Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[nawee]

Hello,

I can't see why the answer key states that the following answers are grammatically wrong with these sentences and therefore don't know how to them right. Please help.

1. When my Uncle Panoho�s plane arrives at the airport in San Diego, I shall already have left San Diego for Mexico City.

a) my Uncle Panoho's
b) arrives
c) in San Diego
d) shall already have left

The answer is A. Is it because the word "uncle" is capitalised? But I have seen the word "uncle" capitalised in novels.

2. In spite of its small size, Europe has a greater impact on world history than any other continent.

a) its small size
b) has
c) impact on
d) any other

The answer is D. Why?

3. After being wheeled into the infirmary, the nurse at the desk asked me several questions.

a) into
b) infirmary
c) nurse
d) several

The answer is C. Why?
4. Although their works of Civil War heroes but not even distinctly American, John Sargent and James Whistler were some of the most famous American portraitists.

a) although their
b) but not
c) even distinctly
d) some of the most

The answer is B. Should it be "were not"? What about D. Shouldn't it be "two of the most" instead of "some"?
5. Frank Lloyd Wright, the well � known architect, believed that a home should be usable both as a beautiful structure.

a) a home
b) be usable
c) both as
d) a beautiful structure

The answer is C. How do I make it right?

6. Only after several people had died they required stricter packing of over�the�counter drugs.

a) only after
b) had died
c) they required
d) stricter packing

The answer is C. How do I correct it?

7. A characteristic of American higher education is that credit for work is transferable between universities.

a) a characteristic
b) that credit
c) is transferable
d) between

The answer is B. Why?

8. Disease, insects, and swampy soil caused the building and the construction of the Panama Canal to last more than a dozen years

a) swampy soil
b) and the construction
c) last
d) a dozen years

The answer is C. Is it because it's redundant?

Thank you ever so much,

Nawee

[Mister Micawber]

.
1. The answer is A. Is it because the word "uncle" is capitalised? But I have seen the word "uncle" capitalised in novels.-- I have too; I think nothing is wrong with the sentence. Both 'My uncle, Panoho' and 'My Uncle Panoho' are acceptable.

2. The answer is D. Why? -- The key is wrong. The answer is B; it should be 'has had'.

3. The answer is C. Why? -- Well, somehow we have to fix the dangling participle, because it is not the nurse that is being wheeled. The sentence has to change to something like: 'After being wheeled into the infirmary, I was asked several questions by the nurse at the desk.'


4. The answer is B. Should it be "were not"? -- Yes.
What about D. Shouldn't it be "two of the most" instead of "some"? -- Probably.

5. The answer is C. How do I make it right? -- A home should be both usable and a beautiful structure; a home should be both a usable and a beautiful structure.

6. The answer is C. How do I correct it? -- Only after...did they require

7. The answer is B. Why? -- I have no idea. They all seem OK.

8. The answer is C. Is it because it's redundant? -- No; the key is wrong. The answer is B, because it is redundant.
.
_________________
"I really do not know that anything has ever been more exciting than diagramming sentences." � Gertrude Stein
...............
Canadian-American who teaches English for a living at Mr Micawber's

[CP]

8. Disease, insects, and swampy soil caused the building and the construction of the Panama Canal to last more than a dozen years

a) swampy soil
b) and the construction
c) last
d) a dozen years

The answer is C. Is it because it's redundant?

Maybe it is supposed to be "take" rather than "last." I agree with Mister Micawber that "the building and the construction" is redundant, but "take" is a better choice than "last" in this sentence, too.
_________________
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