Problem 7
Question
A. NO CHANGE B. had been swimming competitively since elementary school, C. had been swimming, competitively since elementary school, D. had been swimming competitively since elementary school
Step-by-Step Solution
Verified Answer
B or D
1Step 1: Understand the Sentence
The sentence is about someone who has been swimming at a competitive level since elementary school. The goal is to choose the correct phrasing.
2Step 2: Analyze the Given Options
Option A is 'NO CHANGE,' meaning no edits to the sentence. Option B adds 'had been' to indicate past perfect tense. Option C incorrectly places a comma. Option D is identical to Option B.
3Step 3: Grammar and Sentence Structure
Evaluate the grammatical correctness of each option. Option B and Option D use the past perfect tense correctly for an ongoing action that began in the past. Option C incorrectly splits the phrase with a comma.
4Step 4: Choose the Best Option
Option B and Option D are both grammatically correct, indicating the past action correctly, whereas Options A and C are incorrect. Since both B and D are identical, either is acceptable.
Key Concepts
Past Perfect TenseComma UsageSentence Structure
Past Perfect Tense
The past perfect tense serves a unique purpose in English grammar. It describes an action that was completed before another action took place in the past. This tense is formed using 'had' followed by the past participle of the verb.
For example, in the sentence, 'She had finished her homework before dinner,' the action of finishing the homework was completed before the action of having dinner started.
In our exercise, the correct phrase 'had been swimming competitively since elementary school' uses the past perfect continuous tense. This tense is useful to indicate that the activity started at a specific time in the past and was still in progress up until another point in the past.
The phrase 'swimming competitively' describes the ongoing nature of the action, and 'had been' sets this action in the past relative to another past action.
For example, in the sentence, 'She had finished her homework before dinner,' the action of finishing the homework was completed before the action of having dinner started.
In our exercise, the correct phrase 'had been swimming competitively since elementary school' uses the past perfect continuous tense. This tense is useful to indicate that the activity started at a specific time in the past and was still in progress up until another point in the past.
The phrase 'swimming competitively' describes the ongoing nature of the action, and 'had been' sets this action in the past relative to another past action.
Comma Usage
Commas are essential for clarifying meaning and separating elements in a sentence. However, misuse of commas can lead to confusion.
Commas should be used to separate items in a list, after introductory elements, and to set off non-essential information.
For example:
Commas should not split verb phrases or adjectives that jointly describe a noun. Use commas wisely to avoid fragmented or awkward sentences.
Commas should be used to separate items in a list, after introductory elements, and to set off non-essential information.
For example:
- She bought apples, oranges, and bananas.
- After the movie, we went to dinner.
- My brother, who is a chef, cooked dinner.
Commas should not split verb phrases or adjectives that jointly describe a noun. Use commas wisely to avoid fragmented or awkward sentences.
Sentence Structure
A well-structured sentence ensures clarity and ease of understanding. Each sentence should have a subject and a predicate.
The subject tells us who or what the sentence is about, and the predicate tells us what the subject is doing. For instance, in the sentence 'The cat sleeps,' 'the cat' is the subject and 'sleeps' is the predicate.
In our exercise, consider the sentence: 'She had been swimming competitively since elementary school.'
Here, 'She' is the subject. 'Had been swimming competitively' is a compound verb phrase making up the predicate. 'Since elementary school' acts as the adverbial phrase providing additional context.
Good sentence structure minimizes ambiguity. Verb phrases should remain intact and not be disrupted unless necessary for clarity. This is why option B is preferred as it keeps the sentences clear and straightforward.
The subject tells us who or what the sentence is about, and the predicate tells us what the subject is doing. For instance, in the sentence 'The cat sleeps,' 'the cat' is the subject and 'sleeps' is the predicate.
In our exercise, consider the sentence: 'She had been swimming competitively since elementary school.'
Here, 'She' is the subject. 'Had been swimming competitively' is a compound verb phrase making up the predicate. 'Since elementary school' acts as the adverbial phrase providing additional context.
Good sentence structure minimizes ambiguity. Verb phrases should remain intact and not be disrupted unless necessary for clarity. This is why option B is preferred as it keeps the sentences clear and straightforward.
Other exercises in this chapter
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