Sentence Improvement for SBI Clerk Prelims Exam: 26th April 2018

Dear Aspirants,

Today is the Day 5 of the SBI Clerk 60 Days Study Plan. This section can be easy as pie if your basics are clear. Sometimes, even those who can communicate very well in English, fail to perform to the best of their ability in the banking exams. So, instead of boiling the ocean, try building up a strong vocabulary, an effective knowledge of grammar, and efficient comprehension skills so as to be on the ball to face this particular section. Here is a quiz on Sentence Improvement being provided by Adda247 to let you practice the best of latest pattern English Questions.

Direction (1-15): Which of the following phrases (I), (II), and (III) given below each sentence should replace the phrase printed in bold letters to make the sentence grammatically correct without changing the meaning of the sentence? Choose the best option among the five given alternatives that reflect the correct use of phrase in the context of the grammatically correct sentence. If the sentence is correct as it is, mark (e) i.e., “No correction required” as the answer.

Q1. There is no sign that the vigour of the law will be diluted, but the area of its use may be progressively curtailed over time.

(l) vigour of the law will be diluting

(ll) vigour of the law had been diluted

(lll) vigour of the law is diluted

(a) Only (I)

(b) Only (II)

(c) Only (III)

(d) All of the above

(e) No correction required

S1. Ans. (e)
Sol. No correction required as the sentence is in future tense. 

Q2. Lawyers representing the couple’s interests have explained that the first and main legal strategy was to ensure her liberty from custody which was achieved.

(l) her liberty from custody which has been achieved.

(ll) her liberty from custody which is being achieved.

(lll) her liberty from custody which was to be achieved.

(a) Only (I)

(b) Only (II)

(c) Only (III)

(d) All of the above

(e) No correction required

S2. Ans. (a)
Sol. “……. her liberty from custody which has been achieved.” Has been is used with present perfect tense.

Q3. Whether India may have shed its traditional reticence about a strategic partnership with the U.S., it would still not be what Japan is to the U.S., nor should it.

(l) Despite India may have shed its traditional reticence

(ll) while India may have shed its traditional reticence

(lll)when India may have shed its traditional reticence

(a) Only (I)

(b) Only (II)

(c) Only (III)

(d) Both (l) and (ll)

(e) No correction required

S3. Ans. (b)
Sol. “while India may have shed its traditional reticence….”. While + clause relates an activity that occurs at the same-time as (simultaneously with) the activity in the main clause.

Q4. Everyone had admired her looks but she had eyes only for the foreigners who lived among us and considered the rest of us unworthy of her attention.

(l) Everyone admires her looks but she had

(ll) Everyone was admiring her looks but she had

(lll) Everyone admired her looks but she had

(a) Only (I)

(b) Only (II)

(c) Only (III)

(d) Both (l) and (ll)

(e) No correction required

S4. Ans. (c)
Sol. “Everyone admired her looks but she had………..” will be the correct phrase as the sentence is in simple past from.

Q5. I had this aching pain in my legs, which reminded me that I had been standing for an hour on the platform of the railway station in my town, waiting for a train that never seemed to turn up.

(l) which reminds me that I had been standing for an hour

(ll) which reminded me that I had stood for an hour

(lll) which reminded me that I have been standing for an hour

(a) Only (I)

(b) Only (II)

(c) Only (III)

(d) All of the above

(e) No correction required

S5. Ans. (e)
Sol. No correction required. The sentence is in correct form. ‘had been standing’ is the past perfect continuous form and we use the Past Perfect Continuous to show that something started in the past and continued up until another time in the past.

Q6. So the people involved with that construction work are to blame for the delay?

(l) have to be blamed

(ll) are to be blamed

(lll) are blamed

(a) Only (I)

(b) Only (II)

(c) Only (III)

(d) All of the above

(e) No correction required

S6. Ans. (b)
Sol. “….are to be blamed…” is the correct form.  The sentence i.s in passive voice so using passive infinitive “ to be blamed” is correct

Q7. Our supper consisted of only simple stuff such as upma, and butter milk-rice with lemon pickle, but when we ate them under the star-studded night sky they became so tasty and hearty.

