<p>There are a lot of more detailed explanations for the math section of the SAT on sites like Khan Academy and SATQuantum's, I was wondering if there were any similar to those, but for writing. The Collegeboard's explanations do not do a good enough job explaining some of the answers, imo.</p>
<p>For example:
Test#9 Section 3</p>
<ol>
<li>In Germany, foresters discovered that trees killed by acid rain had begun to die four years (earlier, even though the trees had shown no signs of disease.)</li>
</ol>
<p>My choice: earlier without any signs of disease shown then.
Correct: Leave as is (A)</p>
<p>Silverturtle has already responded to this question a long time ago; he said: “It’s not clear what the phrase starting with “without” is modifying.”</p>
<p>I’d add that the word that provides the best transition is “even though”, since it emphasizes the existing contrast between the two clauses. Removing “even though” and connecting it to “without” is like removing “but” and connecting the first clause to “and” (I’ve come across a question like this where the one with “and” was marked wrong).</p>
<p>I dont understand, why is it not clear what it is modifying?
But your other answer does make sense, I just thought this would be less wordy.</p>
<p>I think he was getting too grammatical. “Without” should clearly modify “trees”, but theoretically, it may even modify “foresters”, saying that foresters had no signs of disease shown.</p>