Jose Carillo's English Forum

English Grammar and Usage Problems => Badly Written, Badly Spoken => Topic started by: Miss Mae on June 19, 2013, 01:08:58 PM

Title: Sentence Structure
Post by: Miss Mae on June 19, 2013, 01:08:58 PM
Could you please explain why C is the correct answer?

American artist Grant Wood is famous for iconic images such as paintings as
      A                                    B                                 C
“American,” which became one of the most parodied artworks within American popular culture.
                                                                                      D
My answer: D
Correct answer: C     

Note: The sentence was from TOEFL Structure and Written Expression Test #1 (http://josecarilloforum.com/forum/index.php?topic=355.0).
Title: Re: Sentence Structure
Post by: Joe Carillo on June 19, 2013, 03:58:23 PM
Your question is about Test Item #78 of TOEFL Structure and Written Expression Test #1. It belongs to the tests under Part B. Written Expression. The directions for these tests are as follows:

In these tests, each sentence has four underlined words or phrases. The four underlined parts of the sentence are marked A, B, C and D. Identify the one underlined word or phrase that must be changed in order for the sentence to be correct. Then, on your answer sheet, find the number of the question and fill in the space that corresponds to the letter of the answer you have chosen.

Now, Test Item #78 is as follows:

78.  American artist Grant Wood is famous for iconic images such as paintings as 
          A                                        B                                C
      “American,” which became one of the most parodied artworks within American popular 
                                                                                            D
      culture.     

      Answer: (A) (B) (C) (D)

The correct answer choice for this test is the underlined word or phrase that must be changed in order to be correct; in other words, it is the grammatically wrong part of the sentence. By inspection, we will find that there’s nothing grammatically wrong with how each of these grammatical elements are used in the sentence: (A) “American,” (B) “famous,” and (D) “within.” In the case of (C) “such as,” however, there’s something wrong with the syntax of the expression formed by using it: “…famous for iconic images such as paintings as ‘American’.” Specifically, the form “such as paintings as” is grammatically faulty and awkward. For the whole sentence to express its idea correctly, that form needs to be grammatically corrected as follows: “…famous for iconic images in such paintings as ‘American’.” Answer Choice (C) “such as,” which is grammatically faulty, is therefore the correct answer.

It’s possible that you got confused in answering that particular test question because the explicit directions for both Part B. Written Expression and Part A. Structure were inadvertently not provided for this particular set of TOEFL practice tests. We are sorry for this oversight, and we have now provided those explicit directions for the benefit of those who’d be likewise taking these practice tests.

Thank you for your question and for the opportunity it has given us to find out that the directions to those two parts of the test have been overlooked.
Title: Re: Sentence Structure
Post by: Miss Mae on June 20, 2013, 01:52:08 PM
Uh, okay...