Verb tense and shifts on the SHSAT Revising/Editing — Stand-Alone section covers verbs that fail to match the time of the surrounding text or that break a consistent sequence. Students must keep tenses aligned, match a verb to its subject, and keep listed actions in the same form. Questions ask which numbered sentence should be revised or which edit corrects a single sentence. Traps include mixing tenses after a past setup, pairing a plural verb with a singular subject, and shifting from active verbs to a passive one in a series. Choices usually show a replacement verb or a rewritten clause.
Section: Revising/Editing — Stand-Alone 6 questions on the paper
49 practice questions in the app
Sample questions
Question 1
Which edit should be made to correct the sentence?
Eachstack of permission forms on the office counterneed to be sorted before dismissal.
AChange need to needs.
BChange need to have needed.
CChange stack to stacks.
DInsert a comma after counter.
Show answer
Answer: A — Change need to needs.
The singular subject “Each stack” requires a singular verb, so “Change need to needs.” corrects the agreement error. “Change need to have needed.” still uses a plural verb and introduces an inappropriate tense. “Change stack to stacks.” conflicts with “Each,” while “Insert a comma after counter.” incorrectly separates the subject from its verb.
Question 2
Which edit should be made to correct the sentence?
Before the chess tournament began, Maya reviewed the rules, checked the pairings,and her clock was tested.
AChange reviewed to reviewing.
BDelete the comma after pairings.
CChange and her clock was tested to and tested her clock.
DDelete the comma after began.
Show answer
Answer: C — Change and her clock was tested to and tested her clock.
Items in a series should use the same grammatical form, so “Change and her clock was tested to and tested her clock. ” gives three past-tense verbs that share Maya as their subject. “Change reviewed to reviewing. ” breaks the past-tense series and leaves the faulty third item unchanged. “Delete the comma after pairings. ” only alters optional series punctuation and leaves the nonparallel third item unrepaired. “Delete the comma after began. ” strips the comma required after the introductory clause and also leaves the series unfixed.
Question 3
Which sentence contains an error in its construction and should be revised?
(1) A few years ago, the city opened a floating pool in a nearby river as part of a public recreation program. (2) During the first season, thousands of visitors have entered the gates. (3) Engineers designed filters that cleaned river water for swimming and monitored the system throughout each day. (4) Local newspapers called the project a surprise summer success and reported on the recreation program throughout the season.
Asentence 1
Bsentence 2
Csentence 3
Dsentence 4
Show answer
Answer: B — sentence 2
The completed first season calls for the simple past "entered," not the present perfect "have entered." Therefore, "sentence 2" contains the tense error. "sentence 1," "sentence 3," and "sentence 4" correctly use the simple past for completed events.
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