IMPROVING SENTENCES (notes/ strategies)
 A sentence in which a phrase of the sentence is underlined. The underlined phrase
usually contains a grammar error (verbs, pronouns, prepositions, awkward
phrasing, etc…)
 EXAMPLE)
Critics often debate whether or not the role of art is one that is simply aesthetic
or if it should be instructional.
 A. one that is simply aesthetic or if it should be instructional
 B. simply one that is aesthetic or being instructional
 C. one that is simply aesthetic or if it should have instruction as well
 D. simply an aesthetic one or an instructional one
 E. aesthetic or should it be instructional
STRATEGY # 1- What is wrong with the underlined phrase? ---- Identify error
STRATEGY # 2- FIX the error, or “improve” the sentence (look at answer choices)
STRATEGY # 3- Use process of elimination.
STRATEGY # 4- Back-up plan-- Let’s say students can’t tell if there is an error
in the sentence. How should they tackle the sentence?
 Look at the answer choices to see which word/words are different in each
one. EX.)- Answer choices
A. only one of the two are viable
B. only one of the two is viable
C. only one of the two plans are viable
D. only one of the two plans is viable
E. one of the two plans has been viable
(Circle or underline them if needed)
* Common grammatical ERRORS seen in Sentence Completion
 Subject/ verb agreement
 Parallelism
 Prepositions
 Faulty comparisons
 Misplaced modifiers
 Wordiness/ awkward phrasing
 Adjectives/ adverbs
 Singular vs. plural
(See notes/ practice on Improving Sentences PowerPoint)