IPMAT Indore 2022 · Verbal Ability · Question 10

IPMAT Indore 2022 previous year question on Grammar and Sentence Correction, with the answer and a step-by-step solution.

Grammar and Sentence CorrectionVerbal AbilityMultiple choiceMedium

The following sentence contains an error. Choose the option that corrects it.

When all the words on the page got scrambled, she quickly pressed undo, after which the document reverted back to its original state.

A
document reverted back to it’s original state.
B
document reverted back to original state.
C
document reverted to it’s original state.
D
document reverted to its original state.

Pick an option, then check.

Answer & solution

Answer: Option D

The error: redundancy. Revert already means “to go back to a previous state” — the re- prefix carries the backward motion. So “reverted back” says the same thing twice. The correct form is simply reverted to.

The second issue: the apostrophe. The possessive of it is its, with no apostrophe. It’s is only ever a contraction of it is or it has — and “the document reverted to it is original state” is obviously wrong.

Checking the options:

Option	back removed?	correct its?
(a)	✘	✘ (it’s)
(b)	✘	— (drops the possessive entirely)
(c)	✔	✘ (it’s)
(d)	✔	✔

Answer: Option 4

Shortcut. Two independent filters, applied in either order:

Drop the redundant back — revert already means to go back. Removes (a) and (b).

Use its, never it’s, for possession. Removes (a) and (c).

Only (d) survives both.

The its / it’s test is foolproof: expand the apostrophe to it is and see whether the sentence still works. “It is original state” fails, so no apostrophe.

Other redundancies tested in the same family: return back, repeat again, reply back, ascend up, merge together, free gift. All carry their meaning in the verb already.

IPMAT Indore 2022 · Verbal Ability · Question 10

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