Sentence completion question- testing what grammar rule?

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1

<p>Hi all, </p>

<p>If someone could please explain why this sentence is wrong, what grammar the sentence is testing and why the answer is D when I thought Passive was bad- doesn't D turn the sentence to passive? </p>

<p>The ancient Spartans tested the endurance of potential [warriors, devised] various ordeals, including one that required them to run bare-legged through fields of stinging nettles</p>

<p>A) warriors, devised
B) warriors devising
C) warriors; and devised
D warriors by devising
E) warriors with the devising of </p>

<p>Cheers</p>

2

<p>b/c every other answer choice is grammatically incorrect</p>

<p>and it’s not passive. subject = Spartans, verb = tested. “by” is a preposition</p>

3

<p>An easy way to detect if a sentence is passive is checking if it has a form of the verb “to be,” which none of the answers have. The sentence would be passive if it said: The endurance of potential warriors WAS TESTED by the Spartans by devising various ordeals.
A and B: the modifier is misplaced. The Spartans devised the ordeal, not the warriors.
C: semicolon must be followed by an independent clause. This answer has no main subject after the semicolon
E: wordy</p>

4

<p>Thanks, I get what you are saying about the passive part, but you lost me with the b/c part; D is the answer. </p>

<p>Cheers again</p>

5

<p>b/c= because</p>

6

<p>LOL thanks guys a lot! I get this now! </p>

<p>Cheers</p>