Multiple choice

Direction: The following sentence test correctness and effectiveness of expression. Part of each sentence or the entire sentence is underlined; beneath each sentence are five ways of phrasing the underlined material. Choice A repeats the original phrasing; the other four choices are different. If you think the original phrasing produces a better sentence than any of the alternatives, select choice A; if not, select one of the other choices.

After cleaning your bike with a cloth, drop it in the washing machine.

  1. After cleaning your bike with a cloth, drop it in the washing machine.

  2. After cleaning your bike, drop it in the washing machine with a cloth.

  3. Drop it after cleaning your bike in the washing machine.

  4. After cleaning your bike with a cloth, drop the cloth in the washing machine.

  5. In the washing machine drop it, after cleaning your bike with it.

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

(D): The problem is of Subject - Pronoun agreement. If you find a 3rd person pronoun like 'it', make sure that it refers to one antecedent. In this sentence, 'it' should be replaced by the noun cloth, in order to provide a clear antecedent for which it has been used. No other options define the antecedent for the pronoun 'it'.

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