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Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices reproduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.
Mr. and Mrs. Jeffries are nervous about finding out where they will be accepted to graduate school, as where they are accepted may force them to have a long-distance relationship and they have never had that before.
The correct answer is: "may force them to have a long-distance relationship, which they have never had before," because it is the most efficiently phrased and is grammatically correct.
The answer choice "may force them to have a long-distance relationship, and they have not had a long-distance relationship before" is incorrect because the phrase "and they have not" is unnecessarily wordy compared to the correct answer.
The answer choice "may be forcing them to have a long-distance relationship, and that is something they have never had that before" is incorrect because "may be forcing" refers to present action, and Mr. and Mrs. Jeffries have not yet found out where they have been accepted to graduate school.
The answer choice "may be forcing them to have a long-distance relationship, which they have never had that before" is wrong because "which they have never had that before" is grammatically improper.
The answer choice "may force them to have a long-distance relationship and they have never had that before" is somewhat of a run-on sentence, and the correct answer is more succinctly phrased.
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Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices repeats the underlined portion as it is written.
Forecasters warn of a sharp drop in oil prices, although loved by consumers, could have dire consequences for the world economy.
The key word to consider when answering this question is the conditional word "could" in the last portion of the sentence. Because the forecasted shop drop in oil prices is discussed in conditional terms after the comma, it must also be discussed in conditional terms before the comma, and in the way the sentence is presented, it is not. The only answer choice that features appropriate wording is "Forecasters warn that a sharp drop in oil prices"; the "that" allows for the conditional, in the sense of the forecasters warning that if a sharp drop in oil prices occurs, it could have dire consequences for the world economy.
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The engineer was unsure as to whether his critical reasoning skills or his plethora of internships were to thank for his new job.
Which answer best replaces the underlined section of the sentence?
"As to whether" should always be just "whether." The same is true for "which." Finally, adding a comma to the section renders it incorrect.
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Their dog will always be loved by them.
What sentence best replaces the underlined sentence above?
Sentences should almost always be written in the active voice, rather than the passive voice. There is no need for parentheses, and "their" is correct, not "they're." So "They will always love their dog" is the best answer.
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Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English.
The competition initially meant to provide new forms of interest for the salesman, soon created serious divisions inside the office that were quite difficult to smooth over.
In this sentence, the participial phrase "initially meant to provide new forms of interest for the salesman" is an interrupting phrase, a phrase that provides extra meaning to the sentence, but is not a necessary part of the sentence's construction. All such phrases must be set apart from the rest of the sentence by commas. "The competition, initially meant to provide new forms of interest for the salesman, soon created" is the only answer choice which makes such a change.
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Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English.
With just a few quick swings of the machete, the debris was cleared away by the guide, allowing his group to follow his path without obstruction.
Eliminate the answer choices which include the passive voice. This question also has to do with order of relevance. Consider that the initial prepositional phrase describes the guide's most relevant action. What is the most important thing the guide did? He cleared away the debris. That should be mentioned in the active voice before the fact that he allowed his group to follow his path. Choose the answer that most efficiently describes the primary action (in the active voice) and sets up the clauses about the consequences of his action.
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Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English.
With just a few quick swings of his ax, the log was split down the middle by the carpenter, allowing the wood to sit in the fireplace just right.
Eliminate the answer choices which include the passive voice. This question also has to do with order of relevance. Consider that the initial prepositional phrase describes the carpenter’s most relevant action. What is the most important thing the carpenter did? He split the log down the middle. That should be mentioned in the active voice before the fact that his action allowed the wood to sit in the fireplace. Choose the answer that most efficiently describes the primary action (in the active voice) and sets up the clauses about the consequences of his action.
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Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English.
There is no other specialized term for those who study tsunamis than "seismologist," as the study of tsunamis is but a subspecialty of those who study the Earth's movements in general.
The "as" at the beginning of the sentence’s final clause, "as the study of…" makes that clause dependent—it can’t stand on its own. Thus, the underlined clause must remain independent, or else the sentence will become a fragment.
