<ol>
<li>[Just how] critical an improved balance of trade [is to] a healthy economy [has never been] [more clearer] than it is now.</li>
</ol>
<p>ANSWER : [more clearer]</p>
<ol>
<li>In consant [demand as] a speaker, Ms. Chernock [has never been] [more easier] than she [is now].</li>
</ol>
<p>ANSWER : [more busier]</p>
<p>3.The [often conflicting] reports of different polling organizations [make it difficult to] predict which of the two candidates [is] [more likely] to win the election next year.</p>
<p>ANSWER : E</p>
<ul>
<li>I dont understand the answers for any of those questions. Well, I was thinking maybe they were wrong because of redundancy because for example for question 1, if you were to get rid more then clearer would still work. But then why is 3 no error? I dont get it
Thank you for helping me !!</li>
</ul>
<ol>
<li>Delete word “more”. Your are making double comparison.</li>
<li>Delete word “more”. Your are making double comparison.</li>
<li>Everything is correct: pronouns, subject-verb, usage.</li>
</ol>
<p>iwishicould: You should look up the terms “comparative” and “superlative” in an English grammar book. “Clearer” and “busier” are the comparative forms of the adjectives “clear” and “busy.” “More” is also used as a comparative form. However, you do not combine comparatives with each other, except in unusual circumstances. In question 3, “likely” is not comparative. It is fine to combine it with “more.”</p>
<p>Similarly, you would not use “most clearest.” That would combine two superlatives.</p>
<p>When you have a pronoun, such as “they,” it needs an antecedent. The antecedent is a specific noun, which appears before the pronoun in the sentence. The pronoun takes the place of a repeated antecedent. (In a longer passage, the antecedent could appear in the previous sentence, but that’s not relevant in this case.)</p>
<p>With a sentence that contains a pronoun, take a look at the sentence and see what the antecedent could be. The only option in this sentence is “states.” But the word “they” does not refer to the states, it really refers to the people in various states. So choice b is out.</p>
<p>Surface mining is safer, quicker, and cheaper than deep mining, but (the greater is its toll in human misery.)
b. it has a greater human misery toll
e. its toll in human misery is greater
I originally had e but switched it b. The answer is e. I think the problem is active v. passive voice and that is why I changed to b. I don’t think I quite understand active v. passive voice could someone explain that to me. Thanks.</p>
<p>@blob793: I think e is a better answer choice because its structure parallels to the structure of the previous clause (Subject + to be + adj) so the problem here is not active vs. passive voice but parallelism. </p>
<p>I have some question about writing too. Please help me. Thank you. </p>
<ol>
<li>[Of ancient origins,] the game of checkers [was played] in Egypt during the time of Pharaohs and [is mentioned] in the writing of Homer and Plato. </li>
</ol>
<p>=> So the answer is “no error.” I don’t understand why [is mentioned] is right because I think that in the sentence, the tense should be parallel. And also, because the time when Homer and Plato mentioned the game of checkers happened in the past, so [is mentioned] should be changed into [was mentioned] instead. Can anyone explain it to me? </p>
<ol>
<li>The newspaper [reported that] [having] the increase in minimum wage, [many people] are still having trouble [making] ends meet. </li>
</ol>
<p>=> First, I know that [having] is wrong. But I don’t understand the explanation why it is wrong. The test writer wrote: "…because the participle “having” introduces a participle phrase that incorrectly modifies subject of the sentence, “newspaper.” Why so? Isn’t it clear that “having” belongs to the second clause after “that”? </p>
<pre><code> Second, why is the tense of [reported that] right? The second clause is written in present tense, so I think that [reported that] should be [reports that.]
</code></pre>
When you are talking about the contents of a piece of literature (e.g., a book), you use the present tense: Homer and Plato mentions the game of checkers in their writings. The sentence uses past tense at first because it’s not talking about literature at first. So the explanation, I think, is wrong, but the answer (B) is right.</p>
<p>Another example: In chapter 27 of the book, the main character eats a worm. “eats” is in the present tense because the action occurs in the plot of the book, not in real life.
This sentence is confusing. “having” should be “despite,” but the participial phrase “having . . .” seems misplaced. It seems to modify “many people,” not “newspaper,” but either way it’s wrong because no one “has,” or possesses, “the increase in minimum wage.”
