nouns.
d. keep
Explanation: Keep should be followed by keeping. Here the ‘to’ preceding keep is not an infinitive marker. It is a preposition following benefits. After the preposition ‘to’ we use an ing form, not an infinitive.
e. No error
14. Children learn to be responsible when they taking care of an animal, which helps them to become more mature and reliable.
a. responsible
b. taking
c. which
d. helps
e. No error
Answer: b. taking
Explanations
a. responsible (incorrect)
Explanation: Here the adjective responsible is the complement of the verb be. Only nouns, adjectives, pronouns and ing forms can be complements.
b. taking (correct)
Explanation: Taking should be replaced by take. Taking is a non-finite verb. It cannot make a clause. The correct clause is ‘when they take care of an animal’ or ‘when they are taking care of an animal’.
c. which (incorrect)
Explanation: Which is used correctly. The relative pronoun which can modify an entire clause.
d. helps (incorrect)
Explanation: When a relative pronoun modifies an entire clause as in this case, the verb should be singular.
e. No error (incorrect)
15. There are several arguments for and against celebrities earning a lot more than people in other professions.
a. several
b. against
c. earning
d. than
e. No error
Answer: e. No error
Explanation
a. several (incorrect)
Explanation: The determiner several is used correctly. It is used with plural nouns.
b. against (incorrect)
Explanation: The expression arguments against is correct.
c. earning (incorrect)
Explanation: earning is correctly used. Here the phrase ‘celebrities earning a lot more than people in other professions’ is the object of the prepositions ‘for and against’. A phrase cannot have a finite verb.
d. than (incorrect)
Explanation: Than is an expression used for making comparisons. It follows a comparative adjective like more.
5. No error (correct)
