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. Even though he was over ninety he still enjoyed reading novels and sometimes spend an evening at the cinema.

  1. enjoyed reading novels and sometimes spend an evening at the cinema

  2. enjoyed reading novels and sometimes spending an evening at the cinema

  3. enjoyed reading novels and sometime spend an evening at the cinema

  4. enjoyed reading novels and sometimes spent an evening at the cinema
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Explanation for (1): The entire sentence has a base of past tense. “Enjoyed reading” and “sometimes spend” are unparallel.

Explanation for (2): “Enjoyed reading” and “sometimes spending” seem parallel but the original sentence really conveys that he sometimes spent an evening at the cinema.

Explanation for (3): The option compounds the error of parallel construction by changing 'sometimes' to 'sometime'.
Justification for (4): The entire sentence has a base of past tense, except 'spend'. “Enjoyed reading” and “sometimes spend” are unparallel. The sentence really conveys that he sometimes spent an evening at the cinema. Hence, (4) is the answer. Explanation for (5): “Enjoyed reading” and “to sometimes spend” are unparallel.

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