Jul 24, 2008

SAT Prep | Word Choice Errors and Faulty Parallelism


Word Choice Errors
 In a sense, all grammatical errors are the result of choosing the wrong word or phrase. But in the grammatical mistakes we’ve considered so far, the errors in word choice have been logical errors. Treating a plural noun as though it’s singular, or grammatically comparing unequal things, is simply illogical. The category “Word Choice Errors” concerns violations of accepted idioms and definitions. Nonnative speakers of English have particular difficulty identifying these kinds of errors. 
 Try to “hear” improperly used words and expressions in the following: 
 

  

11.  After three hours of  negotiations, the Trade Union insisted that management agree      on  its   
  
      A      B C  
 
 
  
         demands for a reduced work week and improved      working  conditions.  
  
  D    
 
 
  
  
    12.  Despite of     the bad weather,      Mark  and Heather's garage sale went     well,  earning the couple a  
  
    A      B  C    
 
 
  
     tidy  sum.  
  
 D    
 
 
  
  
    13.  Even     at an early age, Picasso displayed signs      of  imaginary  genius that would fuel      ground-breaking  
  
    A      B C      D  
 
 
  
         artwork.   
  
    
 
 
 Answers
11. B
Like many verbs, “agree” combines with several prepositions to form new concepts. To “agree with” someone is to share his or her opinion; to “agree to” something is to concede to a demand or request. A trade union usually doesn’t care if management agrees with its philosophy, so long as it agrees to (concedes to) to the union’s demands. 
 12. A
“In spite of” and “despite” have virtually the same meaning and sound alike. Consequently, characteristics of each are sometimes erroneously blended, as in sentence 12. 
 13. C
Imaginary and imaginative are adjectives derived from the same root word. Nevertheless, they have very different meanings. “Imaginative” means “gifted with imagination”— which Picasso was; “imaginary” means “illusory.” 
 Faulty Parallelism
 Consider the following sentence:
 Jim likes hiking, skiing, and to snowboard.
 Clearly, the third element in the series of things Jim likes should be “snowboarding,” not “to snowboard.” Whenever possible, elements catalogued or linked with conjunctions should be grammatically equal. This rule of “parallelism”—think “equal”—is more typically violated when the sentence is more complex than the preceding one. See if you can identify the faulty parallelisms below. 
 

  

    14.  A 
	low-calorie 
    diet, most nutritionists 
    agree, 
	is the best 
    way 
	to reduce cholesterol and
  

  

     
    A
     
	B
	 
    C
	 
  





  

         the achievement 
    of weight loss.
  

  

    D
	 
  








  

    15.  When 
	one 
    takes a high-stakes test, 
    it's 
	perfectly natural 
    to be 
	a little nervous, irritable, 
	sweaty palms.
  

  

     
    A
     
	B
	 
    C
	 
	D
  


 Answers

14. D
In naming the two things that a low-calorie diet helps the dieter to achieve, the writer begins with an infinitival phrase: “to reduce” Disobeying the rule of parallelism, the writer describes the second benefit of dieting as “the achievement of weight loss”—a noun phrase. Clearly, following the first infinitival phrase with another to create “to lower cholesterol and to achieve weight loss” sounds better and improves clarity. 
 15. D
“Nervous” and “irritable” are adjectives. “Sweaty” is also an adjective, but, because it is followed by “palms,” the third element in this catalogue is a noun phrase modified by an adjective. Parallelism could be achieved simply by removing “palms.” 
  




©2000-2008
Enotes.com Inc.
All Rights Reserved