The growth of the railroads led to the abolition of local times, which was determined by when the sun reached
the observer's meridian and differing from city to city, and to the establishment of regional times.
A. which was determined by when the sun reached the observer's meridian and differing
B. which was determined by when the sun reached the observer's meridian and which differed
C. which were determined by when the sun reached the observer's meridian and differing
D. determined by when the sun reached the observer's meridian and differed
E. determined by when the sun reached the observer's meridian and differing
E
Why option A is incorrect? please explain in detail.
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The growth of the railroads led to the abolition of local ti
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fabiocafarelli
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If you have three options that begin with WHICH and two that do not, it is highly likely that you will be able to discard either three or two on that basis. The first thing that you have to do is to look at those beginning with WHICH, since this relative pronoun is one of the most problematic words in Sentence Correction. In option A, WHICH is in apposition to LOCAL TIMES, and this makes sense, because these are what was DETERMINED. But in that case, the verb is incorrect: WAS should be WERE, thus: local times, which were determined ... Observing that would allow you to discard options A and B, and you could also discard C if you had noticed in the given sentence that the sequence is not parallel: WHICH WAS DETERMINED ... AND DIFFERING.
Option E, the correct answer, resolves these problems by converting DETERMINED into a participial adjective describing LOCAL TIMES and using the the present participle DIFFERING (which, unlike TO DETERMINE, cannot be used passively) to continue with the description. Here again is a correct answer is which a completely parallel structure (such as that given in option D) is not possible.
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Option E, the correct answer, resolves these problems by converting DETERMINED into a participial adjective describing LOCAL TIMES and using the the present participle DIFFERING (which, unlike TO DETERMINE, cannot be used passively) to continue with the description. Here again is a correct answer is which a completely parallel structure (such as that given in option D) is not possible.
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Hi Fabio ,fabiocafarelli wrote:If you have three options that begin with WHICH and two that do not, it is highly likely that you will be able to discard either three or two on that basis. The first thing that you have to do is to look at those beginning with WHICH, since this relative pronoun is one of the most problematic words in Sentence Correction. In option A, WHICH is in apposition to LOCAL TIMES, and this makes sense, because these are what was DETERMINED. But in that case, the verb is incorrect: WAS should be WERE, thus: local times, which were determined ... Observing that would allow you to discard options A and B, and you could also discard C if you had noticed in the given sentence that the sequence is not parallel: WHICH WAS DETERMINED ... AND DIFFERING.
Option E, the correct answer, resolves these problems by converting DETERMINED into a participial adjective describing LOCAL TIMES and using the the present participle DIFFERING (which, unlike TO DETERMINE, cannot be used passively) to continue with the description. Here again is a correct answer is which a completely parallel structure (such as that given in option D) is not possible.
All understood and cleared, but can you please explain more option D?
Many thanks in advance.
SJ
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fabiocafarelli
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All understood and cleared, but can you please explain more option D?
Option D refers to the abolition of local times determined by when the sun reached the observer's meridian and differed from city to city. This is incorrect first because of the unclear reference of the participial adjective DETERMINED: was THE ABOLITION determined, or were THE TIMES determined?
Second, the sequence determined ... and differed is grammatically ambiguous. DETERMINED is a past participle used as an adjective, but is DIFFERED the Past Simple of the verb TO DIFFER or does it represent an attempt to use that verb also as a participial adjective? No matter what the answer, the result is an incorrect sequence.
If DIFFERED is the Past Simple of the verb, then there is a non-parallel sequence of a passive participial adjective (DETERMINED) and a verb (DIFFERED).
And if DIFFERED is used here as a passive participial adjective, then there is a parallel sequence, but the sequence still does not work, because something is not DIFFERED. Two things differ: an orange differs from a mango. But an orange is not differed from a mango. The use of the verb is intransitive. Oranges and mangoes differ, simply. Thus, it is unidiomatic and ungrammatical to refer to something DIFFERED FROM CITY TO CITY.
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Option D refers to the abolition of local times determined by when the sun reached the observer's meridian and differed from city to city. This is incorrect first because of the unclear reference of the participial adjective DETERMINED: was THE ABOLITION determined, or were THE TIMES determined?
Second, the sequence determined ... and differed is grammatically ambiguous. DETERMINED is a past participle used as an adjective, but is DIFFERED the Past Simple of the verb TO DIFFER or does it represent an attempt to use that verb also as a participial adjective? No matter what the answer, the result is an incorrect sequence.
If DIFFERED is the Past Simple of the verb, then there is a non-parallel sequence of a passive participial adjective (DETERMINED) and a verb (DIFFERED).
And if DIFFERED is used here as a passive participial adjective, then there is a parallel sequence, but the sequence still does not work, because something is not DIFFERED. Two things differ: an orange differs from a mango. But an orange is not differed from a mango. The use of the verb is intransitive. Oranges and mangoes differ, simply. Thus, it is unidiomatic and ungrammatical to refer to something DIFFERED FROM CITY TO CITY.
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