Grammar questions...please help!!

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1

Hey guys, I have a few grammar questions

  1. Mediators were standing by, prepared "to intervene in" the labor dispute "even though" both sides "had refused" earlier offers "for" assistance.

“for” is wrong. What should I swith “for” to ?

  1. According to some theorists, "what" "any" particular bird can eat could change "with even" "the slightest" variation in the shape of its beak.

The sentence is right. But I think it should be “a” instead of “any” because a particular bird cannot be any bird right?

  1. In the 100-yard relay our team impressed the crowd, with each {of the members shaving} several seconds off her own best time.

(A) of the members shaving
(B) of the members had shaved
© of the members was shaving
(D) who had been shaving
(E)who shaved

I thought the answer is E? Can someone explain to me why it is A? I’m not very sure about sentences that have “with” clauses. Are you always supposed to add “doing” after with?

Thanks everyone! :slight_smile:

2
  1. Of 2. No, any fits fine, "a" would only refer to one specific bird, "any" broadens the scope
  2. I think you need to reread the sentence replacing the phrase with E - it really makes no grammatical sense. You need "of the members" to describe "each" and shaving remains correct