(l) but when we eat them under the

(ll) but when we are eating them under the

(lll) but when we had eaten them under the

(a) Only (I)

(b) Only (II)

(c) Only (III)

(d) Both (l) and (ll)

(e) No correction required

S7. Ans. (e)
Sol. No correction required. The sentence takes the past form so we will use ‘ate’.

Q8. Meanwhile the precursors had been positive, I was nervous.

(l) Though the precursors

(ll) Since the precursors

(lll) despite the precursors

(a) Only (I)

(b) Only (II)

(c) Only (III)

(d) Both (l) and (ll)

(e) No correction required

S8. Ans. (a)
Sol. “though the precursors….” Is the correct form here. ‘though’ introduces a sentence where two contrasting (or ‘opposite’) statements are made. 

Q9. In a few minutes, the pup would run to her and nestle cosily in her lap for a warm rub, while she had cooed to him all her secrets.

(l) while she cooed to him all her secrets.

(ll) while she was cooed to him all her secrets.

(lll) despite she cooed to him all her secrets.

(a) Only (I)

(b) Only (II)

(c) Only (III)

(d) Both (l) and (ll)

(e) No correction required

S9. Ans. (a)
Sol. “…while she cooed to him all her secrets.” Is the correct form here. While with a clause relates an activity that occurs at the same-time as the clause. 

Q10. On reaching the platform I pulled out my mobile phone from the hand bag to check the compartment number in the digital ticket.

(l) when reaching the platform

(ll) In reaching the platform

(lll) upon reaching the platform

(a) Only (I)

(b) Only (II)

(c) Only (III)

(d) Both (l) and (ll)

(e) No correction required

S10. Ans. (e)
Sol. No correction required. The sentence is both grammatically and logically correct. 

Q11. The most the arts evolve, the deeper the connection to the origin needs to be.

(l) The more the arts evolve

(ll) Better the arts evolve

(lll) The more the arts evolved

(a) Only (I)

(b) Only (II)

(c) Only (III)

(d) All of the above

(e) No correction required

S11. Ans. (a)
Sol.  “The more the arts evolve…” is the correct form here because as we read the sentence further, we  see that a superlative form needs to be used.

Q12. It was amusing to watch the teachers competing with one another to tell me what my child lacked in, rather than what he had in him.

(l) It is amusing to watch the teachers

(ll) It has been amusing to watch the teachers

(lll) It had amused to watch the teachers

(a) Only (I)

(b) Only (II)

(c) Only (III)

(d) All of the above

(e) No correction required

S12. Ans. (e)
Sol. The sentence is correct grammatically and logically. Past continuous is used here because The past continuous tense is used to describe actions that began in the past and often continued for a short period of time after the action started.

Q13. The expansion of initials given in the passport in place of surnames has poses problems outside India.

(l) poses problems outside India.

(ll) posed problems outside India.

(lll) will have posed problems outside India.

(a) Only (I)

(b) Only (II)

(c) Only (III)

(d) Both (l) and (ll)

(e) No correction required

S13. Ans. (a)
Sol. “…..poses problems outside India.” Is the correct choice as the sentence is in present tense.

Q14. We were wondering if she was able to meet us at noon. 

(l) we wondered if she was

(ll) we are wondering if she was

(lll) we had wondered if she was

(a) Only (I)

(b) Only (II)

(c) Only (III)

(d) All of the above

(e) No correction required

S14. Ans. (e)
Sol. The sentence is in past continuous tense and is grammatically correct.

Q15. I know it will be difficult even to make a small change in the passport which is an international document and we had to inform all the countries in the world about the change.

(l) we have to inform all the countries in the world about the change.

(ll) we have informed all the countries in the world about the change.

(lll) we will be informing all the countries in the world about the change.

(a) Only (I)

(b) Only (II)

(c) Only (III)

(d) All of the above

(e) No correction required

S15. Ans. (a)
Sol. “we have to inform all the countries in the world about the change.”
This phrase will make the sentence meaningful as “have to” denotes that it is a requirement now.