<p>Yes, but “all” is still correct; there is no error in “all.”</p>
<ol>
<li>A majority of the (students who) (attended) the job fair expressed interest in (becoming) (a doctor or lawyer). </li>
</ol>
<p>is the subject here “majority” or “students”? If it is majority, is it plural in this context? I thought that majority was the subject and that is was singular; therefore, i picked E.</p>
<ol>
<li>Except in mathematics, absolute proof is more often an ideal to be sought than a goal to be reached, (a fact that the courts recognize by setting) varying standards of proof for different kinds of cases.
A. a fact that the courts recognize by setting
B. which the courts recognize and set
E. and the courts recognize this fact setting</li>
</ol>
<p>I first picked A but then switched to E because A was awkward. A says “a fact that the courts recognize by setting” so i thought it was wrong because the courts don’t recognize it when they set varying standards… The courts recognize this fact and therefore set varying standards. Am I wrong?
What is wrong with B and E?</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>“majority” is one of those for which one must look to the complement in order to determine singularity or plurality. “students” is plural, so (D) is wrong. Your thinking was generally solid; just remember that “majority” is in a sense an exception.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>“recognize” is being used in the sense of “acknowledge.” The phrasing does not imply that their realizing the fact and their setting varying standards occur concurrently.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>(B) does not have correct syntax. The relative pronoun “which,” given the structure used, must correspond with both verbs. If we remove “recognize,” the illogical nature becomes clear:</p>
<p>“Except in mathematics, absolute proof is more often an ideal to be sought than a goal to be reached, which the courts set varying standards of proof for different kinds of cases.”</p>
<p>(E) is wrong because “setting” introduces a participial phrase and, therefore, must be preceded by a comma; it is not.</p>
<p>Except in mathematics, absolute proof is more often an ideal to be sought than a goal to be reached, (a fact that the courts acknowledge by setting) varying standards of proof for different kinds of cases.</p>
<p>even if we do replace “recognize” with “acknowledge”, the sentence still says that the courts acknowledge this fact BY setting varying standards… however, the courts recognize and therefore set …</p>
<p>(B) 2. Except in mathematics, absolute proof is more often an ideal to be sought than a goal to be reached, which the courts recognize and set varying standards of proof for different kinds of cases.</p>
<p>so here, the sentence says the courts recognize varying standards… and set varying standards, which is why it’s wrong?</p>
<p>(E) if E were "and the courts recognize this fact**,** setting would it be correct also?</p>
<p>thanks</p>
<p>What other words are exceptions (like majority) that take the complement’s plurality/singularity?</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Definition of “acknowledge” from Merriam-Webster:</p>
<p>
</p>
<p><a href=“E”>quote</a> if E were "and the courts recognize this fact, setting would it be correct also?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Yes, it would.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Some others come to mind: “most,” “none,” “any,” “some,” “more,” “all,” “a number,” “a lot,” and “plenty.”</p>
<p>I searched the old threads and eliminated a couple of my questions but still have a couple.</p>
<ol>
<li>When the Berlin Wall, long a symbol of the Cold War, began to be torn down in 1989, five million people went to Berlin (to celebrate that).
A) for its celebration
B) to celebrate</li>
</ol>
<p>I picked A and found nothing wrong with it. Why is it B. The people went there for its tearing down. They could have celebrated at home.</p>
<ol>
<li>(In similarity with) some other great works, the enduring horror tale Frankenstein was first published anonymously; its author, Shelley, wrote the novel when she was not quite nineteen years old.
