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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 ↓Try 8 questions

Worked examples · 8 original questions · Answers explained

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

Two 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.

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

Try eight original questions.

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.

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 8 questions & answer explanations

  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
    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
    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
    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
    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
    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
    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
    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
    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.

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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