<p>the question is:</p>
<p>(underlined) Just by unplugging your (underlined) cell phone charger when you are not using it reduces carbon dioxide pollution.</p>
<p>A) Just by unplugging your
B) Just unplugging one's
C) Just unplugging your
D) By just unplugging your
E) If you just unplug your</p>
<p>I chose A but the answer is C. Can anyone explain why this is so? Is it a matter of idiom or a set grammatical rule?
Thanks</p>
<p>By walking to school, you’ll get healthier.
Walking to school makes you healthier.</p>
<p>Just by unplugging your cell phone charger…(you’ll reduce carbon dioxide pollution).
Just unplugging your cell phone charger…reduces carbon dioxide pollution.</p>
<p>By is a preposition, when you have a prep phrase, it cannot serve as the subject. Prep phrases can only serve as adverbs and adjectives.</p>
<p>thanks for the quick reply Subsidize. but one more question: the “just” has no impact whatsoever on the grammatical sense of the sentence then?</p>
<p>Yes, you’re correct, the “just” doesn’t have an impact on the answer. The main distinction is between the presence and the absence of the preposition “by.” It’s like saying *By eating makes you full<a href=“incorrect”>/i</a> instead of *Eating makes you full<a href=“correct”>/i</a>.</p>
<p>Sorry to hijack your thread but i also have a question.</p>
<p>Since (there is) two pencils, a pad of paper, and a ruler on each desk, students (do not have) (to bring) (their own) supplies. (No error)</p>
<p>The correct answer is A (there is) which should be there are. But what if it was:</p>
<p>Since (there is) one pencil, a pad of paper, and a ruler on each desk, students (do not have) (to bring) (their own) supplies. (No error)</p>
<p>Would it still be there are?</p>
<p>Or if it was:</p>
<p>Since (there is) one pencil, two pads of paper, and a ruler on each desk, students (do not have) (to bring) (their own) supplies. (No error)</p>
<p>Would it still be there are?</p>
<p>^It would be “there are” in both instances.</p>
<p>Would there be a case where it would be “there is” where you use or instead of and, ie. a pencil, a pad of paper OR a ruler?</p>