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 one is spending time complaining about the obstacles he is facing, he is wasting so much time being negative that he is actually losing chances to move forward.

  1. When one is spending time complaining about the obstacles he is facing, he is wasting so much time being negative that he is actually losing chances to move forward.

  2. When someone is spending time complaining about the obstacles they are facing, they are wasting so much time being negative that they are actually losing chances to move forward.

  3. When anyone is spending time complaining about the obstacles he or she is facing, they are wasting so much time being negative that they are actually losing chances to move forward.

  4. When you are spending time complaining about the obstacles you are facing, you are wasting so much time being negative that you are actually losing chances to move forward.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Explanation for (1): Type of error: Pronoun agreement

Pronouns must agree with their antecedents in gender and number. The given sentence is incorrect because there is an unnecessary shift in pronouns. 'One' is always followed by 'one' or 'one's'.

Explanation for (2): The option compounds the error of an unnecessary shift in pronouns. The first pronoun (indefinite) in the sentence is “someone” that is followed by the pronoun “they” (definitive) in the remaining three positions.
Explanation for (3): There is an unnecessary shift in pronouns. The first pronoun (indefinite) in the sentence is “anyone” that is followed by the pronouns “he or she” and then the pronoun “they” in the remaining two positions. In order to make the sentence correct, the same pronoun has to follow throughout.
Justification for (4): Pronouns must agree with their antecedents in gender and number. The given option corrects the error in the original sentence because a single pronoun “you” is maintained throughout the sentence. Explanation for (5): The option does not correct the error of an unnecessary shift in pronouns. The first pronoun in the sentence is the indefinite “one”, that is followed by the definitive pronouns “he or she” in the remaining three positions.

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