CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Sentence Structure and Correction
Neither the manager ___ the staff agreed.
A. or
B. and
C. nor
D. but
Correct Answer: C
The correct pair is 'neither...nor'.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Sentence Structure and Correction
Both Ali ___ Ahmed were selected.
A. or
B. nor
C. and
D. but
Correct Answer: C
The correlative pair is 'both...and'.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Sentence Structure and Correction
He will not succeed ___ he works hard.
A. if
B. unless
C. because
D. although
Correct Answer: B
'Unless' means 'if not': he will not succeed if he does not work hard.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Sentence Structure and Correction
___ being tired, he continued working.
A. Although
B. Because
C. Despite
D. Unless
Correct Answer: C
'Despite' is followed by a noun or gerund, not a full finite clause.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Sentence Structure and Correction
He stayed home ___ he was ill.
A. although
B. because
C. unless
D. despite
Correct Answer: B
'Because' introduces the reason in a finite clause.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Sentence Structure and Correction
___ he was tired, he continued working.
A. Because
B. Although
C. So
D. Unless
Correct Answer: B
'Although' introduces a contrast between being tired and continuing to work.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Sentence Structure and Correction
Choose the correct sentence.
A. The teacher asked us to read carefully and that we should answer clearly.
B. The teacher asked us to read carefully and answer clearly.
C. The teacher asked us reading carefully and to answer clearly.
D. The teacher asked that us read carefully and answer clearly.
Correct Answer: B
Two bare infinitives after 'asked us to' should be parallel: 'to read...and answer'.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Sentence Structure and Correction
The new policy is intended to reduce costs and ___.
A. efficiency will improve
B. improve efficiency
C. improving efficiency
D. for improving efficiency
Correct Answer: B
The infinitive 'to' can govern both parallel verbs: 'to reduce...and improve'.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Sentence Structure and Correction
Choose the parallel sentence.
A. He is responsible for planning, organizing, and to supervise the event.
B. He is responsible for planning, organizing, and supervising the event.
C. He is responsible to plan, organizing, and supervising the event.
D. He is responsible for plan, organize, and supervising the event.
Correct Answer: B
All complements after 'for' should be parallel gerunds.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Sentence Structure and Correction
The report aims to identify the problem, analyze its causes, and ___.
A. a solution is recommended
B. recommend solutions
C. recommendation of solutions
D. solutions recommending
Correct Answer: B
The verbs should be parallel: identify, analyze, and recommend.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Sentence Structure and Correction
Choose the correct sentence.
A. She is intelligent, hardworking, and has honesty.
B. She is intelligent, hardworking, and honest.
C. She is intelligence, hardworking, and honest.
D. She intelligently, hardworking, and honestly works.
Correct Answer: B
The coordinated descriptions should be parallel adjectives: intelligent, hardworking, honest.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Sentence Structure and Correction
He wanted not only to win the race but also ___.
A. breaking the record
B. to break the record
C. he broke the record
D. breaks the record
Correct Answer: B
'Not only...but also' should connect parallel structures: 'to win...to break'.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Sentence Structure and Correction
The job requires accuracy, patience, and ___.
A. to work hard
B. hard-working
C. hard work
D. working hardly
Correct Answer: C
The series contains nouns: 'accuracy, patience, and hard work'.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Sentence Structure and Correction
Choose the sentence with correct parallel structure.
A. She likes reading, to swim, and cycling.
B. She likes reading, swimming, and cycling.
C. She likes to read, swimming, and to cycle.
D. She likes read, swim, and cycling.
Correct Answer: B
Items in a series should have the same grammatical form. All three are gerunds.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Sentence Structure and Correction
Select the clearest sentence.
A. She served sandwiches to the children on paper plates.
B. On paper plates, she served sandwiches to the children.
C. She served the children on paper plates sandwiches.
D. She to the children served sandwiches on paper plates.
Correct Answer: B
Placing 'On paper plates' at the beginning clearly shows that the sandwiches, not the children, were on paper plates.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Sentence Structure and Correction
Choose the grammatically correct placement of 'even'.
A. Even he did not apologize.
B. He did not even apologize.
C. He even did not apologize.
D. He did not apologize even yesterday.
Correct Answer: B
When emphasizing the surprising failure to perform the action, 'even' is placed before the main verb: 'did not even apologize'.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Sentence Structure and Correction
Choose the correct sentence.
A. I have seen never such a view.
B. Never I have seen such a view.
C. I have never seen such a view.
D. I never have saw such a view.
Correct Answer: C
Frequency adverbs such as 'never' normally come after the auxiliary and before the main verb.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Sentence Structure and Correction
Choose the correct sentence.
A. She speaks English fluently very.
B. She very fluently speaks English.
C. She speaks English very fluently.
D. She English speaks very fluently.
Correct Answer: C
The natural word order places the object after the verb and the manner adverb phrase after the object.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Sentence Structure and Correction
Choose the sentence without a dangling modifier.
A. After reading the book, the movie seemed disappointing.
B. After reading the book, I found the movie disappointing.
C. After reading the book, the movie was watched.
D. Reading the book, disappointment was caused by the movie.
Correct Answer: B
The person who read the book must be stated as the subject of the main clause.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Sentence Structure and Correction
Choose the correct sentence.
A. He only gave me five rupees.
B. Only he gave me five rupees.
C. He gave me only five rupees.
D. He gave only me five rupees.
Correct Answer: C
If the intended meaning is that the amount was just five rupees, 'only' should directly modify 'five rupees'.