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Example Questions
Example Question #1 : Correcting Word Usage Errors
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English.
Martha, Harriet, and Blythe went to the movies on Friday night; she was able to get the last ticket to the latest blockbuster.
she was just getting the last ticket to the latest blockbuster.
the last tickets to the latest blockbuster were theirs.
the last ticket to the latest blockbuster was hers.
they were able to get the last tickets to the latest blockbuster.
she was able to get the last ticket to the latest blockbuster.
they were able to get the last tickets to the latest blockbuster.
In the original sentence, the pronoun “she” is ambiguous. Who does it refer to? One way to fix this would be to specify the person, another (used in the correct answer here) is to change the pronoun to “they” and refer to all three people. The choices that reverse the order of this phrase are awkwardly passive, and “just getting” is an unnecessary use of progressive tense.
Example Question #1 : Correcting Word Usage Errors
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices reproduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.
Doctors are notorious for having poor handwriting skills, and many pharmacists regularly complain about their prescriptions.
and many pharmacists regularly complain about their prescription
but many pharmacists regularly complain about their prescriptions
and many pharmacists regularly complain about their prescriptions
and many pharmacists regularly complain about doctors' prescriptions
and many regular pharmacists complain about their prescriptions
and many pharmacists regularly complain about doctors' prescriptions
The sentence has a vague pronoun reference. The use of "their" before "prescriptions" is ambiguous because we do not know if "their" refers to the doctors' or the pharmacists' prescriptions. The sentence needs to clarify to whom the pronoun refers, so the best answer choice is the one that does this, "and many pharmacists regularly complain about doctors' prescriptions."
Example Question #3 : Correcting Pronoun Errors
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices reproduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.
Yesterday, you asked me whether I agree more with John F. Kennedy or Richard Nixon; after reading about their policies, I realize that I agree more with him.
Yesterday, you asked me whether I agree more with John F. Kennedy or Richard Nixon; after reading about their policies, I realize that I agree more with him.
Yesterday, you asked me whether I agree more with John F. Kennedy or Richard Nixon; after reading about their policies, I realize that the one with whom I agreed was him.
Yesterday, you asked me whether I agree more with John F. Kennedy or Richard Nixon; after reading about their policies, I realize that I agree more with he.
Yesterday, you asked me whether I agree more with John F. Kennedy or Richard Nixon; after reading about their policies, I realize that the one that I agreed with.
Yesterday, you asked me whether I agree more with John F. Kennedy or Richard Nixon; after reading about their policies, I realize that I agree more with Kennedy.
Yesterday, you asked me whether I agree more with John F. Kennedy or Richard Nixon; after reading about their policies, I realize that I agree more with Kennedy.
It is unclear if the “him” refers to Kennedy or Nixon. The correct answer makes it clear with whom I agree.
Example Question #1 : Correcting Word Usage Errors
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English.
John likes to take a walk through the woods in the park because John likes the smell of the trees.
park; however, he likes the smell of the trees.
park, liking the smell of the trees.
park because John likes the smell of the trees.
park; John likes the smell of the trees.
park because he likes the smell of the trees.
park because he likes the smell of the trees.
The only problem with the original sentence is that “John” is repeated unnecessarily. Replacing it with a pronoun the second time is a good solution. The other answer choices switch up the coordinators, but this is not a good idea. The relationship between the two parts of the sentence is cause/effect, so “because” is appropriate, not “however” or no coordinator.
Example Question #31 : Other Pronoun Usage Errors
She was always hard on her, battling with low self-esteem since she was a child.
hard on herself
hard with her
hard on her
hard to her
hard in herself
hard on herself
The use of the pronoun "her" in the underlined phrase is confusing, as it is not clear whether this is a new person in the sentence or refers back to the subject. To be more clear, a reflexive pronoun must be used. The correct answer is "hard on herself."
Example Question #293 : Improving Sentences
The materials must be brought back to myself as soon as you are done with them.
back to myself
back toward myself
back from myself
back to me
back from me
back to me
The only issue in the sentence as it is written is the use of "myself," a reflexive pronoun, when there is no other first person pronoun to which it can refer back. The only answer choice which both appropriately uses "me," and keeps the same meaning is "back to me."
Example Question #1 : Correcting Pronoun Errors: Incorrect Usage
The information was only given to myself after the rest of the students had seen it all.
giving to myself
given to me
giving to me
gave to myself
given to myself
given to me
The only issue with the sentence is its use of the reflexive pronoun "myself," despite not previously using a first person pronoun. All reflexive pronouns need an antecedent, or previous pronoun in the same person, to be used correctly, or it should be changed to the simple pronoun. As this is the only problem with the sentence, "given to me" is the correct answer choice.
Example Question #1 : Correcting Usage Errors
Those supplies all need to be brought directly to myself.
directly from myself.
directly to myself.
directly for myself.
directly to me.
direct to myself.
directly to me.
The only issue with the sentence is the use of the reflexive pronoun "myself" without a previous use of the first person pronoun. All reflexive pronouns need to refer back to an earlier use of the pronoun in the sentence. The solution to this issue is to change "myself" to the simple "me," making "directly to me" the correct answer choice.
Example Question #1 : Correcting Pronoun Errors: Incorrect Usage
The information needs to be reviewed by yourself before it is sent out.
reviewing by yourself
reviewed by you
reviewing by your
reviews by yourself
reviewed by yourself
reviewed by you
The use of the reflexive pronoun "yourself" is incorrect in this sentence, as it has no previous "you" to refer back to. "Yourself" needs to simply be replaced by "you," making "reviewed by you" the correct answer choice.
Example Question #1 : Correcting Pronoun Errors: Incorrect Usage
The supplies were immediately brought to myself as soon as they were purchased.
being brought to myself
brought to myself
bringing to myself
bringing to me
brought to me
brought to me
The use of "myself" in the sentence is incorrect. "Myself" is a reflexive pronoun, meaning it needs an earlier first person pronoun to refer back to. The appropriate word in this situation is just "me," and that is the only issue with the sentence; therefore, "brought to me" is the correct answer.
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