BB Grammar Question Page 601 #7

Test Preparation SAT Preparation
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<p>Whether the ancient Egyptians actually sailed or did not to South America remains uncertain, but Heyerdahl's Ra II expedition demonstrated that they could have done so.</p>

<p>A) Whether the ancient Egyptians actually sailed or did not
B) Whether in actuality the ancient Egyptians sailed or did not
C) The actuality of the sailing by the ancient Egyptians
D) That the ancient Egyptians actually sailed
E) The ancient Egyptians, their actual sailing</p>

<p>Answer is D, but why? Is it grammatically correct to start off the sentence with "That" ?</p>

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<p>yes it’s D because it has to 1. be singular 2. it is gramtically correct</p>

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<p>In cases like this, rearrange the parts and it will make more sense: “It is uncertain that the ancient Egyptians actually sailed to South America.”</p>

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<p>It`s D because the other choices look absurd</p>

<p>A)may look fine at first,but the correct grammar rule is ‘’ whether sth happened or not’’ ,not ''wheter sth happened or DID not.
B) contains the word ‘actuality’ - does it sound rightt?
C)again …
D)correct
E)awkward and wrong</p>

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<p>What a stupid question. I mean honestly, nobody would EVER use D in actual writing, unless they strive to create awkward sentences.</p>

<p>IMO, the correct choice should have been, “Whether the ancient Egyptians actually sailed”…</p>

<p>Or maybe there’s something grammatically incorrect about that, and that’s why it wasn’t a choice…idk.</p>

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<p>It can be ''whether the ancient egyptians actually sailed OR NOT … ‘’ .This is correct.But do you see choice like this ?</p>

<p>Choice A looks ,but not
‘‘whether the ancient egyptians actually sailed or DID not …’’
If it wasnt ‘‘did’’ ,the sentence would be correct</p>

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I think a correct choice would be phase in this manner: “Whether or not the ancient egyptians actually sailed”

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