Sample PSAT Questions-Writing Skills2-Improving Se

kmngUID: 46975

question 7 of 13

[NOTE: Boldface replaces underlining in the sample question below.]
Many drivers violate traffic laws knowingly and openly, in other respects they are law-abiding citizens, however.

(A) Many drivers violate traffic laws knowingly and openly, in other respects they are law-abiding citizens, however.
(B) Many drivers who are otherwise law-abiding citizens violate traffic laws knowingly and openly.
(C) Many drivers violate traffic laws knowingly and openly and are otherwise law-abiding citizens.
(D) Although otherwise law-abiding citizens, many drivers, however, violate traffic laws knowingly and openly.
(E) Many drivers which violate traffic laws knowingly and openly are in other respects law-abiding citizens.


(from the October 17, 1998 test)

kmngUID: 46975

Correct Answer: B
Explanation: A major problem with the sentence is that it is a run-on sentence. The two independent clauses are improperly joined by a comma. Choice B correctly subordinates one of the clauses and avoids the redundancy and wrong choice of relative pronoun marring some of the other choices.

kmngUID: 46975

question 8 of 13

[NOTE: Boldface replaces underlining in the sample question below.]
Certain shipwrecks have a particular fascination for those people which have a belief in finding the treasure in them.

(A) which have a belief in finding the treasure in them
(B) that belief there is treasure to be found in them
(C) who believe they hold treasure and that they can find it
(D) who believe that there is treasure to be found in them
(E) who believe about treasure to be found in them


(from the October 20, 1998 test)

kmngUID: 46975

Correct Answer: D
Explanation: This sentence is awkward as written, and the pronoun "which" is the wrong relative pronoun to refer to "people" (the antecedent of pronoun in this sentence). Choice (D) uses the correct pronoun "who" and more effectively than the other choices states the characteristics of people who are fascinated by shipwrecks. The correct sentence reads: Certain shipwrecks have a particular fascination for those people who believe that there is treasure to be found in them.

kmngUID: 46975

[NOTE: Boldface replaces underlining in the sample question below.]
The revolt against Victorianism was perhaps even more marked in poetry than either fiction or drama.

(A) either fiction or drama
(B) either fiction or in drama
(C) either in fiction or drama
(D) in either fiction or drama
(E) in either fiction or in drama


(from the October 20, 1998 test)

kmngUID: 46975

Correct Answer: D
Explanation: Correcting the error in this sentence requires close attention to the need for parallelism. The structure of the underlined portion should match the structure of the phrase "in poetry" that appears earlier in the sentence. Neither choice (A) nor choice (B) includes the preposition "in." Among the remaining choices, only choice (D) has the preposition "in" appropriately located in the phrase. The correct sentence reads: The revolt against Victorianism was perhaps even more marked in poetry than in either fiction or drama.

kmngUID: 46975

question 10 of 13

[NOTE: Boldface replaces underlining in the sample question below.]
Anita liked to watch television, of which she found the science programs especially fascinating.

(A) television, of which she found the science programs especially fascinating
(B) television; she found the science programs especially fascinating
(C) television, and it was especially the science programs that were of fascination
(D) television; the fascination of the science programs especially
(E) television, especially fascinating to her were the science programs


(from the October 12, 1999 test)

kmngUID: 46975

Correct Answer: B
Explanation: This sentence is awkward as written; especially awkward is the use of the phrase "of which" to link the two parts of the sentence. In choice B, the two ideas in the sentence are cast as main clauses and properly linked by a semicolon. The other choices either create a run-on sentence by using a comma to link main clauses or introduce unnecessary wordiness. The correct sentence reads: Anita liked to watch television; she found the science programs especially fascinating.

kmngUID: 46975

question 11 of 13

[NOTE: Boldface replaces underlining in the sample question below.]
Many of the instruments used in early operations of the United States Army Signal Corps were adaptations of equipment used by the Plains Indians, particularly that of the heliograph.

(A) Corps were adaptations of equipment used by the Plains Indians, particularly that of the heliograph
(B) Corps, there were adaptations of equipment used by the Plains Indians, particularly the heliograph
(C) Corps, and in particular the heliograph, was an adaptation of equipment used by the Plains Indians
(D) Corps, and in particular the heliograph, were adaptations of equipment used by the Plains Indians
(E) Corps being adaptations, the heliograph in particular, of those used by Plains Indians


(from the October 12, 1999 test)

kmngUID: 46975

Correct Answer: D
Explanation: Correcting the error in this sentence requires moving the information about the heliograph closer to "instruments," which is the material it relates to. Only choice D accomplishes this without introducing an error in subject-verb agreement (as in C) or producing a sentence fragment (as in E). The correct sentence reads: Many of the instruments used in early operations of the United States Army Signal Corps, and in particular the heliograph, were adaptations of equipment used by the Plains Indians.

kmngUID: 46975

question 12 of 13

[NOTE: Boldface replaces underlining in the sample question below.]
Raised in a large and noisy family, it was only when I went away to college that I learned how refreshing solitude could be.

(A) it was only when I went away to college that I learned how refreshing solitude could be
(B) when I went away to college I learned how refreshing solitude could be
(C) going away to college taught me how refreshing solitude could be
(D) I did not learn how refreshing solitude could be until I went away to college
(E) refreshing solitude was unknown to me until I went away to college


(from the October 16, 1999 test)

kmngUID: 46975

Correct Answer: D
Explanation: Correcting the error in this sentence requires recognizing that the phrase "raised in a large and noisy family" modifies the speaker of the sentence. In choice D, where "I" is introduced, this connection made clearly and directly. The correct sentence reads: Raised in a large and noisy family, I did not learn how refreshing solitude could be until I went away to college.

kmngUID: 46975

question 13 of 13

[NOTE: Boldface replaces underlining in the sample question below.]
The problem of antibiotic resistance, frequently compounded in certain countries because the sale and use of antibiotics are not tightly controlled.

(A) resistance, frequently compounded in certain countries because
(B) resistance, frequently compounded in certain countries and
(C) resistance, frequently compounded in certain countries when
(D) resistance is frequently compounded in certain countries where
(E) resistance is frequently compounded in certain countries and


(from the October 16, 1999 test)

kmngUID: 46975

Correct Answer: D
Explanation: This sentence is a fragment as written; there is no verb in the main clause. Of the choices offered, only (C) and (D) correct this problem. (D) is the best choice because the adverb "where" connects the second part of the sentence in a way that clarifies the relationship between the two parts of the sentence. The correct sentence reads: The problem of antibiotic resistance is frequently compounded in certain countries where the sale and use of antibiotics are not tightly controlled.