The word "seismologist" must be linked to noun phrase that begins "no specialized term…" with a word that makes sense in context and is idiomatically correct.
"Other than" makes perfect sense in context, and adding a conjunction to the beginning of the sentence would leave us with two dependent clauses.
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Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English.
With just a few quick swings of his ax, the debris was cleared away by forester, allowing his vehicle to pass without obstruction.
Eliminate the answer choices that include the passive voice. This question also has to do with order of relevance. Consider that the initial prepositional phrase describes the forester's most relevant action. What is the most important thing the forester did? He cleared away the debris. That should be mentioned in the active voice before the fact that his action allowed his vehicle to pass. Choose the answer that most efficiently describes the primary action (in the active voice) and sets up the clauses about the consequence of his action. If the subject of the first clause is the forester "swinging" his axe, he must be the subject of the second clause to avoid a dangling modifier error.
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Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English.
Since her husband began playing the guitar, Martha has become far more expert a distinguisher of a tuned instrument and an out of tune instrument, a classical guitar and an electric guitar.
One can distinguish a from b, or distinguish between a and b. The correct answer is the only one that follows this idiomatic pattern.
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Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English.
The Great Gatsby examined the cultural excesses of America in the 1920's.
Present tense is always preferable when referring to existing works. The book was written in the past but still exists in the present.
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Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English.
In February we will be married ten years.
"February" is presumed to be in the future which requires the future tense "will." Adding "will" to "have been married" makes the future perfect tense. "Will be" is incorrect because it is the Simple Future tense which means that we will be married in February and then 10 years thereafter.
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Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English.
My Advanced Literature class just finished reading: "Eve's Diary", a short story by Mark Twain.
There is no punctuation between the verb and its object. Additionally, the comma goes inside the quotation marks. Any combination of punctuation makes the other answers incorrect.
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Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English.
Hurricane Sandy caused destruction throughout the states of New Jersey and New York. Debris and fallen trees were laying all over the ground.
The past progressive tense of "to lie" is "were lying." The auxiliary verb "were" completes the sentence. The difference between lay and lie revolves around the rule that to "lie" means "to rest" whereas "lay"means "to put or place." In this example, the debris and trees were placed on the ground by the hurricane.
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Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English.
After the school vandalism incident, the principal ordered the teachers to make a list of students who were most likely to have committed the offence.
We need to choose the best version of the sentence. In this case, the simplest version is the best! We also can eliminate any sentences that are not grammatically correct, or that change the meaning of the sentence, or are not in the correct tense. That eliminates all of the other options.
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Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English.
The house contained five cats, four dogs, ten fish, and three gerbils, about equivalent to the amount of animals sold in the local pet store!
The best version of this sentence is to replace "equivalent to" with "as many as are." This succinctly rephrases the sentence without changing the meaning. This replacement flows better and is grammatically correct.
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Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English.
If animals are not sufficiently played with and fed before bed, they can become agitated, bored, and perhaps even threatening their human owners.
The best option is the simplest one. "Perhaps even threatening" is not grammatically correct, and the best replacement is "and may even threaten." We need the underlined portion is be grammatically correct and in the correct tense. The only option that does that is "may even threaten."
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Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English.
Unlike that of burgers made from various meats, those of vegetable origin are not only nutritious, but also wholesome.
The simplest version is the best version. "Unlike that of" is very wordy with not adding anything significant. Reducing this to just "unlike" is the best option. Other options change the meaning of the sentence ("similar"), or are not the best option.
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Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices reproduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.
When one compares the works of Edgar Degas to other Impressionist painters, one grasps the uniqueness of his brushstrokes.
One cannot compare “works” to “painters.” One must compare the works of Degas to those of other painters.
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Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices reproduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.
Hunters need an innate sense both of where their target has been and where it has gone.
The use of "both...and" in the sentence indicates that the two verb forms are actually contrasted in the sentence and should not be parallel. Therefore, the verb in the underlined portion should indicate either what is taking place now or will take place in the future. "And where it is going," is the correct answer choice.
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