SSC Sentence Improvement Questions with Answers and Rules
Rahul Kumar
SSC Exam Expert & Content Editor
Table of Contents
- 1.How Sentence Improvement Questions Work
- 2.Rules and Shortcut Tricks
- 3.Set 1: Tense and Agreement (Q1–Q7)
- 4.Set 2: Prepositions, Articles and Comparatives (Q8–Q14)
- 5.Set 3: Conjunctions and Mixed Errors (Q15–Q20)
- 6.Common Errors and Their Corrections
- 7.A Simple Method to Solve in 30 Seconds
- 8.Strategy for Sentence Improvement
- 9.Common Mistakes in Sentence Improvement
- 10.How to Practice These 20 Questions
- 11.Related Topics to Study Next
- 12.Frequently Asked Questions
Practice 20 SSC sentence improvement questions with answers and explanations. Covers tenses, agreement, prepositions, comparison and conjunction errors for CGL, CHSL, MTS and CPO English.
Sentence improvement questions give a sentence with an underlined or bracketed part, and you have to choose the best replacement. They are common in SSC CGL, CHSL and CPO English papers. The topic tests grammar rules such as tense, subject-verb agreement, prepositions and conjunctions. This practice paper gives you 20 questions with answers and short explanations.
How Sentence Improvement Questions Work
You read the sentence, find the grammar mistake in the highlighted part and choose the correct replacement. If the part is already correct, you select "no improvement".
- Check the subject and verb first.
- Check the tense and the time words.
- Check prepositions, articles, comparatives and conjunctions.
Rules and Shortcut Tricks
- Subject-verb agreement: each, either, neither and one of take a singular verb.
- Tense with time words: yesterday and ago use the simple past; since and for use the present perfect.
- Comparatives: never use "more" with an -er word (more smarter is wrong). Use "to" with senior, junior, prefer and superior.
- Conjunction pairs: hardly ... when, no sooner ... than, although ... (no but).
- Uncountable nouns such as information, advice and furniture have no plural.
- If you are not sure, read the sentence with each option and pick the one that sounds correct.
Set 1: Tense and Agreement (Q1–Q7)
Q1. Improve the bracketed part: He [do not like] tea.
Answer: does not like
Solution: The subject he needs the singular verb does.
Q2. Improve the bracketed part: She [have completed] her work yesterday.
Answer: completed
Solution: Yesterday needs the simple past.
Q3. Improve the bracketed part: The boys [is playing] in the ground.
Answer: are playing
Solution: The plural subject boys needs are.
Q4. Improve the bracketed part: I [am knowing] him since 2010.
Answer: have known
Solution: Know is a stative verb and since needs the present perfect.
Q5. Improve the bracketed part: Neither of the answers [are] correct.
Answer: is
Solution: Neither takes a singular verb.
Q6. Improve the bracketed part: He [suggested me to go] there.
Answer: suggested that I go there
Solution: Suggest is not followed by an object and to.
Q7. Improve the bracketed part: If I [would be] rich, I would help the poor.
Answer: were
Solution: An unreal condition uses were.
Set 2: Prepositions, Articles and Comparatives (Q8–Q14)
Q8. Improve the bracketed part: He is [senior than] me.
Answer: senior to
Solution: Senior takes the preposition to.
Q9. Improve the bracketed part: I prefer tea [than] coffee.
Answer: to
Solution: Prefer is followed by to.
Q10. Improve the bracketed part: She is [more smarter] than her sister.
Answer: smarter
Solution: Do not use more with an -er word.
Q11. Improve the bracketed part: He is [the most unique] student of the class.
Answer: a unique
Solution: Unique is absolute and cannot have degrees.
Q12. Improve the bracketed part: He gave me [many informations].
Answer: much information
Solution: Information is uncountable.
Q13. Improve the bracketed part: I congratulated him [for] his success.
Answer: on
Solution: Congratulate takes on.
Q14. Improve the bracketed part: She is [married with] a doctor.
Answer: married to
Solution: Married takes the preposition to.
Set 3: Conjunctions and Mixed Errors (Q15–Q20)
Q15. Improve the bracketed part: Hardly had he reached the station [than] the train left.
