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ACT English 4.1 Sentence Structure 284 Views


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Description:

ACT English: Sentence Structure Drill 4, Problem 1. Which list fits best in this sentence?

Language:
English Language

Transcript

00:03

Here's your Shmoop du jour, brought to you by adverbs. Some call them the Mad Men of verbs.

00:09

How should you change the underlined portion below, if at all?

00:12

The production manager was asked to write his report quickly, accurately, and in a detailed manner.

00:27

The name of the game for the next set of questions is parallel construction.

00:30

This is defined as using the same pattern of words to show equal importance.

00:36

Take our original sentence, for example. It ends with a list.

00:40

The first two words on the list--"quickly" and "accurately"--

00:43

are regular adverbs. We know this because

00:46

they are describing the verb "write."

00:48

Remember, it's the function of adverbs to describe verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs.

00:54

The final item on the list also functions

00:56

as an adverb because it describes the way the production manager is supposed to be writing.

01:01

However, it's a propositional phrase, not a single adverb. This goes against the idea

01:06

of parallel construction and offends our sense of order.

01:09

Choice (B) is full of all kinds of randomness, making it easy to eliminate.

01:12

Its list includes a prepositional phrase,

01:14

a single adverb, and a two-adverb combo.

01:18

(D) looks a little more sane at first glance, but ultimately it also fails.

01:22

"Quickly" and "thoroughly" are both adverbs that end in "L-Y." "Accurate," on the other

01:26

hand, does not end in "L-Y," and is also the adjective form of the word.

01:30

Choice (C) finally fixes our sentence by making sure that every word in the list is a full-fledged

01:34

adverb with an "L-Y" ending, and all is parallel.

01:38

Some might say that parallel construction is unimaginative, but zigzag construction

01:42

is incomprehensible.

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