PSAT Writing › Correcting Ambiguity and Redundancy Errors
Religious texts often appear quite difficult to understand, being contradictions of themselves.
contradicting themselves.
being contradictions of themselves.
being contradictions of them.
contradicting them.
being contradicting them.
The underlined phrase in the sentence is awkwardly worded, which makes the sentence itself difficult to understand. The "religious texts" contain contradictions, a meaning not conveyed properly by the sentence. "Contradicting themselves" is the clearest, most appropriate choice among the answers.
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English.
People spend a lifetime trying to finding happiness of life.
to find happiness.
to finding happiness of life.
to find happiness of life.
to finding happiness in life.
finding happiness of life
The underlined phrase is extremely awkwardly worded, and can be cleaned up quite easily. "To find happiness" is the cleanest expression of the sentiment of the phrase's meaning.
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English.
The dog that was hungry and looked ragged begged at the butcher’s shop for scraps.
The hungry, ragged-looking dog
The hungry dog that looked ragged
The ragged-looking dog that was hungry
Hungry and looking ragged, the dog
The dog that was hungry and looked ragged
The original sentence can be simplified by making those modifying phrases adjectives: “hungry” and “ragged-looking.” The most concise way to rewrite this sentence is to make these both adjectives that come before the noun.
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English.
The cellist was quite young to have been chosen as such for that kind of an honor.
be chosen for such an honor.
have been chosen as such for that kind of an honor.
having been chosen for that kind of an honor.
have chosen that kind of honor.
being chosen for such an honor.
The underlined portion of the sentence is extremely confusing, and can be improved via simplification. Importantly, the simplification needs to convey the same intended meaning the sentence has as written. The answer choice that best simplifies while also keeping the sentence's meaning and being grammatically correct is "be chosen for such an honor."
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English.
That which was the point which was most contentious was strenuously avoided during the debates.
The most contentious point
That which was the point which was most contentious
The point that was most contentious
That which was most contentious
That was the point which was most contentious
The underlined portion of the sentence is confusing, awkward, and overly wordy, meaning it can be simplified. In being simplified, though, the sentence needs to remain grammatically correct and retain its intended meaning. "The most contentious point" is the answer choice that does the best job of simplifying the sentence while retaining its intended meaning.
Select the best answer from the choices given.
Many detectives were dispatched to Nevada for the purpose of investigating a lead that could provide a break in the case.
to investigate
for the purpose of investigating
to investigate on
for the investigation of
to investigate after
"For the purpose of investigating" is wordy and could be shortened. "To investigate" is more concise and conveys the same idea.
The school teacher was desperately seeking the student that was the one who had done the damage to the room.
that did the damage to the room.
that was the one who had done the damage to the room.
that was done damage to the room.
that was the one that had done the damage to the room.
that had doing the damage to the room.
The underlined portion of the sentence has too many words and becomes confusing. The underlined section needs to be simplified, but also has to be grammatically correct and keep the intended meaning of the sentence. "That did the damage to the room" is the choice that best does this among the answers.
Few people understand the sheer work involved in having written of a novel.
writing a novel.
having written of a novel.
having written novel.
having writing of a novel.
writing having been done for a novel.
The underlined phrase is awkwardly worded, and as such can lead to confusion. In order for the sentence to be improved, the words should be simplified and clarified. Making the final phrase of the sentence simply "writing a novel" is the best answer choice.
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices reproduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.
Rarely does a teacher want to publicly humiliate a student in front of students making the rest of the class.
in front of the rest of the students in the class.
in front of students making the rest of the class.
in front of students making up for the rest of the class.
in front of the students making the rest of the class.
in front the students make the class for the rest.
The sentence as written is poorly worded, and slightly confusing because of it. The underlined portion in particular can be cleaned up to mean the same thing as it does in the sentence already. The best answer choice, therefore, is "in fornt of the rest of the students in the class."
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English.
Having been the one that had been the one that negotiated the treaty, the diplomat was highly familiar with the details of the agreement.
Having negotiated the treaty
Having been the one that had been the one that negotiated the treaty
Having been the one that negotiated the treaty
Having had been the one that negotiated the treaty
Having been one that had negotiated the treaty
The underlined portion is extremely awkward, confusing, and repetitive, so it needs to be simplified. Not only should the repetition be done away with, but the phrase that is repeated. "been the one that," is unnecessary. The answer choice that best simplifies the sentence is "Having negotiated the treaty."