Answer: when
Solution: Hardly is followed by when.
Q16. Improve the bracketed part: No sooner had he arrived [when] the bell rang.
Answer: than
Solution: No sooner is followed by than.
Q17. Improve the bracketed part: Though he was poor, [but] he was honest.
Answer: he was honest (no but)
Solution: Although or though is not used with but.
Q18. Improve the bracketed part: Each of the girls [have] a bag.
Answer: has
Solution: Each takes a singular verb.
Q19. Improve the bracketed part: He [did not came] yesterday.
Answer: did not come
Solution: After did not, the base form of the verb is used.
Q20. Improve the bracketed part: The teacher, along with the students, [are] coming.
Answer: is
Solution: The verb agrees with the first subject, the teacher.
Common Errors and Their Corrections
| Wrong form | Correct form | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| He is more taller than me. | He is taller than me. | No double comparative |
| She is good in English. | She is good at English. | Good at |
| I am afraid from dogs. | I am afraid of dogs. | Afraid of |
| He has gone to home. | He has gone home. | No preposition before home |
| The furniture are new. | The furniture is new. | Uncountable noun |
| Mathematics are difficult. | Mathematics is difficult. | Singular subject with plural form |
| He told to me a story. | He told me a story. | Tell takes a direct object |
| I am living here since 2015. | I have been living here since 2015. | Since needs the perfect tense |
A Simple Method to Solve in 30 Seconds
- Read the full sentence and identify the subject and the main verb.
- Check whether the verb agrees with the subject in number and tense.
- Check the words before and after the highlighted part (preposition, article or conjunction).
- Test each option by putting it back in the sentence.
- Select "no improvement" only if the original part follows all the rules.
Practising 10 questions daily for two weeks is usually enough to see a clear improvement in speed and accuracy.
Strategy for Sentence Improvement
First read the underlined part and check it for the usual errors: subject-verb agreement, tense, article, preposition and word order. Then read the option "No improvement" last, not first, because the exam sets it as the correct answer only about one time in five. Read the full sentence again with your chosen option to check that it sounds natural and keeps the original meaning.
Common Mistakes in Sentence Improvement
- Selecting an option that sounds fancy and is not grammatically correct.
- Missing time words such as yesterday and since.
- Ignoring the first subject in along with sentences.
- Using the wrong preposition with common words.
- Using double comparatives and double conjunctions.
- Choosing "no improvement" without checking the rules.
How to Practice These 20 Questions
- Read the sentence fully before the options.
- Find the rule that is being tested.
- Practise 10 questions every day.
- Keep a notebook of the rules you missed.
Related Topics to Study Next
- Error Detection Questions
- Subject-Verb Agreement Questions
- Fill in the Blanks Questions
- SSC English Practice Set
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a sentence improvement question?
It is a question where you replace the highlighted part of a sentence with the correct form.
How is it different from error spotting?
In error spotting, you find the part with the error. In sentence improvement, you choose the corrected form of the highlighted part.
What if the sentence is correct?
Choose the option "no improvement".
Which rules are tested the most?
Subject-verb agreement, tenses, prepositions, comparatives and conjunctions.
What is the rule for hardly and no sooner?
Hardly is followed by when and no sooner is followed by than.
Why is "more smarter" wrong?
Smarter is already a comparative, so more is not needed.
Which prepositions go with senior and prefer?
Senior to and prefer to.
Is information a plural noun?
No. Information is uncountable and takes a singular verb.
How many sentence improvement questions come in SSC exams?
Usually two to four questions in CGL, CPO and CHSL.
Can I use the options to find the answer?
Yes. Read the sentence with each option and choose the correct one.
How can I improve in this topic?
Learn the grammar rules and practise error spotting and sentence improvement every day.
How should I prepare sentence improvement for SSC exams?
Learn rules, solve topic-wise questions and revise previous year papers.
Rahul Kumar
SSC Exam Expert & Content Editor
Rahul is a senior SSC exam strategist with 8+ years of experience helping aspirants crack CGL, CHSL and MTS exams. He writes in-depth notification breakdowns, exam pattern guides and preparation strategies.
