16Hit1600
Standard English ConventionsEasy–MediumParallel structure in a series

Standard English Conventions practice question

On weekends she enjoys hiking, swimming, and ____.

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

  1. A. cyclingCorrect
  2. B. to cycle
  3. C. she cycles
  4. D. cycled

Answer: A. cycling

Items in a series should have the same grammatical form. The first two are -ing forms (hiking, swimming), so the third must be too: cycling.

Why the other answers are wrong

B. to cycle
'to cycle' is an infinitive, which breaks the pattern set by 'hiking' and 'swimming'.
C. she cycles
'she cycles' is a whole clause dropped into a list of single words, so the series no longer matches.
D. cycled
'cycled' is a past-tense verb, not the -ing form the other two items use.

More Standard English Conventions questions

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