Chapter 2 · English Grammar

Sentence Improvement

Advanced ⏱ 40–50 minutes 🎓 Competitive & Beyond

What you will be able to do

  • Choose the best replacement for an underlined phrase
  • Improve idiomatic and prepositional usage
  • Correct verb forms and articles in context
  • Pick precise vocabulary over weak phrasing
  • Decide quickly when 'No improvement' is correct
Builds on / Related chapters
Grade 8 · Transformation of Sentences Grade 10 · Sentence Synthesis Grade 10 · Gap Filling, Editing & Transformation

1 Quick Introduction

English

Sentence improvement shows you a sentence with one part underlined and four options (often including 'No improvement'). Your job is to pick the option that makes the sentence grammatically and idiomatically best. It rewards a sharp ear for natural English — the right preposition, the correct idiom, the precise verb form.

हिन्दी

Sentence improvement में आपको एक वाक्य दिखाया जाता है जिसका एक भाग रेखांकित होता है और चार विकल्प (प्रायः 'No improvement' सहित)। आपका काम वह विकल्प चुनना है जो वाक्य को व्याकरणिक और मुहावरेदार रूप से सर्वोत्तम बनाए। यह स्वाभाविक अंग्रेज़ी के लिए तीक्ष्ण कान को पुरस्कृत करता है — सही preposition, सही मुहावरा, सटीक verb रूप।

2 A Real-Life Situation

Imagine this

A typical item:

Q: He is bent upon ruining his career.
(A) bent on (B) bent for (C) bent to (D) No improvement

Answer: (D) — 'bent upon' (or 'bent on') is correct; no change needed.

Why this form? The trap is to assume a change is always needed. 'Bent upon/on' is a correct idiom, so 'No improvement' wins. Knowing the right collocation lets you choose confidently — including when to leave it alone.

3 The Grammar Rule

Rule & Formula
Focus areaExample fix
Idiombent on, account for
Prepositiongood at, married to
Articlean honest man
Verb formhas gone (not has went)
Precision'a number of' → 'several'
Find what's wrong → choose the option that is correct AND natural
Improve: 'He is good in maths.' → 'good at maths'.

4 What Sentence Improvement Tests

The underlined part usually contains one of these issues — learn to recognise them instantly:

  • Idiomatic usage: wrong idiom — put up with, account for, look into, bent on.
  • Preposition: wrong collocation — good at, afraid of, married to, superior to.
  • Article: a/an/the misuse — an honest man, the best.
  • Verb form & tense: wrong form — has gone, was written, had left.
  • Precise vocabulary: a vague phrase replaced by a sharper word.

Read the whole sentence first; then test each option in place and pick the one that is both correct and natural.

Visual — What Sentence Improvement Tests
Replace the underlined part with the BEST optionHe is good in maths → good at maths
1
Worked Example
Improve: She is married with a doctor.
Solution

married to a doctor — correct the preposition.

2
Worked Example
Improve: He could not put up the noise.
Solution

put up with the noise — complete the phrasal verb.

Key Points

  • The underlined part tests idiom, preposition, article, verb form or precision
  • Read the whole sentence; test each option in place
  • Choose the option that is correct AND natural

5 Strategy & 'No Improvement'

A reliable method:

  1. Identify the issue in the underlined part (idiom? preposition? verb form?).
  2. Eliminate options that are grammatically wrong.
  3. Test the survivors in the sentence — read each aloud in your head.
  4. Choose the most natural correct option.
  5. If the original is already correct, choose 'No improvement' — don't change a right answer.

Beware of 'over-correction': sometimes all the alternatives are wrong and the original stands. Also watch for options that fix one thing but break another (e.g. correct the preposition but spoil the tense). The best option fixes the real problem and introduces no new error.

1
Worked Example
Improve: He is one of the most cleverest students.
Solution

most clever / cleverest — remove the double superlative.

2
Worked Example
Improve: I have been knowing him for years.
Solution

The error is 'been knowing' (state verb), not 'for'. Best: 'I have known him for years.'

Key Points

  • Identify the issue, eliminate wrong options, test the rest aloud
  • Pick the natural correct option; choose 'No improvement' if the original is right
  • Avoid over-correction and options that introduce a new error

6 Vocabulary Builder

WordMeaningहिन्दी
Improvementmaking betterसुधार
Idiomaticnatural to the languageमुहावरेदार
Collocationnatural word pairingशब्द-संगति
Eliminateto rule outहटाना
Over-correctionchanging what is rightअति-सुधार
✎ Vocabulary Quick Test0 / 1
Q.Improve: 'good ___ music.'
Explanation: The natural collocation is 'good at'.

7 Common Mistakes to Avoid

✗ IncorrectHe is bent to succeed.
✓ CorrectHe is bent on/upon succeeding.
Idiom: 'bent on + gerund'.
✗ IncorrectShe is married with him.
✓ CorrectShe is married to him.
Collocation: 'married to'.
✗ IncorrectI can't put up (nothing) his behaviour.
✓ CorrectI can't put up with his behaviour.
Complete the phrasal verb 'put up with'.
✗ IncorrectChanging a correct sentence anyway.
✓ CorrectChoose 'No improvement' if the original is right.
Avoid over-correction.

