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.

During his youth, he used to work out ten times as much as he jogged, but today in his middle age he is doing less of it.

  1. but today in his middle age he is doing less of it

  2. but today in his middle age he is doing less of working out

  3. but today in his middle age he is doing little of it

  4. but today in his middle age he is doing less of either

  5. but today in his middle age he is doing little of both
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Explanation for (1): Less of what? Jogging (or) working out? The picture is unclear.

Justification for (2): Less of what? Jogging (or) working out? The picture is clarified in option (2) only.

Explanation for (3): Simply changing the adjective does not correct the error of modifier.
Explanation for (4): 'Less of either' makes no sense; 'less of both' might make sense. Explanation for (5): 'Less of both' might make sense although it would change the meaning, but 'little of both' involves unwarranted change.

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