PSAT Writing : Identifying Sentence Errors
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for PSAT Writing
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Example Questions
Example Question #21 : Identifying Preposition Errors
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
As the dictator established more policies to repress the population, many rebels decided to protest of them. No error
of
No error
decided
to repress
established
of
The error in this sentence involves prepositions. Instead of saying "protest of them," which is incorrect, it should read either "protest against them" or "protest them."
Example Question #401 : 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.
The results of the experiment indicate that children prefer the voices of adults rather than those of other children. No error
rather than
those of
No error
indicate
children
rather than
This sentence contains an idiom error. It is incorrect to say that someone "prefers X rather than Y." Instead, the correct form of the idiom is "prefer X to Y," so the sentence should read, "The results of the experiment indicate that children prefer the voices of adults to those of other children."
Example Question #402 : 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.
To the professor's surprise, the measurements obtained by her colleagues were inconsistent to the predictions of classical Newtonian physics. No error
professor's
classical
were
No error
to
to
This sentence contains an incorrect idiomatic expression. The phrase "inconsistent to" should be "inconsistent with."
Example Question #403 : 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.
When the earthquake hit, Martin, fearing for his life, ran to cover underneath a nearby tree, not knowing he was safer out in the open. No error
out in the open
a nearby tree
No error
for his life
ran to cover
ran to cover
The phrase "ran to cover" contains the sentence's error; it should be written as "ran for cover" instead so that it correctly follows the conventions of preposition usage.
Example Question #404 : 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.
Somehow, I managed to talk with my professor for twenty minutes and successfully evade from the topic of my seriously late literature review. No error
evade from
seriously
and
No error
talk with
evade from
This sentence does not follow the conventions of prepositions. “Evade” is not typically followed by a preposition; the “from” is unnecessary and incorrect. The corrected sentence reads, "Somehow, I managed to talk with my professor for twenty minutes and successfully evade the topic of my seriously late literature review."
Example Question #405 : 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.
Ron used to prefer cats for dogs, but recently changed his mind on the matter after being befriended by a charming canine. No error
used to prefer
No error
being befriended
but recently
for
for
When using the word "prefer" to describe a preference for one item versus another, the proper preposition to use along with "prefer" is "to," not "for." Therefore, the proper formation of this part of the sentence would be "prefer cats to dogs," not "prefer cats for dogs."
Example Question #1 : Identifying Conventional And Idiomatic Usage Errors
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
In the cities of the Pacific Northwest, like Seattle and Portland, there isn't hardly a single day that passes without rain. No error
single day
isn't
cities
without
No error
isn't
This sentence's meaning is confused because it uses two negative words: "isn't" and "hardly." Double negatives are grammatically incorrect in modern English and would technically yield a positive meaning, so we need to change out one of these negative words for a positive one. Since it isn't an option to change or omit "hardly," "isn't" contains the sentence's error and is the correct answer. One way to correct the sentence would be to change "isn't" to "is," yielding the sentence, "In the cities of the Pacific Northwest, like Seattle and Portland, there is hardly a single day that passes without rain."
Example Question #2 : Identifying Conventional And Idiomatic Usage 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 writing tutor noticed that her student's writing skills had significantly improved since their first session. No error
No error
student's
their
had significantly improved
that
had significantly improved
The sentence's error is a split verb phrase. Verb phrases, like "had improved," should be kept together and not split by adverbs, like "significantly." To correct the split verb phrase, the verb and adverb should be rewritten as "had improved significantly."
Example Question #1 : Identifying Conventional And Idiomatic Usage Errors
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
Despite the poor weather, I was planning on attending the festival with her. No error
on attending
No error
her
Despite
was planning
on attending
The proper idiom for planning an action is planning to do something, not planning on something. Thus, the clause should be "I was planning to attend the festival with him."
Example Question #2 : Identifying Conventional And Idiomatic Usage Errors
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
Margo was upset how the zoo was wasting valuable resources on moving sidewalks when the lions needed a new enclosure. No error
how
No error
needed
was wasting
moving sidewalks
how
This sentence uses the wrong relative pronoun after the adjective "upset." Usually, "that" is used. The corrected sentence reads, "Margo was upset that the zoo was wasting valuable resources on moving sidewalks when the lions needed a new enclosure."
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