Sentence Improvement


Direction: In the following questions, a part of the sentence is printed in bold. Below are given alternatives to the bold part at (1), (2) and (3) which may improve the sentence. Choose the correct alternative.In case no improvement is needed your answer is (4).

  1. My foot is paining.









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    aching (Verb) : to feel a continuous dull pain ; hurting
    paining (Verb) : hurting ; to cause somebody pain or make him unhappy
    ailing (verb) : ill/sick and not improving
    ⇒ She looked after her ailing father.
    paining is not used in Progressive/Continuous Tenses.
    Here, aching is the right usage.

    Correct Option: A

    aching (Verb) : to feel a continuous dull pain ; hurting
    paining (Verb) : hurting ; to cause somebody pain or make him unhappy
    ailing (verb) : ill/sick and not improving
    ⇒ She looked after her ailing father.
    paining is not used in Progressive/Continuous Tenses.
    Here, aching is the right usage.


  1. Work at the request of your conscience.









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    behest (Noun)
    at somebody’s behest (Idiom) : because somebody has ordered or requested it
    ⇒ at the King’s behest/at the behest of the King
    request (Noun) : the action of asking for something formally and politely
    desires (Noun) : a strong wish to have or do something
    orders (Noun) : something that somebody is told to do by somebody in authority
    Here, behest is the right usage.

    Correct Option: A

    behest (Noun)
    at somebody’s behest (Idiom) : because somebody has ordered or requested it
    ⇒ at the King’s behest/at the behest of the King
    request (Noun) : the action of asking for something formally and politely
    desires (Noun) : a strong wish to have or do something
    orders (Noun) : something that somebody is told to do by somebody in authority
    Here, behest is the right usage.



  1. Beside being a poet, he is also a famous singer.









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    beside (Prep.) : next to something/somebody besides (Prep.) : in addition to something
    Here, Besides being is the right usage.

    Correct Option: B

    beside (Prep.) : next to something/somebody besides (Prep.) : in addition to something
    Here, Besides being is the right usage.


  1. She scoffed on the idea of revolution.









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    scoffed (Verb) : to talk about somebody/something in a way that makes it clear that you think he/ it is stupid. It agrees with at (Prep.)
    Hence, at (Prep.) is the right usage.

    Correct Option: B

    scoffed (Verb) : to talk about somebody/something in a way that makes it clear that you think he/ it is stupid. It agrees with at (Prep.)
    Hence, at (Prep.) is the right usage.



  1. The stranger asked the little girl what is her name.









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    In Indirect Speech, the Subject comes before the Verb.
    Hence, what her name was is the right usage.

    Correct Option: B

    In Indirect Speech, the Subject comes before the Verb.
    Hence, what her name was is the right usage.