Messages

1

You Asked Me This Question / Two SAT Grammar Questions

« on: June 22, 2010, 12:54:13 AM »

19. Many studies of new drugs are funded by major pharmaceutical firms, which suggests the possibility of bias in their conclusions.

A) which suggests the possibility of bias in their conclusions
B) thus the possibility of bias to their conclusions is suggested
C) a state of affairs that suggests the possibility of bias in their conclusions
D) and the possibility of bias in their conclusions being suggested
E) this fact suggests the possibility of bias in their conclusions

*the answer is C
The answer is C because there is an error in relative pronoun use. Relative pronuons are noun substitues that serve to introduce subordinate clauses. Replace which with a state of affairs that.

I thought the answer was A. Furthermore, I found this explanation very confusing and was hoping you could help me. Thank you.

20. Intended to promote safety in the workplace, the regulation stipulates that protective goggles must be worn while welding.

A) that protective goggles must be worn while welding
B) that protective goggles while welding must be worn
C) that, while welding, protective goggles must be worn
D) that one must wear protective goggles while you weld
E) that you must wear protective goggles when you are welding

*The answer is E because it is a dangling modifier. Ask yourself who is welding. Certainly not the goggles!
I was confused of this explanation too. I thought that the answer A.

2

You Asked Me This Question / Grammar Question

« on: June 20, 2010, 04:55:49 AM »

In a test I took, the following question was given:

In each of the following sentences, part of the sentence or the entire sentence is underlined. Beneath each sentence you will find five ways of phrasing the underlined part. Choose the best answer.

Outsourcing jobs to a consulting firm in another country is more cost-effective than paying employees locally, but overwhelmingly negative are its effects on customer satisfaction.

A) overwhelmingly negative are its effects on customer satisfaction
B) it has overwhelmingly negative customer satisfaction effects
C) in its customer satisfaction effects it is overwhelmingly negative
D) there are the overwhelmingly negative effects in customer satisfaction
E) its effects on customer satisfaction are overwhelmingly negative

*I was able to narrow down the answer choices to either B or E
*the answer is E and the explanation was the following:
The subject and action are in the wrong order in this sentence. (E) corrects the unnecessary reversal. (B) does nothing to solve the problem. (C) creates the awkward phrase "customer satisfaction effects." (D) unnecessarily introduces the phrase "there are the," and uses "in" where "on" is correct.

Please help me solve this confusion. Thank you.

3

You Asked Me This Question / Re: Improving Sentences Question

« on: June 20, 2010, 04:45:36 AM »

All right. I also agree that the answer choice C makes sense after reading your explanations. Thanks!

4

You Asked Me This Question / Improving Sentences Question

« on: June 17, 2010, 08:00:03 AM »

In the following sentence, one has to find the error in the sentence. The error in this sentence is answer choice A.

The more scientists learn about subatomic particles, the more closely they come to being able to describe the ways in which the universe operates. No error

A). "the more closely"
B). "to being able"
C). "the ways in which"
D). "operates"
E). No error

*I thought the answer was B because "to being able" sounded awkward and was not a typical infinitive as it had a -ing ending. I am still confused about this.
Furthermore, the answer is A. The correction is "more close" instead of "more closely." However, I the comparative form of close is closer, and isn't more close the incorrect way of saying closer? Please help me in sorting out this confusion! Thank you!

5

You Asked Me This Question / Re: SAT Grammar question

« on: June 17, 2010, 07:49:48 AM »

Thank you very much! Your explanation was very easy to understand and was clear.
~ computerchair

6

You Asked Me This Question / SAT Grammar question

« on: June 15, 2010, 10:54:34 PM »

I came across this question in a prep book and was wondering if you could explain the answer and the grammar behind the answer.
* the underlined part is the part which needs to be corrected

After Conducting the orchestra for six concerts, Beethoven's Ninth Symphony was scheduled.

a). After Conducting
b). After his conducting
c). While conducting
d). Although he had conducted
e). After he had conducted

I was able to exclude A, C, and D. However, I was not able to decide between B and E.
*the correct answer is E