Problem 964 - 1,001 GED Practice Questions For Dummies

Question

Select the best sentence from among the given choices. (A) If you're familiar with blogs, instant messaging, and web-based journals, you can start to understand what makes Twitter very unique. (B) If you're familiar with blogs, instant messaging, and web-based journals, you can start to understand what makes Twitter most unique. (C) If you're familiar with blogs, instant messaging, and web-based journals, you can start to understand what makes Twitter unique. (D) If you're familiar with blogs, instant messaging, and web-based journals, you can start to understand what makes Twitter the uniquest.

Step-by-Step Solution

Answer

The best and most grammatically correct sentence among the given choices is (C) "If you're familiar with blogs, instant messaging, and web-based journals, you can start to understand what makes Twitter unique."

Step 1: Understanding the Usage of 'Unique'

The adjective 'unique' means 'being the only one of its kind; unlike anything else.' Notably, 'unique' doesn't have a comparative or a superlative form. So, in the provided sentences, the verb 'unique' shouldn't be modified.

Step 2: Review Each Sentence

Review each sentence and focus on the usage of the adjective 'unique'.

Step 3: Eliminate Incorrect Options

In options (A), 'very unique' is used, (B), 'most unique' is used and (D), 'the uniquest' is used. However, all these variations are grammatically incorrect, as 'unique' shouldn't take any modifiers like 'very', 'most' or 'the'. Therefore, we can eliminate options (A), (B), and (D).

Step 4: Choose the Correct Sentence

After applying the above-mentioned rules, it is clear that the only option that correctly uses the adjective 'unique' is option (C), "If you're familiar with blogs, instant messaging, and web-based journals, you can start to understand what makes Twitter unique." Hence, (C) is the best and most grammatically correct sentence among the given choices.

Key Concepts

Proper Adjective Usage

Understanding the correct use of adjectives is crucial for clear and precise communication, especially when preparing for the GED Language Arts section. Adjectives are words that modify nouns or pronouns to provide additional information about their qualities, quantities, or states of being.

Proper adjective usage entails selecting the most appropriate word to express an exact shade of meaning without causing redundancy or grammatical error. For instance, certain adjectives, like 'unique', represent an absolute state and therefore do not require modifiers such as 'very', 'more', or 'most'. The word 'unique' itself implies being 'one of a kind' without degrees of comparison, which means it is not grammatically correct to use it with comparative or superlative modifiers.

When practicing proper adjective usage for the GED, it's important to look out for these absolute adjectives and use them on their own. The question from the exercise is a classic example where 'unique' is properly used in its absolute form, thus, making option (C) the best choice.

Comparative and Superlative Adjectives

Comparative and superlative adjectives are used to compare differences between the two objects they modify (comparative) or among three or more objects (superlative). The rules for using these adjectives properly are essential for the GED language arts assessments.

Comparatives are typically formed by adding '-er' to the end of the adjective (e.g., 'smaller', 'quicker') or by prefacing the adjective with the word 'more' (e.g., 'more important'). To form superlatives, we usually add '-est' (e.g., 'tallest', 'fastest') or use 'most' before the adjective (e.g., 'most powerful').

However, not all adjectives have comparative and superlative forms. Absolute adjectives, like 'perfect', 'dead', and the previously mentioned 'unique', are non-gradable and should never be modified to show comparison. As demonstrated in the exercise, modifying 'unique' with 'most', 'very', or an incorrect form like 'uniquest' is improper and considered a common mistake.

GED Language Arts

The GED Language Arts test measures a candidate's mastery of reading comprehension, writing, and editing skills. The test includes multiple-choice questions, like the one in our exercise, as well as tasks that require more in-depth analysis such as writing an essay.

In the context of the given exercise, the test is assessing understanding of proper adjective usage. It is important for students to recognize the nuances of grammar rules and how they apply in differing contexts. Mastering this involves not only knowing vocabulary but also understanding sentence structure, syntax, and proper word choice.

To excel in the GED Language Arts section, it is recommended to read extensively, practice writing with a focus on clarity and grammar, and review common grammatical rules like the correct use of adjectives. Preparing with exercises similar to the one provided helps solidify these rules so that test-takers can confidently select the best, most grammatically correct sentence among given choices.