<p>Some Philosophers maintain that language is essential to formulating certain ( thoughts; others, that) even the most complex thoughts are independent of words.</p>
<p>(A) thoughts; others, that <---- this one is correct
(B) thoughts, however, that others maintain that
(C) thoughts others suggest that <---- I went with this one
(D) thoughts that others believe
(E) thoughts but others, however, that</p>
<p>That answer didn't make sense to me, so can someone tell me why is it correct? maybe I'm missing something.</p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>Because there’s no comma in your answer choice, the entire thing functions as one big run-on sentence, which is why it’s incorrect.</p>
<p>It took me a few times to ‘get’ this one too. Try replacing the word that for maintain, that’s the word the sentence is “missing” in the sentence when you read it. The second that could essentily start where the first one did: ‘that language’ and be correct.</p>
<p>so, the run-on rule deletes C, D and E.
B is longer but it has a verb
A just got me wondering what those other “do”. There’s no verb.</p>
<p>you said to replace “that” with “maintain”, B works, but’s awkwardly phrased…so it’s either lack a verb or awkwardly phrase the sentence? </p>
<p>sorry, still doesn’t make sense. Bear with me :D</p>
<p>Check out the explanation of the 4th question in this thread :
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/sat-preparation/1211312-writing-questions.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/sat-preparation/1211312-writing-questions.html</a></p>
<p>----Although only two inches long, the shrew is a mammal and therefore a relative of elephants and giraffes.
(Isn’t it wrong cuz Although has to be followed by a subject + verb ? ) ----</p>
<p>In grammar, sometimes you can omit (leave out) the verb of a clause. In this case, the phrase “it is” (which would be placed immediately after “although” and before “only two inches long”) is left out. This is called an elliptical construction, or ellipsis. Here are examples of ellipsis:</p>
<p>He plays the violin better than she the piano. [He plays the violin better than she plays the piano.]</p>
<p>**He has five dollars; she, four. [He has five dollars; she has four dollars.] **</p>
<p>While running, he tripped. He tripped while running. [While he was running, he tripped.]
The sentences in brackets include the omitted words.</p>
<p>I’m no writing genius, but this question seems to have something severely wrong with it! The answer is (D). In (A), as a rule, what comes after a semicolon must be a complete sentence , but the phrase ‘others, that even the most complex thoughts are independent of words.’ is an obvious fragment. How do we know? Because a complete sentence must completely present an idea. What does this phrase represent?</p>
<p>In (B), it is also a fragment because you can’t understand anything from it.</p>
<p>In (C), it is a run on.</p>
<p>In (E), it is all wrong. You can’t refer to other people with ‘that’; you must refer with ‘who.’ Second, how can you refer to others as ‘the most complex thoughts are independent of words.’ It doesn’t make sense!</p>
<p>So as you see, the answer is clearly (D). If this is a prep book, then it’s natural for them to have mistakes. I had a book once that had about 1-3 mistakes in every writing section!</p>
<p>Also, I feel that you have just newly started studying for the SAT, and don’t know the basic grammar rules yet. If you are, <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/sat-preparation/955109-silverturtles-guide-sat-admissions-success.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/sat-preparation/955109-silverturtles-guide-sat-admissions-success.html</a> will help you greatly. You can also read the grammar explanations in any book, but better practice off the collegeboard material (Official SAT Study Guide, Online course) and stuff like that. Hope I helped!</p>
<p>@mightygiant
Makes sense now. Thanks. :D</p>
<p>@jasonjackson789
I’ve spotted a few mistakes in this book in every writing section too ( this is McGraw-Hill’s ) it’s an old edition I guess.
I’m relatively new (that obvious? O.O ), being an international student (Egypt) I’ve reached the “you’re very good limit” in SAT, I only entered twice so far.</p>
<p>Thanks for the link, will check it! :D</p>
<p>I’m writing because I don’t want Rawan H165 to be confused.</p>
<p>JJ789–A is indeed the correct answer. Your error is in believing that what comes after a semicolon must be a complete sentence means that the phrase must stand alone as a sentence. Mightygiant’s example illustrates that your statement is not always true:
In that example, the word “has” is understood; in A, the word “maintain” is.</p>
<p>Read the two choices (A and D):</p>
<p>A. Some Philosophers maintain that language is essential to formulating certain thoughts; others, that even the most complex thoughts are independent of words.</p>
<p>D. Some Philosophers maintain that language is essential to formulating certain thoughts that others believe even the most complex thoughts are independent of words.</p>
<p>Writing it out makes it clearer that D is a runon sentence.</p>
<p>There isn’t a mistake in the answer key, but “Philosophers” should not be capitalized.</p>
<p>@schokolade</p>
<p>thanks for that!
Actually I noticed in my writing two typos, the Philospher one and that answer D lacks ‘and’
it’s ‘and that others believe’
would that change anything?</p>
<p>Sorry about those typos :D</p>
<p>Answer D is still clearly wrong if “and” is added, but for a different reason. </p>
<p>Revised answer D reads: Some philosophers maintain that language is essential to formulating certain thoughts and that others believe even the most complex thoughts are independent of words.</p>
<p>The subject in the revised answer is “some philosophers.” As written in D, they maintain two things–that language is essential … and that others believe thoughts are independent.</p>
<p>D is wrong because it doesn’t make sense to say that “some philosophers maintain that others believe even the most complex thoughts are independent of words.” In context, “some philosophers” is the subject of the first part, and “others” (that is, other philosophers) should be the subject of the second part.</p>