Hello Everyone!
Let's tackle this question, one problem at a time, to get to the correct answer quickly! To get started, here is the original question with the major differences between each option highlighted in orange:
While Noble Sissle may be best known for his collaboration with Eubie Blake, as both a vaudeville performer and as a lyricist for songs and Broadway musicals, also enjoying an independent career as a singer with such groups as Hahn's Jubilee Singers.
(A) and as a lyricist for songs and Broadway musicals, also enjoying
(B) and writing lyrics for songs and Broadway musicals, also enjoying
(C) and a lyricist for songs and Broadway musicals, he also enjoyed
(D) as well as writing lyrics for songs and Broadway musicals, he also enjoyed
(E) as well as a lyricist for songs and Broadway musicals, he had also enjoyed
After a quick glance over each option, it's clear that we have two main issues to deal with:
1. Parallelism with "a vaudeville performer" and the variety of ways to say he was also a lyricist.
2. How each phrase ends: enjoying/enjoyed
Let's start with #1 on our list: parallelism. The sentence informs us that Noble Sissle was a vaudeville performer and a lyricist. Whenever we use the word "both" to describe two characteristics of a person, both items must be written in parallel format. Let's take a closer look at each option to see which ones are parallel, and which non-parallel options we can rule out:
(A) as both a vaudeville performer and as a lyricist --> NOT PARALLEL
For this to be parallel, it would have to put the word "as" in both items, or take it out of both:
both as a vaudeville performer and as a lyricist
as both a vaudeville performer and a lyricist
(B) as both a vaudeville performer and writing lyrics --> NOT PARALLEL
One item is a job title (vaudeville performer) and the other is an action being performed (writing lyrics).
(C) as both a vaudeville performer and a lyricist --> PARALLEL
(D) as both a vaudeville performer as well as writing lyrics --> NOT PARALLEL
One item is a job title (vaudeville performer) and the other is an action being performed (writing lyrics).
(E) as both a vaudeville performer as well as a lyricist --> PARALLEL
We can eliminate options A, B, and D because they don't use parallel structure.This only leaves us with options C and E to choose from, so let's tackle #2 on our list: the verbs used in the endings (enjoying/enjoyed/had enjoyed).
We have two events that happen in the same sentence:
1. We know that Noble Sissle used to work with Eubie Blake (present tense knowledge of a past event)
2. Sissle also did other things on his own and with others (past event)
Since we are talking about two past events that happened at the same time (working with Blake and working solo or with others), it's best to use past tense throughout to show these events all happened together. Let's see which answer holds up!
(C) and a lyricist for songs and Broadway musicals, he also enjoyed
This is CORRECT! It's clear that Sissle worked with Blake while also doing solo projects and working with other bands. It also uses parallel structure to describe Sissle's job roles.
(E) as well as a lyricist for songs and Broadway musicals, he had also enjoyed
This is INCORRECT because it uses past perfect tense, which would mean that he worked on solo and other projects before be worked with Blake, which isn't true to the original meaning. Therefore, this isn't the best option.
There you go - option C is the correct choice because it uses parallel structure and uses the right verb tenses throughout!
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