I’m new to college confidential, so I don’t know if this is the right place to ask this, but I was wonder if someone could explain question #72 from the form 0359 practice ACT.
Question text: After sliding the shaft of the replacement feather over the sturdy, light bamboo stick, glue–just a touch is applied.
Replace “glue–just a touch-- is applied.” with:
F) NO CHANGE
G) a touch of glue is applied by the rehabilitator.
H) the application of a touch of glue follows.
J) the rehabilitator applies a touch of glue.
It is because J is in active voice whereas G is in passive voice. In J the subject is performing the verb. In G is unclear who is doing the application.
Other examples (from yourdictionary.com):
Harry ate six shrimp at dinner. (active)
At dinner, six shrimp were eaten by Harry. (passive)
Beautiful giraffes roam the savannah. (active)
The savannah is roamed by beautiful giraffes. (passive)
Yup. Just think of it like this. if the answer was G, then the sentence would basically be saying that the “touch of glue” would be doing the sliding of the shaft of the feather onto the bamboo stick instead of the rehabilitator. And that certainly does not make sense.
Moving an introductory/modifying phrase to a new place in the sentence - right after after the subject - often helps
on questions of this type.
Compare:
A touch of glue, after sliding the shaft of the replacement feather over the sturdy, light bamboo stick, is applied by the rehabilitator.
The rehabilitator, after sliding the shaft of the replacement feather over the sturdy, light bamboo stick, applies a touch of glue.
Active over passive voice preference is an additional nail in the choice G’s coffin.