Sentence Improvement

Overview

Sentence Improvement is a staple of the IBPS PO Prelims English section, typically contributing 5 questions per exam. The format is straightforward: a sentence contains an underlined portion, and you must decide whether that portion is grammatically correct or should be replaced with one of the given alternatives. One option is always "No improvement required" or "No correction required."

This topic tests your command of grammar rules, idiomatic usage, and standard English expression. Unlike Error Spotting where you only identify the mistake, here you must select the best replacement—making it a test of both detection and correction skills. Mastering this topic requires familiarity with common grammatical structures: subject-verb agreement, tense consistency, correct preposition usage, parallel construction, and proper idiomatic expressions.

The good news is that Sentence Improvement questions are highly pattern-based. The same error types recur across exams, and once you recognize these patterns, you can solve questions in under 30 seconds each.

Key Concepts

• **Subject-Verb Agreement**: The verb must match the subject in number (singular/plural). Intervening phrases between subject and verb often create confusion.

• **Tense Consistency**: A sentence should maintain logical tense flow. Random shifts between past, present, and future tenses are incorrect unless the meaning demands it.

• **Correct Use of Modifiers**: Modifiers (adjectives, adverbs, phrases) must clearly relate to the word they modify. Misplaced or dangling modifiers create ambiguity or absurdity.

• **Parallel Structure**: Items in a list or comparison must follow the same grammatical form (all nouns, all gerunds, all infinitives).

• **Correct Preposition with Verbs/Adjectives**: Many verbs and adjectives take specific prepositions. "Interested in" not "interested for"; "comply with" not "comply to."

• **Idiomatic Expressions**: English has fixed phrases that must be used exactly. "Not only...but also," "hardly...when," "no sooner...than" are tested frequently.

• **Pronoun Reference and Agreement**: Pronouns must agree with their antecedents in number and gender, and the reference must be clear.

• **Redundancy and Wordiness**: Good English avoids unnecessary repetition. "Return back," "revert back," "free gift" contain redundant words.

Formulas / Key Facts

| Error Type | Wrong Usage | Correct Usage | |------------|-------------|---------------| | Subject-Verb | The list of items are ready | The list of items is ready | | Tense | He went to market and buys vegetables | He went to market and bought vegetables | | Preposition | She is good in dancing | She is good at dancing | | Parallelism | I like reading, writing and to swim | I like reading, writing and swimming | | Redundancy | He returned back home | He returned home | | Idiom | No sooner did he arrive when | No sooner did he arrive than | | Pronoun | Each student must bring their book | Each student must bring his/her book | | Comparative | He is more taller than me | He is taller than me |