“The newspaper reports” would be correct, but there’s nothing wrong with “The newspaper reported” since the reporting took place in the past.</p>
<p>“many people are still having trouble making ends meet” is a general truth and a finding, not a description of some incident strictly occurring in the present. If I’m talking about a newspaper from 2 weeks ago, I might say, The newspaper said that men are dying earlier than women. It makes no sense to say “men were dying earlier than women,” because that’s just a general statement, not some specific event that is strictly past or strictly present.</p>
<p>Also, don’t think that every verb in a sentence has to be in the same tense. Every tense has to be logical–that’s it–not always parallel or same.</p>
<p>@crazybandit: Thank you very much. Now it is much clearer to me. </p>
<p>I have another writing question that still makes me confused. </p>
<p>=> Hector enjoys movies more [then theater going since the latter do] not have the distractions associated with set changes and intermission. </p>
<p>A)…
B)…
C) than theater since the former do
D)…
E) than theater since the former does </p>
<p>The answer is E. But I don’t understand why. “The former” here implies “movies” so I think that it should be “the former do” instead of “the former does.” Can anyone help me with this?</p>
<p>First of all I highly recommend you stop using Barron’s and other material not from the College Board. Stick to the Official SAT Study Guide, which is made by the same people who make the SAT.</p>
<p>
“former” and “latter” are singular nouns even if they refer to plural nouns.</p>
<p>@crazybandit: Thank you for your reply. I have never known that. </p>
<p>I also have some troubles with this sentence in a CollegeBoard’s practice test too. </p>
<ol>
<li>A poetic form congenial to Robert Browning was the dramatic [monologue, it let him explore] a character’s mind without the simplifications demanded by stage productions. </li>
</ol>
<p>A)…
B)monologue, which let him explore
C)monologue that lets him explore
D)…
E)…</p>
<p>=> I choose C but the right answer is B. I choose C because “monologue” is a singular noun. Hence, the verb comes after “monologue” in the relative clause should be singular as well. Am I wrong? </p>
<p>“let” is the past tense form; “lets” is the present tense form. The difference has nothing to do with whether the noun (“monologue”) is singular or plural. It has to do with the tense of the verb. The monologue let, or allowed, Robert Browning to explore a character’s mind without the simplifications demanded by stage productions. The sentence is talking about things that occurred in the past.</p>
<p>(To stand in) Persepolis in modern Iran and look out, as Darius the first (must have done) at the immense (sweep of fields and mountains) is (to grasp) the vastness of the ancient Persian Empire.(No Error)
answer is B any clues ???</p>
<p>(That) I (have little interest) in art is not the fault of my parents, (taking) me to art exhibits and galleries from the time ( I was) ten years old.No Error. answer is C
but to me it sounds right no error</p>
<p>1,To stand in) Persepolis in modern Iran and look out, as Darius the first (must have done) at the immense (sweep of fields and mountains) is (to grasp) the vastness of the ancient Persian Empire.(No Error)</p>
<p>this question has present tense while B(must have done) is in the past => must do?</p>
<p>2,That) I (have little interest) in art is not the fault of my parents, (taking) me to art exhibits and galleries from the time ( I was) ten years old.No Error. </p>
<ol>
<li><p>(In similarity with) some other great works, the enduring horror tale Frankenstein was first published anonymously; its author, Mary Shelly, wrote the novel when she was not quite nineteen years old.
a. In similarity with
b. As
c. Like what happened with
d. Like the case with
e. like
CORRECT: E ( I dont understand why the answer is E, because all the other ones seem right to me :\ )</p></li>
<li><p>(Only by tapping) their last reserves of energy (were) the team members (to salvage) (what was beginning) to look like a lost clause.
CORRECT: E</p></li>
<li><p>When Doris Lessing published The Golden Notebook in 1962, (it) (instantly established) herself (as one) of the (most important) literary voices of her generation.
CORRECT: A (it)</p></li>
<li><p>(Despite) its cultural importance, the Daily Gazette (lost) 70 percent of its subscribers since 1920 and by 1955, (was losing) (as much as) 200,000 a year.
CORRECT: B (lost)</p></li>
<li><p>Some beaches are frequently contaminated by untreated sewage that flows into the (ocean, which can last for several days).</p></li>
</ol>
<p>a. ocean, which can last for several days
b. ocean that can last for several days
c. …
d. …
e. ocean; the contamination can last for several days</p>
I dont get it