Multiple choice

Directions: This question presents a sentence, all or part of which is underlined. Beneath the sentence you will find five ways of phrasing the underlined part. The first of these repeats the original; the other four are different. If you think the original is best, choose the first answer; otherwise choose one of the others.

When life emerged on Earth with a basic cellular structure, it would be adjudged positively primitive by today's standards.

  1. When life emerged on Earth with a basic cellular structure, it would be adjudged positively primitive by today's standards.

  2. When life emerged on Earth with a basic cellular structure, it was adjudged primitive by today's standards.

  3. Life, with basic cellular structure, emerged on Earth, when it would've been adjudged primitive by today's standards.

  4. Life, with a basic cellular structure, as it emerged on Earth, would be adjudged primitive by today's standards.

  5. Life, with a basic cellular structure, as it emerged on Earth, would've been adjudged primitive by today's standards.

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Correct; removes the Error of Misplaced Modifier and correctly refers to 'Life' when referring to 'basic structure'; removes the redundant 'When'.