Writing Question

Test Preparation ACT Preparation
1

Passage
…off, the rehabilitator selects a number seven feather from a collection kept exclusively for imping. If necessary, a number six or eight feather can be carefully trimmed with small scissors to the shape of a number seven feather.
The quill of this replacement feather is trimmed so that when the replacement feather is eventually attached to the quill stub still in the bird’s body, the repaired feather will( be equal in length) to the original, whole feather.

Question-
70
F. NO CHANGE
G. be equally long
H. equal the length
J. equal in length

Why is it F and not J?
Is there a particular grammar rule that dictates this choice?

Thankyou!

2

If anything it’d be “will equal in length the original feather” (even though that’s kinda awkward). “Will equal in length TO the original feather” is grammatically incorrect.

3

@bogangles
Thankyou.
Is this a certain grammar rule though?

4

I don’t know. It’s just the way “equal” is used as a verb.

Ex. Seven plus two equals nine. (Verb)
Seven plus two is equal to nine. (Adjective)

To clarify: J would work IF “to” was not part of the sentence right after the part you’re replacing.

5

@bodangles Thanks a lot!