Aricent Sentence Improvement & Construction Questions with Solutions – 1

The subject (people, which is plural) must agree with the verb (were, which is plural).
The two verbs (were and crafted) should be in the same tense since both happened at the same time in the past.

A.This correct sentence is written such that the subject and verb agree

B.had been renowned is improperly constructed in the past perfect tense, implying that the Assyrian Empire stopped being known for renown warriors before its people crafted well-preserved art

C.The comma improperly splits the sentence, creating a comma splice

D.The subject (people, which is plural) does not agree with the verb (was, which is singular)

E.The use of the participle crafting is improper and should be replaced by a verb

"Whether" is correct because the question concerns a choice not a condition. With the expression "the number of" a singular verb is needed and hence "was" is correct. "Liable" is used in expressions such as "liable to prosecution" and not for expressions of possibility.

(1) The sentence must be constructed such that corresponding consequences of an action are parallel. Specifically, the sentence should read enabled political candidates with cash-strapped budgets to x and y where x and y are parallel.

(2) The phrase to be able to z is redundant and should be replaced by to z

(3) The phrase numbers of money should be amounts of money since number is only used when the object in question can be counted and money cannot be counted (i.e., you do not say 1 money, 2 money, 3 money). Note: By comparison, dollars can be counted (i.e., you would say 1 dollar, 2 dollars, 3 dollars) and as a result, we would say: the number of dollars.

A.the phrase to be able to reach is redundant and can be shortened as follows: to reach; large numbers of money is not grammatically correct since money itself cannot be counted and, as a result, amount should be used instead

B.the phrase to reach...and be successful is not parallel

C.this sentence is set up such that succeeding modifies reaching voters instead of being a separate action on its own

D.the phrase is parallel (i.e., to reach...[to] succeed); to be able to reach is replaced by the shorter to reach

E.the phrase to be able to reach is redundant and should be replaced by to reach

The superlative form most scary must be used instead of the comparative form more scary since the author is indicating that among all the threats, a specific threat is the most scary.

A.more must be replaced by most as the superlative form (most) must be used since the author is not comparing threats but stating that a single threat is the scariest

B.The superlative form is correctly used

C.Although the superlative form is correctly used, this choice makes the sentence unduly long; the phrase possibly, perhaps is awkward and not idiomatically correct

D.While a superlative is used, the sentence is exceedingly awkward as the phrasepossibly the greatest scary is not idiomatic

E.The superlative form is not used; the phrase possibly the great scary as this scenariois awkward and not idiomatic

The subject of the sentence (the writing, which is singular) does not agree with the pronoun (they, which is plural and needs to be replaced by the singular it).

It is important to avoid wordy or unduly long phrases such as due to the fact that or for the reason that and instead use a shorter word like because.

A. The subject of the sentence (the writing, which is singular) does not agree with the pronoun (they, which is plural)

B. due to the fact that is wordy and can be replaced by because

C. the pronoun their, which is plural, does not agree with the subject the writing, which is singular; the phrase is awkward and long

D. the subject of the sentence (the writing) agrees with the pronoun (it); because is concise

The current sentence uses the incorrect idiom to credit x ... for y. The correct idiom is to credit x ... with y

A. to credit x ... for y is not the correct idiom

B. having propelled is not the proper verb tense and should be replaced with propelling

C. to credit x ... as y is not the correct idiom

D. to credit x ... to y is not the correct idiom

There are two main problems with this sentence.

(1)The subject (prospects, which is plural) does not agree with the verb (depends, which is singular and should be replaced by the plural verb depend).

(2)The idiom depend on whether is correct not depend on if

A. the verb depends (singular) should be replaced by the verb depend (plural) as a plural subject (prospects) requires a plural verb; the phrase depends on if is not idiomatically correct

B. the subject prospects (plural) agrees with the verb depend (plural); depend on whether is idiomatically correct

C. the verb depends (singular) should be replaced by the verb depend (plural) as a plural subject (prospects) requires a plural verb

D. depend on if is not idiomatically correct

This question tests the correct use of two idioms.

(1) to issue x with y; The original sentence incorrectly writes issued x in y (i.e., issued The Edict of Milan in the hopes to ending).

(2) with the hope of y; The original sentence incorrectly writes in the hopes toy (i.e., in the hopes to ending).

A. issued The Edict of Milan in is not a proper idiom; in the hopes to is not a proper idiom

B. issued The Edict of Milan in is not a proper idiom; in the hope to is not a proper idiom

C. with the hope to is not a proper idiom

D. issued The Edict of Milan with is a proper idiom; with the hope of ending is a proper idiom

Both which and this should refer to a specific noun. Since the first part of the sentence does not provide a suitable noun, we must introduce a word such asincrease or trend. D is incorrect as it uses a comma to link two sentences.

There are two main problems with the original sentence.

(1) The subject (thousands of acres, which is plural) does not agree with the verb (is, which is singular and should be replaced with the plural are). Some students argue thatland is singular, even if it is thousands of acres. While land is singular, the phrase of pristine land is not the subject, but rather a prepositional phrase that describes the subject thousands of acres, which is plural.

(2) in danger to is not idiomatically correct and should instead be in danger of

A. The subject (thousands of acres, which is plural) does not agree with the verb (is, which is singular); in danger to is not idiomatically correct

B. The subject (thousands of acres, which is plural) agrees with the verb (are, which is plural); in danger of is idiomatically correct

C. The subject (thousands of acres, which is plural) does not agree with the verb (is, which is singular)

D. in danger to is not idiomatically correct