leaonae wrote:The three women, liberal activists who strongly support legislation in favor of civil rights and environmental protection, <u>have consistently received labor's unqualifying support<u>
1. have consistently received labor's unqualifying support
2. are consistently receiving the unqualifying support of labor
3. have consistently received the unqualified support of labor
4. receive consistent and unqualified support by labor
5. are receiving consistent and unqualified support by labor.
Please explain the difference between 1 and 3.
My Answer: 3
There is no way to know whether labor is still supporting them at the time of reading or will continue to support them in future. Thus ruling out present, present continuous, future etc. tenses (2,4,5)
The meaning that is trying to be expressed here is that labor completely and without reservations supports the three women. Hence, "unqualified support" is the right usage. "unqualifying" does not exist in the dictionary, and even if it did, it would probably mean something like "not kosher"/"not qualified" and so changes the meaning of the sentence. Rules out (1,2)
"labor" modifies "support", not "received" so use "of", not "by". Rules out (4,5).
Finally, "unqualified support of labor" sounds more elegant than "labor's unqualified support" (if that answer choice was offered), although both are correct.