SAT Writing Multiple Choice Question

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mcclaggan

#487636 Tue, 11 Mar 08 09:05 PM

I am going over a practice SAT test, and I cannot figure out why one answer is better than another for a particular problem. You are supposed to mark the answer that best replaces the underline portion of the sentence.

11. With billions of tons yet to be mined, some argue that coal conservation measures are unneccessary.

(a) With billions of tons

(b) Because billions of tons of coal are

(d) By considering that there are billions of tons

(e) Aware of the coal in billions of tons

I was able to eliminate A and D because it leaves the subject ambiguous. I am guessing that you are supposed to eliminate B and E because of the preposition 'in'?

Any suggestions or comments?

mcclaggan

Joined on Tue, Mar 11 2008

New Member (02)

Prepositions, Underline

Grammar Geek

#487641 Tue, 11 Mar 08 09:23 PM

Hi, and welcome to the forums.

This is a tough one for me! I see nothing wrong with the original - I don't find it ambiguous, although the reference follows (tons of what? of coal, which appears later in the sentence), but perhaps that writers of the question agree with you.

C just doesn't make sense, D is overly wordy and no improvement on the original, E is not natural sounding to me at all. B is probably the best shocie. Where do you see "in" here? Am I just going blind?

Grammar Geek

Joined on Tue, Jan 10 2006

Pennsylvania, USA

Veteran Member (16,095)

Barbara, who answers in American English.

mcclaggan

#487652 Tue, 11 Mar 08 09:54 PM

my mistake, the 'in' is in C and E. So you agree with me that you can eliminate C and E by virtue of the word 'in'

mcclaggan

Grammar Geek

#487702 Wed, 12 Mar 08 01:39 AM

Yes

Grammar Geek

CalifJim

#487714 Wed, 12 Mar 08 02:44 AM

The answer is (a).

CalifJim

Joined on Mon, Aug 2 2004

California

Veteran Member (17,777)

"There are no facts, only interpretations" - Nietzsche

Grammar Geek

#487717 Wed, 12 Mar 08 02:48 AM

Jim, I like the original too (isn't A the same?), but what's wrong with B?

Grammar Geek

CalifJim

#487770 Wed, 12 Mar 08 04:49 AM

Grammar Geek
isn't A the same?

Yes. This is the typical format of those SAT questions. They don't leave a blank. They actually put the (a) answer in the stem part of the question, thus:

Bears have big claws that are good to eat.

a) have

b) has

Grammar Geek
what's wrong with B?

Nothing except that I don't like it -- too wordy. Usually SAT stresses that they want the best answer, not the correct answer. They often throw in two correct answers just to make things interesting.

CalifJim

Grammar

Grammar Geek

#487973 Wed, 12 Mar 08 01:15 PM

Ah. Mercifully, the SAT is a distant memory. Either you help tutor for SAT prep, or your memory is far keener than mine!

Grammar Geek