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.

Ensconced in multiple layers of sponge, none of the Chinese potteries were broken when the worker inadvertently dropped the crate.

  1. none of the Chinese potteries were broken when the worker inadvertently dropped the crate.

  2. none of the Chinese pottery broke away when the worker inadvertently dropped the crate.

  3. none of the Chinese pottery was broken when the worker inadvertently dropped the crates.

  4. none of the Chinese potteries got broken when the workers inadvertently dropped the crate.

  5. none of the Chinese pottery was broken when the worker inadvertently dropped the crate.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
E Correct answer
Explanation

Explanation for (1): 'Potteries' is incorrect plural form of 'pottery'. 'None of' is followed by a singular verb. So, the usage of plural verb 'were' is incorrect.

Explanation for (2): 'Broke away' is idiomatically incorrect in context of the poetry.

Explanation for (3): 'Potteries' is incorrect plural form of 'pottery'. None of is followed by a singular verb. So, the usage of plural verb 'were' is incorrect. Option (3) is almost correct except that it uses 'crates' instead of crate thus changing the meaning of the sentence.
Explanation for (4): How many workers dropped the pottery? Justification for (5): Also 'potteries' is incorrect plural form of 'pottery'. None of is followed by a singular verb. So, the usage of plural verb 'were' is incorrect. Option (5) rectifies both the errors.

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