8 Practice Exercises

Fill in the BlanksLevel 1
Choose the best replacement for the underlined word/phrase.
  1. He is good in English. (in / at / on / No improvement)
  2. She is afraid from dogs. (from / of / with / No improvement)
  3. He is senior than me. (than / to / from / No improvement)
  4. I look forward to meet you. (to meet / to meeting / for meeting / No improvement)
  5. He is bent upon winning. (upon / for / to / No improvement)
Answer Key
  1. at
  2. of
  3. to
  4. to meeting
  5. No improvement
Fill in the BlanksLevel 2
Improve the underlined part.
  1. She has been knowing him for years.
  2. He is the most cleverest boy.
  3. We discussed about the issue.
  4. I prefer tea than coffee.
  5. He did a mistake.
Answer Key
  1. known
  2. cleverest
  3. discussed (remove 'about')
  4. to
  5. made
Error Detection
  1. He is good in painting.
  2. She is married with a lawyer.
  3. I cannot cope up with the pressure.
  4. He is junior than her.
Answer Key
  1. He is good at painting. (error: in)
  2. She is married to a lawyer. (error: with)
  3. I cannot cope with the pressure. (error: cope up with)
  4. He is junior to her. (error: than)
Sentence Correction
  1. He is bent to ruin his career.
  2. She is angry on me.
  3. I am looking forward to see you.
Answer Key
  1. He is bent on ruining his career.
  2. She is angry with me.
  3. I am looking forward to seeing you.
Rearrange the Words
  1. at / he / good / is / chess
  2. with / cannot / I / put / it / up
  3. to / I / forward / look / meeting / you
Answer Key
  1. He is good at chess.
  2. I cannot put up with it.
  3. I look forward to meeting you.
Match the Following
Column AColumn B
1. good ___a. to (someone)
2. married ___b. at
3. put up ___c. to + gerund
4. look forward ___d. with
Answer Key
good ___ → atmarried ___ → to (someone)put up ___ → withlook forward ___ → to + gerund

9 Micro Quiz

✎ Quick Check — 5 questions0 / 5
Q1.Improve: 'afraid ___ failure'
Explanation: 'afraid of'.
Q2.Improve: 'I prefer this ___ that.'
Explanation: 'prefer … to …'.
Q3.Improve: 'look forward ___ you.'
Explanation: 'look forward to + gerund'.
Q4.Improve: 'He is bent ___ revenge.'
Explanation: 'bent on'.
Q5.If the original is already correct, choose:
Explanation: 'No improvement'.

10 Reading Practice

Sentence-improvement practice (underlined part → best option):

1. He is bent to succeed. → (to → on/upon)
2. She is good in debate. → (in → at)
3. I look forward to hear from you. → (to hear → to hearing)
4. He has been knowing her for ages. → (knowing → known)
5. The plan is bound for fail. → (for fail → to fail)

Comprehension Questions
  1. Why is 'to hearing' correct in number 3?
  2. What kind of error is number 4?
  3. Correct the idiom in number 5.
Answer Key
  1. 'look forward to' is followed by a gerund: 'to hearing'.
  2. A state-verb error: 'know' is not used in the continuous → 'known'.
  3. 'bound to + base verb': 'bound to fail'.

11 Speaking, Writing & Daily Use

Say these aloud
  • He is good at solving problems.
  • She is married to an engineer.
  • I can't put up with the delay.
  • I look forward to hearing from you.
  • He is bent on winning.
Write five sentences, each with one underlined error (idiom/preposition/verb form), then give the best improvement — like an exam item.
Example: He is good in sports. → good at sports.

12 Challenge Zone

🔥 Higher-Level Questions — 30 / 3
Q1.Improve: 'Scarcely had he arrived than it started raining.'
Explanation: 'Scarcely … when'.
Q2.Improve: 'The number of applicants are increasing.'
Explanation: 'The number of' → singular 'is'.
Q3.Improve: 'He did not pay attention at the lecture.'
Explanation: 'pay attention to'.

13 Chapter Mind Map

Mind Map
      SENTENCE IMPROVEMENT
                |
   +------------+------------+
   |                         |
 WHAT IT TESTS           STRATEGY
 idiom (bent on)         1 spot the issue
 preposition (good at)   2 eliminate wrong
 article (an honest)     3 test in place
 verb form (has gone)    4 most natural
 precision               5 'No improvement'?

14 One-Minute Revision

Remember these

  • The underlined part tests idiom, preposition, article, verb form or precision
  • Read the whole sentence; test each option in place
  • Eliminate wrong options; pick the natural correct one
  • Choose 'No improvement' if the original is already right
  • Avoid over-correction and options that introduce a new error