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.

Written in 1996, David Baldacci scored a literary hit with his thriller first novel, Absolute Power.

  1. Written in 1996, David Baldacci scored a literary hit with his thriller first novel, Absolute Power.

  2. Written in 1991, David Baldacci scored a literary hit with Absolute power, his thriller first novel.

  3. Written in 1991, Absolute power, the first thriller novel by David Baldacci, was a literary hit.

  4. Absolute power, which was written in 1996, by David Baldacci, scored a literary hit with his thriller first novel.

  5. Absolute power the thriller first novel written in 1961 scored a literary hit for David Baldacci.

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

Explanation for (1): What was written in 1996? The answer is 'Absolute Power'. The error is of misplaced modifier.

Explanation for (2): This option fails to correct the error of misplaced modifier.

Justification for (3): What was written in 1996? The answer is 'Absolute Power'. The error is of misplaced modifier. Only option (3) places 'Absolute Power' in the correct place.
Explanation for (4): A book cannot score a literary hit; only a person can. Explanation for (5): A book cannot score a literary hit; only a person can.