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. The greater the number of cars on the road, and the greater the emission of exhaust gases, greater is the amount of pollution in the atmosphere.

  1. greater is the amount of pollution in the atmosphere

  2. greater are the amounts of pollution in the atmosphere

  3. greater is the pollution in the atmosphere

  4. the greater is the amount of pollution in the atmosphere

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

Explanation for (1): Rules of parallelism demand “The greater the number …….the greater the emission… the greater is the amount'.

Explanation for (2): Changing the number does not correct the error of parallelism.

Explanation for (3): This option fails to correct the error of parallelism.
Justification for (4): Rules of parallelism demand “The greater the number …….the greater the emission… the greater is the amount'. The error stands corrected in (4) Explanation for (5): This option fails to correct the error of parallelism and compounds the error by adding the unidiomatic “quantity” of pollution.