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1. Many teachers (A)*feel that* students should read (B)*more*, theorizing that (C)*they* will learn to write (D)*better* if they do. (No Error)

2. (A)*Women* must not (B)*be held back* by custom and tradition nor by the preference of male politicians when (C)*they* make the decision (D)*whether* to run for high public office. (No Error)

Both are said to have pronoun reference problems, and both answers are C. I don't quite understand so please explain them!

Thanks in advance!

By Rashmi (Rashmi) on Thursday, October 09, 2003 - 04:38 am: Edit

When you cannot make out which noun is being referred to by a pronoun, a pronoun reference error occurs.
In the 1st one the "they" can refer to the teachers or the students.
and in the 2nd one the "they" may refer to the women or the male politicians.
Most of the time one can make out the meaning of the sentence even though there is a pronoun refernce problem, so be careful to check if there is any ambiguity.

By Pumpkintree (Pumpkintree) on Thursday, October 09, 2003 - 04:57 am: Edit

Another question of another kind, please help as well, thank you!

Mark Twain wrote *fiction and nonfiction and they humorously convey* the contradictions in the American society of his time.

A. the same
B. fiction and nonficiton, and they being the humorous conveyance of
C. fiction and nonfiction, they humorously convey
D. fiction and nonfiction and they convey with humor
E. fiction and nonficiton that humorously conveys

answer is E. The answer key explains that fiction and nonfiction may seem plural, but in context it should be considered singular, because it refers to the body of Mark Twain's work.

It seems ambiguous. I'd use "convey" instead of "conveys." When is something plural singular and when is it not? Please explain.

By Pumpkintree (Pumpkintree) on Thursday, October 09, 2003 - 05:01 am: Edit

Thanks Rashmi! Yeah when I read the sentences, the meaning seems clear to me. That's why if I don't *watch out* for errors like these, I'd get the questions wrong.

By Rashmi (Rashmi) on Thursday, October 09, 2003 - 10:52 am: Edit

hehe...I just noticed that I have made one of the common SAT-II errors in the last sentence of my prev post....guess what it is pumpkintree.

By Rashmi (Rashmi) on Thursday, October 09, 2003 - 10:54 am: Edit

I really can't explain the 2nd answer. I think you'll just have to depend on your intuition for that(like I did), unless someone does know how to explain that.

By Pumpkintree (Pumpkintree) on Thursday, October 09, 2003 - 11:08 am: Edit

one more quick question, can you go back to the essay if you finish the MC before time is called?

By Rashmi (Rashmi) on Friday, October 10, 2003 - 07:36 am: Edit

no...I heard that they take the essay sheet away.
I'm giving my writing tomorrow. So best of luck to me :-)

By Richter915 (Richter915) on Friday, October 10, 2003 - 04:44 pm: Edit

me too Rashmi, me too...I took today off from school to rest/cram (what an oxymoron)...I've been doing more resting than cramming though. Only time will tell I guess. Your name is kool too rashmi...my name is rashek...so close yet so far.

By Ali_Liu (Ali_Liu) on Wednesday, October 15, 2003 - 08:28 pm: Edit

misplaced modifiers!!! right? =)

By Ali_Liu (Ali_Liu) on Wednesday, October 15, 2003 - 08:28 pm: Edit

misplaced modifiers!!! right? =)