Writing Problems (Need Explanations)

Test Preparation SAT Preparation
1

<p>Can someone please explain the following questions to me?</p>

<p>


Oceanographers are studying how the increased atmospheric concentration of gases like carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide *elevates the acidity of seawater and its affecting fish*.</p>

<p>A) elevates the acidity of seawater and its affecting fish
B) elevate the acidity of seawater and how they affect fish
C) elevates the acidity of seawater and how that acidity affects the fish
D) elevate seawater acidity and its effect on fish
E) elevates seawater acidity for its effect on fish

The answer is C. Originally I chose B but I was told that even though there are two nouns, carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide, you must put elevates. This is because you could use an analogy by saying an elevator “elevates”. I'm still not entirely sure and would like a different explanation, assuming there is another one.

``` The emissary for the committee stated that their position on the matter remained neutral and that no amount of cajolery would cause a shift in either direction. No error. ```

The answer is B. You would need to switch “their” to “it's”. I was wondering why you couldn't just use “their”. Is it because the emissary is speaking for the committee? If it said, “The committee stated their position, would it be right to leave “their” in instead of using “it's”?

``` The magician's skill and showsmanship inspired all the children at the party; many were even convinced that, if they tried hard enough, they could also learn to make a coin disappear. ```

The answer is E. I originally picked B because the “it” later on refers back to “many” and since there is a semicolon separating the two sentences, I thought that the sentence was too unclear without changing “many”. Is it right because the semicolon infers that that the previous sentence is related? And would the sentence after the semicolon been a grammatically correct sentence without the semicolon and sentence in front?

The following two were really confusing and I would appreciate a meticulous explanation.

``` The settlers experimented for months to find the best method to channel water from the river to their fields and homes. ```

The answer was C. I have no idea why is it wrong (even though it was already explained to me).


When the package arrived from Tanzania, Jerome could not have been more excited, his mind filling with images of the wonderful things his grandfather might send him from Africa.

</p>

<p>I'm not sure what the exact answer was but I think it was E; I just know that it wasn't C. I thought C was wrong because I thought it should be “filled”. This one is mind-boggling. Apparently it's a phrase of some sort.</p>

<p>Thanks for taking the time to read this and I hope you can help me out.</p>

2

<p>1) The subject is “increased atmospheric concentration of gases,” which is singular and requires a singular verb. You are incorrectly identifying carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide as the subject. You are correct that “carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide” is plural; in fact, two nouns joined with the word “and” is always plural. </p>

<p>2) Don’t use “their” because neither the emissary nor the committee is plural. The correction would be its, not it’s.</p>

<p>3) “Many” is not ambiguous. Substitute a period for the semicolon read the sentence. It’ll read just fine. Yes, there is a punctuation mark separating the pronoun “many” from “children,” but it’s not incorrect. </p>

<p>4) Can you please provide the explanation? </p>

<p>5) Still racking my mind … </p>

<p>What book is this from?</p>

3

<p>4) My hunch is an idiom error - the preposition that goes with “channel” should be “of.” “Channel” should also be changed to “channeling.” The correction should be “of channeling.”</p>

<p>5)</p>

4

<p>I understand number one better now, but it seems that I have to work on finding out what is singular and what is plural.</p>

<p>For number two, I finally understand why. “Their” would suggest more than one party, but I always thought that since it was the committee’s idea, it was “theirs”. I don’t understand the whole concept but I know why “their” should be properly used.</p>

<p>Number three seems a bit ambiguous to me still but I guess that it as a regular sentence makes sense somewhat.</p>

<p>I don’t remember the explanation for number four but I think it was like number five so it might be “channeling”. Number five confused me as well and I was sure that “filling” was wrong but my prep teacher was adamant that it was right (and the test prep book). She has authority because she studied English as her major and she got an 800 on her writing.</p>

<p>I’m not sure what book it’s from because it comes from my SAT prep class.</p>

5

<p>I believe #5 contains an error (if not more). </p>

<p>Subjects cannot be ** directly** connected to verbs ending in -ing. Do you say?</p>

<p>I doing. WRONG
I am doing. CORRECT - “am” separates “I,” the subject, from “doing.”</p>

<p>I running. WRONG
I am running. CORRECT</p>

<p>My mind filling with wonderful fantasies. WRONG
My mind is filling with wonderful fantasies. CORRECT. </p>

<p>And this belows a classic example of argumentum ad verecundiam. </p>

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</p>

6

<p>The voice is ALSO wrong in this sentence. The active voice is being used here, and the sentence is saying that the mind is filling itself. </p>

<p>The passive would be:</p>

<p>“His mind was filled with images.”</p>

7

<p>well Ice I think that filling could be a adjective(present participle) describing mind not a verb thus no (is) before it … Is this a correct expl. ?</p>

8

<p>^Again, you cannot use an adjective directly after the subject. You need a linking verb. For example:</p>

<p>He green. WRONG
He is as green as grass, dawg. CORRECT</p>

<p>He ■■■■■■■■. WRONG
He is ■■■■■■■■. CORRECT</p>

<p>He smart. WRONG
He is smart. CORRECT</p>

9

<p>^you have a point, which books are you learning grammar from ?</p>

10

<p>^I figured out 1-3 without any struggle. My favorite grammar books are Gruber’s, Barron’s Writing Workbook, and McGraw-Hill’s SAT book. </p>

<p>I figured out #4-5 with the help of my parents :p.</p>

11

<p>ohh i guess i will buy barrons workbook … btw … is the explanation in barrons workbook same as book in terms of grammar… also are you from an english enviroment ??</p>

12

<p>Yes, the Barron’s Workbook explains everything in terms of grammar. It doesn’t give you superfluous tips such as “listening for mistakes.”</p>

13

<p>I got an 800 in writing just one year ago and I cannot remember most of this for the life of me.</p>

14

<p>^Can you please share how you got to an 800? What books? How did you study :)? </p>

<p>Thanks!!!</p>

15

<p>Thanks for all the help guys, even though I’m still unsure about the fifth one. I’ll probably get more problems in the future and I’ll post them up.</p>

16

<p>Maybe I didn’t explain #5 well enough. The fact is that your book and your tutor are WRONG. There is an error at C. </p>

<p>Original sentence:</p>

<p>When the package arrived from Tanzania, Jerome could not have been more excited, his mind filling with images of the wonderful things his grandfather might send him from Africa.</p>

<p>Examine the incorrect portion of the sentence:</p>

<p>“His mind filling with images…”</p>

<p>Think about it:</p>

<p>“Mind filling…” (WRONG)</p>

<p>This is wrong on 2 counts. </p>

<p>1) You need a linking verb to connect “mind” with “filling”</p>

<p>2) You need the passive voice because the mind isn’t performing the action - the mind isn’t filling itself.</p>