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IBPS ENGLISH · Sentence improvement

Make the sentence work.

Choose a grammatically sound replacement that fits the whole sentence and preserves its intended meaning.

Learn the method ↓Choose a practice set

3 worked examples · 3 practice sets · 24 original questions

BUILD A REPEATABLE METHOD

Four steps to a better answer.

Read beyond the marked words

Understand the complete sentence and the intended time, meaning and relationship between ideas.

Identify the structure

Look for patterns such as used to + base verb, be used to + -ing, and suggest + -ing.

Insert each candidate

Read the whole sentence with each option. An option can look correct by itself but fail when combined with the surrounding words.

Keep a valid original

Choose No improvement if the marked phrase already fits. Do not change meaning merely to make a sentence sound different.

SEE THE THINKING

Three worked examples.

Two different meanings of used to

She used to walk to work. She is used to walking to work.

Are both sentences correct?

Yes, but they mean different things.

Used to walk describes a past habit. Is used to walking means she is accustomed to it now. The first uses a base verb; the second uses an -ing form after the preposition to.

Keep the correct verb pattern

The trainer suggested to take a short break.

How can the sentence be improved?

“The trainer suggested taking a short break.”

Suggest can take an -ing form or a that-clause: “suggested that we take a short break”. It does not take a to-infinitive in this pattern.

Let someone do something

The receptionist let the visitor to enter.

What is the smallest necessary correction?

Remove to: “The receptionist let the visitor enter.”

Let + person + base verb is the standard pattern. Compare allow: “The receptionist allowed the visitor to enter.” The verbs have similar meanings but take different structures.

Common mistakes to avoid
Choosing the longest option

Length is not evidence of correctness. Check the structure and meaning.

Confusing to uses

To can be an infinitive marker or a preposition. The required form depends on the expression.

Marking tense twice

Did not know is correct; did not knew is not. The auxiliary already carries the past tense.

Rejecting No improvement

When the original structure is correct, a replacement is unnecessary.

PUT THE METHOD TO WORK

Three sets. Twenty-four questions.

Choose a set below. Work through eight questions at a time, then review the explanations before moving to another set.

Untimed learning practice, not an official paper or full mock exam. One point per correct answer; no negative marking here. Show answer earns no point. Your score lasts for this page visit and does not predict an exam result.

Read the full questions below and expand each answer explanation. The interactive version needs JavaScript.

All 24 questions & answer explanations

Set 1 · Essential verb patterns

Replace only the quoted phrase in each sentence. Choose No improvement when the original is correct. Each item has five options and one intended best answer in standard written English.

  1. Replace “used to work”: Before moving closer to the office, Maya used to work from home on Fridays.

    1. used to working
    2. was use to work
    3. used work
    4. use to worked
    5. No improvement
    Set 1 · Answer 1 & explanation

    E. No improvement

    No improvement is needed. Used to + base verb describes a past habit: used to work. “Is used to working” would instead describe being accustomed to the activity and would require a different structure.

  2. Replace “is used to wake”: Rohan is used to wake early for his shift.

    1. is used to waking
    2. is use to waking
    3. is used wake
    4. used to waking
    5. No improvement
    Set 1 · Answer 2 & explanation

    A. is used to waking

    Use “is used to waking”: he is accustomed to waking early. In be used to, to is a preposition, so a following verb takes the -ing form. “Used to wake” would express a past habit instead.

  3. Replace “suggested to review”: The trainer suggested to review the notes before the test.

    1. suggested for reviewing
    2. suggested us review
    3. suggested reviewing
    4. suggested reviewed
    5. No improvement
    Set 1 · Answer 3 & explanation

    C. suggested reviewing

    Use “suggested reviewing”: The trainer suggested reviewing the notes before the test. Suggest takes an -ing complement in this pattern. A separate valid structure is “suggested that we review”.

  4. Replace “because of she was ill”: Nina stayed home because of she was ill.

    1. despite she was ill
    2. because she was ill
    3. because for she was ill
    4. due to she was ill
    5. No improvement
    Set 1 · Answer 4 & explanation

    B. because she was ill

    Because introduces a clause with a subject and verb: because she was ill. Because of takes a noun phrase, such as because of her illness. Despite would change the meaning and still needs a different structure here.

  5. Replace “has wrote”: The assistant has wrote the summary already.

    1. have written
    2. has writing
    3. has write
    4. has written
    5. No improvement
    Set 1 · Answer 5 & explanation

    D. has written

    Use “has written”: has + past participle forms the present perfect. Written is the past participle of write; wrote is the simple past. Have does not agree with the singular subject the assistant.

