<p>I've been doing some practices and I came across few questions that I do not understand why I got wrong. Answers are bracketed.</p>
<p>-Mediators were standing by, prepared to intervene in the labor dispute even though both sides had refused earlier offers [for] assistance.</p>
<p>-Neither Ms. Perez nor Ms. Tanaka believes that watching as much television as [her] son Sam does will lead to anything productive.</p>
<p>-The Mayan Rivera, which extends down the eastern coast of Mexico, has many hidden caves, one of which is larger [than the size of] Monaco.</p>
<p>I know the sentence could just say "larger than Monaco" but that doesn't make it wrong, right?</p>
<p>-No one who travels on the expressways that circle our cities can help [but noticing] the growing number of junkyards that defile the beauty of the countryside.</p>
<p>I know it should be "to notice" but WHY? because I came across similar problems (like to change instead of 'of changing') but I don't know the grammatical reason.</p>
<p>-At the reception were the chattering guests, the three-tiered cake, and the lively music that have become characteristic of many wedding celebrations.</p>
<p>This one has no errors but why isn't "characteristic" wrong? shouldn't it be charactersitics?</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Correct idiom is “offers OF (noun)” or “offers TO (infinitive).” In this case, offers OF is the correct form. Offers FOR is wrong.</p></li>
<li><p>“her” is vague, it could be pointing to either of the 2 woman. </p></li>
<li><p>This question deals with redundancy. “Larger than the size of _<strong><em>” is redundant. “Larger than _</em></strong>” is better, and correct.</p></li>
<li><p>Infinitives always come after abstract nouns, such as “help” “advice” “tendency” etc. For example: I have a tendency to eat a lot. Correct. I have a tendency of eating a lot. Incorrect. </p></li>
</ol>
<p>Help in this case is an abstract noun, and therefore requires “to notice.”</p>
<ol>
<li> “CHaracterisitc” in this sentence is employed as an adjective. Adjectives can’t be plural. However, I get that you are seeing “characteristic” as a noun, in which case you are correct it should be characteristicS. Seems like a problematic question. I’m probably missing something.</li>
</ol>
<p>Actually, this one should be “No one who travels on the expressways that circle our cities can help BUT notice…” I guess this is an idiomatic kind of thing–when you “can’t help but” do something, it means you feel like you have to do it.</p>