PSAT Writing : Identifying Other Errors or No Error
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for PSAT Writing
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Example Questions
Example Question #61 : Identifying No Errors Or Other Errors
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
The Statue of Liberty, perhaps the most recognizable symbol of American freedom, was actually constructed in France and given to the United States as a gift of friendship between the two nations. No error
given to
a gift of friendship.
was
Liberty, perhaps
No error
No error
There is no error in the sentence. Verb tenses are consistent for the timeline, and the descriptive—or interrupting—phrase is correctly separated by two commas.
Example Question #62 : Identifying No Errors Or Other Errors
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
One brave woman surreptitiously entered the aliens’ spaceship, hoping to discover their weaknesses and use the information to aid the defense. No error
their weaknesses
hoping
brave
surreptitiously
No error
No error
This sentence is correct as written.
Example Question #93 : Identifying Sentence Errors
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
One must not fault them for mistaking the date; it was, after all, leap year.
fault them for
it was
mistaking
No error
One
No error
This sentence is correct as written.
Example Question #63 : Identifying No Errors Or Other Errors
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
Though not Oscar-worthy fare, the silly comedy about a simian baseball player managed to make me and him laugh.
managed to
a simian
Though not
No error
me and him
No error
Young children often misuse "me" as the subject of a sentence ("Can me and Timmy watch a movie?"); however, sometimes we can be corrected for making this mistake so many times that we grow to fear using the word "me" at all—even when it's properly the object of a clause! In this sentence, the phrase "make me and him laugh" may sound funny, but it correct. "Comedy" is the subject, "make . . . laugh" the verbal phrase, and "me and him" is the object, so we use the object forms of the pronouns.
Example Question #95 : Identifying Sentence 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.
With excitement sparkling behind the tears in her eyes, Mary announced that her poodle, the pride and joy of her life, had just won the regional dog show.
No error
announced
behind
eyes, Mary
had just won
No error
This sentence is correct as written. “Behind” is the appropriate use of a preposition, the comma between “eyes” and “Mary” is grammatical, “announced” is a verb in the correct tense, and “had just won” is an appropriate combination of verb and adverb.
Example Question #96 : Identifying Sentence Errors
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
Experts agree that one's likelihood of developing heart disease is proportionate to the amount of cholesterol one ingests in one's food. No error
one's
proportionate
ingests
developing
No error
No error
There are no mistakes in this sentence.
Example Question #93 : Identifying No Error Questions
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
Spinning around to face the intruder, Jack stifled a cry of recognition. No error
No error
stifled
a cry of recognition
to face
Spinning
No error
This sentence is correct as written! "Spinning", "to face," and "stifled" are all the correct forms of the verbs, and "a cry of recognition" is a well-formed noun phrase.
Example Question #94 : Identifying No Error Questions
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.
My Aunt Carolyn was the one who answered the telephone, but she was not with whom I wanted to speak.
but she was not who I wanted to speak with.
but she was not with who I wanted to speak.
but she was not whom I wanted to speak with.
but she was not with whom I wanted to speak to.
but she was not with whom I wanted to speak.
but she was not with whom I wanted to speak.
No error. Because "whom" is the object of the preposition "with," it is correct. Also, English grammar dictates that sentences should not end with prepositions, so the preposition “with” cannot be the last word of the sentence.
Example Question #95 : Identifying No Error Questions
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
Although I already bought tickets to the upcoming football game, I suddenly fell ill this afternoon, and will have to miss the game. No error
Although
No error
will have to
bought
suddenly fell ill
No error
This sentence correctly uses verb tenses. The speaker describes previously purchasing tickets, and "bought" correctly conveys that event as taking place in the past. In the present, the speaker gets sick, which "suddenly fell ill" indicates. Finally, the speaker states he or she will have to miss the game in the future, as "will have to" correctly conveys.
Example Question #96 : Identifying No Error Questions
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
Increasing discretionary income, a result of the Industrial Revolution, fostered the creation of a unique working-class identity in Victorian Britain. No error
a result of
No error
Industrial Revolution
Increasing discretionary income,
of a unique
No error
There are no grammatical errors in this sentence. The interrupting phrase "a result of the Industrial Revolution" is correctly set-off from the the sentence with commas. "A unique working class identity" is correctly treated as singular, since this "identity", while applied to a whole class of people, is itself a singular, unified idea.
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