  6. Replace “to work”: The manager asked the team to work carefully.

    1. working
    2. worked
    3. for work
    4. to working
    5. No improvement
    Set 1 · Answer 6 & explanation

    E. No improvement

    No improvement is needed. Ask someone to do something is the correct pattern: asked the team to work. The other options do not fit after asked the team in this sentence.

  7. The intended warning is: “If you do not hurry, you will miss the bus.” Replace “unless you do not hurry” so the sentence conveys that warning: You will miss the bus unless you do not hurry.

    1. unless you hurry
    2. unless you will hurry
    3. unless you hurried
    4. unless you are hurry
    5. No improvement
    Set 1 · Answer 7 & explanation

    A. unless you hurry

    Use “unless you hurry” for the intended warning. Unless means if not, so “unless you do not hurry” reverses the intended condition. In this ordinary future condition, use present simple hurry after unless.

  8. Replace “look forward to hear”: We look forward to hear from you.

    1. look forward hear
    2. look forward for hearing
    3. look forward to hearing
    4. look forwards to heard
    5. No improvement
    Set 1 · Answer 8 & explanation

    C. look forward to hearing

    Use “look forward to hearing”. In look forward to, to is a preposition followed by an -ing form. Hear is the base form, and heard is not appropriate after this expression.

Set 2 · Precision and natural phrasing

Replace only the quoted phrase. Choose the option that fits the complete sentence in standard written English, or No improvement when the original is already correct.

  1. Replace “would rather to travel”: I would rather to travel by train than drive at night.

    1. would rather travelling
    2. would rather travel
    3. would rather travelled
    4. would rather to travelling
    5. No improvement
    Set 2 · Answer 1 & explanation

    B. would rather travel

    Use would rather travel. Would rather is followed by the base verb, without to. The comparison then uses than drive: I would rather travel by train than drive at night.

  2. Replace “is good in solving”: Leena is good in solving practical problems.

    1. is good to solving
    2. is well at solving
    3. is good at solving
    4. is good for solve
    5. No improvement
    Set 2 · Answer 2 & explanation

    C. is good at solving

    Use is good at solving. Good at + noun or -ing form describes a skill. Well is not the adjective needed after is in this expression, and the other prepositions or verb forms do not fit.

  3. Replace “has been working”: Arun has been working here since 2019 and still enjoys the job.

    1. have been working
    2. has working
    3. is been working
    4. has been work
    5. No improvement
    Set 2 · Answer 3 & explanation

    E. No improvement

    No improvement is needed. Has been working describes an activity that began in the past and continues now. Since 2019 supplies the starting point, and has agrees with Arun.

  4. Replace “enough confident”: She felt enough confident to explain her decision.

    1. confident enough
    2. confidently enough
    3. enough confidently
    4. confidence enough
    5. No improvement
    Set 2 · Answer 4 & explanation

    A. confident enough

    Use confident enough. Enough follows an adjective: confident enough. Felt takes the adjective confident here, not the adverb confidently or the noun confidence.

  5. Replace “did not knew”: The visitors did not knew where to wait.

    1. did not known
    2. did not knowing
    3. do not knew
    4. did not know
    5. No improvement
    Set 2 · Answer 5 & explanation

    D. did not know

    Use did not know. Did carries the past tense, so the main verb must be the base form know. Knew is already a past-tense form and cannot follow did not in this pattern.

  6. Replace “insisted for paying”: Mira insisted for paying her share of the bill.

    1. insisted to paying
    2. insisted on paying
    3. insisted on pay
    4. insisted for pay
    5. No improvement
    Set 2 · Answer 6 & explanation

    B. insisted on paying

    Use insisted on paying. Insist on is followed by a noun or an -ing form. This expresses Mira’s firm intention to pay her share; the other options do not use the required pattern.

  7. Replace “too tired for walk”: After the journey, he was too tired for walk home.

    1. too tired walking
    2. too tired to walking
    3. too tired to walk
    4. too tiring to walk
    5. No improvement
    Set 2 · Answer 7 & explanation

    C. too tired to walk

    Use too tired to walk. Too + adjective + to-infinitive shows that the degree of tiredness prevents the action. Tiring describes something that causes tiredness, so it does not express the intended condition of the person.

