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.

Tilling means preparation of the soil to plant the seeds and keeping the soil in the best condition to help the crop grow until it is ready for harvesting.

  1. Tilling means preparation of the soil to plant the seeds and keeping the soil in the best condition to help the crop grow until it is ready for harvesting.

  2. Tilling means preparing the soil to plant the seeds and keeping the soil in the best condition to help the crop grow until it is ready to harvest.

  3. Tilling means preparation of the soil to plant the seeds and keeping the soil in the best condition for helping the crop grow until it is ready for harvesting.

  4. Tilling means preparing the soil to plant the seeds and to keep the soil in the best condition to help the crop to grow until it is ready to harvest.

  5. Tilling means preparing the soil to plant the seeds and keeping the soil in the best condition to help the crop grow until it is ready to be harvested.

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

Explanation for (1): 'Preparation' and 'keeping' are unparallel.

Justification for (2): 'Preparing' synchronizes with 'keeping' and 'to plant' with 'to harvest'.

Explanation for (3): 'Preparation' and 'keeping' are unparallel as are 'to plant' with 'for harvesting'
Explanation for (4): 'Preparing' and 'to keep' are unparallel although 'to plant' is in sync with 'to harvest' Explanation for (5): 'Preparing' synchronizes with 'keeping' but 'to plant' uses the infinitive in active voice, whereas 'to be harvested' uses it in the passive voice.