<p>this problem is from barron's 2400 sat book:</p>
<p>a(It's) difficult to imagine how one can b(contrive) of vivid, picturesque details c(about) an exotic and distant place that d(he) has never once visited.</p>
<p>the answer is b, which barron claims as a diction error. that may be correct, but isn't d also wrong? since the beginning uses "one," shouldn't the pronoun stay consistent?</p>
<p>what pronoun would you suggest then?</p>
<p>I think (d) is correct.</p>
<p>No, Barron's is correct. That is an incorrect use of "contrive." They're tricking you because the verb that should be used is "conceive" which sounds a lot like "contrive." Here is the definition of "contrive" contrive</a> - Definitions from Dictionary.com</p>
<p>The pronoun in d is fine. The word "one" refers to an indefinite 3rd person. The "he" that refers to "one" later in the sentence matches it correctly. "I" or "you" would not agree with "one."</p>
<p>It's not politicaly correct to use "he" in reference to "one," but it is gramatically correct.</p>
<p>I think it's politically perfectly acceptable to use 'he' in reference to 'one', and I'm a girl. Using 'he/she' is just too awkward and bulky. The norm is to associate one--> he when speaking about an unknown or general 'one'</p>
<p>Unfortunately there are some people in this world who get worked up over trivial things like that so we have to watch our every step =)</p>