16Hit1600
Standard English ConventionsVery hardParallelism across three clauses with different subjects

Standard English Conventions practice question

The report found that the roof leaked, that the wiring was ____ and that the floor could not bear the weight of the shelving.

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

  1. A. unsafe,Correct
  2. B. unsafe, and being
  3. C. being unsafe,
  4. D. unsafe and

Answer: A. unsafe,

'That the roof leaked, that the wiring was unsafe, and that the floor could not bear': three parallel 'that' clauses.

Why the other answers are wrong

B. unsafe, and being
'And being' breaks the parallel and leaves a dangling participle.
C. being unsafe,
'Being unsafe' shifts the second clause out of parallel.
D. unsafe and
The comma before the final 'and' in the series is dropped, and 'unsafe and that' runs the items together.

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