Editing - Fill in the blanks worksheet

Std 10 English - Editing Worksheet

Q. Rewrite the paragraph filling in the blanks with the appropriate words from the brackets [Q. 50 : 3 Marks]

(1) My grandfather was a (true / truly / truth) follower of Gandhiji. (Because / Therefore / Though) he was an industrialist, he lived a life of simplicity and (honest / honesty / honestly).

Answer Key: My grandfather was a true follower of Gandhiji. Though he was an industrialist, he lived a life of simplicity and honesty.

Short Explanation:
• true: Adjective used before noun 'follower'.
• Though: Shows contrast between being an industrialist and living simply.
• honesty: Abstract noun paired with 'simplicity'.

(2) Did you (no / know / knew) that Alexandar Graham Bell had failed hundreds of times before (he / him / his) finally invented the telephone? Remember, no one has exactly the same gifts, skills (but / yet / and) ideas that you have.

Answer Key: Did you know that Alexandar Graham Bell had failed hundreds of times before he finally invented the telephone? Remember, no one has exactly the same gifts, skills and ideas that you have.

Short Explanation:
• know: Base verb form after auxiliary 'Did'.
• he: Subject pronoun for verb 'invented'.
• and: Conjunction connecting similar items in a list.

(3) While you can't live (complete / incomplete / completely) free of stress, you can minimize its (effect / affect / effective). Thus we can live a (health / heal / healthy) life.

Answer Key: While you can't live completely free of stress, you can minimize its effect. Thus we can live a healthy life.

Short Explanation:
• completely: Adverb modifying the adjective 'free'.
• effect: Noun following possessive pronoun 'its'.
• healthy: Adjective describing noun 'life'.

(4) We celebrate 2nd October (on / as / for) Gandhi Jayanti. He believed in truth and (non-violent / non-violence / violence). He was a man of (principle / principal / principel).

Answer Key: We celebrate 2nd October as Gandhi Jayanti. He believed in truth and non-violence. He was a man of principle.

Short Explanation:
• as: Preposition meaning 'in the role of'.
• non-violence: Noun paired with 'truth'.
• principle: Correct spelling meaning moral rule/value.

(5) The good Lord was (extreme / extremity / extremely) busy those days. He was into his (six / sixth / sixty) day of overtime. When he was working with (fool / full / fuel) concentration, an angel appeared there.

Answer Key: The good Lord was extremely busy those days. He was into his sixth day of overtime. When he was working with full concentration, an angel appeared there.

Short Explanation:
• extremely: Adverb modifying adjective 'busy'.
• sixth: Ordinal number indicating order.
• full: Adjective describing degree of concentration.

(6) (Once / Ones / One's) a man went to his lawyer and told him that he had (borrow / borrows / borrowed) ten thousand rupees from a money-lender but was not able to pay (something / anything / nothing).

Answer Key: Once a man went to his lawyer and told him that he had borrowed ten thousand rupees from a money-lender but was not able to pay anything.

Short Explanation:
• Once: Adverb introducing a past event narrative.
• borrowed: Past participle form used after 'had'.
• anything: Pronoun used in negative/limitative context ('not able').

(7) King Mahabali was a great king (whose / who / whom) ruled over Kerala many years old. He (love / loves / loved) his people very much. People loved him (as much as / so much as / as so as) they loved God.

Answer Key: King Mahabali was a great king who ruled over Kerala many years old. He loved his people very much. People loved him as much as they loved God.

Short Explanation:
• who: Relative pronoun referring to person as subject.
• loved: Past tense verb matching story's timeline.
• as much as: Correlative conjunction showing equal comparison.

(8) We all (no / know / knew) that our freedom was (one / on / won) through non-violence. Many of our freedom fighters sacrificed their lives for the noble cause of making our country (free / freedom / freely).

Answer Key: We all know that our freedom was won through non-violence. Many of our freedom fighters sacrificed their lives for the noble cause of making our country free.

Short Explanation:
• know: Simple present tense verb for general truth.
• won: Past participle after passive auxiliary 'was'.
• free: Adjective describing state of 'country'.

(9) (Why / While / What) the other boys were playing in the evening, Ram would think of his village home. He (must / should / would) stand sadly by the window, and gaze (to / at / by) the roofs of distant houses.

Answer Key: While the other boys were playing in the evening, Ram would think of his village home. He would stand sadly by the window, and gaze at the roofs of distant houses.

Short Explanation:
• While: Conjunction showing simultaneous actions.
• would: Modal auxiliary indicating past habitual action.
• at: Correct preposition used with verb 'gaze'.