  8. Replace “had finished”: By the time the supervisor arrived, Priya had finished the draft.

    1. had finish
    2. has finishing
    3. have finished
    4. had finishing
    5. No improvement
    Set 2 · Answer 8 & explanation

    E. No improvement

    No improvement is needed. Had finished is the past perfect, showing that completing the draft happened before another past event: the supervisor’s arrival. The other options are not valid replacements.

Set 3 · Meaning and sentence patterns

Replace only the quoted phrase with the option that fits the complete sentence and its stated meaning. Choose No improvement when the original already works.

  1. Replace “is senior than”: In the organisation’s hierarchy, Anita is senior than me.

    1. is senior with
    2. is senior to
    3. is senior from
    4. is senior as
    5. No improvement
    Set 3 · Answer 1 & explanation

    B. is senior to

    Use is senior to. In this construction, senior takes to, not than: In the organisation’s hierarchy, Anita is senior to me. With, from and as do not express the required relationship in this sentence.

  2. Replace “prevented the visitors to enter”: The locked gate prevented the visitors to enter the courtyard.

    1. prevented the visitors entering to
    2. prevented the visitors for entering
    3. prevented the visitors from entering
    4. prevented the visitors to entering
    5. No improvement
    Set 3 · Answer 2 & explanation

    C. prevented the visitors from entering

    Use prevented the visitors from entering. Prevent someone from doing something is the complete pattern here. Enter takes the courtyard directly as its object, without a following to.

  3. Replace “accused him for leaking”: The manager accused him for leaking the document.

    1. accused him of leaking
    2. accused him to leak
    3. accused him on leaking
    4. accused him for leak
    5. No improvement
    Set 3 · Answer 3 & explanation

    A. accused him of leaking

    Use accused him of leaking. Accuse someone of something, or of doing something, is the required pattern. This is a grammar example; the sentence reports an accusation and does not establish that the person actually leaked the document.

  4. Replace “If I will receive”: If I will receive the confirmation today, I will call you.

    1. If I receiving
    2. If I received it
    3. If I have receive
    4. If I receive
    5. No improvement
    Set 3 · Answer 4 & explanation

    D. If I receive

    Use If I receive. An ordinary first conditional uses if + present simple for the condition and will + base verb for the likely future result. The other options either do not fit the grammar or cannot be inserted without changing the surrounding words.

  5. Replace “contains less mistakes”: This draft contains less mistakes than the earlier version.

    1. contains little mistakes
    2. contains fewer mistakes
    3. contain fewer mistakes
    4. contains fewest mistakes
    5. No improvement
    Set 3 · Answer 5 & explanation

    B. contains fewer mistakes

    Use contains fewer mistakes. Mistakes is a countable plural noun, so fewer is appropriate. Contains agrees with the singular subject this draft; fewest is superlative and does not fit this comparison with than.

  6. Replace “not only checked the form but also signed it”: The applicant not only checked the form but also signed it.

    1. not only checking the form but also signed it
    2. not only checked the form but also signing it
    3. not only checks the form but also signed it
    4. not only checked the form but also to sign it
    5. No improvement
    Set 3 · Answer 6 & explanation

    E. No improvement

    No improvement is needed. Checked and signed are parallel past-tense verbs sharing the subject the applicant. The alternatives mix incompatible forms within the paired structure.

  7. I do not know the answer now. Replace “I wish I know” to express that present regret: I wish I know the answer.

    1. I wish I will know
    2. I wish I knowing
    3. I wish I knew
    4. I wish I have know
    5. No improvement
    Set 3 · Answer 7 & explanation

    C. I wish I knew

    Use I wish I knew. The past form knew expresses an unreal present situation after wish: the speaker does not know the answer now but wants that situation to be different. It does not say the speaker knew the answer in the past.

  8. Replace “had the forms checked”: Before submitting them, the coordinator had the forms checked by a colleague.

    1. had the forms check
    2. had the forms checking
    3. have the forms checked
    4. had checked the forms by a colleague
    5. No improvement
    Set 3 · Answer 8 & explanation

    E. No improvement

    No improvement is needed. Have something done is a causative structure: the coordinator arranged for a colleague to check the forms. Checked is the past participle describing the action performed on the forms.

MAKE THE LEARNING STICK

Review before moving on.

  1. Read the full sentence with the correct phrase inserted.
  2. Write pairs that contrast used to do and be used to doing.
  3. Explain why the original works in each No improvement item.

Use the IBPS exam routes and official sources for the current pattern, timings and marking rules. These lessons develop shared English skills; question types and requirements differ by exam and stage.

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