Multiple choice

Directions: The following sentence tests correctness and effectiveness of expression. Part of the sentence is underlined; beneath the sentence are five ways of phrasing the underlined material. Option (1) repeats the original phrasing; the other four options are different. If you think the original phrasing produces a better sentence than any of the alternatives, select option (1); if not, select one of the other options.

Companies are under the excise department’s scanner for defaulting or to short pay duty, better watch out.

  1. for defaulting or to short pay duty, better watch out

  2. for defaulting or short paying duty, better watch out

  3. better watch out for defaulting or to short pay duty

  4. to default or for short played duty, better watch out

  5. better watch out, for default or short paying duty
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The error is of faulty parallelism. Option (2) is the best one, as it provides the same verb forms “defaulting” and “short–paying”.

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