a test question

1 2    Share on Facebook

	Kilimanjaro  #197585  Thu, 16 Feb 06 05:50 PM The following is from a test.    Mark Twain sprinkled his many works with devastating satire, some of ........................aimed at specific persons and places. a-them b-which c- what d- those e- it   The answer is  "B" , why not "E"?,  I can't put it in a logical explanation. Thanks for your comments.    Kilimanjaro Joined on Sat, Dec 3 2005 İzmir Full Member (273)

	Chunes  #197588  Thu, 16 Feb 06 05:54 PM B sounds very awkward to me. I agree with you, if I was speaking it, I would go with E.    Chunes Joined on Thu, May 12 2005 Boise, ID USA New Member (26)

	Clive  #197661  Thu, 16 Feb 06 11:25 PM Hi, Yes, I wouldn't say 'which' is wrong, but it does sound rather awkward. Best wishes, Clive    Clive Joined on Thu, Oct 28 2004 Canada Veteran Member (21,162) El tango argentino es un pensamiento triste que se puede bailar (The tango argentino is a sad thought which can be danced) Enrique Santos Discépolo

	MrPedantic  #197724  Fri, 17 Feb 06 02:19 AM I would choose E too. B fits if the sentence is amended slightly: "Mark Twain sprinkled his many works with devastating satire, some of which was aimed at specific persons and places." MrP    MrPedantic Joined on Tue, Oct 12 2004 Veteran Member (12,052) ...opella forensis / adducit febris...

	CalifJim  #197728  Fri, 17 Feb 06 02:30 AM The answer has to be B.  If you choose E you'll have what I believe is called a "comma splice" because you have then created two sentences, which should not be punctuated with just a comma.  The test-makers will be watching these niggling details very carefully so I would not risk E in a test situation. CJ    CalifJim Joined on Mon, Aug 2 2004 California Veteran Member (16,964) "There are no facts, only interpretations" - Nietzsche
Select Tags... SaveCancel Commas

	MrPedantic  #198152  Fri, 17 Feb 06 11:57 PM That's interesting. You wouldn't take "aimed" as a past participle, CJ? MrP    MrPedantic

	CalifJim  #198187  Sat, 18 Feb 06 02:19 AM I guess I didn't when I wrote my last response, did I?  Now that my Necker cube has flipped I see what you mean.  With that PP now in mind, I now see "it" as the better answer, just as some of you have been saying! What was I thinking? CJ    CalifJim

	Klavier  #208910  Thu, 23 Mar 06 05:09 PM So, this 'it' is related to the 'satire'? Can I use them if I rephrase the sentence? "Mark Twain sprinkled his many works with devastating satire, some of them were written under great pressure."    Klavier Joined on Thu, Sep 23 2004 Chile Full Member (362) "If I have seen further, it is by standing upon the shoulders of giants" Isaac Newton

	Kilimanjaro  #208944  Thu, 23 Mar 06 07:04 PM  Latin wrote: So, this 'it' is related to the 'satire'? Can I use them if I rephrase the sentence? "Mark Twain sprinkled his many works with devastating satire, some of them were written under great pressure." That's another story Latin, I guess the trick lies in "aim at"    Kilimanjaro