I have a question on this sat writing problems (sentence structure).
Some experimental musical instruments are popular among amateur musicians, who can master them with more ease than “one can with” traditional instruments. (words in brackets indicating the one that was underlined).
a. one can with
b. they could with
c. they can
d. could
e. with
I pick b because the subject is plural, therefore the pronoun they is the most appropriate. However, the answer came out with c. How can? I still don’t understand can somebody give me some brief explanations?
A, B, and E are all wrong because “master with traditional instruments” is non-idiomatic; you “master an instrument” rather than “master with an instrument.” In addition, B also has a verb tense error–“could” represents a tense shift (“can master them” / “could master traditional instruments”).
C is also plural (“they”) but doesn’t include that idiom error or verb tense error.
Simplify the sentence as I wrote below and try the answers
Amateur musicians can master experimental musical instruments more easily than [ blank ] traditional instruments.
a. one can with
b. they could with
c. they can
d. could
e. with
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Easier? Note that I removed the “with more ease” and replaced it with “more easily” to avoid the deliberate confusion created by the ETS writers.
Fwiw, the entire sentence could be simplified as
As can master X more easily than [ blank ] Y. Who said the verbal test was not as clear as the math one?
