<p>(Having command of pathos, tragedy, as well as humor,) George Eliot is considered to be a great English novelist.</p>
<p>(Because of her command of pathos, tragedy and humor) George Eliot is considered to be a great English novelist.</p>
<p>Why is the second version the right answer..?</p>
<p>You can’t compare “pathos, tragedy” to “humor.”</p>
<p>It must be a list.</p>
<p>One word: Parallalism</p>
<p>Having command of pathos, tragedy, as well as humor</p>
<p>as well as cannot be used as a ‘‘list connector’’.</p>
<p>“Having” just indicates that Eliot has those traits, and doesn’t connect them to her status as a great novelist. However, with “because of”, the point is clear that she is a great novelist because of those traits.</p>
<p>So I guess I’m confused about “as well as”</p>
<p>It’s not synonymous with “and” ?</p>
<p>It is, and it would probably work in this sentence. It’s probably for simplicity’s sake?</p>