English Sentence Improvement UPCAT Reviewer: Lesson and Practice

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UPCAT · Language Proficiency

Sentence Improvement

Fix the problem that’s actually there.

Sentence improvement questions are not asking which choice sounds smartest. Find what the sentence is trying to say, identify what is actually wrong, then choose the cleanest revision that keeps the meaning.

Prepared and reviewed by Teacher Abi · Updated September 2026

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1. What are they actually asking you to fix?

Read for meaning first. Then look for the problem: agreement, ambiguity, tense, modifier placement, parallel structure, logic, or unnecessary wording.

Original
The set of instructions are complete.

Better
The set of instructions is complete.

The subject is set, not the nearer plural word instructions.

Teacher Abi: Read the whole revised sentence. Sometimes a choice fixes the first error, then gives you a different one.

2. Five problems to recognize

Agreement

Find the real subject before choosing the verb.Example: The set of instructions is complete.

Clarity

Watch for pronouns that could refer to more than one person or thing.Example: Name the person when she or he could mean two different people.

Concision

Remove words that repeat the same idea, but keep anything the sentence still needs.Example: Because the road flooded is cleaner than Due to the fact that the road experienced flooding.

Parallelism

Items doing the same job should normally use the same grammatical form.Example: planning, drafting, and revising.

Logic and transition

Make sure the connector says what the relationship really is.If the ideas contrast, although or however may fit better than therefore.

Before you choose an answer

• Do not choose the longest option just because it sounds formal.
• Do not fix grammar by changing the meaning.
• Check for a new pronoun ambiguity.
• Do not remove a detail the sentence still needs.
• Read the complete revised sentence, not only the changed phrase.
• Make sure the transition matches the logic.

3. Try these five first

Try these before you choose a practice set. Your score will tell you what I would do next.

4. More practice

If the first five felt shaky, start with the basics. If you were already getting most of them right, try the mixed or harder set.

4 QUESTIONS

Start with the basics

Immediate explanations and the core procedure.

4 QUESTIONS

Mixed practice

Different error types with less help.

4 QUESTIONS

Harder items

The error is not always the first thing you notice.

5. Ready for the mastery check?

Five fresh questions. Get all five right and this skill is marked as mastered in your Teacher Abi study profile. If you miss one, your next attempt uses a different set.

Your progress stays on this browser and continues to use your Teacher Abi UPCAT study profile.

Quick questions

Can the shortest choice be correct?

Yes, if it keeps every necessary idea and is still grammatical and precise.

What if two choices are grammatical?

Choose the one that keeps the intended meaning and says it most clearly.

What should you do next?

If this skill is already comfortable, go back to your UPCAT plan and move to the next thing you need. If it still feels slow, come back to the practice sets above before doing another timed review.

Back to the UPCAT Student Hub →See the UPCAT Coverage Guide →

Need more help?

Message Teacher Abi. Tell me what you are reviewing and where you are getting stuck, and I can help you figure out what to work on next.

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