Multiple choice

Directions: The following sentences 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.

Farmers fear that crop would fail if amount of rainfall in the state is fewer than 30 inches.

  1. Farmers fear that crop would fail if amount of rainfall in the state is fewer than 30 inches.

  2. It is feared by farmers that the crop in the state will fail if the amount of rainfall is lesser than 30 inches.

  3. If rainfall is fewer than 30 inches in the state, the crop would fail is the fear of the farmers.

  4. Farmers fear that crop will fail if the amount of rainfall in the state is less than 30 inches.

  5. Farmers fear that if the amount of rainfall was lesser than 30 inches in the state, crop would fail.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Correct; removes Error of Tense by using 'will' instead of 'would'; removes Error of Noun by using 'lesser'(Mass Noun) instead of 'fewer'(Countable Noun). "Less than" is the correct idiomatic expression to be used.

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