<ol>
<li>Some plants use chemical signals (that repel) insects and (also, these) signals help to put neighboring plants on alert (so they can) (mount their own defenses). </li>
</ol>
<p>A: (also, these)
I don't understand how this is correct. Should "also" have been omitted? </p>
<hr>
<ol>
<li>(When) M.R Harrington, an archaelogist from the Museum of the American Indian, (began to excavate) the ruins (he named) the Pueblo Grande de Nevada, he unearthed artifacts (indicating) a 500-year occupation by indigenous people. </li>
</ol>
<p>A: No Error
I thought that (he named) should have been, (he had named). Why is this wrong?</p>
<hr>
<ol>
<li>Until just recently many students would take lengthy trips during spring (break rather than temporary jobs like now).</li>
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<p>*A: (break; now they take temporary jobs) *
I thought the answer was "break instead of temporary jobs like now". I thought that if you used a semi-colon, that meant that the sentences before & after the semi-colon could stand alone as a sentence. "Now they take temporary jobs" doesn't seem like it can stand alone as a sentence though. </p>
<hr>
<ol>
<li>Although long considered a vesitigal organ that has no function in humans, (the appendix, some scientists believe, may have) a significant role as part of the body's immune system.</li>
</ol>
<p>A: original, (the appendix, some scientists believe, may have)
Why is this correct? I put, "the appendix, which, some scientists believe, may have"</p>
<p>1) I think they are two independent clause so it couldn’t be the colon. It should be semicolon or conjuction. </p>
<p>2) Actually “he had named” is the best gramatical correction. In grammar, we are also teached to use the past perfect tense to describe the action happens before another takes place. However, in my experience taking the SAT real test and many practice test from CB, using past tense in this case works. SAT sometimes sets out its own rules different from the basic english that we have learned. </p>
<p>3) I see the two choices are equally well-written ?!?!?!</p>
<p>4) Look at your sentence :
Although long considered a vestigial organ that has no function in humans, the appendix,
which, some scientists believe, may have…
The clause “which some scientists believe” is not complete. Some scientists believe the appendix? what, how, when, where?
The correct answer is the original sentence. (the appendix, some scientists believe, may have) is the common expression like: The SAT, I believe, is very difficult. In this case, “some scientists believe” as well as “I believe” play a role as adverb. It can be turned to the beginning of the sentence.</p>
<p>@christianparas: No. Your introduction almost contradicts itself, it sounds like you’re just finding reasons to complain throughout the entire essay, and I’m pretty sure they won’t believe that all your teachers do is socialize and talk about pay cheques. Also, there’s no justification for your definition of the basic skills testing – you define it based on how well they know and teach the subject, but their knowledge may be fine, and how they transmit it might be fine; they’re just not doing the latter.</p>
<p>I recommend you find a new topic, one that you can safely ask a teacher to edit for you without them just refusing outright.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Yes, you are correct. The “and also” is redundant. Watch for any sentence with a combination of two of the following: and, also, as well as, in addition to, plus</p></li>
<li><p>I agree with you on this one. “He had named” would be much better. But the author could make the argument that he named it after he began excavating, therefore the “had” is unnecessary. The event that occurs first gets “had,” so if the naming occurred at the same time or after the excavating, then the sentence is correct as it is.</p></li>
<li><p>My issue with your wrong answer is the word “like” in “like now.” It should be used “as they do now.” “Like” is used to compare, and although you’re implying a comparison between now and then, it isn’t clear. And FWIW, “Now they take temporary jobs” can stand alone as a sentence. Imagine it this way: “They take temporary jobs now.” The modifier “now” comes first to mirror the “Until just recently” at the start of the first clause. If a correction correctly uses a semicolon, there is a high chance that it’s the right answer.</p></li>
<li><p>The problem with your answer is the comma after “which.” With the colon there, you are essentially saying “the appendix which may have a significant role some scientists believe.” Compare that to “the appendix may have a significant role some scientists believe.” Be leery of answers with that put too many commas into the sentence. And four is usually too many.</p></li>
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<ol>
<li>(When) M.R Harrington, an archaeologist from the Museum of the American Indian, (began to excavate) the ruins (he named) the Pueblo Grande de Nevada, he unearthed artifacts (indicating) a 500-year occupation by indigenous people. </li>
</ol>
<p>Several of the posts state that “he named” is incorrect and that “he had named” is the correct replacement. However “he had named” is incorrect, and the original “he named” is correct grammar.</p>
<p>The “past perfect” tense is used to note the timeline of an event that starts in the far past and ends in the past. Logically such an event has a continuous sense, as for example, “he had run”, or “he had participated.”. That basic continuous sense is missing in “he named”. This is a one time action. There isn’t a notion that the “name” is no longer applicable, or that the naming process is anything but immediate. The simple past is the correct tense in this use.</p>