(10) The following day, the (king / kings / king's) son came down to a nearby river to swim. (When / While / Whose) he entered the water, a crow seized the gold necklace (when / which / whose) the prince had taken off.

Answer Key: The following day, the king's son came down to a nearby river to swim. When he entered the water, a crow seized the gold necklace which the prince had taken off.

Short Explanation:
• king's: Possessive noun form indicating relationship.
• When: Conjunction indicating specific point in time.
• stream: which: Relative pronoun referring to non-human object ('necklace').

(11) Dhaumya was on a hiking trip. (When / While / Since when) walking (through / thorough / threw) a muddy wetland, he (slept / slapped / slipped) off.

Answer Key: Dhaumya was on a hiking trip. While walking through a muddy wetland, he slipped off.

Short Explanation:
• While: Used before present participle ('walking') for duration.
• through: Preposition meaning movement inside a space.
• slipped: Past tense verb meaning accidentally losing footing.

(12) There is a struggle (in / between / among) emotions and intelligence. Each of us gives (most / many / more) importance to intelligence. But the person who can handle emotions, wins the battle and can live a (peace / peaceful / pieceful) life.

Answer Key: There is a struggle between emotions and intelligence. Each of us gives more importance to intelligence. But the person who can handle emotions, wins the battle and can live a peaceful life.

Short Explanation:
• between: Preposition used when comparing two items.
• more: Comparative degree modifier before uncountable noun 'importance'.
• peaceful: Correctly spelled adjective describing 'life'.

(13) Whales are the (large / larger / largest) animals in the sea. Their lungs as well as stomachs are as (large / larger / largest) as the rooms in our houses. We could walk about inside a (whales / whale's / whales') stomach.

Answer Key: Whales are the largest animals in the sea. Their lungs as well as stomachs are as large as the rooms in our houses. We could walk about inside a whale's stomach.

Short Explanation:
• largest: Superlative degree adjective after 'the'.
• large: Positive degree adjective inside 'as...as' comparison.
• whale's: Singular possessive form.

(14) Blandford's (attend / attentive / attention) was divided between the two. He felt a strong (urge / urged / urges) to follow the girl. Yet he also had a deep longing for the woman who had given him great (encourage / courage / courageous) and strength.

Answer Key: Blandford's attention was divided between the two. He felt a strong urge to follow the girl. Yet he also had a deep longing for the woman who had given him great courage and strength.

Short Explanation:
• attention: Noun required after possessive 'Blandford's'.
• urge: Noun modified by adjective 'strong'.
• courage: Noun paired with 'strength'.

(15) Saina Nehwal is (a / an / the) first Indian (which / who / whose) won a medal in Badminton at the Olympics. She (always / never / rarely) states her winning mantra as 'Hard Work'.

Answer Key: Saina Nehwal is the first Indian who won a medal in Badminton at the Olympics. She always states her winning mantra as 'Hard Work'.

Short Explanation:
• the: Definite article used before ordinal numbers ('first').
• who: Relative pronoun referring to person.
• always: Adverb of frequency matching context of her mantra.

(16) Kokila was preparing Gujarati kadhee (under / on / in) her kitchen. The aroma of the dish was so mouthwatering (there / that / then) her neighbour came to see (what / who / which) was being cooked.

Answer Key: Kokila was preparing Gujarati kadhee in her kitchen. The aroma of the dish was so mouthwatering that her neighbour came to see what was being cooked.

Short Explanation:
• in: Preposition showing location inside an area.
• that: Conjunction completing 'so...that' clause showing result.
• what: Relative/interrogative pronoun referring to thing/dish.

(17) Tenali Raman had a great sense (of / off / for) humour. He looked foolish (and / but / or) he was wise. There are many (story / storeys / stories) that show his wit and wisdom.

Answer Key: Tenali Raman had a great sense of humour. He looked foolish but he was wise. There are many stories that show his wit and wisdom.

Short Explanation:
• of: Fixed expression 'sense of humour'.
• but: Conjunction connecting contrasting ideas ('foolish' vs 'wise').
• stories: Plural noun following 'many'.

(18) Sonu advised Monu (for / to / from) hide (their / than / there) but Monu (was / may / could) not do so and was caught.

Answer Key: Sonu advised Monu to hide there but Monu could not do so and was caught.

Short Explanation:
• to: Infinitive marker after verb 'advised'.
• there: Adverb of place.
• could: Past tense modal showing ability/inability.