sat writing mc explanations please!

Test Preparation
1

<ol>
<li>It is not uncommon for a great novel to be turned into a mediocre (film, Scott Spencer’s Endless Love is only one case).
a. film, as was the case of Scott Spencer’s Endless Love
b. film, in this case Scott Spencer’s Endless Love </li>
</ol>

<p>the answer is a, and i thought about a, but i picked b instead because i thought that a was wrong because of the tense shift. please explain! </p>

<ol>
<li>In the past, children were content to entertain themselves with kitchen pots and balls of (twine, rather than high-priced electronic toys).
a. twine, rather than high-priced electronic toys
b. twine; now they want high-priced electronic toys</li>
</ol>

<p>the answer is b, but can someone expalin why a is wrong? thanks!</p>

<ol>
<li>The organization suggested that its researchers (refrain from) giving out information (in regards to) the location of rare bushes (for) fear that people (would move) them to private gardens. </li>
</ol>

<p>in regards to is wrong, please explain why. what should replace in regards to? is it ever okay to use in regards to? </p>

<ol>
<li>Sometimes the sun shines on the lake in (such a way) as to create an (illusion) that we (could sail) a boat (off of the edge) of the Earth.
off of the edge is redudant so its wrong, but someone please explain why its redudant and how to recognize this type of error in the future? </li>
</ol>

<p>also, can someone please help me distinguish between due to/because of and to be/as? are there any general rule to help with those? thanks!!</p>

2

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<p>The tense shift is acceptable because the general trend (and thus present tense) of mediocre films is supported by a specific (past tense) example.</p>

3

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<p>The comma before “rather” indicates that everything after “rather” is to form a clause; choice (A) is not a clause.</p>

4

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<p>“in regards to” is not standard English: [in</a> regards to](<a href=“http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/regards.html]in”>in regards to | Common Errors in English Usage and More | Washington State University).</p>

5

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<p>I don’t see any redundancy. </p>

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<p>“due to” and “because of,” as far as I can imagine right now, are always interchangeable. </p>

<p>I’m not sure about the “to be”/“as” distinction you’re referring to. Can you give an example sentence about the specific usages you’re thinking of?</p>

6

<p>The phase “off of” is technically bad grammar, although it’s used a lot in informal conversation.</p>

7

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<p>Yep, you’re right.</p>

8

<p>“Due to” is used to modify a noun phrase, whereas “because of” is used to modify a verb.</p>

<p>e.g.

  1. His defeat was due to the lottery issue.</p>

<ol>
<li>He was defeated because of the lottery issue.</li>
</ol>

<p>A good way to check is to see if “due to” can be replaced by “caused by”, as they are used in the same way.</p>