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 the best, choose the first answer; otherwise choose any one of the others.

The optimist contended that since men cannot foresee the future, worry about the future is futile, and that every thing, is inevitably for the best.

  1. The optimist contended that since men

  2. The optimists contend that since men

  3. The optimist contends that, as men

  4. The optimist contends that since men

  5. The optimist contends that, since men
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
E Correct answer
Explanation

Explanation for (1): The latter part of the sentence is in simple present tense, so the first part should also be in simple present tense. And also a comma is required after 'that' to mark the qualifying clause 'since men cannot foresee the future'. So, there is error of tense and punctuation in the sentence.

Explanation for (2): This option makes unnecessary change in subject from singular to plural (optimist to optimists).

Explanation for (3): This option rectifies both the errors but introduces another error by replacing 'since' by 'as'.
Explanation for (4): This option rectifies the error of tense but leaves out the error of punctuation. Explanation for (5): This option rectifies the error of tense and comma splice. Tense consistency has been maintained by changing 'contended' to 'contends', as the latter part of the sentence is in simple present tense and a comma is inserted after 'that' to mark the qualifying clause 'since men cannot foresee the future'.

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