<p>sentence improvement questions:</p>
<p>1) SHOULD A COLLEGE APPLICATION ESSAY BE REQUIRED, one should probably set aside a large block of time and avoid writing it at the last minute.
a. should a college application essay be required
b. should you need to write a college application essay
c. if you need to write a college application essay
d. in an event that one needs to write a college application essay
e. if a college application essay is necessary for anyone to write</p>
<p>why is "a" correct and not "d"?</p>
<p>2)The movie Manic was A BIG HIT IN THE U.S. LIKE EUROPE
a. a big hit in the U.S. like Europe.
b. as well a big hit in Europe as it was in the U.S.
c. just as big a hit in the U.S. than in Europe
d. a hit in the U.S., as big as in Europe
e. a big hit as well as in both Europe and the U.S.</p>
<p>why is "d" correct and not "b"?</p>
<p>thanks!!!</p>
<p>In the first example, both A and D are correct grammatically. However, the SAT requires you to pick the “best” answer, which actually means the simplest and most coherent one. Option D has too many redundant words. There is no need for “In an event that one needs to…”.</p>
<p>In the second question, choice B is incorrect because “as well a” is incorrect English. It does not mean anything. Also, you cannot even use “as well as a big hit” in this case, because that would be incorrect idiom usage. We always say: “As big a hit” never “As well as a big hit”
Choice D is a little confusing. I think you did not copy it correctly. The best choice would actually be:
as big a hit in the US as in Europe.</p>
<p>Since nobody’s posted this comment:</p>
<p>The idiomatic English phrase is “in the event” rather than “in an event,” to express contingency. “In the event” is often followed by “that,” and by then a clause stating a condition, followed by a statement of what will happen if the condition is met. “In the event” can also be followed by “of” and a noun (as in the phrase “in the event of rain”); after that, the sentence would state what will happen if it rains. </p>
<p>“In any event” is also used, often followed by a comma and then a statement of something that will happen or apply, no matter what the conditions are.</p>
<p>The construction “in an event” is relatively rare. It might be used if a circumstance is stated first; then one might write, “In an event such as that” (referring to the previously stated circumstance)–but there would probably be better ways to express the same idea.</p>