D. Like the case with
E. Like</li>
</ol>
<p>It’s E. I picked D. The sentence is talking about what happened with Frankenstein and compares it to the case of some other great works. </p>
<ol>
<li>(It was) a Chinese American grower who finally succeeded (with adapting) the (now familiar) orange trees (to) the American climate. </li>
</ol>
<p>The answer is obviously B. It has to be “succeeded in”. But how is A correct? You can’t use “it” to talk about a person?</p>
<p>1) “Its celebration” and “to celebrate that” utilize pronouns. Pronouns take the place of nouns. It would make sense if they celebrated “the fact that the Berlin Wall was being torn down,” but that is not an antecedent stated in the sentence, even though it is implied in the clause.</p>
<p>The pronoun would have to refer to an explicit noun in the sentence, such as “the Berlin Wall.” They did not celebrate the Berlin Wall; they celebrated “its being torn down,” but that isn’t stated and therefore can’t be the antecedent.</p>
<p>So, the answer is (B) to celebrate because “to celebrate” does not need an object attached to it (it can be intransitive).</p>
<p>incorrect: “It fell on the floor, and he was sad because of it.” (“it” is a pronoun with no clear antecedent)
correct: “It fell on the floor, and he was sad as a result.” (“result” is not a pronoun)
correct: “It fell on the floor, and he was sad because he couldn’t play with it anymore.”</p>
<p>2) The beginning phrase “Like…” only modifies the subject of the following clause, not the entire clause itself. “Some other great works” is being compared to “the enduring horror tale Frankenstein.” This is a pretty simple concept, and I have a feeling you may be thinking too hard. </p>
<p>“He works like a beaver”</p>
<p>You can say that the sentence implies: “He works like a beaver works.” However, “like” is still only comparing the two nouns. “like” means “similarly to”</p>
<p>“He is just like his father”</p>
<p>Besides, “the case…” isn’t being compared to another case. This question is similar to question #1; the “case” is not explicitly stated. You can’t compare one “case” to an entire clause that IMPLICITLY describes another case.</p>
<p>3) “It” has many definitions. </p>
<p>“It” can be used abstractly (“It is said…” or “It all started…”)</p>
<p>Here is a specific definition (it is the second one on Dictionary.com):</p>
<p><a href=“used%20to%20represent%20a%20person%20or%20animal%20understood,%20previously%20mentioned,%20or%20about%20to%20be%20mentioned%20whose%20gender%20is%20unknown%20ordisregarded”>QUOTE</a>: It was the largest ever caught off the Florida coast. Who was it? It was John. The horse had its saddle on.
[/QUOTE]
</p>
<p>1) so if we were to label the error here, can we say that it’s a “pronoun ambiguity” error. However, in novels and such, pronouns with implicit antecedents are always used but the SAT doesn’t like it right?</p>
<p>2) I kind of get it thanks. Also i think i found in error with “Like the case with”. Since the sentence says, “Like the case with some other great works, the enduring horror tale Frankenstein…” The clause after the comma has to first talk about the “case” of Frankenstein because of the comparison. </p>
<p>Like, incorrect: Famous for his novels, everyone celebrated him.
correct: Famous for his novels, he was celebrated by everyone. </p>
<p>Is this right?</p>
<p>1) It’s not ambiguous. It’s just illogical. This is incorrect everywhere, not just on the SAT. If you say it in real life, people might understand what you are saying, but it is grammatically incorrect.</p>
<p>2)
</p>
<p>No, you would have to say, “A man famous for his novels, he…” I believe. My grammar is a bit hazy right now for some reason. You generally have the right idea though.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>The latter looks fine to me.</p>
<p>from this year’s PSAT: </p>
<p>(When) L’Enfant suggested (to build) the United States Capitol (at the center of) Washington, D.C., he also (offered) to design a landscaped mall nearby. (no error)</p>
<p>The answer is B, “to build” should be “building”… but why?</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>The standard form is “suggest” followed by a gerund. See [Gerunds</a> and Infinitives: Their Noun Roles](<a href=“http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/gerunds.htm]Gerunds”>http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/gerunds.htm).</p>
<p>ok thanks silverturtle</p>
<p>According to no lesser of an authority than Parkman, the most momentous event in the history of colonial North America was the expulsion of the French.</p>
<p>(a) lesser of an authority than
(b) lesser an authority such as
(c) less an authority as
(d) less of an authority than was
(e) less an authority than</p>
<p>One of the services whose cost has increased greatly in recent years is that of hospital care, which is more expensive than formerly.<a href=“a”>/U</a> that of hospital care, which is more expensive than formerly
(b) hospital care, which is more expensive than before
(c) the price of hospital care
(d) that of hospital care
(e) hospital care</p>
<p>An iceberg is produced when a glacier meets the sea; the thickness of the iceberg, which is dependent, initially at least, on the thickness of the part of the glacier from which it broke off.
(a) sea; the thickness of the iceberg, which is dependent
(b) sea, the thickness of the iceberg depends
(c) sea, the thickness of the iceberg depending
(d) sea; with the thickness of the iceberg that depends
(e) sea, with the thickness the iceberg has that depends</p>
<p>Although some of the victories of the civil rights movement of the 1960’s were only token gains, many others were definite steps toward social and political equality.</p>
<p>The entire city, along with several nearby towns, is visual to anyone willing to climb the 1256 steps to the top of the tower.</p>
<p>Having studied hard for the podiatry examination, Charles felt capable to make distinctions among the various problems associated with the joints in the foot.</p>
<p>The entire city, along with several nearby towns, is visual to anyone willing to climb the 1256 steps to the top of the tower.</p>
<p>“visual to” should be “visible to”</p>
<p>Having studied hard for the podiatry examination, Charles felt capable to make distinctions among the various problems associated with the joints in the foot. </p>
<p>“capable to make” should be “capable of making”</p>
<p>you’re capable of doing something not capable to do something.</p>