16Hit1600
Standard English ConventionsHardParallel gerunds in a list

Standard English Conventions practice question

Her duties included answering the phone, filing the post, and ____ the visitors' book.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

  1. A. keepingCorrect
  2. B. to keep
  3. C. she kept
  4. D. kept

Answer: A. keeping

The list is of gerunds: answering, filing, keeping.

Why the other answers are wrong

B. to keep
An infinitive breaks the parallel.
C. she kept
A clause breaks the parallel.
D. kept
A past tense verb breaks the parallel.

More Standard English Conventions questions

Not affiliated with the College Board. SAT is a trademark of the College Board.